Didn’t see the Northern Lights? We gotchu.

// You never knew you needed a printer ‘til now »

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The Futurist is your daily tech, cosmic, and science (both weird or otherwise) newsletter with articles and content curated just for you.

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In photos: jaw-dropping aurora seen across the world in best ‘solar superstorm’ since 2003

“The aurora was seen across the world this past weekend as the strongest geomagnetic storm for 21 years struck Earth’s atmosphere — just as predicted. The aurora borealis (northern lights) were visible as far south as Florida and Switzerland in the northern hemisphere while the aurora australis (southern lights) showed up as far north as New Zealand. The aurorae are caused by the solar wind in space — charged particles from the sun — being accelerated down the field lines of the Earth’s magnetic field. They occur in Earth’s ionosphere hundreds of miles up.”

// Forbes »

No printer? No problem.

You’d be shocked at just how useful it is to have a sturdy printer around the house. Think about all the times you needed to print something last minute but couldn’t: tax files, things for work, travel docs, the list goes on. And not to mention the kids’ school projects? You know, the one due tomorrow morning? Yeah. Get ahead of all of life’s unexpected moments with a reliable printer — like the HP Smart Tank 5101 — that’ll keep up with you and your busy life. And with two years of no-mess ink refills included, it gives you one less thing to worry about. Save $50 when you shop today. [Ad]

// Print for life »

A father and son designed the world’s fastest quadcopter drone

“A father-and-son team recently set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest quadcopter drone, speeding past the previous title holder. After months of fiery trial-and-error, Luke and Mike Bell’s remote-controlled Peregrine 2 design buzzed through the air at a ridiculous 298 mph.”

// Popular Science »

AI might be more creative than you (and that’s okay)

Yeah, even creativity is getting automated these days. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s actually a really good thing — especially with a platform like STORI AI. They take the whole juggling act out of branding, giving you AI content and visuals plus easier collaboration amongst your team. Want to keep doing things the hard way? Be our guest. Or, try STORI AI for just $150 for five years. [Ad]

// Build your brand »

If you read a lot of fiction, scientists have very good news about your brain

“To figure out how reading fiction affects the brain, Lena Wimmer (postdoctoral researcher at Germany's Maximilian University) and her co-researchers conducted two meta-analyses. … In the first meta-analysis, … the researchers found that reading fiction had a small but ‘statistically significant’ positive effect on subjects' cognition. In particular, the people in that cohort who read more fiction seemed to better empathize with others and understand the way they thought, PsyPost explains. … The second meta-analysis, … found an even more substantial positive correlation between reading fiction and cognitive abilities, especially when it came to verbal skills, reasoning, abstract thinking, and problem-solving.”

// Neoscope »

Isn't music supposed to transport you to another place?

Sometimes, it feels like your music is just background noise, lost in the shuffle of everyday life. But what if your tunes could truly take you somewhere? With Amazon Music Unlimited, it can. Dive into an ocean of 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts, navigate through your favorites with unlimited skips, and listen offline to keep your soundtrack going wherever you roam. And with HD and spatial audio, every note is basically a gateway to a new dimension. Ready to transform your music experience? Try it for free for 30 days and cancel anytime. [Ad]

// Transform your listening experience »

Could this toad’s psychedelic venom be the next big thing in antidepressants?

“There’s a new psychedelic in town, and it comes all wrapped up in a nice amphibious package. A new study has investigated a modified form of the compound 5-MeO-DMT — a relative of DMT that's extracted from the venom of the Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius) — and concluded it could be an effective treatment option for depression and anxiety.”

// IFLScience »