All posts tagged: quest

One man’s obsessive quest to weigh the human soul

One man’s obsessive quest to weigh the human soul

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđź’ˇ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Can you measure the weight of a human soul? No, but that didn’t stop Duncan MacDougall from trying. In the early 20th century, MacDougall put dying patients on a scale to try and prove the existence of a soul. One of MacDougall’s first test subjects was a tuberculosis patient. He was placed on the bed as he neared death. With doctors watching over, the man died, and MacDougall noticed the scale’s counterweight dropped with surprising quickness. The scales displayed the weight that had been lost upon death: Âľ of an ounce, or 21 grams. Had MacDougall solved a mystery that had plagued philosophers, theologians, and medical professionals for millennia? Not exactly. The “21 Grams Experiment,” as it’s come to be known, is the fascinating topic for our latest Popular Science video. While MacDougall’s experiment was deeply flawed, the idea behind it remains so appealing, more than a century later. We keep coming back to the 21 grams experiment because …

Meta Raises Prices on Quest 3 and Quest 3S Due to RAM Shortage

Meta Raises Prices on Quest 3 and Quest 3S Due to RAM Shortage

Published by skeptic

Meta’s latest virtual reality headset, the Meta Quest 3 (512 GB), will cost $100 more starting Sunday. You can blame the ongoing RAM shortage.  Meta released the pricing update on Wednesday in a blog post calling out price increases for the Meta Quest 3 and 3S models. “The cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly,” Meta said in the post explaining the increase.  High demand from AI data centers is straining memory chip supplies, causing supply constraints and price increases in consumer tech. Many experts aren’t expecting the RAM shortage to end until 2028.  Counterpoint Research released findings in February showing that RAM costs increased by 80% to 90% in the first quarter of this year. Tech companies continue to hike prices, with Microsoft being the latest to increase the cost of the Microsoft Surface and Samsung doing the same for some Galaxy devices.  Watch this: Meta Quest 3S Review: The Best of the Quest 2 and 3 09:02 Here’s the original pricing as of Thursday, along with what you can expect to pay starting April 19.  Price changes for Meta Quest 3 …

The quest to measure our relationship with nature

The quest to measure our relationship with nature

Published by skeptic

Still, I recognize that living in harmony with nature sounds like a mushy idea. I was therefore stoked to participate in a meeting in Oxford, UK, that sought to build more precise tools to assess human-nonhuman relationships. Scientists have invented lots of measurements of environmental destruction, from parts per million of carbon dioxide to extinction rates to “planetary boundaries.” These have their uses, but they engage people mostly through dread. Why not invent metrics, we thought, that would engage people’s hopes and dreams?  It was harder than I expected. How do you quantify how good people in any given nation are at living with other Earthlings? Some of the metrics the group proposed seemed to me to be too similar to the older, more adversarial approach. Why tally the agricultural land use per person, for example? Environmentalists have typically seen farms as the opposite of nature, but they’re also potential sites for both edible and inedible biodiversity. Some of us were keen on satellite imagery to calculate things like how close people live to green …

I Went on a Quest to Find the Perfect Wedding Cologne. Here’s What I Chose

I Went on a Quest to Find the Perfect Wedding Cologne. Here’s What I Chose

Published by Jenni Sidey

To my surprise, he was well-prepared. Per Gontarski, so-called wedding-day scents are so common now that that Scent Bar even has a shelf labeled “I Do” that carries the likeliest matches. He says many couples come in at the last minute looking for a wedding day fragrance. Some want to share a scent, but most make individual choices that complement one another. ClichĂ© as it may be, this is when florals reign supreme, especially for women. (Gourmands not far behind.) And for men, barbershop-style fougères are the top choice, as they have been since the dawn of colognes. For a niche option from an IYKYK-type brand (and one that’s common with affianced Scent Bar buyers), Gontarski points to Parfum MDCI’s Invasion Barbare, thanks to its fougèrian freshness paired with a fantastic ginger snap. With that one, he says “a little goes a long way, so it’s gonna get you through that entire day.” As for an enduring designer staple, he says go for green: Guerlain Vetiver de Guerlain is both a timeless and refined choice, …

The Atlantic’s May Cover: Caity Weaver’s Quest

The Atlantic’s May Cover: Caity Weaver’s Quest

Published by José Betancourt

“Here is the promise you and I must cling to across the thousands of words that follow: At some point within this text, I will reveal to you what—­after 555 responses, 13,000 miles of travel, and months of mono­maniacal research—­I have determined to be the best free restaurant bread in America. I will not attempt to slither to the moral high ground, arguing that best is a meaningless measure, or insisting that all bread is dear in its own way. Even if you attempt to betray me—for instance, by merely scanning the text that follows for the phrase Here it is: the best free restaurant bread in America—I will uphold my end of the bargain.” In The Atlantic’s May cover story, staff writer Caity Weaver takes readers on a delightful and poignant journalistic quest––and takes no prisoners along the way––to reveal to America the truly perfect free restaurant loaf within its midst. This was a question that dogged Weaver on dinners out with her husband, enjoying what she considered at the time to be the …

Tim Dowling: my wife is on a quest to restore my thinning hair | Life and style

Tim Dowling: my wife is on a quest to restore my thinning hair | Life and style

Published by Sam Flores

In the beginning I used not to be able to tell Kelly and Hayley – the identical twin hairdressers who came to the house appointments – apart. Eventually my wife furnished me with a handy mnemonic: Kelly cuts, Hayley highlights. From then on, I knew them by their tools. I don’t need that crutch any more: since my wife decided to go grey, we only have Kelly. She arrived at 11, and I am already in the chair, hair wet, a towel over my shoulders. Kelly is on her phone. My wife is sitting across the table from me. “That was Hayley,” Kelly says. “She says hi.” “We haven’t seen Hayley in ages,” my wife says. “So, what are we doing?” says Kelly, turning to me. “The same as always,” I say, taking off my glasses. “Making the most of what remains.” “He’s going bald, I’m afraid,” my wife says. “After a certain age you’re meant to be bald,” I say. “I’m sorry for your loss,” my wife says. I only hear snatches of the subsequent conversation above the buzz …

Stark photos show quest for profit cutting swathes through the Amazon

Stark photos show quest for profit cutting swathes through the Amazon

Published by skeptic

Some of the thousands of trucks that transport soya beans down a road in the Amazon Lalo de Almeida/Folhapress/Panos​ The myriad ways in which deforestation in the Amazon could deleteriously impact the climate aren’t a new revelation. In fact, climate scientists and activists have long been sounding alarms about protecting the rainforest. Yet the Brazilian government has recently relaxed environmental controls on several large industrial developments in the region, opening the door to even more harmful changes. Photographer Lalo de Almeida has been documenting the rainforest, focusing on areas where new projects are already taking place as well as those where the life of the rainforest is about to change. In the main image, above, he has photographed some of the thousands of trucks that transport soya beans down an Amazonian road near Miritituba, which will be the final stop of a new railway that will be used to carry the beans to the Tapajos river. Below, three men collect soya beans from a truck in the aftermath of a traffic accident, a common enough …

Meta Quest Promo Codes: Off | March 2026

Meta Quest Promo Codes: $50 Off | March 2026

Published by skeptic

If you’re considering a virtual reality headset, Meta is the first place to stop. The Quest headsets have become the de facto choice for casual and even some enthusiast VR adventurers, thanks to their appealing price point, respectable performance, and wide digital catalogue of titles. While you can often find discounts on software, markdowns on the actual hardware are relatively uncommon, and rather than finding a Meta Quest promo code, you’re more likely to get a direct discount or bundle from Meta and other retailers. I’ve got a few coupons that will save you money on a new headset, accessories, and, of course, the best games and apps to check out. Get $50 Off the Meta Quest 3 With Today’s Promos There are two models to choose from: Quest 3 and Quest 3S. The more budget-friendly of the two is the Meta Quest 3S (8/10, WIRED Review). It has a slightly lower resolution screen, and the pass-through isn’t as sharp, but most people will be happy with it. It’s currently marked down by up to …

Valve’s Next VR Headset May Run Meta Quest Games

Valve’s Next VR Headset May Run Meta Quest Games

Published by skeptic

Valve’s upcoming standalone VR headset, the Steam Frame, is poised to offer a unique combination of functionality and flexibility. As highlighted by Cas and Chary XR, one of its most intriguing capabilities is its potential to run games from Meta’s Quest platform, thanks to its Android-based standalone mode and compatibility layers like “Lapton.” This feature, alongside its ability to function as a wireless PC VR headset and a Linux-powered spatial computer, positions the Steam Frame as a versatile device catering to a wide range of VR use cases. With an expected price range of $700 to $1,200 and a launch anticipated in late 2026, the Steam Frame aims to balance advanced performance with accessibility. Explore how the Steam Frame’s modular hardware design, including a rear-mounted battery and detachable visor, enhances comfort and customization. Gain insight into its advanced performance technologies, such as eye-tracking-enabled foveated rendering and dual wireless radios, which optimize both standalone and PC VR experiences. Additionally, learn about potential challenges like battery life and the trade-offs of its LCD panels, offering a nuanced …

My ​quest to ​preserve VHS-​era ​gaming ​culture​, one eBay bid at a time | Games

My ​quest to ​preserve VHS-​era ​gaming ​culture​, one eBay bid at a time | Games

Published by Sam Flores

As I am nostalgic and of a certain age, I recently bought a VHS video recorder, just for the retrospective thrill of it; then I won a 32-inch CRT television at an auction in Shepton Mallet. Partly, this was to play a few old videos I had found in my loft, including one of me appearing in a 1990s youth TV show talking about sexism and Tomb Raider. (I was against the sexism, to be clear). But it was also because I wanted a new way of spending my money on fragile video-game nostalgia. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The rise of the games industry in the 1980s and 90s coincided with the explosion of the home-video business, and the two crossed paths in lots of interesting ways. There are the obvious treasures I want to get hold of: VHS copies of Street Fighter: The Movie and the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, naturally, as well as early games-inspired hits such …