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TCP/IP Fundamentals (Website) | This course teaches you how to work with the UDP and TCP internet protocols in real-world scenarios. It teaches students to build small networking applications inside the browser using Rust. No previous knowledge of network programming is required, but students should have some experience with Rust syntax. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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A mildly insane idea for disabling the coronavirus | If the coronavirus's spike protein was destroyed, then it wouldn't be able to infect anything. Our cells have a system for destroying proteins that involves tagging targeted proteins with a special protein called ubiquitin. There are no proteins that can attach ubiquitin to the viral spike protein, so a team at Harvard produced one. The bioengineered protein attaches to the viral spike protein, which then allows the ubiquitin to attach to it. Unfortunately, the bioengineered protein also sticks to proteins essential to the health of normal cells, so the technique isn't viable. However, the technology used to create it could be applied to other cases in the future. | 4Miscellaneous
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Guide to Software Supply Chain Security (Sponsor) | Guide to Software Supply Chain Security . Are you looking to eliminate security gaps in your software supply chain? Download this ebook to learn about common software supply chain attacks and how to mitigate third-party risks throughout your organization. Learn more. | 0Sponsor
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Apple sues company known for hacking iPhones on behalf of governments | Apple is suing NSO Group, seeking a permanent injunction to ban the firm from using Apple software, services, or devices. NSO Group is an Israeli firm that sells software that allows the user to hack iPhones and read the data on them. It sells its software to government agencies and law enforcement, allowing them to surveil anyone through a zero-click attack that is delivered through a text message. Meta is also separately suing NSO Group, alleging that it helped hack users through WhatsApp. | 4Miscellaneous
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cssfx (Website) | cssfx allows developers to insert CSS effects by copying the code from the website with a click. The site lists many CSS-based icons and effects, and the code is displayed to be copied when the user clicks on an item. The code is completely open sourced and MIT licensed. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Elon Musk shows Neuralink brain implant working in a pig | On Friday night, Elon Musk unveiled Gertrude, a pig with Neuralink's wireless device surgically implanted in its skull. The demonstration showed the device picking up signals from the pig's snout as it snuffled around its pen. Neuralink's device communicates with brain cells via 1,024 thin electrodes that penetrate the outer layer of the brain. It uses Bluetooth to connect to an outside computing device or to other devices. The FDA has given the device approval for 'breakthrough device' testing. Neuralink will focus on medical applications first. Musk touched on other possibilities such as telepathy, gaming, downloading memories, and more. Images of the device and a video of the presentation are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Meta is dumping Facebook logins as its metaverse ID system | Meta is introducing a new type of login called a Meta account. | 4Miscellaneous
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Tesla launches initiative to build first solar neighborhood in Austin | Tesla, Brookfield Asset Management, and Dacra recently announced an initiative to bring a large-scale sustainable neighborhood to Austin. The SunHouse at Easton Park will be the first Tesla Solar neighborhood. It will feature solar installations across all housing types and state-of-the-art sustainable features. The neighborhood will be built in phases to allow for ongoing learning and innovation. Residents will be provided with backup storage and may be compensated for returning power to the energy grid. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Pink Snow in the Italian Alps Is a Cute Sign of Environmental Catastrophe | While pink glacial ice might be pretty, it is a more sinister sign than it looks. The pink color in pink snow is caused by algae. Pink snow usually occurs in spring or summer, when there is enough light and warmth for the algae to grow. Whiter snow is better at reflecting light and thus keeping itself cool. Pink snow absorbs more light, which causes a chain reaction that causes more ice to melt. Many areas around the world saw pink snow blooms this year. | 4Miscellaneous
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Ruby one-liners cookbook (Book) | Sometimes a command line is more productive compared to a GUI. Ruby can be used as a replacement for external *nix commands like grep, find, etc, or be combined with them for specific use cases. Ruby can be easier to learn than other command-line commands and it also benefits from a rich regular expression engine, standard library, and third-party libraries. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Enormous balloon could help astronomers get clear view of space | SuperBIT (the Superpressure balloon-borne imaging telescope) is a helium balloon that floats up to 25 miles above the surface of the Earth and expands to a football-stadium size when fully inflated. It can take pictures as clear as a space telescope, but at a fraction of the cost. The design can be tweaked and improved over time. SuperBIT will circumnavigate the Earth several times starting next April. Its first mission will be to watch collisions between clusters of galaxies. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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NASA "Sonification" project lets us hear the cosmos | A 'Sonification' project from NASA's Chandra X-ray Center translates telescope data into sound, letting us hear some of the most recognizable features in the sky. Many images of the cosmos are composite images of different elements or types of light to make it easier to visualize structures. The project produced three sonifications, each created with slightly different techniques and producing different sounds and qualities. A 3-minute video is available in the article that plays a sample of the sonifications. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Self-folding nanotech creates world’s smallest origami bird | Researchers from Cornell University have created micron-sized memory actuators that enable thin materials to fold themselves into 3D configurations with a jolt of voltage. The materials hold their shape even after the voltage is removed. The machines can fold materials 30 atoms thick within 100 milliseconds, and the process can be repeated thousands of times. This technology could have many future medical applications. The team demonstrated its abilities by creating a self-folding origami bird only 60 microns wide. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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U.S. Charges Huawei With Stealing Trade Secrets, Bank Fraud | US prosecutors have filed charges against Huawei, alleging that the company stole trade secrets from an US rival and committed bank fraud by doing business with Iran, a violation of sanctions against the country. Huawei has asked for charges against their CFO, Meng Wanzhou to be dropped, claiming that the prosecutors were making a mistake. | 4Miscellaneous
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Amazon wants to take Sidewalk beyond the neighborhood | Amazon has launched the Amazon Sidewalk Bridge Pro, a device designed to extend the Sidewalk network into public spaces. Sidewalk is a network that connects devices together so they can share bandwidth and be controlled or tracked. The Sidewalk Bridge Pro has a range of five miles in ideal scenarios. Amazon aims to connect billions of third-party devices to the Sidewalk network. It plans to work with businesses and municipalities to deploy the bridges. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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GlueSQL (GitHub Repo) | GlueSQL is a SQL database library that features a parser, an execution layer, and optional storage. It can be used to build SQL databases or as an embedded SQL database using the default storage engine. GlueSQL currently supports a limited subset of queries as it is under active development. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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6 Best Practices for Kubernetes Audit Logging (Sponsor) | Running Kubernetes is challenging and complex. Learn how to set up Kubernetes audit logging to troubleshoot your deployment. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Why airlifting rhinos upside down is critical to conservation | Some remote locations can't be reached by road, so ten years ago, conservationists started occasionally using helicopters to move rhinos between territories. The rhinos are transported upside down because it is faster, easier, and less expensive than using stretchers. It is also the better option for their health. The position allows the spine to stretch, opening up the airways, and the faster process means the animals are sedated for less time. Pictures of rhinos being airlifted are available. | 4Miscellaneous
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Mark Zuckerberg Just Showed How Meta's Next Mixed Reality VR Headset Will Work | The next Meta VR headset is a mixed reality-focused device that uses advanced cameras to pass color video through and blend VR into the feed. Currently called Project Cambria, the device is set to be released sometime this year. The headset will be marketed for professional, work, and fitness purposes. Meta is enabling the development of mixed reality apps through its Presence Platform. The Presence Platform will allow apps to be cross-developed for the Quest 2 and Project Cambria. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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This plane can fly 500 miles, powered entirely by hydrogen | ZeroAvia has revealed the largest zero-emissions plane to ever fly without support from fossil fuels. It has been testing the technology over the past year and plans to supply its hydrogen-fueled electric powertrain to planes with as many as 20 seats on flights up to 500 miles long. The aviation industry is responsible for almost 900 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Other attempts at creating emission-free plane engines use batteries to store electric power, but ZeroAvia chose to use hydrogen, as a system based on hydrogen fuel cells is around four times more energy-dense as the best batteries currently available. Hydrogen-fueled planes for short flights are cheaper, more efficient, and require less maintenance. Longer flights are possible with liquid hydrogen storage, but further safety testing and certification is required before it becomes a reality. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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nb (GitHub Repo) | nb is a command-line note-taking, bookmarking, archiving, and knowledge-base application. It features plain-text data storage, encryption, filtering and search, git-backed versioning and syncing, and more. Examples and guides are available in the repository. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Design made simple, for everyone (Sponsor) | Design made simple, for everyone . Canva makes it easy to design anything. From pitch decks and product prototypes, to greetings and more — there's a template for any design need. Learn more. | 0Sponsor
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Russia Declassifies Video From 1961 of Largest Hydrogen Bomb Ever Detonated | A 40-minute documentary posted on YouTube on August 20 shows footage of the 1961 Tsar Bomba hydrogen bomb test, the largest bomb ever detonated on Earth. The footage shows the blast from several angles and is linked in the article. Officially named RDS-220, the Tsar Bomba was 26 feet long and almost seven feet tall. It had a destructive force over 3,000 times larger than the bomb used to destroy Hiroshima. The flash from the blast could be seen 620 miles away. | 4Miscellaneous
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Watch ULA abort a rocket launch at the last moment | United Launch Alliance had to abort its NROL-44 mission just three seconds before it was due to start. The rocket's initiators were already covering the vehicle in flames and the crew had already declared lift off, but the engines never ignited. It will take at least a full week before another attempt will be made. The rocket was carrying a secret National Reconnaissance Office payload that is believed to be a signal intelligence satellite. A video of the event is available in the article. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Scientists Created an Artificial Neuron That Actually Retains Electronic Memories | A team of researchers has designed a prototype of an artificial neuron made of thin graphene slits housing a single layer of water molecules. The artificial neuron uses ions instead of electrons, just like a real neuron. Ion flows between neurons generate electric currents that let neurons communicate with each other. This process is very energy efficient, so researchers have been trying to replicate it. The artificial neurons have the ability to transmit information to other artificial neurons. The next step in research is to prove that the neurons can execute basic learning algorithms. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Google Earth Reverse Engineering (GitHub Repo) | Some guy reverse engineered Google Earth's API so you can extract 3D images from Google Earth. He's still pushing commits pretty fast but it's already usable. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Colonial Pipeline hackers apologize, promise to ransom less controversial targets in future | DarkSide, the group behind the ransomware attack that took down Colonial Pipeline, has apologized for the consequences of the hack. The group clarified that its goal was to make money and not to create problems for society. It promises to vet future victims to avoid social consequences. DarkSide isn't associated with a specific nation-state but it tends to avoid targeting systems running in certain Russian and Eastern European languages. Colonial Pipeline aims to restore service by the end of the week. | 4Miscellaneous
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Mysterious magnetic pulses discovered on Mars (13 minute read) | The InSight lander has discovered that Mars' magnetic field will occasionally pulsate in ways that have never been observed before. InSight has been gathering information on Mars such as upper crust temperature, the sounds of alien quakes, and the strength and direction of the planet's magnetic field. It has found that Mars' crust is far more powerfully magnetic than scientists expected. There is a peculiar electrically conductive layer about 2.5 miles thick deep beneath the planet's surface. This layer may be a global reserve of liquid water, similar to Earth's groundwater. Mars' crustal magnetic field is ten times stronger than Earth's, suggesting that it once also had a major global magnetic field. Magnetic fields can be used to find the presence of underground water, but it is too early to tell exactly what is causing the fields and the magnetic pulses. A gallery of images taken on Mars is available. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Milkdown (GitHub Repo) | Milkdown is a markdown editor. It is themeable and hackable and it supports math equations, tables, collaboration, emojis, and more. A live demo is available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Woman successfully treated for depression with electrical brain implant | A woman with severe depression was successfully treated using an experimental brain implant. The implant works by detecting patterns of brain activity linked to depression and interrupting them using tiny pulses of electrical stimulation. It has only been tested on one patient. The experiment demonstrated for the first time that the brain activity underlying the symptoms of mental illness can be reliably detected and nudged back into a healthy state. While the success was significant, the device would only ever be suitable for those with severe illness. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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n8n (GitHub Repo) | n8n is a free, node-based workflow automation tool. It can be self-hosted, easily extended, and integrated with internal tools. There are more than 50 different nodes to automate workflows. A short video is available to show how n8n can be used to create a simple workflow. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Apple is selling the iPhone SE again, its smallest, cheapest, and arguably best phone | Apple is selling the iPhone SE on the clearance section of its site for $249 for the 32GB version, and $299 for the 128GB version. The offer is only available to US customers. Apple had stopped selling the iPhone SE in September, it was one of the last 4-inch iPhones and one of the last models with a headphone jack. It has the inside parts of an iPhone 6S jammed into the body of a smaller iPhone 5S. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Lab-grown fish just got real. San Diego startup shows off first slaughter-free yellowtail | BlueNalu, a San Diego based food-tech startup, unveiled its lab-created yellowtail fish product at a small event in San Diego Bay last week. The fish meat is grown through cell cultures in a food manufacturing facility. Making food in labs is already common practice and produces popular products such as Greek yogurt, Oreos, ketchup, and more. BlueNalu's fish can withstand different cooking methods, including steaming, frying, and marinating. It can even be eaten raw. The startup hopes to launch its product into a test market within two years. Pictures of the meat prepared in dishes, as well as an infographic about how the fish meat is produced, are available in the article. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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pg_graphql (GitHub Repo) | pg_graphql translates SQL schemas into GraphQL schemas, exposing each table as a pageable collection with relationships defined by the foreign keys. It keeps schema generation, query parsing, and all resolvers neatly contained in the database. Using pg_graphql, any programming language that can connect to PostgreSQL will be able to query the database via GraphQL with no additional servers, processors, or libraries. pg_graphql is in pre-alpha and under active development. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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RequestBin (Website) | RequestBin allows developers to inspect requests using a generated URL. The website allows you to see what your client is sending in order to inspect and debug webhook requests. It is able to parse any data, including JSON, XML, query-string, and form data, and the HTTP and HTTPS endpoints don't expire. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Virgin Galactic reopens ticket sales at $450K per seat | Virgin Galactic has reopened ticket sales for its SpaceShipTwo space plane at $450,000 per seat. The spaceship recently carried four passengers, including Richard Branson, to the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness. The mission was a key milestone test before Virgin starts flying individual customers. Virgin is targeting September for its first revenue-generating mission, which will carry research payloads and three members of the Italian Air Force. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Apple re-releases Oscar-nominated ‘CODA’ in theaters for free | Apple is re-releasing its Oscar-nominated film CODA in theatres in a limited run of free screenings with open captions. The film, which is about a deaf family, has received three Oscar nominations. Screenings will run in all major cities in the US and London from February 25 to 27. A trailer for the film is available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
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China wants to ban bitcoin mining | China’s state planner has released a draft list of industrial activities that it is planning to stop, and it shows that the government is seeking to put pressure onto the cryptocurrency sector. The draft stated that cryptocurrency mining did not adhere to relevant laws and regulations, was unsafe, wasted resources, and polluted the environment. It called for cryptocurrency mining to be phased out immediately. A large portion of the bitcoin network is in China and a shutdown would raise the average cost to mine bitcoin. Chinese companies manufacture a large amount of the world’s blockchain hardware, accounting for 45% of global sales by value in 2017. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Lossless Image Compression through Super-Resolution (GitHub Repo) | This repository contains the official implementation of SReC in PyTorch. SReC applies neural networks to compress images, achieving state-of-the-art compression rates on large datasets with practical runtimes. Training, compression, and decompression are fully supported. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Unreal’s new iPhone app does live motion capture with Face ID sensors | Live Link Face is an iPhone app from Epic Games that uses the front-facing 3D sensors in the phone to do live motion capture for facial animations. It uses tools from Apple's ARKit framework and the iPhone's TrueDepth sensor array. While the iPhone's sensors are not as accurate as the equipment used by major studios, Live Link Face makes motion capture more accessible for indie game developers, filmmakers, and other creators. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Stories for Visual Studio Code (GitHub Repo) | Stories allows developers to share code snippets with each other. It is available for download via the VSCode Marketplace. A seven-minute video is available that demonstrates the features of the plugin and the story behind its development. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Microsoft Challenges U.S. Government’s Sneak and Peek Warrant | Microsoft will pursue an appeal against a decision from a federal judge who ruled that the company was not allowed to inform a large corporate customer that the US government had issued a warrant for its data. Subjects of sneak and peek warrants do not need to be informed of data requests under US law, a practice that Microsoft has disagreed with in the past. Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft have sued the government over sneak and peek warrants. The US government has previously asked Microsoft why it wouldn't use its data to spy on other nations. Microsoft has made it clear it would not use its services and data to spy on users. | 4Miscellaneous
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Barcelona's car-free smart city experiment | Superblocks is an initiative by Barcelona to lower noise and pollution within its city by creating areas where all but essential vehicles are banned. There are currently six superblocks so far, each made up of nine existing blocks joined together. Parking for residents is underground. Some residents are opposed to the plan as it may lower trade in the area or because they want their cars parked outside of their homes. Other cities such as Seattle are considering introducing something similar. Barcelona has ruled citizen data as a public and individual asset and should be used solely in the public interest, meaning that it should be used to improve the quality of life in cities, rather than being used to create digital exclusion. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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MIT muscle-control system for drones lets a pilot use gestures for accurate and specific navigation | MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab has released a video showing pilots using gestures to control drone devices. Pilots using the system can guide a drone through a series of rings just using hand and arm gestures. The technology allows for specific control, opening it up for potential use in industrial applications. The video is linked in the article. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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DARPA Is Creating a Travel Adapter That Will Be Implanted in Soldiers' Bodies | DARPA has created an implantable device called the Advanced Acclimation and Protection Tool for Environmental Readiness, or ADAPTER. These devices help the human body adapt for travel by removing jet lag and bacteria that cause traveler's diarrhea. Between 2003 and 2004, 2/5ths of diarrhea cases in soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan required medical attention. Being able to control a soldier's circadian rhythm means halving the time required to re-establish normal sleep after jet lag or shift lag. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Here are all the new Marvel, Star Wars, and other projects Disney announced at its investor day | Disney made a long list of announcements at its 2020 Investor day that included updates on its streaming services and projects. This article contains a list of updates from the event. It includes a list of movie and TV show releases from Marvel, Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, and Pixar, as well as some other franchises. Disney Plus will increase to $7.99 per month in March, with a bundle including Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and ad-free Hulu available for $18.99. Star will be Disney's international replacement for Hulu, launching in certain European countries, Canada, and New Zealand on February 23, and Japan and South Korea later in 2021. | 4Miscellaneous
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Clean Go Code (GitHub Repo) | This repository is a reference to help developers in the Go community write cleaner code. Writing clean code is important as it can help prevent developers from wasting hours on understanding their own or other developers’ code. The guide is easily accessible through a table of contents that links to each section. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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How do vaccinated people spread Delta? What the science says | The Delta strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is more likely than other variants to spread through vaccinated people. Data from Covid-19 tests show that vaccinated people who are infected with Delta SARS-CoV-2 can carry as much virus in their noses as unvaccinated people. The findings highlight the importance of protective measures to reduce transmission. Researchers stress that the Covid-19 vaccines are protective against serious illness and death. The Delta strain is more infectious and affects people slightly longer than other strains. However, some studies show that vaccinated people might remain infectious for a shorter period. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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New WebKit Features in Safari 15.4 (13 minute read) | Safari 15.4 is available now for macOS Monterey 12.3, iPadOS 15.4, and iOS 15.4. It features over 70 additions to WebKit, new web technologies, updates, and fixes. This article covers the changes in detail. A link to the full Safari 15.4 release notes is available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Grindr Is Owned by a Chinese Firm, and the U.S. Is Trying to Force It to Sell | The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is moving to force a Chinese firm to relinquish control of the dating app Grindr because of national security concerns. The acquisition of Grindr began around three years ago, but recent changes to the scope of national security threats have caused CFIUS to take a closer look at the company. Grindr has been criticized for its sharing of users’ personal information in the past. Several US senators requested the review of the sale, stating that Grindr’s ownership by a Chinese company could put US officials at risk of being blackmailed for their sexual preferences or history. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Galaxy S21 Ultra's camera comes with 100x zoom. Here's what photos look like | The Samsung S21 Ultra's camera can achieve a huge 30x zoom. It has four lenses on the back: a standard zoom, an ultrawide lens, a 3x optical zoom, and a 10x optical zoom. The main camera has a 108-megapixel resolution. This article contains a gallery of images shot with the S21 Ultra. While the results at 30x aren't great, the shots taken at 10x optical zoom look good enough to share. The phone was able to take shots that would've been impossible on rival flagship phones. | 4Miscellaneous
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How we built a $1m ARR SaaS startup (16 minute read) | Canny is a SaaS startup that launched in 2017, taking just under 3.5 years to get to $1 million annual recurring revenue (ARR). It was bootstrapped, taking no money from investors, and all of its growth came from inbound channels. The team employed 7 people when it hit $1 million ARR, with members distributed all over the world. This article follows the startup's development. It divides the journey into stages by ARR, and details what the startup did for each stage and the lessons learned. | 4Miscellaneous
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The next big thing in podcasts is talking back | Spotify recently gave all its Anchor creators the ability to make polls and Q&As and is testing interactive ads. Other platforms are also trying different ways to allow podcast listeners to interact with content. Podcasting apps in China are surprisingly interactive, with listeners being allowed to build listening circles and discussion groups. The challenge with interactive audio is that listeners are usually not using their devices. Being able to interact with podcasters and a community helps increase the chances of listeners returning. | 4Miscellaneous
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AttackSurfaceMapper (GitHub Repo) | AttackSurfaceMapper is a reconnaissance tool that combines open-source intelligence tools and active techniques to provide data that can be used to plan attacks. A two-minute video demo is available showing AttackSurfaceMapper at work, as well as the output that it provides. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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YouTube rolls out Super Stickers, a new way for creators to make money | YouTube fans who want to show their support for their favorite creators can now purchase Super Stickers to use within the live chat feature. To be eligible for Super Stickers, creators must have a monetized channel with more than 1,000 subscribers in supported markets. A Super Chat feature was launched almost three years ago which highlighted fans' messages in bright colors within live chat to give it more visibility. More than 100,000 channels have used Super Chat, with some channels earning more than $400 a minute. There will be eight Super Sticker packs at launch, five of which are animated. The packs are available in five languages across 60 countries and will cost from 99 cents to $50. Super Stickers will be completely rolled out by the end of the week. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Tesla Cybertruck prototype shown in detail in new leaked walkaround video | A video of a Tesla Cybertruck prototype has been released. The video, available in the article, gives viewers a close look at the truck from all sides. The prototype has features that won't be in the production version, such as a giant wiper. There are people in the video standing next to the truck, giving viewers a sense of scale. An official update on the Cybertruck program is expected on Wednesday. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Scientists create cyborg jellyfish with swimming superpowers | Californian scientists have developed a swim controller that can turn regular jellyfish into cyborg speed demons. The device enhances a jellyfish's natural motions using electrical impulses, similar to the way a pacemaker regulates heart rate. Once attached, the cyborg jellyfish can swim almost three times faster than unmodified jellyfish while using only twice the metabolic energy. The device doesn't harm the jellyfish and there are no negative effects after being removed. Scientists hope to be able to use cyborg jellyfish to carry sensors into the ocean to gather data from hard-to-reach locations. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Alphabet’s Loon balloons provide their first commercial internet service in Kenya | Loon has launched its first commercial service in Kenya. Alphabet's fleet of around 35 floating balloons will provide 4G LTE service to Telkom Kenya subscribers within a 50,000 square kilometer region across western and central areas of the country. Loon has been testing its balloons in Kenya for several months now, connecting 35,000 unique users to the internet. The balloons fly at roughly 20 km above the ground, analyzing the weather to ride around on stratospheric winds. They stay in the air for over 100 days before returning to earth. The balloons were designed to supplement existing connectivity options rather than to replace them. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Rivian built an electric truck before Tesla. We got to drive it | The 2022 Rivian R1T is the first fully electric pickup to go on sale. It will be available in January 2022 with a starting price of $67,500. The R1T is powered by four motors, one on each wheel, making light work of any obstacles or steep inclines. It can put out more than 800 horsepower and over 900 pound-feet of torque between the front and rear wheels. This article describes what it's like to ride in an R1T. Pictures of the vehicle are available. | 4Miscellaneous
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Google introduces a new way to search that combines images and text into one query | Google Lens will soon be upgraded with the ability to add text to visual searches in order to allow users to ask questions about what they see. It will use Multitask Unified Model (MUM), a new AI technology that can understand information across a wide range of formats and draw insights and connections between topics, concepts, and ideas. MUM is also being used across Google Search and video searches. Examples of how the feature would work are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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‘Jumping gene’ may have erased tails in humans and other apes—and boosted our risk of birth defects | A graduate student from New York University has found a gene that may be the reason humans and other great apes are missing tails. The gene is a short DNA insertion called an Alu element. Alu sequences can move around the genome and are sometimes called jumping genes or transposable elements. They can have complex effects on how proteins are expressed, making them a huge driver of evolutionary variation. Mice that had been genetically modified to have the gene had a mix of tail lengths, from none to nearly normal, suggesting that other genes must be working together to eliminate all tail development in apes. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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North Korea hackers use social media to target security researchers | Google has uncovered an on-going state-backed hacking campaign run by North Korea. The attackers pose as security researchers by creating numerous fake social media profiles and a fake blog. They offer to work with real security researchers and then share collaboration tools containing malicious code to install malware on their systems. The attackers were able to create a backdoor to fully patched and updated versions of Windows 10 and Chrome browser. North Korea's cyber army comprises thousands of expert hackers who have a record of major cyber disruptions. | 4Miscellaneous
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Israel to become first in world to test oral COVID-19 vaccine | Oravax is testing an oral vaccine in preclinical trials against Covid-19 variants. The vaccine is based on an oral delivery technology that can be used to administer several protein-based therapies that would otherwise be delivered by injection. It targets three structural proteins of the novel coronavirus and should be more resistant to variants. An oral vaccine would be easier to distribute, and people would be able to self-administer it at home. Oral medications tend to have fewer side effects. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Architects Propose Lighter-Than-Air Buildings That Hover Over City Streets | The Oversky project envisions floating buildings that can help fight climate change. The buildings would be made using rigid frames of carbon fiber. Oversky plans to use helium to lift the buildings into the sky. The structures would radiate heat back into the atmosphere and cool the space below them. A rendering of what one of these buildings would look like is available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a message for you: He doesn't care if you like him | Mark Zuckerberg has announced a change in attitude for Facebook in the future as it focuses on being understood, rather than being liked. The social media giant has been criticized in the past for its attempts to appease people, leading to some positive but shallow sentiment toward the company. Zuckerberg says that Facebook is committed to being more clear about its principles, such as freedom of expression, encryption, and targeted advertising. He believes that in order to be trusted, people need to know what you stand for. While Facebook's values might not always be popular, Zuckerberg believes that Facebook's focus will open these topics up to more discussion. Zuckerberg has been having dinners with political figures from across the spectrum on a lot of different issues. Facebook's revenue rose 25 percent in the fourth quarter, with 1.66 billion daily users. | 4Miscellaneous
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Fortran.io (GitHub Repo) | Fortran.io is an MVC web stack written in Fortran 90. It can act as a controller, connect with SQLite databases, and serve HTML templates. Examples are available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Apple now offers iPhone repairs in the comfort of your home | Apple has teamed up with Go Tech Services to provide home repairs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. Some customers will now see an onsite repair option when they go to Apple's support site. The service will only cover certain types of repairs, and an onsite visit fee may apply. Apple already offers onsite repairs for large organizations through AppleCare for Enterprise. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Taco Bell’s bright new Times Square Cantina is completely no-contact | Taco Bell's new Times Square location is completely contactless. Customers can only order online or at touchscreen kiosks, and they pick up their meals from secure food lockers. The new Cantina is located on the bottom floor of the Paramount Building. There is seating available. If the system fares well, it will likely spread to other locations too. A limited-edition Bell Apple Freeze drink will be available at the location. | 4Miscellaneous
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Universal Radio Hacker (GitHub Repo) | The Universal Radio Hacker (URH) is a suite for wireless protocol investigation. It allows for easy demodulation of signals and automatic detection of modulation parameters, making it easy to identify data in the air. Guides on how to hack stuff with URH are available in the repository. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Samsung Galaxy A73, A53, and A33 announced | Samsung has announced three new 5G phones with a new 5nm chipset. The Galaxy A73 5G and Galaxy A33 5G will be available in select markets from April 22. The Galaxy A53 5G is now available for pre-order and will be available through US carriers from April 1. Customers who pre-order the device will be eligible for a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live. Samsung will launch a new Onyx color for the Galaxy Buds2 and Buds Live next month. The Galaxy A series will not include chargers in the retail package. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Meta announces plans to build an AI-powered ‘universal speech translator’ | Meta has announced an AI research project to create translation software that works for everyone in the world. Roughly 20% of the world speaks languages not covered by current translation tools. Many of these languages don't have easily accessible texts in the quantity required to train AI systems. Meta will develop tools to train AI models using fewer training examples and a system to directly translate speech in real-time without the need for a written component to serve as an intermediary. There is no set timeframe for completing the project. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Inside the luxury nuclear bunker protecting the mega-rich from the apocalypse (16 minute read) | The Survival Condo is a former Atlas Missile silo turned luxury condominium complex. It is an apocalypse bunker that features a swimming pool, rock climbing wall, hydroponics and aquaculture setup, and more. At a secret location around three hours drive from Kansas City airport, the heavily guarded facility is 200 feet underground. A unit in this complex is $1 million, plus an extra $2,500 a month to cover living expenses. It is built to withstand 12-kiloton nuclear warheads dropping half a mile away. The owner of the Survival Condo plans to build another facility around three times larger and they already have a waiting list of people interested in buying the new units. | 4Miscellaneous
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Netflix documentary Countdown will follow SpaceX’s first civilian mission | SpaceX's first all-civilian mission in mid-September will be documented in a five-part Netflix series called Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission To Space. It will be the first documentary series from Netflix that will cover an event in near real-time. The first four episodes will show before the launch on September 15, with the last episode premiering by the end of the month. The civilian mission will see the crew of four live in the Dragon spacecraft for up to five days in orbit around Earth. SpaceX has booked at least four other private missions on its Crew Dragon capsule and one on its Starship rocket. | 4Miscellaneous
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Researcher Arrested for Allegedly Teaching North Korea About Ethereum | A cryptocurrency researcher was arrested for allegedly violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by giving a presentation on Ethereum in North Korea. Virgil Griffith allegedly attended a blockchain conference in North Korea and presented on how blockchain technology could benefit the country. Griffith also participated in a discussion on how cryptocurrencies could be used to evade economic sanctions. He claims that his presentation only contained basic concepts that can be looked up online. The complaint against Griffith alleges that he received his North Korean visa on a separate document other than his US passport in order to avoid creating physical proof that he traveled to the DPRK. The Ethereum Foundation describes Griffith's travel to North Korea as a personal matter and that the Foundation was not represented in any capacity in the events outlined by the Justice Department's filing. | 4Miscellaneous
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The White House is reportedly drafting an order to stop social media ‘bias’ | An executive order to ban 'anti-conservative bias', along with other topics, on social media is being drafted by the Trump administration. Many social media platforms have banned or limited conservative accounts, but it is unknown whether conservative accounts are being suspended disproportionately. A bill introduced by Senator Josh Hawley proposes stripping companies of key legal protections unless the Federal Trade Commission declares them politically neutral. Trump has proposed that social media companies develop tools to detect mass shooters before they strike, but predictive AI has high error rates and may catch many accounts purely by accident. | 4Miscellaneous
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Bacteria live despite burial in seafloor mud for 100 million years | Researchers from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology dug up some 100 million-year-old mud from the seafloor, and after adding some food to it, they discovered ancient bacteria still living in the mud. The sample was taken from deep sediments in the middle of the South Pacific where extremely little organic matter is available for life to grow on. The mud still contained oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates due to the lack of food. Researchers believe that the bacterial communities had slowed their metabolism and have been present in the mud for over 100 million years. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Top Dark Matter Candidate Loses Ground to Tiniest Competitor | Axions, particles that are billions of times lighter than electrons, may be the missing dark matter that outweighs all visible matter 6-to-1. Physicists have been searching for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) for decades, but experiments have so far returned no results. Dark matter may still be composed of WIMPs, but it is becoming more likely that it is made of axions. Axions are a good candidate as its invisible presence explains why the universe acts heavier than it looks, and it also explains why the two fundamental forces that shape atomic nuclei follow different rulebooks. The axion is somewhat similar to the photon, but with a hint of mass. Theoretically, axions aren't completely undetectable as they should occasionally transform into two photons. Experiments are currently underway to detect these particles. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Ask HN: Cool stuff that's still completely unregulated? (Hacker News Thread) | New technologies such as drones, e-bikes, vapes, and 3d printing are beginning to receive varying amounts of regulatory attention, but many emerging technologies are still yet unregulated. Data laundering, obtaining datasets via crawling or other means and altering it to bypass copyrights, using it to clone websites/businesses, or for other purposes, is a common occurrence nowadays. Fitness devices, which are quickly developing in terms of their abilities, will soon be able to analyze blood samples. Programmers are able to write any code and run it on their personal computers. There are many more examples in this thread of unregulated technologies that may be regulated in the future as they can be dangerous or easily exploited. | 4Miscellaneous
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Huemint (Website) | Huemint is a color palette generator for brands, websites, and graphics. It uses machine learning to create unique color schemes and then applies the palette to stock product and branding images. Users can adjust the generation mode, level of creativity, colors, and other parameters. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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gosec (GitHub Repo) | gosec inspects source code for security problems by scanning the Go AST. It can be configured to run only a subset of rules, to exclude certain file paths, and to produce reports in different formats. gosec can be integrated with GitHub code scanning. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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For The First Time, Scientists Have Captured Video of Brains Clearing Out Dead Neurons | Scientists have been able to capture video of the waste disposal system within mice brains for the first time. Using a technique called 2Phatal, the scientists killed a single brain cell and followed it using fluorescent markers. Three types of glial cells were shown to be involved in the cell removal process. The glial cells removed the dead brain cells with some coordination, suggesting there is communication occurring between the cells. Understanding how the brain cleans itself could give experts insight on how to treat brain injuries and other diseases that involve brain cell death. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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This self-driving startup built a “car without wheels” for remote driving | Voyage is a startup that plans to offer a taxi service in The Villages, a large retirement community in Florida. Its vehicles have a speed of up to 25 miles per hour and they are remotely operated using a special Telessist Pod. The Telessist pod was created to mirror the experience of driving a real car as closely as possible for the remote operators. Voyage's cars feature multiple cellular connections and a system called Remote Drive Assist in case the cars lose their wireless connections. They also feature a high-tech emergency braking system called Shield that is powered by lidar. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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The Complete Guide to Full Stack Web3 Development (30 minute read) | This in-depth tutorial teaches the tools, protocols, and frameworks for building full-stack web3 apps. It walks through how to deploy an app to Polygon, a network with low transaction costs, fast block times, and current network adoption. The app will be built on the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which is used on dozens of blockchains. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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SpaceX rolls out first new Starship prototype in nine months | SpaceX has rolled out a new Starship prototype for the first time in more than nine months. The last Starship prototype, Starship S20, was rolled out in August 2021 more as a photo-op than a technical achievement. Starship S24 and Super Heavy B7 feature extensive design changes and an upgraded version of the Raptor engine. Booster 7 has already completed several cryogenic proof tests and is currently being outfitted with 33 new Raptor engines. Ship 24 still needs to pass basic tests before SpaceX will install new Raptor engines to prepare it for more tests. Pictures of the new Starship are available in the article. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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SQLGlot (GitHub Repo) | SQLGlot is a Python SQL parser and transpiler. It can read, write, and translate a wide variety of SQL dialects. SQLGlot is fast and customizable. Examples are available. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Machine learning has been used to automatically translate long-lost languages | In 1886, a collection of stones and tablets bearing similar scripts was discovered on the Mediterranean island of Crete that had inscriptions from unknown languages that dated from around 1400 BCE. These were one of the earliest forms of writing discovered, and it was later determined that the inscriptions actually consisted of two separate languages. The older language, Linear A, still hasn’t been deciphered, but Linear B was determined to be an early form of Greek and was translated in 1953. Using machine learning, scientists built a model that was able to translate older languages by identifying patterns in which languages evolve and comparing the old text to their modern progenies. The technique was used to translate 67 percent of a Linear B text automatically. Using this technique, it may be possible to ‘brute force’ a translation of Linear A by testing the algorithm against multiple modern languages. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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PostHog (Sponsor) | PostHog is the open source analytics suite you can self-host. Product analytics, session recording, feature flags, heatmaps, and more - all available for free. Learn more. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3,236 Internet Satellites | Amazon has plans to ask the FCC for permission to launch 3,236 satellites into space to provide broadband internet around the globe. Project Kuiper will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband to areas that have no broadband or inadequate broadband around the world. Amazon is open to partnering up with other companies that share its vision. Tech companies such as Google and Facebook have also invested in projects to provide internet access. It is possible that Project Kuiper will bring Amazon closer to Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ space exploration company. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Build in Web3 and Write Secure Smart Contracts — join the Macro Web3 Engineering Fellowship! (Sponsor) | The Macro Web3 engineering fellowship is designed for senior engineers to go deep on Solidity and smart contract engineering. Fellows build projects from scratch with a focus on security and quality. Graduated fellows have gone on to start companies, raise venture capital, or join top projects in web3 like Uniswap, Frax, Synthetix, Livepeer, and many more.Apply today and secure your spot! | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Introducing notebookJS | notebookJS is a Python library that enables the integration of Python and JavaScript with a single line of code. It takes care of all the boilerplate code for visualization in notebooks, automatically loads JavaScript libraries from the web, and supports code split in multiple JS and CSS files. notebookJS currently does not support JavaScript ES6 modules. | 3Programming, Design & Data Science
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Razer has created a concept N95 mask with RGB and voice projection | Project Hazel is Razer's new reusable N95 smart respirator. It has a glossy outside shell made of scratch-resistant and transparent plastic, designed to allow for lip-reading. Razer claims that the mask is a surgical N95, but it has yet to receive the necessary certifications. The mask features two active ventilators that filter both air being breathed in, and CO2 that's being exhaled. Microphones and amplifiers will be embedded in the ventilators. Razer also announced a new gaming chair at CES 2021. Concept photos of the mask and chair are available in the article. | 4Miscellaneous
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Google may be secretly gathering millions of personal health records with alleged ‘Project Nightingale’ | Project Nightingale was a project by Google that collected the complete health history of millions of people across 21 states without the patients' or doctors' knowledge. As many as 150 Google employees may have access to the data. Google had partnered with Ascension, a Catholic health care system that operates across 21 states and the District of Columbia. The health provider uploaded patient data to Google's Cloud servers to use a tool that could pull up individual patient pages. The data from the system is being used to design software that tailors individual patient care using machine learning. Google has been focused on health care for a while. It has previously been accused of gaining inappropriate access to hundreds of thousands of health care records through the University of Chicago Medical Center. Ascension has defended its partnership with Google, saying that all work between the companies is compliant to its strict requirements for data handling. | 4Miscellaneous
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NASA's OSIRIS-REx successfully collected bits of an orbiting asteroid | Tuesday afternoon marked the first time that a NASA mission has managed to intercept, interact with, and collect samples from an asteroid. The $800 million OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected a small sample of regolith from the passing asteroid, 101955 Bennu. Asteroids like Bennu contain original materials from the solar nebula that collapsed to form our sun and planets. They may also give clues to how life started. Carbonite minerals were found on Bennu, suggesting that the asteroid was once part of an even larger asteroid with liquid water. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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McDonald’s is Testing Kitchen Robots and AI-Powered Drive-Thrus. It’s About Time | McDonald’s is testing robotic deep fryers and voice-activated drive-thrus at a location in suburban Chicago. The details about what the deep fryers look like and how they operate are unknown. Automating the deep-frying process may speed up the production line as well as reduce employee injuries and the costs related to these injuries. Using an automated drive-thru could result in shorter queue times. While critics claim that automating these jobs will take away work from human employees, restaurants are struggling to find employees to complete repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks, such as handling a fryer for hours on end. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Beyond Meat and KFC partner to test fried plant-based ‘chicken’ | KFC customers at one Atlanta location on August 27 will receive a free sample of fried plant-based nuggets and boneless wings when they purchase something on that day. Beyond Meat and KFC are testing the product with customers before broader testing or a potential national rollout. Many fast-food chains have tested and implemented plant-based food options recently, including Burger King, Subway, Carl's Jr., and White Castle. Beyond Meat also sells plant-based meat products in grocery stores. Its main competitor, Impossible Foods, has just had its key ingredient approved for consumption by the FDA. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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Elon Musk recommends real assets (Sponsor) | Elon Musk recommends real assets . With inflation on the way, Elon gave his Twitter followers one piece of advice: invest in real assets. What happened next? An NYC startup's traffic spiked. It had unlocked one of the greatest real assets you’ll find: artwork. No wonder over 380,000 people signed up. Follow his advice and invest in real assets today with Masterworks. Learn more. | 0Sponsor
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China Breeds Polar Bear-Sized Pigs as Pork Prices Surge | African Swine Fever has taken a major toll on China's pork supply over the past 14 months. Farmers are now breeding pigs for their size, aiming to make them as big as possible. A farmer in Nanning is breeding pigs the size of polar bears. The swine weigh approximately 500 kilograms and can sell for more than RMB10,000 each. Farmers in China are encouraged to produce more pigs in order to ensure stable market supply. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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1st person in US gets experimental coronavirus vaccine | An experimental COVID-19 vaccine has started human clinical trials in Seattle. Over the next six weeks, 45 participants will test the safety of the vaccine as well as its ability to induce an immune response. The new vaccine was fast-tracked into clinical trials without testing on animal models. Once the trial ends, it will still need to go through two more testing stages before it can be used by the public. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Scientists Capture Living Giant Squid | A ten foot giant squid washed ashore in western Japan and was taken into captivity. It is likely the first time a live specimen has been captured. The squid was transported to an aquarium in the city of Sakai. Not much is known about the species, as they are incredibly rare. A video of the giant squid in shallow waters is available in the article. | 2Science and Futuristic Technology
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Get ready to see Spotify’s looping videos on Instagram | Spotify has recently confirmed that they are working on a new Stories feature, as well as a way for Spotify Canvas users to share their video art directly to Instagram. Canvas launched in beta last fall, resulting in mixed reviews from users. The new feature will allow Canvas users to share videos to Instagram by tapping on a Share icon. Users will see posts that look like regular Spotify shares but with the Canvas video looping as the backdrop. Canvas on Instagram views aren't counted in Canvas metrics unless users click through to Spotify. Spotify claims that adding Canvas videos increased track shares by up to 200 percent. Canvas is currently only on iOS but will be released on Android soon. | 1Big Tech & Startups
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