CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Barry Petchesky

The telescopes at Maunakea sit calmly beneath a sky filled with extraordinary light. Amongst these telescopes is Gemini North, the northern member of the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab. Gemini North sits at an altitude of around 4200 meters (13,800 feet). Not only does this altitude facilitate world-class astronomical observations, but Gemini North’s nighttime Cloudcams were able to capture the extraordinary light phenomena seen on the right side of the image. The column of blue and red lights surrounded by a bright blaze of white light appears so otherworldly that it looks like it must be a special effect. This breathtaking image, however, is entirely real. It features the lightning phenomena named a red sprite. Red sprites are distinctive because of their color, and also the direction in which they strike. The red and blue lights are shooting down from 50-90 kilometers toward the top of the cloud deck. It is extremely rare to capture these phenomena on camera and even more so from this unique perspective. This image was taken on 24 July 2017.

Science

There Is Some Mighty Weird Stuff Going On Up There

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on September 29, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

Must Every Leafy Thing Be So Freighted With Meaning? Yes, Yes It Must

A residential area on a quiet, atmospheric evening with street lights outside the houses on the street. The cover of the book 'Incidents Around The House.'

Defector Reads A Book

Defector Reads A Book Is Spooked By Some ‘Incidents Around The House’

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 04: A distraught Eagles fan is shown in fourth quarter during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams on October 4th, 2026 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Eagles Fans Demonstrate How To Get Humbled By Opposing Coaches

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 01: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers scores the first goalie goal in Rangers history against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on October 01, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Igor Shesterkin Caught His White Whale And Scored A Goalie Goal

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 27: A detail shot of the Wally the Green Monster home run mask in the dugout prior to the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on Sunday, September 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

This Is So Stupid

When Is It OK To Wear The Wally Head?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees celebrates after hitting a grand slam home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)

Rice Guy’s Twinnish Blasts

TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 27: in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on September 27, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

It Isn’t Over Until Max Scherzer Says It Is

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 01: A general wide-angle view from the upper deck of Comerica Park during the game between the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 1, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. The Mets defeated the Tigers 10-8. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Fifth Third Park Is A Terrible Stadium Name

Russian Alexander Ovechkin talks to media in a locker room after the charity hockey "Match of the Year" between Russian players of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) at the CSKA arena in Moscow on July 13, 2025. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP via Getty Images)

Alex Ovechkin Finally Faces Some Pushback For Supporting Vladimir Putin

There’s A Big New Crater On The Moon

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a solo home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Pete Alonso Has Mets Fans Down Bad

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Chris Johnson #28 of the Tennessee Titans is introduced before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars during play at LP Field on December 24, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans won 23-17. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

They Don’t Come Much Cooler Than Chris Johnson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 01: TV personality Barry Melrose speaks during the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Practice Sessions at Citizens Bank Park on January 1, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Barry Melrose Brought Hockey Home

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Aaron Judge Back

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco on February 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics)

Journalismism

There’s A New Loser In The Russini-Vrabel Scandal

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) In this NASA handout, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches with NASA'S Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope onboard from Launch Complex 39A, on August 30, 2026, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Roman will investigate dark energy and dark matter, conduct a statistical census of planetary systems, and enable a broad range of additional astrophysics research. Launch occurred at 7:26 a.m. EDT. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)

There’s A New Space Telescope On Its Way To Help Answer The Biggest Question In The Universe

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 31: Colton Cowser #17 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates robs Jake McCarthy of the Colorado Rockies of a home run in the ninth inning that would have won the game at Coors Field on August 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. Baltimore Orioles won the game 2-1. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Holy God Damn, Colton Cowser

Shining brightly in this Hubble image is our closest stellar neighbour: Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri lies in the constellation of Centaurus (The Centaur), just over four light-years from Earth. Although it looks bright through the eye of Hubble, as you might expect from the nearest star to the Solar System, Proxima Centauri is not visible to the naked eye. Its average luminosity is very low, and it is quite small compared to other stars, at only about an eighth of the mass of the Sun. However, on occasion, its brightness increases. Proxima is what is known as a “flare star”, meaning that convection processes within the star’s body make it prone to random and dramatic changes in brightness. The convection processes not only trigger brilliant bursts of starlight but, combined with other factors, mean that Proxima Centauri is in for a very long life. Astronomers predict that this star will remain middle-aged — or a “main sequence” star in astronomical terms — for another four trillion years, some 300 times the age of the current Universe. These observations were taken using Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2). Proxima Centauri is actually part of a triple star system — its two companions, Alpha Centauri A and B, lie out of frame. Although by cosmic standards it is a close neighbour, Proxima Centauri remains a point-like object even using Hubble’s eagle-eyed vision, hinting at the vast scale of the Universe around us.

Reds Week

Red Dwarfs Are Super Stars

Squirrel Leads Detroit Grounds Crew On Merry Chase

METLIFE STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES - 2026/07/05: Erling Haaland of Norway beats the drum as players and staff of Norway perform the 'Viking Row' to celebrate the victory at the end of the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 football match between Brazil and Norway. Norway won 2-1 over Brazil. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Soccer

I Sit In Solidarity With The Norway Fan Who Refuses To Do The Viking Row

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 14: CEO, owner and governor Tom Dundon of the Carolina Hurricanes hoists the Stanley Cup after the team's 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hurricanes won the series four games to two. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

I’m Not Sure There Are Enough Dundons On The Stanley Cup

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 06: Leo Carlsson #91 of the Anaheim Ducks skates during the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Ducks Screwed Themselves

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 28: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox is mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk-off single during the tenth inning of a game against the New York Yankees on June 28, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

The Yankees Had A Wretched Weekend In Boston

OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 25: Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators takes a break during a stoppage in play against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 25, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)