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2026 has been a polarizing year for Tom Hardy so far, especially with the latest news surrounding his hit Paramount Plus crime thriller, MobLand . Hardy stars alongside Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren in the Guy Ritchie -directed and produced series, which is set to return later this year for Season 2. However, a report sent shockwaves through the internet when news broke that Hardy had been fired from MobLand due to an ongoing dispute with a producer, meaning he would not be brought back for Season 3 should the show be renewed. This has since been debunked, as new reports confirm that the tensions between Hardy and the MobLand creatives have been smoothed over, and he will return as Conrad Harrigan in a potential third season . However, it’s not the first time that rumors have swirled about Hardy having a tumultuous relationship with a co-star on set.

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Fast charging seems to be almost everywhere. Many smartphones can go from nearly empty to more than 50% charged in about half an hour, while some electric vehicles can add hundreds of miles of range during a quick charging stop.

But batteries aren't perfect; their capacity degrades over time . Given that fast charging delivers more power in a shorter amount of time, does fast charging damage batteries?

Scientists say the answer is yes, but it's more complicated than you might think. Fast charging can accelerate some types of battery degradation, but modern batteries are designed with safeguards to help limit the damage.

How does fast charging work?

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries — the most common battery type in the world — work by moving lithium ions between two electrodes called a cathode and an anode. During charging, lithium ions travel through the battery and are stored in the anode until the battery is used again.

The main difference between fast charging and regular charging is how quickly those ions move. Compared with regular charging, which can take hours, fast charging can refill a battery in an hour or less.

This diagram shows the inside of the battery as lithium ions move through the circuit from being more concentrated to less concentrated. (Image credit: Kenna Hughes-Castleberry/Live Science) "Regular charging applies a lower current, allowing lithium ions to intercalate [move into microscopic holes] into the anode gradually, which generates little heat and causes minimal mechanical stress," Zhiyuan Jiang , an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology at Xi'an Jiaotong University in China, told Live Science via email. "Fast charging increases the current [and] power significantly to shorten charging time."

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Not all batteries are designed for fast charging. A battery's ability to handle high charging speeds depends on its materials, internal structure and battery management system, Jiang explained. Fast-charging batteries often use specialized electrode materials or thinner electrodes and electrolytes that allow the lithium ions to move more easily. Manufacturers may also redesign the battery's internal architecture to reduce resistance and heat buildup.

Stanislaw Zankowski , a battery researcher at the University of Oxford, compared the process to traffic moving through a city.

"You could think about charging a battery as transporting people through roads, intersections and buildings," Zankowski told Live Science. "Fast charging is really a question of how efficiently you can move all that traffic without creating bottlenecks."

What type of damage could fast charging cause?

All lithium-ion batteries lose capacity over time, even when they are treated carefully. But fast charging can speed up some of the chemical processes responsible for that aging.

One of the biggest concerns is a process called lithium plating . During rapid charging, lithium ions may not have enough time to settle properly inside the anode. Instead, some lithium can accumulate as metallic deposits on the electrode's surface. These deposits can reduce the amount of lithium available to store energy, thereby lowering the battery's capacity. In extreme cases, the lithium can form needle-like structures called dendrites that puncture internal battery components and create safety hazards.

Fast charging can also generate more heat. Heat is a natural byproduct of electrical resistance in the battery. The faster a battery charges, the more heat it produces.

"For charging a small battery with a small current, that amount of heat will be also relatively small," Zankowski said. "So, it's not really a safety problem, but as we increase the size of the battery, the amount of current that we'll be pushing during charging and the amount of heat will also increase quite a lot. And as a result, we can't really charge larger batteries as quickly, mostly because of the safety margin."

Higher temperatures can accelerate chemical reactions that gradually degrade battery materials. In some extreme cases, overheating can cause batteries to swell , catch fire or even explode ‪—‬ a process known as thermal runaway .

Some batteries, like those used in electric vehicles, have a management system that helps them charge safely without overheating. (Image credit: Witthaya Prasongsin via Getty Images) Fortunately, most modern smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles contain sophisticated battery management systems that monitor voltage, current and temperature during charging. That's why you may get a heat warning from your smartphone if you leave it in the sun. If temperatures climb too high, these systems automatically slow charging to protect the battery.

Best tips for battery life

So what's the best way to protect a battery while charging it quickly?

Both Zankowski and Jiang emphasized that temperature is key. It's best to avoid charging devices in hot environments, such as inside a parked car or in direct sunlight. Extremely cold temperatures can also be harmful because they make it harder for the lithium ions to move through the battery.

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"Ideally, the temperature range should be around 20 to 25 degrees Celsius [68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit] for charging," Zankowski said. "So, just like a comfortable temperature for a human being, right?"

Experts also recommend that you avoid keeping devices like laptops constantly plugged in, as this can degrade battery performance. Jiang suggested implementing the "shallow charge, shallow discharge" habit.

"Keep your battery between 20% and 80% for daily use," he said. "It is not necessary to charge to 100% every time."

Can you match these ancient devices to their pictures? Find out with our computing quiz!

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President Donald Trump’s call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino urging him to review U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card has thrust the politics of global sport back in the spotlight — and it’s raising questions about how the Olympic movement plans to navigate a White House that has an interventionist approach toward the world’s biggest sporting events.

Trump’s involvement — along with that of other senior administration officials — with the global governing body for soccer highlighted just how deeply FIFA has cultivated its relationship with the White House.

But with Los Angeles set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, Olympic officials have charted a markedly different course. So far, newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry has yet to appear publicly alongside Trump.

While FIFA has been the primary organizer of the 2026 World Cup, the International Olympic Committee will rely on LA28 — the independent local organizing committee — to execute the games.

That structure has allowed the IOC to keep more distance from Washington. Asked in January whether she could learn from Infantino’s approach to courting Trump, Coventry suggested the Olympic movement would take a more measured path.

“If we weren’t seeing good relations six months before the World Cup I would get worried,” she said. “As we get closer to the Olympics you will see the relations continue … and only get stronger.”

For now, the personal relationship with Trump has largely been managed through Casey Wasserman, the chair of LA28, who has emerged as the Olympic movement’s chief interlocutor with the White House.

Wasserman appeared alongside Trump in the Oval Office last year when the president signed an executive order establishing a White House task force focused on the 2028 Games. But it’s a sharp contrast with Infantino’s regular presence at the president’s side, his proclivity for praising the president in public and catering to his ego. After supporting the effort to have the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Trump, Infantino created FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize and awarded it to the president.

“My understanding of the Casey way is keep your head down, do the work, have your leaders lead the day-to-day, and worry about the most important things to make sure the event is successful, right?” said one person who has worked closely with Wasserman. “It’s not grandstanding and placating the way Gianni has done. It’s just a different approach. Look, maybe it’s just too soon, but he’s not a peace prize-giving kind of guy.”

Behind the scenes, however, cooperation between LA28 and the administration has already begun.

According to people familiar with the discussions, organizers have been working closely with the White House Olympic Task Force on a range of logistical issues, including plans for a pro-am golf tournament at Trump’s Los Angeles-area golf course before the Games.

At the State Department’s request, LA28 has also helped develop a dedicated visa processing portal for Olympic athletes and officials. The system has already been used to facilitate the entry of a small number of LA28 support staff into the United States, according to people familiar with the effort.

As the World Cup has unfolded this month, Trump’s interest in the Olympics has hardly diminished — they are the two events taking place during his second term that he takes credit for bringing to the U.S., based on decisions that were made during his first term.

“The beautiful thing about what I did is I ran [for president again]. I never thought of it, and then all of a sudden I realized, you know, I just got the Olympics, and I totally got that myself, and I just got FIFA,” Trump said on Monday. “I got that myself.”

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The Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, will open before the end of the month following a delay stemming from President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada.

Canada’s Housing and Infrastructure Department and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that the bridge will open July 27. A statement from the Canadian government said the agreement was made “with the support of the United States Government.”

The announcement appears to mark the conclusion of the 1.5-mile long bridge’s role in a broader trade disagreement between the two countries. In February, Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge — named after the famed Canadian-born hockey player — over what he viewed as unfair trade practices.

Trump demanded at the time that the U.S. be given at least half ownership of the bridge, which has been under construction since 2018 and funded by a corporation owned by the Canadian government. Under the original agreement, the U.S. and Canada would split toll revenue from the bridge 50/50 after Canada had recouped the amount it spent financing the project.

In June, right before a scheduled ribbon-cutting ceremony at the bridge, the opening was delayed while Canadian and U.S. officials worked to “resolve any outstanding issues,” the bridge authority said. Details weren’t given about what those issues were, but Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later said the opening was delayed “at the request of the United States.”

In a statement, Whitmer called the bridge a “great deal for our state” and said she was “proud to have fought for its opening and congratulate my partners who have worked on this issue alongside me for years.”

“This bridge is a testament to the enduring partnership between Michigan and Canada and what we can get done when we think big and bet on our shared future together,” Whitmer continued. “Thank you to our allies in Canada and to the Michiganders who advocated for years to get this done. Let’s keep working together to build a bright future for Michigan and Canada.”

Canada’s Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson praised the agreement on the bridge, which he said “will create new opportunities, strengthen our economy, and bring economic benefits” for both nations.

The U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ahead of the announcement, Michigan GOP Senate candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers touted certain details of the deal that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had told him, including that the U.S. would receive “half the revenue” and “joint determination of what the tolls are.”

Rogers added that Lutnick had apparently told him that “they will guarantee and ensure that we’re not pouring Chinese cars over that bridge.”

“A little bit of time, some tough negotiations, some long conversations,” Rogers said. “This is how you get things done.”

The bridge closure marked continued tension between Washington and Ottawa, amid contentious negotiations over the administration’s tariffs and Trump’s claim that he wanted to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.

The delay, which largely remained separate from negotiations over a trade deal between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, had agitated representatives of Michigan industries that were anticipating that the bridge would ease congestion at existing crossings thanks to its modernized traffic flow and custom facilities.

“Shippers are excited to use the bridge,” said Chuck Lippstreu, the president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association. “They’d like to see it opened.”