Skeptic Society Magazine

Tag: lights

  • 7 Best Outdoor Lights (2025), Including Solar Lights

    7 Best Outdoor Lights (2025), Including Solar Lights

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    Here are a few things to keep in mind when you go shopping for outdoor lights.

    Power: For most outdoor lighting, you need to run a cable to a power outlet, so you will want an outdoor socket. If you don’t have an outdoor socket, it’s usually a pretty cheap and quick job for an electrician to install a weatherproof one. Just be aware that large power adapters and awkwardly shaped plugs will not fit in outdoor sockets, so you will likely also want some kind of weatherproof box. I like the large Dri-Box ($42) because it has plenty of space and scores an IP55 rating. I have also used the smaller Masterplug Weatherproof Electric Box ($45), and it’s fine. If an outdoor socket isn’t possible, consider running a cable indoors, but it can be tricky and messy if you have to drill through a wall. Solar-powered lights are a good alternative. You could even consider using a portable power station in a shed or other outbuilding. Whatever way you go, always plug the lighting in and connect it via the app before you install it in any outdoor areas.

    Image may contain Brick Architecture Building Wall Mailbox Adapter and Electronics

    Photograph: Simon Hill

    Control: Most smart backyard lighting connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and is controlled by an app on your phone. You need a decent Wi-Fi signal or to be within Bluetooth range. While it might seem desirable for simplicity to have lighting connected directly to Wi-Fi or to use Bluetooth, there are advantages to systems with dedicated hubs. With Philips Hue, for example, lights are much faster to connect and react to commands using the Hue Hub than through Bluetooth in the app. Hubs can also allow for better group control and greater range. Most smart lighting can be controlled by smart voice assistants, like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, but ensure you check compatibility before you buy.

    Lumens: The brightness of lighting is measured in lumens. To give you an idea, a standard 60-watt light bulb puts out around 800 lumens.

    Color: RGB (red, green, blue) is standard and mixes those three to make other colors. RGBW includes a proper white alongside red, green, and blue, which offers greater flexibility and is important if you want high-quality white light. Color temperature is measured in Kelvins (K) and listed as a range (for example, 1200K to 6500K). This range dictates how warm or cool your lighting can get. Reds and oranges are at the lower end of the scale, and blues are at the higher end.

    IP Rating: IP stands for Ingress Protection and determines how well a device stands up to water and dust, giving you a clear indication of how weather resistant it is. We have an IP rating explainer that focuses on phones, but all devices, including outdoor lights, use the same IP scale. We have listed the IP ratings for every light we recommend. While an IP44 rating might be durable enough for a wall-mounted light that only has to cope with rain, you will want IP65 or higher for a light on the ground that may be submerged or covered in snow.

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  • Best Bike Lights, Tested and Reviewed (2025)

    Best Bike Lights, Tested and Reviewed (2025)

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    Size: If you’re a commuter, you’ll want to remove lights for safekeeping. Look for the most compact designs that fit easily in a pocket or bag. Thanks to LED bulb technology, you can find impressively bright, pocketable lights. Sizes and weights here are listed without the mounting brackets (unless they’re integral) because their size and weight in your bag is arguably more important than adding a couple of ounces to your bike (unless you’re a pro tour rider).

    Mounting style: Where and how you attach your bike lights matters. Handlebar mounts are great for lighting the road ahead, and look for downward-angled designs that will illuminate the road for enhanced visibility. Helmet-mounted lights move with your line of sight, which is ideal for trail riding. Rear lights should mount securely to your seat post or bag. and Look for tool-free, quick-release mounts for easy on/off, and rubber straps for easy swapping to another bike frame. Some models also offer clip-on versatility for backpacks or clothing, giving you more ways to stay visible.

    Charging: Unless you’re planning epic, all-night rides, brightness is more important than battery life. Everything tested here is charged either via USB-A or USB-C. We steered clear of cheap designs that require disposable batteries, since those die quickly.

    Battery life: How long a battery lasts depends on the mode you choose. Battery life can range from 2 to 30-plus hours. The brighter your light, the faster the battery will drain, and having a solid beam also uses more juice than a flashing light. On the road or trail, the brighter the better, but if your battery is running low then you can typically dial it down to eke out the battery life.

    Check your local legislation: While most states require some sort of lights in low visibility, the laws on which type of lights are legal—the range, lumens, whether it can flash or not—will vary depending on the state. If you’re nervous, check your local state legislation here.

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  • Lights Out by Navessa Allen

    Lights Out by Navessa Allen

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    Navessa Allen’s Lights Out is the kind of twisted, pulse-racing dark romance that doesn’t just blur the line between love and danger—it smears it with blood, kink, and psychological intensity. First released in serial format and now part of the Into Darkness series, this debut novel in the duology sets the tone with unflinching honesty, morally gray characters, and a central romance that plays out like a game of “Would You Rather?” between two trauma-twined souls who find catharsis in each other’s chaos.

    With a cocktail of stalking, primal lust, emotional damage, and gallows humor, Lights Out by Navessa Allen is unapologetically bold. This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s for readers who crave the dangerous edge of intimacy, where consent flirts with darkness and healing comes dressed in black.

    Plot Overview: When a Drunken Text Unlocks a Nightmare Fantasy

    Aly, an overworked trauma nurse in a high-crime city, finds solace scrolling through social media fantasies that involve masked, tattooed men wielding knives. These aren’t just thirst traps; they awaken something dormant and dangerous inside her—a yearning for primal dominance that’s matched only by her own buried darkness.

    Enter Josh, a mysterious stranger who wears the ghost mask a little too well. Their entanglement begins with a drunken message sent to a masked man online, and rapidly descends into a chaotic blend of home invasions, knife play, and emotionally laden sex that borders on therapeutic. As Aly and Josh’s twisted connection deepens, secrets unravel—ones that involve serial killers, masked identities, dark family histories, and vigilante justice.

    What begins as a stalker-fantasy-turned-reality unfurls into a full-blown mission of vengeance and redemption, culminating in a scheme that feels one part Mr. and Mrs. Smith and one part Dexter fanfiction.

    Characters That Haunt and Heal

    Alyssa (Aly)

    Aly is not your average romance heroine. Cynical, emotionally burned out, and fighting compassion fatigue as a trauma nurse, she is refreshingly self-aware and brutally honest about her desires. Her descent into kink is not played for titillation—it’s a coping mechanism, a controlled outlet for chaos in a life dominated by human suffering.

    Josh

    Josh is every dark romance reader’s dream: morally gray, emotionally tortured, dangerously competent in both physical violence and cyber manipulation. His father was a notorious serial killer, and that legacy poisons his every step. Yet, beneath the mask (literally and figuratively), he is deeply vulnerable. His scenes pulse with dread and desire, often at the same time.

    Side Characters

    • Fred the cat deserves an honorable mention. Fred’s reactions serve as both comedic relief and a psychological barometer for Aly’s love life.
    • Nico and Moira (Aly’s mob-connected family) ground the story in gritty realism while amplifying the morally ambiguous atmosphere.
    • Brad, the villain, is a textbook predator who meets a vigilante’s justice—brutal, graphic, and necessary.

    Thematic Exploration: Desire, Consent, and Revenge

    This is a book about duality. Aly and Josh exist in the shadowlands between good and evil, pain and pleasure, control and surrender.

    Core Themes:

    1. Trauma and Recovery – Both leads carry immense emotional baggage. Aly’s inability to prioritize her mental health and Josh’s inherited shame form the psychological foundation of their dynamic.
    2. Fantasy vs Reality – The masked man trope is dismantled and rebuilt in terrifyingly seductive ways. What begins as fantasy turns physical, then existential.
    3. Justice Outside the System – The revenge subplot feels satisfyingly raw, targeting a rapist who would likely never face consequences otherwise.
    4. Embracing the Dark Self – Both Aly and Josh must confront the aspects of themselves society deems “broken” and find healing in mutual acceptance of their shadows.

    Writing Style: Viciously Funny and Emotionally Razor-Sharp

    Navessa Allen’s prose style is brutally witty, achingly intimate, and searingly erotic. She writes like a woman possessed—by lust, trauma, and the clarity that comes after surviving the worst. The banter is sharp, laced with gallows humor that never feels forced. The sex scenes are intense, but always grounded in character development and emotional stakes.

    Allen uses alternating dual POV chapters (Aly and Josh) to dive deep into each character’s psyche, letting readers feel the whiplash of trauma and the euphoria of desire. Her knack for tension—both sexual and narrative—is masterful, often letting the slowest burn lead to the hottest combustion.

    The Romance: Dangerous, Dirty, Deeply Human

    Unlike typical dark romances where the kink becomes the personality, Lights Out by Navessa Allen is far more introspective. The sexual chemistry between Aly and Josh is unrelenting, but what elevates the romance is their mutual understanding of each other’s darkness. Their scenes of submission and control are laced with care, not cruelty. It’s not about pain—it’s about permission to unravel.

    There’s no insta-love here, but rather an intense emotional acceleration. The love story unfolds in adrenaline-fueled bursts, heightened by danger, secrets, and raw vulnerability.

    What Worked Brilliantly

    • Character Depth – Both Aly and Josh are multi-dimensional, walking contradictions who feel achingly real.
    • Authentic Dark Romance – The darkness isn’t superficial. It comes from a place of psychological realism.
    • Dialogue – From snarky one-liners to breathless confessions, the conversations sizzle and sting.
    • Trigger Warning Transparency – The book opens with a detailed TW list, a responsible move given its graphic nature.
    • Narrative Boldness – The story leans unapologetically into its themes without trying to sanitize or redeem its leads for reader comfort.

    What Could Be Better

    No book is without its flaws.

    1. Length and Pacing – The book occasionally meanders, especially in the mid-section, where some introspective monologues and side missions slow the momentum.
    2. Suspension of Disbelief – The logistics of some revenge scenes stretch credibility. The cat-and-mouse dynamic sometimes turns into outright fantasy.
    3. Lack of Outside Perspective – Everything is seen through Aly and Josh’s hyper-traumatized lenses. A neutral POV could’ve provided contrast and grounded the narrative further.

    Author’s Evolution and Comparables

    Navessa Allen, known for her serial work and Patreon exclusives, has delivered something uniquely addictive with Lights Out. Though she’s relatively new to the full-length novel format, Allen writes with the confidence of a seasoned author. Fans of her Patreon stories will find this book a more polished, complete offering—one that doesn’t shy away from exploring dark eroticism with psychological precision.

    If You Enjoyed Lights Out, You Might Also Like:

    • Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
    • Praise by Sara Cate
    • Twisted Love by Ana Huang (for a lighter take on morally gray leads)
    • The Mindfck Series* by S.T. Abby (for its vigilante-vs-serial-killer tension)

    Final Verdict: A Deliciously Dark Debut That Dares You to Look Away

    Lights Out is not a romance that coddles or comforts. It’s a brutal, deeply erotic dive into the psyches of two people learning how to heal through control, chaos, and kink. Navessa Allen doesn’t ask readers to approve of her characters—just to understand them. And in doing so, she crafts a narrative that is both provocative and profound.

    If you like your love stories drenched in darkness and laced with danger, Lights Out belongs on your TBR immediately.

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  • Rate cut speculation lights up as economic outlook darkens | Money News

    Rate cut speculation lights up as economic outlook darkens | Money News

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    There is growing speculation of a pick up in the pace of Bank of England interest rate cuts as the outlook for the UK economy darkens, with fresh data suggesting a renewed slump in consumer confidence and business health.

    While the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported a tentative 0.4% rise in retail sales volumes during March, a closely-watched measure of the consumer mood, covering the current month, fell back sharply.

    GfK’s confidence barometer showed a four point decline to -23, with worries about the economy and personal finances driving that fall.

    Money latest: ’14 million Britons on course for parking fine this year’

    At the same, a respected reading of corporate health by the consultancy Begbies Traynor reported a 13% leap in the number of firms facing “critical” financial distress.

    Its report was published hours before official data showed a 9% rise in company insolvencies across England and Wales in March compared to the same month a year ago.

    It all bolsters other recent evidence that the economy is slowing in the face of US protectionism and rising bills for both businesses and households alike – with the challenges only growing since the start of the month.

    But it has also led both economists and financial markets to agree that the gloomier outlook makes it easier for the Bank of England to accelerate interest rate reductions, starting next month, despite forecasts of a big lift to inflation ahead.

    A weakening economy and rising inflation

    The UK was among the major economies hardest hit by a series of growth downgrades issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week.

    It was not a message the chancellor would have wished to hear on her visit to Washington for the body’s spring meetings, given the government’s stated priority of growing the economy.

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    IMF slashes UK growth forecast

    Rachel Reeves is bidding, during her trip, to help secure a US tariff truce for the UK through the form of a new trade deal in a bid to relieve some of the challenges facing the public finances.

    But in its assessment, the IMF declared some of the UK’s problems were home grown.

    Chief among them is inflation.

    Businesses are tipped to be raising prices to help account for tax rises in the chancellor’s autumn budget – costs that lobby groups warn will also harm jobs and investment.

    At the same time, household spending power has also been hurt by a surge in essential bills since the beginning of April, with those for energy, water and council tax among those marching ahead by far more than the current pace of price growth.

    Inflation is forecast to rise from this month, potentially breaching the 3% mark by the year’s end.

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    ‘We’re confident’, says Reeves

    Trade war the biggest threat

    It is clear the trade war is already having a big impact on confidence and activity across the sectors which account for the bulk of UK output.

    A closely-watched index of activity in the service and manufacturing industries fell into negative territory this week, showing its weakest reading since November 2022.

    The survey of purchasing managers by S&P Global found export orders falling at their fastest pace since early 2020.

    How this could all affect thinking at the Bank of England

    On the same day that report was released, LSEG data showed financial markets had fully priced in a Bank of England rate cut on 8 May.

    It was on the back of remarks by a member of the monetary policy committee (MPC) that the trade war could place downwards pressure on UK inflation, largely because the UK’s decision not to respond to Donald Trump’s import duties through reciprocal tariffs could make the country a destination for cheaper goods from Asia and Europe.

    It has led some to speculate a bumper Bank rate cut of half a point to 4% is on the cards.

    Read more:
    Could Trump tariffs push world into recession?
    America’s safe haven status is in troubled waters

    Others see a more gradual acceleration, with the market data showing an easing to 3.5% by December is possible.

    Such a scenario would come as a welcome boost to hard pressed borrowers, especially those seeking a new fixed term mortgage deal given the leap in rates witnessed since 2022.

    From a peak shy of 7% in 2023, data from Moneyfacts on Friday showed the current average two-year fix at 5.2% this week.

    Recent, small, declines are reflecting market expectations for lower Bank rate ahead.

    Rob Wood, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a note: “All told, we think the MPC has enough evidence for precautionary back-to-back rate cuts in May and June, but it cannot jump into easing with both feet going for 50bp [basis point] reductions or green-lighting four or more further cuts this year – because of rising inflation pressures.

    “The MPC still has a difficult growth-inflation balancing act to pull off, although the growth side is worsening most.”

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  • Earthquake farts may explain some spooky floating lights

    Earthquake farts may explain some spooky floating lights

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    aftershock: One or more smaller earthquakes which often follow a major earthquake.

    anaerobic: Occurring in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic reactions take place in oxygen-free locations.

    bedrock: The thick, solid rock layer that underlies the soil and other broken, rocky materials on Earth’s surface.

    earthquake: A sudden and sometimes violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great destruction, as a result of movements within Earth’s crust or of volcanic action.

    electricity: A flow of charge, usually from the movement of negatively charged particles, called electrons.

    environment: The sum of all of the things that exist around some organism or the process and the condition those things create. Environment may refer to the weather and ecosystem in which some animal lives, or, perhaps, the temperature and humidity (or even the placement of things in the vicinity of an item of interest).

    geologic: An adjective that refers to things that are related to Earth’s physical structure and substance, its history and the processes that act on it. People who work in this field are known as geologists.

    ignite: (in chemistry) To engage in the first step in combustion by getting some fuel (such as natural gas or gasoline) to heat enough to start burning.

    magnitude: (in geology) A number used to describe the relative size of an earthquake. It runs from 1 to more than 8 and is calculated by the peak ground motion as recorded by seismographs. There are several magnitude scales. One of the more commonly used ones today is known as the moment magnitude. It’s based on the size of a fault (crack in Earth’s crust), how much the fault slips (moves) during a quake, and the energy force that was required to permit that movement. For each increase in magnitude, an earthquake produces 10 times more ground motion and releases about 32 times more energy.

    matter: Something that occupies space and has mass. Anything on Earth with matter will have a property described as “weight.”

    methane: A hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH4 (meaning there are four hydrogen atoms bound to one carbon atom). It’s a natural constituent of what’s known as natural gas. It’s also emitted by decomposing plant material in wetlands and is belched out by cows and other ruminant livestock.

    organic: (in chemistry) An adjective that indicates something is carbon-containing; also a term that relates to the basic chemicals that make up living organisms. (in agriculture) Farm products grown without the use of non-natural and potentially toxic chemicals, such as pesticides.

    paranormal: Events or phenomena that fall outside or beyond what is considered normal. Examples include ghosts, zombies, telekinesis and curses.

    radon: A radioactive member of the noble gas family. It is naturally given off by some rocks in the soil. When it accumulates in homes or water supplies, it can pose a health hazard.

    static: The condition of being unmoving and unchanging. (in physics) An electronic signal that contains no information but does contain random fluctuations in intensity or wavelength.

    static electricity: The buildup of excess electric charge on some surface instead of flowing through a material. This charge buildup tends to develop when two things that are not good conductors of electricity rub together. This allows electrons from one of the objects to be picked up and collected by the other.

    subtle: Adjective for something that may be important but can be hard to see or describe. For instance, the first cellular changes that signal the start of a cancer may be only subtly different — as in small and hard to distinguish from nearby healthy tissues.

    tectonic: Surface activity on a large rocky body (such as a planet or moon) as liquid rock flows up to the surface where it solidifies, then slowly drifts atop molten rock, carrying surface features with it.

    temblor: Another term for an earthquake or Earth-shaking tremor.

    vapors: Fumes released when a liquid transforms to a gas, usually as a result of heating.

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  • This Is the Best Portable Solar Lights to Upgrade Your Home

    This Is the Best Portable Solar Lights to Upgrade Your Home

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    As I recently prepared for the possibility of a power outage, I yet again dug out my old lights—but when someone recommended I try solar lights, I was blown away by just how much better lights have become.

    Say Goodbye to Disposable Batteries

    When many of us need light in a pinch, we just use the LED light on our phones. If that’s not cutting it, I wouldn’t be surprised if you, like me, instead picture a flashlight that takes in disposable batteries.

    Modern solar lights don’t have disposable batteries. They have rechargeable lithium-ion packs that you juice up by leaving the flashlight in the sun. This alone makes them worth picking up.

    Solar lights are small, and anything with a tiny solar panel doesn’t recharge quickly. Yet this is okay for lights. During the day, when there is sunlight, I don’t need them. I can leave them outside for eight hours and know they’re ready for a full night’s use by the time darkness falls.

    Solar Lights Come in Many Forms

    My colleague specifically recommended that I consider Luci solar lights. The company makes many types, but I was told to get the inflatable lights with solar panels on the bottom. A few deep breaths fill them up. When it’s time to charge them, you deflate them and place them upside down.

    There are many varieties of these. Some have clear white light. There’s a dimmer yellow version that flickers like a candle. There’s a non-inflatable Luci light with a long bendable tail you can hang from things or wrap around your wrist. This one is my favorite.

    With some searching, you can find solar power lights shaped like conventional flashlights. You can find solar-powered lanterns that you carry around by a handle. There are solar power string lights that you can hang up around your home or a tent.

    Infinitely Renewable Power During an Outage

    My house gets direct sun, and I can charge my portable solar lights best by placing them out on the porch. It’s also fine to place them by a window, especially if I know I won’t be using them in the next few days. They’ll charge more slowly, but they’ll still be charged on time.

    When imagining how to make it through an emergency situation, I like to rely on renewable energy. This way, I’m not dependent on rushing to the store beforehand and hoping they are in stock with what I need. I’m not relying on the roads being clear and the stores staying open in order for my lights to continue to work.

    With solar lights, I can plan out my usage indefinitely. Charge them during the day and use them at night. If there’s a string of cloudy days ahead, then I can use them a bit more sparingly.

    For such situations, make sure to have a few USB rechargeable flashlights around as a backup and some portable battery banks that can recharge them. The same battery banks you use for travel will do.

    Lightweight and Portable for Camping and Trips

    Like flashlights in general, solar-powered lights tend to be small and easy to carry. Many solar lights are designed specifically for campers. They’re intended to easily fit in a backpack without taking up much space or adding a bunch of weight.

    The inflatable Luci lights are excellent for this. You can keep them deflated during the day and even tuck them away in a pocket if you know they’re fully charged.

    A deflated solar Luci light next to an inflated one.
    Bertel King / MakeUseOf

    My preferred solar lights are easy to hook to a strap on a bag or dangle from a pole in a camping tent. Even larger lantern-type lamps are smaller than many of the heavy-duty flashlights you find that guzzle up large D batteries.

    Solar lights may not be as exciting as modular smart lights or light-up curtains, but they’re immensely practical. You’ll be glad you have them around.

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  • 17 Best Smart Home Lighting (2024): Decorative Panels, LED Strips, and Ambient Lamps

    17 Best Smart Home Lighting (2024): Decorative Panels, LED Strips, and Ambient Lamps

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    More Smart Lights We Tested

    Exoy One a hexagonal 3D shaped smart light with black trim along the edges illuminating pink and blue light

    Photograph: Simon Hill

    There are tons of smart ambient lighting panels, strips, lamps, and strings. Here are a few we also like.

    Lepro N1 AI Smart Neon Light Strip for $40: This is much like the Govee Neon Light Strip above, offering a lovely diffused light in whatever color you want with support for many animated effects, music syncing, and more in the app. But, I found the connectivity less reliable and prefer the Govee app. I also tested the Lepro S1 AI Smart LED Strip Light ($20), a cheaper light strip without the diffuser, and it’s perfectly decent for recessed spots.

    Linkind Smart TV Light Strip With HDMI Sync Box for $47: This is a far cheaper version of the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box above, and it includes a sync box and a color light strip suitable for up to 90-inch TVs. It works okay, but the HDMI inputs are limited to 4K at 60 Hz, and it’s not as good as our TV picks above, though it is much more affordable. I also tested the Linkind Smart Neon Rope Light ($80) and liked it.

    Wiz Smart Neon Flex Strip for $80: This is another diffused light strip that’s much like the Govee Neon Light Strip above. It’s easy to fit and shape, can display multiple colors simultaneously, and supports animated effects via the Wiz app. It can also be scheduled or synced with music. I also tested and liked the Wiz Smart LED Strip ($22).

    Twinkly Dots for $82: You can stick these strings of LED dots around frames and furniture or have them hanging somewhere, and the app offers a wide range of colors and animated effects. You can map your pattern to make the most of the effects, create your own effects, and group Twinkly lights together. On the downside, the strip is split into two sections, with the power controls in the center, and you don’t get enough adhesive dots in the box. I also tested and liked the Twinkly Festoon ($40) outdoor string of bulbs.

    Govee G1 Gaming Light Strip for $45: This is very similar to the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC listed above, but not quite as good. It is easy to fit, comes in two sizes (for monitors 24 to 26 inches and 27 to 34 inches), and brightens up your gaming. But it relies on Govee’s flaky desktop software to sync. Sadly, streaming services like Netflix flag it as screen recording copyright infringement, so the syncing doesn’t work with them. Compatibility with Govee DreamView and Razer Chroma enables you to sync up other lights and peripherals.

    Moonside Lamp One for $65: This modern lava lamp looks gorgeous and boasts 120 dynamic color zones capable of displaying millions of colors and themes (animated effects). You can even design your own themes or have the lamp react to music. Sadly, the app is a tad clunky, and the lamp is made of lightweight frosted plastic, so it’s a little too easy to accidentally knock it over.

    Philips Hue Go 2 for $90: This bowl-shaped portable lamp has a ridge so you can angle it for reading, and it makes a good bedside lamp with dimming for nighttime and up to 520 lumens to wake you in the morning. You can tweak the temperature and choose from millions of colors. This newer version (2019) has Bluetooth, so you don’t need a Hue Bridge. Battery life is limited; if you crank up the brightness, you’ll be lucky to get two hours, but dimmed, it can last around 10.

    Nanoleaf Elements for $160: Plastic light panels can look ugly on some walls (especially turned off), so Nanoleaf offers this version of its larger hexagonal panels with a wood finish effect (they are still plastic). Like the rest of its panels, you can arrange Nanoleaf’s Elements in whatever pattern you want, and they support touch controls and music syncing. Sadly, they only put out white light, but with a color temperature range of 1500 K to 4000 K, you can go from cool whites to warm orangey glows.

    Mpowerd Luci Solar String Lights for $33: If you want lights you can take on the road or on camping trips, this clever gadget from Mpowerd can brighten up your RV or campsite. The canister pops open to unspool water-resistant string lights (IPX4). Press the power button to use them as a torch or cycle through the string light colors. There’s a solar panel on top for recharging (but it’s slow) and a port that goes both ways (so this can double as a power bank).

    Nanoleaf Lines for $140: Our previous pick for gamers, the Nanoleaf Lines (8/10, WIRED Recommends) project light from the back of each line onto the wall, casting colors and creating a lovely ambiance. Even when turned off, the Lines look better than most decorative smart lighting because they cast shadows on the wall and could pass for sculptural art. They can also boast screen mirroring for PC to enhance gaming (Razer Chroma is supported too).

    Lifx Lightstrip for $75: This isn’t as bright as the Philips Hue Gradient Smart Lightstrip, but it offers rich colors, separate zones, and lovely animations. The app allows for scheduling and can gradually brighten a bedroom in the morning. There’s also music syncing using your phone’s microphone. Smart home integration is solid, and there’s no need for a hub, but when I tested the previous version (the Lifx Z), it frequently disconnected from Wi-Fi and was unresponsive until reset.

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  • These Brilliant BenQ ScreenBar Lamps Are My Favorite WFH Accessory

    These Brilliant BenQ ScreenBar Lamps Are My Favorite WFH Accessory

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    I review a lot of home office gear for my job, which means my workstation is in flux. A new desk today, another office chair tomorrow—you get the idea. The one constant over the last three years? The BenQ ScreenBar. You may have heard of BenQ before—the Taiwanese company makes excellent monitors and projectors—but this lamp is my number one work-from-home accessory.

    The ScreenBar doesn’t take up any desk space, because it hangs over your computer monitor and brilliantly illuminates the desktop. It’s a simple little thing, but it brings me a lot of joy, and the company has been iterating on it, with the latest version being the ScreenBar Pro. I’m here to tell you that you should probably get one for your home office.

    Let There Be Light

    The ScreenBar comes in a few flavors: the ScreenBar, ScreenBar Halo, ScreenBar Plus, and the ScreenBar Pro. I have tested the original ScreenBar and the Pro—the Halo offers a backlight that pushes light behind the monitor if you want light on your desktop and the wall behind your computer screen. The Plus is the same as the standard ScreenBar, but it has a separate dial attachment to control the light’s settings rather than the touch controls on top of the lamp.

    You can configure these lamps to your preferences by changing the color temperature and brightness or even toggling on an auto-brightness function so that it matches the ambient light in the room. But what sets the latest ScreenBar Pro apart from its siblings is the motion sensor. Now, a few minutes after I leave my desk, the ScreenBar Pro turns off. When I come back, it lights up my desktop—it’s as if it’s booting up my battle station. Rad.

    These ScreenBar lights are designed to have minimal bleed so that those LEDs don’t blast your eyes, though you’ll want to make sure your monitor is at eye level to avoid them. There’s also not a ton of light bleeding on the monitor screen. That said, the only time I’ve noticed a glare on the screen is when I’m watching anything with dark content, like a moody video game or a movie. That’s when I turn off the ScreenBar to enjoy my OLED monitor’s rich blacks and deep contrast.

    I’ve not had any issues using these on all kinds of monitors either, including my current curved Alienware AW322QF 32-inch curved gaming monitor. The best part is you don’t have to use up a precious USB-A slot on your PC or laptop to keep the lights on—I just plug the ScreenBar directly into my monitor’s USB port for power. It makes the cable neat too.

    So where do you place a webcam if you have a ScreenBar on top of a monitor? Well, I used to have my webcam slightly off-center, but it took some finagling and software adjustments to the field of view for it to look OK. The better solution is to just get BenQ’s Webcam Accessory. This sticks to the top part of the ScreenBar and you can balance your webcam on top. It does put the webcam quite high, but I was able to angle my MX Brio nicely so that it doesn’t look strange.

    Leave No One Behind

    The ScreenBar is pointless if you don’t have a computer monitor at your workstation. But if you exclusively work off of a laptop, BenQ hasn’t forgotten about you! Last year, I tested the LaptopBar, which mounts on the back of a laptop screen to illuminate the keyboard and work area for those late nights at the office.

    There are some trade-offs in this version though. You need to stick a magnetic adhesive to the back of your laptop, which is how the LaptopBar stays affixed. When you don’t have the LaptopBar attached, there’s a permanent magnetic circle on the exterior, which doesn’t look great. The LaptopBar is also battery-powered and can last around two hours at full brightness, but you can plug it into your laptop to keep it running for longer (this will drain your laptop battery).

    Still, it’s a tiny little lamp on the go, perfect for anyone routinely typing up in the dark. The lamp comes with a carrying case, can be dimmed, and offers warm or cool color temperatures.

    All of this can sound a little silly—it’s just a lamp! Who cares! I know, I know. But the unique-looking ScreenBar series genuinely saves space on my already packed desktop. I also love light—I’m the one who likes to have the lights on around the house whereas my wife prefers to sit in the dark (I found her cooking in the dark once, which is just bonkers to me). So blasting my desktop with as much light as I want makes me feel happy at my workstation, especially in the months when the skies get dark a little after 4 pm.

    It’s little, comfy things like this that make working from home such a joy. And not having to change into work clothes. Or commute. Or pack lunch. Well, you get it.

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  • London’s Social Scene Lights Up for Frieze’s VIPs and Wannabe-VIPs

    London’s Social Scene Lights Up for Frieze’s VIPs and Wannabe-VIPs

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    Art is secondary to partying for more people than you might think at Frieze London—as at any major art fair. Anyone who is—or wants to be—a hot ticket rocks up on the VIP days to see art and to be seen seeing art, before hobnobbing at the evenings’ gallery dinners, parties, and after-parties. The scene, like Art Basel Miami Beach in December, attracts its fair share of celebrities, as well. Bill Murray, Mickey Rourke, FKA Twigs, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Ford were just a few of household names to grace the fair’s aisles.

    The week’s festivities kicked off on Tuesday evening with a bash co-hosted by Thaddaeus Ropac and Pace gallery at Mayfair’s Il Gattopardo, in celebration of the galleries’ joint show of Robert Longo. When I arrived, a monumental pile of wet umbrellas was stacked to the ceiling like some found object installation. In fact, it was a warning for the late comers: partygoers were already crammed in like sardines. Still, the risotto and ravioli, among other dishes, was excellent and plentiful and the waiters poured red, white, and sparkling wine like they’d get in trouble if we didn’t all leave sloshed. Bacchus would have approved: it was a decadent affair.

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    A Black man dressed in black stands on a podium with a microphone.

    At the back of the restaurant, Longo, dressed in his signature black garb, held court alongside his glamorous squeeze, filmmaker Sophie Chahinian. Punters paid homage one-by-one and he gracefully accepted the praise. 

    After Wednesday’s better-than-expected VIP preview day, spirits were high for dealers and collectors alike. At Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall, the pop-up restaurant Pario had set up shop in the gallery’s in-house restaurant Pharmacy 2. The brainchild of young chefs Charles Bryant and George Brown, Pario served creative and spectacular farm-to-table fare. Our table went for the lamb, anchovy, salsa verde, croutons, and jus; triple cooked potatoes with aioli; fennel tarte tatin with crème fraîche; and the pièce de resistance—rare breed dry aged, bone-in ribeye, and marrow butter. The great hunk of meat was beyond delicious, cooked to perfection, and probably the best thing I’ve eaten in my life. 

    “It feels very significant for us to be hosting a pop up in such an amazing and unique space, especially during the biggest art event in the UK,” Brown told ARTnews. “Having actually gone to art school in the area, the significance of this place certainly isn’t lost on me.”

    The next stop of the night was to Soho’s famed Groucho Club—purchased by Manuela and Iwan Wirth in 2022—for a party thrown by British gallerist Timothy Taylor. Artist Sahara Longe, Puck columnist Marion Maneker, and Taylor’s son, Columbus, who is plying his trade at Lorcan O’Neill Gallery in Rome, chewed the fat with the mostly sophisticated crowd. As is expected during fair week, partygoers gossiped with loose lips and  a loud, crass collector did his best to be the center of attention. Few took any notice.

    A brisk, 10-minute walk north through Soho, a young, slightly desperate-looking queue snaked its way from the entrance of the London EDITION hotel around the corner of the block. I could hear the music pumping up from the basement where galleries Ginny on Frederick (London), 56 Henry (New York), Rose Easton (London), and Wschód (Warsaw, New York) were joint hosting a shindig. The door policy had hit the one-in-one-out stage. Inside, it was packed to the rafters. By the bar, Isaac Simon, founder of South Parade gallery in Farringdon, was chatting with Wakefield-based artist Zoë Carlon, (whose solo show “Where and When You Are” is showing at the gallery). South Parade had sold well, the suited, bespectacled gallerist told me. 

    Over on the dancefloor, Frederick Powell from Ginny on Frederick was drawing a crowd. “We are a really exciting group of galleries coming together to throw a really big party here in London,” Powell told ARTnews, adding proudly, that he’d had a good day at the fair. “I’m sold out!” 

    Does Powell think Frieze London should be worried about Art Basel Paris? “I love London!” he said. 

    By Friday, the VIPs were mostly long gone. Many had hopped on the Eurostar to Paris for the next stop on the art fair train. At the Dorchester Hotel that night, an art lender regaled me with reams of, sadly off the record, art world gossip. Then it was back to the Groucho Club, where NiCOLLETi gallery (London), Public Gallery (London), Proyectos Ultravioleta (Guatemala), and nonprofit Delfina Foundation (London) were hosting a joint party. It was starting to feel like Groundhog Day, if each day became just a bit more washed up—a thinning crowd, free drinks, and the same old talk.

    “We are always trying to build bridges between the rave scene and the art scene,” Camille Houze, the director of NiCOLETTi, told ARTnews. “We hosted this party on Friday as a celebration of Frieze. We are no longer focused on selling so now we can just enjoy ourselves.”

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  • Seeing the Warning Lights Flashing

    Seeing the Warning Lights Flashing

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    From the Richard Dawkins Foundation Newsletter. Subscribe here.

    Hello!

    America is becoming less religious, particularly younger segments of the population. But that doesn’t mean fundamentalists have given up. A recent court case out of Indiana demonstrates that the teaching of evolution is still under assault by those who reject science in favor of the biblical account of creation.

    We’ll also look at the latest research that shows the trend of young people losing their religion is particularly strong among Gen Xers and Millennials. But we should also recognize that aspiring theocrats and Christian Nationalists are seeing those same numbers. And they are working to find ways to maintain (or expand) their power despite them.

    For there is also new data that clearly illustrates a link between Christian Nationalism and authoritarian beliefs. It’s chilling to see where some of our fellow citizens say they’re willing to go. But we must be clear-eyed about the possible dangers if we hope to overcome them.

    Sadly, there is no more obvious example of the toxic combination of religious zealotry and brutal authoritarianism than Afghanistan, where new religious codes are being enforced that have prompted “despair” among Afghan women and activists.

    Finally, it will be my honor to be the warm-up for Richard Dawkins and his guest, Alex J. O’Connor, when they take the stage this Saturday night at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. I will also be doing the warm-up for Richard and Michael Shermer on October 3 in San Francisco. Having seen several events on his current North American speaking tour already, I can tell you firsthand that it’s an evening not to be missed!

    The pro-science, anti-theocratic work of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science is, perhaps, more important now than it ever has been. None of it would be possible without your ongoing and passionate support, and we are incredibly grateful to have it.

    Robyn E. Blumner,
    CEO and President, Center for Inquiry
    Executive Director, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science

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