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Stargazers and scientists are getting a holiday present from the cosmos this week. 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet, will get closest to Earth on Friday, December 19, as part of its journey across the galaxy. Lets break the facts of this natural phenomena down because it sounds like it could be the plot of an exciting science fiction thriller. What is an interstellar comet? Much like a Christmas tree, planets in our Solar System revolve around our star, the sun. Its not the only planetary system out there. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains other systems, and if you zoom out even further, there are even more. The comet 3I/ATLAS is labeled interstellar because it comes from outside our star system and is not gravitationally bound to the sun. Its on an elliptical vacation of sorts, exploring new locations with a greater freedom than the other objects surrounding it. When was 3I/Atlas discovered? Scientists only recently discovered 3I/ATLAS, on July 1, 2025. The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System survey telescope, funded by NASA and located in Rio Hurtado, Chile, first laid eyes on the object. This observation caused scientists to go back and look over records from other Atlas telescopes to learn more. These pre-discovery findings found evidence of the comet dating back to June 14, 2025. The comet got its name because it is a tradition to name objects after the people or system that discover them. In this case, it was named after Atlas. The 3 and the I tell the world this is the third interstellar object found. Animation of comet 3I/ATLAS’s trajectory through our solar system. [Animation: NASA/JPL] How close will 3I/ATLAS actually get? On Friday, 3I/ATLAS will get the closest to Earth in its orbit, but close is a relative term. It will cross within 167 million miles of our planet. To put that in perspective, that is around two times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. The comet poses no danger to Earth, meaning there’s no need to hire a ragtag group of oil drillers la the 1998 film Armageddon. How best to view 3I/Atlas Unfortunately, 3I/ATLAS cannot be viewed by the naked eye. Dedicated stargazers will need a small telescope. But the silver lining is that the comet will hang around until spring. For best results, view in the early, predawn hours. According to NASA, those who are extra enthusiastic and planning a Friday adventure should focus on the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo, as 3I/ATLAS should appear near that location. For those who are without a telescope and would rather sleep in, NASA has done the work for you. You can visit the NASA website to view 3I/ATLAS from many different angles. Maybe the pictures will inspire you to write the next great science fiction tale. Finally, NASA’s “eyes on the solar system” tool lets you view a simulated live version of 3I/ATLAS as it hurls through space.
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E-Commerce
The Christmas holiday season is a time to step back from the busy pace of modern life and connect with our nearest and dearest instead of screens, apps and chatbots.Here are some suggestions on how to unplug from the online world for the next few weeks as you sit down for a festive meal, exchange gifts or take time out for some self-reflection. Do not disturb me Your phone already has built-in features that can help you stop getting distracted.To temporarily silence all those attention-seeking notifications, use the Focus setting on your iPhone or Android device. This mode is designed to stop interruptions when you want to concentrate. You can customize it by blocking specific apps or muting only when you’re doing certain things, like sleeping or reading.Android and iOS also have related screen time controls to manage overall device usage. Too much Instagram scrolling? Limit yourself to a daily total of 20 minutes.There are other tricks you could try, like turning the screen gray to make it less appealing. On iPhones or Android devices, tweak the color filter or adjustment settings. On Android, activating Bedtime Mode also turns the screen gray. Delete apps If you need to be more strict with yourself, then delete any or apps you’re addicted to. An effective way to stop looking at your phone is by removing those apps that you spend the most time scrolling through, even if temporarily. You can always reinstall them again if the withdrawal symptoms become too much. Get outside When the temperature drops, it’s tempting to hunker down inside and stay cozy. But don’t sit on the couch all day. Head outdoors, away from Wi-Fi signals. If it’s been snowing where you are, have a snowball fight or go sledding. To keep your hands warm, don’t forget to put on bulky mittens which your phone’s touch screen won’t respond to.Even if there’s no snow, take a walk in the woods, a park or along some tree-lined streets. Time spent outdoors, and away from screens, can benefit your mental health and physical well-being. There’s even a term for it: forest bathing. And touch grass There’s an app you can use to force yourself to literally get back in touch with nature. Touch Grass takes its name from a viral catchphrase for when someone has lost their connection to the real world because they’re consumed by what’s on their screens.It’s similar to other apps designed to restrict screen time by forcing users to take a timeout from scrolling. The difference is that Touch Grass requires users to go outside and take a picture of themselves physically touching some grass.Touch Grass has a free service level that allows you to block two apps. I found it was quite effective at stopping me from opening two of my favorite time-wasters, Reddit and Instagram, though I ended up spending more time on other apps like Facebook. To block all apps, you’ll have to shell out for a subscription $6 a month or $50 annually.If you can’t find grass because it’s winter, there’s also the option to touch snow or sand. It’s only available for iPhones so far, but there are copycat versions for both iOS and Android, though we haven’t tested them. Putting pen to paper When was the last time you sent a Christmas card? Most digital natives find it easier to type out holiday greetings or send digital cards over chat apps, than to put pen to paper.The consequence of all the time that we spend tapping, typing or swiping on our devices is that handwriting is becoming something of a dying art. But there are neurological and cognitive benefits of handwriting, research suggests. For example, taking notes by hand is a better way for students to learn and to remember information.So use this time of year to write a thoughtful message to someone special, a letter to a long-lost friend, or thank you notes for presents received. Pick up a book If you still don’t know what you want for Christmas, why not ask for a book? It’s easy to find inspiration and ideas at this time of year, when many people like to share the books they’ve read over the past 12 months, and outlets including The Associated Press compile their list of the year’s best books.Reading long-form literature or non-fiction has many benefits that can’t be gained from glancing at short-form bursts of text on your device, including a deeper understanding of a topic, developing empathy, increasing your focus and concentration and more. Lock your device up If you’re looking for a last-minute gift, how about a time-lock vault to put your devices out of reach for, say, 15 minutes, a few hours or even weeks?There are plenty of versions for sale online. For about $30, I bought a battery-powered gray plastic model that can hold several smartphones. The instruction leaflet says it’s intended to “enhance self-discipline.”Punch in the amount of time up to 30 days and a digital display will count down until it unlocks. The lid has portholes so you can thread in cables for charging while you wait.One evening, I locked my phone up for an hour and then grabbed my laptop to do some online Christmas shopping. But my plans were foiled because I forgot that authentication requests for my credit card and Amazon went to my phone. Not-as-smart phones For another gift idea, consider putting a brick phone under the tree. Also known as a feature phone, these devices cater to those who want a back-to-basics phone without all the digital stimulation that comes with a smartphone.Retro devices from Nokia evoke the early days of the cellphone era no touch screens, numeric keypads and throwback video games like Snake. Most can only make voice calls and send text messages.If that sounds too primitive, there are so-called digital minimalist phones that serve a similar market niche. Devices from Light, Punkt and Balance offer sleek, modern designs but with a stripped-down experience. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer
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E-Commerce
One of the best things about the Christmas period is all the yummy desserts found in peoples kitchens. But now one of the largest food companies in America is issuing a warning about one of those sweet treats. Heres what you need to know about a new recall from Danone U.S., which impacts one of its dairy-free frozen desserts. Whats happened? On December 15, North American food producer Danone U.S. announced a voluntary recall of one of its dessert products, per a notice posted on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is recalling its So Delicious Dairy Free brand of Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. The recall is due to concerns that the product may contain foreign materials mixed into the dessert. Specifically, there is a chance that the cashews in the frozen dessert may have small stones and other hard objects embedded within them. The potential for foreign material contamination is obviously concerning, which is why Danone U.S. is pulling the impacted products from the shelves and urging consumers who have them not to eat them. What products are included in the recall? Only one product is listed as being part of this recall, though the product has multiple best-by dates: Product Name: So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert pints SKU: 136603 UPC: 744473476138 Best-By Dates / Lot No (Exp Dates): Before 08 Aug 2027 The recalled product, as the notice on the FDA website states, can have multiple Best-By Dates / Lot No (Exp Dates), all of which are before August 8, 2027. Danone U.S. has also posted photographs of the recall product, which you can view here. It should be noted that the recalled product actually came in two different packaging designs. Products purchased before February 7, 2025, have a different package design than those purchased after. Has anyone been harmed by the recalled product? The recall notice does not state whether anyone has been harmed by the presence of foreign materials in the frozen dessert. Danone U.S. says, So Delicious Dairy Free is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the potentially impacted product from shelves. In the meantime, the company has already identified and corrected this issue and will soon be able to bring back the frozen dessert so many people enjoy. Where was the recalled product sold? The notice does not specify where the product was sold. Fast Company has reached out to Danone U.S. for additional details. What should I do if I have the recalled product? You should not consume the recalled product if you have it in your possession. Instead, the recall notice posted on the So Delicious website states that you should dispose of the product. For information about a refund for the product, consumers are asked to contact So Delicious via the contact form on its website. Alternatively, consumers can call the company on the So Delicious Dairy Free Care Line at 1-833-367-8975.
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