The Federal Trade Commission is on the hunt for creative ideas tackling one of scam artists’ most cutting edge tools, and will dole out as much as $25,000 for the most promising pitch. First announced last fall, submissions are now officially open for the FTC’s Voice Cloning Challenge. The contest is looking for ideas for “preventing, monitoring, and evaluating malicious” AI vocal cloning abuses.

Artificial intelligence’s ability to analyze and imitate human voices is advancing at a breakneck pace—deepfaked audio already appears capable of fooling as many as 1-in-4 unsuspecting listeners into thinking a voice is human-generated. And while the technology shows immense promise in scenarios such as providing natural-sounding communication for patients suffering from various vocal impairments, scammers can use the very same programs for selfish gains. In April 2023, for example, con artists attempted to target a mother in Arizona for ransom by using AI audio deepfakes to fabricate her daughter’s kidnapping. Meanwhile, AI imitations present a host of potential issues for creative professionals like musicians and actors, whose livelihoods could be threatened by comparatively cheap imitations.

[Related: Deepfake audio already fools people nearly 25 percent of the time.]

Remaining educated about the latest in AI vocal cloning capabilities is helpful, but that can only do so much as a reactive protection measure. To keep up with the industry, the FTC initially announced its Voice Cloning Challenge in November 2023, which sought to “foster breakthrough ideas on preventing, monitoring, and evaluating malicious voice cloning.” The contest’s submission portal launched on January 2, and will remain open until 8pm ET on January 12.

According to the FTC, judges will evaluate each submission based on its feasibility, the idea’s focus on reducing consumer burden and liability, as well as each pitch’s potential resilience in the face of such a quickly changing technological landscape. Written proposals must include a less-than-one page abstract alongside a more detailed description under 10 pages in length explaining their potential product, policy, or procedure. Contestants are also allowed to include a video clip describing or demonstrating how their idea would work.

In order to be considered for the $25,000 grand prize—alongside a $4,000 runner-up award and up to three, $2,000 honorable mentions—submitted projects must address at least one of the three following areas of vocal cloning concerns, according to the official guidelines: 

• Prevention or authentication methods that would limit unauthorized vocal cloning users
• Real-time detection or monitoring capabilities
• Post-use evaluation options to assess if audio clips contain cloned voices

The Voice Cloning Challenge is the fifth of such contests overseen by the FTC thanks to funding through the America Competes Act, which allocated money for various government agencies to sponsor competitions focused on technological innovation. Previous, similar solicitations focused on reducing illegal robocalls, as well as bolstering security for users of Internet of Things devices.

[Related: AI voice filters can make you sound like anyone—and anyone sound like you.]

Winners are expected to be announced within 90 days after the contest’s deadline. A word of caution to any aspiring visionaries, however: if your submission includes actual examples of AI vocal cloning… please make sure its source human consented to the use. Unauthorized voice cloning sort of defeats the purpose of the FTC challenge, after all, and is grounds for immediate disqualification.

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Take on a new language (or several) this year with a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning (all languages), now exclusively price-dropped to $149.97 (reg. $599) for 72 hours only.

Babbel, established in 2007, is a language learning application that has taken the world by storm. Now $450 off for our limited-time flash sale, the acclaimed learning tool will help you finally conquer the language you want to learn. This deal only lasts through Jan. 10.

Honored as the “Most Innovative Company in Education” by Fast Company and featured on Forbes, Business Insider, and more—Babbel stands out with its expansive user base of over 10 million globally. Whether you’re a student, business owner, traveler, or want to brush up on a language, Babbel offers customized learning paths that provide a relevant and practical learning experience.

With access to 14 languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, and more), the app encompasses convenient 10 to 15-minute lessons designed to fit into even the busiest schedules. Babbel’s flexibility is paramount, allowing users to learn at their own pace. Each course is created by language experts and tailored to various skill levels, from beginners to advanced learners. It works to build on basic conversational skills first and foremost, and with lifetime access, the learning possibilities are endless.

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Get a Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) during our 72-hour sale for only $149.97 (reg. $599) with no coupon code required. The offer ends on Jan. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Prices subject to change. We may earn revenue from the StackSocial products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

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Both Google Maps and Apple Maps are intended to help you get from A to B as efficiently and as safely as possible, and to that end they make use of crowdsourced data on anything that might get in the way of that: Road works, accidents, lane closures, hazards, and speed checks, for example.

We know these apps are smart enough to work out some problems such as traffic congestion on their own, because users will all be slowing down at the same spot. However, it also relies on drivers to report what’s on the road as well, to get a complete picture of what conditions are like.

You can take part in these community reports too, doing your bit to let other users know about problems on the road—these apps don’t just go off one person’s say-so, but if enough reports about something match up, then it’ll be reflected in what you see on the map as you navigate around.

Reporting incidents in Google Maps

You have to be in the navigation mode for Google Maps in order to report something. Tap the icon on the right, that looks like a plus symbol inside a speech bubble: This will bring up the report options. You can get to the same screen by swiping up on the estimated journey time (under the map), to show the Add a report option.

These may vary slightly depending on where in the world you are, but you’ll typically see options such as Crash, Mobile speed camera, Congestion, Roadworks, Lane closure, Stalled vehicle, and Object on road. There are no further options to set, but an Undo button is briefly displayed before the report is logged, if you change your mind.

You can also use your voice to make a report, which is the safer option if you’re driving. Just say “hey Google” and then the report you want to make—”there’s a crash here” for example. As long as your choice of phrasing makes it clear what you want to report, Google Assistant will understand what you mean.

If you’re using Android Auto, at the time of writing, there’s no way to report incidents—either by tapping on the screen or using Google Assistant—so you have to use your phone. It seems a strange omission by Google, but you will still see the incidents and hazards that have been reported by other users on your car’s dashboard.

Reporting incidents in Apple Maps

In Apple Maps on the iPhone, you can report incidents without being in navigation mode (if you’re just walking by, for example): Tap your account picture (next to the search box), then Reports, Report a New Issue, and Report an Incident. If you are in navigation mode, tap the route details underneath the map, then Report an Incident.

The three options are Crash, Hazard, or Speed Check, though they can vary by country. In navigation mode, your report is instantly registered at your current location, but if you’re not using navigation mode then you have the option to specify a location on the map. You can also add some brief written details and even photos to go alongside the report. Tap your account picture on the main maps screen, then Reports to see reports that you’ve previously logged.

All of this can be managed via Siri too, which is also a safer option if your eyes are on the road. Your phrasing doesn’t matter too much, as long as you clearly communicate the gist—”hey Siri, report an accident” or “hey Siri, there’s something in the road” would both be acceptable, for example. If you use Siri, the report is instantly registered.

If you’re using Apple Maps with CarPlay, then you can make use of Siri as described above. If you’re able to use the screen safely, when you’re not navigating, you can also tap on the little blue icon on the left (showing an exclamation mark inside a rectangular speech bubble) to find the report options. If navigation mode is enabled, tap on the route eta box to find the same report options.

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This article was originally featured on MIT Press.

There may be nothing unnatural in nature, but nature still encompasses much that seems fantastically strange—the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, for example. Emmanuelle Pouydebat’s “Sexus Animalis,” from which the following text is excerpted, tells us everything we never dreamed we wanted to know about the reproductive systems, genital organs, and sexual practices of animals, from elephants (who masturbate with their trunks) to fruit flies (who produce spermatozoa 20 times their size) to bark lice (whose females penetrate the males—see below). In the animal kingdom we find heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual behavior, as well as monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry, not to mention fellatio and many varieties of erections and orgasms.

Pouydebat, a natural history researcher, tells us about gutter penises, double penises, detachable penises, and corkscrew-shaped penises, as well as vaginas built for storage and clitorises with thorns. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s more data about animal penises than animal vaginas and clitorises.) She explains how the ostrich achieves an erection, describes the courtship of pygmy chameleons, and recounts how the female short-beaked echidna chooses a partner. Indeed, “over the course of this book, human organs and sexuality come to look pretty humdrum,” writes Pouydebat. “The animal world has beat us on every score.”

BARKLICE (neotrogla sp.)

We’ve already seen how females of Nicrophorus vespilloides chemically castrate males to make them monogamous. The barklice of the Neotrogla genus use an even more radical strategy. And you thought it couldn’t be done.

These barklice are tiny flies about three millimeters long. They live in dry caves in Brazil, where they seem to feed on guano and bat carcasses. Nothing very exceptional. But here it comes. This is a unique case (who knows, maybe others will be found) of sexual inversion. That’s right: the genital organs of males and females work the other way around. We know all about males penetrating females, but here the females pierce the males. You couldn’t ask for a more complete sexual revolution.

So what does all this look like? It’s pretty simple: Females have a kind of false penis, known as a gynosome, which enters the male’s body. Is the point to hurt him? Not at all—it’s to get nutrients and sperm! There’s nothing as reliable as doing the job on your own. And in so doing, Ms. Barklouse takes her sweet time: Mating goes on for a period between 40 and 70 hours! That’s what it takes for the female to assume a position on top of the male, insert her gynosome, and let the swollen organ hang there anchored by spines in the male’s genitals. To get an idea, know that her false penis sits so firmly that if you try to unhook her, the male’s abdomen will rip right off. Nutrients obtained by this means are vital for her to conceive eggs. Such behavior might have developed because the caves where these barklice dwell offer scant resources. If so, this is a way of killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Just consider the males as sperm banks and refrigerators in one. That’s really turning the tables!

Is anything like this known to happen elsewhere? When it comes to consuming resources that belong to the male, other examples exist, which are just as spectacular—if not more so. For instance, the female sagebush cricket (Cyphoderris strepitans) eats her partner’s fleshy wings in the process of mating. But the Palme d’Or probably goes to mosquitoes of the Heleidae (Ceratopogonidae) family. When mating, the female simply pierces her partner’s head with the pincers on her mouth. By this means, she can inject digestive juices so that his body will dissolve before she devours it. Incredible. . . . Then she throws away his empty shell, keeping only the genitals (which are now attached to her) for fertilization. It bears repeating: She liquefies her partner, gulps him down, then keeps his stuff for herself. That’s really something else.

DAMSELFLY (Zygoptera sp.)

“Damselfly”. . . . What a pretty little name. It might charming, but it conceals unexpected cruelty. Among many insects, the morphology of the penis is perfectly matched to the internal anatomy of the female’s genitals. Unfortunately, this doesn’t prevent males from expressing themselves to the detriment of their partners. Gentlemen damselflies—like dragonflies, their close relative—exhibit astonishing anatomical particularities.

To appreciate just what is happening, it’s important to understand the act of mating itself. Most of the time, the male straddles the female, and sometimes the female rides on top of the male. But any number of other positions can be assumed in keeping with anatomical constraints. What’s remarkable about damselflies is that they produce sperm at one end of the abdomen, while their copulating organ is located at its base. Hardly a practical design. To remedy the situation, the male, prior to mating, bends his body in order to fill up the reservoir that is part of his reproductive apparatus with sperm. During the act itself, he grabs his partner between his head and thorax by means of the pincer at the end of his abdomen. Difficulties don’t stop here, though. The female’s genital opening is at the end of her abdomen, so she needs to bend forward for contact with the penis to work. Damselflies form a heart-shaped figure when mating! That might sound poetic, but things get pretty ugly. . . .

The competition’s tough. When damselflies set about reproducing, a whole gang of males gather at places suitable for laying eggs. Very few of them will manage to mate with a female. What’s more—and as is the case with other arthropods and mollusks—lady damselflies are endowed with a spermatheca and can hook up with several partners, then save the sperm for fertilizing eggs later on. While this might seem like a boon for the female, it poses a danger for males, whose sperm can get crowded out by somebody else’s.

Consequently, male damselflies have a strategy of their own for optimizing the transmission of their genes. Evolution has equipped them with a reproductive organ—the aedeagus, to be technical—that’s shaped like a spoon. That’s right. And the male uses this mighty appendage, a veritable work of art, as a scraper to remove the sperm of his predecessors. Some dragonflies even have thorns, bristles, or other barbs on their organ. So for a few minutes when the female is, ahem, busy, the male is busy scraping out between 90 and 100 percent of the sperm left by his predecessor. Then, in just a few seconds, he makes his own deposit in the sperm bank. Whoever does so last basically gets to be the proud father. Kicking out rival sperm to ensure the greatest chance of fertilization—somebody was bound to do it.

To conclude our discussion of the matter, note that suppressing rival sperm can also occur by chemical means. Some mosquitoes have a substance in their semen that will act to expel sperm that is added later. By the same token, but in reverse, some members of Drosophila have sperm that will drive out what rivals have already left behind.

Emmanuelle Pouydebat is a permanent researcher employed by the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research), working at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. She is the author of “Atlas of Poetic Zoology” and “Sexus Animalis,” from which this article is excerpted.

Translated by Erik Butler.

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This article was originally featured in The Conversation.

The year 2023 proved to be an important one for space missions, with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returning a sample from an asteroid and India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission exploring the lunar south pole, and 2024 is shaping up to be another exciting year for space exploration.

Several new missions under NASA’s Artemis plan and Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative will target the Moon.

The latter half of the year will feature several exciting launches, with the launch of the Martian Moons eXploration mission in September, Europa Clipper and Hera in October and Artemis II and VIPER to the Moon in November–if everything goes as planned.

I’m a planetary scientist, and here are six of the space missions I’m most excited to follow in 2024.

1. Europa Clipper

NASA will launch Europa Clipper, which will explore one of Jupiter’s largest moons, Europa. Europa is slightly smaller than Earth’s Moon, with a surface made of ice. Beneath its icy shell, Europa likely harbors a saltwater ocean, which scientists expect contains over twice as much water as all the oceans here on Earth combined.

With Europa Clipper, scientists want to investigate whether Europa’s ocean could be a suitable habitat for extraterrestrial life.

The mission plans to do this by flying past Europa nearly 50 times to study the moon’s icy shell, its surface’s geology and its subsurface ocean. The mission will also look for active geysers spewing out from Europa.

This mission will change the game for scientists hoping to understand ocean worlds like Europa.

The launch window–the period when the mission could launch and achieve its planned route–opens Oct. 10, 2024, and lasts 21 days. The spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030.

2. Artemis II launch

The Artemis program, named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology, is NASA’s plan to go back to the Moon. It will send humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972, including the first woman and the first person of color. Artemis also includes plans for a longer-term, sustained presence in space that will prepare NASA for eventually sending people even farther–to Mars.

Artemis II is the first crewed step in this plan, with four astronauts planned to be on board during the 10-day mission.

The mission builds upon Artemis I, which sent an uncrewed capsule into orbit around the Moon in late 2022.

Artemis II will put the astronauts into orbit around the Moon before returning them home. It is currently planned for launch as early as November 2024. But there is a chance it will get pushed back to 2025, depending on whether all the necessary gear, such as spacesuits and oxygen equipment, is ready.

3. VIPER to search for water on the Moon

VIPER, which stands for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, is a robot the size of a golf cart that NASA will use to explore the Moon’s south pole in late 2024.

Originally scheduled for launch in 2023, NASA pushed the mission back to complete more tests on the lander system, which Astrobotic, a private company, developed as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

This robotic mission is designed to search for volatiles, which are molecules that easily vaporize, like water and carbon dioxide, at lunar temperatures. These materials could provide resources for future human exploration on the Moon.

The VIPER robot will rely on batteries, heat pipes and radiators throughout its 100-day mission, as it navigates everything from the extreme heat of lunar daylight–when temperatures can reach 224 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Celsius)–to the Moon’s frigid shadowed regions that can reach a mind-boggling -400 F (-240 C).

VIPER’s launch and delivery to the lunar surface is scheduled for November 2024.

4. Lunar Trailblazer and PRIME-1 missions

NASA has recently invested in a class of small, low-cost planetary missions called SIMPLEx, which stands for Small, Innovative Missions for PLanetary Exploration. These missions save costs by tagging along on other launches as what is called a rideshare, or secondary payload.

One example is the Lunar Trailblazer. Like VIPER, Lunar Trailblazer will look for water on the Moon.

But while VIPER will land on the Moon’s surface, studying a specific area near the south pole in detail, Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon, measuring the temperature of the surface and mapping out the locations of water molecules across the globe.

Currently, Lunar Trailblazer is on track to be ready by early 2024.

However, because it is a secondary payload, Lunar Trailblazer’s launch timing depends on the primary payload’s launch readiness. The PRIME-1 mission, scheduled for a mid-2024 launch, is Lunar Trailblazer’s ride.

PRIME-1 will drill into the Moon–it’s a test run for the kind of drill that VIPER will use. But its launch date will likely depend on whether earlier launches go on time.

An earlier Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission with the same landing partner was pushed back to February 2024 at the earliest, and further delays could push back PRIME-1 and Lunar Trailblazer.

5. JAXA’s Martian Moon eXploration mission

While Earth’s Moon has many visitors–big and small, robotic and crewed–planned for 2024, Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos will soon be getting a visitor as well. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, has a robotic mission in development called the Martian Moon eXploration, or MMX, planned for launch around September 2024.

The mission’s main science objective is to determine the origin of Mars’ moons. Scientists aren’t sure whether Phobos and Deimos are former asteroids that Mars captured into orbit with its gravity or if they formed out of debris that was already in orbit around Mars.

The spacecraft will spend three years around Mars conducting science operations to observe Phobos and Deimos. MMX will also land on Phobos’ surface and collect a sample before returning to Earth.

6. ESA’s Hera mission

Hera is a mission by the European Space Agency to return to the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system that NASA’s DART mission visited in 2022.

But DART didn’t just visit these asteroids, it collided with one of them to test a planetary defense technique called “kinetic impact.” DART hit Dimorphos with such force that it actually changed its orbit.

The kinetic impact technique smashes something into an object in order to alter its path. This could prove useful if humanity ever finds a potentially hazardous object on a collision course with Earth and needs to redirect it.

Hera will launch in October 2024, making its way in late 2026 to Didymos and Dimorphos, where it will study physical properties of the asteroids.

Disclosure: Ali M. Bramson receives funding from NASA.

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A lifetime subscription to The 2024 Ultimate Microsoft Excel Training Bundle ensures perpetual access to comprehensive courses, empowering you with in-depth knowledge. Available until Jan. 7 for only $34.97 (reg. $399).

In a world where technology reigns supreme, mastering the art of Excel isn’t just a feather in your cap, it’s a turbo boost for both your professional and personal life. Excel is the unsung hero in the digital universe, offering a range of benefits that go beyond mere number crunching, and this 2024 Ultimate Microsoft Excel Training Bundle is going to help you get the most out of it.

As the new year unfolds, the time is ripe to enhance your skillset by learning Excel. Whether for career growth, financial management, or personal development, its versatility makes it an ideal choice. You can get this bundle of 16 courses through Jan. 7 for the further reduced price of $34.97.

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Until 11:59 p.m. PST on Jan. 7, you can get a lifetime subscription to The 2024 Ultimate Microsoft Excel Training Bundle for $34.97 (reg. $399.00), no coupon required.

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Prices subject to change.

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Keep your online data secure in 2024 with a lifetime subscription to Internxt Cloud Storage, now $129.97 (reg. $299) through Jan. 7.

With the rise of our digital footprint, Internxt Cloud Storage is revolutionizing the world of digital data storage with its unique, decentralized, high-speed cloud storage service. This innovative data storage approach enhances security and ensures greater privacy and reliability for its users. Best yet, it’s further on sale in time for the new year. 

Decentralization is at the core of Internxt’s service. Unlike traditional cloud storage solutions, which store data in centralized servers, Internxt utilizes a network of decentralized nodes. This means that your data is split into fragments and encrypted before being distributed across various locations. This method significantly reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, as there is no single point of failure. Moreover, since the data is fragmented and encrypted, it remains unreadable and secure, even if a part of it is accessed.

This one-time purchase ensures that users have uninterrupted access to their cloud storage without the worry of recurring payments or subscription renewals. It’s an economical choice, especially when considering the rising costs of subscription-based services. This offer includes all the features of Internxt’s service, including robust security, high-speed access, and user-friendly interfaces.

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Internxt is a PCWorld Editors’ Choice, and PCWorld wrote, “Internxt’s intuitively blended web access, file sync, and true backup services are impressive. However, the incredibly affordable lifetime plans are currently the most outstanding feature. The docs and backup feedback could be better, but by Grapthor’s hammer—what savings!”

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Prices subject to change.

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This article was originally featured on Knowable Magazine.

Over millions of years, the Earth’s upper layers have performed a dance that has created mountains, volcanoes, continents, ridges and ocean trenches.

Tectonic plates play a key role in this process. These huge, irregular slabs of the Earth’s crust—the solid rock surface where humans live—and the upper part of the underlying mantle “float” on a deeper, warmer layer of the mantle. When two plates meet, sometimes one gives way and ends up sinking little by little into the depths, in a process known as subduction.

If the phenomenon occurs along the entire length of the plate boundary, a line of volcanoes, known as a volcanic arc, forms. There are volcanic arcs in the Andes of South America, Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, the Philippine Islands and Central America, among others — all of them part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanoes are common.

The Central American arc is relatively small, just 1,100 kilometers long. But it contains an important variety of different types of magmas, some of which are unique on the planet. It is a “geological paradise” hiding secrets worthy of investigation, says Esteban Gazel, a geochemist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. “Central America has a rich combination of conditions that allow the comparison of different natural experiments in magma generation,” he and his two coauthors wrote in a review published in the 2021 Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Central America was born on what used to be an oceanic plate, as a consequence of the subduction of tectonic plates. About 150 million years ago, a slow process began that gradually allowed volcanic islands to grow between the continental masses of northern and southern America. About 3 million years ago, the area now comprising Costa Rica and Panama was finally joined to the north of present-day South America, creating a single landmass from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

In the last 11,000 years, 70 volcanoes have been active in this part of the Ring of Fire. Just as volcanoes have created fertile lands where agriculture and cattle-raising have flourished, they have also brought death and displaced populations. In 1902, for example, following a series of earthquakes in the region, the Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala recorded one of the largest and most explosive eruptions of the 20th century. In 1968, an eruption of the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica left 78 dead; and in 2018, the Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted, killing more than 100.

Gazel carried out his first studies as a geochemist in Costa Rica, his home country. In this interview, edited for length and clarity, he explains how the geology of Central America helps us understand the evolution of our planet.

What is the Central American volcanic arc?

It is an alignment of dozens of volcanoes, not all of which are currently active, stretching from the border between Mexico and northern Guatemala to central Costa Rica. Among them are the volcanoes of Fuego and Tajumulco in Guatemala, Santa Ana in El Salvador, Masaya and Momotombo in Nicaragua, and Arenal and Poás in Costa Rica. This arc is the result of the subduction of the Cocos plate under the Caribbean plate. The Cocos plate is produced in a ridge in the Pacific Ocean. The ridges are submarine fractures through which magma emanates. When magma comes out at a ridge, it pushes the plates, cools, crystallizes and creates new crust.

When the plate subducts, it is filled with volatile elements, mainly water and carbon dioxide. At about 60 kilometers deep they become unstable. Because of the high pressure and temperature conditions at those depths, the minerals will break down and the volatiles will come out in a very special form: a hybrid between a liquid and a gas, which is known as a supercritical fluid or a melt. This fluid interacts with the rest of the materials and fuses the rocks of the mantle. This is the process that generates the magma that comes to the surface in the form of lava.

When did this process begin?

We have a history of volcanism in Central America going back many millions of years. The arc has been growing and evolving, creating different versions. It began to form about 150 million years ago, at the time of the dinosaurs.

The tectonic system moves and accommodates itself. For example, the Cocos plate does not have the same subduction angle along the arc’s 1,100 kilometers; the way in which it enters under the Caribbean plate—its entry angle—is different in different areas. This affects the formation of the arc.

For example, some 20 million years ago, the arc was where the San Carlos plains are—north of what is now Costa Ric —and to the east of today’s Nicaragua Lake. It resembled today’s Mariana Islands [a group of islands aligned north to south, close to each other and located southeast of Japan]. The arc continued to where Chiapas is today, in Mexico.

Today, the arc is closer to the Pacific coast in northern Central America and toward central Costa Rica. Most of the volcanoes you see today are 500,000 to 250,000 years old. But there are also younger volcanoes. Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro is the youngest, dating from 1867.

The Earth evolves and leaves old versions. The pages of the evolution of the planet are written on these rocks.

What makes the Central American volcanic arc unique?

It is something incredible. The geochemical variations from Nicaragua to Costa Rica are the most extreme on the planet. Throughout Italy there are magmas similar in chemical composition to those of Costa Rica, but all those volcanoes in Italy are going to be very similar to each other.

In the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, the magmas are very similar to those of Nicaragua, but all the volcanoes in the Marianas produce magmas very similar to each other.

Italy and the Mariana Trench are separated by thousands of kilometers, while Costa Rica and Nicaragua show important geochemical differences in their magmas even though they are very close. The extreme amount of variation in such a small area makes Central America the only place on the planet with these characteristics, and therefore a unique natural laboratory.

Why is there so much variation?

The regional variation is controlled by the angle of subduction and the composition of the subducted material. The local variations of Central American volcanoes are controlled by the volume of the volcano. Very large volcanoes have more molten material coming from the mantle and less variability. In contrast, smaller volcanoes have much more geochemical variation. Large volumes of magma homogenize the signal, and smaller volumes show us more extremes.

Central America also has a combination of denser oceanic crust and lighter continental crust. What does this mean and what does it teach us?

It is something very unique to Central America. In the Mariana Trench, the whole arc is developed in oceanic crust. In the Andes, in South America, the entire arc develops in continental crust. In Central America, the arc starts in continental crust in Chiapas and Guatemala, and when we enter Costa Rica, we enter the oceanic crust. All the magmas in Costa Rica are oceanic arc magmas that look very much like the Marianas, until about 15 million years ago when things start to change again, and the magmas in Costa Rica start to look more like continental crust. This tells us that this is a very dynamic zone.

Why does this happen?

Fifteen million years ago, a much younger crust began to reach what is now Costa Rica, with the Galapagos seamounts—submerged oceanic islands in the Pacific Ocean that once were like what are now the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. That is what is known as a hot spot, a thermal anomaly that brings material from the Earth’s lower mantle. These islands travel with the plate, submerge, and eventually collide and enter the Costa Rica-Panama subduction zone, where the Cocos plate dives under the Caribbean plate.

This plate has a unique geochemical signature that shows up in the volcanoes of Costa Rica and Panama. The conclusion from a lot of my work over the years is that Costa Rica was not continental crust, and since about 15 million years ago one of the youngest continental crustal terranes [fragments consisting of a distinct and recognizable series of rock formations that has been transported by plate tectonic processes] on the entire planet has been formed by the melting of these seamounts in the subduction system. So it is also a natural laboratory.

Cocos Island [an island and national park located in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 kilometers off the Costa Rican coast] is part of a series of seamounts. These mountains are entering the subduction zone and are melting. As the crust evolved from oceanic to continental, its density was reduced, allowing Costa Rica and Panama to emerge from the sea. This process contributed to the closure of the Central American isthmus, which finally occurred about 3 million years ago. The birth of the volcanic arc helped to generate sediments in the area, and tectonic activity raised the surface until a complete closure occurred.

So, is Cocos Island getting closer to the mainland?

Yes. In several million years, it will subduct and then come out again as a volcano like Poás or Irazú in central Costa Rica today, where the Galapagos signature is extremely evident.

What are the tools you use to investigate volcanic arcs?

The main tools are the volcanic rocks, obtained after an eruption, because their chemical composition is controlled by these processes. We analyze them using electron microscopes, spectroscopes and mass spectrometry to infer their origin, age and evolution.

How has your field evolved over the years?

I started doing research in volcanology and geochemistry at the Nuclear Research Center of the University of Costa Rica. I started there because geology and volcanology at that time were very descriptive. The nuclear physics researchers implemented more quantitative measurements. When I started my career in the United States, my science evolved to be much more numerical and less descriptive.

In the last decade, and especially the last five years, as a community we have moved to a volcanology that is incredibly precise and quantitative.

That’s only going to continue to expand. We’re already at a point where to be a modern geologist you have to know about geochemistry equipment, about programming, about statistics. Now there is machine learning and artificial intelligence, and all those tools are being used along with field and laboratory data.

Geologically, what does the future hold for this region?

What we must understand is that in Central America we live in a tectonic and volcanically active zone. Prevention and good construction really make a significant difference to save lives in the face of eruptions and earthquakes. Because volcanoes are going to keep erupting and earthquakes are going to keep happening. It is the natural process of evolution.

What new research is coming up?

In January 2024, a group with professionals from different parts of the world will go to Poás volcano in Costa Rica to test new technologies to study volcanic processes and with the goal of someday having a better idea of how to forecast a volcanic eruption. The person organizing it from the United States was my post-doc mentor.

And my lab was just funded by the US National Science Foundation to study Plinian eruptions of mafic composition. Plinian eruptions are the highest-magnitude eruptions, like the Vesuvius eruption that destroyed Pompeii. They are generally felsic, meaning they are high in silica. However, there is a group of mafic eruptions that are high in magnesium and iron that also have that magnitude. In Central America, Nicaragua’s Masaya volcano holds a record for one such eruption.

How can Central America teach us about Earth’s formation more broadly?

If we want to understand how the continents were formed in the early part of the Earth’s evolution, one of the best places to work is Central America.

If we want to study the process of subduction, how it starts and how the composition of continents changes, we have that history in Central America.

If we want to study samples of materials that traveled to the interior of the Earth, that “visited” the mantle in a subduction zone and came up again, they are exposed in Guatemala.

If we want to understand the mechanisms that start very high-intensity eruptions, we have a record of eruptions in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

So Central America is already a natural laboratory, and it will continue to be a place where many geological processes can be studied.

Additional examples where Costa Rica has something that is very unique are the exposed oceanic crust on the Nicoya Peninsula and the exposed mantle on the Santa Elena Peninsula. In Santa Elena, we have the terrestrial mantle exposed, and you see rocks, known as peridotites, which formed at depths of 50 to 70 kilometers and were brought to the surface by tectonic activity. These are incredibly unique and very interesting sections, which have been the focus of many years of research that have allowed us to better understand the structure, composition and history of the mantle.

Central America will continue to be studied for its diversity: a geological paradise.

Article translated by Debbie Ponchner

This story is part of the Knowable en español series on science that affects or is conducted by Latinos in the United States, supported by HHMI’s Science and Educational Media Group.

This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter.

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Say goodbye to losing your keys or wallet when you need them the most with this Smart GPS Tracker—further price-dropped for a limited time to $21.99 (reg. $31).

With so much going on in our busy lives, keeping track of valuables can be challenging. That’s where the Smart GPS Tracker comes in. Currently on sale for the New Year, this state-of-the-art device offers a blend of technology and convenience, ensuring that what’s important to you is always within reach.

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How exactly does it work? The tracker works hard behind the scenes and sends a safe Bluetooth signal every two seconds. When in range, surrounding Apple devices can detect this signal, upload it, and share it with the iOS iCloud server. In turn, it allows you to locate your belongings through the Findmytag app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices and provides real-time updates so you know exactly where your valuables are. Featuring added functionalities such as a proximity search and a worldwide community network, the Smart GPS Tracker delivers both convenience and reassurance.

It also isn’t just for physical things; you can have loved ones, such as pets, kids, or your elderly family member, keep it at hand in an emergency. This unique feature allows for peace of mind when not in proximity. 

Start 2024 with ease of mind with this nifty device. Snag the Smart GPS Tracker for $21.99 (reg. $31) with no coupon code required through Jan. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT. 

Prices subject to change.

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Get a lifetime subscription to Citizen Remote Premium for $39.97 (reg. $299) until 11:59 p.m. PST on Jan. 7, 2024, no coupon necessary. 

We may earn revenue from the StackSocial products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

The post At $40, Citizen Remote can help make 2024 your year of a digital nomad lifestyle appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best NA beer sampler		Athletic Brewing Co. Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer		SEE IT	All the beer taste without the beer regret.
Best non-alcoholic aperitif		Ghia		SEE IT	Inspired by Mediterranean aperitivo culture, Ghia is herbaceous and perfectly bitter.
Best canned alternative cocktails		Flyers Cocktails		SEE IT	Cocktail mainstays are made with CBD to give you a relaxing buzz without any next-day remorse.

Between bottles at family dinner(s) or popping Champagne at New Year’s, it’s hard for someone looking for a little non-alcoholic fun to kick off a year of healthier habits. “Liquid courage” and social lubricant, alcohol tends to be everyone’s favorite coping mechanism during the holiday season and gatherings in general, whether when first introduced to the extended family, dealing with distant relatives you’d rather remain removed, or being surrounded by friends of friends. Hence, the growing popularity of Dry January and the opportunity to learn that there are better, healthier ways to cope. Moderation can improve your mental health, lower blood pressure, and, best of all, prevent a dreaded hangover and related hang-xiety … and maybe an argument or two with strangers. Instead of snagging another lazy, hazy IPA out of the fridge, consider an NA beer or alternative spirit. Even better, the best non-alcoholic drinks are proof of the deliciousness of zero-proof that can be enjoyed as new year’s recompense transitions into sober spring and beyond.

Note: If you have moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, please see a healthcare provider before withdrawing, as it can be quite dangerous to detox at home by yourself.

• Best NA beer sampler: Athletic Brewing Co. Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer
• Best NA stout: Guinness Non-Alcoholic Draught Beer
• Best NA import beer: Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0
• Best with CBD: Day One Sparkling Water
• Best aperitif: Ghia 
• Best tequila alternative: Optimist Botanicals Smokey
• Best gin alternative: Abstinence Spirits Cape Citrus
• Best whiskey alternative: Ritual
• Best botanical spirit: Wilderton Botanical Spirit
• Best value: Dhōs
• Best celeb-made non-alcoholic botanical beverage: De Soi
• Best bundle: Seedslip
• Best mood lifter: Crisp & Crude
• Best canned alternative cocktails: Flyers Cocktails 
• Best bottled mocktails: DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve
• Best NA wine: Surely Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rose
• Best wine alternative: Proxies

How we chose the best non-alcoholic drinks

I had my own Dry January journey in 2021, after years of problematic college drinking habits and at-home COVID-19 happy hours. I ended up extending it until the middle of February. Instead of a month of regrets and voicing my displeasure of imposing a personal Prohibition—like some other “low to no” participants—I realized, simply put, that alcohol can be bad and getting drunk is dumb. Now, I am a self-proclaimed “beverage girlie” and lead a damp lifestyle: I don’t keep alcohol in my home but will enjoy a beer after improv. I also won’t shut up about how moderation is great. My partner doesn’t drink at all, so we’re always on the hunt for a bubbly, crisp, cold NA bev to sip on during dinners or concerts.

I’ve also reported on beverages in the past for Gear Patrol and have a fridge stocked with Diet Coke, Limoncello La Croix (the best flavor, fight me), and my favorite NA beers. We also consulted Dry Atlas, a non-alc database, for picks.

The best non-alcoholic beverages: Reviews & Recommendations

Going for an NA beer or alternative spirit is just like a vegetarian or vegan going for a meatless chik’n patty or Impossible Burger: you’re simply enjoying a just-as-tasty substitute for something you don’t want to ingest for personal or health reasons. One of these will level up your seltzer or become your innocuous favorite to enjoy while eating takeout and watching Love Island.

Best NA beer sampler: Athletic Brewing NA beer 

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Why it made the cut: This NA beer tastes as nuanced as its boozy counterpart without post-six-pack regrets.

Specs

• Milliliters: 12 fluid ounces (or 355 ml) per can
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Beer
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Alcohol removed
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Tasty
• Gluten-free
• Made of clean and natural ingredients

Cons

• Might not be able to be consumed if you’re pregnant

If a fresh, cold one is more your style, Athletic Brewing has your back with its NA brews. They don’t have a bready aftertaste like other NAs; in fact, they are some of the best-tasting NAs you can buy, with the company racking up plenty of awards over the years. This 24-pack can fill the fridge so everyone can crack open one outside without the mood threatening to be cracked when too many full-strength brews make tongues loose.

Best NA stout: Guinness Non-Alcoholic Draught Beer

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Why it made the cut: An Irish classic gets a non-boozy touch without sacrificing quality.

Specs

• Milliliters: 14.9 millimeters per can
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Beer
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Alcohol removed
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Guinness taste without the alcohol
• Pours like a real Guinness
• Tasty

Cons

• Heavy beer
• Might scare some who are sober because of the realistic taste

NA beer can sometimes taste like carbonated bread instead of a bodied, complete fizzy beverage. That is not the case with Guinness Non-Alcoholic Draught Beer, which tastes like its malty cousin. If you’re sober and in recovery, the realistic taste of NA Guinness might make you feel like you’ve seen an ex walk into a room—ignore this one if that would make you uncomfortable, which is what you would also do when seeing your ex walk into a room. This tasty, dark beverage is a reliable choice (unlike your ex!) if you’re looking for a stout without stout regrets.

Best NA import beer: Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0

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Why it made the cut: Evoke the Amalfi Coast with a light Italian lager that’s refreshing and full-bodied.

Specs

• Milliliters: 330 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Beer
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Alcohol removed
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Light and refreshing
• Full-bodied
• Tasty

Cons

• Potentially too-close to comfort beer taste

Sometimes you need a light international beer akin to a Stella or a Heineken. We’re personal fans of Peroni, a light Italian lager that screams “warm summer breeze and riding a Vespa.” However, maybe you’re the person driving the Vespa and can’t imbibe a lovely Peroni? Enter Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0, which, for an NA lager, is incredibly full-bodied (read: not watery). It tastes like its Peroni Nastro Azzurro boozy cousin, which might cause you to do a double-take at the label, but for those hoping to hop on a Vespa or behind the wheel of a Fiat, the Nastro Azzurro 0.0 is a solid choice.

Best with CBD: Day One Sparkling Water

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Why it made the cut: This refreshing, no-cal beverage is infused with CBD to promote relaxation.

Specs

• Milliliters: 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Canned sparkling water
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: CBD

Pros

• Infused with 20 milligrams of CBD
• Comes in grapefruit, lemon, and lime flavors
• Zero calories
• Made with natural ingredients

Cons

• Pricey for sparkling water

Looking for a pick-me-up that doesn’t pack any calories? Consider Day One Sparkling Water. This canned beverage is infused with 20 milligrams of CBD, also known as cannabidiol, a chemical found in the Cannabis sativa plant known for its ability to promote relaxation without getting you high. Day One’s sparkling water is available in grapefruit, lemon, and lime flavors and doesn’t have any sugar or calories.

Best non-alcoholic aperitif: Ghia 

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Why it made the cut: This twist on a traditional aperitif is tasty and can be consumed on its own or mixed.

Specs

• Milliliters: 500 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Aperitif
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: Some adaptogens (lemon balm; rosemary)

Pros

• Tasty
• Versatile
• Makes you feel sophisticated and fancy

Cons

• Small bottle compared to others on this list

Inspired by Mediterranean aperitivo culture—think Campari and Amaro over finger food before 9 p.m. dinner in a bustling Milanese café—Ghia is light, dry, and the right amount of bitter. Drink it on its own or combine it with a mixer of your choosing for a spritz or cocktail. If a bottle seems like too much of a commitment, check out Ghia’s transportable cans that add lime, salt, and ginger to the OG Ghia aperitif.

If you’re already a Ghia fan and looking for something in the same vein, try Figlia—both have similar ingredients (white grape juice, rosemary extract, and elderflower, for example), but we love this NA aperitif’s earthiness thanks to clove and chamomile extract. Figlia, like Ghia, also sells spritz-in-a-can for on-the-go sips.

Best tequila alternative: Optimist Botanicals Smokey

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Why it made the cut: A mezcal-like sipper that is smokey and makes for a perfect mocktail margarita.

Specs

• Milliliters: 500 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Designed to use mixed like a premium spirit
• Lots of body
• Spicy

Cons

• Not that many fluid ounces compared to others on this list

This botanical spirit has woody, floral, and bitter notes, and is designed to be mixed like a premium spirit. This one specifically drinks like smooth tequila or mezcal. Mix it with your favorite ginger ale and garnish with a jalapeno slice or an orange peel for a scrumptious sipper sans alcohol. However, each bottle is only 16.9 fluid ounces, meaning you’ll have to be cognizant of how much you use before running out.

We also recommend Clean Co.’s CleanT—not only is it a lovely substitute in a margarita or paloma, it pairs lovely with Winderton Lustre (more on that later).

Best gin alternative: Abstinence Spirits Cape Citrus

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Why it made the cut: You’ll feel good the next day after drinking this gin alternative, thanks to its lack of alcohol and the company’s dedication to protecting the South African Cape Floral Kingdom.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Proceeds go to wildlife conservation
• No artificial flavors
• Feels sophisticated

Cons

• Those looking for an exact gin dupe will be disappointed

Skipping alcohol doesn’t mean you have to skip out on delicious flavor. Abstinence Spirits Cape Citrus is inspired by South Africa’s Floral Kingdom, one of the world’s most diverse habitats. It’s infused with familiar citrus flavors, like orange, grapefruit, and grapefruit along with ginger, fennel, and pepper that give this concoction a subtle savory kick. Other notes, such as the mandarin naartjie and bucchu, are native to South Africa. And with no sugar and zero calories, you can swirl this botanical gin substitute into your seltzer as a pick-me-up any time.

Best whiskey alternative: Ritual

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Why it made the cut: Have a better boulevardier with this whiskey alternative that’s highly rated by restaurant professionals.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Heat on the tail end—just like whiskey
• Rated highly by professionals
• Soft and round flavor profile

Cons

• Those looking for a straight whiskey dupe will be disappointed

This whiskey alternative is rated 85/100 Silver by the Beverage Testing Institute, a spirits research & review company. This makes it the highest-reviewed alcohol-free whiskey alternative. The numbers don’t lie! Vanilla and oak overtones mingle with notes of stone fruit and a little kick of heat at the end. Although it’s not meant to be sipped straight, you can use it to make an almost-NA Boulevardier or safer whiskey sour. We’re also fans of NKD LDY’s whiskey alternative, which is smoky and has the whiskey taste without the regret.

Best botanical spirit: Wilderton Botanical Spirit

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Why it made the cut: Each flavor is unique and delicious—probably the best we’ve tasted.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml.
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Bittersweet Aperitivo a Campari dupe
• Unique in their own way
• Versatile

Cons

• Expensive
• Not a straight dupe for gin or whiskey

Wilderton’s line of botanicals is a loving homage to spirits like Campari, whiskey, and gin. In fact, their Bittersweet Aperitivo is a spot-on dupe, taste-wise, to Campari or Aperol, making it a great choice if you’d like to make your spritz even lower in ABV. Earthen—with cardamom, white peppercorn, and pine-smoked tea—is rich and spicy and even leaves a bit of heat when you’ve put down your glass and returned to the conversation. Lustre is a dreamy, citrusy blend of bitter orange peel, tarragon, lavender, and coriander that pairs great with tonic or soda water for a crisp mocktail in the garden.

Best value: Dhōs

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Why it made the cut: Refresh your bar with spirits that contain organic ingredients.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml.
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Less than $80 for three bottles
• Made by a well-established distillery
• The cheapest bottle on this list

Cons

• Bundle subscription includes all three flavors—a bummer if you’re looking for multiples of the same flavor

Practicing moderation doesn’t mean sacrificing pleasure; distillers don’t have to forego flavor to achieve alcohol alternatives. These are the immediate takeaways after sampling the Dhōs non-alcoholic spirit/liqueur lineup—made in a three-step process using natural pesticide-free ingredients. Cooked up at an organic farm and distillery in Sheridan, Ore.—also home to Ransom Spirits, known for reviving Old Tom Gin and making whiskeys and vermouth—the mindful mixtures come in colorful stopper-topped bottles with small batch silhouettes and make for captivating (and keto-friendly) cocktail counterparts. Gin Free is savory, herbaceous, and refreshing—redolent of juniper and lime backed by a peppery note. It’s warm and spicy upon first sip, almost gingery, but turns cool thanks to a cilantro and peppermint component. Want to transition from gin & tonic to an NA Negroni? Mix Gin Free with Bittersweet, which carries over a hint of mint threaded through a sunset-colored elixir of rhubarb, pithy pink grapefruit, flamed citrus peel, and monk fruit. Or add it to soda water for a friendlier spritz. Orange, meanwhile, presents a melange of blood orange and vanilla with a dash of cayenne and coriander. It’s a great replacement for triple sec in off-dry “margaritas” but makes for a creamy, dreamy mocktail on its own with soda water, tonic, ginger ale, and more. Offered for $10 less than competitors on average, Dhōs is a premium product without a top-shelf price tag.

Best celeb-made non-alcoholic bubbly botanical: De Soi

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Why it made the cut: Each flavor is fine, fresh, and fierce—this bubbly mocktail has it on lock.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Bubbly craft cocktail
• Alcohol or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: Adaptogens like reishi, ashwagandha, L-theanine

Pros

• Crisp and carbonated
• Darn tasty
• Adaptogenic for a little healthy buzz at the party

Cons

• Those who hate tart things may not enjoy these mocktails

Katy Perry is known for hits like “Teenage Dream” and “Hot N Cold,” but did you know she is also in the health and wellness biz? Not only is she an investor in apple cider vinegar giant Bragg Live Food Products, but she co-founded De Soi, an adaptogen aperitif company, in 2022. Golden Hour (shown here) is made with maca and L-theanine for relaxation and is great for making mocktail mules and a non-alcoholic spritz. Champignon Dreams is a bitter, earthy reishi and passion flower spirit for negroni or old-fashioned lovers. Purple Lune mixes ashwagandha, tart cherry, and botanicals to give the feel of a nightly glass of red. If bottles aren’t your style, De Soi also sells its three flavors in cans. All flavors have a tart bite—if that’s not your jam, stick to something sweeter.

Best bundle: Seedslip

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Why it made the cut: A delicious bundle means you can experiment and explore, all while saving some cash.

Specs

• Milliliters: 700 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Spirit
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Allergy-friendly
• High-quality ingredients
• Versatile

Cons

• Expensive

If you’re looking for a bundle package, look no further than this one from Seedlip. It includes Seedlip Grove 43 (a citrusy, ginger, and lemongrass spirit), Seedlip Spice 94 (a waltz between allspice, cardamom, and grapefruit), and Seedlip Garden 108 (an herby promenade of peas, rosemary, and thyme). They are best served with ginger ale and a citrus peel garnish—perfect for breaking out the fancy glasses sans next-day guilt.

Best mood lifter: Crisp & Crude

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Why it made the cut: These keto-friendly, gluten-free mocktails are infused with terpenes and safe to drink while pregnant.

Specs

• Milliliters: 8.45 fluid ounces per can (250 milliliters)
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Canned cocktail
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: Botanical terpenes

Pros

• Tasty
• Dietary friendly
• Pre-mixed

Cons

• Expensive
• Only available in cans

These NA craft cocktails are made with botanical terpenes extracted from plants, fruits, and roots for calmness, creativity, and relaxation. You can purchase each flavor individually, but we’re fans of the variety pack that includes four cans of its three flavors: Paloma Daydream (a salty, woody grapefruit drink with Space Queen terpenes); Gold Fashioned (bitter orange, zesty dandelion, and Chocolate Thai terpenes); and Mellow Mule (ginger, citrus, and mint with Pineapple Express terpenes). Leave the joint at home and pass around a can of this instead.

Best canned alternative cocktails: Flyers Cocktails 

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Why it made the cut: These canned mocktails are inspired by bar favorites and feel just as fancy to imbibe.

Specs

• Milliliters: 237 ml or 8 fluid ounces
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Canned cocktail
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: 20 milligrams of CBD

Pros

• Pre-mixed
• Cocktail-inspired
• Feels fancy

Cons

• Only available in cans, which are small

These sparkling, non-alcoholic drinks are made with 20 milligrams of CBD and are inspired by cocktail menu mainstays. BKLN Gold is reminiscent of an American Bourbon cocktail thanks to its oakiness, spice, and smooth vanilla. Tokyo Marg is a citrusy Yuzu sparkler with a touch of heat. Our favorite, however, is the Sydney Spritz Highball: a bold, herbaceous blend of citrus zest, mandarin orange, and bitters.

Best bottled mocktails: DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve

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Why it made the cut: A fizzy mocktail is a screwcap undoing away with DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml bottle
• Spirit, beer, or wine: N/A
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Tasty
• Zero-effort
• Good for those with dietary needs

Cons

• Could use some more carbonation

If you’re looking for a not-so-stiff drink after work but don’t have the brainpower to create something new, take the guesswork out of mixology with these pre-mixed mocktails from DRY. They come in three flavors: Lavender 75, a botanical boozeless take on a French 75; Rose Soleil, a Provence Rose-style beverage with touches of strawberry, rose, and oak; and Spiced Pear, which blends ripe pears with vanilla and cardamom. We also love the company’s line of sparkling water that makes for a great mixer. Although the Botanical Bubbly Reserve flavors could use some more carbonation, they taste like a craft concoction you would find at the bar without the craft concoction price.

Best NA wine: Surely Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rose

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Why it made the cut: Get all the wine taste without the next-day regrets from drinking the entire bottle.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Wine
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Alcohol removed
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Delicate body
• Friendly to specialty diets
• Great dupe

Cons

• Pregnant people may not be able to drink it due to low alcohol content

Some NA wines include fruit juice, but if you’re looking for something that screams more wine glass and less Welch’s, Surely’s line of dealcoholized wines is for you. It’s aged in the barrel just like its boozy counterpart, but then the alcohol is removed. The final product is a dry, full-bodied sparkling rose that pairs well with seafood and dessert—just like what someone would find at a liquor store. Coupe glasses sadly not included.

In case you’re looking to expand your NA wine palate, we also are fans of Joyus. For those looking for something that’s on the floral side, look no further than Starla’s NA sparkling rose.

Best wine alternative: Proxies

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Why it made the cut: As the name implies, Proxies is an homage to the wine experience while setting itself apart from its boozy cousin.

Specs

• Milliliters: 750 ml
• Spirit, beer, or wine: Wine
• Alcohol removed or zero alcohol: Zero alcohol
• Enhancements: N/A

Pros

• Tasty
• Has a similar look and mouthfeel to alcoholized wines
• Safe for pregnant people to drink

Cons

• Some flavors can come off as too juice-like

Wine alternatives tend to taste like fancy grape juice. Although that’s not a bad thing, sometimes it’s more enjoyable to drink something that tastes like it came from Napa Valley and not from a toddler’s sippy cup. Proxies—vinegar giant Acid League’s wine alternative brand—uses wine grapes, tea, vinegars, and other fruit for its enchanting wine-inspired blends. Blanc Slate is reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc, and Red Ember is all body without the bite. Red Clay is probably the most “wine-like,” with its velvety mouthfeel and lingering pucker. Although you can’t get single bottles, the company’s sets let you explore to find new favorites, then stock up on the ones you love.

What to consider when buying the best non-alcoholic beverages

Non-alcoholic beverages are a great way to get the ritual feel of making a cocktail or pouring a glass of wine sans alcohol. You can find them online or at your local liquor store—in my experience, NA beers have their small section in the beer aisle; NA wines are housed by the bartending accessory or mixer section. If you’re lucky, you might have an NA bottleshop in your neighborhood—like Spirited Away in NYC and The Open Road in Pittsburgh—that you can peruse IRL or that offers to ship and delivers right to your door. Here’s what you should know before making your pick.

NA vs. alternative spirit

NA is short for non-alcoholic. Most beverages with the NA moniker—like beer, wine, and liquor—are made like their alcoholic counterparts. However, they don’t ferment or go through a process that removes the alcohol from a finished, alcoholic product. The result is a beverage with less than .5% alcohol by volume (ABV), which can be labeled as “non-alcoholic” per the FDA. According to the FDA, those who are pregnant should go for a truly zero-alcohol beer or spirit to prevent birth defects, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).

This is where alternative spirits come in. They are made of herbs, vinegars, juices, and more to give off the vibe of a standard alcoholic spirit. An alternative wine will not taste exactly like Cabernet Sauvignon, but it will offer a similar mouthfeel and body. A botanical gin-like spirit will include juniper or pine to replicate the notes of its alcohol-included cousin.

Adaptogens, nootropics, and CBD

If you’d like a little extra jazz in your drink, consider ones with adaptogens or CBD. Adaptogens like ashwagandha and L-theanine are used in herbal medicine to help the body return to homeostasis, or the body’s state of natural balance. The science is a bit nebulous, so don’t expect them to fix your problems. Nootropics have a similar effect as adaptogens: they claim to boost mood and improve cognition but are scientifically hazy.

Animal studies, self-reports, and research in people suggest that CBD, or cannabidiol, can help with anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain without the “high” from THC. If you’re looking for something to sip on to unwind after a long day, a CBD-infused beverage is perfect—just make sure it’s coming from a reputable source that posts third-party lab results on their site.

Storage

Unlike your typical bar cart, you’ll need to refrigerate most—if not all—non-alcoholic spirits since they don’t have the high-alcohol content to keep them shelf-stable. If you don’t have the refrigerator space for your bounty of friendly spirits, consider one of the best beverage coolers.

Mixers

You have your spirits and such to make a mocktail—but where do you start? Of course, you can always go for the classic tonic or soda water touch, but the world is your oyster when it comes to mixers. Try Tangerine La Croix with Abstinence Spirits’ Cape Citrus for a citrusy play on a gin soda; Blood Orange Carrot Ginger-flavored Health-Ade Kombucha mixes great with Wilderton’s Lustre; and doesn’t Waterloo’s blackberry lemonade seltzer sound heavenly with Ritual’s alternative whiskey? You can even opt for a pre-made drink mix—espresso martinis, anyone?

Safety

There are only two substances that you can die from unsafe withdrawal: barbituates and alcohol. Quitting cold turkey is OK if you or someone you know does not struggle with alcohol use disorder. Otherwise, supervised alcohol withdrawal is the safest since alcohol withdrawal can lead to seizures, delirium tremens, and death if untreated or improperly executed. Also, consult with a doctor before stopping use—they can help decide if you or someone you know should complete your withdrawal in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best non-alcoholic drinks

• Best NA beer sampler: Athletic Brewing Co. Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer
• Best NA stout: Guinness Non-Alcoholic Draught Beer
• Best NA import beer: Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0
• Best with CBD: Day One Sparkling Water
• Best aperitif: Ghia 
• Best tequila alternative: Optimist Botanicals Smokey
• Best gin alternative: Abstinence Spirits Cape Citrus
• Best whiskey alternative: Ritual
• Best botanical spirit: Wilderton Botanical Spirit
• Best value: Dhōs
• Best celeb-made non-alcoholic bubbly botanical: De Soi
• Best bundle: Seedslip
• Best mood lifter: Crisp & Crude
• Best canned alternative cocktails: Flyers Cocktails 
• Best bottled mocktails: DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve
• Best wine: Surely Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rose
• Best wine alternative: Proxies

Non-alcoholic beverages—including NA beer and wine, wine alternatives, botanical spirits, and more—are a great way to moderate your drinking during Dry January and beyond. Abstaining from drinking completely, cracking open a euphoric seltzer after drinking a Manhattan, or sticking to a mocktail during a pregame can help you re-evaluate your drinking habits. And let’s be real: the best non-alcoholic drinks are just plain tasty. Plus, your sober friends—weary from having soda, seltzers, and plain water as the only option at restaurants or functions—will appreciate that you have fun, craft non-alcoholic options available at your next backyard shindig.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The 17 best non-alcoholic drinks of 2024, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Roland SPD-SX Pro		SEE IT	Epic sounds, supreme build quality, and the highest-level performance features.
Best for beginners		Yamaha DD-75		SEE IT	Everything a fledgling drummer needs to get started, including built-in speakers and foot pedals.
Best budget		KAT Percussion KTMP1		SEE IT	Solid sounds and pads, with expandability for a low price.

Whether you’re a beginning drummer armed with little more than a fancy for rhythm and a fantasy of rocking a big stage or you’re an active drummer needing some extra sounds and inspiration, electronic drum pads deliver big gifts in a small package. They let you simulate the effect of playing an entire drum kit on a single portable unit, often with hundreds of amazing electronic and acoustic drum, percussion, and melodic sounds. Electronic drum pads let you practice your skills in a small space or add some huge electronic flare to an acoustic drum set. Most of them also easily integrate with computer music production software over USB. Performance drum set add-ons, standalone mini kits, or both: These are the best electronic drum pads. 

• Best overall: Roland SPD-SX Pro
• Best value: ddrum Nio
• Best for beginners: Yamaha DD-75
• Best compact: Alesis SamplePad 4
• Best set: Roland TD-02K
• Best budget: KAT Percussion KTMP1

How we chose the best electronic drum pads

To select the best electronic drum pads of 2024, we scoured every option, from budget-priced to the highest-end pro options and from the biggest names in the industry to smaller boutique brands. Electronic drum pad users range from beginners to professionals, each with varying needs like at-home practice, in-studio production, and on-stage performance. These picks include great options for each use case, and many of them would work well for all three.

I have firsthand experience with many of these picks—as well as others that did not make the list—from decades of playing electronic drums and pads. Where personal experience was not a factor, we took the advisement of bandmates and other musicians, professional product reviews, online specs and videos, and user feedback. 

The best electric drum pads: Reviews & Recommendations

Electronic drum pad units vary widely, from those including a single pad to ones with 10 or more pads, from those including just a handful of onboard sounds to ones with thousands. Some are made more with practice in mind, while others excel in professional recording and performance. The chosen e-drum pads here cover all the ground when it comes to size, features, and budget. They all have sounds included and a headphone jack (by listening through headphones, you won’t have to spend big money on soundproofing a home studio), so they’re plug-and-play. They also all have either included foot pedals for kick drum and hi-hat or trigger connections for adding foot pedals sold separately.  

Best overall: Roland SPD-SX Pro

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 9 pads in 3 x 3 rows of square pads and edge pads
• Number of sounds/storage: 1550+ sounds and 200 kits, w/32GB of audio storage
• Connectivity: 1 x 1/4-inch audio input, 1 x 1/4 headphone output, 2 x 1/4-inch main audio outputs, 4 x 1/4-inch audio outputs, 6 x 1/4-inch trigger/footswitch inputs, 5-pin MIDI I/O, USB-A for storage, USB-B for computer 

Pros

• Huge selection and variety of sounds, kits, and effects
• Outstanding build quality and pad response
• Most flexible options on the market for pro drummers
• Pro level, but also easy to use for beginners
• Tons of audio connections and trigger ports for expanding into a mini kit
• Original sample recording and editing

Cons

• Extras and pro performance features come at a cost.

With the Roland SPD-SX Pro, pro/semi-pro drummers and even dedicated beginners will gain from Roland’s decades of experience making some of the finest electronic multi-pads in the industry, including the original SPD that originated over 20 years ago. The SPD-SX Pro includes everything that the popular (and still available) SPD-SX had but adds twice the audio storage (32 GB), twice the programmable kits, more audio and trigger connectivity, a 4-inch color display, programmable multi-color pad LEDs, and many new professional performance features. 

For those who just want to plug and play, the SPD-SX Pro furnishes them with more than 1,550 acoustic, electronic, and melodic drum and percussion sounds, as well as 200 preset kits and effects like EQ, reverb, delay, distortion, and compression. Hands-on knobs control volume for main and headphone output and the click (metronome), as well as easy edit knobs for the volume, pitch, and attack/release length of individual sounds. The large display makes in-depth editing of sounds, kits, effects, and audio routing easier, but Roland also includes a dedicated PC/Mac software app for making editing a breeze from a computer connected over USB. Most electronic drum pads don’t include such software. 

The quality and variety of the sounds and the road-worthy build quality are all excellent, yet the myriad options under the hood distinguish the SPD-SX Pro the most. A large basket of performance features lets drummers assign a sequence of sounds to play continuously from a single pad, program color LED effects, create loops, layer different sounds to the same pad, create a set list of kits, switch sounds by velocity (how hard the pad is hit), link pads together, create pad mute groups, and more. The unit can also record samples from the audio input or load and edit samples imported from the USB drive input. 

All told, the Roland SPD-SX Pro offers comprehensive and high-level features whether you want a simple set of drum pads to play or a complex live performance powerhouse that can run backing tracks and send different sounds through different audio outputs. With all its trigger and pedal connections, you could expand it into its own mini e-drum kit with optional kick and high-hit pedals and extra drum and cymbal pads. Although the SPD-SX Pro’s price dwarfs that of some full electronic drum kits, you get what you pay for. 

Best value: ddrum Nio

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 9 pads in 3 x 3 rows of square pads and edge pads
• Number of sounds/storage: 608 sounds and 30 kits, w/512MB of audio storage
• Connectivity: 1 x 1/8-inch audio input, 1 x 1/4 headphone output, 2 x 1/4-inch main audio outputs, 2 x 1/4-inch dual-trigger inputs, 2 x 1/4-inch footswitch inputs, 5-pin MIDI I/O, USB-A for storage drives, USB-B for computer

Pros

• Diverse selection of high-quality sounds and kits
• Loads of connectivity options
• Ability to load your own samples over USB
• Easy operation

Cons

• Limited drum sound editing
• No sample recording
• Pads not quite as responsive as some higher-priced alternatives

The classic 3-row, 9-pad layout of electronic drum pads has made an indelible impression on drummers’ minds since the success of Roland’s SPD series. This format puts enough pads to simulate a full drum kit within a space that fits well on a desktop or on a stand when incorporated into a larger acoustic or electronic drum set—usually with a ton of great sounds and connectivity/expansion options as well. However, not everyone really needs the comprehensive professional options that drive up the cost of something like the Roland SPD-SX Pro. To grab a great 9-pad electronic drum multi-pad with all the essential basics and many pro-level options without every single pro performance feature, the ddrum Nio makes for an excellent value. 

The Nio contains hundreds of sweet-sounding drum and percussion hits in 30 kits that weigh heavily on acoustic drum kits but also include several nice electronic drum kit styles (trap, drum-n-bass, hip-hop, and more) and percussion kits like Cajon, African, conga, and others. Its decent-sized display and hardware controls make it relatively painless to create your own kits with the onboard sounds or samples imported from a USB drive, and sounds can be edited with 3-band EQ, reverb, and compressor/limiter. 

While the Nio does not include onboard sample recording or waveform editing of the drum sounds, it delivers big time with its connectivity options. Two dual triggers and two footswitch inputs let you build out a larger kit with optional pedals and external triggers. The 5-pin MIDI I/O and USB connections let you integrate the Nio to trigger sounds and sync tempos with computer and MIDI hardware setups. There are also separate headphone and main audio outputs and an 1/8-inch audio input for piping in your own songs or tutorial lessons to play along to. Other helpful practice features include a loop recorder and metronome. 

The Nio’s pads are not quite as responsive as some high-end multi-pads, but they are very powerfully built, and the whole unit is sturdy and ready for live performance. For its reasonable price, the Nio should make a very capable electronic drumming companion for years to come. 

Best for beginners: Yamaha DD-75

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 8 pads arranged like a drum set and 2-foot pedals for kick and hi-hat
• Number of sounds/storage: 570 sounds and 75 kits 
• Connectivity: 1 x 1/8-inch aux input; 1 x 1/4-inch TRS output; 2 x 1/4-inch pedal inputs; 5-pin MIDI I/O

Pros

• Can play with both sticks and hands
• Many sounds come from Yamaha’s pro gear
• Battery power and built-in speakers for portability
• Two included foot pedals

Cons

• No USB
• Could use lesson modes other than play-along songs

Many electronic drum pads have trigger ports for connecting kick drum and hi-hat pedals sold separately, as well as audio outputs for hooking up to an amplifier or powered monitors. However, for a beginning drummer, the Yamaha DD-75 offers built-in speakers (as well as an audio output for headphones or speakers) and two foot pedals for controlling the bass drum and hi-hat sounds. Also, its portability makes it one of the best electronic drum sets for beginners—it can run on either the included AC adapter or six C batteries, making the DD-75 a portable mini-kit of electronic drum pads right out of the box. 

Some internal songs allow drummers to play along to practice their timing, but there’s also an internal click track to practice to and an audio input for plugging in any music to play along to through the speakers or headphones. An internal 4-track recorder also makes it fun to try to layer together music from the DD-75’s selection of world percussion, acoustic, and electronic drum sounds that were made originally for high-end Yamaha synthesizers and electronic drum kits. The pads are also made to respond well to playing them either with the included sticks or your hands. 

Although an all-in-one wonder for just a few hundred dollars, the DD-75 does also have 5-pin MIDI input and output, meaning you can trigger its sounds from another MIDI keyboard or use the DD-75’s pads to trigger sounds from other MIDI sound modules. However, the DD-75 does not have USB for integrating into computer music setups. But the DD-75 portable electronic drum pads have everything needed to keep a beginning drummer happy or for an experienced drummer’s at-home compact practice kit. 

Best compact: Alesis SamplePad 4

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 4 pads (2 large, 2 edge)
• Number of sounds/storage: 25 sounds and 10 kits, w/expansion storage via SD card slot (up to 32GB) 
• Connectivity: 1 x 1/4-inch stereo headphone out, 2 x 1/4-inch main audio out, 1 x 1/4-inch TRS dual trigger input, USB-B for MIDI I/O, SD card drive

Pros

• Compact and light, yet capable
• SD card can add hundreds of sounds
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• USB is for MIDI transfer only, not audio
• Only 25 onboard sounds

Sometimes, a practice space, bedroom, garage, etc., doesn’t have a lot of extra space, but a single trigger pad like the Roland SPD::One just won’t do. In that case, the compact Alesis SamplePad 4 steps in. At 7.5 x 10.25 inches and 2.5 pounds, it’s less than half the footprint and weight of the Roland SPD-SX Pro and other similar electronic drum multi-pads. Within that space are four pads for triggering the 25 high-quality onboard sounds. While that’s not many sounds, the SD card drive (memory card not included) can load up to 512 samples and 89 user-created kits from an SD card. 

The SamplePad 4 can edit both onboard and SD card sounds by adjusting their tuning and adding reverb. It can also set individual audio level and panning (stereo left/right) settings for each sound. For expansion, the SamplePad 4 can accept up to two additional external trigger pads or pedals through its dual trigger input. Also, the USB port sends MIDI data (although not audio) to a computer, so you can use the SamplePad 4 to record realistic-sounding beats in digital audio workstation (DAW) software. 

Small, yet expandable, the SamplePad 4 fits into nearly any setup, and its low price fits into tight budgets as well. 

Best set: Roland TD-02K

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 4 drum pads, 3 cymbal pads, 2 foot pedals
• Number of sounds/storage: 16 unique kits 
• Connectivity: 1 x 1/8-inch aux input; 1 x 1/8-inch stereo output, USB Type-B for MIDI and stereo audio

Pros

• Good quality full e-drum kit with compact footprint
• Dual-zone cymbal pads with choking feature 
• Built-in Coach mode practice exercises
• USB port transmits both MIDI and audio

Cons

• Foot controller for the kick rather than a pedal with pad
• Rack stand system not very flexible for arranging pads’ position

Most of the electronic drum pads listed here have expansion trigger ports for adding kick or hi-hat pedals or external drum or cymbal pads. That lets you expand them into a compact mini-kit. However, if a full kit is what you’re after in a set of electronic drum pads, you could have that in one go with something like the Roland TD-02K, a full e-drum kit that gives you the acclaimed sound and build quality of Roland V-Drums in an affordable package—foot pedals and cymbal pads included. 

The TD-02K sets up conveniently in a small corner space on a metal rack stand and includes the TD-02 drum module, which has 16 kits spanning huge-sounding studio drums, tight and dry kits, and modern electronic drums based on recent chart-toppers. The module has an audio input for playing along to songs or tutorial videos and a USB port for connecting to a computer and recording both the MIDI data and audio output of the TD-02K module.  

All four of the kit’s drum pads have refined rubber surfaces, and the two dual-zone crash cymbals also have a choking function, where you can mute a cymbal crash sound by grabbing the cymbal pad with your hand. Rather than rubber pads, many more expensive electronic drum kits use mesh heads for their drums, which more closely mimic the feel of acoustic drum heads. Roland offers a version of this kit, the TD-02KV, which is exactly like the TD-02K except it has a dual-zone mesh-head V-drum snare with adjustable tension and rim trigger for $200 more. Each version of the kit is small and sturdy enough to be picked up and moved after a practice session, making it ideal for fitting a full electronic drum pads kit into a small or crowded space. 

The TD-02 module encourages practicing and steady improvement with its built-in Coach mode that dishes out lessons like Time Check, Change-Up, Quiet Count, Auto Up/Down, and more. The module also has a special slot in the back for an optional Boss Bluetooth Audio MIDI adapter, which gives the TD-02 Bluetooth connectivity for audio and MIDI when purchased separately.

Best budget: KAT Percussion KTMP1

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Specs

• Pad configuration: 4 
• Number of sounds/storage: 50 drum and percussion sounds 
• Connectivity: HDMI 2.1 input x3, HDMI 2.1 eARC output x1, optical digital

Pros

• Low price and small footprint
• MIDI out and USB for incorporating into larger setups
• Kick and hi-hat trigger inputs for expansion
• Well built for its cost

Cons

• No preset or savable kits
• Pads are less responsive than more expensive options

If budget is your chief concern when shopping for electronic drum pads, there are many low-priced—and shoddily made—options you could find online that we don’t recommend you buy. What good is “saving” money if your purchase doesn’t work in a month? Instead of falling for the promises of lousy gear that will soon end up in a landfill, consider an option that, while not perfect, is made to last and offers a complement of high-level features: the KAT Percussion KTMP1. 

For about a hundred dollars, the KTMP1 provides 50 diverse drum and percussion sounds and four pads in a circular arrangement that doesn’t take up much more surface area than a non-electronic practice pad. The sounds range from acoustic and electronic bass drums, snares, toms, cymbals, and percussion sounds like tambourine, cowbell, conga, tabla, and more. Unfortunately, there are no kits to scroll through, but you can select any sound you want for each pad with the hardware buttons and basic two-digit display. 

The KTMP1 also integrates nicely into larger setups with a MIDI out and USB connection for playing sounds from other MIDI modules or virtual instruments and samples from computer software. Two trigger jacks for a hi-hat controller and kick drum pedal—such as the KAT KT-HC1, KAT KT-KP1, or other third-party options—let you expand the pads into a mini drum set. The KTMP1 does not have that many onboard sounds, but the simple menu does allow you to set the tuning, panning, level, and reverb amount for each sound. In the end, the KTMP1 presents an affordable electronic drum pad option with enough capability to be useful for practice, performance, and music production. 

What to consider when shopping for the best electronic drum pads

There are many factors to weigh when deciding which electronic drum pads are best for you. Below are the ones we considered most important when making our recommendations:

Goals, skill level, and/or commitment

Some people are basically born to drum, and others have an interest in drumming but don’t believe they could ever do it. Electronic drum pads can be a good avenue to explore an interest in drumming without committing a huge amount of money and room in your living space. You can use them to practice along to video lessons or your favorite songs and then find out if you want to take the practice further with a larger drum kit or with additional trigger pads, cymbal pads, and pedals that plug into your electronic drum pads.

Your plans to just practice at home for fun or to use your electronic drum pads to perform live, either solo or in a band, can inform you of the level of features and options you need. Most electronic drum pads can connect to a computer and include some software and/or can add kick and hi-hat pedals plus other triggers to build an electronic drum pad unit into a formidable practice or performance kit. 

Other high-level features that more casual users could probably do without include the ability to record samples from external audio or microphone inputs, high-level sound editing, and sound effects. The most professionally equipped electronic drum pads may include specialized live performance features meant for triggering a band’s backing tracks from the pads, creating set lists of drum kits for quick switching between songs, and so on. Weighing your current needs against your future goals for using your electronic drum pads will inform how sophisticated a unit will be best for you.

Budget

The electronic drum pads listed here range from about $100 to $1,100, and that price range represents a range in build quality, onboard sounds, connectivity, internal menu options, and more. You won’t always be able to satisfy any budget if you have the highest demands for an electronic drum pads unit. However, there are usually at least some options. For example, the closest thing to the comprehensive capability of the Roland SPD-SX Pro is probably the Alesis Strike Multipad, which approximates much of the capabilities at a significantly lower price. 

When figuring out your budget, remember that if you don’t have them already, you may need drum sticks, a stand for the electronic drum pads, plus expansion foot pedals and trigger pads if you want them. Those extras could easily add another few hundred dollars to your total. 

Will it be part of a larger drum set or a standalone?

Many drummers like to add an electronic drum pad to their acoustic kit as a way of incorporating a wide variety of additional sounds to their setup without having to add a large amount of extra gear. If that’s the case for you, any of the options in this guide could work for you, and it just depends on how many pads and sounds you want. Or you may want to look at the popular Roland SPD-One series, which are super-compact single pads with tank-like build quality (such as the SPD-1P percussion pad). They cost a fair amount for a single pad, but they are made for the rigors of the road.

If, on the other hand, you want your electronic drum pads to serve as a standalone unit for playing like they’re a full drum kit, the Yamaha DD-75 is a very self-contained unit that includes its own foot pedals. Many other electronic drum pads can be expanded into mini drum kits by adding foot pedals and additional trigger pads or cymbals. The units with most connectivity for expansion are usually the 9-pad multi-pads like the Roland SPD-SX Pro and ddrum Nio. But even the small, budget options like the KAT Percussion KTMP1 have connectors for optional kick drum and hi-hat triggers.

Will you use it to record and produce music? 

If you plan to or think you may use your electronic drum pads for recording music into computer software or integrating them into a larger hardware MIDI setup, you’ll want a unit with 5-pin MIDI connections and/or a USB port for a computer. 

The USB ports allow you to connect the electronic drum pads to computer software to play sounds from virtual instruments and record beats as MIDI notes from those instruments. Some but not all of the USB connections will also let you record the audio output of the electronic drum pads, so you can record yourself playing beats from the onboard sounds. If that’s something you want, check before buying that the USB port transmits audio, not just MIDI. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best electronic drum pads

• Best overall: Roland SPD-SX Pro
• Best value: ddrum Nio
• Best for beginners: Yamaha DD-75
• Best compact: Alesis SamplePad 4
• Best set: Roland TD-02K
• Best budget: KAT Percussion KTMP1

All of these electronic drum pads would make wonderful additions to a music studio or a performing drummer’s hybrid acoustic/electronic rig, and they could all be suitable as entry points to drumming for a beginner. However, purchasing one without fully weighing the options against your personal needs could lead to buyer’s remorse. 

To avoid that, consider how many pads and internal sounds you want and whether you need USB connectivity for MIDI and/or audio. If you want to play the pad unit with your feet as well, make sure it has either included foot pedals (Yamaha DD-75 or the full Roland TD-02K kit) or enough trigger connections to add a kick drum and hi-hat pedal, such as the ddrum Nio. Finally, if you need high-level options like the ability to record your own samples and make performance set lists of drum kits, you’ll probably have to shell out for one of the more expensive high-end options like the Roland SPD-SX Pro.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

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Although long-abandoned for far more advanced successors, MS-DOS remains a pivotal piece of computer history. Released to the public on the very first IBM Personal Computers back in 1980, MS-DOS quickly became a standard operating system within the growing PC market throughout the ensuing decade. While many versions are still preserved on their original floppy disks, a new archival discovery appears to be the influential program’s earliest known forerunner still in existence.

As recently spotted by The Register and Ars Technica, “vintage code enthusiast” and flight simulator designer Gene Buckle recently unearthed a 86-DOS version 0.1-C floppy disk, reportedly the operating system’s oldest known, still accessible iteration—one that predates even the earliest public version of MS-DOS.

[Related: Yes, the Pentagon still uses floppy disks for nuclear launches.]

Contrary to what many may think, MS-DOS wasn’t actually the creation of Microsoft—the then-newcomers licensed the disk system from a company called Seattle Computer Products (SCP) in 1981. Before Microsoft’s “MS-DOS” rebrand, SCP first called their OS “Quick’n’Dirty Operating System” (QDOS), but soon swapped over to the more marketable 86-DOS name. It’s this earliest version, stored across 9 files, that Buckle found late last month while archiving a backlog of over 400 8-inch floppy disks gifted to him a few years ago.

Interestingly, Buckle already made history earlier that very same day—by finding a copy of 86-DOS version 0.34. For a few hours, this disk was the oldest known MS-DOS precursor… until the subsequent 0.1-C find. Finding a working copy 0.1-C is akin to stumbling across a “holy grail” of computer history, one commenter claims on the Internet Archive entry uploaded by Buckle.

According to Buckle, even more discoveries may be hiding in wait. Many more original 8-inch floppy disks are in his to-archive queue, including what he believes could be a complete set of MicroPro products such as WordStar and SpellStar—some of the earliest word processing and spellcheck programs. Different operating system disks may also lurk among the remaining floppies. If that weren’t enough, then there are the 5.25-inch disks to explore—all 1,500 or so, according to The Register.

Thanks to Buckle uploading 86-DOS v. 0.1-C to the Internet Archive here, tech wizards are welcome to give the old system a boot-up through an OS emulator such as the Open SIMH Project. For anyone who for whatever reason isn’t skilled in bringing vintage computer operating systems back to life: feel free to check out this video from NTDev showing 86-DOS version 0.1 in (limited) action. And for a deeper dive into the intricate, fascinating history of DOS, there’s this essay series courtesy of the OS/2 Museum.

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For decades, images taken of Neptune have looked like the planet has a deep blue hue, while Uranus seemed more green. However, these two ice giants may actually look more similar to eachother than astronomers previously believed. According to a study published January 5 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, our solar system’s furthest planets’ true colors could both be similar pale shades of greenish blue. 

[Related: The secret to Voyagers’ spectacular space odyssey.]

Images versus reality

NASA’s Voyager 2 mission remains the only flyby of both ice giants conducted by a spacecraft. It gave us the first detailed images of these far-flung planets. Voyager 2 conducted a flyby of Uranus in 1986, and the images revealed a planet with a more pale cyan or blue color. The vessel flew by Neptune in 1989 and the imagery showed a planet with a rich blue color.

However, astronomers have long understood that most modern images of both planets don’t accurately reflect their true colors. Voyager 2 captured images of each planet in separate colors and these single-color images were then put together to make composites. These composite images were not always accurately balanced, particularly for the planet Neptune which was believed to appear too blue. The contrast on the early Voyager images of Neptune were also strongly enhanced to better reveal the clouds and winds of the planet. 

“Although the familiar Voyager 2 images of Uranus were published in a form closer to ‘true’ color, those of Neptune were, in fact, stretched and enhanced, and therefore made artificially too blue,” study co-author and University of Oxford astronomer Patrick Irwin said in a statement. “Even though the artificially-saturated color was known at the time amongst planetary scientists–and the images were released with captions explaining it–that distinction had become lost over time.”

Creating a more accurate view

In the new study, the team applied data taken from the Hubble Space Telescope’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. 

With both the STIS and MUSE, each pixel is a continuous spectrum of colors, so their observations can be processed more clearly to determine the more accurate color of the planets, instead of what is being seen with a filter. 

The team used the data to rebalance the composite color images that were recorded by Voyager 2’s onboard camera and by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3. The rebalancing revealed that both Uranus and Neptune are actually a similar pale shade of greenish blue. Neptune has a slight hint of more blue, which the model showed to be a thin layer of haze on the planet. 

The changing colors of Uranus

This research also provides a likely answer to why Uranus changes color slightly during its 84 year-long orbit around the sun. The team first compared images of Uranus to measurements of its brightness that were taken at blue and green wavelengths by the Lowell Observatory in Arizona from 1950 to 2016. These measurements showed that Uranus looks a little greener during its summer and winter solstices, when its poles are pointed towards the sun. However, during the equinoxes–when the sun is over the planet’s equator–it appears to have a more blue tinge. 

One already established reason for the change is due to Uranus’ a highly unusual spin. The planet spins almost on its side during orbit, so its north and south poles point almost directly towards the sun and Earth during its solstices. Any changes to the reflectivity of Uranus’ poles would have a major impact on the planet’s overall brightness when viewed from the Earth, according to the authors. What was less clear to astronomers was how and why this reflectivity differs. The team developed a model to compare the bands of colors of Uranus’s polar regions to its equatorial regions. 

They found that polar regions are more reflective at green and red wavelengths than at blue wavelengths. Uranus is more reflective at these wavelengths partially because gas methane absorbs the color red and methane is about half as abundant near Uranus’ poles than the equator.

[Related: Neptune’s bumpy childhood could reveal our solar system’s missing planets.]

However, this wasn’t enough to fully explain the color change so the researchers added a new variable to the model in the form of a ‘hood’ of gradually thickening icy haze which has previously been observed when Uranus moves from equinox to summer solstice. They believe that this haze is likely made up of methane ice particles.

After simulating this pole shift in the model, the ice particles further increased the reflection at green and red wavelengths at the planet’s poles, which explained that Uranus looks greener at the solstice due to less methane at the poles and increased thickness of the methane ice particles. 

“The misperception of Neptune’s color, as well as the unusual color changes of Uranus, have bedeviled us for decades,” Heidi Hammel, of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy said in a statement. “This comprehensive study should finally put both issues to rest.” Hammel is not an author of the new study. 

Filling in this gap between the public perception of Neptune and its reality shows how data can be manipulated to show off certain features of a planet or enhance visualizations. 

“There’s never been an attempt to deceive,” study co-author and University of Leicester planetary scientist Leigh Fletcher told The New York Times. “But there has been an attempt to tell a story with these images by making them aesthetically pleasing to the eye so that people can enjoy these beautiful scenes in a way that is, maybe, more meaningful than a fuzzy, gray, amorphous blob in the distance.”

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Signs of humanity have traveled through space ever since the very first radio signals left the Earth’s atmosphere. We even made concerted efforts to broadcast evidence of our existence through projects like the historic Voyager spacecraft recordings—but an official intergalactic tourism campaign advertising alien vacations to the “Horse Capital of the Word?” That’s a first.

[ Related: How scientists decide if they’ve actually found signals of alien life ]

The Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau (VisitLEX) recently turned to University of Kentucky professor and longtime SETI advocate, Robert Lodder, to assemble experts from various disciplines including linguistics, philosophy, and design to attract a unique target audience: (potential) extraterrestrial lifeforms. More specifically, any extraterrestrial life possibly residing within the TRAPPIST-1 system.

Located approximately 40 light-years away in the Leo constellation, TRAPPIST-1 is by far the most studied planetary system outside of our own. There, seven rocky planets orbit a small red dwarf star, three of which reside within its “Goldilocks zone”—the region astrobiologists believe could be conducive to supporting life.

“Many previous transmissions have employed the language of mathematics for communication, and our team did, too,” Lodder tells PopSci. “But we decided that extraterrestrials might be more interested in things unique to Planet Earth than Universal Truths like mathematics, so if we seek to attract visitors, it would be best to send something interesting and uniquely Earth.”

Collaborators ultimately decided on a package including black-and-white photographs of rolling Kentucky bluegrass hills, an audio recording of local blues legend, Tee Dee Young, and an original bitmap illustration—a type of image in which programmers use basic coding to create a grid with shaded blocks that form rudimentary images. Among other subjects, this bitmap art includes renderings of humans, horses, the elements necessary for life (as we know it), alongside the chemical composition maps of ethanol and water, aka alcohol—more specifically to Kentucky, bourbon.

With the message’s contents compiled, Lodder’s team then converted their advertisement into a one-dimensional array of light pulses using a computer-laser interface aimed at TRAPPIST-1. On a clear, dark autumn evening, VisitLEX hosted researchers and local guests at Kentucky Horse Park to fire off their tourism package into space.

While lasers are increasingly replacing radio communications in space due their increased data storage capabilities and lower costs, transmissions must be strong enough to travel millions of miles without degrading. This requires equally strong equipment, such as the Deep Space Optical Communications array aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft.

VisitLEX’s laser is far weaker than NASA’s equipment, but Lodder believes that at least some of the transmission’s light photons “will almost certainly” reach TRAPPIST-1. That said, it’s difficult to know if there will be enough photons to fully decode their message.

“The alien receiving technology could be worse than ours, or much better,” says Lodder.

[ Related: JWST just scanned the skies of potentially habitable exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b ]

Regardless, if ETs ever do make a pitstop in Lexington because of VisitLEX’s interstellar commercial, it likely won’t happen until at least the year 2103—40 light-years for the broadcast to reach TRAPPIST-1, followed by another 40 light-years to travel the approximately 235-million mile trek over to Earth, assuming they’re capable of traveling at the speed of light. It all might sound like a lot both logistically and technologically, but both VisitLEX and Lodder’s team swear it’s worth the planning.

[ Related: To set the record straight: Nothing can break the speed of light ]

If there’s anyone out there listening and able to pick up this kind of admittedly weak signal—and if they have a taste for oak barrel aged bourbon and/or horses—well…

Update 1/12/24 9:00am: PopSci received the following response from Jan McGarry, Next Generation Satellite Laser Ranging Systems Deputy Lead at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and her retired colleague, John Degnan:
“The distance to the nearest star is 2 light years away or many orders of magnitude farther than the edge of our solar system (Pluto). Since the strength of a laser communications link is proportional to 1 divided by the distance squared, it is highly unlikely that a laser system would be able to transfer any meaningful amount of information over that distance let alone one 20 times farther away where the signal would be 400 times smaller.”

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The Populele 2 Smart Concert Ukulele, which has joined the ranks of innovative technology products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is an innovative musical instrument that combines traditional ukulele craftsmanship with modern technology and is quickly gaining traction in the music world. If a new hobby is on the horizon in 2024, this price-dropped smart ukulele may be what you’ve been looking for.

Whether you’re just starting or revisiting your musical journey, the Populele 2 Smart Concert Ukulele is ideal for enhancing your playing abilities. This ukulele has become a fan favorite with an easy-to-use design. It can play and teach over 100 songs while containing 56 LED fretboards, and sound-responsive technology. Moreover, a deeply resonant and nuanced sound is always available with an 18-tooth fully enclosed piano mechanism for accurate tuning. 

Crafted with meticulous care and made from carbon fiber, making it more environmentally friendly and consistent with sound quality in various climates, its compact and lightweight design ensures easy portability for on-the-go playing. Its Bluetooth 5.0 BLE feature also makes connecting to your wireless devices simple, allowing for more accessible learning and playing.

It’s a great intro device for music enthusiasts who love innovative technology and quality craftsmanship. With its unique features, vast song library, and sound-responsive technology, this ukulele will surely bring out the musician in you in 2024.

Take advantage of this deal before the sale ends on Jan. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT and get the Populele 2 Smart Concert Ukulele for $139.99 (reg. $199) with no coupon code required. 

Prices subject to change.

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This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.

As more and more Americans embrace electric vehicles, automakers and the federal government are racing to secure the materials needed to build EV batteries, including by pouring billions of dollars into battery recycling. Today, recyclers are focused on recovering valuable metals like nickel and cobalt from spent lithium-ion batteries. But with the trade war between the U.S. and China escalating, some are now taking a closer look at another battery mineral that today’s recycling processes treat as little more than waste.

On December 1, China implemented new export controls on graphite, the carbon-based mineral that’s best known for being used in pencils but that’s also used in a more refined form in commercial EV battery anodes. The new policies, which the Chinese government announced in October shortly after the Biden administration increased restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors to China, have alarmed U.S. lawmakers and raised concerns that battery makers outside of China will face new challenges securing the materials needed for anodes. Today, China dominates every step of the battery anode supply chain, from graphite mining and synthetic graphite production to anode manufacturing.

Along with a new federal tax credit that rewards automakers that use minerals produced in America, China’s export controls are boosting the U.S. auto industry’s interest in domestically sourced graphite. But while it could take many years to set up new graphite mines and production facilities, there is another, potentially faster option: Harvesting graphite from dead batteries. As U.S. battery recyclers build big new facilities to recover costly battery metals, some are also trying to figure out how to recycle battery-grade graphite—something that isn’t done at scale anywhere in the world today due to technical and economic barriers. These companies are being aided by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is now pouring tens of millions of dollars into graphite recycling initiatives aimed at answering basic research questions and launching demonstration plants.

If the challenges holding back commercial graphite recycling can be overcome, “the used graphite stream could be huge,” Matt Keyser, who manages the electrochemical energy storage group at the the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, told Grist. In addition to boosting domestic supplies, recycling graphite would prevent critical battery resources from being wasted and could reduce the carbon emissions tied to battery production.

To understand why graphite is hard to recycle, a bit of material science is necessary. Graphite is a mineral form of carbon that has both metallic and non-metallic properties, including high electrical and thermal conductivity and chemical inertness. These qualities make it useful for a variety of energy and industrial applications, including storing energy inside lithium-ion batteries. While a lithium-ion battery is charging, lithium ions flow from the metallic cathode into the graphite anode, embedding themselves between crystalline layers of the carbon atoms. Those ions are released while the battery is in use, generating an electrical current.

Graphite can be found in nature as crystalline flakes or masses, which are mined and then processed to produce the small, spherical particles needed for anode manufacturing. Graphite is also produced synthetically by heating byproducts of coal or petroleum production to temperatures greater than 2,500 degrees Celsius (about 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit)—an energy-intensive (and often emissions-intensive) process that triggers “graphitization” of the carbon atoms. 

Relatively cheap to mine or manufacture, graphite is lower in value than many of the metals inside battery cathodes, which can include lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. Because of this, battery recyclers traditionally haven’t taken much interest in it. Instead, with many battery recyclers hailing from the metals refining business, they’ve focused on what they already knew how to do: extracting and purifying those cathode metals, often in their elemental form. Graphite, which can comprise up to 30 percent of an EV battery by weight, is treated as a byproduct, with recyclers either burning it for energy or separating it out to be landfilled.

“Up until recently, people talking about recycling for batteries really went after those token [metal] elements because they were high value … and because that recycling process can overlap quite a bit with conventional metal processing,” Ryan Melsert, the CEO of U.S. battery materials startup American Battery Technology Company, told Grist.

For graphite recycling to be worthwhile, recyclers need to obtain a high-performance, battery-grade product. To do so, they need methods that separate the graphite from everything else, remove any contaminants like metals and glues, and restore the material’s original geometric structure, something that’s often done by applying intense heat.

Crude recycling approaches like pyrometallurgy, a traditional process in which batteries are smelted in a furnace, won’t work for graphite. “More than likely you’re going to burn off the graphite” using pyrometallurgy, Keyser said.

Today, the battery recycling industry is moving away from pyrometallurgy and embracing hydrometallurgical approaches, in which dead batteries are shredded and dissolved in chemical solutions to extract and purify various metals. Chemical extraction approaches could be adapted for graphite purification, although there are still “logistical issues,” according to Keyser. Most hydrometallurgical recycling processes use strong acids to extract cathode metals, but those acids can damage the crystalline structure of graphite. A longer or more intensive heat treatment step may be needed to restore graphite’s shape after extraction, driving up energy usage and costs.

A third approach is direct recycling, in which battery materials are separated and repaired for reuse without any smelting or acid treatment. This gentler process aims to keep the structure of the materials intact. Direct recycling is a newer idea that’s further from commercialization than the other two methods, and there are some challenges scaling it up because it relies on separating materials very cleanly and efficiently. But recent research suggests that for cathode metals, it can have significant environmental and cost benefits. Direct recycling of graphite, Keyser said, has the potential to use “far less energy” than synthetic graphite production.

Today, companies are exploring a range of graphite recycling processes. 

American Battery Technology Company has developed an approach that starts with physically separating graphite from other battery materials like cathode metals, followed by a chemical purification step. Additional mechanical and thermal treatments are then used to restore graphite’s original structure. The company is currently recycling graphite at a “very small scale” at its laboratory facilities in Reno, Nevada, Melsert said. But in the future, it plans to scale up to recycling several tons of graphite-rich material a day with the help of a three-year, nearly $10 million Department of Energy grant funded through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Massachusetts-based battery recycling startup Ascend Elements has also developed a chemical process for graphite purification. Dubbed “hydro-to-anode,” Ascend Elements’ process “comes from some of the work we’ve done on hydro-to-cathode,” the company’s patented hydrometallurgical process for recycling cathode materials, said Roger Lin, the vice president of global marketing and government relations at the firm. Lin said that Ascend Elements is able to take graphite that’s been contaminated during an initial shredding step back to 99.9 percent purity, exceeding EV industry requirements, while also retaining the material properties needed for high performance anodes. In October, Ascend Elements and Koura Global announced plans to build the first “advanced graphite recycling facility” in the U.S.

The Department of Energy-backed startup Princeton NuEnergy, meanwhile, is exploring direct recycling of graphite. Last year, Princeton NuEnergy opened the first pilot-scale direct recycling plant in the U.S. in McKinney, Texas. There, batteries are shredded and a series of physical separation processes are used to sort out different materials, including cathode and anode materials. Cathode materials are then placed in low-temperature reactors to strip away contaminants, followed by additional steps to reconstitute their original structure. The same general approach can be used to treat anode materials, according to founder and CEO Chao Yan. 

“From day one, we are thinking to get cathode and anode material both recycled,” Yan said. But until now, the company has focused on commercializing direct recycling for cathodes. The reason, Yan said, is simple: “No customer cared about anode materials in the past.”

That, however, is beginning to change. Yan said that over the past year—and especially in the last few months since China announced its new export controls—automakers and battery manufacturers have taken a greater interest in graphite recycling. Melsert also said that he’s starting to see “very significant interest” in recycled graphite.

Still, customers will have to wait a little longer before they can purchase recycled graphite for their batteries. The methods for purifying and repairing graphite still need refinement to reduce the cost of recycling, according to Brian Cunningham, the batteries R&D program manager at the Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office. Another limiting step is what Cunningham calls the “materials qualification step.” 

“We need to get recycled graphite to a level where companies can provide material samples to battery companies to evaluate the material,” Cunningham said. The process of moving from very small-scale production to levels that allow EV makers to test a product, “could take several years to complete,” he added. “Once the recycled graphite enters the evaluation process, we should start to see an uptick in companies setting up pilot- and commercial-scale equipment.“

Supply chain concerns could accelerate graphite recycling’s journey to commercialization. Over the summer, the Department of Energy added natural graphite to its list of critical materials for energy. Graphite is also on the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals — minerals that are necessary for advanced technologies but at risk of supply disruptions. 

This classification means that domestically sourced graphite can help EVs qualify for the “clean vehicle credit,” a tax credit that includes strict requirements around critical mineral sourcing following the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. To qualify for the full credit, EV makers must obtain a large fraction of their battery minerals from the U.S. or a free-trade partner. By 2025, their vehicles may not contain any critical minerals extracted or processed by a “foreign entity of concern” — an entity connected to a shortlist of foreign countries that includes China. This requirement could “drive a premium” for domestically recycled graphite, Lin said.

Tax incentives could be key to helping recycled graphite compete with virgin graphite, according to Yuan Gu, a graphite analyst at the consulting firm Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Despite China’s new export controls, Gu expects graphite to remain relatively cheap in the near future due to an “oversupply” of graphite on the market right now. While Gu said that graphite recycling is “definitely on radar for Western countries” interested in securing future supplies, its viability will depend on “how costly or cheap the recycled material will be.”

If graphite recycling does catch on, industry insiders are hopeful it will be able to meet a significant fraction of the country’s future graphite needs—which are growing rapidly as the clean energy transition accelerates—while making the entire EV battery supply chain more sustainable.

“You can help regional supply chains, you can help with efficiency, with carbon footprints,” Lin said.  “I think it’s a no-brainer this will happen.”