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SAVE $20: As of Jan. 7, the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro is down to just $79 at Amazon as a Lightning deal. That's 20% off the $99 list price and matches the best price ever for the noise-cancelling headphones.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing CMF Headphone Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal

If you're in the market for new noise-cancelling headphones, the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro should be on your radar — especially if you're looking to save some cash.

As of Jan. 7, the CMF Headphone Pro noise-cancelling headphones are down to only $79 at Amazon as a Lightning deal. That's 20% off the usual $99 list price and matches the best-ever price from the holiday season. Lightning deals disappear once all units have been claimed or the deal timer runs out — whichever comes first. So you'll want to add it to your cart ASAP if you want to get the discount.

While we haven't had a chance to test the CMF Headphone Pro, released just a few months ago, we truly adored the British brand's other 2025 releases — like the retro-inspired flagship headphones and the CMF Watch 3 Pro. Why would the Headphone Pro be any different? Like other products from the CMF line (Nothing's budget brand), they have top-notch specs at an absurdly low price point. The CMF Headphone Pro noise-cancelling headphones feature a mighty impressive 100-hour battery life (50 with ANC turned on), up to 40db of adaptive noise cancellation, spatial audio, custom EQ, intuitive on-ear controls, and comfy interchangeable ear cushions.

Typically, specs such as these would cost you well over $100. At only $79, the CMF Headphone Pro wireless cans are honestly a steal. They come in two shades of gray and a fun light green.

SAVE 14%: As of Jan. 7, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) for $299, down from $349, at Amazon. That's a 14% discount or $50 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 11-inch Apple iPad (A16, 128GB, WiFi) $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50   Get Deal

If you missed out on the holiday tech sales, Amazon is keeping the momentum going with a solid discount on Apple's newest entry-level tablet.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air M3 review: The smallest of upgrades

As of Jan. 7, the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's a $50 discount off its $349 list price. While we saw it hit $274 during Black Friday, this is the best price we've tracked since the calendar turned to 2026.

Apple announced this 11th-generation model in March 2025 as a pretty substantial "freshening up" for the base iPad. It uses the A16 Bionic chip, which Apple says is roughly 30 percent faster than the A14 found in the previous generation. The most practical change, though, is the storage boost. Apple finally killed off the 64GB base model and started this one at 128GB. That alone makes it a much easier recommendation since you won't have to spend your life deleting old photos just to download a movie for a flight.

You'll also get an 11-inch Liquid Retina display and a 12MP front camera that's already positioned on the landscape edge. It still uses Touch ID on the top button and charges via USB-C, so it’ll work with the cables you probably already have lying around.

SAVE 36%: As of Jan. 7, you can get the Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Booster Packs) for $76.10, down from $119.76. That's a 36% discount, or $43.66 in savings.

Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Booster Packs) $76.10 at Amazon
$119.76 Save $43.66   Get Deal at Amazon

If you’re still trying to fill the holes in your first-edition collection or just want to feel the rush from cracking open a fresh pack, this is your chance to grab a box without paying the usual "out of print" tax.

As of Jan. 7, the Star Wars: Unlimited TCG Spark of Rebellion Booster Display (24 Packs) is on sale for $76.10 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount off the $119.76 list price. For context, the current market value for this display is $80.97, so you're snagging it for about $5 under the going rate.

SEE ALSO: Star Wars goes quiet. How long will the Dark Times last?

Each of the 24 booster packs comes with 16 cards, including a guaranteed foil and a leader card. If the Force is actually on your side, you might even pull a Showcase variant — some of which, like the Leia Organa or Emperor Palpatine cards, have been known to trade for hundreds of dollars.

Since this is the first set in the Unlimited series, supply has been notoriously spotty since it launched. Finding a sealed display box for under $80 is a solid win, especially since prices have been known to creep back up toward the $100 mark whenever stock gets thin.

SAVE $500: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $799, down from the list price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 2000 portable power station $799 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $500   Get Deal

The world of content creation is pretty great. From our couch, we can now join people on a cruise that goes around the world, step into a grocery store in Sweden, or watch incredible drone footage of winter skiing. If you happen to be one of these content creators, you know the struggle of keeping everything powered up, but there's a simple solution in a portable power station. If you're looking for a model that's great for creators, check out this Amazon deal.

As of Jan. 7, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is on sale for $799 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $1,299. That's a 38% discount that takes $500 off the usual price.

If you're a fan of DJI drones, you'll love the two SDC ports on the Power 2000. In addition, it comes with four AC ports, four USB-A, and four USB-C options (140W max) for recharging everything you'll need to create content. In total, the DJI Power 2000 offers up 2,048Wh of battery life with long-lasting LiFePO4 battery cells.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for the big chill with the Bluetti Pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station while it's $500 off

DJI mentions this is also a great model for using at home during power outages. You'll be able to recharge a phone, tablet, and a 2100W oven all at the same time with the DJI Power 2000. Other scenarios include keeping the WiFi router on for over 150 hours, or the refrigerator cooling for 40 hours.

Another major benefit of the DJI Power 2000 is its expansion ability. The station can connect with up to 10 DJI expansion batteries, which would offer a grand total of 22,528Wh. In real-life terms, DJI says that can power a whole house for four to six days.

Before you head off on the next content creation project, upgrade to the DJI Power 2000 to ensure your tech can stay charged up. Today's sale price at Amazon means you can save $500 on the station that will also be great at home during power outages.

How does your music taste? Or, perhaps, how does your lollipop sound?

These have just become legit questions as one company just launched a lollipop at CES 2026 that doubles as a loudspeaker.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

Called the Lollipop Star and created by Indian company Lava Brand, this unusual combo isn't the type of speaker you buy once and use for years. Instead, they're affordable, quick, sweet bites that play a tune while you eat them.

At nine bucks a piece, these are going to be hard to say no to. Credit: Lava Brand

The company said it's teamed up with global pop icons for the music, and that each Lollipop Star, priced at $8.99, will carry its own beat, flavor and vibe. Examples include a peach-flavored lollipop that plays music from Ice Spice, or a blueberry-flavored one that plays Akon.

So how does it work? Lollipop Star uses bone conduction tech to deliver the sound, with the electronics hidden in the stick. As you bite down on the lollipop, vibrations travel from your jaw to your inner ear. You probably shouldn't expect too much in terms of sound quality, but at nine bucks a piece, it won't break the bank, either. It's the type of product that makes it near impossible to say no to once your kids first encounter it.

Featured Video For You Motorola is entering the wearable AI game

Lollipop Star isn't available yet, but it should launch after CES. If you're interested, you can head on to the company's website and join the waitlist to get updates about the product.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's below market value compared to TCGplayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Store Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box $98.68 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $66.02   Get Deal

We're usually content with finding trading cards at close to market value on Amazon, so we're extremely pleased to see something considerably below what the market is willing to pay. It doesn't happen regularly, so we feel the need to make some noise about the fact that the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is under $100 at Amazon.

As of Jan. 7, the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box is on sale for $98.68 at Amazon. That's over $60 off and close to the lowest-ever price at the retailer. It's also lower than the market value we're seeing over on TCGplayer, which is really something. Amazon doesn't usually compete with the market, so collectors should take note.

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The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box includes 30 play boosters that each contain 14 cards plus a single Token or Art card. Of the 14 cards in each play booster, one will be a shining Traditional Foil card, 1-4 will be "Rare" or better, and you could even pull a Special Guest Mythic Rare. That's not likely, but you could get lucky.

Pick up the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for below market value at Amazon.

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) is marked down to $39.98 at Amazon. This is $10.01 off its list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) $39.98 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.01   Get Deal

The Lego Botanicals collection features a variety of beautiful brick-built floral arrangements that are perfect for grabbing if you want a little extra color in your home. What's even better is some sets, like the Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311), are on sale at the moment.

As of Jan. 7, the Lego Botanicals Orchid is on sale for $39.98 at Amazon, which is just over $10 off its usual list price of $49.99. It's one of our favorite Lego sets — thanks to its "gorgeous" design and the fact that it's "unkillable" — so why not scoop it up now while the deal is still available?

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The Lego Botanicals Orchid is recommended for adults and comes with 608 pieces to create this lovely display piece. It features five leaves at the base, two wandering air roots alongside the blooms, and a blue vase to keep them all in, which can all be customized and rotated so you can find your preferred style for display.

If you're hoping to bring some flower arrangements into your home without having to worry about watering them, this Lego Botanicals Orchid is worth a look, especially while it's discounted. It's not the only Lego Botanicals set on sale right now, either. If you want more, the Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is also on sale right now.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $88.30 at Amazon
$106.89 Save $18.59   Get Deal

The trading card market is, frankly, all over the place. We're desperately trying to keep pace with market fluctuations, but it's hard, OK? Prices climb and fall seemingly without warning, and big box retailers often offer inflated prices disguised as deals.

With all of that in mind, when we find something on Amazon that's actually close to market value, we're pretty pleased. And that's exactly what we've got with the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box. This popular set is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon. That's over $10 off and close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer.

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The Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box includes nine booster packs, one full-art foil promo card featuring Charcadet, and 65 card sleeves. This collection also comes with 40 Pokémon TCG Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, one plastic coin, and a collector’s box with six dividers to keep everything organized.

Get the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box for close to market value at Amazon.

Roblox, the global youth gaming platform currently under fire for widespread child safety concerns, is rolling out mandatory age checks for all users who want to chat on the platform.

Roblox's site-wide age estimation feature was announced in November, utilizing AI age estimation tech provided by third-party vendor Persona that relies on on-device cameras. The system then assigns users to one of six categories: Under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. The tech was initially launched as part of a verified chat tool for users 13-17 years old.

Starting today (Jan. 7), that process will be required for all users in areas where chat functions are available.

SEE ALSO: What would ethical age verification look like online?

"As the first large online gaming platform to require facial age checks for users of all ages to access chat, this implementation is our next step toward what we believe will be the gold standard for communication safety," wrote Matt Kaufman, Roblox Chief Safety Officer, and Rajiv Bhatia, head of user and discovery product, in a blog post.

According to the platform, millions have already completed voluntary age checks since the feature launched. In regions where age checks were already required — Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands — Roblox says more than 50 percent of all users have opted in to age-verified chat.

Roblox says it plans to expand mandatory age estimation to real-time collaboration features in Roblox Studio, and will be updating its Roblox community policies.

Credit: Roblox

The site, which saw 151 million daily users in 2025, is home to nearly half of the entire U.S. population under 16 years old.

Roblox has been systematically overhauling its chat features and bulking up its parental control tools in response to safety concerns, including activity monitoring, expanded blocking options, and chat moderation.

Still, many are skeptical that Roblox's expanded age checks and other safety features will effectively tamp down the proliferation of child exploitation and predators on the platform. Some contend that the technology has too much room for error — developers Persona and Roblox executives say age estimation is accurate within a margin of two years, and works better for younger users.

In addition to multiple lawsuits filed by state attorneys general, Roblox is facing nearly 80 lawsuits by victims and parents that allege the platform did not do enough to prevent child sexual exploitation or warn users of risks. Several of the cases also name Meta, Discord, and Snapchat, sites where victims were directed to continue inappropriate conversations started on Roblox. The cases are set to be centralized before a single district judge in a San Francisco. Roblox has disputed the claims.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 7, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones have dropped to $99.99 at Amazon. This is $50 off their list price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Space Q45 Headphones $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

If new headphones are on your shopping list for 2026, Amazon has some exciting deals to check out. At the moment, our favorite well-rounded budget headphones, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones, have dipped below $100 at the retailer, but only for a limited time.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones down to $99.99, making for $50 in savings from their list price of $149.99. Considering they're listed as a limited-time deal, it's better to act fast to pick them up at this low price.

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The Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones have quite a lot to offer for under $100. They boast adaptive noise cancelling to help you block out any noises around you while you listen, up to 50 hours of playtime in noise cancelling mode (which is a massive bonus for those wanting headphones for long travel periods), and great sound quality.

When it comes to the latter, our roundup of the best budget headphones — which highlights these as the most well-rounded budget headphones — says "Bass dominates the soundstage in a positive way. Headbangers will salivate over the Space Q45’s boomy and energetic low-end presence. Customized settings (e.g., EQ, music presets) make room for crisp highs and rich mids."

If you're looking for a sleek sound upgrade for the new year, look no further than this deal on the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 headphones. If you're curious what other options are worth grabbing this year, have a look at our overall roundup of the best headphones to see some of our top picks.

If you want to get a flavor of Donald Trump's latest speech made to Republicans on Tuesday, just watch the 57-second montage in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! video above — which is so all-over-the-place it's difficult to summarise in words.

"I feel like even he knows what he's saying's nuts, because just about every time he goes off on these tangents, he then makes it clear that he isn't actually scatterbrained, it's just a 'weave,'" says host Jimmy Kimmel. He then cuts back to the U.S. president explaining the importance of returning to an original point after going off on tangents so that you're "in good shape."

"That's right," says Kimmel. "No one is in better shape than he is."

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price at the retailer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box $159.99 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $49.71   Get Deal

We're busy keeping tabs on all the new Magic: The Gathering collections set to launch. Partly because what's to come is seriously cool, but also because we're waiting for the best deals to drop. We've already highlighted the upcoming release on the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box, but there's more to come in the early stages of 2026.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is set to release on March 6. As of Jan. 7, this booster box is available to pre-order for $159.99 at Amazon. That's close to market value compared to listings on TCGplayer, but we'd still like to see Amazon's price come down a little more. So are we saying you should wait for a better price? No, actually.

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Amazon's pre-order price guarantee protects you against missing out on a better deal. Whenever you pre-order a product with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, the price you get charged when it ships will be the lowest price offered between the time you placed your order and the end of the day on the release date. So there's no risk of buying early.

The Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box is perfect for building decks and playing Limited games with friends, and they're just a lot of fun to open up. Each booster contains 14 cards, 1-4 rares or mythics, 3-6 uncommons, 6-9 commons, and a chance of pulling Full Boarderless or Mythic Rare Turtles. Feeling lucky?

Secure Amazon's best price on the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box before it launches in March, 2026

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has raised $20 billion in an upsized Series E funding round, the company announced on Tuesday. The news comes days after the company's next generation intelligent assistant Grok came under scrutiny for generating nonconsensual sexualized images.

The original target for the funding round was $15 billion, xAI said, but ended up raising $5 billion more from an A list of investors including Fidelity, Valor, Stepstone, Baron, Qatar Investment Authority, MGX, as well as Nvidia's and Cisco's investment arms.

SEE ALSO: xAI admits that Grok generated images of 'minors in minimal clothing,' part of a larger problem with deepfakes

The company is currently training its next generation intelligent assistant, Grok 5, and is also working on "innovative new consumer and enterprise products that harness the power of Grok, Colossus, and 𝕏 to transform how we live, work, and play."

The money raised will be used for infrastructure buildout, new research, and hiring, with the company saying it's "aggressively" hiring to build a team "focused on making a transformational impact on the future of humanity."

In a blog post announcing the funding round, xAI highlighted some of its successes in 2025, including launching Grok 4 series, Grok's voice mode, image generation tool Grok Imagine, and using Grok to leverage the X platform to "understand what's happening in the world in real-time."

Featured Video For You Samsung previews futuristics TVs and display technology at CES First Look event

The announcement comes days after X users noticed that the platform's AI chatbot Grok will readily generate nonconsensual sexualized images, including those of children. These images were incredibly easy to find — all one had to do was check Grok's "Media" tab on X and see that it basically consists of sexualized images of women, both celebrities and private citizens.

Following the outrage from users, several foreign governments, including those of Malaysia, India, and France, launched investigations into Grok. Musk responded to the issue by tweeting that "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

As of writing time Grok's Media tab on X has gotten better in this regard, but still contains numerous sexualized images of various people.

SAVE $150: As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is down to its lowest-ever prices of $499.98 at Amazon. This is $150.01 off the list price of $649.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) $499.98 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $150.01   Get Deal

The start of a new year is a good opportunity to plan out some of your health and fitness goals. A smartwatch can help you keep an eye on them, and right now there's quite a few discounts to check out. If you're looking to splash out on a fancy high-end model, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is among the options on sale.

As of Jan. 7, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra ismarked down to its lowest-ever price of $499.98 at Amazon. This is just over $150 off its usual price of $649.99, which is a pretty nice deal to jump on.

SEE ALSO: The top 6 CES 2026 trends I expect to see at tech's biggest show

The heavy duty Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra boasts a durable titanium design and plenty of features, including an Energy Score to see how ready your body is for the day and a Running Coach for athletic individuals wanting to plan out a run for the day. It also features Advanced Sleep Coaching to get a better idea of your sleeping habits and Vascular Load monitoring to keep an eye on your stress levels.

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These are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If you're looking for a sleek smartwatch upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is worth a look, especially while it's still on sale.

Curious what other smartwatches are worth checking out right now? Have a look at our breakdown of the best smartwatches to see more top picks that we believe are worth your time and money.

It was easy to get excited by, or fearful about, the future suggested by at least one robot that debuted at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas.

Hyundai, better known for cars, chose this spot for the first public outing of Atlas, the previously lab-bound robot that came out of its 2020 purchase of dystopian robot manufacturer Boston Dynamics. Atlas, a humanoid with a flashlight face and kinda weirdly ripped torso that can lift 110 pounds, could not have looked more dystopian if they'd hung a sign around his neck reading "I'LL BE BACK (FOR YOUR JOB)."

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

But take heart, humanity. The future of this CES nightmare fuel could yet look a lot like past CES robot nightmare fuel — which is to say, a lot of trade show sizzle that ultimately failed to sell a lot of steak. I'm one of many veteran CES reporters who encountered humanoids (plus canine-oids, and, uh, dino-oids?) at the top tech show over many years in the early part of this century.

In retrospect, it's pretty clear why so few survived, while human reporters still stalk the halls looking to bag the next one. Come with us now on a photographic journey through the weird and wonderful history of CES and its ominous robot prototypes that didn't quite pan out. All the way back to...

CES 2004: The Sony Qrio says hello Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Hard to remember now, but this cute Sony Qrio robot was once taken seriously as a harbinger of doom. In one of the biggest TV hits of the 2000s, Battlestar Galactica, Qrio is the star of a series finale scene showing how (mild spoiler alert for a 20-year old show) Cylon-like tech is developing on Earth. The Qrio never went on sale — although of an unknown number of prototypes, four did achieve pop stardom in a Beck video.

CES 2006: Google's robot car rides in Credit: Neal Ulevich / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Yep, that's Google co-founder Larry Page in his nerdier youth, riding onto the CES stage atop a very, very early Google prototype self-driving "robot" car — better known to you kids as a Waymo. Now, 20 years later, Waymo is doing its robotaxi thing in five cities in the U.S. Not bad, but not exactly "rise of the machines" territory.

CES 2007: That's one small step for Asimo ... Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Humanoid robots started looking uncannily good with the Honda Asimo. This guy could walk around pretty well (especially if walking in circles is your thing), and even run at a very good six miles per hour. But like the Daleks in Doctor Who, it was defeated by stairs: one small misstep in a human-operated CES demo led to a giant leap of early YouTube videos featuring Asimo pratfalls. Well, look what you did, YouTubers. You killed the Asimo, which Honda ceased producing in 2018, with its last working appearance in Disneyland now a distant memory. Happy now?

CES 2009: Anybots makes its presence known Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

RIP, telepresence robot from Anybots, never produced commercially. Who could have foreseen that people wouldn't jump at the chance to see their colleagues on tiny screens in the chests of weird white cyborgs? Even Anybots reps' suggestion on the CES 2009 show floor — that American bosses could use these things to oversee production in Chinese factories remotely — failed to warm many global capitalist hearts.

CES 2011: Robovie busts a move Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Dance break! No, but seriously, pour one out for this poor Robovie line, from a Japanese company called Vstone. Its main claim to fame in later versions was to feature in experiments where kids literally beat them up.

Featured Video For You The humanoid so real they had to cut it open CES 2012: The Bieber machine Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Here's Justin Bieber at CES 2012 pointing a microphone at a moving speaker by Vietnamese company TOSY Robotics called the mRobo Ultra Bass, which dances to the beat. This product seems to have lasted a few more years after its encounter with Bieber before going all "where are you now."

CES 2014: Pretty in Pleo Credit: Joe Klamar / AFP via Getty Images

The first version of this robot dinosaur (full disclosure: I owned one) crashed and burned company Ugobe into bankruptcy in 2009. This pink version, the Pleo RB "robotic lifeform" represented its all-too-brief second coming.

CES 2015: Would you leave your kid with this robot? Credit: Britta Pedersen / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

The intent of Medi was much like that of Baymax, the healthcare robot in Big Hero 6 (2014): to help sick children get healthy. But there's a reason Baymax wasn't animated in this posture of, uh, let's call it robospreading. Regardless of what happened to the company behind it, RxRobots, Medi robots crop up in news reports with sick kids every now and again.

CES 2015: Hey now, Aiko Credit: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Aiko Chihira was Toshiba's "communication android." She was sometimes pitched as an android receptionist, but also demonstrated sign language. Amazingly, she did not come for any ASL interpreters' jobs.

CES 2016: The Segway robot is...a choice Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Remember when Segway completely turned around its image, from a comedy vehicle that George W. Bush fell over on, into the future of transportation? And it was all because Intel CEO Brian Krzanich rode into his CES keynote on a self-balancing Segway personal transportation robot? No, me neither. Segway, now owned by a Chinese company, has pivoted to delivery robots, which might be taking a few jobs from hardworking Taskrabbits.

CES 2017: Nvidia talks robot cars Credit: Andrej Sokolow / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Wait, who's this fake leather-jacketed gentleman talking about how Nvidia is going to help Audi build robot cars that wouldn't make it far beyond the concept stage? Surely not Nvidia president and CEO Jensen Huang, the same guy who stood on the stage at CES in 2026 and talked about Nvidia's ambition to build robot cars with Mercedes. (Admittedly, he's a lot closer to production this time.)

CES 2017: Breaking news, robot plays chess Credit: Rob Lever / AFP via Getty Images

To be fair, this one from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) was pretty cool. Not just chess-playing software, but a demo robot using an intelligent vision system to see the pieces, with arms to move them. Similar concept models have since come to CES since to play Scrabble and tic-tac-toe. Do challenge one to a game if you see them, they often seem lonely.

CES 2018: Aibo! Is that you, buddy? Credit: David McNew / AFP

Ah, good old Aibo the robot dog! (Full disclosure: I had one of the original 2001 Aibo models until it fell down the stairs and, sickeningly, broke its neck. I am a bad robot dog parent.) This is the fourth generation Aibo, which has not advanced techologically since 2018. That didn't stop Sony from releasing it in a new series of colors in 2025.

CES 2018: The robot stripper Credit: Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

Here we see an actual case of robots taking jobs — if the job in question was to perform as an exotic dancer on these particular CES 2018 poles at the Sapphire club for a night or two.

CES 2018: Breaking news, robot uses vacuum Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

Sometimes, CES robots take jobs from other robots. This Aeolus robot shown at CES 2018 can use an actual vacuum cleaner. In your face, Roomba! Aeolus, indeed, is still in business post-pandemic. Roomba is not.

CES 2019: Four legs bad Credit: David McNew / AFP

This is ANYbotics and Continental's ANYmal quadrupedal delivery robot, which now has a second career as a factory inspector.

CES 2020: Digit gets packing Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Here we have it, finally: the world's first commercially deployed humanoid robot, Digit. Since the pandemic, the company has inked a deal with Amazon and built its first robot factory. Still not quite taking over the world just yet.

CES 2020: You're Terminated Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

When all else fails, build a robot that looks and talks uncannily like a human. This is the Robo-C at CES 2020, and its makers, Promobot, are still in business with a sequel.

CES 2020: TP robot tells the future Credit: Mario Tama / Getty Images

Little did attendees in January 2020 — some of whom, like me, were starting to suffer from a curiously strong winter flu — know that this Charmin TP delivery self-balancing "Rollbot", a mere concept, still pointed the way to the future. As the world locked down against the COVID-19 pandemic three months later, rolls like this would be in short supply in supermarkets.

CES 2022: This robot sucks Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

When CES finally returned two years later, the Amagami Ham Ham play-biting cat was one of the show's most popular robots. What can I say, the pandemic made us all a little strange. (And yes, you can still get one.)

CES 2022: Hyundai sees Spot run Credit: Andrej Sokolow / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Spot, Boston Dynamics' first commercial robot, was first shown to the world in 2016 — but that didn't stop Hyundai from showing it off at CES six years later. It seems to be finding success in a few niche roles: as an inspection robot, and in some bomb disposal squads.

CES 2022: OK, getting a little creepy now Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

Uncanny Valley ahoy: it's the Ameca, which bills itself as "the world's most advanced social humanoid robot" with AI gestures and a library of 50 facial expressions. You still have to ask the manufacturers for a quote if you want to build one, suggesting they're not exactly flying off the shelves.

CES 2023: Pour one out for Adam Credit: David Becker / Getty Images

Adam the bartender is a popular productivity bot to have returned to CES several times, based on AI-driven factory robots you can actually buy, and yet your neighborhood bartender persists in having a job. (Unless your neighborhood bar is Botbar in Oakland, where Adam is currently serving. Breaking news: was serving. Botbar is permanently closed as of January 2026. Sorry, Adam.) However, AI robot bartenders are still serving at CES.

CES 2025: TOMO takes over Credit: Artur Widak / Anadolu via Getty Images

This keyboard-playing concept robot shown by EMage group at CES 2025 might take your job, if your job is "coolest being in a Kraftwerk tribute band."

CES 2026: When Jensen met Grek Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Now as in 2017, Jensen Huang of Nvidia is selling a vision of a robotics-driven future. That little guy with him at CES 2026 is Grek, developed by Disney Research with Nvidia support. Alas, Grek — which Huang has been taking to trade shows since mid-2025 — doesn't even have his own Disney movie deal yet, let alone your job.

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know west coast schools.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Hockey

• Green: Gear

• Blue: Baseball leaders

• Purple: College characters

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: NHL teams with singular nicknames

• Green: A bit of track and field equipment

• Blue: MLB managers

• Purple: Mascots for University of California Schools, in the singular

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #471 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• NHL teams with singular nicknames - AVALANCHE, KRAKEN, LIGHTNING, MAMMOTH

• A bit of track and field equipment - BATON, HURDLE, JAVELIN, POLE

• MLB managers - CASH, COUNSELL, MARMOL, VOGT

• Mascots for University of California Schools, in the singular - BANANA SLUG, BRUIN, GAUCHO, GOLDEN BEAR

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026:

AcrossPlanning to, informally

• The answer is Gonna.

___ tolls (GPS setting)

• The answer is Avoid.

Pulsed quickly, as the heart

• The answer is Raced.

Draw an outline of

• The answer is Trace.

Prefix with loop for theoretical high-speed transport

• The answer is Hyper.

DownWayne's sidekick in "Wayne's World"

• The answer is Garth.

Egg-producing organ

• The answer is Ovary.

"I'm serious!," in slang

• The answer is Nocap.

Sister's daughter

• The answer is Niece.

Snake that sounds like it would be good at math?

• The answer is Adder.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 7, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 7, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 7 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this red space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically..

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 7 Pips

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically, 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 7 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horiontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The best ways to watch 'Wicked: For Good' at a glance: Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' on Prime Video $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'Wicked: For Good' at Apple TV $19.99 or $29.99 Shop Now Watch later Peacock Premium yearly subscription $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Students and Young Adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Best for military personnel Peacock Premium for Active Military and Veterans $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium free for Walmart+ subscribers Get Deal

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande returned to the big screen to conclude Elphaba and Glinda's story this fall with Wicked: For Good.

Directed by Jon M. Chu once again, Wicked: For Good continues the story from the Broadway musical adaptation Wicked, which absolutely dominated the box office in 2024. Part one also picked up 10 Academy Award nominations, winning two for production design and costume design, and setting the bar extremely high for part two.

Besides Erivo and Grande, Wicked: For Good also stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode. It hit theaters in November 2025, but it is now officially available to watch at home as of January 2026. Here's everything you need to know to tune in — including when and where it's streaming.

What is Wicked: For Good about?

Wicked: For Good picks up where Wicked leaves off — in the wake of Elphaba's (Erivo) showdown with the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum). Having been labeled as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba now lives in hiding. Glinda, on the other hand, has become a symbol of good as well as a public figure. Glinda hopes to protect Elphaba from an actual witch hunt, all the while, an outsider (Dorothy) arrives in Oz. The second act follows Dorothy and her Yellow Brick Road-trekking pals from the perspective of Elphaba.

Check out the official trailer below.

Is Wicked: For Good worth watching?

It's tough for a sequel to live up to its predecessor, and Wicked: For Good struggles to match the magic of the first movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, for instance, Wicked holds an 88 percent critic score. Wicked: For Good, on the other hand, holds just a 66 percent. Audiences are pretty enthralled with both, though. Both films have over a 90 percent audience rating, though many people have debated whether two separate films were necessary in the first place.

"In the end, Wicked: For Good is sure to enthrall fans of the Broadway show, the first movie, and just about anyone who loves a splashy movie musical. Despite its faults, it's still good," writes Mashable's entertainment editor, Kristy Puchko.

Check out our full review of Wicked: For Good.

How to watch Wicked: For Good at home Credit: Universal Pictures

There are a couple of different ways you can watch Wicked: For Good at home as of Dec. 30, 2025. You can buy it or rent it at digital-on-demand retailers for as low as $19.99, or you can stream it on Peacock at a later date. See the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

Wicked's second act is available as of Dec. 30, 2025, to buy or rent at digital-on-demand retailers. If you choose to rent, you'll get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it instead, then it's yours to keep with no watch limits.

Here are some quick links to rent or purchase the film:

• Prime Video — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• Google Play — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

• YouTube — buy for $29.99, rent for $19.99

Stream it on Peacock (at a later date)

As a Universal Pictures film, we know Wicked: For Good will join Wicked on Peacock. If it follows its predecessor's timeline, part two of the Wicked saga will likely arrive on Peacock in March 2026. We'll keep you updated.

If you don't have a Peacock subscription, you can sign up for $10.99 per month with ads or $16.99 per month without (thanks to the most recent price hike). Before you get ahead of yourself, though, be sure to check out the best ways to save some money on a subscription below.

The best Peacock streaming dealsBest Peacock deal: Save 17% on an annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year (save 17%) Get Deal

The best Peacock deal for most folks is the annual subscription deal. You'll get 12 months of streaming for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. That's a total of $109.99 with ads (which breaks down to just $9.17 per month compared to $10.99) or $169.99 without ads (which breaks down to $14.16 per month compared to $16.99). That's about $21.89 in savings on the ad-supported tier or $33.89 on the ad-free tier.

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Xfinity customers should check the eligibility details below before signing up for Peacock, as you might be able to score a subscription for free. Check out the breakdown of who is eligible to get Peacock for free through Xfinity below (or head to Xfinity.com for more details).

• Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.

• NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.

• New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.

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Students and young adults can save $5 per month on a Peacock Premium subscription all year long. Just verify your student status via SheerID and retrieve the unique promo code to knock the cost down to just $5.99 instead of $10.99. Note that after the promo year is up, you'll be charged full price again unless you cancel.

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First responders, medical professionals, military personnel, and teachers can all secure a Peacock Premium subscription (with ads) for a discounted rate of $6.99 per month by verifying their professional status via SheerID. Unlike the student deal, however, it's not limited to a year. Those who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew their subscription at a discounted rate each year — although you may have to go through the verification process each time and receive a new promo code. Rates are also subject to change year to year.

Best for Instacart users: free Peacock Premium for Instacart+ subscribers Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get Deal

An Instacart+ membership ($99.99 per year) unlocks a free Peacock Premium subscription ($109.99 per year value) on top of free grocery delivery, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders. Plus, if you're new to Instacart+, you'll get a free two-week trial to kick things off. Just be sure to cancel before you're charged the full amount — do yourself a favor and set a calendar alert.

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Walmart now offers Walmart+ members the ability to choose Peacock Premium (or Paramount+) as a free perk. A $109.99 value, your $98 Walmart+ membership is already a better deal than paying for Peacock on its own. Add in free shipping (with no order minimums), fuel discounts, a Scan & Go checkout tool, and early access to deals during Walmart's major shopping events, and you've got yourself a pretty sweet subscription. Amazon Prime who?

For more than a century, Betelgeuse has looked like a star with a secret.

It swells and fades on a six-year rhythm that never quite made sense. The star, about 650 light-years away in space, is old, bloated, and unstable, but not unstable enough to explain its slow pulse. 

The answer might be simpler than expected. Betelgeuse, pronounced "Beetlejuice" just like the Tim Burton film, appears to have company, traveling within its own atmosphere.

Astronomers have previously speculated that the red supergiant, once thought to be on the brink of supernova, has a companion. Another star circling it could explain its strange changes in brightness. 

Though researchers continue to seek a direct detection of the star that will prove its existence beyond a shadow of a doubt, scientists are celebrating new evidence from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. A team led by Andrea Dupree, a Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics scientist, observed ripples in Betelgeuse’s atmosphere, like the wake from a speed boat, caused by a passing star.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers have just found one of the universe's earliest mistakes

If this new finding, soon to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, holds up to further scrutiny, it would change how astronomers understand one of the sky’s most famous stars. Betelgeuse would no longer be thought of as a solitary giant drifting toward its final collapse. It would be part of a binary system — a Goliath with its own David: a star smaller than the sun is having an outsize impact on the giant. 

The companion star, recently dubbed Siwarha, solves a major problem for scientists, said Dupree, who presented the research at the 247th American Astronomical Society meeting in Phoenix this week. 

"Betelgeuse is spinning too rapidly for a supergiant. It should slow down as it becomes large, but it has a fast rotation," she told Mashable in an email. "The companion is believed to have sped up Betelgeuse by transferring angular momentum to the big star."

Angular momentum is the measure of an object's spinning power, which remains steady unless something pushes or pulls on it. 

On its own, Siwarha is nothing too dramatic. Perhaps it's a red dwarf, dim and diminutive compared to Betelgeuse. 

"The companion is thought to be a low-mass star," said Dupree, estimating its mass as somewhere between half and 1 ½ times that of the sun. "There are no X-rays detected, so it is not a black hole or neutron star or accreting young star. By the way stars evolve, it is not thought to be a white dwarf, either."

A NASA-led team announced it got a picture of the companion with the Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii, but the complicated imaging technique the researchers used left room for doubt, Dupree said. 

A separate team of researchers used a complicated technique to image a companion star around Betelgeuse, but some astronomers say those results were uncertain. Credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / M. Zamani

What makes the star remarkable is its location. Siwarha appears to orbit so close that it never leaves Betelgeuse’s atmosphere. It sails through a turbulent sea of hot gas that extends far beyond the star’s visible surface.

As it moves, the companion leaves a trail. Gas piles up behind it, thickens, heats, and slowly expands across Betelgeuse’s face. From Earth, that wake obscures the star, reducing the light it sends out. Halfway through the orbit, when the wake has peaked, Betelgeuse is at its faintest point. Then the gas thins out, the star brightens again, and the cycle continues.

The entire star seems to react to the pattern. The surface, the atmosphere, and the surrounding gas all change on the same six-year schedule. That kind of coordination is hard to explain with solar storms alone. A companion provides a single, consistent source.

The team detected Siwarha’s wake by tracking changes in Betelgeuse's starlight over eight years.

The significance goes beyond Betelgeuse itself. If confirmed, this would be one of the clearest examples of catching a star as it spirals into its companion. Astronomers think many stars die this way, but the brief phase is easy to miss. 

The companion is currently hidden behind Betelgeuse, lost in the glare. But astronomers expect it to reappear in 2027 as its orbit carries it back into view.