Technologies

Scientists map 17,000-year-old woolly mammoth’s path using its tusk

One ancient male mammoth was quite the vagabond.

We might think of woolly mammoths as giant, lumbering beasts from a disappeared era, but a new study suggests their massive size didn’t stop them from tallying major miles in the frigid north thousands of years ago.

«It’s not clear cut if it was a seasonal migrator, but it coveredsome serious ground,» explains University of Alaska Fairbanks researcherMatthew Wooller, in a statement. «It visitedmany parts of Alaska at some point during its lifetime, which is prettyamazing when you think about how big that area is.»

Wooller led a team using chemical isotope data to map the life journey of a single mammoth that lived over 17,000 years ago. A paper on the findings is the cover story in this week’s issue of the journal Science.

The group of international researchers analyzed isotopic signatures in the male mammoth’s tusk from the elements strontium and oxygen, then cross-referenced that data with maps of isotope variation across Alaska created from analyzing the teeth of small rodents from around the state.

«From the moment they’re born until the day they die, they’ve got adiary and it’s written in their tusks,» said Pat Druckenmiller, apaleontologist and director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North. «MotherNature doesn’t usually offer up such convenient and life-long records ofan individual’s life.»

The ancient dental records show the big old boy lived to be 28 years old and in that time it covered enough of the Alaskan tundra, taiga and mountains to nearly circle the world twice.

This woolly one didn’t exactly have an easy journey, though. The analysis showed an abrupt shift around age 15 that likely means the mammoth was ostracized from its herd, which often happens with contemporary elephants. Later, a spike in nitrogen isotopes during the last winter of the animal’s life suggest it may have starved to death where its remains were eventually recovered above the Brooks Range.

That fate was a sad harbinger for the entire species. The individual mammoth was related to the last group that roamed mainland Alaska, likely outlasted by only a few small groups on northern islands.

The research also has a darkly relevant feel today for extant species in the north like polar bear that are seeing their traditional range dwindle as the Arctic takes on the brunt of global warming.

«The Arctic is seeing a lot of changes now, and we can use the pastto see how the future may play out for species today and in the future,»Wooller said. «Trying to solve this detective story is an example ofhow our planet and ecosystems react in the face of environmentalchange.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, April 25

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 25.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is a pretty easy one. 9-Across — the «dog-tor» clue — was a bit of a groaner, but I’ll take an easy answer over a witty, confusing clue any day. 4-Down was a little confusing, but once I filled in the other letters it made sense. (TEXAS and IOWA could’ve fit in 5-Across and 8-Across, with one T replaced in each answer.) Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: «Beware the ___ of March»
Answer: IDES

5A clue: Sends a message
Answer: TEXTS

7A clue: Pond scum
Answer: ALGAE

8A clue: Teeny-tiny bit
Answer: IOTA

9A clue: Doctor who might more aptly be called a «dogtor»
Answer: VET

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: «Don’t call ___ comeback!»
Answer: ITA

2D clue: Supermarket section
Answer: DELI

3D clue: Arnold Schwarzenegger or Chris Christie, e.g., for short
Answer: EXGOV

4D clue: 5-Across or 8-Across, if you change the T’s in this answer
Answer: STATE

6D clue: Musical chairs need
Answer: SEAT

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Razer Releases a Vertical Edition Ergonomic Mouse

Two new mice for productivity still look like they were made for gamers, and that’s okay.

Razer has unveiled the Pro Click V2 and the Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition — two PC mice with ergonomics in mind, complete with expected Razer Chroma RGB LEDs in tow. The latter mouse, revealed Thursday, is Razer’s first vertical mouse and is priced to go head to head with the likes of Logitech’s vertical mouse offerings like the Lift and MX Vertical.

As with almost any new tech product in 2025, the new Pro Click V2 mice will also ship with artificial intelligence features in the form of Razer’s AI Prompt Master, a productivity feature that will give you easier access to services like Microsoft Copilot.

Both mice are available starting Thursday for $100 for the V2, and $120 for the V2 vertical mouse.

Razer is going for a «do it all» mouse with the Pro Click V2

The Pro Click V2 and Pro Click V2 Vertical editions are shaped to fit your hand’s natural resting positions, making it more comfortable and easier to use for long periods of time. The Pro Click V2 is designed at a 30-degree angle and the Pro Click V2 Vertical is tilted at 71.7 degrees, which Razer says is the natural angle of a handshake.

Of course, these are «productivity meets gaming» mice, so you can also expect a host of Razer features that you’d find on its gaming mice offerings. That said, the updated mice do feel more gaming forward than their predecessors. Both include the Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensors for ultra precision and the mice should be able to track easily on glass. The mechanical buttons are said to be up to 6x more durable than the industry average and should be able to take 60 million clicks in their lifecycles.

Both mice received the RGB treatment, with multi-zone lighting that can be customized further with Razer’s Synapse software. There you can also adjust DPI setting defaults and more.

Lastly, both mice should last a long time on a single charge: the Pro Click V2 offers up 3.5 months of battery life while the Vertical Edition can reach up to six months before needing to be charged again. Both mice can be charged via USB-C, and a 5-minute charge can give you 2 to 3 days of battery power when you’re in a pinch.

For more, don’t miss how tariffs are boosting the secondhand tech product market.