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If you're shopping for a new TV, Samsung should be among the top brands you look at. The company is one of the most popular display manufacturers, and the best Samsung TVs deliver an excellent balance between picture quality and smart features.

To help narrow your search, we've rounded up the best Samsung TVs you can buy right now. Our top pick is the Samsung S90C, which uses an OLED panel with quantum dots to deliver high contrast and bright colors. Meanwhile, shoppers looking for a budget-friendly display should consider the Samsung CU7000. It can't match the image quality of the company's pricier sets, but it offers a reliable smart TV experience without breaking the bank. 

Our guide to the best Samsung TVs also has picks for buyers who prefer QLED models, glare-free screens, or 8K displays. We selected our top recommendation based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by more than a decade's worth of experience covering home entertainment products.  

Note: All Samsung TVs we recommend are available in multiple sizes. Most stores let you select different sizes from each model's listing page. Performance may vary slightly depending on the size you choose.

Our top picks for the best Samsung TVs

Best overall: Samsung S90C OLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best budget model: Samsung CU7000 Crystal LED 4K TV – See at B&H Photo

Best high-end QLED: Samsung QN90C Neo QLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best glare-free screen: Samsung S95D OLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best for your wall: Samsung LS03D Frame QLED 4K TV – See at Amazon

Best 8K display: Samsung QN900C Neo QLED 8K TV – See at Amazon

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Best overall

The S90C is the best Samsung TV you can buy for the money. In fact, we think it's the best TV you can snag right now from any brand. The display uses an OLED panel with an infinite contrast ratio and quantum dots for better color performance than similarly priced models from LG and Sony. It also boasts a high 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC to enable smooth gameplay. 

Like all Samsung TVs, the display supports the HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and it looks stunning when playing compatible movies and TV shows. Highlights sparkle from the screen, and the S90C produces deeper, more precise black levels than any of Samsung's QLED models. It also has better viewing angles than a QLED, so you can sit to the side of the TV without seeing any major loss in image quality.

But while the S90C is fairly bright for an OLED, at a peak of about 1,000 nits, it still can't match the 2,000-nit peak of Samsung's top QLEDs, like the QN90C. However, since the S90C's pixel-level dimming enables much better contrast control than a QLED's backlight, we think this dip in brightness is a more than acceptable tradeoff.

Buyers should be aware that Samsung now sells a new 2024 version of this TV, called the S90D. We'll be testing the S90D soon, but upgrades are expected to be subtle. Since the new model is significantly more expensive, we think the cheaper S90C remains a better value while supplies last. 

Read our Samsung S90C 4K TV review. 

Note: Samsung's 83-inch S90C does not feature quantum dots, so its screen can't match the color performance of smaller sizes.

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Best budget model

Samsung excels at high-end TVs, but its entry-level offerings tend to be a bit overpriced for what you get. At least compared to value-friendly options from TCL, Hisense, and Vizio. Though you can get more bang for your buck from one of those companies, the CU7000 is a solid budget pick for anyone set on sticking with the Samsung brand.

The CU7000 uses a regular LCD panel with an edge-lit LED backlight, and it's missing all the step-up picture quality features you'd find on QLED and OLED models. This means the TV can't produce a wide color gamut, and black levels won't be as deep or uniform across the screen. The display is also one of the dimmest options in Samsung's lineup. It technically supports HDR10 and HDR10+ processing, but it's incapable of showing off the true benefits of those formats.

On the plus side, the TV does support full 4K resolution for a sharp, clean image, and it plays standard dynamic range content in high definition just fine, so HD cable channels and all of the best live TV streaming services will look exactly like they're supposed to. Viewing angles are mediocre, however, so you'll want to sit at the center of the screen to get the best image. 

This is a fine entry-level display for casual viewers who just want a capable smart TV and don't care about paying extra for better picture quality. But keep in mind, if you're willing to venture outside Samsung's lineup, you can find TVs with better contrast and color performance, like the Hisense U6K, for just a bit more money.

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Best high-end QLED

Though we favor Samsung's OLED TVs for their superior contrast, the brand's high-end QLEDs are still impressive premium displays, especially if you need an extra-bright screen in your living room. Samsung's QN90C is easily one of the best QLED TVs on the market, offering a solid step up from the cheaper QN85C and a brighter alternative to Samsung's OLEDs.

Part of Samsung's "Neo QLED" series, the QN90C uses quantum dots for expanded color, along with a Mini LED backlight. In conjunction with full-array local dimming, the TV's Mini LEDs enable it to produce deep black levels with better contrast and brightness control than a typical QLED TV. 

However, the QN90C's dimming still isn't as precise as an OLED, so some minor blooming (small halos around bright objects) could appear in certain scenes, particularly sequences with objects like candles. But, compared to cheaper QLEDs, the QN90C gets remarkably close to OLED-level contrast while delivering around 2,000 nits of peak brightness, nearly double what the S90C offers.

If you don't want one of Samsung's OLED TVs, the QN90C is an excellent QLED alternative. It's best for people who want an especially bright display and never want to think twice about burn-in.

Buyers should note that Samsung does sell a 2024 edition of this TV, called the QN90D. This model delivered similarly impressive performance during our testing. But it costs a lot more, and its improvements are minimal, so the cheaper QN90C remains a better buy.    

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Best glare-free screen

Samsung's S95D OLED boasts a new matte screen that significantly reduces glare and reflections in rooms with ambient light. The only other notable TVs with matte screens right now are Samsung's Frame and Hisense's upcoming Canvas TV, but neither of those models can match the S95D's high-end picture performance. 

During our testing, the screen filter lived up to its claims, nearly cutting down glare entirely. This makes the S95D uniquely suited for bright rooms with lots of lights or windows where distracting reflections can be a problem.

However, the glare-free coating does cause black levels to look slightly elevated in a bright room, causing the image to lose some of the inkiness that OLEDs are known for. Black levels are still perfect in a dark room, but perceived contrast does take a hit when watching dim scenes with the lights on. 

In addition to its impressive reflection handling, the S95D is the brightest OLED TV we've ever tested. We measured a peak of around 1,700 nits, about 700 nits more than the cheaper S90C. That's a notable increase, and it can make specular highlights and colors pop with a bit more intensity. However, we think the S90C's brightness capabilities are still great for most use cases, and that model remains a better overall value for most needs.

Like the S90C, the S95D supports up to a 144Hz refresh to get incredibly smooth gameplay when hooked to a PC. The S95D has a slightly more high-end design than the cheaper S90 series, using a separate One Connect Box to house all its HDMI ports. This gives it a uniformly thin profile of just 0.4 inches all the way down.

Buyers should note that you can still buy the 2023 version of this TV, called the S95C, for a lot less money. But that model can't get as bright and doesn't have the S95D's matte screen. If you're specifically looking for a high-end, glare-free experience, the S95D is the best Samsung TV to get.  

Read our Samsung S95D 4K TV review. 

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Best for your wall

Samsung's Frame TV is an excellent choice for anyone planning to wall mount their display. The unique TV is built to look like a piece of art hanging in your living room.

The Frame has a black border by default, but you can pay extra to get different bezel colors for the exact picture-frame look you want. Options include white, brown, teak, red, beige, and more. The add-on bezels magnetically snap onto the display for simple installation. 

Like Samsung's S95 series OLEDs, the Frame TV uses an external One Connect Box to house its video ports, which enables the panel to maintain a one-inch profile from top to bottom. When paired with the included slim-fit wall mount, the TV can be hung flush on your wall, just like a framed work of art.

The display uses a matte finish that's similar but not identical to the one used on the S95D. This finish helps prevent reflections and gives the screen a more canvas-like appearance. When you're not watching TV, you can have it enter "Art Mode," which will cycle through various paintings and photographs you can pull from Samsung's Art Store (subscription required) or a USB drive. A built-in motion sensor can even toggle the Art Mode to activate when people are in the room.

While the Frame's unique design is its main selling point, the TV also benefits from using a QLED panel, albeit without all the bells and whistles that Samsung's best QLEDs have. The Frame can't hit the same peak brightness levels as our high-end picks, and it lacks local dimming for precise contrast control. 

We don't recommend this TV for anyone focused on picture quality, but it still delivers a nice enough image for casual viewing. The Frame is really geared toward people who want the best Samsung TV that can double as an attractive design piece to hang in a living room, and in that sense, it excels.

This new 2024 version of the Frame isn't a major upgrade over the previous model, but it's sold for around the same price as the older set. If you can find the 2022 Frame model on sale for less money, it's still a good buy, but when they're around the same price, we recommend snagging this latest edition. 

Note: The 32-inch Frame TV features a Full-HD 1080p screen rather than a 4K panel.

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Best 8K display

The QN900 series is the pinnacle of Samsung's QLED TV lineup. It's an 8K TV, which means it boasts four times the total number of pixels as a 4K display, and it uses the company's most advanced Mini LED backlight system. The results are undeniably impressive, even if we still think 8K resolution is unnecessary for most people.

During our testing, the QN900C peaked at nearly 2,300 nits in Filmmaker Mode, making it one of Samsung's brightest TVs. High dynamic range highlights sparkle, allowing HDR content that's graded with peaks beyond 1,000 nits to come through with extra punch. 

The TV's local dimming also works exceptionally well to keep black levels deep with minimal blooming. Samsung's OLED models still have an edge here, but the QN900C comes closer to OLED quality in a dark room than any of Samsung's other QLED TVs. Viewing angles are also great for an LCD-based display, with only small shifts in color and contrast when viewing from the side.   

But while the TV's 8K resolution means it has the potential to provide a sharper image than even the best 4K TVs, there really isn't any 8K content to play. Outside a few YouTube videos, any movies or shows you can watch right now are limited to 4K or HD resolution. This means the TV will simply upscale these videos to 8K. The QN900's upscaling looks good, but we don't think the resolution bump is worth the extra money to most people.

The perks of 8K resolution are particularly hard to see on displays that are 65 inches or smaller. Instead, 8K benefits are more noticeable on sizes 75 inches and up since 8K's higher pixel density can give images a cleaner appearance on larger screens. 

The QN900C is one of the best-looking QLED TVs that Samsung offers, but it's not a huge leap over much cheaper 4K QLEDs like the QN90C. And despite having a lower resolution, we think Samsung's OLED TVs provide better overall picture quality thanks to their superior contrast. However, if you're set on purchasing an 8K TV, this is the Samsung model to get.

A new 2024 edition of this TV, called the QN900D, is available now, too. It also performed great during our tests but delivered very similar performance. Since the QN900C is often on sale for much less than the newer model, we still recommend the QN900C as the better buy. 

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How we test Samsung TVs

Our picks for the best Samsung TVs are based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by a decade's worth of expertise covering the home entertainment market. Testing consists of several key evaluation points that we use to judge a TV's overall performance and value, including high dynamic range (HDR) quality, brightness, color gamut coverage, contrast, local dimming performance (if applicable), viewing angles, navigation speed, design, and price. 

When measuring a TV's brightness and evaluating other technical picture quality attributes, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

However, test patterns only show one part of the equation, so we rely on real-world content to see how a TV looks when watching typical programs in bright and dark rooms. Our demo material is selected to feature scenes that show off black levels, highlights, color fidelity, and fine details with 4K Ultra HD, high definition (HD), and standard definition (SD) material. We also use various sources, including streaming services, cable channels, and a 4K Blu-ray player. 

General usability and design are also considered. We get a feel for living with a TV for a few weeks while using its basic functions and smart TV features. If a TV has slow navigation or is missing key functions, that impacts our assessment, but we place expectations for each model within the context of its price range. 

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Samsung TV FAQs

Are Samsung's 2024 TVs worth it?

Samsung's new line of 2024 TV models is now available to purchase. However, the company's 2023 TVs will remain available as long as stock lasts.

In many cases, Samsung's 2024 TVs only offer minor performance improvements, and most new sets cost much more than their 2023 counterparts. With that in mind, many 2023 TV models still offer the best value for your dollar. 

However, there are two notable exceptions. The first is the 2024 Frame TV, which is already selling for the same price as the older Frame TV. If you can find the older model on sale for less, it remains a better buy, but when they're the same price, grab the 2024 edition. 

The other exception is the new 2024 S95D OLED, our pick for the best Samsung TV with a glare-free screen. Out of all of Samsung's 2024 TVs, the S95D offers the biggest upgrade over its 2023 counterpart, with a 30% increase in brightness and a new glare-free screen that nearly eliminates reflections. That said, the S95D costs about $1,000 more than the 2023 S95C, which is a big price difference. So, if the glare-free feature isn't a key selling point for you, the S95C remains the better value. 

What kind of TVs does Samsung make?

Samsung's TV lineup can be best broken down into three categories: OLED, QLED, and Crystal UHD.

Samsung's OLED TVs use organic light-emitting diode panels capable of self-illuminating pixels. This means they don't need a backlight and can produce perfect black levels and an infinite contrast ratio. Most Samsung OLEDs also use quantum dots, which gives them an expanded color range. On the downside, in extreme cases, OLED TVs are technically susceptible to burn-in, and even the best models can't get quite as bright as top QLED TVs.

Samsung's QLED TVs use LCD (liquid crystal display) panels with LED backlights and quantum dots. They can't produce the pixel-level contrast and deep black levels of an OLED, but the best models can get brighter, and there's no risk of burn-in. Top Samsung QLEDs, branded as Neo QLED, also incorporate Mini LEDs with full-array local dimming, which enables them to get a lot closer to the contrast performance of an OLED. 

For more details on how OLED and QLED TVs stack up, check out our full QLED vs. OLED comparison. 

Finally, Samsung's Crystal UHD TVs use entry-level LCD panels with LED backlights. These displays lack the color, brightness, and contrast capabilities of Samsung's OLED and QLED sets. This series is meant for casual buyers who just want a basic smart TV and don't care about advanced picture quality.

All of Samsung's different displays are available in multiple sizes, often ranging from as small as 32 inches to as large as 98 inches. For recommendations at various screen sizes, check out our size-specific guides:

• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs

Does Samsung still sell HDTVs?  

You can still find some older Samsung HDTVs in stock at several retailers, particularly in smaller screen sizes, but the company only has one notable HDTV model in its current lineup: the 32-inch Frame TV.

HDTVs in 32-inch screen sizes and smaller can still offer decent value for buyers who just want a cheap, compact TV for casual viewing. However, given how affordable entry-level 4K TVs have become, we recommend avoiding HDTV models larger than 32 inches. 

Are Samsung TVs better than LG TVs?

Samsung and LG both make some of our favorite TVs, and it's difficult to say that one brand is better than the other. Instead, they both have pros and cons depending on your needs and which specific TV models you're looking at.

Regarding LCD-based models, the best Samsung TVs are branded as QLED, while LG's are branded as QNED. There are some differences in the panel technology each uses, but they're similar in overall capabilities. Samsung's high-end QLEDs, however, have traditionally had an edge over LG's best QNEDs thanks to their higher brightness and better local dimming performance. But that could change with the release of LG's 2024 QNED 90T, which impressed us with its improvements in contrast control during an early hands-on look. 

Both companies also sell some of the best OLED TVs, and it's here where the competition gets tougher. Most of Samsung's OLEDs use quantum dots, which gives them an edge in color performance over LG's OLEDs. But LG's top OLEDs, the G3 and G4, use Micro Lens Array technology to boost peak brightness. LG also has more OLED models and sizes, with options for more budgets. 

And no matter what type of TV you get, it's important to remember that LG's mid- and high-end TVs support Dolby Vision, while Samsung's support the competing HDR10+ format. Both high dynamic range formats offer similar capabilities, with scene-by-scene guidance for displaying contrast and color, but Dolby Vision is used on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs. 

What smart TV interface does Samsung use?

Samsung uses a proprietary smart TV interface built using the Tizen operating system (OS). Unlike other interfaces such as Roku OS, Android TV, Fire TV, or Google TV, you won't find Samsung's Tizen platform on other smart TV models or streaming devices. 

For many years, Samsung's Tizen OS featured a pop-up screen that displayed apps across a horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen, but Samsung updated its interface in 2022. Now, Samsung smart TVs use a full-screen homepage that organizes your favorite services and presents you with content recommendations. There's also a Gaming Hub section that lets you access cloud services like Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna. 

Samsung's smart TV interface works well across its lineup of TVs and offers access to all of the best streaming services, but it's not the smoothest OS we've used. Even high-end models, like the QN90C and S90C, are prone to hiccups and slight lag when navigating menus and content libraries. 

Most buyers should be satisfied with Samsung's smart TV performance, and no major services or features are missing. But if you prefer a different interface with slightly snappier navigation, we recommend checking out our guide to the best streaming devices for other options. 

Are Samsung TVs prone to burn-in?

Samsung's QLED and Crystal UHD TVs are not susceptible to burn-in, but the company's OLED models can experience this issue in extreme cases. Burn-in occurs if a static image is left on an OLED screen for hours on end — the CNN or ESPN logo in the corner, for example — which can cause a faint, ghostly image to get stuck on the screen.

Though Samsung OLED buyers should be aware of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to prevent burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel-refreshers. Publications like Rtings have done long-term tests with many OLED TVs, including Samsung's models, and while results do show that burn-in is possible, the tests show that people with regular viewing habits don't need to worry about it. 

As long as you don't plan on watching CNN all day long, burn-in shouldn't be a factor when deciding whether to buy an OLED TV. But if you tend to watch just one cable channel for several hours daily, you're better off getting one of Samsung's QLED or Crystal UHD models so you don't have to think twice about burn-in. 

Do Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision?

Even the best Samsung TVs are missing Dolby Vision support. However, Samsung TVs do support a similar format called HDR10+. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are both dynamic metadata high dynamic range formats. This means that compatible movies and shows can include specific instructions for how your TV should handle HDR contrast and color on a scene-by-scene basis. 

This is in contrast to the standard HDR10 format, a static metadata format that can only include one set of instructions for an entire video rather than scene-by-scene details. In practice, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ can deliver a more refined HDR experience with video quality that better matches the specific capabilities of your TV. However, these benefits over standard HDR10 are often very subtle. 

Though Dolby Vision and HDR10+ both offer similar capabilities, Dolby Vision is supported on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs, which makes it the more desirable of the two formats. 

Check out our HDR guide for more information about how these formats stack up. 

• The UAE is boosting ties with China's air force.
• It could be a scheme to increase pressure to buy the US F-35 stealth fighter.
• The UAE is pursuing a "balancing strategy" between Washington and Beijing, experts said.

The United Arab Emirates is expanding air force ties with China in what may be a scheme to brighten their dim prospects of acquiring F-35 Lightning II stealth jets from the United States. However, this developing cooperation will not likely result in Abu Dhabi ordering alternative fifth-generation fighters from Beijing.

Major General Saleh Mohammed bin Mejren Al Ameri, commander of the UAE's Joint Operations, met with the commander of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force on April 23 to promote closer air force cooperation.

The meeting occurred as the UAE's prospects for acquiring F-35s "may be getting slimmer," according to one analysis. Another even speculated Abu Dhabi may eventually seek China's premier stealth fighter: the fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon.

The US approved a $19 billion deal to sell 50 F-35s and 18 MQ-4B drones to the UAE in January 2021. However, the deal hasn't materialized amid Washington's growing concern about China's central role in Emirati 5G infrastructure and suspicions that Beijing is establishing a military base there. On the other hand, Abu Dhabi has grown frustrated with American preconditions about the extent of its technical cooperation with China.

The UAE ordered 80 Dassault Rafales from France in December 2021. It has also bought 12 L-15 trainer jets from Beijing and participated in a joint air force training exercise in China for the first time in 2023. Such moves did little to assuage Washington's concerns about expanding defense ties between China and its Arab Gulf allies.

Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi's budding ties don't suggest it is replacing its Western military hardware with Chinese alternatives.

"The main factor to consider here is that, unlike US policymakers, the UAE doesn't see arms purchases from China as a zero-sum deal," Ahmed Aboudouh, associate fellow at Chatham House and head of the China Studies Unit at the Emirates Policy Center, told Business Insider. "Abu Dhabi's first choice would certainly be to acquire the F-35 sale over any Chinese equivalent."

Aboudouh noted that approaching China to discuss procuring advanced arms is driven by Washington's hesitance to provide Abu Dhabi with alternatives, which the UAE views as "crucial" based on "national security considerations and high regional volatility."

Furthermore, Abu Dhabi wants its "balancing strategy" between Washington and Beijing to pay off.

Sebastien Roblin, a widely published military-aviation journalist, also sees Abu Dhabi's balancing act in play.

"The nature of the relationship with the Gulf states and the US is that they nurture secondary ties with China and Russia to create additional pressure on Washington to sell to them, as one might flirt with a third party to attract the jealous attention from a partner," Roblin told BI.

Both analysts see little significance in the L-15 acquisition and joint exercises.

"I still see the bilateral relations between the air forces as very superficial and symbolic," Aboudouh said. "Strategic depth in military partnerships takes time to build. I don't see this relationship developing into something similar to what the UAE Air Force has with France or even Russia anytime soon."

Roblin pointed out that while the L-15s are "respectable advanced trainers sold at a bargain unit price," they lack the benefit of "common systems" with the F-16 and Rafale jets, which Emirati fighter pilots will eventually graduate to fly. Furthermore, the Emirati air force fighter fleet is already large for such a small country, making it unlikely the L-15s will serve any combat role.

"So the sale, like the common exercises, serves as a warning signal to the US that the UAE may take its money elsewhere," Roblin said. "Of course, there's a risk of that backfiring and convincing Washington it can't be trusted with more advanced US hardware like the F-35 if ties with China grow too cozy."

Aboudouh believes it's "hard to predict" if the UAE might eventually acquire fifth-generation Chinese aircraft.

"The main factor at play here is the US vision for its military relations with the UAE," Aboudouh said. "In other words, at a time of extensive debate on a US-Saudi defense pact potentially signed soon, the UAE would be interested in a similar deal. Will the US, in turn, deem signing this deal with Abu Dhabi a strategic necessity to curb Abu Dhabi's expanding military cooperation with Beijing?"

Roblin also believes the "much-touted" Saudi defense pact could prove pivotal. If the deal is realized and leads to a Saudi F-35 sale, that could "indicate potential" for the UAE finally getting the fifth-generation American aircraft, too, provided it "locks out certain exchanges" with Beijing — such as Chinese radars and aircraft that could expose the F-35's stealth.

There is also the salient fact that China hasn't exported any stealth fighters and Beijing will not likely offer the J-20 for export. It will likely sell the export version of its lighter J-35, the FC-31, which Pakistan is reportedly interested in procuring, but those haven't entered operational service yet.

"The UAE also had a stake in Russia's Su-75 'export stealth fighter' pitched prior to 2022, but it doesn't seem appealing between risks of Western sanctions and Russian mass-production issues related to the war in Ukraine," Roblin said.

He suggested South Korea's KF-21 or Turkey's TF Kaan fighter projects could offer "less geopolitically fraught options" to the UAE. The Emirates is already reportedly interested in investing in the KF-21.

The UAE would probably not be interested in procuring advanced fourth-generation Chinese fighters either, especially given the enormous Rafale order it just signed.

Roblin also questioned why the UAE would buy jets like the J-10 and J-16 from China when it already has access to equivalent or superior Western jets like the F-15EX, F-16V, and, of course, the Rafale.

"Introducing such Chinese aircraft dependent on different weapons and communication ecosystems would be logistically senseless unless there was a broader project to convert to a Chinese fleet," Robin said.

"But I'm skeptical the UAE would go all-in in that direction."

• Did a worm eat Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s brain?
• The third-party presidential candidate said in a 2012 deposition that a doctor suggested a parasite hurt him.
• We spoke to an expert, who said a brain-eating tapeworm larvae would be impossible.

Brain-eating worms? Not likely.

A shocking report in The New York Times on Wednesday revealed that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested in a 2012 deposition that doctors had found a dead worm in his brain.

In the court proceeding — part of his divorce from his second wife — Kennedy said that he had short-term and long-term memory loss, according to The Times.

Kennedy said he had visited doctors in 2010 who thought he had a brain tumor, but another doctor suggested that a dark spot on Kennedy's brain scan was "caused by a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died," The Times reported.

Kennedy argued in the deposition that he couldn't make as much money due to his health, and also revealed that he had mercury poisoning around the same time.

Kennedy has portrayed himself as the younger, more healthy alternative to the other two men running for president, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

His campaign's press secretary confirmed that Kennedy was infected with a parasite 10 years ago and said it was resolved. His campaign told Business Insider that Kennedy is in "robust physical and mental health" and said questioning his fitness is a "hilarious suggestion, given his competition."

But could a parasitic worm even cause that kind of damage? One medical expert told Business Insider that Kennedy's version of events doesn't quite add up.

Dr. Janina Caira, a University of Connecticut professor and tapeworm specialist, told BI that Kennedy's parasite sounds more like the larvae of a pork tapeworm.

That would be rare, Caira said in an email. Humans can be infected with the adult worm by eating undercooked pork, but can only be infected with the larvae after eating food or drinking water contaminated by the feces of someone with an adult tapeworm infection.

"This typically happens in areas with poor sanitation," Caira said. "So, it is possible that he could have contracted the infection in South Asia if he came into contact with food or water contaminated with eggs of the tapeworm."

But there's no way the larvae could have consumed Kennedy's brain tissue.

"Absolutely not," Caira wrote. 

She said the larvae don't have mouths or digestive systems. Instead, they absorb nutrients through the surface of their bodies. While Caira said it is possible that a worm could do some "mechanical damage" to nearby brain tissue, the larvae are very small, and a single one "would not cause much damage."

That lines up with what experts, who were skeptical of the details, told The New York Times.

However, Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and global health advocate who is a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology & microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, wrote on X that "neuroparasitic diseases" and "parasitic worms have a huge impact on the human brain."

Hotez said the diseases are seen in poor populations, with a "surprising amount of illness" in southern states and Texas. He said his team at the National School of Tropical Medicine is working on low-cost vaccines to prevent the conditions.

Rob Holmes is a private investigator. He works with major luxury-watch brands to track down fakes and stop them from getting to market.

Holmes speaks with Business Insider about how counterfeits are made in factories overseas. He gives details about how fake luxury goods are trafficked into the United States and distributed to consumers, tells us how the counterfeit industry has evolved with the rise of a new generation of "superfakes," and gives advice about how to spot a counterfeit. He also examines a genuine Rolex and gives tips on how to spot a genuine watch.

Holmes began investigating counterfeits during his childhood: His father, Rob Sr., was a renowned counterfeit investigator in New York in the 1980s. Holmes describes his dad's encounters with Chinatown gangs and tells Business Insider how he and his brother are carrying on their father's legacy through their investigations business, MI:33.

Find out more:

https://linktr.ee/holmespi

https://mi33.co/

• A brewing US-China cold war could drag global economic growth down as much as 7%, an IMF official said this week. 
• The emergence of "connector" countries is why the effect of ongoing tensions hasn't been bigger. 
• Trade fragmentation carries a higher price tag compared to the US-Soviet cold war, the official said. 

A more intense cold war between the US and China would have a potentially dire impact on the global economy, according to an official from the International Monetary Fund. 

Speaking at Stanford University on Tuesday, IMF deputy managing director Gita Gopinath said that while US-China tensions haven't yet devolved into a full-blown cold war, such an escalation would be a major headwind to global growth. 

The IMF predicts that the global economy could incur economic costs equivalent to as much as 7% of the world's GDP in the worst-case scenario and take a 0.2% hit to growth in milder scenarios. 

According to the fund, lower-income countries could suffer four times the loss of economic output compared to other nations if commodity markets split into blocs aligned with either China or the US. 

Conflict between the world's two largest economies has escalated to a new heights since the pandemic. With China's growing economic ambitions and recent aggressions against neighboring countries, the US has put up new guardrails in its dealing with China, including restricting trade in key areas both countries are racing to dominate, such as AI.

IMF data shows that more than 3,000 trade restrictions were imposed globally in 2022 and 2023, more than triple the count from 2019, with Gopinath saying that trade within the China and US blocs has dropped compared to intra-group trade.

The tensions have also dented flows of foreign capital to China, with the country suffering its first foreign investment deficit in November 2023 and seeing further declines in the first three months of 2024. 

The emergence of "connector" countries, which have acted as neutral go-betweens for the US and China, may be the reason the impact of tensions hasn't been greater. 

"The emergence of these 'connector' countries—perhaps most notably Mexico and Vietnam—may have helped cushion the global economic impact of direct trade decoupling between the U.S. and China," Gopinath said. 

Zooming out, Gopinath highlighted that geopolitical instability in regions like the Middle East and turmoil stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war has sparked trade turbulence unseen since the Cold War. 

The IMF emphasized that trade fragmentation carries a higher price tag today, with the goods trade-to-GDP ratio now at 45% compared to 16% at the onset of the Cold War.

• The US Marines' new amphibious combat vehicle made its first overseas deployment in the Philippines.
• US and Philippine troops conducted drills in the South China Sea to strengthen security in the region.
• The service temporarily suspended ACV operations following multiple rollovers in 2022.

The Marine Corps' new amphibious combat vehicle, or ACV, debuted in the Philippines as part of its first overseas deployment after more than a year-and-a-half of limited operations.

Marines aboard ACVs launched from amphibious ships in the Pacific on Saturday to conduct live-fire training in the Philippines, the service said in a statement. The Marine unit involved in the training was the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MEU, a unit out of Camp Pendleton, California, which deployed this spring for partner exercises across the Pacific.

The ACV was involved in multiple rollovers in 2022, which did not result in any injuries or deaths then, but the Corps temporarily pulled the vehicles from service to better train Marines in operating them. Amid the preparation for its deployment to the Pacific this year, a Marine was killed in an on-land ACV rollover incident in December.

"The hard work and dedication of our Marines is what made today's training successful," Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU, said in a statement Saturday. "Today's training is a proof of concept across the Marine Corps for successful ACV employment in its intended environment."

The deployment of the vehicle occurred during Exercise Balikatan '24, which involved US training with the Philippine military meant to build the partnership and counter Chinese influence in the region.

A platoon of ACV Marines left the USS Harpers Ferry and attacked targets along the shore of Oyster Bay, Philippines, with MK19 grenade launchers. After wrapping up the attack, the ACVs reembarked aboard the Harpers Ferry.

In 2022, the vehicle rolled over twice on land, which prompted the Marine Corps to pull the ACV from surf operations while it recertified crews to operate it. Late last year, a Marine with the 15th MEU, Sgt. Matthew Bylski, died after the vehicle rolled over on land during an exercise to prepare for the unit's current deployment.

The following month, after the Corps said it had recertify its crews, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Chris Mahoney, announced that the ACV was again operating in the surf and the 15th MEU would be deploying with them to the Pacific.

The new ACVs can deploy from amphibious ships, travel across the water and take beachheads. It replaced a decades-old platform that had a troubled history, including a 2020 incident that resulted in the deaths of eight Marines and one sailor.

That vehicle, called the amphibious assault vehicle, or AAV, had been used since the 1970s. It was lighter and had tracks, different from the wheeled ACV, which weighs roughly 70,000 pounds when fully loaded.

The 15th MEU is deployed as part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, or ARG, which includes the Harpers Ferry and USS Somerset.

Part of the 15th MEU's deployment in April was met with trouble due to the readiness of the USS Boxer, the ARG's namesake. After suffering engineering issues, the Boxer returned to San Diego, causing Marines and sailors to be offloaded so repairs could be made.

The Boxer had already been delayed by months, Military.com previously reported, due to maintenance issues.

Editor's note: this story has been updated to correct the name of the amphibious combat vehicle.

• A Tesla owner posted a video trying out the new Cybertruck frunk update by closing it on his finger.
• The experiment led to his finger getting hurt and ending up in a splint.
• The video follows a trend of testing the frunk's safety by closing it on body parts, which isn't advisable.

Tesla owner Joseph Fay said the trend of sticking body parts in the Cyberfrunk frunk to test if it'll close on them needs to end, following an experiment that left his finger in a splint.

Fay stitched a video of a Cybertruck owner closing the frunk on his finger and initially tried out the trend himself prior to the update, which was said to improve the sensor. He placed his arm, hand, and finally finger in the frunk. The frunk left him sore the first time but didn't make a major impact, he said.

After receiving comments that he pointed his finger upward, which may have prevented the frunk from crushing it, Fay said he decided to retry the video with the new update.

Fay was heard struggling in the video and yelling "ow" as he tried to remove his finger from the frunk. The next shot in the video showed him with a splint on his finger. He said the whole trend of sticking body parts inside Tesla's frunk should stop.

"We can kind of cancel that now," Fay said in the video. "I think we can end that. Big thumbs down."

Fay told BI he didn't go to the doctor after he hurt his finger, but he probably should have. He said a previous video showing the wound was removed by TikTok. Business Insider viewed two videos that showed the injured finger, including one with a clear opening in the skin that appeared to extend down to his tendon. In the current version, viewers can see a less graphic version of a deep dent on both sides of his finger.

"The first couple days, I couldn't move my finger at all and I had it in that splint," Fay told BI. "The past couple days, I've had it out and could move it around but it's very tender."

The original video came from Tesla vlogger Jeremy Judkins, who tested out the new Cybertruck update by closing the frunk on his finger, leaving it with a dent and a small skin tear. Others have since tried out the experiment, with one user testing it with a pinky.

After making the video, he released a follow-up saying a Tesla engineer had told him about a new algorithm with the update that makes it close harder each attempt after it senses an obstruction.

Fay said he didn't realize there was an algorithm that made the frunk close harder when it senses resistance. The Cybertruck owner said he closed the frunk on multiple items off-camera before eventually trying his finger.

"Unfortunately when I tried my finger, it was at max strength," Fay said.

Fay said he regrets putting his finger in the frunk and said the biggest lesson is that no one should put anything they don't want breaking in the way of something automatic.

"It got a lot of views and earned a little bit of money," Fay said. "But at the sacrifice of my finger, no I am not glad I did it."

Judkins, whose video of the finger test initially went viral, told BI he didn't mean to start a trend and made the original video as a "little experiment." While the update made it safer, Judkins concluded in his video that it still wasn't fully safe for a finger — and abstained from trying it again.

Tesla has a warning in the owner's manual that says to "use caution around the panel edges on Cybertruck," including the powered frunk. The manual states "neglecting to follow the correct opening procedure for front and rear doors can lead to injury."

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

• An ayahuasca-inspired commencement speech didn't go too well at Ohio State University.
• Alum and jewelry entrepreneur Chris Pan lauded bitcoin and sang songs. He got booed.
• Pan said he was surprised by the hate and wants to talk to his critics.

A commencement address at Ohio State University (OSU) over the weekend took a wild detour.

Speaker Christopher Pan lauded the benefits of bitcoin — prompting groans and boos from the college students gathered in the stadium.

But Pan tells Business Insider he was surprised and pained that his well-intentioned speech became overshadowed by a "bitcoin rabbit hole," and that he's talking with angry detractors on social media in order to grow from the experience.

During his remarks on Sunday, Pan — an OSU grad who founded the inspirational jewelry brand MyIntent — called the cryptocurrency "a very misunderstood asset class," as the audience booed, according to a video posted on Reddit.

The boos could even be heard on the school's livestream of the speech, which featured Pan putting up a slide comparing bitcoin's value to that of a home.

He then did a magic trick on stage — calling up the university's president and turning quarters into a golden physical bitcoin.

He then tried to lead sing-a-longs and sang "What's Going On?" by the 4 Non Blondes and "This Little Light of Mine."

During the speech, he promised audience members free bracelets from MyIntent as an apology for the bitcoin remarks.

It was an unconventional address, to say the least.

"Would I have done it differently knowing what I know now? Yeah."

Before the commencement, Pan wrote on LinkedIn that he'd taken ayahuasca to help prepare the speech.

Pan told BI that he's been working with ayahuasca since 2019 to heal lifelong bullying. OSU even operates a psychedelic research center, he noted.

He also told BI that he'd always intended to donate the bracelets, which he said cost his company $250,000.

The taunts in and out of the stadium were painful, he told BI.

"Have you ever been booed by 70,000 people? It fucking hurt," Pan said. "I've never experienced this much hate in my life."

He said he only brought bitcoin up to underscore the importance of investing, having gotten into the cryptocurrency himself three months ago.

Still, bitcoin supporters have been cheering him online, and Pan said he thinks the hate was coming from a "vocal minority."

"I came in heart wide open," he said. "I came in wanting to really give the best I could to this community."

In the aftermath of the speech, Pan said he is communicating with angry commenters, while also feeling grateful for support during a difficult time.

He's working on a letter to students and parents to bring whatever resolution he can.

"Do I stand by the speech? A hundred percent because it's my truth," he said. "Would I have done it differently knowing what I know now? Yeah. I would've reshaped it to make it more of a traditional experience."

By Allison McLellan, Indeed senior content writer, employer content marketing

A staggering 99% of 300 US hiring managers say sourcing qualified talent is a challenge, according to a recent Indeed-commissioned survey with Harris Poll¹, and over half of them have seen reductions in their recruiting personnel. With Indeed's new AI-powered Smart Sourcing tool, hiring managers can automatically receive a list of quality candidates who match the requirements of a job description.

Building on the Indeed Resume tool, which allows recruiters to search the 245 million resumes on Indeed, Smart Sourcing uses AI-powered algorithms to match active candidates to open roles, cutting back on time spent manually filtering through talent. Custom-generated messaging and collaboration tools can further streamline your workflow while maintaining an individualized approach to candidate communication. In fact, 90% of users agree that Smart Sourcing is the preferred product for sourcing quality talent.²

"Indeed has been invested in AI for a long time," Jason Kudrikow, Indeed senior talent strategy advisor, said. "Now, with the recent acceleration of large language models and generative AI technology, we're able to combine our enormous database of resumes with what we know employers are looking for in order to make smart matches — and help you connect with them faster."

Here are three ways Smart Sourcing can help you hire smarter and faster.

1. You're automatically matched with quality candidates

The Indeed-commissioned Harris Poll survey found that 74% of hiring managers would prefer to automatically match with qualified talent based on skills and relevant experiences instead of manually searching for them. Smart Sourcing's matched candidates does exactly that: Simply toggle between your jobs on Indeed via a drop-down menu to instantly view recommended candidates and then invite them to apply.

"As you accept or reject candidates, the Smart Sourcing AI will learn what you prefer over time," Kudrikow said. "It lets you curate your matched candidates' results like a Spotify playlist, tailored to your unique preferences."

You can still manually search and filter resumes or use automated recommendations to expedite the process. Matches are based on three things: The keyword relevancy of your job post, job seekers' resumes, job seekers' search activity on Indeed, and how recently job seekers have been on the site. This helps Indeed's matching algorithms present you with the most relevant candidates who are demonstrating interest in new opportunities.

Universal Health Services (UHS), a leading hospital and healthcare provider with 400 facilities across the US, Puerto Rico, and the UK, reported its candidate-response rate improved by 30% since using Smart Sourcing. "Smart Sourcing serves up appropriate candidates that tend to be more eager to respond and are active on Indeed. So we get both quality candidates that are a fit and a higher response rate than with another similar tool," said one director of recruiting at UHS.

In the survey, 70% of 1,107 US workers agree that companies who have contacted them in the past could have done a better job of reviewing their skills and experience beforehand. This lack of preparation, personalization, and attention to detail in recruiting can reflect poorly on your company.

That's why matched candidates include candidate highlights, a generative AI capability that analyzes and summarizes each resume. This can help suggest why the candidate could be a great fit for your role, or point out potential gaps in their experience. This accelerated evaluation enables you to make better-informed hiring decisions to preserve both your employer brand and the candidate experience.

Matched candidates you invite to apply are 17 times more likely to apply to your job than job seekers who only see it when searching on Indeed, and employers who use this feature when sponsoring their jobs hire 20% faster.^3,4

2. AI-powered messaging accelerates and personalizes candidate outreach

On average, employers contacting candidates through Indeed's resume search receive a positive response from a job seeker in just 10 hours.⁵ But, 95% of hiring managers believe that their productivity would be even better if administrative tasks like candidate outreach could be assisted by AI. Indeed's customizable AI-powered messages reduce the time and effort it takes to manually write, personalize, and proofread candidate communications.

This allows you to generate a customized message based on the content of the candidate's resume and your job posting. You can generate message variations by desired tone and refine the information before sending it."The AI-powered messages are very effective because they're personalized for each individual candidate. It's amazing how the AI pulls in the right pieces of a job description to describe the highlights of the job and uses information from a candidate's resume to say why it's a great fit," said the UHS recruiting director.

With a Professional Subscription, hiring managers gain the ability to automate post-outreach and follow-up with custom reminder messages. Message analytics track how your templates perform and provide actionable insights on candidate engagement, helping you maximize ROI.

3. Collaborative tools make the feedback process easier

Recruiting and hiring can be a complex task with work distributed across multiple people and platforms. To simplify the process, Smart Sourcing Professional Subscriptions allow you to invite collaborators to sourcing projects and accelerate the candidate feedback process with collaborative task management tools.

If you need to continue the hiring process on your company's applicant tracking system (ATS), Indeed offers integrations with Workday, iCIMS, and Greenhouse that automatically transfer candidate information for you. You can also take your sourcing with you on the go with the Indeed Connect for Employers app. Once you've reached out to potential candidates, notifications let you know when they respond to an application invite or a message, allowing you to reply in real-time and keep the hiring process moving forward.

Getting started with Smart Sourcing

Smart Sourcing subscriptions are available starting today, and existing Indeed Resume subscriptions have transitioned to Smart Sourcing. Available in both Standard and Professional options, subscriptions include access to candidate search and filters, matching quality candidates to your job, and offering faster candidate connections.

"No one gets into talent attraction for the legwork," Kudikrow said. "Indeed is harnessing the power of AI to make it easier than ever to get your opportunities in front of qualified talent, fast, and focus on what makes the profession so rewarding — the human connection."

Learn more about how Smart Sourcing can help you make better hiring decisions.

This post was created by Indeed with Insider Studios.

---

Survey methodology: 

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Indeed from February 12–20, 2024, among 1,107 employed adults, ages 18 and older, and 300 hiring managers (those with sole or primary decision making in the recruiting and hiring process) with 2,000+ employees. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the employee sample data is accurate to within +/– 2.6 percentage points and the hiring manager sample data is accurate to within +/— 5.6% using a 95% confidence level.

¹Harris Poll survey of U.S. hiring managers with 2,000+ employees (n=300) and employed adults, ages 18 and older (n=1107), conducted on behalf of Indeed, February 2024

²Indeed U.S. Survey, 2024 (n=300)

³Indeed data (U.S.), August 2023

⁴Indeed data (U.S.), 2023

⁵Indeed data (worldwide), 2023

• In 2000, the largest iceberg ever recorded — Iceberg B-15 — broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. 
• Underwater explorer and photographer Jill Heinerth dove inside B-15 and snapped photos of this hidden world.
• Today, nearly the entire Jamaica-sized iceberg has melted away. Heinerth's photos offer the first and last look inside it. 

In 2000, when an iceberg the size of Jamaica cleaved away from the Ross Ice Sheet in Antarctica, Jill Heinerth saw an opportunity to make history.

Heinerth is a professional underwater explorer, cave diver, and photographer. She's been diving in the most remote parts of Earth's oceans for 35 years. Her trip inside B-15 marked the first time anyone ever dove beneath an iceberg.

It's not uncommon for Heinerth to be among the first humans to venture inside these hidden places. But with B-15, she was also among the last.

When B-15 broke free, it was among the largest moving objects on the planet. Today, it's lost 99% of its size and only one piece remains — a chunk measuring roughly 40 square miles, smaller than Disney World.

Luckily, Heinerth and her dive team seized the opportunity to explore and photograph the inside of B-15 while it was still a behemoth 23 years ago. And they risked their lives to do it.

But for Heinerth, the work is worth the risk. "For me, diving in these icy environments is almost like documenting an endangered species," she said.

Through her underwater photography, she brings the story of these disappearing ice caves to the surface, aiding scientific discovery and raising awareness about the rapid progression of climate change.

Swimming in uncharted waters

To reach B15, Heinerth and her dive team sailed for 12 days across the tumultuous Southern Ocean, weathering 60-foot swells and knocking ice off the boat with baseball bats. When they finally reached their destination, even more dangers lay ahead.

"During the trip, we had many close calls," Heinerth said. She tells the full story of her three death-defying dives in a 2019 WBUR article.

On the initial dive, the team faced its first brush with danger. After descending through a long vertical crevasse in B15 all the way to the sea floor, 130 feet down, Heinerth spotted the entrance to a cave leading into the iceberg.

Once inside, Heinerth described it as "this dynamic environment that's beautiful. You see how the sea has sculpted the ice, like there's these great scallops that are carved by the hand of the sea," she told BI.

But suddenly, they heard a deep groaning sound.

Massive chunks of ice had fallen into the cave entrance, blocking their way out. Luckily, they found a way through and escaped with their lives, ready to return the next day.

During their second dive inside B15, they got caught in a powerful current sucking them deeper inside the iceberg. They couldn't fight it and instead rode the current through until eventually it took them to another exit on a completely different side of the iceberg.

But even that wouldn't prevent them from taking a third and final visit, when they faced the most dangerous dive of all. On that day, the powerful current hit again. This time, there was no backdoor to escape through, and the flow was so intense that even when they fought their way back to the cave entrance, they couldn't rise back up through the crevasse.

"On our very last dive in this environment, we were pinned down from the currents inside the ice and having difficulty getting out," she told BI. "Our one-hour dive turned into a three-hour flight for our lives."

What saved their lives was when Heinerth remembered the burrows that fish make in the crevasse walls. Using these holes as climbing holds, she and the team slowly climbed their way against the current and eventually made it to the surface.

Then, just hours after they resurfaced, "The entire piece of ice that we'd just been inside of literally exploded and turned into a sea of slush ice as far as the eye could see," Heinerth said.

"I was just standing there, gobsmacked on the ship's rail. I realized that if we had been in the water, we'd be dead," she wrote for WBUR.

Documenting a disappearing world

Between moments spent fighting for her life, Heinerth managed to snap photos of B15's inner world. As a citizen scientist, she hopes that documenting these rapidly changing environments helps researchers better understand them.

"We are now living in a time of very clear existential threats — a time when we need an army of citizen scientists that can provide reflections, anecdotal evidence, but also data gathering streams," she said.

Over the last two decades, Antarctica has lost an average of 150 billion metric tons of ice per year, NASA reports. This rapid melting means iconic arctic species like humpback whales and emperor penguins are losing critical resources and habitat.

It also means sea levels are rising. "When [B15] broke off — when you have ice that moves from land to sea — that's going to change sea levels globally," Heinerth said. "And that's the thing we need to be concerned about."

Exploring the below-surface geomorphology (the shape and structure) of icebergs like B15 can help climatologists understand how quickly they're disappearing, she said. As they melt, water moves downward through cracks in the iceberg, carving out new caves and crevasses for intrepid folks like Heinerth to investigate.

Through her dive photography, she hopes to spread awareness about how quickly these hidden ice environments are changing.

"We're at the point where we need to make some climate interventions, and that is going to require political will. And it's going to require a global citizenry to be relatively educated about what we face in the very near future," Heinerth said.

Photos courtesy of Jill Heinerth. Learn more about her work at: www.IntoThePlanet.com