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This illustration shows Earth surrounded by filaments of dark matter called "hairs." (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

There are few fields like theoretical astrophysics, where public perception so radically departs from reality. Society generally considers its practitioners—scientists like Stephen Hawking and Kip Thorne—to be among the most brilliant people in the world. They are the great sages to whom we turn with the universe’s deepest questions. Yet in reality, astrophysicists are mired in ignorance.

When a theoretical astrophysicist looks up at the nighttime sky, he or she will see the stars shining overhead. But what concerns the physicist is not what he or she sees but rather what is unseen. Based upon different kinds of observations, such as how galaxies rotate and how they are flying apart from one another, scientists know that 95 percent of the of the universe is made of up stuff we cannot see. Of the universe's mass, physicists say 27 percent is dark matter, and 68 percent is dark energy. And researchers have no idea what this stuff is or where to find it.

Yet a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has now provided a clue about where dark matter—and lots of it—might be found. In a new study published in the Astrophysical Journal, Gary Prézeau has proposed that Earth and other planets and stars in the Milky Way galaxy are surrounded by theoretical filaments of dark matter called "hairs.” By finding the roots of these hairs, he reports, physicists could uncover a trove of dark matter.

(credit: Bugatti)

One of the biggest thrillers being written in the car industry right now is what Volkswagen is doing to recover from its cheating diesel scandal. Estimates of the cost to VW Group vary widely, but most agree that $10 billion is probably on the low end. That's a lot of cash, even for one of the world's largest auto manufacturers, and questions abound over which projects, new cars, or even brands might find themselves in for the corporate axe. The latest plot twist will take many by surprise: VW-owned Bugatti will indeed build a replacement for the Veyron.

In October we learned that the new Phaeton—a technological flagship sedan that no one bought—would survive as an electric vehicle. R&D spending would be cut, too; VW was spending around $12.6 billion a year on research, more than any of its competitors. The Bugatti Chiron was thought to be a goner for sure. VW Group is thought to have lost almost $5 million on every Veyron it sold, and continuing to build ornate rocketships for plutocrats could seem at odds with a sober corporate rehabilitation strategy. But more than 100 orders were already on the books, and the car will debut in 2016, the company announced today.

How does one top a Veyron? According to Bugatti boss Wolfgang Dürheimer, "the Chiron will set new standards in every respect. We will continue to produce the world’s most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive production super sports car. This is the claim of Bugatti and our customers." The new car will still use a turbocharged 8L W16 engine and all-wheel drive, but power is rumored to be up 50 percent at almost 1500hp (1100kW). Expect a mighty price tag, too.

So it is with Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam Bros, a quirky role-playing game filled with the same familiar mechanics and coffee-break moments as pretty much every other RPG outing for the portly plumbers. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The charm of Paper Jam Bros lies in the gaps between its otherwise shallow story, the plot sidelined in favour of quirky conversations and self-referential chit-chat between its acid trip cast. At the very least, you get to hear Mario talk about something other than saving the Princess. Again.

It's a shame, then, that Paper Jam Bros features such few detours of this kind—unlike its predecessors, they're wedged into the core story arc instead of existing in parallel to it. This is a game that plays it safe, its by-the-book plot just about managing to push you through to its predictable finish. Like paper, it's all a bit one-dimensional.

The plot revolves around the Mushroom Kingdom being invaded by the residents of Paper Mario World thanks to a characteristic blunder from Luigi, his mother's second favourite son. If you're looking for a prime example of the Deus Ex Machina narrative concept, you need look no further than the opening five minutes. Indeed, the opening cutscene serves as a succinct example of how the "wacky" bits are forced into the plot—the need to drive events forward blocking the chance to better explore the fusion of the game's two disparate worlds.

Volkswagen's outgoing CEO, Martin Winterkorn, knew about the company's emissions and fuel economy cheating a full year before they became public knowledge, the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reports.

The newspaper reports that VW stopped selling the Polo TDI BlueMotion back in spring 2015 because it had discovered that its actual fuel economy was 18 percent below its official rating. At the time, VW claimed that it pulled the Polo because of "subdued demand."

Bild, citing "sources close to Winterkorn," says that Winterkorn knew about this fuel economy discrepancy back in spring 2015. Furthermore, Bild says that VW's top executives knew about fuel economy and emissions issues with its other cars a year ago. Bild did not cite its source for the "year ago" assertion, however. With this scandal likely to cost VW tens of billions of euros in fines and lost revenue, Bild hopefully vetted its sources enough, lest it get hit by a massive defamation suit.