Latest News from Gizmodo
Gizmodo
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Gundam GQuuuuuuX' Is Ready to Drop Its Biggest Bombshell
The latest episode of the series sets the stage for 'GQuuuuuuX' and its remixing of classic 'Gundam' to enter a fascinating new step. Gundam GQuuuuuuX's remixing of the story of the 1979 anime classic has had to dance around some pretty major players as it weaves in a cast of a new generation of post-war spacenoids and obscure faves from the original show. The shadow of Amuro Ray, through his absence, and Char Aznable, through his perpetual ability to stalk Gundam's narrative, looms large over everything the series has done up to this point. But now, arguably the original Gundam's other major figure is preparing to step into the spotlight. 'Falling on the Moon,' the latest episode of GQuuuuuuX, splits itself between the events of the final hours of the One Year War in 0079—polishing off the remainder of the prologue footage from GQuuuuuuX – Beginning – in the the process—and the series' contemporary five-years-later era to set the stage for what is now a brewing conflict to come between its young female heroines Machu and Nyaan. Together, they are pawns in the broader astropolitical game among Zeon's head honchos that has simmered in the background of the series. But that conflict is about to get a huge psychic wrench thrown in it, it seems. The closing moments of the episodes follow two researchers, Tirza Lionni and the mysterious Shirouzu, as they discuss their eager participation in two of Zeon's top secret projects. One is the 'Yomang'tho site,' the secret name given to development of the Solar Ray, a vast superweapon from the original Gundam, and the other is the successor mobile suit to the GQuuuuuuX, the GfreD (much easier to say for those initially confused by the series' title). But Shirouzu is immediately presented as suspicious to the audience, as he briefly regards Tirza with a look that shows one of his bright blue eyes under a mop of platinum blond hair. He happens to look at a lot like Char Aznable, who has been missing since the closing moments of the war depicted earlier in the episode. He happens to sound a lot like Char Aznable, and shares a voice actor with him in both Japanese and English. Char Aznable (excuse me, sorry, Casval rem Deikun, excuse me, sorry, Quattro Bajeena) certainly does not have a history across Gundam of using pseudonyms and assumed identities to infiltrate and undermine the plans of his most hated enemies, Zeon's ruling Zabi family, or anything. But if all that wasn't enough, it's even more deliberately clear that Shirouzu is a Char (whether the man himself or some kind of clone; Gundam has, of course, done both, metaphorically and literally) in what he's reacting to when his proverbial mask falls away for a moment: Tirza regretfully confides to him her frustration that Zeon has been unable to locate the mysterious 'Rose of Sharon.' This 'object' has been brought up briefly in GQuuuuuuX before—whatever the Rose was, it was under the control of the Zabis before it vanished just as mysteriously as Char did in the 'zeknova' explosion that ended GQuuuuuuX's version of the One Year War. But the next time trailer for episode nine, itself titled 'The Rose of Sharon,' makes it all the more explicit just what that object is: a person with an uncanny resemblance to Lalah Sune from the original Gundam. Introduced in the final few episodes of the 1979 anime, Lalah is one of the most important thematic cornerstones of the show, and her legacy drives much of the thematic thrust of the rest of Gundam's primary 'Universal Century' timeline. A young woman groomed by Char as his potential secret weapon in his revenge plot against the Zabis, Lalah is one of the first and most prominent emergences of Newtypes in Gundam. The purported next evolutionary step for humanity as civilization moves from beyond Earth and toward life in the stars, Newtypes are beings with enhanced senses, from psionic precognition to empathic communication abilities. Lalah is presented as both one of the most powerful to have emerged and also Gundam's commentary on the tragic exploitation of this burgeoning evolution of humankind, as she's promptly tasked with using her Newtype abilities to control an experimental weapon of war and enact awesome and terrifying levels of carnage. It's this exploitation that ultimately sees Lalah lose her life just a few episodes after her introduction in the climactic episodes of the original Mobile Suit Gundam—sacrificing herself in the crossfire of a duel between Char and Amuro—but her relationship with the two men as they both begin to grasp with their evolutions as a Newtypes becomes a defining connection between them throughout their remaining appearances in Gundam continuity. It's no surprise, then, that it's clearly going to be the case in GQuuuuuuX that Lalah is similarly treated as a tool for other people's goals and ambitions, given the way the Rose is talked about more like an object rather than a living being. But what is surprising is that, so far at least, Lalah's connection to Char is playing out slightly differently in this re-imagining—and may not climax in tragedy this time around. Although episode nine is going to be the first time we explicitly deal with Lalah as a character in GQuuuuuuX, it's not the first time the series has invoked her. The psychic sing-song sound that became her leitmotif in the original series has shown up multiple times as an important beat throughout GQuuuuuuX so far, most notably during the aforementioned explosion that saw Char vanish. Even Lalah's death sequence from the first Gundam has already been referenced in the series during its fourth episode, with the killing of the vengeful Federation Newtype Shiiko serving as a similar moment of psionic bridging between Shuji and Machu being framed and presented in a similar way to how Lalah and Amuro interacted with each other in her final moments. 'Falling on the Moon' further makes her psychic connection to Char apparent too, with Lalah appearing in a split-second frame during the episode's 0079 sequence, seemingly making him realize that he's about to fight and potentially kill his sister Artesia (better known by her alternate identity, Sayla Mass), who had become the Federation's top Newtype pilot in GQuuuuuuX's seemingly Amuro-less timeline. Even before she's fully on the stage, GQuuuuuuX has constantly woven Lalah into its broader exploration of the Newtype concept, albeit subtly. Now it seems like the time is nigh for her to not just step from the shadows, but also potentially put her on a path toward encountering Char once again. Will it put her on a path to exploitation and fated death, after she's seemingly managed to escape that in GQuuuuuuX's imagining of the Universal Century? What will Lalah mean to the series' new protagonists, beyond her connections to some of Gundam's oldest and most defining moments? What does it mean for the chance for things for this character to play out differently in the first place? We'll have to wait and see, but it's clear GQuuuuuuX is ready to engage with all these questions now. What remains is what it will have to say beyond echoing Gundam's classic stories as it does so. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Gizmodo
42 minutes ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Scientists Are Creeping Closer to Colorized Black Hole Images
Black holes are infamous for being invisible. But thanks to a new technique from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team, we're about to start seeing them in color. Astronomers have figured out a way to observe the radio sky in multiple frequencies at once, allowing them to create full-color images of supermassive black holes. The breakthrough is built on a technique called frequency phase transfer, which lets scientists correct for atmospheric interference in real time across multiple radio bands. In plain English: They've basically figured out how to give radio telescopes a multi-color vision upgrade. Sara Issaoun, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, led the team, whose research was recently published in The Astronomical Journal. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) stunned the world in 2019 with the first image of a black hole—M87*, followed in 2022 by Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at our galaxy's center. Now, scientists are planning a $300 million space-based successor mission, the Event Horizon Explorer, designed to sharpen those images tenfold and reveal the elusive photon rings that may confirm black hole spin and push the limits of general relativity. Meanwhile, some researchers have challenged aspects of the original Sgr A* image, proposing that its accretion disk may be more elongated than ring-like—an open question future observations may resolve. Similar to how our eyes take in visible light's various wavelengths and interpret them as a range of colors, radio telescopes capture slices of invisible radio light in specific frequency bands. Stitch enough of those slices together and you get something like a color image—just not in the visible spectrum. But until now, most radio telescopes could only observe one frequency band at a time. That's fine when astronomers' target is a distant galaxy that appears sedentary against the cosmos. But if scientists are trying to image a rapidly spinning black hole spewing relativistic jets, or wobbling from gravitational forces, the radio data can't be captured in a single image. The object simply moves so fast that multiple exposures can't be layered in a coherent way. Enter frequency phase transfer. As reported in Universe Today, the team was able to track atmospheric distortions in their observations at one wavelength and sharpen the image in a different wavelength. (Correcting for atmospheric distortion is a regular problem for Earth-based observatories, but new technologies are allowing telescopes to overcome this longstanding hurdle in ground-based astronomy). The team's new black hole imaging method is still experimental, but the proof-of-concept means we're on the cusp of getting sharper, truer images of the most extreme objects in the universe. Next-gen observatories like the EHT and Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) are already gearing up to use this method, bringing us one step closer to seeing a black hole in all its violent and vivid brilliance.
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
EA Kills Its ‘Black Panther' Game Along With Developer Cliffhanger Games
Two years ago, EA announced a game based on Marvel hero Black Panther from new developer Cliffhanger Games. Now, that project has been canceled. Per IGN, EA Entertainment president Laura Miele sent out an email confirming the game was scrapped and Cliffhanger is closing. At time of writing, it's unclear how many employees are affected, as the publisher is trying to move staff onto other projects where possible. The cuts, per Miele, were done to 'sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities.' 'These decisions are hard. They affect people we've worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with,' she continued. 'We're doing everything we can to support them—including finding opportunities within EA, where we've had success helping people land in new roles.' In late February 2024, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said the publisher would 'move away from development of future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry.' This directive doesn't appear to affect its two known Star Wars games, Bit Reactor's Zero Company due in 2026, and the third Jedi title in development at Respawn Entertainment. Details on the Black Panther game have been nonexistent since the project's reveal, though a job listing from 2024 indicated it would be a single-player, open-world game. This was also the second of a three-part game collaboration between EA and Marvel: one based on Iron Man from developed by Dead Space studio Motive, and a third, currently unannounced game. At time of writing, both of those are thought to still be in development. Marvel has currently not provided a comment on the game's cancellation.
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Andor' Star Adria Arjona Talks About the Moment She Knew Bix's Big Secret
That big reveal at the end of Andor led to huge fan speculation regarding Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) and her choice to depart the rebel base in season two of the hit Star Wars series. And now in an interview with Collider, the actress opens up about why Bix left Cassian to his destiny in Rogue One, confirming theories that have abounded after the series finale. 'Yeah, I think she knows,' Arjona said, referring to when Bix became aware of her big secret. 'I think she knows when she's making the [good-bye] letter. The only reason why I'm actually really confirming it is because I heard [Andor creator Tony Gilroy] say 'yes'. I wouldn't have said it otherwise.' So, yes: Bix knew that she was pregnant with Cassian's baby when she left. 'She sees Cassian going the other route. She's like, 'I can't be the reason that he doesn't get to do what he's destined to do,'' she said of her character's inner conflict about whether or not to tell him. 'Especially if she tells him that she's pregnant, Cassian will quit it all. Cassian is willing to give up everything for Bix, and Bix knows that. That's how important Bix is for Cassian. It's a big sacrifice that she makes, a big love sacrifice not only for what's best for Cassian, but also for what's best for the rebellion. She says it: 'I choose rebellion.' But ultimately, she's choosing the future of her family and the future of the galaxy that she's going to raise this child in. It's a big mother instinct that kicks in. I don't know how she would have made that decision otherwise.' Knowing Cassian's importance to the Rebellion is what motivates her to keep it a secret in the hopes that he will return to them when its all over. The transmission to her love is one of the most beautifully powerful moments in the series and heartbreaking at that—since we know where Andor's journey will end. That's something Arjona shared was a challenge to keep out of her head while playing someone who had unwavering hope she would meet him again. 'I had to step away from my love of Rogue One and A New Hope to really be able to play the letter and to be able to play the last shot, because I was a little too connected, and Bix obviously isn't.' And that made Arjona's read of the lines in the letter even more impactful. 'There's a beautiful element of hope in that last scene. She says it in her letter: 'When this is over, when it's all done, we'll meet again, and we'll be fine.' She has never had a doubt that Cassian will be back. There's a lot of hope in that last shot that he'll be back and they'll raise a family. I think that's what's so heartbreaking about it.' It is all the more gut-wrenching and tear-inducing for fans of the characters who have gotten such an important backstory that we're just not ready to let go of yet. It's why the surprise of baby Andor was such a beacon of light and a huge payoff we see that Cassian doesn't. The profound and poignant ending was masterfully pulled off by Gilroy, Arjona elaborated. 'When he told me that the last shot of season two was going to be me holding Cassian's baby, it just blew my mind, because he told me something very similar at the beginning of season one. He was like, 'Don't worry, it's all going to pay off.'' 'That's something that a lot of creatives promise to get the cast that they desire, but never actually follow through on, and Tony actually followed through and gave me a lot of very pivotal moments in this season, and then gave me the end.' The coda truly adds a satisfying layer to Andor's sacrifice by focusing on Bix and the baby seeing the sunrise he won't live to see. And as massive Arjona fans, we can't help but hope Bix's story isn't over yet.
Gizmodo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Japan Puts Fukushima Soil in Prime Minister's Flower Beds to Show It's Safe
In March 2011, an earthquake triggered a massive tsunami along Japan's coast. The surging waters caused the Fukushima Daiichi power plant to lose power. As a result, the cooling systems of three reactors failed, and their cores experienced a partial meltdown, releasing radiation into the environment in the second worst nuclear accident in history. While the earthquake and tsunami claimed over 18,000 lives, the nuclear accident itself didn't cause any direct radiation deaths. However, 14 years later, Japan is still dealing with its consequences—including over 494 million cubic feet (14 million cubic meters) of slightly radioactive soil, equivalent to 11 Tokyo Domes. To demonstrate that the soil is now safe enough to repurpose, Japan announced on Tuesday plans to use some in the flower beds at the Prime Minister's office, as reported by Japan Today. The soil has been sitting at an interim storage facility near the Fukushima Daiichi complex since its removal during decontamination work, and the Japanese government is legally obliged to deal with the soil before 2045. The plan comes in the wake of public opposition to using the soil in Tokyo's public parks, pushing the government to abandon the plan. The Environment Ministry maintains that some of the soil is now safe enough to repurpose. Since the public is clearly not convinced, however, the government plans to demonstrate this firsthand by using the soil in flower beds as well as for other purposes near government offices, according to Japan Today. 'The government will take the lead in setting an example, and we will do so at the prime minister's office,' chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a meeting, as reported by the Guardian. Back in 2024, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved Japan's plan to recycle about 75% of the slightly radioactive soil—'if demonstrated safe'—in infrastructure including railways, waste treatment sites, roads, seawalls, coastal protection, agricultural land, and land reclamation. During the soil task force meeting, the Environment Ministry said that the radioactive soil would be used in foundations and covered in a thick layer of regular topsoil, according to the AP. 'The IAEA is confident that as the Ministry of the Environment (MOEJ) continues to explore solutions in line with our recommendations, its evolving strategy for recycling and final disposal of removed soil and waste will remain consistent with IAEA Safety Standards,' agency director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated in an IAEA press release. Japan is also dealing with hundreds of millions of gallons of contaminated water, which operators used in 2011 to flood the nuclear reactors to mitigate the meltdown. In 2023, the IAEA approved Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, which the country began doing shortly after despite strong opposition from neighboring countries. In a similar demo to the forthcoming one, Japanese ministers ate fish from Fukushima to demonstrate that the discharge was not contaminating seafood. Evidently, many people need tangible proof that the government truly has their health and safety in mind. It remains to be seen whether this future demonstration will be enough to convince them.
