CATEGORIES

THE FACE OF DIPLODOCUS: Nostril Placement in Sauropod Dinosaurs

In writing and illustrating our 2016 Johns Hopkins University Press book, The Sauropod Dinosaurs: Life in the Age of Giants, my coauthor Matthew J. Wedel and I sought to explain the most current ideas about the paleobiology and ecology of this enigmatic dinosaur group.

How to Draw Dinosaurs

Putting it all together, the skeleton of Corythosaurus

Neanderthals of the Swiss Alps

For a long time anthropologists believed that the Neanderthal man was more of a brute force simpleton who lived in a few concentrated places such as the valley of the Neander near Düsseldorf (from where he got his name). These views have been modified in more recent years as more becomes known about this ancestor of mankind.

When Giant Arthropods Ruled the Earth

The bones which belonged once upon a time to living beasts, which have been unearthed by curious minds, take on new life in our imaginations. Human beings have frequently dreamt up wild stories around prehistoric lifeforms; some of these were even being told and believed among early paleontology groups. For a while, a mythological aura hung around the study of these titans of a former age.

Dinosauriana Imagined 11

Dinosauriana Austriana (A Tiere-ful Endeavor)

Dinosaur Collector News

In the Cambrian, the arthropods and their allies look like the big winners. The moulesca are important but have not dominated their brachiopod rivals and vertebrates are sparse. Arthropods are invertebrates with an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. They include insects, arachnids, myriapods, crustaceans, and several extinct groups.

Big Time Dinosaur

In general, sauropods rarely appear in dinosaur model collections due to their size and scale but not due to a lack of interest. In 1/20 or 1/15 scale, the average sauropod measures between 45 and 60 inches and is priced like a mid-range laptop.

Sonos Arc: Soundbar Excellence

Sonos continues to expand its home-theater speaker selection with the Arc soundbar. The Arc combines the voice assistant support of the Sonos Beam ($399) with the power of the Sonos Playbar ($599) in a single package for $799, adding Dolby Atmos compatibility with directional tweeters. It’s an impressive soundbar on its own, and you can easily integrate it into an existing Sonos multi-room system or pair it with other Sonos speakers for a truly impressive surround-sound setup. Its terrific audio performance and flexibility earn it our Editors’ Choice for high-end soundbars.

Sennheiser HD 450BT: Best Budget Noise-Cancelling Headphones

It’s no secret that noise-cancelling headphones cost a good deal more than their traditional counterparts. Priced at $199.95, Sennheiser’s HD 450BT headphones are far from inexpensive, but they cost considerably less than leading ANC (active noise cancellation) models such as the $400 Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. For half that price, Sennheiser’s pair offers above-average ANC performance and excellent Bluetooth audio. Add in adjustable EQ, a comfortable fit, and easy-to-operate controls, and you get the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy for $200, as well as our Editors’ Choice.

Motorola Moto e: Best Budget Phone

Though it’s been mere months since Motorola released its budget-friendly handsets, the Moto G Power ($249.99) and Moto G Stylus ($299.99), the company is back with an even more affordable model. The Moto e is the company’s least expensive smartphone, with an attractive, durable design, a big display, and admirable performance for the price. Of course, Motorola makes some compromises to get the price this low, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Moto e is the best affordable phone we’ve tested so far this year, and it’s now our Editors’ Choice in that category.

THE BEST FREE PC GAMES

Free-to-play games have become increasingly popular over the years, and it’s easy to understand why. They’re now so robust that you never feel handcuffed for not plunking down real cash. In case you’re wondering why developers wouldn’t charge anything for the game itself, they generally make money with in-game ads and selling virtual objects.

WILL WE EVER BE ABLE TO UPLOAD OUR BRAINS?

We’re in an era of remarkable high-concept situation comedies, with shows such as “The Good Place” using the 22-minute joke-packed framework to explore some of humanity’s deepest issues. Premiering on Amazon Prime in May was “Upload,” a show created by Greg Daniels of “The Office,” and it looks to be a contender.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-Inch): More Work of Art Than Workhorse

If Microsoft-designed mobile PCs are the essence of the Windows computing experience, and the Surface Book is Microsoft’s flagship model, then the Surface Book 3 has a reasonable claim to be the ultimate Windows-powered mobile device. This detachable 2-in-1 laptop certainly offers the best blend of unique features, operating-mode flexibility, computing power, and portability of any Microsoft PC. With an advanced mechanical locking system for the keyboard base, powerful graphics processing, multiple cameras and batteries, and a choice of two screen sizes, the Surface Book 3 is a category-defying device for the few laptop buyers who can afford it and realize its full potential.

Most Americans Reject COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Apps

COVID-19 is invisible, but the people who are diagnosed with it are not. And so for epidemiologists to do their disease detective work to prevent more cases, people are their most valuable clues. One way to follow these clues is through contact tracing. Yet a study from Avira finds that the majority of Americans are against apps that would allow this.

YES: YOU CAN PLAY GAMES ON AN OLD, LOW-END PC

While many PC enthusiasts look to high-end units or trick out their own custom rigs with the latest hardware, some of us are cursed with integrated graphics and two gigs of RAM. Though you can actually build a gaming PC for less than $1,000, not everyone is going to take the time to piece one together.

How to Report Abuse on Social Media

We live in divisive times, which is why you should know how to protect yourself on social media. People use these platforms to freely express their ideas and opinions, and some can be deemed controversial, offensive, misleading, or just plain inaccurate. For those reasons, the major social networks all offer options for reporting posts and users for a variety of infractions.

Dell G5 15 SE (2020): A Solid Budget Offering

The market for budget gaming laptops is ultra-competitive these days, with the latest components from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia allowing for better performance than ever at lower prices.

Bitter Pill

We need covid-19 treatments asap—but a perverse incentive could slow pharma breakthroughs.

10 CHEAP AND EASY WAYS TO LEVEL UP YOUR HOME OFFICE

Are you working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Not knowing how long your remote-work situation will last might leave you wondering how much effort you should put into creating a nice home office.

COWORKING COMMUNITIES CHART A NEW PATH DURING COVID-19

We checked in with Pauline Roussel, CEO of Berlin-based Coworkers to find out what’s next in collaborative (but socially distanced) workspaces.

15 AFFORDABLE SMALL TOWNS IN THE US WITH FAST INTERNET

Millions of Americans have been working from home during the COVID-19 crisis.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (2020): Gets the Basics Right

A controversial keyboard once present on every Apple laptop is now a thing of the past.

Garmin Vivoactive 4: Best High-End Fitness Tracker

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that really balances form and function, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 should be at the top of your list.

Dell Inspiron 14 7000 (7490): Ultraportable Excellence

Dell’s Inspiron laptops are positioned below its higher-quality, more powerful XPS series, but you’d never know it judging by the Inspiron 14 7000.

COVID-19 Creates Soaring Demand for PCs

The coronavirus and the ensuing need to work from home is creating skyrocketing demand for PCs, according to research firms. Canalys attributes the surge to businesses upgrading their workforces with new laptops and IT equipment.

HOW TO WORK FROM HOME SECURELY

When you step into your office or cubicle and sit down to work at a company-owned computer, you shouldn’t have to worry much about security.

TCL 10 Pro: Best Midrange Android Phone

When you hear TCL, you probably think of TVs; but the company is no stranger to making smartphones.

REMOTE WORK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AND THAT'S A GOOD THING

The home office you’ve occupied for months could be the wave of the future.

Kandy-Kolored, Streamlined, and Definitely Around The Bend

Pinewood Derby Racing and the dads who just can't get enough

Hell? Yes!

Endurance athletes and the pleasure of pushing it