Month: July 2022

Enlarge (credit: Netflix)

Stranger Things came back from a pandemic-driven three-year hiatus stronger than ever with an ambitious supersized fourth season—so much so that Netflix released it in two parts. Part 1 had a few minor flaws, particular in the earlier episodes, but quickly gained dramatic momentum. The cliffhanger ending deftly set the stage for the epic final two episodes, which featured a visually stunning, nail-biting battle against the denizens of the Upside Down—and some of the most emotionally resonant moments in the series to date.

(WARNING! Some very major spoilers below the galleries in the interest of in-depth analysis.)

Ratings-wise, this was the series' best season yet, drawing so many viewers when Part 2 dropped over Fourth of July weekend that Netflix actually crashed at one point. S4 Part 1 dominated the Nielsen streaming charts for four straight weeks, and that dominance is expected to continue once Nielsen releases its numbers for the two super-sized finale episodes. (There's usually about a month's delay for streaming platform viewership.) Part 1 also received 13 Emmy nominations. Seven years after it debuted, Stranger Things is more popular than ever, even launching two old 80s tunes back onto the charts after they were featured prominently this season.

Enlarge / There are 911s, and then there are 911 GT3s. (credit: Bradley Iger)

Originally produced to satisfy homologation rules for FIA competition, the 911 GT3 has had an intrinsic connection to Porsche's racing efforts since the model debuted in 1999. With the introduction of the 992-generation GT3, the shared DNA is more evident than ever. Yet Porsche has somehow managed to strike a balance between capability and pragmatism, resulting in a performance machine that will mercilessly hunt down apices on a track while delivering an enjoyable driving experience outside a curated road course.

But don't think for a moment that the GT3 has gone soft. Developed alongside its racing counterparts by Porsche's GT division, the new car's sub-3,200 lb (1,451 kg) curb weight remains virtually unchanged from its predecessor despite the transition to the larger 992 platform thanks to a strong focus on reducing mass throughout the car. A new exhaust system saves 22 lbs (10 kg) here, a lithium iron phosphate battery shaves off a few pounds there—it all adds up. And that approach is a recurring theme in the 992 GT3.

New adjustable aerodynamic elements allow downforce to be increased by as much as 150 percent over the previous generation GT3 (known as the 991.2). And in a first for any road-going 911, the new GT3 adopts the 911 RSR racing car's double-wishbone front suspension configuration to enhance handling precision. According to GT division boss Andreas Preuninger, the design improves contact patch stability as the suspension absorbs bumps and other imperfections in the road surface, allowing Porsche engineers to stiffen the chassis while retaining ride compliance. New adaptive dampers, which can react to road conditions in roughly half the time, further aid that mission.

Enlarge / The Butterfly Nebula, located just under 4,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius, is a striking example of a planetary nebula, the end stage in the evolution of a small- to medium-sized star. The butterfly’s diaphanous “wings” consist of gas and dust that have been expelled from the dying star and illuminated from within by the star’s remaining core. The nebula’s symmetrical, double-lobed shape is a telltale sign that a companion star helped shape the outflowing gases. Both the primary star and its companion are hidden by the shroud of dust in the nebula’s center. (credit: NASA , ESA , and J. Kastner (RIT))

Billions of years from now, as our Sun approaches the end of its life and helium nuclei begin to fuse in its core, it will bloat dramatically and turn into what’s known as a red giant star. After swallowing Mercury, Venus, and Earth with hardly a burp, it will grow so large that it can no longer hold onto its outermost layers of gas and dust.

In a glorious denouement, it will eject these layers into space to form a beautiful veil of light, which will glow like a neon sign for thousands of years before fading.

The galaxy is studded with thousands of these jewel-like memorials, known as planetary nebulae. They are the normal end stage for stars that range from half the Sun’s mass up to eight times its mass. (More massive stars have a much more violent end, an explosion called a supernova.) Planetary nebulae come in a stunning variety of shapes, as suggested by names like the Southern Crab, the Cat’s Eye, and the Butterfly. But as beautiful as they are, they have also been a riddle to astronomers. How does a cosmic butterfly emerge from the seemingly featureless, round cocoon of a red giant star?