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British children's author and comedian David Walliams is facing allegations of using his fame to groom girls and young women for sex

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Sciatica can send pain shooting down your leg and make it hard to find a comfortable way to sit, stand, or sleep. Finding relief starts with figuring out what’s irritating the nerve. A herniated disc, a spinal canal that’s become too narrow and puts pressure on the nerves, and other problems can cause the pain—and what helps one person may make another feel worse.

Many people get better without surgery. Pain from a herniated disc often eases on its own within about six weeks, though recovery can take longer. Here’s what experts recommend trying, what to avoid, and when to see a doctor.

What causes sciatica pain?

Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis—a distinction that matters when you’re trying to find relief. “Everybody’s like, ‘This is what I have. I have this,’” says Dr. Allen Chen, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at UCLA Health. But the term describes pain traveling down your leg, without explaining what’s causing it.

Typically, irritation or pressure on a nerve root in the lower spine triggers the pain. It can feel burning, shooting, or electric, traveling through the buttock and down the leg, sometimes into the foot. It can also make finding a comfortable position difficult. “It bothers people at night, and it bothers people in the day,” Chen says. “It can be very, very disruptive.”

One common cause is a herniated disc. The discs that cushion the bones in your spine have a tough outer layer and a softer center—think of “a jelly donut,” Chen says. If some of that inner material pushes through the outer layer, it can press on a nerve and trigger inflammation. Sometimes people can pinpoint when things went wrong: “I was moving my kid into college,” or “I was moving a couch,” Chen says. Other times, there’s no memorable moment to blame.

Another common cause, particularly among older adults, is spinal stenosis, or a narrowing of the space where spinal nerves travel. Arthritis and other changes over time can put pressure on those nerves, Chen says. People with this problem may be able to sit comfortably, then notice “pain or sometimes heaviness” in their legs when they walk.

What are the best exercises for sciatica?

The best exercise for your sciatica depends on what’s causing it. “There really isn’t one exercise program that’s best for everyone,” says Dr. Keven Burns, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Spine Institute of Arizona in Scottsdale.

Even mild exercise can feel unbearable when you’re in pain. For some people, sciatica is “absolutely debilitating,” Burns says. They “can’t stand, can’t move.”

If you have a herniated disc, exercises that gently bend the back backward may help—but only if moving in that direction eases your symptoms. One example is a prone press-up. “You lie on your stomach and gently push your upper body upward while keeping your hips on the floor,” Burns says. Some people find it easier to start by simply resting on their elbows. A physical therapist can help determine whether these movements are right for you and how to progress.

People with spinal stenosis may respond to the opposite approach: bending forward. Bringing the knees toward the chest while lying on the back, or leaning forward while seated, can provide relief for some people, Burns says.

As the pain eases, you can start working on getting stronger, too. “Your core is your internal back brace,” Burns says. That includes your back muscles and the muscles along the sides of your trunk, as well as your abs. He often recommends bridges, bird dogs, and modified planks, adjusted to what you can tolerate. “I generally prefer these stabilization exercises over traditional sit-ups or crunches, especially early in recovery,” he says.

Whatever you try, don’t just assume that the routine that helped your friend will work for you. “What helps one person may actually make someone else’s symptoms worse,” Burns says.

Is walking good for sciatica?

Often, yes—and you don’t need to turn it into a fitness project. “Everyone wants to think about, ‘OK, I gotta do some exercises or stretching,’” Burns says. “Well, just don’t stop moving. Get up and walk. Take short walks.”

Several short walks throughout the day can be more manageable than one long outing. The goal is to stay active without repeatedly setting off the pain. Dr. Wellington Hsu, a spine surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, also suggests considering low-impact aerobic activity, such as using an elliptical, if it feels comfortable. Running and jumping can be harder to tolerate during a flare.

How far you walk, however, should depend on how you feel, Burns says. People with spinal stenosis may find that walking triggers leg pain or heaviness, so work with your clinician or physical therapist to find an amount and type of activity you can tolerate. You don’t need to finish your usual loop if your leg keeps hurting more with every step.

Can stretching make sciatica worse?

Yes. If the back of your thigh feels tight, you might assume your hamstrings need a good stretch. But sometimes, Burns says, what feels like a tight muscle is actually tension along an irritated nerve. Patients “stretch harder, hoping to loosen things up, and end up making their leg pain worse,” he says. “More stretching doesn’t necessarily mean more improvement.”

An exercise can also change how far down your leg the pain travels. “If pain that was previously traveling into the calf or foot begins moving back toward the buttock or lower back, that’s generally a favorable sign,” Burns says. Physical therapists call this centralization. If an exercise instead sends pain farther down your leg, it may be aggravating the nerve.

It might be normal to feel sore after exercising, but some symptoms are a sign to stop. “A little muscle soreness during exercise is acceptable,” Burns says. “However, increasing radiating leg pain, worsening numbness, or new weakness aren’t things I want patients trying to push through.”

Everyday tasks can aggravate the pain, too. Chen cautions against lifting and twisting at the same time, especially with a herniated disc. Think of turning to grab your suitcase and hoisting it into an airplane’s overhead bin. Use your legs to help lift, he advises, and avoid twisting your back as you raise the bag.

Does physical therapy help sciatica?

A physical therapist can help you figure out which exercises ease your pain—and which make it worse—and then build a routine that helps you get stronger without repeatedly irritating the nerve. 

One technique they might teach you is nerve gliding, which is also called nerve flossing. 

“Nerves need to move as we bend, straighten, and change positions,” Burns says. “When a nerve becomes irritated or inflamed, that movement can become uncomfortable.” A physical therapist can teach you exercises to help the nerve move more comfortably—and show you how to avoid pulling too hard.

The goal of PT is to make moving more comfortable while your body recovers, Burns says. “They give you tools to cope and compensate,” he says. “But also they allow your body to get back to normal movement while your body’s healing itself.”

Hsu often recommends physical therapy before other treatments, like medication or injections, because it has fewer risks. But finding a program a patient is comfortable with matters most. “If their body doesn’t feel good afterwards, they’re not going to do it,” he says.

What else helps relieve sciatica pain?

Sitting in the same position for hours can be uncomfortable when you have sciatica, Hsu says. Try breaking up that time by standing between tasks or taking a short walk during a break. A physical therapist can also help you find ways to sit more comfortably.

Heat or cold may provide relief, too, although people differ in which they prefer. Massage can help soothe muscle tightness or spasms around the lower back and buttocks, Burns adds.

Foam rolling might ease surrounding muscle tightness, but there isn’t strong evidence that it directly treats sciatica, Burns says. Keep the pressure gentle, he advises, and back off if it triggers nerve pain.

Burns also sometimes recommends anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These drugs aren’t right for everyone: Evidence of benefit for sciatica is limited, and they can cause side effects, including stomach bleeding and kidney problems.

If you’re still in a lot of pain, your doctor might suggest an epidural steroid injection, Chen says. It puts medication near the irritated nerves to help reduce inflammation. Some people get relief for weeks or months; others don’t notice much difference. The injection doesn’t remove whatever is pressing on the nerve, though. “They don’t make the disc go away. They don’t open up the space. They don’t take pressure off of the nerve,” he says.

If you’ve tried other treatments and pain is still making everyday life difficult, surgery may offer relief, Burns says. Depending on what’s pressing on the nerve, a surgeon can remove the piece of herniated disc causing the problem or create more room for the nerves.

For someone struggling to get out of bed or get through the day, that relief can make a big difference. “What surgery does offer is the ability to get better quicker,” Hsu says. Many people with a herniated disc improve without an operation, but surgery can shorten that painful wait for some patients. Results aren’t guaranteed, though—and though not everyone improves, most do, he says. A spine surgeon can help you weigh whether the likely benefits outweigh the risks.

When should you see a doctor for sciatica?

If your pain is getting worse or keeping you from your usual activities, see your doctor, Burns says. They can check your strength, sensation, and reflexes to help figure out the best treatment path.

If symptoms aren’t improving after about six weeks of treatment, Burns often considers an MRI to help figure out what’s pressing on a nerve and what to try next. But certain symptoms mean you shouldn’t wait that long to be evaluated.

“If someone suddenly has difficulty lifting their foot, begins tripping because of weakness, or notices their leg becoming progressively weaker, they need an urgent medical evaluation,” Burns says. Trouble lifting the front of your foot is called foot drop, which can make your toes drag as you walk. It can signal nerve compression severe enough to cause lasting weakness, he says.

New bladder or bowel problems—like trouble starting to pee, being unable to pee, or losing control of your bladder or bowels—are also reasons to go to the ER immediately. So is new numbness around your genitals, groin, or anus. These can signal cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition in which compressed spinal nerves affect bladder and bowel function.

For many people, getting better takes weeks to months, and the first few weeks can be especially hard. If treatment isn’t helping, let your doctor know so you can discuss what to try next. Burns doesn’t want patients to assume they simply have to live with the pain. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and there are treatment options.”

America's largest festival for nonfiction cinema, with more than 115 feature-length documentaries plus short film programs, opens in NYC theaters and streams online.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's trip to Brussels comes after her father was arrested by federal agents in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material.

1. EXCLUSIVE: Anthropic eyes $1.4 trillion IPO valuation in test of Wall Street's AI fervor  Reuters
2. Anthropic to Seek $1.3 Trillion Valuation in IPO  WSJ
3. Anthropic targets valuation around $1T in blockbuster AI IPO, below initial expectation  Fox Business
4. Anthropic to raise $64bn in major stock market listing  BBC
5. Anthropic Aims for $1.4 Trillion IPO Valuation  PYMNTS.com

—Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Volodymyr Melnyk via Canva)

Imagine you’ve just washed your hands, and there’s no towel. Give them a gentle shake, and then let your arms join in.

That’s the start of a stress-management exercise that may help loosen your tense muscles and give you a break from anxious thoughts, says Kim Penberthy, a clinical psychologist and professor of research in psychiatric medicine at the UVA School of Medicine. It’s a small movement experiment—sometimes called somatic shaking—that takes a minute or less, doesn’t require any equipment, and gives you something to try when telling yourself to calm down isn’t getting you anywhere.

Here’s why shaking things out might help, plus how to give it a try.

How does shaking your body help with stress?

Think about what happens when you’re replaying an argument or worrying about tomorrow’s big work presentation. Your mind is busy, sure. But your jaw might be clenched, your shoulders raised, and your neck stiff enough to make turning your head unpleasant. Shaking your body gives you a chance to notice—and loosen—some of that tension. “If you try to tense your shoulder and shake your arm, it’s sort of hard,” Penberthy says. Letting your arm hang loosely and gently moving it encourages you to relax those muscles.

The movement also gives your mind something else to focus on. Instead of mentally rewriting the email you just sent, you’re noticing how your hands feel or concentrating on moving one leg at a time. That shift may briefly interrupt rumination—and remind you that you have a way to respond when you’re feeling stuck. Part of the relief, Penberthy says, is realizing: “I’ve got some ability to do something. I don’t have to just sit here and suffer.”

Penberthy sometimes shakes things out herself. “I often do it after a very stressful day,” she says, especially when she notices her neck aching. The image that comes to her mind is athletes shaking out their limbs before heading onto the field: a mental and physical move. 

How to try somatic shaking

Start small, advises Lisa George, a psychiatric and family nurse practitioner and founder of Talk Tribeca Psychiatry in New York. Stand comfortably with your feet planted on the floor, or sit down in a chair. Let your hands hang loosely and give them the same gentle shake you’d use to flick off water. Try that for 10 or 15 seconds, then let your arms join in, keeping your shoulders relaxed.

If it feels comfortable, loosen one leg and then the other, holding a chair or wall for support if you’re standing. If you’re sitting down, you can try small foot taps instead. Keep your eyes open, leave your head and neck steady, and breathe normally. A little movement is plenty.

“This isn’t something where you have to be aggressive,” George says. “You’re not throwing your arms.” She “shakes things out” in her own office, including around other people, and likens it to “an active form of stretching.” You’re moving enough to see whether it feels good, rather than trying to work up a sweat.

George’s own anxiety tends to show up in her body: Her heart races, her muscles tense, and she feels overwhelmed. When that happens, being told to meditate or work on her thoughts doesn’t necessarily help. Movement gives her another place to start. It’s also something you can fit into a stressful workday: a realistic alternative to telling a client, “‘Oh, you’re feeling stressed at work, you should go for a 20-minute run,’” she says.

After a brief shake, stop and notice how you feel. Are your shoulders a little lower? Do your hands feel less clenched? Has the conversation in your head quieted down? You might feel calmer, unchanged, or more energized. Use that information to decide whether this is something you’d like to try again. “If it feels good, great,” George says. “And if it doesn’t feel good, then stop.”

Don’t worry if the difference is small. Penberthy sometimes suggests rating your tension before and afterward, but she doesn’t want people thinking, “Oh no, I’ve only moved from 7 to 6. I’ve failed.” Any stress reduction is valuable, she says.

How to make “shaking it out” a stress-relief habit

You don’t have to save shaking for the end of a terrible day. Try it between tasks, after a tense phone call, or once you’re somewhere comfortable following an appointment you’ve been dreading.

Morgan Starr-Riestis, a therapist in Honolulu, recently did a quick shake beside her car after a trip to the dentist. Dental appointments are stressful for her, and she had already used breathing and other calming techniques beforehand. Afterward, she spent about 10 seconds bouncing around before getting into the car. “You just kind of allow that pent-up energy to feel like it has a place to go,” she says, “so you’re not carrying it around.”

It’s something she encourages her clients to try, too. “If you could think your way out of your problems,” she often tells them, “you would have done it by now.”

If you’re having trouble picturing the movement, Starr-Riestis suggests imagining water droplets on your skin and gently shaking them off, like a dog after a bath. Focus on where you notice tension, and move in whatever way feels comfortable. 

Starr-Riestis wishes the movement felt less socially awkward. “If somebody saw you doing squats publicly, they wouldn’t think, ‘Oh, that’s weird.’ They’d be like, ‘Oh, they’re doing squats,’” she says. If you'd rather experiment without an audience, she adds, head to a private spot, even if it’s the restroom at work.

There’s no need to turn shaking into another time-consuming thing on your to-do list. Starr-Riestis likes that it’s free, takes very little time, and gives people something they can try anytime they have a spare second. “I think so much of our healing culture has become these long drawn-out routines,” she says. “You go to yoga for an hour, you have to do this and you have to do that.”

Just leave yourself a moment afterward to be still. Take a breath, notice how you feel, and give yourself a chance to settle before checking your phone or opening the next email. “The stillness after that is really, I think, the more important part,” Starr-Riestis says.

"Yellowstone" alum Dawn Olivieri is opening up about the turning point that drove her to leave Los Angeles behind and build the life that she actually wanted on a ranch and animal sanctuary in rural Arkansas.

During an interview with Fox News Digital, the 45-year-old actress, who is starring in the second season of Angel Studios’ post-apocalyptic drama "Homestead: The Series," shared how she became disillusioned with Hollywood during a lull in her career after years of chasing acting success.

"I realized it wasn't giving me what my dream of what it was supposed to give me," Olivieri said.

'VAMPIRE DIARIES' STAR IAN SOMERHALDER SAYS LEAVING HOLLYWOOD FOR FARMING 'SHIFTED MY LIFE FOREVER'

"It wasn't cooperating," she continued. "I didn't have offers, just like falling out of my phone. I went through a dry spell, and I was like, ‘Wow, so this is an illusion.'"

"I kind of saw through the veil and once I saw through veil — I realized in that moment, I have to make some decisions about my life that makes me happy — [it] isn't always waiting by the phone, losing my power, waiting for someone to hire me," Olivieri recalled. "I'm like, ‘Oh, what am I doing?’"

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"I just jumped ahead," she explained. "I go, ‘If I did make all this money and was successful, what would I do with it?’ Well, I would move to the country and have horses and OK, well, I guess let me go do that. Let me, let me see what. And so I did that with nothing. Which wasn't the dream part, but in actuality, it was what was always meant to happen because I moved toward my own authenticity."

In 2022, the actress left LA and bought a 160-acre property outside Mena, Arkansas. The following year, Olivieri founded the nonprofit organization Moon Mountain Sanctuary and Rescue, which rescues and rehabilitates hundreds of horses and other animals.

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During an August appearance on the "Let's Talk Local" podcast, Olivieri said she is currently living in a camper on the property while she continues to build and expand her ranch and animal sanctuary.

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Olivieri reflected on the unexpected result that came from her decision to leave Hollywood and create the lifestyle she had always envisioned, explaining that giving up control of her acting career ultimately improved it.

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"I think in that moment, I became a better human being," she said. "I became a better actress for sure. I started working way more than I did when I was in LA waiting for the job, waiting for the call."

"And I moved to a land of no mirrors is what I called it," Olivieri continued.. "I went into a deep relationship with the core of my being versus what everything looked like, what I looked like."

"And I would recommend that move to anybody," she added.

Olivieri's "Homestead: The Series" co-star Charles Esten, who joined her for the interview, agreed that letting go of the pressure to land the next role can sometimes have the opposite effect in Hollywood.

"It’s not just Hollywood, it’s the whole world that — but especially Hollywood — can smell that desperation of, ‘I need this to get that,’" Esten said.

WATCH: ‘YELLOWSTONE’ STAR DAWN OLIVIERI TRADED LA FOR ARKANSAS RANCH

"The second you sort of don’t hold so tightly and you have sort of more philosophy of abundance and let it a little looser. Or another way is just give it up," he continued. "I don’t mean give it up by quit doing it, but give up the need and the desperation on it. And then they finally go, ‘Hey, you want to come do a show?’"

"Yeah, literally, that’s what happened," Olivieri replied.

Olivieri pointed out that many other actors faced a dramatic decrease in work opportunities in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.

'VERONICA MARS' STAR JASON DOHRING TRADED HOLLYWOOD FOR FARMING

"But I had a very clear decision that I was willing to give up this identity of being an actress," she said. "And maybe if I had to sell farm fresh eggs on the side of the road, I would do that just to keep my freedom."

"Homestead: The Series" follows survivors living at a fortified prepper compound in the Rocky Mountains known as The Homestead after a nuclear attack on LA plunges the country into chaos. Olivieri plays Jenna Ross, the wife of Ian Ross (Neal McDonough), the wealthy prepper who established the Homestead, while Esten portrays Cain Ross, Ian's estranged brother.

After Ian is incapacitated and later dies, Jenna is pushed into a leadership role and struggles with how to protect the community while maintaining her compassionate approach toward outsiders. Meanwhile, Cain arrives at the Homestead after Ian's injury and takes a much more hardline approach to survival and leadership.

In season two, which premiered on Nov. 3, Jenna and Cain find themselves in conflict over how the compound should be run as resources dwindle.

Olivieri was part of the cast in the 2024 theatrical movie "Homestead," which introduces the story. Esten joined the cast for the first season of "Homestead: The Series," which picks up where the movie left off. The show also stars Kevin Lawson Emmanuel McCord, Jesse Hutch and Betzaida Landín.

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Olivieri and Esten shared their thoughts on why more Americans are increasingly interested in homesteading, growing their own food and moving away from big cities.

"People are thinking about it because everything else is becoming toxic in all truth," Olivieri said. "Our food system has gone toxic because of profit. Our way of life in a city has become toxic because of overpopulation potentially or, again, I really think the root of it is profit and money and commerce."

"In this state of government, being open and available is just a nicer experience," she added. "It is for me anyway."

Esten drew a contrast between Olivieri's homesteading and the gritty survivalism depicted on "Homestead: The Series."

"Dawn's homesteading that I've noticed is beautiful," he said. "Our version of homestead is very extraordinary necessity, fear-based. Plant these fences and Dawn's is the opposite of that. Dawn's very open and welcoming and saving animals that need it and welcoming other folks on."

After Olivieri embraced rural life and stopped waiting for Hollywood to call, the actress went on to land major roles in Taylor Sheridan's universe. Olivieri played Claire Dutton, the widowed sister of James Dutton (Tim McGraw), in 2021's "1883."

From 2022 to 2024, Olivieri portrayed Sarah Atwood, the corporate strategist brought in by Market Equities who becomes involved with Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), in "Yellowstone." She has a recurring role as CIA officer Amber Whalen on "Lioness" and most recently made a guest appearance in "The Madison."

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Olivieri weighed in on what she believes sets the prolific creator apart from others in Hollywood.

"He doesn't ask for permission to do anything," she said. "He listens to his North, his guide, and he writes textured, powerful human beings, especially women, which I find is very, very rare."

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"He writes them like it's coming from inside of himself," Olivieri continued. "I've talked to him about this because he will write things for a strong woman that makes you read it on the page and then look around, like, ‘Is someone watching me? How are you in my head?’"

Olivieri recalled asking Sheridan how he was able to write female characters with such insight.

"I went to him and I said, ‘How do you know how to do that?’ And he told me point blank, he said his mom was a strong woman," she remembered. "So he had a very, very, very close example of how strong women move and what they do and how they think and the way that they talk."

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"He writes things poetically," she continued. "He has texture. There's magic in the way that he writes and it's just undeniable. And he agrees he's tapped. He'll sit and wait for the muse and the muse will share the story with him. And that's how he writes."

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"It's no different than all of the great writers in the sense that they are very clear that it's not quite them," Olivieri added. "They are a conduit for some energy that flows through them. And he has told me that that's exactly what happens for him."

The second season of "Homestead: The Series" is currently streaming on Angel with new episodes released weekly on Tuesdays.

The entertainer shot to fame on Little Britain and also has best-selling series of children's books.

1. GTA VI will be available on Xbox Cloud Gaming for Xbox One consoles  The Verge
2. Xfinity Gives Gamers a Free 15-Day WiFi Speed Boost for the Highly Anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI Launch  Comcast Corporation
3. Grand Theft Auto VI pre-downloads begin ahead of much-anticipated launch  CBS News
4. GTA 6 PS5 Pro Upgrades Finally Revealed: Frame-Rate, Upscaling, Ray Tracing Confirmed  Digital Foundry
5. GTA 6 Is Now Available For Preload If You Have A Spare 212GB  Engadget

1. Pete Hegseth dismisses Republican’s impeachment effort against him as ‘a political spectacle’ – US politics live  The Guardian
2. Pete Hegseth decries impeachment push, defends Iran war handling  CNBC
3. Trump gives Hegseth an A+  The Hill
4. What to Know About Thomas Massie, Leader of Drive to Impeach Hegseth  The New York Times
5. Hegseth Impeachment Push, Trump Holds Off Iran Strikes, Congress Summons Nvidia's CEO  NPR

1. Health officials confirm case of measles in Bucks County, Pennsylvania  6abc Philadelphia
2. How word of mouth is helping an Amish community's fight against measles  NPR
3. Measles outbreak hits Bucks County, as Pennsylvania tops 1,500 cases  PhillyBurbs
4. What the Measles Vaccine’s “97% Effective” Rating Means for Pittsburgh Parents  Nautilus | Science Connected
5. Pennsylvania tops 1,500 measles cases as the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status this week  Inquirer.com

1. 'Not great': October CPI inflation data comes in hotter than expected as food and rent costs spike  Yahoo Finance
2. Inflation remained elevated in October, CPI report shows, upping odds of Fed interest rate hike  CBS News
3. Here's the inflation breakdown for October 2026 — in one chart  CNBC
4. Broad Price Pressures Firm Up Case for Fed Rate Increase in December  WSJ
5. US Core CPI Rises by More Than Forecast, Supporting Fed Hike  Bloomberg.com

Every year, TIME's editors and correspondents work together to compile a collection of the most interesting and groundbreaking new products and innovations for the Best Inventions list. As holiday season approaches, the TIME team has pulled out a selection of the 10 best outdoors items from the list that would make a perfect gift for the explorers and adventurers in your life.

—Hugo Yu for TIMEThe North Face Universal Wawona 3 Tent

Gear for a more broadly imagined adventurer

Inclusivity is rarely the focus of outdoor equipment innovation. With the help of professional adaptive athlete Vasu Sojitra, The North Face set out to change this with the Universal Collection. The frame of the Universal Wawona 3 tent comes together with three poles of the same size, eliminating the need for designers to use color coding that would be useless to the visually impaired to signal which pole goes where. The tent’s doorway also features a low threshold that makes it easier to roll in a wheelchair, which should have no problem being stored in the tent’s cavernous front vestibule alongside any other camping gear. —Rae Witte

Buy now: Universal Wawona 3 Tent on The North Face

—Hugo Yu for TIMEColeman Snap ’N Go

A collapsible hard-sided cooler

Hard coolers take up too much storage space; soft coolers don’t offer enough insulation. Coleman merged the best of both with its first collapsible hard-sided cooler. The Snap ‘N Go has a leakproof design, retains cold for up to 64 hours, and quickly folds to a third of its size. “You just pick the cooler up and it self-assembles—and with one tug, it collapses back down,” says VP of R&D for Outdoor and Recreation Scott Barbieri. It’s already outselling the company’s predictions: “I think it shows the desire for people to be outside and have easily transportable gear,” Barbieri says. —Derek Rose

Buy Now: Coleman Snap ’N Go on Amazon

—Royal RobbinsRoyal Robbins Salathé Sun Hoodie

Chemical-free mosquito protection 

Mosquito-borne diseases cause over 700,000 deaths per year, making the mosquito the world’s deadliest animal. Protective measures typically involve synthetic chemicals like permethrin and Deet or natural repellents with varying degrees of effectiveness, but outdoor apparel brand Royal Robbins sees another way: fabric construction. Its Salathé Sun Hoodie is made with a proprietary tight-weave ripstop fabric that the company says is roughly 92% effective against mosquito bites in lab and field testing and doesn’t wear away with time, all while remaining lightweight and breathable. As an added bonus, the fabric also offers UPF40+ sun protection. —Derek Rose

Buy Now: Royal Robbins Salathé Sun Hoodie on Amazon

LifeStraw Escape

A faster water filter

Designed for the outdoors, Escape is a high-flow pressurized water purifier that holds 5.25 gallons and filters 1 liter per minute, removing viruses, bacteria, parasites, and microplastics. —TIME Staff

Buy Now: Escape on LifeStraw

—ARMEDANGELSArmedangels Windbreaker

Petroleum-free and functional

Windbreakers are usually made from petroleum-based synthetics like polyester or nylon, and treated with forever chemicals—that’s what makes them windproof, water resistant, and durable. But it’s also what makes them an environmental nightmare. “We believe as a company that nature holds the solution to the problems we face as an industry,” says Armedangels Impact and Innovation Director Julia Kirschner. The team instead designed a windbreaker with Tencel Lyocell, a wood-pulp fiber, as the main fabric, tightly woven and treated with a PFAS-free water-repellent finish. The result is a breathable, water-repellent windbreaker that doesn’t rely on the oil industry or shed microplastics. —Matthew Huff

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—Mirae CampbellTherm-a-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad

A cozy, knit, inflatable sleeping pad

After decades of creating some of the lightest sleeping pads for camping, Cascade Designs’s latest release is also one of the plushest. At 30 oz., the new Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad is still quite light. But instead of crinkly, unbreathable nylon, the inflatable mattress is constructed from a stretch knit polyester usually reserved for apparel, which feels smooth against your skin and is virtually noiseless when you shift in your sleep. It also inflates to 4.6-in. thick, unprecedented for a mattress that—when rolled up—is hardly larger than a 1L Nalgene water bottle. —Adam Schram

Buy now: Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad on Amazon

—STUDIO LBLB VIVIAN BRUCHEZOpinel Neo7 Alpine Folding Knife

A multitool purpose-built for mountaineering

More climbers die on Mont Blanc than on any other mountain in Europe. To help the Chamonix mountain guides who work to prevent this, French knife manufacturer Opinel involved several ENSA-certified guides to develop and test a multi-tool tailored to their specific needs. Designed so it can be opened with one gloved hand, the Neo7 Alpine includes a serrated stainless-steel knife (perfect for cutting breakcord) and a quarter-inch bit holder (sized for ski and snowboard adjustment and repair). “Instead of trying to do everything, it focuses on doing the most important jobs very well," said Francoise Detroyat, Opinel's Marketing Director.  —Erica Zazo

Buy now: Opinel Neo7 Alpine Folding Knife on Amazon

—MarmotMarmot Wraptor

A more flexible sleeping bag

Marmot’s Wraptor sleeping bag has dual-flap magnetic closures instead of zippers for flexibility and a foot vent to help campers regulate body temperature. —TIME Staff

Buy Now: Wraptor on Marmot

—American TrenchAmerican Trench Ventile Shell Jacket

Naturally waterproof cotton

Cotton is infamously bad when wet, absorbing moisture and causing hikers’ hypothermia. Ventile, developed for the British military in 1943, is a cotton weave that leverages the fabric’s desire to expand when wet; when densely woven, the damp fibers actually create a natural elemental barrier—no weatherproofing chemicals required. American Trench uses the elegantly utilitarian material in its new Ventile Shell Jacket. Here, the fabric’s waterproofing is aided by a light water-repellent finish and thorough internal seam taping, a technical manufacturing process rarely attempted by factories outside of southeast Asia. The Ventile Shell, however, is manufactured in Clifton, N.J. —Daniel Varghese

Buy now: American Trench Ventile Shell Jacket at americantrench.com

—Cinch X WildlandWild Land Wingman

Truck bed glamping

Vehicle-based camping is on the rise, and Wild Land’s Wingman is here to meet the moment. The Wingman is a hardshell topper tent that transforms a pickup truck bed into a two-story camping system with the press of a button; founder and CEO of Wild Land's distribution partner Cinch Outdoors Jake Jackson describes it as somewhere between a traditional tent and an RV. The second-story sleeping area—for example—is decked out with a transparent PVC skylight, built-in Bluetooth speakers, lighting, and a high-density foam mattress. Purists might say it’s not camping, but for Jackson, “It's as close as you can get to the wildest parts of nature with a hotel-like experience.” —Derek Rose

Buy Now: Reserve Wild Land Wingman on Cinch Outdoors

Every year, TIME's editors and correspondents work together to compile a collection of the most interesting and groundbreaking new products and innovations for the Best Inventions list. As holiday season approaches, the TIME team has pulled out a selection of the 10 best household items from the list that would make a perfect gift for those looking to add more practical pizzazz to their space.

—Courtesy of DreameDreame MF10 Bladeless Fan

A futuristic smart fan

Earlier this year, Yu Hao, the founder and CEO of leading robot-vacuum-maker Dreame, made headlines and stirred controversy with his goal of building it into the world’s first $100 trillion company. The first step is rapidly expanding into various sectors, including phones, wearables, and air care. Dreame’s newest smart fan, the futuristic MF10, provides wide-ranging airflow via two bladeless, independently oscillating wings. (Each wing rotates up to 180 degrees horizontally and 90 degrees vertically for 270-degree circulation.) The MF10’s TempSync system senses air temperature and automatically adjusts fan speed to optimize comfort and energy use. —Derek Rose

Buy Now: Dreame MF10 Bladeless Fan on Amazon

—Hugo Yu for TIMEVestaboard Note

Retro message board

Vestaboard’s split-flap messaging displays evoke the sight and sound of a mid-century train station, but founder and CEO Dorrian Porter says it’s more than a nod to the past—it’s a respite from glowing screens. “The whole internet collapsed into our phones,” Porter says. “There’s an opportunity to put that information into our lives in simpler, more peaceful ways.” The Note—a compact version of the company’s much larger flagship product—launched in February, and can display personal messages, weather, stock prices, Spotify songs, and hundreds of other options via 2,880 mesmerizing flaps controlled via an app. —Derek Rose

Buy Now: Vestaboard Note on Vestaboard

—AuraAura Ink 

A cordless, wall-mounted digital frame

Digital photo frames have been around for decades, but you couldn’t easily wall-mount them without cord clutter until Aura Ink, a wireless, 13.3-in. display that can hold a charge for up to three months. Unlike traditional LCD frames that can make your living room feel like Times Square, Aura Ink uses a color e-paper technology that gives photos a vintage-print quality. Designing it meant “reinventing the whole product," Aura co-founder and CTO Eric Jensen says. For instance, because e-paper reflects ambient light (unlike a back-lit LCD), the Ink has a built-in front light that automatically adjusts to the room’s brightness. —Jessica Sager

Buy Now: Aura Ink on Aura Frames

—Hugo Yu for TIMESyncere Lume

A lamp that does chores

Like Lumiere the candlestick before it, the Lume both sheds light and completes tasks for its owner with nary a complaint. To create an AI-powered butler, AI startup Syncere reimagined the bedside lamp as a robotic arm that, when prompted via an app, makes the bed or sorts through a heap of clean laundry and folds it into neat piles. The current iteration can be wheeled around the house, and works best when purchased in a pair to fold clothes, make the bed, or pick up clutter. The company says it will learn more tasks with time. —Emma Barker Bonomo

Buy Now: Lume on Syncere

—SignifySignify Philips Skylight

Engineering natural light

The lighting pros at Philips have tackled the final frontier: replicating natural sunlight. The Philips Skylight provides a ceiling-mounted frame, which comes in two sizes, filled with a light panel that mimics the soft, fluctuating daylight of a skylight for those who rent or live on lower floors. The biggest challenges, its designers say, were mimicking the fade from crisp morning rays to bright noon light to a soft evening glow, and creating a sense of depth to conjure the distant sky. The VitaUp version even uses safe UV-B lights to stimulate vitamin D production. —Emma Barker Bonomo

Buy Now: Signify Philips Skylight on Amazon

—Flipper DevicesFlipper Devices Busy Bar

A timer that limits distractions 

Busy Bar started with a cardboard box with an LED strip as a stoplight to let coworkers know you’re occupied. Now the glowing gadget, which resembles a retro alarm clock, can share a personalized message, set a Pomodoro timer, lock down distracting apps, silence notifications, and connect to smart home systems to dim lights and change the music—all at the touch of a physical button. And that’s just the beginning. The product is open source, which gives you plenty of opportunity for customization. Place the bar on your desk, attach it to your monitor, or hang it on the wall and find your focus. —Nina Elder

Buy Now: Flipper Devices Busy Bar on Amazon

—Hugo Yu for TIMEMarshall Stockwell III

Classic portable speaker, better battery life 

Many portable Bluetooth speakers still prioritize function over form. Marshall’s revamped Stockwell III marries the two ideas, fitting a ton of features into a sleek package that looks like a mini version of the brand’s iconic amps. The battery lasts for an industry-best 40 hours and is replaceable (essentially unheard of in consumer electronics). Audio is better than ever too: Marshall’s signature True Stereophonic 360° audio ensures music sounds amazing from all angles, while the Dynamic Loudness feature automatically adjusts balance across volumes. —Eliza Thompson

Buy Now: Marshall Stockwell III on Amazon

—ECOVACSEcovacs Winbot W3 Omni

Cordless robot window washer

Cleaning floor-to-ceiling windows can feel like an Olympic sport. Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni lets you sit this one out. Simply press the small robot against a pane of glass and watch its TruEdge scrubber get within 1.1 mm of edges and corners. Unlike its predecessor, the W3 Omni is paired with a portable station whose built-in battery powers 130 minutes of continuous cleaning—no nearby outlet or extension cord necessary. That same dock features Vortex Wash, which automatically cleans the robot’s dirty wiping pads in about a minute. Your ladder and microfiber cloth could never. —Matthew Huff

Buy Now: Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni on Amazon

—Courtesy of Nuwave LLCNuwave Smart Mug

A cup that does the brewing

Plenty of mugs claim to keep beverages hot, and a few will even reheat a drink if it gets cold, but the 14-oz. Nuwave Smart Mug goes a step further by brewing tea and coffee on the spot. Add coffee grounds or loose tea leaves to its stainless-steel brewing filter, then tap a preset button for coffee, green tea, or black tea, or choose a temperature of your liking anywhere from 70°F to 205°F. Then discard the grounds or leaves and enjoy at your leisure: the dishwasher-safe cup maintains the just-so temp for more than five hours, and automatically shuts off once you’ve taken your last sip. —Matthew Huff

Buy Now: Nuwave Smart Mug on Amazon

—SharkNinjaNinja Slushi Twist

Life of the party

The original Ninja Slushi sold out 15 times after it debuted in July 2024. Now SharkNinja has doubled down on that success, literally, with the Slushi Twist. The double-barreled frozen-drink maker can churn out two icy drinks at once, even when their ingredients—and therefore their freezing points—are markedly different. The machine’s Dual SlushAssist technology uses sensors to analyze each mixture and determine how cold it needs to get, and its refrigeration system controls the chambers independently, so a margarita and a milkshake can reach peak consistency at the same time. Two spouts let you pour each flavor separately or in a swirl. —Matthew Huff

Buy Now: Ninja Slushi Twist on Amazon

1. 'Like gods reigning over humans': Many defectors see daughter of North Korea's Kim as heir apparent  NPR
2. How North Korean defectors view Kim Jong Un’s daughter as his possible successor  AP News
3. North Korea Kim's Daughter Views  GazetteXtra
4. Kim Ju Ae And North Korea's Next Leader: Is Kim Jong Un Preparing A Fourth-Generation Dynasty?  Outlook India
5. Many defectors see daughter of North Korea's Kim as heir apparent  WDSU

1. NFL trade deadline day open thread  Buffalo Rumblings
2. NFL trade deadline 2026 live updates: Latest news, analysis and reaction to every deal  The New York Times
3. 15 players to watch amid NFL trade deadline buzz  Yahoo Sports
4. NFL Trade Deadline Intel: Jay Glazer Dishes On Which Teams Will Be Busy  FOX Sports
5. 2026 NFL Trade Deadline Live Rumors, Updates and Analysis for November 10  Bleacher Report

1. British children’s author David Walliams accused of sexual misconduct  AP News
2. ‘It wasn’t long until he asked me if I’d ever had sex before’: David Walliams accused of preying on young women for sex  The Guardian
3. British comedian and children's author David Walliams accused of sexual misconduct  KSL News
4. U.K. children's author David Walliams named as celebrity accused of grooming girls as young as 15  Yahoo
5. BBC Removes ‘Little Britain’ From iPlayer While It Reviews David Walliams Content  Deadline

1. Indonesia's VP offers resignation as questions mount over his eligibility  NPR
2. Indonesia VP expresses intent to step down in talks with President, official says  Reuters
3. Indonesia’s vice-president ‘intends to resign’ after qualifications questioned  Financial Times
4. Indonesia VP Gibran expresses intent to step down, presidential official says  CNA
5. Diploma dispute fuels speculation of growing Prabowo-Widodo rift in Indonesia  South China Morning Post

—Photo-illustration by TIME; FanPro—Getty Images

The "World’s Best Companies - Sustainable Growth 2027" ranking is a comprehensive analysis aimed at identifying companies that demonstrate outstanding performance in sustainable development while maintaining strong financial health. The ranking focuses on three key dimensions - Revenue Growth, Financial Stability, and Environmental Impact. Only companies that transparently disclose their environmental data are considered for inclusion in the ranking.

Methodology

The first dimension, Revenue Growth, was evaluated based on a company's revenue between 2023 and 2025. To ensure a fair comparison, revenue growth was analyzed both in terms of relative growth and compared to the industry average. Companies were required to demonstrate consistent revenue growth during the evaluation period to be considered.

The second dimension, Financial Stability, was assessed using well-established financial metrics, including the Piotroski F-Score and Altman Z-Score. The F-Score measures a company’s financial health by examining profitability, leverage, and liquidity, while the Z-Score assesses the likelihood of bankruptcy. Companies that showed resilience and stability, especially in times of economic uncertainty, scored highly in this category. Additionally, profitability over the last five years (2021- 2025) was an important factor, ensuring that companies not only grew but maintained solid financial foundations. Industry specific KPIs were utilized to portray financial stability of companies within the banking, insurance and REIT sectors.

The third dimension, Environmental Impact, was a core focus of this analysis. Using data from 2024, the evaluation covered both direct and indirect carbon emissions, categorized as Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. Companies were evaluated based on their total emissions and emissions intensity, measured both relative to revenue and industry peers. Green energy use, water consumption, and waste management were additional key performance indicators. Companies that effectively reduced their environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency scored highly in this dimension. Data sources included publicly available sustainability reports, environmental disclosures, and third-party environmental databases.

Once all data was collected, it was consolidated and weighed within a scoring model. The scores of all three dimensions were weighed equally to determine the final ranking score, with a maximum of 100 points. The 500 companies with the highest scores were featured on the “World’s Best Companies - Sustainable Growth 2027” ranking by TIME and Statista.

See the full list.

As the world is reshaped by the AI industry while trying to stave off the worst effects of climate change, corporations have to strike a balance between growth and environmental and social stewardship. TIME and Statista have published the third annual ranking of World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth, identifying 500 companies that demonstrate outstanding performance in sustainable development while maintaining strong financial health. The ranking accounts for revenue growth, financial stability, and environmental impact. Only companies transparently disclosing their environmental data are considered for inclusion in the ranking.

Methodology: How TIME and Statista chose the World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth

Compared to last year’s list, in the top ten, several companies improved their rankings, and there were some new names appearing on the list as well. Nvidia, a company at the epicenter of AI’s buildup, climbed from no.6 last year to lead this year’s list. Its revenues across its various business platforms like data centers, hyperscale, AI cloud, and edge computing have continued to grow from 2025, with a 106% year over year growth, as reported in its 2027 Q2 earnings, driven by the Blackwell Ultra infrastructure introduced over the last few years. “We're the only company in the world that creates and builds, offers an entire AI factory platform, a full-stack system. And customers can still mix and match,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on an earnings call in August. “Most companies just don't have the skills to do that or desire to do that. And so, there's an entire part of the market that we experience growth. There's sovereign AI, there are regional AIs, there are neoclouds, there are AI start-ups, there are enterprises – which represents about half of our business, and that's growing 100% a year.” (The data for this year's list does not account for Nvidia's recent stock dip following the announcement of an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with a suspected Chinese spy.)

On the sustainable development side, Nvidia has partnered with industries like healthcare, education, weather monitoring and more to improve and expand services and accelerate innovation. Related discussion around grid demands of AI, Nvidia stated in its 2026 sustainability report that it is working on, for example, power-flexible AI factories that can increase capacity while reducing stress on the grid, especially during peak times. It is also working on designing increasingly energy efficient products including chips. In addition to using creative ways to capture and reuse water on its various campuses, Nvidia stated that it’s deploying closed-loop liquid cooling across its AI factories and leased data centers where applicable. The design of their cooling system “can significantly reduce or eliminate water use for cooling compared to traditional evaporative systems.” Additionally, Nvidia supports  industry-wide efforts to validate the source of minerals used in its products with the goal to use “only conflict-free gold, tantalum, tungsten, and tin (3TG).” The company reported that it has removed noncompliant 3TG smelters and refiners from its supply chain to help meet this goal.

E.L.F. Beauty, no. 2 this year, up from no. 13, had a strong-performance year across its portfolio, including with the brand Rhode, which it acquired last year, and Naturium. In a second quarter earnings report in November, its net sales this past March to end of September are up 51% compared to the same period last year. “This marks our 31st consecutive quarter of net sales growth. That is almost eight continuous years of growth. We are one of only six public consumer companies out of 516 that has grown for 31 straight quarters and averaged at least 20% net sales growth per quarter,” CEO Tarang Amin said in the earnings call. “Rhode continues to break records with every launch, including most recently in Sephora Europe, marking the biggest launch in Sephora's history.”

E.L.F has also leveled up from a C to a B in its CDP climate score during the second year of reporting due to getting more suppliers to use renewable energy, using lower carbon logistics such as hydrogen trucks for shorter delivery on the West Coast of the U.S., and designing packaging with recycling in mind as well as sourcing “smarter materials like FSC-certified paper and wood, and post-consumer recycled and bio-based resins.”  

Four international companies in the list’s top ten are new: France-based management consulting firm Wavestone (no. 5), Sweden-based helmet maker Mips (no. 6), Taiwan-based integrated circuit designer Aspeed Technology (no. 7) which provides remote server management chip products, and the U.K.-based real estate company LondonMetric Property (no. 9).

See the full list of the World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth below: