A giant metallic asteroid worth approximately $10,000,000,000,000,000,000 -- more than the entire Earth’s economy -- is orbiting around Mars and Jupiter, according to a new report from the Planetary Science Journal, as reported by CBS News.

[caption id="attachment_243254" align="alignnone" width="720"] The massive asteroid 16 Psyche is the subject of a new study by SwRI scientist Tracy Becker, who observed the object at ultraviolet wavelengths.[/caption]

Asteroid 16 Psyche, as it’s known, is thought to possibly be the remnant of a planet core that never properly formed into an actual planet. While most asteroids are made of rock or ice, the incredibly dense Psyche is made mostly of metal, and measures about 140 miles in diameter, making it the size of Massachusetts.

The Planetary Science Journal’s new study has found that Psyche may be composed of iron and nickel, which are typically found in the cores of planets.

“We’ve seen meteorites that are mostly metal, but Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel,” lead study author Dr. Tracy Becker said in a statement. “Earth has a metal core, a mantle and crust. It’s possible that as a Psyche protoplanet was forming, it was struck by another object in our solar system and lost its mantle and crust.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"]

NASA plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft in 2022, also named Psyche, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to reach the asteroid and study its composition and history. This will make it the first time NASA has ever reached a body composed entirely of metal. The spacecraft will reach Psyche in January 2026.

Back in 2017, researchers also told CBS News they would not be utilizing the asteroid’s $10,000 quadrillion metallic mass for any business gain.

“What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they're considered to be the building blocks of the solar system," Becker said. "To understand what really makes up a planet and to potentially see the inside of a planet is fascinating. Once we get to Psyche, we're really going to understand if that's the case, even if it doesn't turn out as we expect. Any time there's a surprise, it's always exciting."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nasa-black-hole-gallery&captions=true"]

If you like weird and wild science stories, check out IGN's science news hub. A rogue planet floating through the Milky Way was also recently discovered. Additionally, scientists discovered that the amusingly named "Black Widow Star" is the source of gamma radiation that gives Hulk his superpowers. Oh, and the Moon is wet. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/reporter/floating mass for IGN. Orbit him on Twitter.

A giant metallic asteroid worth approximately $10,000,000,000,000,000,000 -- more than the entire Earth’s economy -- is orbiting around Mars and Jupiter, according to a new report from the Planetary Science Journal, as reported by CBS News.

[caption id="attachment_243254" align="alignnone" width="720"] The massive asteroid 16 Psyche is the subject of a new study by SwRI scientist Tracy Becker, who observed the object at ultraviolet wavelengths.[/caption]

Asteroid 16 Psyche, as it’s known, is thought to possibly be the remnant of a planet core that never properly formed into an actual planet. While most asteroids are made of rock or ice, the incredibly dense Psyche is made mostly of metal, and measures about 140 miles in diameter, making it the size of Massachusetts.

The Planetary Science Journal’s new study has found that Psyche may be composed of iron and nickel, which are typically found in the cores of planets.

“We’ve seen meteorites that are mostly metal, but Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel,” lead study author Dr. Tracy Becker said in a statement. “Earth has a metal core, a mantle and crust. It’s possible that as a Psyche protoplanet was forming, it was struck by another object in our solar system and lost its mantle and crust.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"]

NASA plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft in 2022, also named Psyche, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to reach the asteroid and study its composition and history. This will make it the first time NASA has ever reached a body composed entirely of metal. The spacecraft will reach Psyche in January 2026.

Back in 2017, researchers also told CBS News they would not be utilizing the asteroid’s $10,000 quadrillion metallic mass for any business gain.

“What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they're considered to be the building blocks of the solar system," Becker said. "To understand what really makes up a planet and to potentially see the inside of a planet is fascinating. Once we get to Psyche, we're really going to understand if that's the case, even if it doesn't turn out as we expect. Any time there's a surprise, it's always exciting."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nasa-black-hole-gallery&captions=true"]

If you like weird and wild science stories, check out IGN's science news hub. A rogue planet floating through the Milky Way was also recently discovered. Additionally, scientists discovered that the amusingly named "Black Widow Star" is the source of gamma radiation that gives Hulk his superpowers. Oh, and the Moon is wet. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/reporter/floating mass for IGN. Orbit him on Twitter.

Raven Software co-founder Brian Raffel has revealed details about working with Soldier of Fortune consultant John Mullins and creating the first limb dismemberment system in video games. IGN's Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Raffel to discuss Raven Software's broad history in the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, along with discussions on Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Hexen, Heretic, Soldier of Fortune, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/1999/07/21/soldier-of-fortune-pc-games-gameplay"] Soldier of Fortune is a military shooter based on the popular real-world magazine of the same name and was built on the Quake 2 engine. It was perhaps most notable for the GHOUL tech that allowed individual limb dismemberment for the first time in games, a mechanic which would go on to become relatively common in the shooter genre, and even become a central pillar of games like Dead Space. It was also used to create realistic lightsaber damage and limb severing in Raven's later game, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Before beginning the discussion in earnest, Raffel revealed the motivation for the creation of the GHOUL system. "Let me just be clear: there was no goal to make this... to just make it super violent. The goal was, and this came from my brother, Steve... He's like 'Let's just make it as realistic as possible.' So that was the goal. And what is the most realistic thing? Instead of just shooting a body and having it just drop and fade away, we wanted to make it as realistic as possible, not for the sake of violence, but just for the sake of reality." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-campaign-screenshots&captions=true"] Raffel also commented on the first time he saw the tech in action. "I still remember the day, though, when we got the GHOUL system in. Of course, we saw the shooting of the limbs... but when a body falls down and you can still shoot it, and it's still reactive... that felt really real. It brought a realism to me that I never saw in a game before." To craft the system, Raven brought in a consultant, who ended up being critical to the game's evolution. "We actually had a consultant from Soldier of Fortune [magazine], John Mullins, who was great. He was like, 'You don't really know combat until you smell what's going on, and hear it, and feel it. So, that kind of inspired us, a bit." As the team at Raven continued to work with Mullins to create the game, they were impressed and eventually decided to make him the main character. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-hands-on-preview"] "That was a fun project, and I sometimes wish we would have continued it, and... evolved it... into a higher-brow situation... We definitely had the action... The weapons felt great. The multiplayer was a lot of fun. We had so much fun working on that game. It's always a good indicator for us when we're making games when you, yourself, are playing and you can't stop. Heretic was like that. Soldier of Fortune was definitely like that." For more interviews with the best, brightest, most fascinating minds in the games industry, check out be sure to check out every episode of IGN Unfiltered, which includes talks with The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley, Master Chief co-creator Marcus Lehto, 343's Bonnie Ross, Valve's Robin Walker & Chris Remo, Respawn's Stig Asmussen, and so many more.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

Raven Software co-founder Brian Raffel has revealed details about working with Soldier of Fortune consultant John Mullins and creating the first limb dismemberment system in video games. IGN's Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Raffel to discuss Raven Software's broad history in the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, along with discussions on Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Hexen, Heretic, Soldier of Fortune, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/1999/07/21/soldier-of-fortune-pc-games-gameplay"] Soldier of Fortune is a military shooter based on the popular real-world magazine of the same name and was built on the Quake 2 engine. It was perhaps most notable for the GHOUL tech that allowed individual limb dismemberment for the first time in games, a mechanic which would go on to become relatively common in the shooter genre, and even become a central pillar of games like Dead Space. It was also used to create realistic lightsaber damage and limb severing in Raven's later game, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Before beginning the discussion in earnest, Raffel revealed the motivation for the creation of the GHOUL system. "Let me just be clear: there was no goal to make this... to just make it super violent. The goal was, and this came from my brother, Steve... He's like 'Let's just make it as realistic as possible.' So that was the goal. And what is the most realistic thing? Instead of just shooting a body and having it just drop and fade away, we wanted to make it as realistic as possible, not for the sake of violence, but just for the sake of reality." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-campaign-screenshots&captions=true"] Raffel also commented on the first time he saw the tech in action. "I still remember the day, though, when we got the GHOUL system in. Of course, we saw the shooting of the limbs... but when a body falls down and you can still shoot it, and it's still reactive... that felt really real. It brought a realism to me that I never saw in a game before." To craft the system, Raven brought in a consultant, who ended up being critical to the game's evolution. "We actually had a consultant from Soldier of Fortune [magazine], John Mullins, who was great. He was like, 'You don't really know combat until you smell what's going on, and hear it, and feel it. So, that kind of inspired us, a bit." As the team at Raven continued to work with Mullins to create the game, they were impressed and eventually decided to make him the main character. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-hands-on-preview"] "That was a fun project, and I sometimes wish we would have continued it, and... evolved it... into a higher-brow situation... We definitely had the action... The weapons felt great. The multiplayer was a lot of fun. We had so much fun working on that game. It's always a good indicator for us when we're making games when you, yourself, are playing and you can't stop. Heretic was like that. Soldier of Fortune was definitely like that." For more interviews with the best, brightest, most fascinating minds in the games industry, check out be sure to check out every episode of IGN Unfiltered, which includes talks with The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley, Master Chief co-creator Marcus Lehto, 343's Bonnie Ross, Valve's Robin Walker & Chris Remo, Respawn's Stig Asmussen, and so many more.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

The first episode of The Mandalorian Season 2 features a major plot point that is remarkably similar to the story outline previously rumoured for a Boba Fett standalone Star Wars movie.

Warning: spoilers follow for Season 2, episode 1 of The Mandalorian. 

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/30/the-mandalorian-season-2-episode-1-review"]

Back in 2014, a report suggested that The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens co-writer Lawrence Kasdan had pitched a Boba Fett solo movie that would be about a “complete stranger killing Boba Fett and taking his armour, starting a Man-With-No-Name bounty hunter tale.”

The first episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, 'The Marshal', features a character who has taken Boba Fett’s armour for himself and now wears it while protecting the Tatooine settlement of Mos Pelgo. While not the exact same plot, there’s a notable similarity here, as a character largely a stranger to the audience (aside from those who may have read the Star Wars Aftermath novels) and is now walking around dressed as Boba Fett.

Provided the rumours about the Boba Fett film plot were actually true, this wouldn’t be the first time Star Wars has taken unmade old ideas and used them as the basis for something new. A 2015 art book collecting concept work for The Force Awakens features images of an underwater Death Star, which would have been included in a scene for Episode VII where Rey explores the sunken wreck. That scene was, of course, not part of The Force Awakens, but an underwater Death Star did appear in The Rise of Skywalker. It may be we’re seeing a similar case with The Marshal.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-in-the-mandalorian&captions=true"]

For more on The Mandalorian, check out our Season 2, episode 1 review, and the prequel trilogy Easter egg we spotted.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

The first episode of The Mandalorian Season 2 features a major plot point that is remarkably similar to the story outline previously rumoured for a Boba Fett standalone Star Wars movie.

Warning: spoilers follow for Season 2, episode 1 of The Mandalorian. 

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/30/the-mandalorian-season-2-episode-1-review"]

Back in 2014, a report suggested that The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens co-writer Lawrence Kasdan had pitched a Boba Fett solo movie that would be about a “complete stranger killing Boba Fett and taking his armour, starting a Man-With-No-Name bounty hunter tale.”

The first episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, 'The Marshal', features a character who has taken Boba Fett’s armour for himself and now wears it while protecting the Tatooine settlement of Mos Pelgo. While not the exact same plot, there’s a notable similarity here, as a character largely a stranger to the audience (aside from those who may have read the Star Wars Aftermath novels) and is now walking around dressed as Boba Fett.

Provided the rumours about the Boba Fett film plot were actually true, this wouldn’t be the first time Star Wars has taken unmade old ideas and used them as the basis for something new. A 2015 art book collecting concept work for The Force Awakens features images of an underwater Death Star, which would have been included in a scene for Episode VII where Rey explores the sunken wreck. That scene was, of course, not part of The Force Awakens, but an underwater Death Star did appear in The Rise of Skywalker. It may be we’re seeing a similar case with The Marshal.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-in-the-mandalorian&captions=true"]

For more on The Mandalorian, check out our Season 2, episode 1 review, and the prequel trilogy Easter egg we spotted.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Sony has reportedly entered into "final negotiations" with AT&T to acquire the US-based anime streaming service Crunchyroll. According to Nikkei Asia, Sony recently obtained exclusive rights to bid for the hugely-popular streaming service and is now prepared to pay upwards of $957 million to acquire the platform, which has 70 million free members and 3 million paying subscribers signed up globally. As part of the deal, it is reported that Crunchyroll would also give Sony access to more than 1,000 anime titles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/25/top-10-best-anime-series-of-all-time"] Sony previously acquired anime distributor Funimation and its one million subscribers back in 2017. However, the company is said to now be looking to expand its customer base further by strengthening its entertainment offering to better compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and other global streaming services that are currently dominating the market. Sony isn't the only company looking to invest more in anime content. Netflix recently unveiled its plans to produce more anime titles after noting an exceptional uptake in anime streaming on the platform. According to statistics, over 100 million global households watched at least one anime title on Netflix between October of last year and September of this year. If the Sony acquisition is realized, then the global competition for content is likely to heat up and intensify, with streaming companies battling to license popular movies and shows. It's possible that Sony could even consider merging Crunchyroll with Funimation, which is the licensee of several anime properties in the US, including Attack on Titan and One Piece. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=must-watch-horror-anime&captions=true"] With an abundance of streaming providers, including the ever-growing Disney+ and Apple TV+ platforms, all competing for your hard-earned cash, it can be difficult to pinpoint which streaming service is the best choice for you. Fortunately, we've put together a detailed review of why we think Crunchyroll is the best streaming service to watch anime. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Marvel has revealed a 'launch day bonus' Into the Spider-Verse suit for Insomniac Games' Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which will be available to both PS4 and PS5 players.

Your first look at the unmistakably stylish "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Suit, a launch day bonus for "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales" on PS4 and PS5: https://t.co/DFVXFslvmK #BeGreater #BeYourself @PlayStation pic.twitter.com/mUlS4WQrwO

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 30, 2020

The suit, which is identical to the one worn by Miles in the animated movie, is not just a new skin for the game character; it's actually animated to look like it's at a lower frame-rate to recreate the distinct look of the movie. Alongside that, comic-book sounds appear in the world, just like in the Spider-Verse movie, including a great 'ssspak!' and 'thock' when hitting a goon. If you wanted a faithful recreation of Mile's Spider-Verse moves, it looks like Insomniac Games may well be delivering the goods. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/spider-man-miles-morales-gameplay-trailer"] Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a launch game for PlayStation 5, and will feature new famous villains as well as a new look for Peter Parker. For more, check out our round-up of all the gameplay details. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

With Genshin Impact's first major update, 'A New Star Approaches', arriving on November 11, we naturally wanted to know what miHoYo has planned for its open world adventure beyond that - and discovered the developer is working to a years-long timescale, and how player behaviour will change where the game goes next. Speaking to IGN, producer and CEO Hugh Tsai, explained that 1.1 is all about "polishing off the Liyue story" that began at Genshin Impact's launch, "while also continuing to enrich and improve players' general experience in the game." As for what comes after that, Tsai explains that "The addition of Dragonspine in Version 1.2 will mark the first major map expansion since the game's release. New gameplay will also be added at that time, but we can't reveal any specific details on that just yet. Stay tuned!" We also know that version 1.3 will add the Lantern Rite Festival event. But what about the overall philosophy for additions to Genshin Impact? Well, it seems that how the game progresses, and the stories told along the way, are somewhat up to the players themselves: "Ultimately, how we will advance the Genshin Impact story is not set in stone. We will consider where players are up to in their journey through [the game world] Teyvat when planning out new content, and either advance the main story or add stand-alone stories on the side. The bottom line, though, is that whatever we do will focus on telling the story of the Traveler's journey through Teyvat." It's clear that the overall goal is to add all seven major regions of Teyvat. The game launched with two, and Dragonspine will mark the third, but it'll be some time before the entirety of the world will be open to players: "At present, our team is still very much focused on releasing and refining the content for Teyvat. As we've said previously, it will take several years to cover all seven regions of Teyvat and their related cultures, stories, and other game content in full depth." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/genshin-impact-version-11-announcement-trailer"] I ask if there are plans for what happens when Teyvat is complete. The game opens with the suggestion that there are multiple dimensions or planes of existence in the universe of Genshin Impact - could we travel between them down the line? "All we can say," says Tsai, "is wait and see!" Story and locations are just a portion of what Genshin Impact offers, however - it's built on a base of action as well as exploration, and I ask Tsai if miHoYo sees that foundation as completely finished, or if we could see more action elements - perhaps even more elemental types and interactions between them - added over time. "Lots of the feedback we've received from players have been asking for expansions to the co-op mode and in-game interactions. Regarding the co-op part, we plan to keep enriching players' co-op experience through in-game events, such as the recently launched Elemental Crucible challenge, the Unreconciled Stars event in the upcoming Version 1.1 update, and further content to be announced in due course. "However, expanding on the fundamental rules that underlie how everything in Teyvat operates is not such a simple task. We would need to ensure that any new content fits seamlessly within the existing rules, while also continuing to ensure a fairly high degree of playability. This poses significant challenges to our design team." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/genshin-impact-review"] With that in mind, I ask if there's any kind of finish line in mind for miHoYo - is there a "final" version of Genshin Impact that they're working towards? "We do not have a hard-and-fast timeline at this stage, and our focus at present is on continuing to update the game and release new content to keep improving players' experience. It comes down to our team's faith in and passion for Genshin Impact on the one hand, and the ongoing support of players around the world on the other. As long as Genshin Impact can continue to deliver great experiences and quality entertainment, this otherworldly journey will go on." We said "incredible open-world and addictive exploration make Genshin Impact anime-zing adventure" in our 9/10 review. If you're playing right now, check out our interactive map of Teyvat to find its hidden secrets,a nd learn everything you need to know in our Genshin Impact wiki. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Genshin Impact's 1.1 content update, called 'A New Star Approaches', is coming to PC, Android, iOS and PS4 on November 11. The game will also be playable via backwards compatibility on PS5. IGN can reveal that the update will add four new playable characters (two of which are 5-star characters), a brand new series of quests, the game's first seasonal event, and a new Reputation system for individual regions of the game. You can check out a trailer for the 1.1 update below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/genshin-impact-version-11-announcement-trailer"] Check out details for each of the new additions below:

New Characters

The update adds four new characters. Childe is a 5-star hydro archer that, unlike any other character, can switch between melee and ranged attacks. Zhongli is a 5-star geo polearm wielder with high defense, strong area-of-effect attacks, and can petrify enemies. Xinyan and Diona are new 4-star characters who have not yet been detailed, but will offer "more effective elemental combos and combat strategies".

New Quests

No major details have been revealed for the new series of quests coming in the 1.1 update, but we know that it will include the grand finale of the Liyue chapter, meaning there will be three full acts of quests in the core storyline. Producer and CEO Hugh Tsai tells IGN that more character-specific side quests will be added, too.

Seasonal Event - 'Unreconciled Stars'

Unreconciled Stars is a two-week event, "which calls on all players to fight back against a sudden and terrible catastrophe facing Teyvat". The event will add a series of quests, co-op challenges, and will offer rewards including 4-star character Fischl.

Reputation System

The new Reputation system will give players a separate rating in each of the game's cities, which will build upon completing activities in the surrounding region. Building Reputation will offer region-exclusive rewards, including customisation options and some of the new items listed below.

New Items

New tools include a portable waypoint, portable stove, treasure compass, and oculus resonance stones (which will mark nearby Anemoculi and Geoculi. The update will also add a Wind Catcher item, which stores anemograna to create on-demand wind currents, allowing for more exploration.

A Fun Monster Cameo

More a bit of fun than a meaningful addition, Tsai also tells us that the 1.1 update will add a new special monster called the Forrest Hilichurl. "The team designed this monster as an in-game cameo of our company president, Forrest Liu, in hilichurl form," the producer explains. "Players, whenever you feel in a bad mood, or there's something you're not happy about in the game — and after you've voiced your concerns via the Feedback function — please feel free to seek out this most unusual hilichurl and vent all of your frustrations on him with my blessing." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/genshin-impact-review"] Developer miHoYo has also confirmed that the game will be fully playable on PS5, with "with improved graphics and faster load times." We said "incredible open-world and addictive exploration make Genshin Impact anime-zing adventure" in our 9/10 review. If you're playing right now, check out our interactive map of Teyvat to find its hidden secrets,a nd learn everything you need to know in our Genshin Impact wiki. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.