Today’s Big Story

The Cicadas Are Coming

Two “periodical broods” are appearing for the first time in centuries

It’s the sound of summer for a lot of us, right? That whirling, ear-splitting buzz of a cicada song, high in the trees. Well, it’s about to get really loud as up to a trillion (with a T) cicadas are about to emerge within the United. States.

While the bugs are no doubt familiar to all of us, this is somewhat of a rare occurance, since two different broods are expected to begin appearing in the Midwest and Southeast regions at the end of April. According to the New York Times, it’s the first time since 1803 that Brood XIX, or the Great Southern Brood, and Brood XIII, or the Northern Illinois Brood, will appear together in an event known as a dual emergence.

A roughly 16-state area will be center stage for these periodical cicadas, which differ from those that appear annually in smaller numbers. And my home state of Illinois? It’s going to see some of the most as countless inch-long adults dig themselves out of the dirt in sync, crawling out en masse for a monthlong summer orgy.

After mating, they lay eggs in forest trees and die, leaving their tree-born babies to fall to the forest floor and begin the cycle anew. Cicadas don’t fly far from their birthplace, so each brood occupies a distinct patch of the U.S. “They form a mosaic on the landscape,” Chris Simon, an ecologist tells ArsTechnica.

When they actually emerge will likely depend on the weather. One biologist told the Times that first the soil needs to reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit, about six inches deep, and “then you get a good soaking rain, and that’s when they really pop,” he said. The good news is that cicadas don’t bite or sting, nor do they carry any diseases. So if you want to avoid them, just put in your ear buds and go about your business.

Israel to Add Gaza Aid Routes

President Biden hinged America’s support on civilian protection in a tense call with the prime minister

President Biden threatened on Thursday to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And as a result, Israel committed to permitting more food and other supplies into the besieged enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans early this morning local time.

According to the Associated Press, the announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in. Still, despite their differences, the Biden administration has continued to provide Israel crucial military aid and diplomatic support for Israel's six-month war against Hamas. Israel faces growing international isolation after its forces killed seven aid workers helping deliver food in Gaza.

The Palestinian death toll has passed 33,000, with another 75,600 people wounded, Gaza's Health Ministry has said. The United Nations says much of the population in northern Gaza is on the brink of starvation. The top United Nations court has concluded there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza—a charge Israel strongly denies—and the U.N. Security Council has issued a legally binding demand for a cease-fire.

Apple Ditches the Car … for Robots?

The company is reportedly developing a personal robot for the home, but it’s still a long way away

After scrapping its electric car project in February (a long-running effort codenamed “Project Titan”), the internet lit up on Thursday with reports that Apple has shifted its focus to … robots. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company is exploring the development of personal robots for the home. Currently, it’s focusing on one bot that would follow people around their living space and another desktop-style bot that can sit on a table and move display screens around.

The project is reportedly in its early stages, and it isn't clear if the products will ever become a reality. But now that Apple has pivoted away from the car, these personal robotics could be the company's “next big thing,” people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. And CNET says that the little robots could offer the company a new way to leverage artificial intelligence and have a foothold in people's homes.

Of course, Engadget points out that robots aren't like phones in the sense that people these days need them in their lives. Apple is apparently worried about whether people would pay “top dollar” for the robots it has in mind, and executives still can't get to an agreement on whether the company should keep working on these projects. Then again, no one needed the Vision Pro headsets, right? I’m just over here waiting for a folding iPhone, you know?

A Weekend Pairing

‘Ripley’ + a Coffee Negroni

After a lot of rumors and online chatter, the remake of The Talented Mr. Ripley has finally dropped on Netflix. Only this time, the story has been broken up into an eight-part series, starring Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn and Dakota Fanning. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s seminal series of Ripley novels and written and directed by Oscar winner Steven Zallian, this updated take on the familiar grifter series finds Tom Ripley (wonderfully portrayed by Scott) traveling to Italy to convince Dickie Greenleaf (played by Flynn), a rich trust fund kid, to return to New York. Once in Italy, however, Tom quickly falls for this life of leisure himself and decides to do anything to maintain it, leaving a long line of dead bodies and stolen identities in his wake.

The 1999 film has long been a favorite with menswear guys, thanks to its high style, stiff drinks and lush scenery. But reviews of this series have been nothing short of raves, with critics praising the “scintillating and noirish adaptation,” where the "tension is stretched to the max, in a confident and exciting way.” Vanity Fair says “the camerawork and lighting are playful, risky, curious, and endlessly surprising—not to mention rather gorgeous.”

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