Technologies

Fowl Play! NASA Rover Spots ‘Duck’ on Mars

The menagerie of animal lookalike rocks on the red planet gets a new player.

This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series exploring the red planet.

Daffy, is that you?

We have yet to find microbes on Mars, much less full-size animals, but we’ve sure found a lot of rocks that remind us of creatures from home. We can now welcome a darling duck-shaped rock seen by NASA’s Curiosity rover to go along with previous finds of a fish, a cat, and a butt.

The rover originally snapped the rock in late October with its mast-mounted camera. We get to enjoy a colorized version of the rock thanks to the keen eyes of image processor Andrea Luck. Luck shared the funny formation on Twitter on Tuesday.

The rover photographed the rock at a perfect angle so it resembles a duck floating in the water and turning its head to look over its back. NASA has found marsquakes on the red planet, but this may be the first example of a marsquack.

The Martian duck fails the classic «if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck» test because it doesn’t walk, talk or swim. It just sits there being a rock, toying with our imaginations.

Curiosity has been busy exploring an incredibly scenic area of the Gale Crater full of wild and wonderful formations. Scientists are interested in the salty minerals found there and what it tells them about the planet’s history of water. The rover is looking for signs of organic molecules as it investigates whether Mars might have once been habitable for microbial life.

Curiosity has been in residence at Mars since 2012, delivering outstanding science data and captivating images from the inhospitable planet. There may be no ducks on Mars, but at least there’s a duck rock, and that’s worth celebrating. Suggested soundtrack music: Weird Al Yankovic’s I Want a New Duck.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

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 Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

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 to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.