Technologies

Award-Winning Polar Bear Image Offers Heartbreaking Climate Change Reminder

The Natural History Museum announces its annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards, highlighting animals’ struggle to stay alive.

A polar bear’s plight in an award-winning photo is a blunt reminder that emissions from burning fossil fuels are warming up the planet and leading to more extreme weather. Nima Sarikhani’s image of a polar bear snatching a nap on a small iceberg won top honors in the People’s Choice category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, developed and produced annually by the Natural History Museum, London.

«I am so honored to have won this year’s People’s Choice award for WPY, the most prestigious wildlife photography competition,» Sarikhani said in a statement. «This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it. Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope. There is still time to fix the mess we have caused.»

Climate change is upsetting natural processes in numerous ways, including the melting of Arctic sea ice, which contributes to rising global sea levels and coastal flooding. As governments, businesses, communities and individuals reckon with the potentially dire environmental, humanitarian and economic consequences, they’re also looking for ways to minimize the impact and find a better way forward. (For more on that, see our CNET Zero climate coverage.)

Polar Bear Cuddles Up to Shrinking Iceberg in Winning Wildlife Photograph

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«Nima’s breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet,» museum director Douglas Gurr said in a statement. «His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss.»

More than 50,000 images competed in the competition, with only 100 receiving finalist honors. Other images include an orphaned chimpanzee at a rehabilitation center, an inquisitive lion cub strolling toward the photographer and a swirling flock of starlings taking the form of one giant bird over Rome.

Several honored photos, including a fox digging through trash in a London rubbish bin, a Celebes crested macaque trying to drink from a discarded drink bottle and a bull elephant scavenging in a garbage dump, show how the wild world of these animals has been forced into conflict with the trash humans unthinkingly leave behind.

All of the shortlisted images are on display in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London until June 30.

For CNET’s insights and advice on photography, see how AI factors into what’s true in photos, how HDR technology brings striking realism, depth and detail and how an old phone can still take awesome photos.

Technologies

Tesla’s New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: Here’s How Much They Cost

The stripped-down versions of the Model Y and Model 3 come with a lower price point.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 1, #874

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 1, #874.

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

I admit, I thought there might be a Pac-Man ghosts category in today’s NYT Connections puzzle. (When I saw the words Inky, Pinky, Clyde and Sue, I had to assume they’d end up together.)

If you need help with today’s Connections, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the toughest (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Judge Judy.

Green group hint: Not white or gray.

Blue group hint: Paired up.

Purple group hint: Animated animals.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Take to court.

Green group: Black.

Blue group: Second in a famous real-life duo.

Purple group: Rodents who are first in a cartoon duo.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is take to court. The four answers are charge, file, indict and sue.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is black. The four answers are inky, jet, pitch and raven.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is second in a famous real-life duo. The four answers are Cher, Clyde, Hardy and Teller. (From Sonny and Cher, Bonnie and Clyde, Laurel and Hardy, Penn and Teller.)

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is rodents who are first in a cartoon duo. The four answers are Chip, Itchy, Pinky and Rocky. (From Chip and Dale, Itchy and Scratchy, Pinky and the Brain, Rocky and Bulwinkle.)

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Nov. 1, #1596

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Nov. 1, No. 1,596.

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle wasn’t too tough, but. we’ve got the answer right here. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.