50-plus years

Christmas classics “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman” are moving from CBS to NBC. “Frosty” will air on Dec. 5 at 8:30 p.m., and “Rudolph” will air on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. If you have cable, both will also be on Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” lineup starting on Dec. 7.

Tags: CBS, Christmas, Freeform, kids, movies, NBC


It’s miles ahead: Toyota’s long-awaited solid-state battery is nearing production. It will go 745 miles on a single charge, tackling “range anxiety” once and for all. They’re also lighter and more compact than lithium-ion batteries, which means more legroom and cargo space. Finally.

👽 Hold onto your tinfoil hat: The Pentagon’s former chief investigator leaked a new government program to scoop up alien tech if it’s ever shot down. He swears there’s zero evidence of alien spacecraft so far. Meanwhile, a UFO analyst and a missile expert both claim that not only has the U.S. recovered a craft, but they’ve even been inside one.

Left in the dark: A woman went in for a gynecological biopsy, and she wasn’t given any anesthetic. The pain was so intense, she fainted. She posted her experience online, and it’s going viral. I hope she files a complaint with her local medical board.

💿 Guess we’ll never see “Biggest Hits (Taylor’s Version)”: In the late ’90s, compilations were hot — The Beatles’ “1,” for instance, sold 7.69 million copies in just 12 months (paywall link). Now, vinyl and CD collections are novelty items for superfans. Open Spotify or Apple Music, and you’ve got instant playlists of any artist’s top tracks.

Speaking of Warren Buffett: He just bought a $185 million stake in the HEICO Corporation, an aerospace and electronics giant. The company makes products for spacecraft, defense equipment and telecommunication systems. Yep, it’s a direct SpaceX competitor.

🚨 China’s powering up: Hackers working for the Communist Chinese government have taken over thousands of TP-Link routers, plus cameras and other connected devices. They’re using all that computing power to attack Microsoft’s Azure cloud service. Most malware can’t survive a reboot, so it certainly won’t hurt to restart your router, whether it’s from TP-Link or another manufacturer.

🎻 Keep calm and cello on: A Swedish composer put together a symphony with a robot cellist playing in sync with humans. But there’s good news: Afterward, the composer said, “It will be impossible to replace all human musicians with robots.” Watch the video here. It’s really something.

Many parents trust AI over doctors: Researchers asked parents to rate advice on topics like infant sleep and nutrition, and most found AI’s answers more reliable than actual health care pros. It’s always good to get a second opinion but remember — AI’s known to “hallucinate,” aka make crap up.

🎬 The Wookie’s cookie is a little Chewie: “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” drops on Disney+ on Dec. 3. Set during the same era as “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” the series follows a group of kids who discover a spaceship and embark on an adventure. It stars Jude Law as a Jedi and looks like a 1980s Steven Spielberg movie. Check out the final trailer.

Have an iPhone 14 Plus? There’s a problem with the rear cameras on phones manufactured between Apr. 10, 2023, and Apr. 28, 2024. Use this serial number checker to see if yours needs the free fix.