Technologies

An Aurora Is Coming Tonight: Here’s Where You Could See It

The far-reaching aurora is projected to hit around 25 states on Wednesday.

Last week, the northern half of the US saw its strongest aurora borealis since June, and the green and purple light show in the sky is back for another round. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting that an aurora will hit the northern half of the US on the evening of Nov. 12, and it’ll reach around 25 states. If you missed it due to cloud cover last week, or couldn’t spot it last night, you’ll have a second chance to see it on Wednesday.

According to NOAA, this aurora comes to Earth courtesy of yet another X-Class solar flare that erupted a couple of days ago. X-Class flares are at the top of the spectrum, making them the strongest.

The aurora coming on Nov. 12 is caused by yet another coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, and this one should be a doozy. NOAA updated its prediction late Tuesday night to show that a G4 storm with a Kp 8 rating will hit at midday Wednesday and continue into Wednesday evening. Thanks to the earlier sunset afforded by the end of daylight saving time, that will give you a chance to see an even bigger aurora right after sunset.

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Where will the aurora be visible?

With a G4 storm, the aurora is predicted to be visible in Washington, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and, of course, Alaska. With a high enough viewing point, dark skies and some luck, the aurora may also be visible in Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah. Canada will have the best view overall.

Much like regular weather here on Earth, these are predictions. The actual aurora may be weaker or stronger depending on how the solar flare interacts with the Earth’s geomagnetic field. Nov. 11’s aurora, for instance, was upgraded to a G4 storm that reached as far south as Alabama. Should you be just a bit too far south for NOAA’s predictions, it’s still worth going outside to look since the geomagnetic storms may be stronger than anticipated.

Aurora viewing tips

Viewing an aurora is pretty straightforward. No matter where you are, you’ll want to drive away from the city and suburbs to somewhere dark in order to get the best view.

If you are along the southern reaches of NOAA’s prediction area, you’ll also want to get up high and point yourself north. You won’t need any instruments to see it, since it’ll be visible to the naked eye. Photographers have also had good luck catching the aurora by taking a picture with a long exposure time, giving the camera ample time to take in the light from the aurora.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Goes Desktop: Launches macOS Version as Part of Expanding Digital Ecosystem

The team behind Verum Messenger has announced a new update, introducing a full-featured macOS version of the application.

The launch of the Mac version marks a significant step in the platform’s development, enabling users to access Verum Messenger not only on mobile devices but also on desktop environments.

The macOS version ensures seamless synchronization across devices while maintaining the platform’s core principles: security, stability, and independence.

Unified Digital Experience

With the release of the macOS version, users can now:

— communicate on a larger screen
— manage chats and files more efficiently
— use the messenger in a full desktop environment
— access core features without limitations

This is particularly valuable for users who rely on messaging platforms for both communication and professional use.

Expanding Capabilities

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional platform combining:

— secure communication
— financial tools (Verum Finance)
— digital asset operations, including Tether
— investment features such as Verum Gold

Toward a Full Ecosystem

The macOS release reflects Verum Messenger’s strategy to become a universal digital platform available across all major devices.

According to the team, the goal is to provide users with continuous access to communication and financial services regardless of device or environment.

Verum Messenger continues to build technologies focused on security, usability, and global accessibility.

Technologies

Google, Meta and Amazon Join Global Pact to Fight Rising Online Scams

The companies will share fraud intelligence and coordinate responses as AI makes scams faster, cheaper and harder to detect.

Modern online scams operate across multiple platforms, perhaps spanning social media, messaging apps, email and online marketplaces. Google, Meta and Amazon are among 11 tech, retail and payments companies that have signed a new agreement to combat online scams by sharing threat intelligence across platforms, Axios first reported Monday.

The initiative, called the Industry Accord Against Online Scams & Fraud, is designed to improve how companies detect and respond to fraud that spans multiple services. Participants say they will exchange signals, such as scam-linked accounts and fraudulent domains, and coordinate enforcement actions.

By sharing intelligence in near real time, companies hope to identify these scams earlier and stop them before they spread.

The effort reflects how modern scams operate. A victim might encounter a fake celebrity investment ad on social media, move to a messaging app where the scammer builds trust, then faces prompts to send money through a fraudulent website, payment app or crypto wallet — spanning multiple companies’ ecosystems.

Google said it now blocks hundreds of millions of scam-related results every day using AI, underscoring how both attackers and defenders are increasingly relying on the same technology. Meta removed more than 159 million scam ads in 2025 and is expanding AI tools to detect impersonation and warn users.

Online scams are growing rapidly, in part because generative AI has lowered the barrier to entry. AI can be used not only to produce realistic phishing emails but also to clone voices and deepfake videos that impersonate executives, public figures and even family members.

The agreement is voluntary and doesn’t create new legal obligations, but it comes after regulators’ increased pressure on tech platforms to address fraud more aggressively. The companies say they will begin building frameworks for reporting and intelligence-sharing, though it’s not yet clear how quickly those systems will be deployed or how effective they will be in practice.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, March 18

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 18.

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? I thought it was a fairly easy one, but read on for all 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.