Industry
80% of Americans may opt for cremation by 2045
Rising costs, shifting beliefs, and environmental concerns are accelerating the decline of casket burials. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The casket industry may soon require life support in the United States. According to analysis from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), cremation is by far the more popular option compared to the traditional burial method. The NFDA estimates around 63 percent of all funerary requests were for cremation in 2025, compared to about 31 percent for casket burials.
Yahoo is adding generative AI to its search engine
Apple could unveil Gemini-powered Siri in Feb. Yahoo Scout will be powered by Claude and is integrated across the company's products. Yahoo has a new AI-powered answer engine, dubbed Yahoo Scout. The new tool is available now in beta and is powered by Anthropic's . The company says Scout synthesizes info from the web, as well as Yahoo's own data and content when constructing responses to user's natural-language search queries. Yahoo says the interface will include interactive digital media, structured lists and tables and visible source links aimed at making answers easier to verify.
Amazon's super-cute Echo Pop Kids speaker is now 40% off
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Amazon's super-cute Echo Pop Kids speaker is now 40% off The Anthro Pup, Unicorn, Disney Princesses, and Marvel's Avengers models are all on sale for $30 on Amazon. These might be the absolute cutest version of the Amazon Echo Pop Kids! You can now get the Anthro Pup and Unicorn models (as well as the older models) for just $30 each on Amazon, which is a hefty 40% discount and a cost-effective way to introduce your kids to Alexa. The blue Anthro Pup model features a pup wearing headphones and glasses while the pink Unicorn features a well, a poppy unicorn.
Humanity edges closer to annihilation as Doomsday Clock lurches forward because of new global threats
A simple trick cured my tinnitus after a long-haul flight left me in misery for months. Here's the miracle method I wish everyone knew I was diagnosed with cancer after strange things began happening to my hands - here are the symptoms you can't ignore Explosive twist in'diva' inmate Bryan Kohberger's life in prison revealed in the FREE The Crime Desk newsletter Marco Rubio'cocoons like a mummy' in bizarre strategy to hide naps from Trump Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli's heartbreaking struggles laid bare after confession about shock firing Devastating truth about Blind Side actor Quinton Aaron: More to this'than everyone is letting on', friends reveal... as co-star Sandra Bullock'monitors' situation Mother hit by unimaginable triple tragedy after'son, 6, fell through icy pond and brothers aged 8 and 9 jumped in to save him' Sydney Sweeney shows off her bombshell curves in racy lingerie to promote her new SYRN line - as it's revealed Hollywood Sign bra stunt could leave her facing trespassing and vandalism charges Lawyer, 44, who died on flight to London after falling asleep on her mother's shoulder had undiagnosed cardiac condition, inquest hears Top Citi banker displayed'sexually charged' behavior towards female underling and let co-workers think they were having affair, harassment lawsuit alleges Revealed: Tupac Shakur's'crack fiend mama' lived in'SCARY' houseboat community full of drug addicts like'Psycho Steve' before shock death My perfect life at $2m Manchester-by-the-Sea mansion took nasty turn when neighbors tried to ban me from getting a gun because of my HUSBAND - now I've had the last laugh Boy, 15, has been missing for two weeks after sneaking away to New York to meet stranger he'd chatted to on Roblox Nicola Peltz could barely speak Victoria Beckham's name, says interviewer who quizzed her about THAT wedding dress row in explosive new chapter of family feud Doctor who was branded'tone deaf' for flaunting her Louboutin heels at work furiously hits back at critics Doomsday Clock ticks forward... moving humanity closer to annihilation than ever before The Doomsday Clock, which has been ticking down to the end of the world for decades, is now officially closer to annihilation than ever before. On Tuesday, scientists with the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the symbolic clock four seconds forward to 85 seconds to midnight . It's also the closest the clock has ever been to midnight in its 79-year history, meaning experts believe humanity has never faced a more dire threat of a world-ending catastrophe than it does in 2026. The group, which decides where the hands are set annually, cited multiple threats to global stability, including nuclear weapons, climate change, disruptive technologies like AI, and the creation of synthetic biological substances called'mirror life.' Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, said: 'Every second counts and we are running out of time.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything we think the company will unveil
Apple could unveil Gemini-powered Siri in Feb. What to expect when you're expecting the Samsung Galaxy S26 in February. Samsung's 2025 was filled with new foldables, an ultra-thin new form factor and the launch of Google's XR platform . After making some announcements at CES 2026, the company is expected to host its first Galaxy Unpacked of the year in February to introduce the Galaxy S26 lineup. Engadget will be covering Galaxy Unpacked live, and we'll most likely have hands-on coverage of Samsung's new smartphones soon after they're announced.
Gemini 3 is now Google's default model for AI Overviews
Apple could unveil Gemini-powered Siri in Feb. Gemini 3 is now Google's default model for AI Overviews Plus, you can start an AI Mode conversation directly from a summary. The Google logo and lettering can be seen on the façade of the company's Munich headquarters building in Munich (Bavaria). Google has begun rolling out two upgrades for Search. Starting today, Gemini 3 is the default model powering AI Overviews. When the company debuted its new family of AI systems last November, it first deployed Gemini 3 in AI Overviews through a router that was programmed to direct the most difficult questions to the new system.
Google DeepMind Staffers Ask Leaders to Keep Them 'Physically Safe' From ICE
Google DeepMind Staffers Ask Leaders to Keep Them'Physically Safe' From ICE A federal agent allegedly tried to enter Google's Cambridge campus in the fall, WIRED has learned. Now, staffers want policies that protect them from immigration officials. Employees at Google DeepMind have asked the company's leadership for plans and policies to keep them "physically safe" from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while on the company's premises, according to screenshots of internal messages obtained by WIRED. On Monday morning, two days after federal agents shot and killed Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti, a Google DeepMind employee sent the following message in an internal message board for the company's roughly 3,000-person AI unit: "US focused question: What is GDM doing to keep us physically safe from ICE? The events of the past week have shown that immigration status, citizenship, or even the law is not a deterrent against detention, violence, or even death from federal operatives."
Pinterest is conducting a massive round of layoffs to prioritize 'AI-powered products and capabilities'
Apple could unveil Gemini-powered Siri in Feb. Pinterest is conducting a massive round of layoffs to prioritize'AI-powered products and capabilities' This could total up to 675 employees. Pinterest is planning on laying off up to 15 percent of its workforce, . The company has been, so why punish employees? You already know the answer. The company said it's reallocating resources to AI projects and prioritizing AI-powered products and capabilities.
How China Caught Up on AI--and May Now Win the Future
He Xiaopeng launches Xpeng's next-gen Iron humanoid robot during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Guangzhou on November 5, 2025. He Xiaopeng launches Xpeng's next-gen Iron humanoid robot during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Guangzhou on November 5, 2025. It was a controversy laced with pride for He Xiaopeng. In November, He, the founder and CEO of Chinese physical AI firm XPeng, had just debuted his new humanoid robot, IRON, whose balance, posture shifts, and coquettish swagger mirrored human motion with such eerie precision that a slew of netizens accused him of faking the demonstration by putting a human in a bodysuit. To silence the naysayers, He boldly cut open the robot's leg live on stage to reveal the intricate mechanical systems that allow it to adapt to uneven surfaces and maintain stability just like the human body. "At first, it made me sad," He tells TIME in his Guangzhou headquarters.