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The release of yet another bit of cosmetic DLC for one specific version of Minecraft isn't usually the kind of thing we'd take the time to write about at Ars. But the latest skin pack for the game caught our eye because it marks the first time that characters from Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. series have shown up in a game published by an ostensible console competitor: Microsoft, in this case.

The "Super Mario Mash-Up Pack" will launch as a free download exclusively for the Wii U version of the game on May 17 and come included on the retail disc when it launches on June 17 (the downloadable version launched on Wii U last December). It includes 40 Mario-themed skins, new world and item textures inspired by the Mario series, and 15 pieces of music from Super Mario 64.

Releasing special content specifically targeted at Wii U players may seem like an odd thing for Microsoft to do after the company spent $2.5 billion to acquire Minecraft maker Mojang back in 2014. At the time, though, Microsoft promised that the many existing versions of Minecraft on platforms like PlayStation systems, iOS, and Android wouldn't be affected by the purchase. The company has proved true to its word since then, releasing a Wii U version just a few months ago and even featuring Sony's LittleBigPlanet series in DLC for the PlayStation 4 version of the game last year.

Fires rage in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on May 1. (credit: jasonwoodhead23)

Right now, wildfires are raging in Canada, forcing the evacuation of Fort McMurray, the nation's largest northern city. More than 80,000 people have fled Fort McMurray as the rest of the world watched horrific videos of long lines of cars struggling through thick smoke while threatened by encroaching walls of fire. What we don't see in the video feeds is how emergency responders are using a range of technologies to contain the situation. But the core theme in emergency response isn’t having the latest tools or the coolest toy. It's about using what works for the greatest number of people, often on a shoestring budget.

NASA

Burn scars, smoke, and active fires in Fort McMurray, Alberta on May 5, 2016.

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Assessing the scene

When disaster strikes—fire, flood, storms, or quakes—first responders are dispatched to go places most people are fleeing. The locations of key infrastructure like fire hydrants are all mapped in advance, but instead of relying on bulky hardcopy binders from the Fire Marshall’s office, modern responders often check custom maps on their smartphones to see where to hook into local infrastructure or digital databases to identify hazards.

Even while firefighters charge into a burning building, someone on their team is hanging back to call in to disaster centers with an update on front-line conditions. A major part of effective disaster response is getting a verified assessment of the scene from a skilled professional, so the people responsible for making decisions can figure out what to do next. Today, a simple smartphone loaded with basic consumer apps like Periscope or Skype can show the office exactly what responders are facing.

What's left of the Model S after a teenager crashed and then rolled it into a field. (credit: Sabine Hermsdorf)

Do you have a teenage child that likes to borrow your car and then destroy it in a spectacular crash? We sincerely hope the answer to that question is a resounding "no," but in the off chance that you do, you may want to consider changing your current vehicle for a Tesla Model S. Last week in Germany, the joyriding daughter of a Tesla owner discovered first-hand just how safe the electric vehicle is, after losing control at high speed and rolling into a field.

According to German newspaper Merkur, the 18-year old and four of her friends were messing around in her father's Model S before losing control. The car flew more than 80 feet (25m) into a field before rolling once and coming to a halt. Although three of the occupants had to be helicoptered to hospitals in Munich for treatment, none of their injuries were life-threatening, a testament to the safety of Tesla's skateboard chassis.

The skateboard chassis used by the Model S and Model X is extremely safe, with crumple zones that are unconcerned with engines that can transfer kinetic energy into the passengers during a frontal collision. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

Unlike a conventionally powered car, the Model S (and Model X) have no large engine up front to intrude into the passenger compartment during a collision. This means the front and rear crumple zones can effectively dissipate the kinetic energy of a crash, as seen to good effect in the photographs taken after the accident.

Sebastian Anthony

The Elizabeth line platforms are massive. This photo wasn't even taken from the end of the platform!

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I'll let you in on a secret: I love big things. Big holes, big houses, big bridges, big cars. I suspect it has something to do with being very large myself. After spending most of my formative years living in old, low-ceilinged British houses, and developing a hunchback, I now find expansive spaces rather comforting. Which is why I recently paid a visit to the new Elizabeth line (née Crossrail) tunnels near Bond Street, London.

It's funny. If you've ever been on the London Underground, I doubt you'd ever describe it with words like "spacious" or "airy." More like "claustrophobic" and "ooh, look at that big rat!"

As the elevator juddered its way down the giant access hole at the new Bond Street station on London's Hanover Square, though, the only word that came to mind was "whoa." The Elizabeth line ticket halls, walkways, and train tunnels are really quite big.