Study of Buddhist Monks Finds Meditation Alters Brain Activity

If you’ve ever considered practicing meditation, you might believe you should relax, breathe, and empty your mind of distracting thoughts. Novices tend to think of meditation as the brain at rest, but a new international study concludes that this ancient practice is quite the opposite: Meditation is a state of heightened cerebral activity that profoundly…

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Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens, Tested and Reviewed

Outdoor pizza ovens are simply smaller (and in some cases portable) versions of the larger pizza ovens that have been built into upscale outdoor kitchens for years. But the appeal remains the same: You can build a roaring fire and cook a pizza at temperatures north of 700° F, which is on a par with…

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Best Clear Bags to Take to Games and Concerts

These bags allow stadium security (and everyone else) to see what’s in your bag, thus ensuring greater safety for everyone. And fair warning: If you wait until the last minute, you could get stuck with a not-so-great option depending on where you buy it (more on this later). We evaluated seven stadium bags, looking at…

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Talking Cars 494: Driving the Nissan Leaf

Main theme: The panelists discuss their experiences with the redesigned 2026 Nissan Leaf, which shares a design with the now discontinued Nissan Ariya. The Leaf has similar external dimensions to the second-generation model it replaces, but passenger room and cargo space have been improved, and driving range has been significantly improved. The Leaf can drive between 259 and…

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ICE Is Using Palantir’s AI Tools to Sort Through Tips

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leveraging Palantir’s generative artificial intelligence tools to sort and summarize immigration enforcement tips from its public submission form, according to an inventory released Wednesday of all use cases the Department of Homeland Security had for AI in 2025. The AI Enhanced ICE Tip Processing service is intended to…

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I Saw the Future of AI in a Robot That Can Learn on the Spot

Last week, I ventured a whopping 15 minutes from my house to see robots do some mind-boggling, jaw-dropping stuff. I visited the Cambridge, Massachusetts, offices of a startup called Generalist AI, where I watched robot arms perform simple chores like stacking cups, putting blocks into bowls, and the like. I was astonished by how quickly…

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Most Reliable Laundry Appliance Brands

Keith Flamer Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories…

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