In Europe, trees are increasingly dying prematurely. A new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) on French forests now shows that it is not only drought but also unusually warm or wet springs that increase the risk—even ideal growing conditions can prove fatal later on.

Testing how quickly a biodegradable plastic actually breaks down in the environment can take months, sometimes years, of lab work. A new study from the Agricultural University of Athens, offers a faster alternative: a machine-learning tool that predicts biodegradation outcomes for a widely used bioplastic almost instantly.

The Sopranos creator David Chase held court during the 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) in the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

A day before appearing at the expanded and broadened KVIFF Industry Days program of the festival, the seven-time Emmy winner was in much demand but took time to chat with groups of reporters about his work and the state of the industry.

Follow

Link copied to clipboard

Published Jul 7, 2026, 10:37 AM EDT

Obsidian Entertainment faces an uncertain path forward

Image: Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios via Polygon

Sign in to your Polygon.com account

Fury and sorrow from current and former staff

Xbox aren't closing or selling off Doom developers id Software as part of their latest business teardown, but they are reportedly laying off around half the studio, with swinging cuts aimed at id's legendary technology team in particular. Even as out-going staff fulminate about the situation, studio co-founder John Romero has urged all concerned to preserve "code, assets, stories" and other historical artefacts that risk being wiped away during the restructure.

Follow

Link copied to clipboard

Published Jul 7, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT

Squeeze through that gap

Image: Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios via Polygon

Threading the Needle is a skill in Forza Horizon 6 that will test your street racing ability as you must weave through traffic. It's also featured as part of challenges, like in the Horizon Decades Festival Playlist. However, it's not a skill that you'll randomly come across often.

H e’s not even going to deny it — Timothy Olyphant is having a pretty damn good time. 

At 58, the actor has more than a few memorable roles on his resume. He played stormy lawman Seth Bullock in the HBO Western series Deadwood and quick-draw marksman Marshal Raylan Givens in Justified, creepy android scientist Kirsh in Alien: Earth and hysterical kidnapping victim Pete in Over Your Dead Body. 

Camerique/Getty Images

Good morning! It's Tuesday, July 7, 2026, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. This is where you'll find the most important stories that are shaping the way Americans drive and get around.