Amazon may unveil its own messaging app

The messaging app field is as hot as ever with Apple, Facebook and Google (among others) slugging it out… and Amazon appears to want in on the action. AFTVnews claims to have customer survey info revealing that Amazon is working on Anytime, a messaging app for Android, iOS and the desktop that promises a few twists on the usual formula. It has mainstays like message encryption, video, voice and (of course) stickers, but it reportedly has a few hooks that would make it easy to sign up and participate in group chats.

You would only need a name to reach out to someone, for one thing — no WhatsApp-style dependence on phone numbers here. You only have to use Twitter-style @ mentions to bring people into conversations or share photos, and you can color-code chats to identify the most important ones. Naturally, there are app-like functions (such as group music listening and food ordering) and promises of chatting with businesses for shopping or customer service.

We’ve asked Amazon for comment. Provided the scoop is accurate, though, Anytime wouldn’t be coming out of the blue. Amazon is already diving into communications between Echo calling support and business videoconferencing — it wouldn’t be a stretch to add text-based messaging to the mix. A chat app would give Amazon another way to bring people into its fold, and could serve as a sales hook for Amazon gadgets (say, sending and receiving messages through your Echo). Anytime might not keep Facebook execs awake at night anytime soon, but it could be an advantage if it catches on in the long run.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: AFTVnews

The world of ‘Toy Story’ is coming to ‘Kingdom Hearts 3’

Kingdom Hearts 3 has been slow in coming, but you’ll at least get a reward for your patience. Square Enix took to Disney’s D23 stage to announce that the action role-playing game will have our heroes visit the world of Pixar’s Toy Story — yes, you’ll be helping Buzz Lightyear and Woody clear the neighborhood of villainous toys. There’s even a bit of Titanfall-style action as you jump into plastic robots to do battle. Oh, and did we mention that KH3’s release has finally been narrowed down, to 2018? That could still put a release well into the future, but it’s a relatively short wait given that fans of the Disney/Square crossover series have already gone more than a decade without a sequel.

Source: PlayStation Blog

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ behind the scenes footage is here

After offering up a quick look at Star Wars: The Last Jedi in April, Disney gave us a further taste at its D23 Expo today with a new behind the scenes reel. More than anything, it sets the mood for what looks to be a particularly dramatic film. According to director Rian Johnson, fans might find some aspects of The Last Jedi “shocking.”

The footage features everyone you’d expect: the new core trio (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaacs), as well Mark Hamill’s bearded Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher’s General Leia. But we also get a glimpse at some new faces, including Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern.

As usual, Disney was careful not to reveal too much from the footage. We still don’t know what The Last Jedi is actually about, aside from the fact that Luke Skywalker seems ready to hang up his lightsaber. But given Johnson’s excellent track record — including Brick, Looper and The Brothers Bloom — I have a feeling it’s in good hands. Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15th.

Best and worst gaming laptop brands 2017

Choosing the right notebook is hard, but selecting the perfect gaming laptop is even more challenging. In addition to specs like the processor, graphics card and storage drives, you need to consider the special sauce that each manufacturer adds to its systems in the form of design, software, keyboards and even warranty coverage.

When you’re potentially investing more than $1,000, the brand matters as much as the specs and features.

In order to help you choose wisely, we’ve evaluated the top nine gaming laptop brands and given each a score on a 100-point scale. In order to determine the winners and losers, we rated them on eight different criteria: Design, Review Scores, Keyboards, Displays, Software, Innovation, Warranty and Customization/Selection Options.

Due to its consistently high review scores, beautiful displays, willingness to innovate and wealth of configuration options, Dell/Alienware earned first place. MSI took second place, thanks to a diverse lineup of laptops, powerful specs and impressive mechanical keyboards. Razer rounded out the top three, due to its sleek designs and useful software.

See how all the best (and worst) gaming laptop brands fared below.

Alienware / Dell (90/100)

Our top-rated brand, Alienware/Dell, has the best-looking laptops with the strongest keyboards and displays on the market. The company also offers some of the most customizable systems around and provides helpful utilities that enable you to play your best.

Alienware Report Card | Our Top Alienware Gaming Laptop

MSI (85/100)

Always the first or one of the first to implement new technologies, MSI has a huge selection of innovative and powerful laptops. The company’s strong designs, snappy keyboards and helpful software make it a leader in the gaming space. MSI is also the only company that offers free accidental-damage protection on its laptops.

MSI Report Card | Our Top MSI Gaming Laptop

Razer (81/100)

We love Razer’s sleek designs, beautiful screens and innovative ideas, and its Synapse software is among the best first-party utilities in the business. However, Razer’s shallow keyboards and limited laptop selection hold it back.

Razer Report Card | Our Top Razer Gaming Laptop

Asus (78/100)

Asus has some of the most powerful gaming laptops on the market, and many are great values for the money. The company is also quick to implement new technologies like Nvidia’s Max-Q standard for low-profile gaming laptops and AMD’s Ryzen processors. However, Asus’ design, keyboard and screen are all good, but not industry-leading.

Asus Report Card | Our Top Asus Gaming Laptop

Acer (76/100)

Acer’s strengths are in its responsive keyboards and its innovative ideas (21-inch, curved-screen laptops, anyone?) but its flaws are just as obvious. Its warranty service is lackluster, and the company’s preloaded software doesn’t stand out.

Acer Report Card | Our Top Acer Gaming Laptop

Origin (75/100)

The king of customization, Origin lets you configure your laptop to order, choosing most of the key specs and even opting for different paint jobs. The company’s first-party software isn’t near the top of the pack, and its one-year limited warranty doesn’t include round-trip shipping costs, should you need to send your laptop in for service.

Origin Report Card | Our Top Origin Gaming Laptop

Aorus / Gigabyte (70/100)

Gigabyte has a solid mix of laptops from both of its brands, though the Aorus systems are much sleeker-looking. We also like the colorful displays, snappy keyboards and helpful software on most of the models. However, Gigabyte / Aorus didn’t lead the pack in any of our categories and it tied for last place in review scores.

Gigabyte Report Card | Our Top Aorus/Gigabyte Gaming Laptop

Lenovo (67/100)

With a handful of respectable, but risk-averse, gaming laptops, Lenovo seems like a company that’s dipped a couple of toes into the gaming market, but hasn’t decided to dive in. The manufacturer’s Legion and IdeaPad Y Series notebooks have palatable designs and snappy keyboards, but they don’t offer the features serious gamers crave, such as customizable backlighting and high-end Nvidia 1080 graphics.

Lenovo Report Card | Our Top Lenovo Gaming Laptop

HP (59/100)

While there are bright spots in HP’s Omen line of gaming laptops, the company has made too many compromises, from shallow keyboards to dim displays and boring, plasticky chassis. However, the future looks brighter, since the company now has new, more-promising designs available.

HP Report Card | Our Top HP Gaming Laptop

Read LAPTOP’s detailed report on each gaming brand:

• Acer
• Alienware / Dell
• Aorus / Gigabyte
• Asus
• HP
• Lenovo
• MSI
• Origin
• Razer

Disney’s ‘Powers United VR’ puts you in the boots of a superhero

If it wasn’t already clear that Disney is big on wearable gaming, it is now. It just introduced Powers United VR, and it’s pretty much what you’d expect if you dreamed up a superhero virtual reality game. You step into the suit of one of multiple legendary Marvel figures (including Captain Marvel, the Hulk, Rocket Raccoon and Ronan the Accuser) and join your friends as you battle villains using your character’s unique powers. And in this case, that makes a big difference — Hulk towers over his enemies and can throw missiles back at his opponents, for instance, while Rocket makes up for his small size with firepower.

You will have to be picky about your choice of VR hardware, though. Powers United will be an Oculus Rift exclusive when it shows up in 2018, so you’re out of luck if you snagged an HTC Vive. Other than that, though, what little we’ve seen of the title looks promising.

Source: Oculus

Can’t stop fidgeting?Here are the 7 best fidget toys to get your fix with

Fidgeters have long been scorned for their wriggling ways, but thankfully, the days of contempt are no more. For the time being, these individuals can seek solace and sanctuary in the year of the spinner. Over the past few months, an onslaught of fidget toys and accessories have seemingly taken the world by storm. As decades of fleeting fads have shown us time and time again, however, nothing lasts forever. So let’s just enjoy this wave while its lasts. Never fret — or fret as you please — we’ve boiled down the massive number of options to choose from. Below are seven of the best fidget toys on the market.

Moondrop ($23)

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While some will surely write off these fidget toys as much ado about nothing, as we reported earlier this year, there is scientific evidence that suggests neurological benefits of fidgeting — and the Moondrop is one of our favorite fidget toys currently available. The aptly-titled device was originally designed to replicate this gravitational difference between the Earth and our moon. The built-in vertical slider descends at the rate an object would fall on the lunar surface, which is considerably slower given the gravity on the moon is roughly a sixth of that here on Earth. A second version of the Moondrop uses a copper slider that imitates the gravitational force on Mars. These fidget toys allow you to tinker locally as your mind drifts cosmically.

Kickstarter

Think Ink Pen ($44+)

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We covered the Think Ink Pen earlier this year, and the device is still one of the more unique offerings out there. The flexible device is a “focus tool” festooned with a a bevy of accessories that will allow you to get your fidget fix. And unlike the majority of fidget toys on the market, this unit has functionality outside of the fidget capacity. Keep this gizmo in hand and you’ll be ready to jot down that million dollar idea the moment that eureka moment strikes.

Indiegogo

Thumb Chucks ($10)

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Thumb Chucks allow you to use centripetal force to fidget the day away, and the individual “chucks” are detachable for further personalization. Although exceedingly difficult — you must utilize precision strikes on the right pressure points — you could theoretically use a pair of Thumb Chucks for self-defense. In pure Tech Deck fashion, the manufacturer also offers a rather extensive collection of trick tutorials on its site. After all, fidgeting is more than a fad — it’s a way of life.

Thumb Chucks

Stress Blocks ($8)

The cube-style iteration of the fidget gizmo is another popular toy on the market. Rather than simply being limited to a single trick, Stress Blocks have six sides, each of which provides a unique tactile experience. The device also easily fits in your pocket, allowing for fidgeting on the fly.

DT Shop

Dodecahedron Tactile Toys ($20)

This brings us to the DT Word of the Day. A “dodecahedron” is a figure with 12 plane faces and, as you could have postulated at this point, the Dodecahedron Tactile Toy has 12 sides, each with its own fidget function. These include everything from a rotating sprocket and sliding switches to a series of “worry stones.”

DT Shop

Closs Orbiter ($13)

The Closs Orbiter has a slight groove etched along its exterior, allowing you to girdle the unit with the accompanying steel ball. The unit comes with a velvet carrying pouch to boot, so you can present your fidget toy to the world as conspicuously as you please.

Amazon

The Newton

Every fidget spinner aficionado is privy, in practice at least, to Newton’s Third Law: Every action has an equal and opposition reaction. With this in mind, the Newton aptly bears the namesake of the physicist and polymath, Sir Isaac Newton. Thankfully, there are instructions for creating your very own Newton on Thingiverse.

Thingiverse

How to use a blue light filter on a PC or Mac

Sleep is incredibly important to our physical and mental health. Research suggests that a chronic lack of sleep can have all kinds of negative repercussions, from heart disease and diabetes to impaired attention, alertness, concentration, and more.

In fact, at least one study showed that reducing sleep from seven hours a night to five or fewer hours almost doubled the risk of death from all causes. Our modern lifestyles include many factors that lead some people to get less sleep than they should, and our many gadgets could be some of the worst offenders.

And it’s not just the constant bombardment with sights and sounds that are at fault — some researchers submit that it’s the light emitted by our devices that is causing many of us to sleep fewer hours, and for the sleep we do get to be less restful. Thankfully, there is a solution; you just need to learn how to use a blue light filter on a PC or Mac.

The reason blue light hurts is purely biological. Sleep is a part of the circadian rhythm, the cycle of biological processes that’s determined in part by the amount of light and dark to which our bodies are exposed. In the most natural setting, which is one where we’re only exposed to sunlight, our retinas sense when the sun is going down and the environment is getting darker. That induces our hypothalamus to tell the body to produce melatonin and other sleep hormones and to reduce our body temperature.

When we use artificial lighting to extend our day, however, our bodies get confused and the various sleep signals are disrupted. Even worse is the blue light that’s emitted by fluorescent and LED lights — like those on our various device displays — and that actually causes us to be more alert and to produce even less melatonin.

So, what’s a person to do in our modern world where using technologies that produce copious amounts of blue light seems unavoidable? The answer is to find ways to block the blue light that our devices emit, if we’re determined to use them well into the evening hours.

Windows 10 and MacOS have recently gained their own special blue light limiting features, and we’re going to show you how to make use of their potentially health-improving benefits.

Windows 10

Microsoft added a blue light limiting feature to Windows 10 in the Creators Update that was released in April 2017. Called “Night light,” this feature shifts the Windows 10 display to show warmer colors that reduce the amount of blue light that’s emitted.

Turning the Night light feature on is a simple enough process. Just go to the Action Center and click on All Settings, then click on the System button, and then select Display. Night light can be toggled on and off.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

To configure the Night light feature, click on Night light settings. Configuration options include the ability to turn the Night light on immediately, adjust the color temperature while the feature is enabled, and schedule when the Night light will turn on and off.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

To set the schedule, toggle the Schedule night light option to on. Then, you can either choose to let Night light turn itself on at sunset and off at sunrise — automatically determined by your location — or you can set the time manually by clicking Set hours and choosing when the feature should turn on and off.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

When you first turn the feature on, you’ll notice the color shift immediately. After a while, your eyes will adjust to the change and it should be less intrusive. By reducing the amount of blue light, however, the Night light feature will now be limiting the impact of using your Windows 10 PC late at night — you could find it easier to get to sleep, and your sleep might be deeper and more restful.

MacOS

Apple first implemented its own blue light limiting feature, dubbed Night Shift, in iOS 9.3. That helped out the company’s iPhone and iPad users, but it did nothing for MacOS users who were more apt to prop up their MacBooks in bed before turning in. Fortunately, it didn’t take Apple long to bring Night Shift to MacOS, with the feature debuting in MacOS Sierra in 10.12.4 in March 2017.

As with Windows 10, the feature is easy enough to turn on and configure to your tastes. To get started, open System Preferences and select Displays, then click on the Night Shift tab.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

On this settings page, you can configure when the Night Shift feature will automatically run, turn it on until the next day’s sunrise, and set the color temperature to your preferences. In terms of scheduling, you can let MacOS turn it on and off at sunset and sunrise based on your location, or you can set a custom schedule.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Just like with Windows 10’s Night light feature, Night Shift will make your display’s colors warmer and reduce the amount of blue light that’s emitted. Give it a try to see if it improves your sleep habits and lets you be healthier, more productive, and generally a happier Mac user.

5 common OnePlus 5 problems and the solutions to fix them

The OnePlus 5 is the latest smartphone from OnePlus that’s making us rethink the concept of a flagship, but it has its flaws. These have nothing to do with its surprising lack of water resistance, though, or how much it looks like a certain fruit-related phone. These flaws were discovered by new OnePlus 5 owners quickly upon the phone’s release, and range from minor to major. We’ve compiled a short list of the most common OnePlus 5 problems, and hope our accompanying explanations, workarounds, and solutions provide some comfort.

If you’re on the fence about the OnePlus 5, however, don’t let the following issues scare you off. Instead, learn everything there is to know about the device, and see how it compares to its predecessor, the OnePlus 3T, and phones like the Google Pixel XL. Afterward, decide for yourself if you’re ready to make the jump.

Problem: Odd scrolling effect

While scrolling on the OnePlus 5, your eyes may notice a weird effect that makes the screen look like it’s stretching. You’re not going crazy — and your eyes aren’t bad — because this has been widely talked about on Reddit, the XDA Developers Forums, and reported on by us and sites like BGR. Dubbed the “jelly effect,” you can easily spot the difference between the OnePlus 5’s display performance and any other smartphone, and owners are understandably confused, concerned, and a little annoyed.

Official explanation:

• According to OnePlus, this is a natural occurrence and not something to be worried about. They’re aware of the various reports, and stick to the belief that it’s a visual effect that only a handful of people will notice: “The OnePlus 5 uses the same level of high-quality components as all OnePlus devices, including the AMOLED display. We’ve received feedback from a small number of users saying that at times they notice a subtle visual effect when scrolling. This is natural and there’s no variance in screens between devices.”
• Another explanation, as pointed out by BGR, is that the display on the OnePlus 5 is upside down, in comparison to the OnePlus 3T, which is having an effect on how the display and scrolling effects behave.

Potential solutions:

• OnePlus may come around and release an update that alleviates the issue, but judging by the company’s aforementioned statement, it doesn’t seem to have plans to fix it. With enough complaints from consumers, however, that could change.

Annoyance: Phone vibrates while on a call

Smartphones can vibrate to let users know when they’re receiving an incoming call, but a few OnePlus 5 owners on the OnePlus forums have had their phones vibrate in the middle of a call. As you can imagine, this could be a little startling when you have the phone up to your ear and are in the middle of a sentence.

Potential solutions:

• OxygenOS version 4.5.5 adjusted the vibration intensity when receiving a call. This isn’t the exact same problem as described above, but changing your vibration settings and assigning vibration profiles to contacts may fix the issue. Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Vibration intensity to do so.
• A couple of people in the thread linked above have said the vibrations stopped after they disabled the Double tap to wake feature. To do so, navigate to Settings > Gestures and toggle the feature off.
• Boot your phone into Safe Mode and get on a call again to see if the vibrations continue. If not, a third-party app is likely the problem. To enter Safe Mode:
  • Press and hold the Power button until the Power Menu appears.
  • Press and hold the Power Off option, then tap OK when prompted to boot into Safe Mode.
  • Your phone will restart and enter Safe Mode. You’ll know you’ve done it correctly if there’s a “Safe Mode” message in the bottom corner of the screen.
• If Safe Mode didn’t reveal an app to be the culprit, you may need to perform a factory reset on your phone. To do so, navigate to Settings > Backup & Reset > Factory Data Reset > Reset Phone > Erase Everything. Remember to back up first!
  • If you want to wipe your internal storage, you can also do so after tapping the Factory Data Reset option.
• If none of the methods above work, it might be time to reach out to OnePlus Support.

Problem: PC doesn’t recognize device

Quite a few people in these threads have been having trouble getting their PC and OnePlus 5 to get along. Typically, when connecting a smartphone to a computer, the latter will almost immediately notice the former has been connected, but that doesn’t seem to be happening for many OnePlus 5 owners. Thankfully, there are things you can try to get the two to work together.

Official solution:

• We once again look to OxygenOS update 4.5.5, which specifically contains a bug fix for this very thing. The update notes for 4.5.5 do mention, however, that you should turn off USB debugging before applying the update.

Potential solutions:

• The bit about turning off USB debugging will only make sense to those that enabled it to begin with, and, ironically, it was the solution for some people with this problem. To enable USB debugging, go to Settings > About Phone, then find your Build Number and tap it seven times, or until you get the message telling you’re now a developer. Once that happens, go to Settings > Developer Options > USB debugging and enable the feature. Some have also suggested going into these particular options and changing the Connectivity Mode from Charging to MTP Transfer File.

Issue: Unable to maintain Wi-Fi connection

It wouldn’t be a new smartphone if people weren’t having trouble with their Wi-Fi connections, and the OnePlus 5 doesn’t break the trend. As you may have guessed, some owners are unable to maintain a steady internet connection, and have instead had to deal with their phone constantly connecting and disconnecting. Some users even lose their connection completely from time to time.

Official solution:

• OxygenOS 4.5.5 is your best bet once again, as it adds “Further improvements to Wi-Fi connectivity” and contains a fix for “Wi-Fi signal consistently being displayed as weak.”
• If 4.5.5 doesn’t help, OnePlus support is asking for Wi-Fi logs to help develop future fixes.

Temporary fix:

• Enabling and disabling Flight Mode has given people a constant internet connection, at least for some time.

Potential solutions:

• Try restarting your phone and router, and connecting to Wi-Fi again.
• Boot your phone into Safe Mode. If you’re able to keep a connection, a third-party app is likely the cause of the problem. Uninstall one-by-one and test, or skip to the next step and perform a factory reset on your phone.
• Perform a factory reset, and once your phone is restored, try using Wi-Fi again.

Problem: Random shutdowns

A handful of people on the XDA Developer forums are experiencing a problem in which their OnePlus 5 will randomly shut down. The shutdowns have occurred both when the phone is being used, and when the phone has been idle. It’s not a result of the 4.5.5 update, either, as it has happen to people before and after the update’s release.

Potential solutions:

• If it happens when using a specific app, make sure that app is current or remove it from your phone.
• Boot your phone into Safe Mode. As always, if the problems go away, a third-party app is likely the culprit.
• Perform a factory reset on your phone and restore it from a backup.
• Reach out to OnePlus support, as it may be a hardware or software issue you’re unequipped to deal with on your own.

What is the Fermi Paradox? The strange mystery of why we can’t find E.T.

Last year, we showed you the massive size of the universe (hint, it’s REALLY big). But in a universe that large — and given the Milky Way Galaxy itself is so expansive — why haven’t aliens contacted us? That’s the essence of the Fermi Paradox.

The idea is this: It shouldn’t be out of the question that there are many sophisticated civilizations across the galaxy. Given the age of the Milky Way itself (about 13.21 billion years), even a cosmically small sliver of time (like 10 million years) should be enough for some type of contact to occur.

Italian physicist Enrico Fermi is credited with bringing this question into the scientific forefront. According to stories, the genesis of the Fermi Paradox came during a 1950 lunchtime discussion with colleagues. They all thought it reasonable to speculate that we were not alone, and that we likely have a lot of company. But Fermi began to wonder, if that’s true then where is everyone?

Think about it in terms of humankind’s own space accomplishments. We’re on the cusp of interstellar space travel, and likely will send our first interstellar probes within the next few decades. That’s less than a century after mankind first sent a human being into space. In hundreds, thousands, if not millions of years, what could we do?

This point wasn’t lost on Fermi and his companions, even years before the first humans made it to space. An alien race should have no trouble colonizing the galaxy with a decent amount of rocket technology and some imperial wherewithal — especially in ten million years.

But scientists need proof though, and there’s little if any scientifically accepted evidence to back up the notion that we’re not alone in the universe. Even so, and using physics as an excuse for limiting speed of any alien spacecraft, it just doesn’t make sense.

Take Proxima Centauri, for example. Even going just a quarter of the speed of light, an alien craft could make it to Earth in 16 years. The planets around Gilese, 60 years. The slew of potentially habitable planets around TRAPPIST-1? About 160 years. That’s a long time, but nowhere near the 10 million year timeframe Fermi and his colleagues discussed, and a drop in the bucket when compared to the age of the Milky Way Galaxy itself.

The Drake Equation

Let’s shift gears to understand further why the Fermi Paradox gives astrophysicists fits. The Drake Equation is a simple mathematical formula first proposed by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961. Simply put, it tries to estimate the number of technologically advanced and communicating societies present in the galaxy. It looks like this:

Over the years, many astrophysicists have attempted to estimate each of the values, but here’s what they have come up with. R can also be thought of as the number of stars in the galaxy, which is currently estimated at 100 billion. Even on the low end, the fraction of good stars with planetary systems is thought to be about 20 percent, and those with “ecoshells” — life sustaining atmospheres — thought to be at least one per star. For the sake of argument, let’s say only 10 percent could actually develop lifeforms capable of human intelligence and communication. We’re eliminating quite a few possibilities, since that’s 10 percent of 10 percent of 10 percent.

Finally, “L” is a fraction of time the planet has borne communicable life. We’ll assume that they’ve been on their planet for as long as we have, so we make this 1/100,000,000. So, we’ve been awfully pessimistic. What is our result?

Two. So us, and somebody — or thing — else. It’s hard to believe that other civilizations haven’t been around longer than us. There are also other pre-technology civilizations that Drake’s Equation doesn’t even address. This leaves us with even more questions.

The Kardashev Scale

Adding to the debate is something called the Kardashev scale. Created by Soviet Russian astronomer Nikolai Kardashev, it classifies civilizations by the amount of usable energy they can harness. These classes are:

• Type I. This civilization has the ability to use all energy available on their planet.
• Type II. This civilization can harness all the energy radiated by its star.
• Type III. This civilization can harness the energy of the entire galaxy.

Carl Sagan put us about 70 percent of the way to Type I, and we should be able to achieve it within a century or two. Current calculations estimate we will reach Type II in a few thousand years, and to Type III within 100,000 to a million years.

At Type II or III, a civilization should be able to speed across the galaxy at close to the speed of light (or faster, if they’ve managed to discover ways to bend the current laws of physics). Things get even more mysterious.

So what gives?

The problem with the Fermi Paradox is that we might not ever be able to confirm or deny it, unless we either gain the technology to scan every planet in the galaxy, find aliens ourselves, or they find us. In the meantime, we’re left to speculate why we still haven’t heard from any galactic neighbors.

The Great Filter

One explanation is known as The Great Filter theory. In simplified terms, “The Great Filter” is an evolutionary step that is so difficult to surpass that most civilizations cannot surpass it. This prevents civilizations that could eventually gain spacefaring capabilities from doing so, simply because they destroy themselves first.

But there’s no consensus on where this Great Filter is located on the path from the origins of a civilization to a Type III on the Kardashev scale. Some even argue that we’ve already surpassed it, or that there are actually multiple ‘Great Filters.’ We also have no way of knowing how far we’ve come in the process, and we could simply be the most evolved species currently in existence.

Another version of the theory argues that we haven’t even made it to one of these Great Filters, and that we’re destined for destruction just like everybody else. The discovery of fossilized complex lifeforms on other planets could lend credence to this theory — but that hasn’t happened yet.

There’s a reason for the silence

Another line of reasoning speculates that it’s not necessarily the Great Filter, but a host of other reasons for why we haven’t heard from aliens yet. Here are a few possibilities:

They were already here. Aliens could have visited us thousands of years ago, and we’d have no way of knowing. Early humans had no way to describe what they were seeing in modern terms. In fact, they’d probably consider it a sign from God himself. But there is merit to this theory, in spite of that crazy-haired guy from Ancient Aliens. Some of the structures built by early man are so extraordinarily complex that they defy explanation even in our modern society.

They’re too advanced, and don’t care. Galactic snobbery may be at play. Spacefaring societies may already know about us, but believe Earth has nothing to offer. So they pass us by, and will continue to do so until we’re interesting to them.

We live in the Galactic version of the boondocks. Other portions of the galaxy may already be colonized, it’s just that Earth and the solar system are in a remote area. This would prevent them from getting to us easily, and vice-versa.

Safety reasons. interstellar chatter might attract the attention of aggressive species aimed at galactic domination — think Star Trek’s Borg. This species may have also wiped out other communicative species, which is actually a tad bit scary if you think about it. We could be next!

We’re too primitive. Maybe signals from other civilizations are already out there, and our current communications technologies are too primitive to either pick out those signals, or we’re listening the wrong way (applying our techniques for communication transmission to an alien society which might be doing things completely differently). Think of it like turning on the radio to the wrong station.

We live in The Matrix. Perhaps the most depressing explanation is that none of this reality is actually real, and it’s all just a simulation. The theory has gained some speed over the past decade or two, and it would indicate that we are alone, and an experiment for another, far more advanced civilization’s scientific curiosity.

As you can see, there’s a multitude of reasons — all of them even in the slightest bit plausible — for why the search for alien life has come up fruitless. But until we find concrete proof, the Fermi Paradox will continue to keep astrophysicists busy trying to explain the eerie galactic silence.

It might not be Fermi after all…

In the interest of complete accuracy, we should mention that Fermi was not the first scientist to speculate on this issue, and some accounts dispute he was even speaking of the lack of alien contact in terms of the actual existence of alien life during that lunch conversation. As early as 1933 astronautical theorist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was speculating on many of the same issues that Fermi is credited for, although in unpublished manuscripts.

Fermi’s rumored discussions were the first to be extensively debated in the scientific community, and he’s received many of the accolades — fair or not.

Behind Netflix’s Emmy nominations haul are more shows than ever

After passing 100 million subscribers, overtaking cable TV in customer numbers in the US and expanding to over 190 countries, Netflix is starting to cement something else: sustained prestige.

A record haul of 91 Emmy nominations puts Netflix — which had 54 nominations last year — just behind perennial frontrunner HBO with 110, thanks to hits like Master of None and Stranger Things. In May, the company screened movies including Bong Joon-ho’s Okja at the Cannes Film Festival. It was the first time streaming services have been recognized at the iconic event (though not without controversy).

A key component of this upgrade in status is the sheer number of original offerings Netflix has put out. If you throw everything at an awards committee, quite a few of them might stick.

The company says it will release 1,000 hours of original content this year, up from 600 hours in 2016 and 450 in 2015. Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has said Netflix spends over $6 billion a year on its own shows, in comparison to Amazon’s reported spend of nearly $3 billion, with HBO at $2 billion. Even without counting the hefty volume of stand-up comedy specials and kids’ programming, ten-year-old Netflix is debuting original TV shows at a far faster rate than its closest competitors.

Ever since Netflix went head-to-head with HBO with House of Cards in 2013, those originals have included highbrow prestige drama ripe for awards. Yet its programming today covers a swath of niches, from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to choose-your-own-adventure stories like Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale for children, and non-English language shows like Japanese Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories and Mexican Spanish soccer drama Club de Cuervos. “We aren’t in the business of creating ‘one size fits all’ programming,” Sarandos said in a statement earlier this year.

This strategy works for a company that chases subscribers rather than viewers. Serving every area of interest, ensuring there’s content for everybody even if they only see a fraction of the extensive back catalog, is how Netflix grows its base. Owning the content also allows Netflix to circumvent tricky regional licensing issues, fueling its global expansion. The company has said that it wants to own half of all its programming. Last year, it owned more than a third of it.

Netflix’s prolific output shows in its Emmys nominations, too. It spread its recognition across 26 shows, from Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13th to the now (almost) canceled Sense8. HBO received 19 more nominations but across four less shows. Distant runners-up NBC and FX had nominations in 17 and 9 shows, respectively.

Netflix vs. HBO at the Emmys

Other streaming services are gaining stature too. Hulu picked up 18 nominations, up from two last year, including a first series nomination for dystopian A Handmaid’s Tale. Together with Netflix’s House of Cards, Stranger Things and The Crown, the majority of nominees in the competitive Outstanding Drama category were from streaming services. Amazon picked up 16 nominations, the same as last year, having already made its mark in highbrow TV with Transparent.

Of course, while Netflix is busy disrupting traditional TV, it may need to look over its shoulder in the near future: Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter are all trying to enter the market too, whether through live-streaming sports events or original programming.

To keep ahead of the pack, Netflix will want to see its ballooning nominations convert into statues. Probability suggests it should do fine.