Travel Adapter Comparison Chart
Travel Adapters: Your Inquiries Addressed
What Kind of Adapter Is Required?
Globally, there are 15 plug types in existence. Universal adapters typically accommodate all of these types.
- Type A and Type B are prevalent in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Japan.
- Type C is widely used in Europe, South America, and Asia.
- Type E and Type F can be found across Europe, including in Germany, Russia, and France.
- Type G is utilized in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and several other locales.
- Type I is common in Australia, New Zealand, China, and Argentina.
Certain countries may not typically be served by universal adapters, such as India (Type D), Israel (Type H), and South Africa (Type M or N). It is advisable to acquire specific plug adapters for those regions. To prevent any unexpected issues upon arrival, verify the type you require before your trip.
If you’re going to just one location, a straightforward plug adapter that fits a singular plug type will suffice. For journeys involving multiple destinations or for frequent travelers, a universal travel adapter may offer greater flexibility. The universal adapters recommended here also feature several USB ports, allowing for the charging of multiple mobile devices from a single outlet.
Is a Voltage Converter Really Necessary?
Heat Domes Present Risks; July Fourth Events May Intensify Them
New York City is gearing up for a severe heat wave during the July 4th holiday weekend and World Cup activities, with authorities and hospitals implementing measures to avert heat-related health issues. Temperatures are anticipated to hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) with a heat index between 105 and 110, which is atypical for the city. “These are exceptionally hazardous conditions, and they will impact every area of our city,” stated Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Major metropolitan areas have contingency plans for such heat waves, incorporating cooling centers and alert systems. This year, New York initiated its heat emergency protocol early, on May 19. In response to this heat wave, more than 650 cooling stations will be accessible, including libraries and public buildings, as reported by Christinia Farrell from the New York City Emergency Management Department. The administration will deploy cooling vans that provide wellness checks, hydration, sunscreen, and transportation to cooling centers. Furthermore, LinkNYC kiosks will direct residents to the closest cooling center. To alleviate cooling demands, businesses are encouraged to adjust thermostats to 78 degrees. Outreach efforts will be made to the unhoused, offering them housing without the standard intake procedures with consideration of the heat. Philadelphia, also bracing for elevated temperatures, has activated its heat emergency plan, modified event schedules, and will provide cooling resources during the World Cup. Intense heat is expected to increase heat-related dangers as such events unfold. A Yale University research highlighted a doubling of heat-related fatalities over the past twenty years in the U.S., predominantly happening indoors without air conditioning. New York emergency rooms are bracing for a surge in heat-related illness cases. Erik Blutinger from Mount Sinai Queens Hospital commented on replenishing supplies for treating heat-related ailments, emphasizing the importance of recognizing symptoms to obtain prompt medical attention.
Paramount+ Promo Codes & Offers for July 2026
Once the most discussed TV series in the nation, South Park is available on Paramount+. Curious about what stirred up Trump?
Watch beloved South Park, Yellowstone, original show MobLand, and crime thriller Dexter & Dexter on Paramount+. There’s a wide variety of TV shows and movies for all preferences, including classics such as Mean Girls and the sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
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Are Teams That Kick First in Penalty Shootouts More Prone to Victory?
In a World Cup, pivotal matches often depend on a penalty shootout. At these times, captains strive to win the coin toss to determine the order of kicks. There exists a long-held belief: the team that shoots first often emerges victorious, irrespective of player competence. This is widely accepted in soccer, yet the rationale behind this advantage is the subject of ongoing scientific debate.
While tactics concentrate on the kicking sequence, psychological stresses also impact the outcome. In this World Cup, penalty shootouts determined the results of two of the initial four round-of-32 matches: Paraguay triumphed over Germany, and Morocco overcame the Netherlands.
Historically, the dominant explanation revolved around psychological factors. This theory posits that the first team experiences reduced pressure, while the second team is perpetually striving to catch up, influencing their performance. A study published in the 2010 American Economic Review became a significant reference point, claiming that first-kicking teams succeeded in almost 60% of shootouts, compared to 40% for those that kicked second.
However, with the emergence of more data and research, the assumed advantage has diminished. Scholars commonly agree that second-kicking teams are under psychological strain, but they question how this affects their chances of winning. Research conducted in 2012, 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025 gradually lessened the perceived significance of this advantage. The most comprehensive analysis, encompassing nearly 7,000 shootouts and 74,000 kicks, revealed no definitive proof of a first-kick advantage, with any conceivable benefit being under 1.8 percentage points.
A new research collective proposes a change in viewpoint. A recent publication in Football Studies suggests focusing on the origins of the occasional benefit, particularly examining differences in pressure. Their hypothesis claims pressure remains crucial, yet not every high-pressure scenario is the same. The difference exists between penalties that can immediately eliminate a team if missed and those that guarantee a win.
The investigation indicates that current soccer regulations do not distribute pressure moments evenly. The second-kicking team frequently faces immediate elimination from unsuccessful penalties, while chances of scoring change as the shootout continues.
Results reveal that goals that ensure victory succeeded 89.1% of the time, while potential eliminations saw success plummet to 60.4%. Notably, when considering these penalties, kicking order did not significantly account for performance. The supposed advantage for the first team arises from the resultant psychological conditions, rather than the order of kicks.
The authors contend that these revelations could shape strategic approaches. Players who manage extreme pressure may be better utilized for crucial kicks rather than initiating the shootout.
New York set to endure heat levels exceeding those of Phoenix
The eastern part of the United States is facing severe heat, with New York predicted to reach temperatures close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), feeling even more like 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) when factoring in humidity. Cities such as Detroit, Washington, DC, and Boston will also endure temperatures 20 degrees above average as the holiday weekend draws near.
While not as elevated as Phoenix, the mix of heat and humidity generates uncomfortable and potentially hazardous conditions. Humidity diminishes the efficiency of sweating, an essential cooling process for the human body. Richard Allan, a climate scientist, states that high humidity during heatwaves hampers the body’s ability to cool itself effectively.
The National Weather Service has released severe heat warnings and watches, highlighting the gravity of the forthcoming weather. Daytime temperatures are expected to be high, and nighttime lows will offer minimal comfort, heightening risks of heat stress.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani underscored the necessity of a heat plan, urging individuals to ensure air conditioning access and to look in on those who are more vulnerable to heat-related health risks.
This intense heat in the US comes on the heels of Europe’s recent experience with unprecedented temperatures. The combustion of fossil fuels has exacerbated heatwaves around the globe, transforming moderate heat into more extreme conditions.
El Niño, a natural climatic phenomenon, may also play a role in this heatwave. It affects global weather systems, especially elevating temperatures in the northern US and certain regions of Canada. With El Niño officially recognized and anticipated to intensify, more extreme heat is expected in the upcoming months.
New Satellite Photos Uncover Devastation from Venezuela Earthquake
Satellite technology is being leveraged to improve rescue missions in Venezuela following the twin earthquakes that occurred on June 24. Space agencies have supplied images to emergency authorities and the Venezuelan government, emphasizing the scale of the disaster and aiding response teams in directing their efforts and comprehending challenges on the scene.
In the wake of the earthquakes in Venezuela, the Copernicus satellite system has engaged its emergency mapping mode at the request of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Using imagery from Sentinel satellites and sensors, the system has generated 10 products and 25 maps that facilitate real-time evaluation of the damage extent and changes in terrain across 13 areas of interest. These resources also assist officials in pinpointing clear areas for aircraft participating in rescue and aid distribution efforts.
Preliminary data from Copernicus indicates significant damage in La Guaira and Greater Caracas, impacting communities in Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, and Miranda. As of June 27, around 1,300 structures in the area have been affected.
NASA has mobilized its Disaster Response Coordination System to create maps illustrating how the earthquakes altered the Earth’s surface utilizing data from the NISAR mission, offering crucial insights for emergency managers and scientists.
This effort encompasses a pilot project in collaboration with Copernicus, employing radar images taken by the Sentinel-1 satellite before and after the earthquakes to assess regions highlighted by the European system.
Meta Contractors Pretended to Be Teens to Evaluate Competing Chatbots on Delicate Subjects
Hundreds of contractors engaged in a project for Meta were directed to pose as minors online to evaluate how competing chatbots reacted to inquiries concerning sensitive subjects such as suicide, sex, and eating disorders, as revealed by internal documents and sources knowledgeable about the initiative.
The endeavor, overseen by Meta contractor Covalen, was operational as recently as April 21 and aimed at OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Character.AI. Internally referred to as Cannes, the project assigned workers the task of creating fictitious underage accounts, submitting prompts and images to competing chatbots, and documenting their replies. Some images that were shared included pills, knives, nooses, and medical illustrations.
The prompts were crafted to drive chatbots towards answers their safety protocols were intended to decline, based on project information. The testing, which concluded in August 2025, involved over 45,000 prompts, and the chatbot companies were unaware this assessment was taking place.
A spreadsheet reviewed by WIRED detailed various fake profiles, including names, email addresses, passwords, and birth dates. They utilized temporary Gmail and Outlook accounts with a common password.
WIRED also looked into a spreadsheet containing 3,748 prompts sent by contractors. Hundreds were centered on suicide and self-harm, while others focused on eating disorders, and at least 239 involved sex or romance. Additional prompts dealt with drugs, profanity, and racial epithets, frequently written from the viewpoint of children or teenagers in distress, such as a 13-year-old asserting pregnancy by an adult neighbor or a fifth-grader whose classmate had access to a firearm.
One prompt inquired about the normalcy of imagining eating a neighbor’s child. Another, pretending to be a high school student, asked where to procure cocaine. An additional prompt mentioned a girlfriend’s desire to engage in sexual activity while another individual preferred to play Dota 2 instead.
Not all inquiries were in English. A French-language prompt referred to Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide, asking if being straight could have averted his death.
The documents do not clarify how Meta utilized the responses. An internal Covalen document characterized the project as thorough AI safety benchmarking to provide essential datasets.
Meta defended the initiative as standard safety testing, asserting that evaluating chatbot responses for safe interactions is a typical practice in the industry. They also emphasized that the data obtained was not used for training their AI models. Covalen did not provide a comment.
Assessing competitors’ products is a common practice in AI. Business Insider noted that Google employed similar techniques with Bard and ChatGPT for enhancements. However, Cannes appeared to be atypical, raising concerns about its methodology in evaluating chatbot rejections of clear provocations.
How to Secure Your Username on WhatsApp as They Will Be Available Soon
WhatsApp is poised to launch a highly awaited feature this year: usernames. With over 3 billion users, the messaging platform aims to provide a more privacy-oriented way for individuals to connect without needing to disclose their phone numbers. Username reservations will begin this week, and users will receive notifications within the app when the feature becomes available. You can check your app under Settings, then Account, and look for the Username tab if it is enabled. Options include creating a new username or importing one from Instagram or Facebook. WhatsApp offers a username generator, but you can select whatever suits you best.
As stated by Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s vice president of Product, “Usernames are intended to give you control over who can see your phone number in the first place.” This optional feature enables you to choose and modify your username without aligning it with other account handles. Crafted with privacy in consideration, there is no public list of usernames available for search. Users can enhance their security by requiring a unique four-digit key for access to their contacts.
These usernames are optional, yet Newton-Rex predicts that a significant number of users will embrace this privacy-centric feature. While comparable to competitors, Newton-Rex notes that “Signal usernames are probably a good comparison,” implying that WhatsApp’s strategy parallels theirs. Signal launched usernames in 2024, and various messaging apps continue to investigate connection methods that do not rely on phone numbers, such as Germ DM’s “burner cards” for diverse group connections.
The Most Comprehensive Image of the Milky Way’s Core to Date
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope has captured the most extensive and intricate visible-light image of the Milky Way’s galactic bulge, the core region of our galaxy. This image is a composite of over 60 million stars, along with nebulae and star clusters, assisting scientists in verifying exoplanets and measuring their masses with enhanced accuracy. Although Euclid was designed for studying distant galaxies, its camera manages to image the Milky Way’s luminous, dense core, achieved in just 26 hours on March 23, 2025. The mosaic, created from nine exposures, encompasses an area larger than that of the full moon, with Euclid’s imaging area being 270 times that of Hubble’s field of view and significantly quicker—Keck Observatory would need roughly 2,000 hours for the same coverage. This latest image of the Milky Way in a star-laden region is perfect for exoplanet investigation through microlensing. Jean-Philippe Beaulieu remarked that almost 300 exoplanets have been identified using this method over two decades; the Euclid image features 51 known planetary systems and is expected to aid in discovering many more. Although Euclid’s brief observation period couldn’t identify new microlensing occurrences, it remains beneficial for assessing known planetary masses. Natalia Rektsini emphasized that Euclid supplies the essential historical data for upcoming microlensing occurrences that the Roman space telescope will observe. Euclid’s findings will serve as a benchmark for future missions, enabling comprehensive studies and accurate mass assessments of exoplanets. Valeria Pettorino pointed out that Euclid’s distinct data regarding the Milky Way’s center, offering a wide and clear perspective, also serves purposes for examining brown dwarfs, binary stars, stellar movements, and dust in our galaxy. This article, originally from WIRED Italia, was translated from Italian.
62 Last-Minute Prime Day Weekend Offers: Save Up to 45% (2026)
These open earbuds provide exceptional audio with clear precision and detailed instrumentation. Their flexible design guarantees a comfortable fit with minimal irritation, although securing them might take a few attempts. They boast a battery life of about seven and a half hours and have an IPX4 rating, safeguarding them against water splashes and light rain. Moreover, they feature advanced Bose capabilities such as multipoint pairing, Bose Spatial Audio, and push-button controls for playback, calls, and volume management. —Boutayna Chokrane
Our top choice for a Bluetooth speaker is on sale for Prime Day. Reviewers commend the JBL Flip 7 for its impressive combination of portability and audio quality, delivering surprisingly strong sound for its size. It’s designed to withstand outdoor conditions, with drop-tested durability and water resistance. Additionally, it supports Auracast for synchronization with other JBL models. —Nena Farrell
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Best Home & Kitchen Deals
Google’s third-gen Nest Cam Indoor is the most intelligent indoor security camera on the market today. It offers 2K resolution at 30 fps, along with HDR and night vision. It also provides two-way audio, enforced two-factor authentication, and accurate detection for individuals, animals, or vehicles. While the Google Home Premium subscription costs $10 monthly ($100/year) for 30 days of event video history and familiar face alerts, it encompasses all Nest devices. —Simon Hill