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Showing posts with label Science and Technology News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science and Technology News. Show all posts

Musks Neuralink probed for killing 1500 animals in clinical trials: Can this be justified

Elon Musk’s company Neuralink has reportedly come under the scanner of a federal investigation pertaining to a massive number of animal deaths during tests and clinical research. We will address what resulted in this, but more importantly, if such tests should even happen. 

First, here’s what happened at Neuralink.

Neuralink: What are they doing and why are animals being used in tests?

Neuralink is involved in developing a brain-machine interface that would theoretically allow you to control a computer with your human brain. Well, it is not just about lofty and cool applications, but there are aims to help the paralyzed walk and blind people to see the world around them. There are plans to even aid people with Alzheimer's and dementia in getting a better grasp of their world. 

Now, for all these things to work, a chip will be implanted inside your skull that communicates with the machine via neural signals. And since this is a technically difficult and dangerous task, Neuralink is currently doing tests on animals and as part of these tests, around 1,500 animals, comprising monkeys, sheep, and pigs have been killed since 2018 when Neuralink began its research.  

Animals are usually used in clinical research as they can be lethal or result in some uncalled-for health effects which most people wouldn’t want to be risked on humans. 

Every year, thus, more than 110 million animals of different kinds get killed in U.S. labs for various tests and trials. 

That brings us to the most important question:

Should animals be killed for the sake of science?

The reason we overlook animal deaths in the pursuit of science is the belief and empirical evidence that such tests contribute to scientific advancements and achievements. For instance, research in cows resulted in the world’s first vaccine and helped us put an end to smallpox. Studies in monkeys, mice, and dogs have apparently resulted in the discovery of the polio vaccine. Similarly, we have got drugs for cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, and Alzheimer’s happened thanks to tests on primates. 

Or so we believe. 

A simple Google research will reveal research papers and published articles that discount the linkage between animal tests and the discovery of cures.“Patients and physicians should remain cautious about extrapolating the finding of prominent animal research to the care of human disease … poor replication of even high-quality animal studies should be expected by those who conduct clinical research,” warns The Journal of the American Medical Association.

A sentiment shared by former National Cancer Institute Director, Dr Richard Klausner who remarked, “We have cured mice of cancer for decades, and it simply didn’t work in humans.”

So, things may not be as what regular folks assume. Well, in a focus group experiment, it was shown that naive people can turn a blind eye to animal cruelty for the sake of science.

Moreover, when authoritative figures push you to hasten the research for whatever reason, things could go haywire. 

Back in 2021, Musk said, "First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs," but over the years, the company has time and again failed to hit the deadlines. In the recent Neuralink 2022 event, he announced the human trials could kick off in 6 months. So, the pressure is on him, his employees, and needless to say the animals. 

The animals could struggle in the test, succumb to diseases, die in the process or by accident, or be euthanized. Well, there are other ethical alternatives like rehabilitation but are not always considered. In Musk’s defence, he has always mandated the best life possible for lab animals prior to their euthanization. 

In any case, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently regulating animal care over at Neuralink and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) handles the verification of medical devices and trials. The company is being probed by USDA under the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. 1966. 



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On World Pneumonia Day, new technologies are helping save lives

Today is World Pneumonia Day, throwing light on a respiratory condition that’s threatening to get more acute in a world with the increasing pollution, among other things.

In medical terms, pneumonia is a form of respiratory ailment, an infection caused in the air sacs of the lungs due to various reasons. The World Health Organization blames pneumonia as the number one cause of infectious deaths in children worldwide.

According to reports, just in 2019 alone, pneumonia claimed the lives of 2.5 million, including 672,000 children. That was before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic kicked in, which further worsened the global respiratory health situation as we all know. As a result, the estimated number of deaths from respiratory infections like pneumonia, including COVID-19, was 6 million in 2021.

Suffice to say that pneumonia is one of the most challenging respiratory conditions that humanity needs to find a way to eliminate. How is technology helping clinicians and medical researchers help reduce pneumonia-related deaths in the world?

Pneumoscope - an intelligent stethoscope

Back in November 2020, Swiss-made Pneumoscope debuted at the Geneva Health Forum – it’s an intelligent stethoscope that can diagnose pneumonia in as little as seven minutes. This pneumonia-hunting smart stethoscope is aimed at medical practitioners in low-and-middle-income countries, according to researchers.

The current Pneumoscope prototype can diagnose in just seven minutes common forms of pneumonia, one of the leading causes of death for children under the age of five, and we hope to see such new technological advancements help in the early diagnosis of pneumonia to reduce fatalities in the long term.

Sound-based AI diagnosis of pneumonia

Imagine a device running an AI algorithm trained on identifying the subtle acoustic differences of breathing through a pneumonia-infected lung versus a normal lung, for the immediate identification of pneumonia and saving lives. 

That’s exactly what the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health study or PERCH, a project funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is currently developing across seven countries throughout Africa and Asia.  

Using digital stethoscopes to record chest sounds from children hospitalized with life-threatening pneumonia, audio signals are uploaded online and studied by co-investigators at The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health International Vaccine Access Center and the Johns Hopkins University Engineering Department. They’re in turn helping build AI algorithms that can interpret these sounds and therefore accurately diagnose childhood respiratory illness. 

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.

 



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Chandra Grahan 2022: Here is how and when you can watch the Lunar Eclipse in India

A fortnight after India witnessed a partial solar eclipse, the eastern parts of India and some other regions across the globe will see a total lunar eclipse on November 8. Lunar Eclipse, known as the Chandra Grahan in India. It will be the second and the last lunar eclipse of the year and the last total lunar eclipse for about the next three years. The celestial event will also be visible in India's neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan, some parts of Russia, North and South America, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the North Atlantic Ocean, said astrophysicist Debi Prasad Duari, PTI.

When the whole of the lunar disc enters the Earth's dark zone called the umbra, the Moon appears reddish (Blood Moon), it is known as a total lunar eclipse. After about 14 minutes, the Moon moves out of Earth's umbra and back into the penumbra. In addition, the lunar eclipse will last a few hours, due to the red light, which has a longer wavelength than blue light, giving the lunar eclipse its characteristic reddish color. On Earth, we see the same effect during sunrises and sunsets, when the sky has a reddish glow, then during the day.

The Total Lunar Eclipse 2022 Timeline

Lunar Eclipse

A partial lunar eclipse begins - at 2.39 pm The total lunar eclipse begins - at 3.46 pm Maximum total lunar eclipse - at 4:29 pm The total lunar eclipse ends - at 5:11 pm Moonset - 6.19 am

Although the total Lunar eclipse would be seen only from the eastern parts of India, the Partial lunar eclipse would be visible from most of India. However, the lunar eclipse will still not be witnessed in its totality everywhere. Viewers don't require special equipment or glasses to observe a lunar eclipse, although using binoculars or a telescope can enhance the view and the red color.

The eclipse can be observed from all parts of India from the time of the moonrise, but during the beginning phase, the partial and total eclipse will not be witnessed because both the celestial event will begin when the Moon is below the horizon everywhere in India".

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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YouTube to split video content into 3 separate tabs

San Francisco, Oct 28 (IANS) Video streaming platform YouTube has announced a new update that will now split video content across all channel pages into three separate tabs for Shorts, live streams and long-form videos.

The update will make it easier for viewers to discover the kinds of content they are most interested in when exploring a creator's channel page, YouTube said in a blogpost.

In the Shorts tab, the viewer will only see Shorts. When the viewer is watching Shorts in the Shorts feed and navigate to a creator's channel from the feed, the viewer will be directed right to this new tab to keep enjoying Shorts.

In the Live tab, viewers will find all streams in this tab including any that are currently active, scheduled, or archived.

However, the Videos tab will continue to house long-form content.

Video users will no longer be able to view Shorts or live streams in the Videos tab in future, it added.

All devices will begin to display the new Shorts and Live tabs next to the classic Videos tab in the coming weeks, according to the company.

Meanwhile, YouTube recently announced that it is rolling out new design elements and product features, including options to zoom in and out for videos, to enhance the user experience on the platform.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 game modes revealed: Check out all the details here

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is all set to launch on 28th October. Activision has confirmed all the game modes that the game’s multiplayer will have at launch. The game is set to include Killstreaks, Field Upgrades, Perks, and more. Let’s take a deep dive into all the game modes that the game is set to include! 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Game Modes

As per Activision, Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer will offer two distinct mode categories at launch that include Core Map modes and Battle Map modes. The Battle Map Modes will also include Ground War and Ground War Invasion. Here is a list of all the following Core Map modes that will be available at launch:

Free-for-all: The first player to reach 30 eliminations ends the match, with the top three performers claiming victory.

Team Deathmatch: Use teamwork to eliminate enemy players and reach the score limit. The first team to obtain 75 eliminations wins the match. 

Domination: A team has to take complete control of three zones marked by flags — A, B, and C. Captured zones accrue points over the course of one round. The first team to reach 200 points wins the match.

Hardpoint: One team is required to capture the Hardpoint and hold it against attack. The Hardpoint location rotates every minute, with the position of the next Hardpoint being indicated in the last 10 seconds of the previous zone. The first team to earn 250 points wins the match.

Headquarters: A team is required to work and capture the Headquarters, then dig in and defend. Respawns are disabled for the team that holds the HQ. Once the HQ is taken offline, a new zone is designated for the next one. The first team to earn 200 points wins the match. 

Control: Each team shares a pool of 30 lives. If the attacking team successfully takes out one objective, they will gain more time to complete the second. The defending team can win the round by letting the time run out before the objectives are taken. The first team to win three rounds wins the match.

Prisoner Rescue: The Attackers must find two hostages and carry them either out or protect them at the extraction point – each hostage is worth 100 points. Defenders must prevent their extraction at all costs and hold them together in their spawn area until the round’s timer expires The first team to earn 500 points wins the match. Knock Out: Both teams fight over a bag of Cash located in the middle of the map. The team that holds the bag at the end of the round or that eliminates the entire enemy team wins the round. The first team to take five rounds wins the match. Search & Destroy: Attackers win a round by eliminating all defenders before or after the bomb is planted, or successfully planting a bomb and having it explode. Defenders win a round by eliminating all attackers before the bomb is planted. The first team to take six rounds wins the match.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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NFS Unbound announced: Everything you need to know

EA has announced the name of the newest instalment in its long-running arcade racing series, Need for Speed. Called NFS Unbound, the new game comes after a hiatus of nearly three years. The last game in the series, NFS: Heat was released in 2019. The game also comes with a new art style that’s heavily based on urban graffiti. Music will feature artists such as A$AP Rocky and AWGE.

NFS Unbound: Cars

But of course, the most important part of NFS will always be the cars. Thankfully, EA has not skimped on this part. According to the game’s official website, Unbound will offer 143 different vehicles. This will include vehicles from major manufacturers such as Ferrari, Dodge, Lamborghini, Nissan, Aston Martin and more. As has been the case with almost all racing games over the past decade, players will get the chance to customise their vehicles to match their tastes. This would include car parts, wraps, paint and more. 

NFS Unbound: Story and Gameplay

EA hasn’t yet provided extensive details about the game’s single-player story mode. The blurb on the announcement post states that it will kick off with a robbery at a family auto shop that “two friends apart and marks the rise from rookie to top racer on a journey to win the ultimate street race and reclaim the priceless car that was stolen.”

Aside from the new visual cues, the new game will offer a new feature called Burst Nitrous, which is described as a new driving tactic. It also seems like players will be able to place bets using earned cash against rival racers. As the players continue racing, they will generate more heat, which will increase the chances of police showing up. 

NFS Unbound: Map

The game is set in Lakeshore City, a fictional American town. As is the case with almost all sandbox maps, the city mixes in a little bit of everything. This includes tight urban environments, picturesque coastal roads, and swooping countryside. You can learn more about the map as well as some key locations here.

NFS Unbound: Price and Availability

NFS Unbound is scheduled to release on December 2 and will be available on the Sony PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via the EA app, Origin, Steam and Epic Store. The game will be priced at $69.99 and is already available for pre-order. As a bonus, those who pre-order will get epic driving effects packs, decals, license plates, banner artwork, stickers and $150,000 Bank in their wallet when they first join multiplayer.

Players can also purchase the Need For Speed Palace Edition for $79.99. This will reward players with four custom cars, a clothing pack, driving effects, decals and license plates, character pose, banner artwork and more. 

EA Play members will get to play the game early with a 10-hour trial starting on November 29. As a bonus, they will get to enjoy exclusive recurring in-game benefits. EA Play Pro members on PC will get unlimited access to NFS Unbound Palace Edition on November 29. 

EA also notes that it plans to release free content updates post-launch. This would include new features, experiences, content drops, etc. 

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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Apple likely to unveil 27-inch mini LED display in early 2023

San Francisco, Oct 7 (IANS) Tech giant Apple will launch a new 27-inch display with mini LED backlighting in the first quarter of 2023, says a new report.

The rumours of the pro-level display have circulated since Apple revealed the more "affordable" Studio Display. It lacks HDR, ProMotion, and mini LED backlighting found in Apple's MacBook Pros and 12.9-inch iPad Pro reports AppleInsider.

According to Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young, Apple will reveal a 27-inch mini LED display in early 2023. This information was shared with his super followers on Twitter, so the tweet is only visible to paying members.

Apple already sells the high-end Pro Display XDR with a 6K display, but it also lacks the latest pro-grade features found in other Apple products.

That display is meant more for professionals who need expensive reference monitors where colour accuracy is the most important detail.

For those who prioritise display refresh rates and optimised backlighting, there could be a new third monitor on its way. A 27-inch mini LED-backlit display would target the market between Apple's other current monitors, the report said.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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Nobel Prize 2022 winners in Physics go to a trio for solving quantum science mysteries

France-born Alain Aspect, American John Clauser and Austrian scientist Anton Zeilinger were on Tuesday awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of John Stewart Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science".

They each conducted groundbreaking experiments using entangled quantum states, where two particles behave like a single unit even when they are separated.

Their results have cleared the way for new technology based upon quantum information.

"The ineffable effects of quantum mechanics are starting to find applications. There is now a large field of research that includes quantum computers, quantum networks, and secure quantum encrypted communication," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement.

One key factor in this development is how quantum mechanics allows two or more particles to exist in what is called an entangled state.

What happens to one of the particles in an entangled pair determines what happens to the other particle, even if they are far apart.

For a long time, the question was whether the correlation was because the particles in an entangled pair contained hidden variables, instructions that tell them which result they should give in an experiment.

In the 1960s, John Stewart Bell developed the mathematical inequality that is named after him.

This states that if there are hidden variables, the correlation between the results of a large number of measurements will never exceed a certain value.

However, quantum mechanics predicts that a certain type of experiment will violate Bell's inequality, thus resulting in a stronger correlation than would otherwise be possible.

"Clauser developed John Bell's ideas, leading to a practical experiment. When he took the measurements, they supported quantum mechanics by clearly violating a Bell inequality. This means that quantum mechanics cannot be replaced by a theory that uses hidden variables," said the Academy.

Some loopholes, however, remained after Clauser's experiment.

Aspect developed the setup, using it in a way that closed an important loophole. He was able to switch the measurement settings after an entangled pair had left its source, so the setting that existed when they were emitted could not affect the result.

Using refined tools and a long series of experiments, Zeilinger then started to use entangled quantum states. Among other things, his research group has demonstrated a phenomenon called quantum teleportation, which makes it possible to move a quantum state from one particle to one at a distance.

"It has become increasingly clear that a new kind of quantum technology is emerging. We can see that the laureates' work with entangled states is of great importance, even beyond the fundamental questions about the interpretation of quantum mechanics," says Anders Irback, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

The prize amount of 10 million Swedish kronor will be shared equally between the winners.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.



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OpenAI removes the waitlist from DALL-E, allowing new users to sign up

OpenAI has officially announced that their AI Art Generator DALL-E is now available to everyone and can be used without any waitlist. This means that users can sign up and start using the machine learning model immediately without any waiting period. 

In a blog post, OpenAI said, “We are removing the waitlist for the DALL·E beta so users can sign up and start using it immediately. More than 1.5M users are now actively creating over 2M images a day with DALL·E—from artists and creative directors to authors and architects—with over 100K users sharing their creations and feedback in our Discord community.”

What is DALL-E?

In case you’re wondering what DALL-E actually is, it is an open-source machine learning model that allows the creation of original images from scratch using just text descriptions. It can combine different objects, concepts, characteristics and styles while creating an image. 

The first version of DALL-E was released in January 2021 and was very basic. While it did what it said, the results weren’t impressive at all. However, later in April of this year, OpenAI released DALL-E 2, which generated images that were very realistic. It has also gained a lot of popularity since then. 

How do I sign up for DALL-E?

In order to sign up, you will first need to go to visit this site. Once there, you can sign up using an Email ID or a Google or even a Microsoft account. Once that’s done, you will also be needing to put in your phone number. After that, your account will be created!  Any new users that sign up for the service get 50 free credits, and further, more credits can be purchased. 

In order to use the service, all you need to do is enter a text prompt and hit enter. Any images generated with DALL-E are owned by OpenAI, however, the company allows the users to use the images. But the company says that any content violations will revoke the right to use the generated images.

 

 



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NASA plans to crash spacecraft into asteroid: Heres why

A NASA spacecraft was set to smash into an asteroid early on Tuesday, in a bid to test a technology to defend Earth against potential asteroid or comet hazards in the future.

NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), a first such mission, was set to impact its target asteroid -- which poses no threat to Earth -- at 7.14 p.m. on Monday (4.44 a.m. on Tuesday IST).

"This test will show a spacecraft can autonomously navigate to a target asteroid and intentionally collide with it to change the asteroid's motion in a way that can be measured using ground-based telescopes," the US space agency said in an update.

DART's target is the binary, near-Earth asteroid system Didymos, composed of the roughly 780-metre diameter "Didymos" and the smaller, approximately 160-metre size "Dimorphos", which orbits Didymos.

DART will impact Dimorphos to change its orbit within the binary system, and the DART Investigation Team will compare the results of DART's kinetic impact with the asteroidAto highly detailed computer simulations of kinetic impacts on asteroids, according to NASA.

"Doing so will evaluate the effectiveness of this mitigation approach and assess how best to apply it to future planetary defense scenarios, as well as how accurate the computer simulations are and how well they reflect the behaviour of a real asteroid," the space agency added.

DART will provide important data to help better prepare for an asteroid that might pose an impact hazard to Earth, should one ever be discovered.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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Apple set to launch new MacBook Pro models as suppliers gear up

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Apple is set to release new MacBook devices next month and suppliers are "gearing up" for the shipments of upcoming laptops.

According to a report in DigiTimes, Apple plans to release new MacBook models in the fourth quarter this year and if we go by the previous announcements, the company normally launches new hardware in the month of October.

This report also said that Apple is gearing up to launch a 15-inch MacBook Air and a 12-inch device by early 2024.

According to earlier reports, Apple is likely to unveil a new MacBook Pro with 5-nanometer chips.

These are likely to be the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips and will be found inside the 14-inch and 16-inch models, said the report.

The Mac mini is also a possibility for a fall 2022 launch.

According to rumours, a new iMac and iMac Pro is also in the pipeline but not this year.

Another product that might be showcased is the first mixed-reality headset by Apple.

Also, the 10th generation of iPad with A14 chip is expected this fall, that will feature an all-new design that mimics the iPad Pro in terms of a flat design.

The renderings on social media have shown a vertical rear camera lens similar to that on iPhone X.

Apple iPad Pro is likely to house M2 chip as an upgrade to the current models with M1 chip.

The iPad Pro may also come with wireless charging with MagSafe and mini LED, backlighting for the 11-inch iPad Pro.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in



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Ear tips in new AirPods Pro incompatible with older model: Apple

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Apple has explained that new silicone ear tips with the second-generation AirPods Pro are not compatible with the older generation of AirPods Pro.

In a support document, the tech giant said the original AirPods Pro ear tips have "noticeably denser mesh" in comparison with the second-generation ear tips.

"Ear tips have been designed specifically for their AirPods Pro generation, to deliver the highest-fidelity audio experience," said the company.

As a result, "use the ear tips that come with your AirPods Pro".

The company explained the reason for this, saying that AirPods Pro (1st generation) ear tips have noticeably denser mesh than AirPods Pro (2nd generation) ear tips.

However, using older ear tips won't affect the sound or noise-cancellation quality on new AirPods.

The problem users will face is the proper fit in the ear with old tips owing to dense mesh.

With the new H2 chip, AirPods Pro, available in India for Rs 26,900, provides an exceptional acoustic experience and cancels up to twice as much noise over the previous generation AirPods Pro.

This time, a new extra small ear tip is included so even more people can experience the magic of AirPods Pro.

With a new low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier, AirPods Pro now offer richer bass and crystal-clear sound across a wider range of frequencies.

With Touch control on AirPods Pro, a light swipe up or down on the stem enables quick volume adjustments.

AirPods Pro offer 1.5 hours of additional listening time over the first generation, for a total of up to six hours with Active Noise Cancellation.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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You can catch Jupiters closest date with Earth in 70 years on Sep 26

Washington, Sep 17 (IANS) Jupiter is set to make its closest approach to Earth in the last 70 years and on September 26, stargazers can expect an excellent view when the giant planet reaches opposition.

From the viewpoint of Earth's surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth.

Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. But that's not all.

"Jupiter's closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year's views will be extraordinary," NASA said in a statement late on Friday.

At its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 365 million miles in distance from Earth.

The planet is approximately 600 million miles away from Earth at its farthest point.

"With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible," said Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

"It's important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th century optics. One of the key needs will be a stable mount for whatever system you use," he noted.

Kobelski recommends a larger telescope to see Jupiter's Great Red Spot and bands in more detail -- a four inch-or-larger telescope and some filters in the green to blue range would enhance the visibility of these features.

According to Kobelski, an ideal viewing location will be at a high elevation in a dark and dry area.

Jupiter has 53 named moons, but scientists believe that 79 have been detected in total.

The four largest moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto -- are called the Galilean satellites.

NASA's Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting Jupiter for six years, is dedicated to exploring the planet's surface and its moons.

Scientists believe studying Jupiter can lead to breakthrough discoveries about the formation of the solar system.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in



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Google to show Play Store reviews based on your device

San Francisco, Sep 15 (IANS) With an aim to make it more user-friendly, Google has reportedly introduced a new feature that will show reviews on the Play Store based on the type of device a person is using.

The update, promised to occur in "early 2022" in August 2021, now has arrived as Google prepares to introduce its own tablet and wearable, reports The Verge.

In the reviews section of the Play Store, there is now a notice to let you know that ratings are "verified,a and that you are being shown feedback from people using the same type of device as you, the report said.

This feature is becoming increasingly important as Android apps spread to even more form factors; someone using Google's upcoming Pixel Tablet will experience an app very differently than someone running it on a Chromebook.

"Early next year we will further update ratings to reflect the device type users are browsing Play on, whether it's: tablets and foldables, Chrome OS, Wear, or Auto," the company had said in a blogpost last year.

"This will give users a better impression of the experience that they can expect for the device they're using," it added.

The tech giant had mentioned that ratings help people decide which apps to download and they are taken into consideration for featuring and placement on Play Store.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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Microsoft to help create more personalised home screen experience for Xbox users

San Francisco, Sep 9 (IANS) Tech giant Microsoft has announced that it is rolling out new experiments to learn how to create a more personalised home screen experience for Xbox users.

The company said that it is focused on making it faster and easier for users to play the games they love and find their next favourite game.

"We know the Xbox homepage is where our gamers spend a lot of their time, and it is a space that is very personal. We also know we can always be listening and learning how we can do better here while keeping your experience fast and familiar," Ivy Krislov, Senior Product Manager Lead, Xbox, said in a blogpost.

The company said that starting this week, a random subset of Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring will see layout, design, and ease of access changes as we experiment with different approaches.

"In addition, we are exploring options for new game channels and collections when you scroll down that include content that's curated for you based on things like the games you have played or how to make the most out of your Game Pass subscription," Krislov said.

The key update in this first round of preview updates is that the new "Jump back in" row gives users quick access to their most recently played games and apps.

Users can easily access essential system apps like Settings, Store, Search and My Games and Apps with their own dedicated tiles on Xbox Home.

"We want to ensure this experience is the best it can be, and we know getting it right will take some time which is why we will be rolling it out slowly and iterating throughout the process," Krislov said.

"With your input, we are looking forward to launching this new, better Home experience in 2023. Please share your feedback and be patient as we add, remove, and change features to optimize the experience," Krislov added.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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YouTube to make educational content more accessible, interactive

San Francisco, Sep 9 (IANS) Google-owned YouTube is introducing new products that will allow learners to explore subjects they are passionate about and creators to provide structured learning content.

The platform is announcing updates to make educational content more accessible and interactive for learners while helping learning creators thrive on YouTube.

"To improve the YouTube experience in educational environments, we are launching YouTube Player for Education -- a new YouTube embedded player that shows content on commonly used education apps without distractions like ads, external links or recommendations," Jonathan Katzman, Director of Product Management, YouTube Learning, said in a blogpost.

YouTube said, to start, it is partnering with established edtech companies in the US, including EDpuzzle, Purdue University and Purdue Global.

YouTube Player for Education will also improve the existing YouTube embedded player in Google Classroom for an even better YouTube experience.

"Next year, qualified creators can begin offering free or paid Courses to provide in-depth, structured learning experiences for viewers," the platform said.

"Viewers who choose to buy a Course can watch the video ad-free and play it in the background. Courses will arrive first in the US and South Korea in beta before expanding to more countries," it added.

YouTube said it is also introducing Quizzes -- a new way for creators to help viewers test their knowledge.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 had its 40th mission with 51 Starlink satellites: Heres the mission status

Elon Musk-run SpaceX on Monday said it has successfully deployed 51 more Starlink satellites in space, completing its 40th mission so far this year. The Falcon 9 rocket launched 51 Starlink satellites and Spaceflight's Sherpa-LTC to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the US. "Deployment of 51 Starlink satellites confirmed, completing SpaceX's 40th mission so far this year! Deployment of Spaceflight's Sherpa-LTC confirmed," the company said in a tweet. The Sherpa-LTC orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) carries Spaceflight's customer payload ( part of Boeing's Varuna Technology Demonstration Mission) that aims to test V-band communications for a future constellation of 147 non-geostationary broadband satellites. SpaceX's Falcon 9 will drop off Sherpa-LTC at a 310-kilometer altitude above Earth. Then, the Sherpa-LTC will use its onboard high-thrust propulsion system to maneuver to its designated 1,000-kilometer circular orbit where it will be tested for 2 years. Last week, Musk said SpaceX is launching Starlink satellites nearly every five days now and plans to launch 100 orbital missions in 2023. According to Musk, SpaceX is now carrying out rocket launches roughly every five days which would help the company easily achieve its target. SpaceX has already broken its own record for the most annual launches (31) and is now aiming to double the number. Late last month, SpaceX launched 54 more of its Starlink broadband satellites in orbit and landed a rocket on a ship at sea. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean Group has become the first in the global cruise industry to adopt SpaceX Starlink's high-speed, low-latency Internet services for a better onboard experience for guests and crew. The broadband internet service will be installed on all Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of the brands. The installation is slated to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

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Elon Musk suggests a solution for the NASA Artemis I leak problem: What is it

As NASA scrubbed the Artemis 1 uncrewed mission to the Moon once again, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Sunday came up with a suggestion for the ailing mission that will finally land astronauts on the lunar surface after decades. NASA engineers could not overcome a hydrogen leak in a 'quick disconnect' phase of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launch on Saturday. According to Eric Berger of Ars Technica, NASA has a tolerance for a small amount of hydrogen leakage and anything above a 4 per cent concentration of hydrogen near the 'quick disconnect' is considered a flammability hazard. Musk replied to Berger's 'accurate assessment', saying that "Raptor design started out using H2 (hydrogen), but switched to CH4 (hydrogen). Latter is the best combo of high efficiency and ease of operation in my opinion." "Delta-v difference between H2 and CH4 is small for most missions, because the CH4 tank is much smaller & no insulation is needed," Musk explained. The delta-v is the difference of velocity that a rocket engine can impose on a spacecraft as a function of the specific impulse and the variation in the mass of the vehicle itself. According to him, CH4 (methane) is easier to produce on Mars and is "very important" for launch missions. SpaceX is among the first companies to use liquid methane and hydrogen as fuel. Musk also hopes for a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet in 20 years' time, as his space company prepares the Starship mega rocket to take people and cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond. According to the report, The NASA showstopper "was an 8-inch diameter line carrying liquid hydrogen into the rocket. It sprung a persistent leak at the inlet, known as a quick-disconnect, leading on board the vehicle". NASA will next have the launch window from September 19 to October 4. "However, making that window would necessitate fixing the rocket at the pad, and then getting a waiver from the US Space Force, which operates the launch range along the Florida coast," said the report. The space agency has another Artemis I launch opportunity from October 17 to October 31.

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Google allows controversial Parler app back on Play Store

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) Google has finally allowed conservative social media app Parler to be back on its Play Store, after it removed the app in January 2021 for violating its policies following the US Capitol riots.

In April, Apple approved Parler's return to the App Store, following improvements the company made to better detect and moderate hate speech.

"Major news: We're back on the Google Play Store. Happy downloading, Android users," Parler app tweeted on Saturday.

Parler Chief Technology Officer Sam Lipoff said that while away from Google Play, "we have worked diligently to build a more feature-rich and dynamic user experience".

"Now is a perfect time to join Parler and rediscover the non-partisan platform where we enable people to speak freely," Lipoff posted.

Parler, an alternative to Facebook and Twitter that bills itself as a haven for free speech, was removed from major tech platforms in early January following the US Capitol riots of January 6.

Parler was kicked off of Apple and Google's app stores, as well as Amazon Web Services, which had been hosting the company's product.

Former US President Donald Trump's social media platform called Truth Social is also facing similar issues with both Apple and Google, and the company is now working "in good faith with Google" to get it back on Play Store.

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NASA captures 1st direct image of exoplanet outside our solar system

New York, Sep 2 (IANS) For the first time, astronomers have used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to take a direct image of a planet outside our solar system.

The exoplanet called 'HIP 65426 b' is a gas giant, meaning it has no rocky surface and could not be habitable.

The exoplanet is about six to 12 times the mass of Jupiter, and these observations could help narrow that down even further.

It is young, about 15 to 20 million years old, compared to our 4.5-billion-year-old Earth.

"This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally," said Sasha Hinkley, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Exeter in the UK.

The image, as seen through four different light filters, shows how Webb's powerful infrared gaze can easily capture worlds beyond our solar system, pointing the way to future observations that will reveal more information than ever before about exoplanets, the space agency said in a statement.

This image shows the exoplanet 'HIP 65426 b' in different bands of infrared light.

A set of masks within each instrument, called a coronagraph, blocks out the host star's light so that the planet can be seen.

Astronomers discovered the planet in 2017 using the SPHERE instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile and took images of it using short infrared wavelengths of light.

Webb's view, at longer infrared wavelengths, reveals new details that ground-based telescopes would not be able to detect because of the intrinsic infrared glow of Earth's atmosphere.

Since 'HIP 65426 b' is about 100 times farther from its host star than Earth is from the Sun, it is sufficiently distant from the star that Webb can easily separate the planet from the star in the image.

"It was really impressive how well the Webb coronagraphs worked to suppress the light of the host star," Hinkley said.

Taking direct images of exoplanets is challenging because stars are so much brighter than planets.

The 'HIP 65426 b' planet is more than 10,000 times fainter than its host star in the near-infrared, and a few thousand times fainter in the mid-infrared.

"Obtaining this image felt like digging for space treasure," said Aarynn Carter, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

In July, James Webb Space Telescope produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date.

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Edit videos on your mobile phone using the YouTube Create App

YouTube has introduced its new mobile app called ‘YouTube Create’. This app offers an easy way for creators to edit their videos right from ...