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Justice Department confiscates 50,000 Bitcoin, its second-largest seizure ever

After a decade of hunting, the Justice Department has made its second-largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency, confiscating more than 51,680 Bitcoin.

The digital tokens were previously held by James Zhong, who has pled guilty to stealing them from the Silk Road, a once infamous dark web site that was known as the “Amazon of drugs” for its access to illegal drugs, weapons, and services. While there’s no love lost between law enforcement officials and that site, Zhong’s theft of the Bitcoin was no less criminal.

Officials found the Bitcoin after serving a search warrant on Zhong’s home in Gainesville, Ga. A “single board computer” was found hidden in a popcorn tin in a bathroom closet that held the digital tokens.

“James Zhong committed wire fraud over a decade ago when he stole approximately 50,000 Bitcoin from Silk Road,” said US attorney Damian Williams in a statement this week. “For almost 10 years, the whereabouts of this massive chunk of missing Bitcoin had ballooned into an over $3.3 billion mystery. Thanks to state-of-the-art cryptocurrency tracing and good old-fashioned police work, law enforcement located and recovered this impressive cache of crime proceeds.”

About that dollar figure: The Bitcoin were seized on Nov. 9, 2021, Justice Department officials say. At the time, it was worth $3.36 billion. Bitcoin, though, has dropped precipitously since then, and as of Tuesday morning, the Bitcoin seized was worth just over $1 billion.

The Justice Department in 2017 sold off other Bitcoin taken directly from the Silk Road for just over $48 million.

Justice Department officials say Zhong registered nine fake accounts on the Silk Road in September 2012, depositing between 200 and 2,000 Bitcoin into the account. He would then flood the site with withdrawal requests (as many as five per second), which tricked the site into giving him multiples of what he had deposited. After doing this 140 times, he had withdrawn all of the site’s cryptocurrency holdings.

Zhong also forfeited $662,000 in cash, physical Bitcoin coins, an 80% interest in a Memphis-based real estate investment company with substantial holdings, and more.

He’s facing up to 20 years in prison.

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WWE Crown Jewel live results and analysis

Last Woman Standing match for WWE Raw women’s championship: Bianca Belair (c) def. Bayley

In an instant classic Last Woman Standing Match, Bianca Belair outlasted Bayley to retain the Raw Women’s Championship.

The match started hot after Bayley sat Belair in a folding chair and delivered a flying clothesline off the barricade. Bianca responded with a suplex on the ramp, but Bayley gained the upper hand when she feigned an ankle injury and sucked Bianca in with an attack.

Back inside the ring, she used a chair shot to Bianca’s back, and once perched on the turnbuckle, Bianca threw a chair to knock her off. Bayley was able to trap Bianca against the apron with the stairs and went to work with the kendo stick before Bianca responded with a spinebuster on the steps.

The match picked up with a Bayley to Belly on the ramp before she tossed Bianca into an equipment case. Bianca eventually broke out before the referee reached a ten count but was swiftly thrown into a crossface. Bayley then emerged behind the wheel of a golf cart and the fight continued on the roof. With Bayley incapacitated on top, Belair drove to the ring and tossed her off onto a table that didn’t break. A subsequent power bomb planted Bayley through the table, but she was up at 9.

Belair powerslammed Bayley onto a stack of chairs and then flew off the top rope with a 450 splash, but Bayley evaded. Bianca landed on the pile of chairs but was up at the count of 9.

Finally, Belair delivered a KOD onto a chair before she trapped Bayley in a ladder under the ring post for the ten count.

What’s next: With two successful title defenses against Bayley, it’s likely time for a new program for each, but Belair and Bayley always make for outstanding matches.


WWE Crown Jewel Results

Undisputed WWE Universal championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul

If you thought Logan Paul was a one-trick pony, think again. Paul, with the help of his brother Jake, pushed Reigns and The Bloodline to the absolute brink in an attempt to dethrone the champion of his Universal championship. After a melee broke out between the Pauls, The Usos and Solo Sikoa, Logan returned to the ring only to be met with a Superman Punch via Reigns. One spear later, and The Tribal Chief was able to escape Saudi Arabia with both of his belts. More to come from Riyadh on this match in a bit.


Bray Wyatt is in Riyadh, and someone has a message for him!



Undisputed WWE tag team championship: The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) def. The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland and Butch)

The Usos — Jimmy and Jey — retained the undisputed tag-team championship with a victory over Butch and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes.

The match ended when Jimmy and Jey connected on a 1-D from the top rope on Butch for the 1-2-3.

Jey Uso entered the match with his right hand wrapped; Michael Cole claimed he was dealing with a potentially broken wrist and would have an MRI on Monday.

Immediately, the Usos attempted to walk out and take a count-out loss to retain the titles, but Butch stopped them with a flying knee to outside. Butch later connected on a tornado DDT on Jimmy before he laid out Jey with a moonsault. Later on Ridge, picked up and slammed The Usos simultaneously.

The Usos delivered a series of super kicks followed by a double Uso Splash from the top rope, but Holland was there to break the count. Holland spiked Jey with White Noise before Butch applied joint manipulation on Jey’s injured right hand.

That led to Holland scooping up Jey before Butch super-kicked him, followed by a body slam. This time, Jimmy was there to break the pin, leading to the 1-D for the finish.

What’s next: The Usos will defend the titles against Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of The New Day on SmackDown next Friday. The New Day holds the WWE record for the longest tag-team title reign at 483 days. They’ll attempt to stop The Usos, currently at 475 days and counting, from breaking their mark.


Singles match: Braun Strowman def. Omos

Braun Strowman — listed at 6-foot-8, 344 pounds — defeated Omos, who’s billed at 7-foot-3, 403 pounds, in a battle between the two biggest men in the WWE.

Omos dominated the early going with a series of attacks punctuated by a running boot. He scooped Strowman up for the body slam with ease and then pinned him with one foot. Then he did the same a second time, both the slam and the arrogant pin.

Strowman finally countered with a series of right hands and then clotheslined him out of the ring after a second attempt. Once outside the ring, Omos flattered Strowman. Back inside the ropes, Omos attempted a two-handed choke slam, but Strowman countered with the running powerslam for the win.

What’s next: Strowman and Omos could head in different directions. After all, there’s only so much WWE can do with two men of that size in a match.


Six-man tag team match: The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio) def. The OC (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson)

In their first six-man tag against each other, The Judgment Day — Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio — defeated The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows).

The finish came after Styles set up Mysterio for the Phenomenal Forearm, only for Rhea Ripley to peel him from the apron and onto her shoulders before she planted him. Once back in the ring, Balor capitalized with a shotgun dropkick followed by his finisher, the Coup De Grace from the top rope, for the pinfall victory.

Balor attempted the Coup De Grace moments earlier, but Styles recovered and superplexed the leader of Judgment Day while Gallows and Anderson connected on electric chairs on Mysterio and Priest, respectively.

What’s next: This program is just starting with the addition of Gallows and Anderson and should continue to play out over the coming weeks.


Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre def. Karrion Kross (with Scarlett)

Drew McIntyre evened the score with Karrion Kross in a steel cage match when his feet hit the ground just as Scarlett was ushering Kross toward the door.

McIntyre was on the verge of escaping earlier, but Scarlett sprayed McIntyre and the ref with mace as he pushed through the door. That allowed Kross to crawl toward the door before McIntyre recovered and tossed his rival in the ankle lock, incapacitating him long enough to climb the cage wall and win the match.

The match kicked into another gear earlier when McIntyre delivered the Michinoku Driver followed a spinebuster. Kross responded with the Doomsday Saito before McIntyre connected with the Future Shock DDT.

Scarlett was able to distract McIntyre, allowing Kross to apply the Krossjacket, followed by the Krosshammer. Kross made it to the top of the cage, with his second foot over, when McIntyre caught him and superplexed him for the high spot of the match.

That’s when Drew made his first attempt to escape the cage door, leading to Scarlett’s interference.

What’s next: With the score tied at 1-1, expect Kross and McIntyre to end their feud in a rubber match at Survivor Series.


WWE Women’s Tag Team championship: Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky) def. Alexa Bliss and Asuka

Damage CTRL — Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky — regained the women’s tag team titles from Alexa Bliss and Asuka after Nikki Cross interfered.

Alexa Bliss was on the top turnbuckle preparing for Twisted Bliss when Cross intervened and connected with a draped DDT, which allowed Kai to secure the pinfall while Sky and Asuka occupied the referee’s attention.

Earlier in the fast-paced match, Asuka was being worked for an extended period before she finally found Bliss for the hot tag. She delivered a series of strikes and then a double dropkick to bring them back into the match.

Bliss delivered the double knees, followed by a senton on Kai before she connected with a tornado DDT. Alexa continued to pull out the stops, this time with a Canadian Destroyer she calls Code Red.

Damage CTRL set up Bliss for a double suplex off the top rope before Asuka joined the action for a combination suplex-power bomb. Asuka connected on a missile dropkick on Kai and then a codebreaker. She also hit a German Suplex for the pin before Kai delivered a Helluva Kick.

Alexa attempted Twisted Bliss, but Kai was able to get her knees up. Then, Sky attempted a springboard moonsault, but Asuka was able to evade. This allowed Bliss to drop Kai with a Twisted DDT to set her up for Twisted Bliss before Cross intervened.

What’s Next: After Asuka and Alexa Bliss were able to wrest the titles away on Raw, a rubber match is undoubtedly in order for the tag team titles.


Singles match: Brock Lesnar def. Bobby Lashley

Brock Lesnar escaped with the pinfall victory in an abbreviated, hard-hitting match between two of the strongest wrestlers on WWE’s roster.

Bobby Lashley locked in the Hurt Lock, his submission finisher, but with Lesnar reeling, he managed to kick off the top turnbuckle and, with the submission finisher still applied, laid on top of Lashley for the 1-2-3.

A stunned Lashley completed his heel turn by applying the Hurt Lock a second time after the match while boos rained down with Lesnar incapacitated.

The match started fast out of the gate, with Lashley attacking Lesnar before he could even enter the ring. He rammed Lesnar into the steel stairs and The Beast Incarnate sold a left knee injury for the remainder.

Lashley then hit Lesnar with a spear, and, once inside the ropes, connected on a second spear. Lesnar was able to exit the ring to buy some time to recover, but Lashley followed him and a third spear sent Lesnar crashing through the barricade.

After a fourth spear inside the ring, Lesnar, who sported a braided ponytail, kicked out at 2. Afterward, Lesnar finally began his attack. He took Lashley to Suplex City with three consecutive German Suplexes, followed by the F5.

Lashley was able to clothesline Lesnar over the top rope to the outside and threw him in a fireman carry before ramming him into the ring post. The Almighty attempted another spear, but Lesnar reversed into an F5 attempt. But before he could deliver it, Lashley drilled him with a modified spinebuster before the Hurt Lock was applied.

What’s Next: Following Lashley’s post-match attack and complete heel turn, it appears the feud could continue, especially with one of WWE’s tentpole events, Survivor Series, at the end of the month. Lesnar competes on a part-time schedule but it would be a surprise if he missed Survivor Series.

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EXCLUSIVE: ‘Jr. NTR called me soon after watching Kantara’ – Rishab Shetty expresses gratitude for RRR actor

Rishab Shetty, who is garnering praise for directing, writing and acting in Kantara, opens up on receiving praise for the Kannada action-thriller from Jr. NTR, and about his admiration for the RRR actor. Rishab says he is a big fan of Jr. NTR. “He called me soon after watching Kantara and appreciated me a lot. So I really want to thank him,” says Rishab Shetty. It would be interesting to see both the actors collaborate for a movie. Have they discussed anything on those lines?

“No, I haven’t thought about it. I think about casting only after finalizing the story and the concept. How do I develop a script keeping an actor in mind first? I don’t have that thought process. I think about casting after I finish writing the story,” shares Shetty. Besides Kantara, Rishab is also known for directing his 2016 Kannada romantic-comedy, Kirik Party. When does its sequel go on floors?




Rishab Shetty on Kantara 2

“I don’t know yet. Blank ho gaya hand. I will take a break for two months. All that I had thought about the films I wanted to make, has vanished now. So I will start fresh,” informs Rishab. And is Kantara 2 happening? “It’s too early (to talk about it). It’s been 35 days since the film was released, and we are still promoting it. So for now I am only talking about Kantara,” laughs Rishab.

Recently, Rajinikanth too praised the film on Twitter. “’The unknown is more than the known’ no one could have said this better in cinema than @hombalefilms #KantaraMovie you gave me goosebumps @shetty_rishab Rishab hats off to you as a writer, director and actor. Congrats to the whole cast and crew of this masterpiece in Indian cinema,” the superstar actor had written on Twitter.

ALSO READ: Kantara EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Rishab Shetty on his recent meeting with Rajinikanth: ‘That was a big fanboy moment’

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Apple, Meta, Tesla, Carvana And Why It’s Bullish To Keep Dogecoin And Twitter Apart: Bulls And Bears Of The Week – Block (NYSE:SQ)

Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors’ favorite stocks over the last week — here’s a look at some of our top stories.

The markets didn’t respond well to the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates by 75 basis points for the fourth consecutive time. The S&P 500 finished the week 2.87% lower after a sharp decline immediately following the Fed announcement. The Dow Industrials lost 1.07% during the week, while the Nasdaq Composite gave up 5.02%.

On Friday, the Labor Department reported the US economy added 261,000 jobs in October, exceeding economist estimates of 205,000 jobs. Wages were up 4.7% year-over-year and increased 0.4% from September.

Benzinga continues to examine the prospects for many of the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week’s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls

“Elon Musk Should Keep Twitter, Dogecoin Apart For ‘Most Bullish Outcome’ For Meme Coin: Analyst,” by Shivdeep Dhaliwal, explains why an analyst says it could be bullish if Elon Musk keeps Twitter and Dogecoin DOGE/USD apart, following his purchase of the microblogging platform.

In “Meta Platforms Hits A 52-Week Low, But This Analyst Is Still Ultra Bullish,” AJ Fabino writes that even as Meta Platforms Inc. META plummets to new 52-week lows, Tigress Director of Research Ivan Feinseth has maintained a Strong Buy rating on the stock and $260 price target.

“Cathie Wood Adds This Bitcoin-Linked Stock For 2nd Straight Day With $5M Buy — Also Ups Robinhood Stake,” by Bhavik Nair, notes that Cathie Wood-led ARK Investment Management loaded up on Block Inc. SQ shares this week, as well as purchasing Robinhood Markets Inc. HOOD shares.

For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:

Exxon Mobil, Chevron Shares Continue Rally Following Q3 Earnings, But Which Oil Stock Do Wall Street Analysts Prefer?

Nio Surges Higher After Hang Seng Closes Bullish Week: What’s Going On?

Solana (SOL) To The Moon? Crypto Analyst Sees 50% Spike If This Happens

The Bears

“Tesla Reportedly Shutters Its 1st Showroom In China As Elon Musk Company Rejigs Strategy Amid Softening Demand,” by Nevdeep Yadav, details the news that Tesla Inc. TSLA has reportedly shut down its first showroom in China as the EV maker looks to adjust its sales strategy in its second-largest market.

In “Apple Continues To Bleed Senior Execs As VPs Of Online Retail, Industrial Design Reportedly Quit,” by Shivdeep Dhaliwal writes that two key Apple Inc. AAPL executives are now reportedly headed for the exit after the company’s privacy chief called it quits in August.

“Carvana Stock Is Down 25% After Q3 Earnings Miss: What 3 Analysts Are Saying,” by AJ Fabino, reviews the reaction of analysts after shares of Carvana Co. CVNA dropped by 38% on Friday after the online used car retailer missed Wall Street’s top- and bottom-line expectations for the third quarter.

For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:

Musk’s Twitter Takeover Incites Complaints From Celebs Who Voice To Quit Platform

Larry Summers Says US Facing Complex Challenges: ‘Curbing Inflation Comes First, But We Can’t Stop There’

Coinbase Sees More Headwinds In 2023, ‘Low Revenue’ For Multiple Years

Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.

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RSV on decline but nasty flu strain raging in Georgia

“Currently, the United States is experiencing a resurgence in the circulation of non-COVID-19 respiratory viruses,” Dr. José R. Romero, Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases told reporters during a media telebriefing Friday. He pointed to elevated levels of flu; RSV, an upper respiratory illness common among children under age 5; and rhinoviruses, which are the most common cause of colds.

“However, it’s important to note that COVID-19 is not gone.”

The vast majority of children hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are for respiratory viruses according to a spokesperson. Flu-related hospitalizations are the driving force behind the current onslaught.

RSV, which had surged in infants and young children in August, September, and October, has been slowing down in recent weeks. The number of children hospitalized for COVID-19 at Children’s is a distant third.

Dr. Andi Shane, division chief for pediatric infectious disease at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University said most of the children hospitalized at Children’s for the flu have not been vaccinated. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot every year by the end of October, though the agency stresses getting the vaccine later is better than not getting at all. A flu vaccine can prevent infection, and among those who still become sick with flu, vaccination can reduce the severity of the illness

CDC data shows flu vaccine coverage among all children this year is at 24.8%, comparable to the vaccine rates at the same time last year of 25.2%.

Last month, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta said they were seeing an “unprecedented” number of sick children, forcing them to expand their emergency room with a tent erected in a parking lot. The hospital is also urgent non-pediatric emergency rooms to care for some children, especially older teens, instead of moving them to Children’s, according to a spokesperson.

A hospital spokesperson declined to provide specific numbers but said the surge is two to three times their normal volume of patients.

On Friday afternoon, according to the hospital system’s website, emergency room wait times were more than three hours at all Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hospitals.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as people stayed home and wore masks, cases of flu and RSV fell to historically low levels. Many people, especially young children, didn’t develop immunity because they weren’t exposed to viruses. Now, amid the loosening of COVID precautions, these illnesses are making a roaring comeback.

There’s no vaccine for RSV and by the age of 2, nearly all children have had the virus. Symptoms often look like a common cold and can include a runny nose, congestion, and fever. But in some cases, RSV can turn dangerous, especially among infants, leading to breathing trouble and complications such as pneumonia.

Meanwhile, the flu, which got off to an unusually early and drastic start this fall, continues to intensify.

Georgia is one of nine states in the country, along with Washington, DC, with “very high” flu activity, according to the latest CDC flu activity map.

The Georgia Department of Public Health reports an estimated 6% of patient visits to doctors were for flu or flu-like illnesses during the week ending Oct. 22, according to the most recent week for which numbers are available. That’s up from 5.9% from the previous week. There were 105 people in metro Atlanta hospitalized with influenza during the weekend Oct. 22, and so far this season two adults have died as a result of the flu in Georgia, according to DPH.

AJC data journalist Stephanie Lamm contributed to this article.


Flu by the numbers in Georgia

6% – estimated percentage of patient visits to doctors for flu or flu-like illnesses.

105 – number of people hospitalized for influenza in metro Atlanta

2 – number of people who have died in the state from the flu so far this season

Source: Georgia Department of Public Health and based on the most recent available surveillance for the week ending Oct. 22.

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NFL Week 9 injuries: Jets’ James Robinson added to injury report, Ryan Tannehill a game-time decision

Week 9 in the NFL got underway on Thursday night with the Eagles remaining perfect on the season, moving to 8-0 for the first time in franchise history with a win against the Texans in Houston. Now, we have the rest of the Week 9 slate on the horizon and there are some interesting matchups to sink our teeth into, including three divisional games and a head-to-head between the previous two Super Bowl champions.

Of course, with a new week of games comes a new collection of injuries that we need to follow. With teams finishing up the week of practice, they’ve released their final injury reports and rolled out game statuses for Week 9. Below, you’ll be able to find each of those reports and a breakdown of some of the biggest injuries.

All NFL odds via Caesars Sportsbook.

Justin Herbert will have to operate without his top two wideouts on Sunday, as Allen and Williams are out due to hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. Carter is also questionable to play, as he came down with an illness this week. Josh Palmer is definitely someone you should consider starting in fantasy and/or DFS. The Chargers won’t even have their kicker this Sunday, as Hopkins is out due to a hamstring issue. It will be Dicker the Kicker (Cameron Dicker) who handles those duties on Sunday.

The Falcons will not have their star cornerback Terrell for the second straight week, as he is still working through that hamstring injury. Wilkinson is out after not practicing all week, and then Harris is questionable due to an ankle issue. He was limited in Friday’s practice session.

Cracraft was the only Dolphin ruled out on Friday. Jackson was activated off of injured reserve this week, and he was a limited participant in practice on Friday. Still, he’s listed as doubtful to play. All four players who were listed as questionable in Armstead, Conner, Rowe and Phillips were at least limited participants on Friday. Rowe was a full participant, which is a good sign for his availability, but Phillips was added to the report on Friday for the first time with a quad injury. He was limited.

Chicago saw Carter pop up on the injury report on Friday and he did not participate in practice as he is dealing with an illness. Other than him, the entire club is healthy as Eddie Jackson and Teven Jenkins were among the players who practiced fully on Friday and carry no designation. Right tackle Larry Borom (concussion) also practiced fully and is good to go for Sunday. Chicago also is activating left guard Cody Whitehair (MCL) off injured reserve and he could be in line to start.

Hubbard was downgraded to a non-participant in Friday’s practice and has since been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup with the Bengals. That means it’ll be another showcase for D’Onta Foreman, who rushed for 118 yards last week. Jackson and Barno were both listed as questionable but did practice on Friday, which is encouraging for their status.

Cincinnati will be thin at cornerback on Sunday after ruling out Hilton after he was unable to practice this week due to a finger injury. The Bengals will also be without fellow corner Awuzie and have listed Flowers as questionable.

  • Packers: LB De’Vondre Campbell (knee), CB Shemar Jean-Charles (ankle) OUT; OT David Bakhtiari (knee), OG Elgton Jenkins (knee/foot), WR Allen Lazard (shoulder), LB Preston Smith (shoulder/neck), WR Christian Watson (concussion) QUESTIONABLE
  • lions: CB Chase Lucas (ankle), S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle), T Matt Nelson (calf), CB AJ Parker (hip) OUT; WR Josh Reynolds (back) DOUBTFUL; T Taylor Decker (snout), DE Charles Harris (snout), RB D’Andre Swift (ankle, shoulder), TE Brock Wright (concussion) QUESTIONABLE

The Packers won’t have their leader at linebacker on Sunday, as Campbell suffered a knee injury in the loss at Buffalo on Sunday night and did not practice all week. Aaron Rodgers has some banged-up linemen, as both Bakhtiari and Jenkins are questionable to play. However, both players were limited participants in practice on Friday. The wide receiving corps may again be shorthanded, as Lazard and Watson are both questionable to play. Lazard was limited all week, while Watson was limited on Thursday and Friday.

Swift was able to practice on a limited basis both Thursday and Friday. This comes after Swift was able to make his return to action last week against Miami after sitting out since Week 3 due to injury. He played 55% of the snaps last week.

  • Colts: RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), CB Tony Brown (hamstring), QB Matt Ryan (right shoulder), LB Grant Stuard (pectoral) OUT; T Dennis Kelly (calf, ankle), LB EJ Speed ​​(ankle) QUESTIONABLE
  • Patriots: C David Andrews (concussion), WR DeVante Parker (knee), OT Marcus Cannon (concussion) OUT; RB Damien Harris (illness), DT Christian Barmore (knee), S Kyle Dugger (ankle), RB Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring), LB Josh Uche (hamstring), DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (ankle), CB Jack Jones ( illness) QUESTIONABLE

Taylor has officially been ruled out after being unable to practice all week due to an ankle injury. This means that Deon Jackson is in line to start and should see an even heavy workload after Indianapolis traded away Nyheim Hines earlier in the week. The Colts also have Zack Moss, whom they acquired in that deal with Buffalo.

Mac Jones won’t have his center again this week, as Andrews is still dealing with the concussion he suffered vs. Chicago. Jones won’t have one of his top receivers either, as Parker will be inactive with a knee injury. He did not practice all week. There’s a bit of an illness going around, and it’s affected two important players on the Patriots. Both the running back Harris, and the cornerback Jones are questionable to play due to sickness. Harris was limited on Friday, while Jones sat out. There’s some concern on the defensive side of the ball as well, as Barmore, Dugger, Uche and Wise are all questionable to play. However, all four players practiced all week as limited participants.

Buffalo will be without safety Jordan Poyer after he injured his elbow last Sunday against the Packers. Poyer didn’t practice all week, so it’s not particularly surprising to see him ultimately be ruled out. Meanwhile, Von Miller, who missed the first two days of practice with what the team noted as an ankle injury along with rest, was a full participant on Friday and carries no injury designation.

Corey Davis was sidelined all week with a knee injury that he initially suffered in Week 7. He’s been put on the shelf since. New York has its bye in Week 10, so the hope would be that he can return after that. James Robinson was added to the report after a knee injury in Saturday’s walkthrough. He had five carries for 17 yards in his debut with the Jets last week.

Everyone else on the Jets roster is healthy and ready to play in Week 9.

Tomlinson will miss his first game of the season as the Vikings defensive lineman is dealing with a calf injury. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Khyiris Tonga will see an uptick in work with Tomlinson sidelined.

Washington will again be without rookie Jahan Dotson, who has been sidelined since tweaking his hamstring injury before the Commanders matchup against Green Bay in Week 7. On a more positive note, tight end Logan Thomas was a full participant on Friday and carries no designation after being limited both Wednesday and Thursday with a calf injury. Ron Rivera also told reporters that Chase Young — who was designated to return to practice this week — will not play against Minnesota, albeit after putting together a good week of work.

Darren Waller has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury and was a limited participant all week in practice, which has him officially listed as questionable for this matchup in Jacksonville. Head coach Josh McDaniels said Waller is “working extremely hard to try to get back as soon as he can.” Meanwhile, after being limited on Wednesday due to an illness, wideout Davante Adams was a full participant on both Thursday and Friday and carries no designation for this game.

Jacksonville is very healthy coming into this matchup as they listed just Jamal Agnew on the final injury report. He was limited throughout the week due to a knee injury and is officially listed as questionable.

Geno Smith won’t have the speedy Goodwin at his disposal this week, as he was ruled out with a groin injury. The same goes for pass rusher Taylor. Both players did not practice at all this week. Hart was limited all week with a hamstring injury, and then Blount sat out practice on Friday with a quadricep injury. Both players are listed as questionable to play.

Arizona ruled out Garcia, Hudson and Matthew on Friday. All three did not practice all week. Star safety Baker is questionable to play after missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday. However, he did return in a limited capacity Friday. In fact, all five players listed as questionable for the Cardinals practiced as limited participants on Friday.

Allen and Jefferson are questionable to play Sunday, but both players were limited participants in each of the last two practice sessions. The Rams’ injury report brings good news, as star wideout Cooper Kupp does not carry a game designation into the weekend. He’s been dealing with an ankle injury, but finally returned to full participant status on Friday. Running back Cam Akers may play this week after working through his issues with the team.

Gage and Goedeke were ruled out after not practicing all week. As for Brate, he was a limited participant all week, but isn’t healthy enough to go. Winfield is still working back from his concussion. Although he was limited on Thursday and Friday, he will not play. Hicks may return this week despite his foot injury. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but sat out Friday. He’s questionable to play. As for Davis and Murphy-Bunting, while they are questionable to play, both were full participants in practice on Friday.

Tannehill was able to practice in limited fashion on Friday but head coach Mike Vrabel noted that the quarterback will be a game-time decision. Tannehill suffered an ankle injury in Week 7 and missed Tennessee’s 17-10 win over the Texans. If he cannot go, that would thrust rookie Malik Willis into his second career start. Derrick Henry, who was held out of Thursday’s practice, was back as a full participant on Friday and carries no designation.

Kansas City is remarkably healthy heading into Sunday night’s showdown with Tennessee. Jody Fortson is the lone player listed on the final injury report as every other player was able to practice fully.

Ravens star tight end Mark Andrews missed practice for the second straight day due to knee and shoulder injuries. Running back Gus Edwards also did not practice again due to his hamstring injury. Cornerback Marcus Peters sat out of practice after being a limited participant on Thursday due to quad and knee injuries. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was a new addition to the injury report, as he was limited Friday with a groin injury after being a full participant on Thursday.

Running back Mark Ingram (knee) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) did not practice for the second straight day, while Saints wide receiver Jarvis Landry (ankle), tight end Adam Trautman (ankle), offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (rest/knee) , defensive tackle David Onyemata (thigh) and center Erik McCoy (shoulder) were limited participants on Friday.

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WWE Crown Jewel 2022 results, live streaming match coverage

The latest WWE pay-per-view (PPV), Crown Jewel, will be going down today (Sat., Nov. 5, 2022) from Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting at 12:00 pm ET, live on peacock (in the US) and WWE Network (everywhere else).

CagesideSeats.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, match-by-match coverage of Crown Jewel below, beginning with the first match of the evening and right on through to the main event.

Kick your off your shoes, relax, and enjoy all the action with your favorite pro wrestling website. And remember to keep refreshing! Note: To get in on the conversation on this show, visit our open thread here.


WWE CROWN JEWEL QUICK RESULTS

  • WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul
  • Raw Women’s Championship Last Woman Standing: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley
  • Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. Ridge Holland & BUTCH
  • Braun Strowman vs. Omos
  • The OC vs. The Judgment Day
  • Steel Cage: Drew McIntyre def. Karrion Kross
  • Tag Team Championship: Damage CTRL def. Alexa Bliss & Asuka (c)
  • Brock Lesnar def. Bobby Lashley

WWE CROWN JEWEL LIVE BLOG & MATCH COVERAGE

No lyrics today. As is my standard practice with these shows, I’m going to use my platform here to express my unhappiness with WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia. More specifically, owing to my nature as a queer polyamorous trans woman, Saudi Arabia is, uh… not very friendly to people like meand so seeing WWE act as a propaganda arm for this regime really sucks sometimes.

It’s only though happenstance, through the accidental details of my birth, to a family that supports me, in a country that (despite increasing amounts of transphobia in the media) is basically supportive of my right to exist, that I’ve been able to be the woman that I am, to find love with my gorgeous wife and my beautiful girlfriends, and it breaks my heart to think of my brothers, sisters, and nonbinary siblings who weren’t so lucky.

Additionally so it is an additional stressor that the Kingdom Holding Company (effectively owned by Prince Alwaleed) now owns approximately 4% of Twitter. Twitter has long been a community hub for queer people and especially the transgender community, and it is the place where I met my wife and my partners. Grappling with the knowledge that interests so overtly hostile to our existence will now have influence over such a large social media platform is intimidating, to say the least. (Thanks to my gorgeous lady wife for pointing that last bit out—I had more I wanted to say today but I ran out of time because these Saturday afternoon shows are killer on my timing with my routine.)

But as always, I refuse to sit back and leave my colleagues here at Cageside Seats, who have played such a huge part in making me feel comfortable to be out and proud as the woman I am (and who have no problem with calling WWE’s Saudi deal out for exactly what it is), high and dry, so I’m liveblogging the show.

On with the show!

The show opens with Titus O’Neil narrating a video package about how great Crown Jewel is.

Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar

Lashley with a blitz early, rushing Lesnar on the floor and injuring his knee, throwing him around the ringside area, back inside, a spear… NOPE! Hurt Lock reversed into a German suplex, another German suplex, the F-5… STILL NO! Bob comes back, sending him back to the floor, fireman’s carry and he puts the Beast into the ringpost!

Back inside, Hurt Lock applied in the middle of the ring, Lesnar claws his way up the turnbuckles…

Brock Lesnar wins by pinfall by reversing the Hurt Lock into a pin.

Post-match, Lashley puts Brock in the Hurt Lock again and chokes him to a more vivid shade of purple than usual.


We get a Liv Morgan video package.

Alexa Bliss and Asuka are interviewed backstage by Byron Saxton, who is wearing an incredibly loud Transformers Generation 2 colored suit. Bliss says you can’t put them on the shelf for a few weeks and get rid of them, this is months of retaliation coming to haunt Damage CTRL.

Alexa Bliss & Asuka (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)

Bliss and Kai to start, Dakota taking control with an armbar, whip to the corner, up and over, Alexa wants more! To the corner, elbow up, in the turnbuckles, jockeying for position, arm drag reversed to a pin, cover for two. Trading quick pins to no avail, Kai clocks her in the face!

Whip reversed, drop down works for once, but Dakota puts her into the ropes and makes the tag. SKY wants a slam, Bliss floats over and tags out! Circling, off the ropes, IYO with a lariat, Asuka returns the favor with a shoulder block and tags out. Double suplex, SKY lands on her feet but the babyface team hit a bulldog/facebreaker combination for two!

Tag to Kai, dropkick cuts her off, Asuka tags in, knocking Damage CTRL off the ropes, stereo baseball slides follow! Back inside, Dakota working leg holds, tag to IYO, dragon screw connects and Asuka is in a bad way! Tag to Bliss, coming in hot, fighting them two for one, palm strikes and kicks, double dropkick lays them out!

SKY with a backbreaker, Alexa blocks her from going up top and trips her up to set up a Yoshi Tonic… NOPE! Up top, jockeying for position, all four women involved… TOWER OF DOOM! Asuka legal, missile dropkick on Kai, uraken after uraken, kick combo, Codebreaker, bridging German suplex!

Twisted Bliss, knees up, the match breaks down, Asuka sidesteps an Asai Moonsault and hits the alarm clock! Alexa with a DDT, up top, Nikki Cross runs in and trips her up with referee Aja Perera occupied, hanging DDT off the top! Kai with a cover…

Damage CTRL win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship by pinfall with a lateral press from Dakota Kai on Alexa Bliss.


We get a Becky Lynch video package.

We see Logan Paul arriving at the arena and talking about how he’s gonna win tonight.

Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Steel Cage Match)

McIntyre ducks a lariat and gets right in with shots of his own, Kross gets a few licks in, whip reversed, front kick and a lariat and Drew takes him off his feet! Chops and punches in the ropes, big back suplex and McIntyre is fired up! Karrion with a throat thrust, looking to climb out while Drew is gasping, but he gets cut off!

Kross turns the tide again back on the floor, trading chops with McIntyre, smashing his face into the cage wall, choking him in the corner! Drew explodes with lariats, a belly-to-belly suplex, smashing Karrion into the steel! Kross gets under him, float over, into the cage, back elbow, McIntyre hits the Michinoku Driver for two!

Up top, jockeying for position, Drew with the spider belly-to-belly superplex! Karrion recovers, draws him up, but McIntyre smashes him into the steel first and follows with a spinebuster, jackknife pin… NOPE! THE KROSSJACKET IS IN BUT DREW ROLLS THROUGH INTO A SLEEPER OF HIS OWN!

McIntyre follows it with a snap DDT, kip-up, countdown but Scarlett is on the cage to run interference! Kross with the sleeper, he doesn’t have the arm trapped and Drew is able to ram him into the cage! Northern elbow lays McIntyre out, Karrion circles before deciding to climb the cage, but Drew wakes up and climbs after him!

Scarlett opens the door for her guy to walk through but when Drew cuts him off and beats him down she maces him, shuts it, locks it, and takes away the key! McIntyre climbs as she scrambles to unlock the door and let Karrion crawl out…

Drew McIntyre wins by escaping the cage.


We see Roman Reigns and the Bloodline arriving at the arena, minus Sami Zayn.

Reigns refuses to answer a question about Logan’s “lucky punch” and Solo Sikoa steps to Byron Saxton after. Paul Heyman walks up and mocks the idea of ​​the lucky punch.

Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, & Finn Balor) vs. the OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, & Luke Gallows)

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Neo-Nazi Karens Are Your Worst Nightmare – Rolling Stone

“I just entered the country with derringers
‘Cause them Karens just turned into terrorists.
— “Energy,” Beyoncé

There’s something about Emily (Stefanie Estes) that strikes you as being just a little off. Maybe it’s the edginess emanating from this tall, blond woman when we first meet her, though to be fair, she’s taking a home pregnancy test and seems upset by the result. There’s definitely something micro-aggressive about the way she’s glaring at the Hispanic custodian who just passed by her classroom — Emily is a kindergarten teacher — and macro-aggressive in her gooding a six-year-old boy into hassling the innocent worker. She certainly seems paranoid when, walking through the woods, she runs into a stranger named Leslie (Olivia Luccardi) and wants to know why the young lady is wandering around the area. Luckily, it turns out that they’re both heading toward the same church around the bend, where a support-group meeting that Emily has co-ordinated is set to take place.

Still, you can’t quite put your finger on why she seems to be ringing alarm bells in your head from the get-go, despite the palpable can-I-speak-to-your-manager-please energy around her. The two go past the pews and up the stairs of the rectory, where the rest of the attendees are already gnoshing on cupcakes and chit-chatting. Pleasantries are exchanged. Introductions are made. Emily puts the pie she’s baked for the occasion down on the table. And once she removes the foil on top, we see that our host has made a delicious-looking cherry pie…with a swastika carved into the top. (Cherry, because apple would have been a little too on the nose.)

And it’s then, right after Emily laughs the symbol off (“Can no one take a joke anymore?”) but before she begins righteously lecturing her fellow ladies on the “multicultural warfare” that threatens their very existence — the moment, in other words, when you fully glean that this support group doubles as a white-supremacy group (as the camera casually pans past their name scrawled on a whiteboard: the Daughters of Aryan Unity) — that you go, Aha, so that’s what was subliminally pushing my uh-oh button! Emily is the leader of a cabal of Neo-Nazi Karens, engaging in a “free exchange of ideas” at this koffeeklatsch. And they’re about to take all that misguided, riled-up energy and channel it into action.

A horror movie that hides its monsters in plain sight, Soft & Quiet is meant to disquiet you from the very beginning, forcing you to ride shotgun with these “jus’ folks” who mix matchmaking suggestions for single members with toxic comments about immigrants and minorities. These women are local shop owners and educators and mothers, “pillars of the community” types on the surface; one gentile Southern matron happens to mention she’s been a lifelong member of the KKK, but has been “more active in Stormfront” recently. Leslie and her fellow twentysomething new recruit, Marjorie (Eleanore Pienta), represent the new guard for these suburbanites. The latter thinks she might, in fact be in the wrong place — “I don’t hurry anybody,” she swears. Then, with just the tiniest bit of prodding and talk of it being a safe space, Marjorie lets loose on how she was passed up for a promotion and just because she’s white doesn’t mean she has it easy. It’s a baby step to invective and indoctrination, and an even tinier step to actual violence.

And when the violence comes, first via an encounter with two young Asian women in a grocery store — they have a history with Emily’s family, it turns out, though you sense that they have been targeted regardless of any connections — and later during a home invasion gone very wrong, the movie makes you complicit simply by refusing to let you turn away or come up for air. First-time writer-director Beth de Araújo has said that she started writing this film the day after the video of Amy Cooper calling the cops on a Black birdwatcher in Central Park, an incident which underlined the sense that such casual, if undeniably hostile displays of racism had now displaced the burning of crosses — that it wouldn’t just come in recognizable white hoods but behind smiles and a facade of “normal.” It was systematic and bone-deep. She also said that she wanted viewers to feel that they were experiencing a hate crime in real time, which is why the movie is essentially one long take, with 91 minutes of screen time detailing the same 91 minutes it takes for this group to cross a line.

It might seem gimmicky, or worse, a distraction from what de Araújo is trying to do with this descent down a rabbit hole of racist hate, all-American style. But it’s neither of those things. The formal conceit forces you, in fact, to pay attention to how easily combustible incidents like the ones you see in Soft & Quiet are, and acknowledge how embedded into our modern firmament this prettified poison is now. (It’s not a coincidence that Emily is a teacher.) And how, for those who harbor resentments and frustrations, centuries-old prejudices are still being resurrected as scapegoats for people who don’t know where to put there anger. If some of the exchanges you hear between these women seem exaggerated or overly dogmatic, they likely pale in comparison to the real thing. And they’re plenty horrific as presented here.

The filmmaker has mentioned that this extraordinary, extraordinarily uncomfortable look at potluck hatemongering is not a horror movie, per se — the people doing and saying and passing along these things are human, and not monsters. We’d posit that both things can be true. Soft & Quiet slyly buries the lede by letting us know what the title means 30 minutes in, while that initial get together is still in full effect. They must be “soft on the outside,” so that their “vigorous” ideas can be seen as mainstream. And that they’re “secret weapons no one checks at the door” because these ladies next door “tread quietly.” These Neo-Nazi Karens are the Instagram-friendly faces of the far right. They’re also our neighbors, which is why, for many of us, they’re our nightmares. And if this harrowing film does anything, it makes you recognize who and what are around us enough to wake you the fuck up.

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Interest rate rises boost Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway results

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is quickly becoming one of the principal beneficiaries from the sharp increase in interest rates in the US, as its fortress-like balance sheet begins to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in income for the sprawling conglomerate.

The interest the company earns on its $109bn cash pile nearly tripled from a year before to $397mn in the third quarter, it disclosed on Saturday, noting the gain was “primarily due to increases in short-term interest rates”.

Berkshire holds the vast majority of its cash in short-term Treasury bills, deposits at banks and in money market accounts, where interest rates have been rapidly rising as the Federal Reserve has tightened monetary policy. Last week the US central bank lifted rates to between 3.75 and 4 per cent, up from near zero at the year’s start, and traders expect that rate to top 5 per cent next year.

While tighter policy has sent shockwaves through financial markets — even bludgeoning the value Berkshire’s mammoth stock portfolio — it is finally beginning to pay dividends for companies and consumers holding cash.

Data from the Investment Company Institute showed that cash parked in money market funds that cater to everyday retail investors has swelled to a record high.

Buffett and Berkshire vice chair Charlie Munger have over the past decade presided over a significant expansion in Berkshire’s cash holdings, which they believe is critical given the potential catastrophic payouts the company’s insurance businesses could one day need to make.

It was a point underlined by third-quarter results that showed Berkshire was hit by a $3.4bn pre-tax loss from Hurricane Ian, which killed more than 100 people as it tore through parts of Florida. US president Joe Biden has said it will take years, not months, for the region to recover.

Berkshire’s insurance unit suffered an operating loss of $962mn during the quarter, with Geico warning that higher used auto parts prices and an increase in accidents were weighing on its results.

Column chart of Quarterly interest and other income ($mn) showing Higher interest rates start to pay off for Berkshire Hathaway

Buffett and Munger have long been able to stomach large losses in its insurance division because of the sizeable “float” — insurance premiums it collects before it must ultimately pay claims on obligations. That float has helped fuel its investments in stocks and fund the company’s acquisitions of businesses.

The sell-off in financial markets hampered Berkshire’s equity portfolio, which includes large stakes in Apple, American Express, Chevron and Bank of America. The company said its portfolio slide in value to $306.2bn from $327.7bn at the end of June.

Those declines pushed it to a net loss of $2.7bn in the period, or $1,832 per class A share, from a profit of $10.3bn a year before, worth $6,882 a share. Buffett has long characterized the swings in its investment portfolio — which it must recognize in its profit and loss statements due to accounting rules — as “meaningless”.

The dozens of businesses it owns, which are widely-watched for signs of the health of the American industrial and business complex, laid bare the resilience of the US economy while also signaling the potential slowdown engineered by the Fed. Berkshire’s results also showed the effects of inflation and the fights over better wages as real living standards come under pressure from higher prices.

Revenues at its BNSF railroad surged 17 per cent to $6.5bn, but profits slid as the volumes of freight it shipped declined and it paid higher wages to its employees. The railroad became a flashpoint earlier this year as more than 30,000 unionized workers at BNSF threatened to strike, pushing back against conditions and demanding a boost to pay.

A tentative agreement in September delivered concessions to employees and BNSF said pay costs rose 27 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier.

The energy businesses within Berkshire’s utility division reported a 17 per cent jump in revenues, boosted by higher power costs.

But the company’s real estate brokerage unit saw sales tumble by nearly a fifth, and operating profits at the unit plummeted 72 per cent from the year before as the housing market cooled and it sold fewer homes.

Berkshire said higher mortgage rates were also expected to pressure its handful of businesses in the housing sector. During the quarter, however, those businesses—including the brick maker Acme and flooring group Shaw—were able to raise prices and registered strong demand.

Overall, operating earnings rose to $7.8bn from $6.5bn a year earlier. The results were helped by larger profits in its manufacturing and services business lines.

Line chart of Total return (%) showing Berkshire has outpaced both stocks and Treasuries in 2022

Berkshire, which this year bought a 21 per cent stake in energy company Occidental’s common stock, disclosed that in the fourth quarter it would begin reporting earnings from the oil and gas giant as part of its results.

The company also said it had spent just over $1bn in the quarter buying back its own stock.

Berkshire’s class A shares, which are down 4.1 per cent this year, have far outperformed the broader market. The benchmark S&P 500 has declined 20.9 per cent while an investor in US Treasuries has lost 15.3 per cent, according to Ice Data Services.

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Visualizing the Evolution of Vision and the Eye

Roadmapping the Evolution of the Eye

Throughout history, numerous creatures have evolved increasingly complex eyes in response to different selective pressures.

Not all organisms, however, experience the same pressures. It’s why some creatures today still have eyes that are quite simple, or why some have no eyes at all. These organisms exemplify eyes that are “frozen” in time. They provide snapshots of the past, or “checkpoints” of how the eye has transformed throughout its evolutionary journey.

Scientists study the genes, anatomy, and vision of these creatures to figure out a roadmap of how the eye came to be. And so, we put together an evolutionary graphic timeline of the eye’s different stages using several candidate species.

Let’s take a look at how the eye has formed throughout time.

Where Vision Comes From

Tea retina is a layer of nerve tissue, often at the back of the eye, that is sensitive to light.

When light hits it, specialized cells called photoreceptors transform light energy into electrical signals and send them to the brain. Then the brain processes these electrical signals into images, creating vision.

The earliest form of vision arose in unicellular organisms. Containing simple nerve cells that can only distinguish light from dark, they are the most common eye in existence today.

The ability to detect shapes, direction, and color comes from all of the add-ons evolution introduces to these cells.

Two Major Types of Eyes

Two major eye types are dominant across species. Despite having different shapes or specialized parts, improved vision in both eye types is a product of small, gradual changes that optimize the physics of light.

Single Eyes

Simple eyes are actually quite complex, but get their name because they consist of one individual unit.

Some mollusks and all of the higher vertebrates, like birds, reptiles, or humans, have simple eyes.

Simple eyes evolved from a pigment cup, slowly folding inwards with time into the shape we recognize today. Specialized structures like the lens, cornea, and pupil arose to help improve the focus of light on the retina. This helps create sharper, clearer images for the brain to process.

Simple eye evolution

Compound Eyes

Compound eyes are formed by repeating the same basic units of photoreceptors called ommatidia. Each ommatidium is similar to a simple eye, composed of lenses and photoreceptors.

Grouped together, ommatidia form a geodesic pattern that is commonly seen in insects and crustaceans.

Grid of photos showing examples of compound eyes in the animal kingdom

Our understanding of the evolution of the compound eye is a bit murky, but we know that rudimentary ommatidia evolved into larger, grouped structures that maximize light capture.

compound eye evolution

In environments like caves, the deep subsurface, or the ocean floor where little to no light exists, compound eyes are useful for producing vision that gives even the slightest advantage over other species.

How Will Vision Evolve?

Our increasing dependency on technology and digital devices may be ushering in the advent of a new eye shape.

The muscles around the eye stretch to shift the lens when staring at something close by. The eye’s round shape elongates in response to this muscle strain.

Screen time with cellphones, tablets, and computers has risen dramatically over the years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies are already reporting rises in childhood myopia, the inability to see far away. Since the pandemic, cases have increased by 17%, affecting almost 37% of schoolchildren.

Other evolutionary opportunities for our eyes are currently less obvious. It remains to be seen whether advanced corrective therapies, like corneal transplants or visual prosthetics, will have any long-term evolutionary impact on the eye.

For now, colored contacts and wearable tech may be our peek into the future of vision.

Complete Sources

Fernald, Russell D. “Casting a Genetic Light on the Evolution of Eyes.” Science, vol. 313, no. 5795, Sept. 29, 2006, p. 1914–1918

Gehring, WJ “New Perspectives on Eye Development and the Evolution of Eyes and Photoreceptors.” Journal of Heredity, vol. 96, no. 3, 13 Jan. 2005, p. 171–184. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“The Evolution of Sight | PHOS.”

Land, Michael F, and Dan-Eric Nilsson. Animal Eyes. Oxford; New York, Oxford University Press, 2002.

“The Major Topics of the Research Work of Prof. Dan-E. Nilsson: Vision-Research.eu – the Gateway to European Vision Research.” Accessed Oct 3, 2022.