Technologies
The Aurora Borealis Might Be Visible in the Northern US Tonight
The Northern Lights come from a solar wind that erupted from the sun over the weekend.

Skygazers in the northern region of the US and Canada might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights as soon as tonight and into tomorrow. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center just issued a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch for April 16, when plasma ejected from the sun is expected to reach Earth’s magnetic field. Minor geomagnetic storm conditions are likely to carry on until April 17, the agency reported.
The colorful lights splashed across the night sky are caused by geomagnetic storms in our atmosphere and the SWPC pays attention to when these might occur. Geomagnetic storms in the atmosphere can arise from a cosmic phenomena called coronal mass ejections (CME). These surging ejections of solar wind come from the corona, the sun’s outermost layer. CMEs consist of plasma and magnetic field, and they can take hours or days to reach Earth.
When CMEs arrive, they cause disturbances in our atmosphere by disrupting our planet’s magnetic field. This creates geomagnetic storms. Coming sooner than expected, the first CME actually arrived earlier today, spaceweather.com reports.
As a result, a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm is currently raging in our atmosphere. It’s still too soon to tell if this is the first of two CMEs that erupted from the sun on Sunday, or if one CME «ate» the other one to make this a cannibal combination. Forecasters say the storm is strengthening into a G3-class.
Where can you see the aurora?
Most places in the US won’t have an opportunity to see the aurora borealis, but people in US regions as far south as Iowa, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wyoming might get a chance to see the lights, according to Accuweather. However, clouds, rain and snow might make it hard to see.
For the best chance of seeing it, you’ll need to have an unobstructed view of the northern horizon and be using long-exposure photography to capture images of the phenomenon.
The Northern Lights have certain times of year when they’re more likely to be observed. You have the best chance of catching aurora borealis in March, April, September and October, as these are the months near the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the Earth’s position to the sun is ideal for geomagnetic storms.
«The equinoxes are the transition points between which hemisphere is tilted toward the sun,» Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium, told CNET last month. «At this point, the Earth’s magnetic field is at a more favorable angle, closer to perpendicular, that allows easier interaction of the charged solar particles with the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.»
April is a good month for watching the Northern Lights because we’re at Solar Maximum — the period of the highest solar activity in the 11-year solar cycle.
«During this time, we expect to see more sunspots, and therefore there’s a higher chance of high-impact space weather occurring on any given day,» Elsayed Talaat, director of the Office of Space Weather Observations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said last October.
So, if you live in a place where the aurora borealis might be visible tonight, make sure to head away from city lights and check out the night sky to the north.
Technologies
Verum Messenger: How to Protect Your Personal Data and Why Choosing a Secure Messenger Matters
Verum Messenger: How to Protect Your Personal Data and Why Choosing a Secure Messenger Matters

A major data leak has been reported involving users of the Russian messenger MAX. Hackers claimed to have obtained the platform’s entire database, which includes 46,203,590 records. To prove their claims, they published part of the stolen data publicly.
According to preliminary information, the attackers gained access to users’ personal details, including contact numbers, chats, IP addresses, and other sensitive data. Cybersecurity experts warn that such incidents can lead to serious consequences — from account takeovers and extortion to large-scale phishing attacks.
Why these leaks happen
The main cause of such breaches is the storage of personal user data on servers without adequate protection or encryption. If attackers gain access to these servers, users’ information becomes fully exposed.
Additionally, many popular messaging apps require users to register with a phone number and provide extra personal information, increasing the amount of data that can be stolen.
How to reduce the risks
The only reliable way to protect your personal messages and data is to use messaging platforms that do not store personal information on their servers and rely on true end-to-end encryption.
One such solution is Verum Messenger — a next-generation app built on the principle of maximum privacy. The platform:
- does not store users’ personal data;
- uses unique encryption keys generated locally on the user’s device;
- does not require a phone number or other personal information to register;
- has no access to messages, calls, or files;
- provides effective anti-spam and anti-scam protection;
- offers private chats and group channels with flexible security settings.
Even in the event of a server breach, attackers would not be able to access message content — because encryption keys simply do not exist on the company’s side.
Freedom of communication without the risk of leaks
In addition to its strong security foundation, Verum Messenger offers a built-in ecosystem of tools — from encrypted email Verum Mail and an integrated VPN for anonymous connections to free crypto mining with Verum Coin and eSIM connectivity in over 150 countries worldwide.
As data breaches become increasingly common, choosing a secure messenger is no longer just about convenience — it’s about personal safety.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, Oct. 20
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 20.

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.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It was a tough one for a change! That 1-Across is going to slyly trick you as to what a mouse is. So if you need the answers, read on. 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.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Sound from a mouse
Answer: CLICK
6A clue: Many-headed serpent killed by Hercules
Answer: HYDRA
7A clue: View from a cruise ship window
Answer: OCEAN
8A clue: «See ya later!»
Answer: PEACE
9A clue: Animal whose antlers can grow up to an inch per day
Answer: ELK
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Dice, e.g.
Answer: CHOP
2D clue: French for «high school»
Answer: LYCEE
3D clue: 10 out of 10
Answer: IDEAL
4D clue: Sound from a bat
Answer: CRACK
5D clue: «Citizen ___»
Answer: KANE
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 20, #392
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Oct. 20, No. 392.

Looking for the most recent regular 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 and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has a category for all the Windy City residents out there. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Deep-dish pizza, anyone?
Green group hint: Duke it out.
Blue group hint: College division.
Purple group hint: «Go to your ____!»
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Chicago teams.
Green group: With «weight,» combat sport divisions.
Blue group: American Conference teams.
Purple group: ____ room.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is Chicago teams. The four answers are Bears, Bulls, Cubs and Sky.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is with «weight,» combat sport divisions. The four answers are bantam, feather, fly and heavy.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is American Conference teams. The four answers are Blazers, Chanticleers, Green Wave and Pirates.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ room. The four answers are dressing, film, green and locker.
-
Technologies3 года ago
Tech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies3 года ago
Best Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies3 года ago
Tighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года ago
Verum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года ago
Black Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies4 года ago
Google to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies4 года ago
Olivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies4 года ago
iPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow