A surprising possibility is emerging that elemental rain on the Moon from our own atmosphere is being delivered by Earth’s magnetic field. To account for the surprising amount of moisture being found on the lunar surface, researchers have proposed a more dynamic form of production – a constant ‘rain’ of protons driven by the solar…
Month: January 2021
NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance is in the home stretch of its journey to Red Planet
Somehow, I don’t remember seeing mention of this even being launched. Perseverance is the centerpiece of NASA’s $2.7 billion Mars 2020 mission, which will break new ground in Red Planet exploration. For example, the rover will hunt for evidence of ancient Mars life on the floor of Jezero, which hosted a lake and a river…
Micron unveils 1α — their most advanced DRAM Process Technology
Micron recently announced that they’re shipping memory chips built using the most advanced DRAM process technology. But a funny thing happened a few years ago in the memory world. We stopped talking about exact numbers and started to use terms like 1x, 1y and 1z. For DRAM particularly, the name of the node usually corresponds…
Google Proposes Alternative to Cookies
Google, under fire for privacy issues, is planning next steps for transparency, choice and control in digital advertising. While Chrome explores new technologies for the web, we’re also acting on the commitment we made in May of this year to increase the transparency of digital ads and offer users more control. Over the past few…
Apple reportedly working on VR headset
Apple is reportedly developing a virtual reality headset. According to Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the matter, the headset will serve largely as a VR device similar to Sony’s PlayStation VR and Oculus but offer limited AR features. For more, check out this USA Today story.
Scientists find black holes could reach ‘stupendously large’ sizes
The potential size just keeps getting larger for black holes. A recent study suggests the possible existence of ‘stupendously large black holes’ or SLABS, even larger than the supermassive black holes already observed in the centers of galaxies. For more, check out this Phys.org story.
NVIDIA responds to G-SYNC story
Guru3D has posted some info and the response from NVIDIA regarding a change in the G-SYNC spec. NVIDIA lowered one of the requirements and explains why. Late last year we updated G-SYNC ULTIMATE to include new display technologies such as OLED and edge-lit LCDs. To see their explanation, check out this Guru3D story.
Scientists Found a Way to Make Synthetic Gasoline Out of Thin Air
Day-to-night temperature changes could reclaim CO2 into synthetic fuels. Chinese scientists have used nanoplates that generate power from temperature changes to create synthetic methanol, which could be a clean way of removing CO2 from the atmosphere, as well as generating e-fuels. For more, check out The Drive story.
Earth spinning faster now than at any time in the past half century
A ‘negative leap second’ may be required so that atomic clocks can align correctly with the turning world. Scientists around the world have noted that the Earth has been spinning on its axis faster lately—the fastest ever recorded. Several scientists have spoken to the press about the unusual phenomenon, with some pointing out that this…
Sony Announces Expansion of 360 Reality Audio Ecosystem
Sony today announced the expansion of its 360 Reality Audio services and product offerings. Introduced in 2019, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio makes it possible for artists and creators to produce music by mapping sound sources such as vocals, chorus and instruments with positional information and placing them within a spherical space. This revolutionary musical experience,…