Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 4/6/24. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 4/6/24. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
The Switch 2 Is Already Getting Hit By Scalpers?
The Nintendo Switch 2 is facing issues with scalpers, who are listing the console online for more than double its suggested retail price. Despite the console not being available for pre-order in the US as of April 9th, scalpers are taking advantage of the situation, with some listings on eBay showing prices of around $900 for a pre-order.
The console is still available for pre-order in some countries, such as Australia, but the high demand and limited supply have created an opportunity for scalpers to profit.
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Despite its strength, Israel’s US-backed Arrow system reportedly struggled to prioritize threats during the saturation attack, according to some US media reports. In comparison, the PLA’s system not only tracks conventional ballistic missiles but also identifies decoys from actual warheads, even amid mid-flight countermeasures such as jamming or submunition dispersal.
‘Empty land’ theory shattered as 4,400-year-old settlement find rewrites history
Evidence from the Kach Kouch site marks the first well-documented instance of continuous settlement in the Maghreb.
A groundbreaking excavation has revealed what is believed to be the first Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb region of North Africa, an area historically overlooked in studies of this era. The significant discovery holds major implications for the established understanding of African history.
Previously considered an “empty land” prior to the arrival of the Phoenicians, a research initiative supported by the University of Barcelona has now identified a Bronze Age site in northwest Morocco that predates their presence. Recent excavations have definitively established that Kach Kouch, with the exception of Egypt, stands as the earliest known site of its kind in Mediterranean Africa.
Finally, the timeframe between 800 and 600 BCE reveals the inhabitants of Kach Kouch in modern-day Morocco as adaptable and receptive to innovation. Several new technologies and cultural elements were introduced, notably from regions outside the area, such as the eastern Mediterranean. These included stone architecture, iron tools, and wheel-thrown pottery. Crucially, this technological advancement reflects a complex and sophisticated trade network in which the Maghreb actively participated.
Maghreb was a center for human occupation
The Kach Kouch site provides the first well-documented evidence of “continuous settlement in the Maghreb,” offering a significantly different narrative of a region in Morocco that was anything but empty. “It shows the history of dynamic local communities that were far from isolated,” concluded Benattia.
However, Professor Li’s innovative model has successfully captured the intricate interplay between ion transport and electrochemical reactions that drive this process within a graphite anode, a common material in lithium-ion batteries.
“Using this model, I was able to establish relationships between key factors, such as operating conditions and material properties, and the onset of lithium plating,” explained Professor Li.
“From these results, I created a diagram that provides physics-based guidance on strategies to mitigate plating. The diagram makes these findings very accessible, and researchers can harness the results without needing to perform any additional simulations.”
Introducing Li-plating diagram
Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on extreme conditions, Professor Li’s model allows for the investigation of lithium plating across a much broader spectrum of operating parameters.
Advances in lithium-ion battery technology
Looking ahead, Professor Li intends to further refine her model by incorporating mechanical factors, such as stress generation within the battery components, to explore their potential influence on lithium plating.
“This physics-based guidance is valuable because it enables us to determine the optimal way to adjust the current densities during charging, based on the state of charge and the material properties, to avoid lithium plating,” concluded Professor Li.
Li’s findings were published in the journal ACS Energy Letters.
Meanwhile, the growing demand for electric vehicles has also necessitated improvements in the working of lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, several developments are occurring in this space.
Recently, a team of scientists in the US discovered an imaging technique that allows them to peer inside a working battery.
2,500-year-old temple reveals ancient lost school ‘House of Life’ in Egypt
Scientific analysis has now confirmed that the site was inhabited before Ramses II built his temple there.
New archaeological discoveries at the renowned Ramesseum Temple in Luxor, Egypt, have unveiled a remarkable new understanding of this ancient religious center, including the unprecedented finding of a mysterious school.
A recent investigative mission to the Ramesseum Temple, the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, has reported “exceptional” discoveries. These include the architectural blueprint of an ancient educational institution known as the “House of Life.”
Furthermore, the team unearthed a collection of tombs dating back to the Third Intermediate Period, storage facilities that once held olive oil, honey, and fats, and evidence of various industries and activities. These include workshops for weaving and stonework, as well as ancient kitchens and bakeries.
Located within the Theban Necropolis in Upper Egypt, the Ramesseum, most notably recognized for its imposing 57-foot seated statue of Ramses II, stands as the second-largest temple in Ancient Egypt.
Within the temple precinct, archaeologists have uncovered the first tangible evidence of a school, the existence of which was previously theorized but never confirmed. This discovery includes the architectural layout of the teaching facility. According to a press release, researchers also recovered drawings and ancient school games.
Outside the main temple structure, a flourishing network of workspaces and tombs filled with artifacts has been brought to light.
Administrative offices were situated on the eastern side of the temple complex, while warehouses for perishable goods were located to the north. The team also rediscovered the tomb of “Sahtep-Ib-Re” in the northwest, initially documented by archaeologist Quibell in 1896. The press release notes that its walls are adorned with painted scenes depicting the tomb owner’s funeral.
Finally, in the northeast section, a significant number of tombs with burial chambers and shafts were excavated, yielding an impressive array of artifacts and human remains. Among the remarkable relics found were scattered bones, canopic jars, funerary tools, interlocking coffins, and 401 ushabti figurines crafted from pottery.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that these findings have illuminated the temple’s long and intricate history and have opened new avenues for understanding its crucial role in ancient Egypt.
A press release concluded with a statement from Dr. Hesham El-Leithy, head of the Conservation and Registration Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the head of the Egyptian mission. He explained that the mission is continuing its excavation efforts to uncover further evidence in the coming period and will also continue its restoration work in Egypt.
Built by highly skilled, deeply experienced workforce
The submarine’s complex structures are built by the highly skilled and deeply experienced workforce at the Louisville facility.
BAE Systems also revealed that its skilled manufacturing workforce will continue delivering firepower to the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet.
The company’s facility also builds the propulsor for the Virginia-class submarine, as well as a heavy propulsor structure for the Columbia-class submarine. BAE Systems has the manufacturing capability and capacity to take on additional work building submarine structures to further support the U.S. Navy.
Hidden battle of X, Y chromosome sperm in mice determined by contest for proteins
Researchers have uncovered that the molecular arms race between sperm bearing X and Y chromosome in mice is dependent on their competitive binding to Spindlins proteins.
As per Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, fitness is an organism’s ability to survive and pass on its genes better suited to its environment to future generations. Sometimes, Darwin’s theory also applies to genes within the same body, which compete to assert dominance. While this internal rivalry is usually hard to see, it becomes clearer when it involves genes on the X and Y chromosomes, which determine the sex of mammals.
Arlt, who is also the first author of the study, further noted that if certain genes gave X-bearing sperm an advantage, the result would be more female offspring—the same goes for Y-bearing sperm and male offspring. Yet, he noted that the sex ratio remains close to 50-50. Over evolutionary time, this balance is optimal for the survival of a species, while even small shifts could eventually threaten its stability.
To maintain the sex-ratio balance, genes on the X and Y chromosomes co-adapt, regulating each other’s influence. However, how this process works remains a mystery as sperm cannot be grown in a lab. The University of Michigan team found a creative solution by transferring the X-linked Slxl1/Slx and Y-linked Sly gene families from mice into yeast, enabling them to study the genetic interactions in a controlled environment.
Next, the team plans to use the yeast model system to investigate the evolution of the X/Y arms race and explore other competitive genes in the future.
“These observations provide critical mechanistic insight into how competition between Slxl1/Slx and Sly influences sperm fitness via an X- versus Y-chromosome evolutionary arms race during mouse spermatogenesis. Exploring how this arms race evolves and competes provides insights into innovative molecular strategies, driven by strong positive Darwinian selection, influencing fertility and chromosome evolution,” the team noted in the study.
Women are better at hearing than men everywhere in world, finds study
In some populations women’s ears were found to be six kilohertz sharper than men’s, according to the study involving 450 individuals from 13 countries.
The human ear has a snail-shaped, fluid-filled structure called the cochlea which plays a crucial role in hearing. It detects sound as vibrations and converts those into nerve signals for the brain.
Factors affecting hearing in humans
The sample of the study involved 450 individuals from 13 countries. This also included people from different environment settings and cultures, especially rural communities and groups from other backgrounds who are often not well-represented in studies.
Hearing tests were conducted to examine the cochlear sensitivity in all these subjects. The tests measured Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE), soft sounds that the inner ear naturally produces when it hears a short sound, like a click or tone.
The results revealed some interesting insights. In addition to highlighting that women are better at hearing than men, the study also suggests that the environment in which a person lives plays a big role in their ability to sense sounds of different frequencies
For instance, “people living in forest areas had the highest hearing sensitivity and those living at high altitudes having the lowest,” the study authors said. Those living at high altitudes may have weaker hearing due to lower air pressure, less sound in the environment, or body changes from living with less oxygen.
The researchers also saw a difference between those living in urban and rural environments— people in cities were more tuned in to higher-pitched sounds, possibly because they learn to ignore low-pitched traffic noise.
According to Gilkes Energy’s managing director Carl Crompton, the real work for the company “begins now” as it transitions from a consented project to a fully designed, tendered, and costed venture. The application also includes proposals for two large-scale peatland and woodland restoration projects.
“As the UK energy system shifts from being dominated by dispatchable thermal generation to one driven by intermittent renewables, the need for energy storage is increasing significantly. Storage systems enable excess renewable energy, primarily from wind, to be stored and used later during periods of low renewable generation,” Crompton said in a statement.
Europe’s first net-zero project to get world’s largest high-voltage sea cable network
NKT is executing a substantial capital investment program to scale its high-voltage production capabilities in Karlskrona.
In a significant milestone in Europe’s energy transition, the European Union (EU) has recognized the expansion of NKT’s high-voltage power cable factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, as the first Net-Zero Strategic Project under the recently created EU Net-Zero Industry Act.
The designation confers national priority status, enabling accelerated administrative procedures and expedited project implementation permitting.
NKT is executing a substantial capital investment program to scale its high-voltage production capabilities in Karlskrona.
The Karlskrona expansion is assessed as mission-critical to several core objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act: enhancing supply chain resilience, bolstering grid reliability, and supporting the EU’s strategic autonomy in energy infrastructure.
As European power grids undergo structural modernization to accommodate renewable integration and cross-border interconnections, the demand for domestically produced high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable systems has reached critical thresholds.
NKT’s expanded capacity will directly address this operational gap.
Scientists turn CO2 from forestry into plastic raw materials using new method
The Forest CUMP research project has found a way to reduce the reliance on fossil feedstocks to produce polypropylene and polyethylene, raw materials used in everyday plastics.
A three-year research project involving scientists from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LUT University has found a way to capture and convert carbon dioxide produced by the forest industry during waste incineration into polypropylene and polyethylene—raw materials used to manufacture common, everyday plastic products.
Named Forest CUMP, the research delved into different technologies and mechanisms for producing renewable plastic raw materials from carbon dioxide and green hydrogen. For renewable feedstocks to quickly and effectively replace fossil-based ones, the technologies must be compatible with today’s industrial infrastructure. Given the high cost and long lifespan of hydrocarbon separation equipment, aligning renewable processes with current infrastructure makes sense.
“Our research showed that the low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch process is a technically and economically promising alternative for the production of renewable polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene. We can use Fischer-Tropsch naphtha directly in existing petrochemical processes as a feedstock for the above-mentioned plastics without major additional investments into current petrochemical units (e.g. distillation and separation processes or steam cracker),” added Lehtonen, in a media statement released by VTT.
According to Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, project manager of Finnish forest industry conglomerate Metsä Group’s carbon capture initiative, capturing wood-based carbon dioxide presents a major opportunity for Finland to develop new industrial value chains while reducing reliance on fossil raw materials. The experimental and pilot work carried out in the Forest CUMP project has provided valuable insights into using carbon dioxide as a raw material for plastics.
With a stable, year-round supply of bio-based carbon dioxide, Finland’s energy and hydrogen infrastructure is well-equipped to support the transition to renewable energy and hydrogen, with strong potential for large-scale green hydrogen production through water electrolysis using renewable energy.
The latest research shows that converting 10 million tons of biogenic CO₂ into renewable products would require about 60 TWh of renewable electricity, roughly 70% of Finland’s annual electricity consumption.
Processing 10 Mt of CO₂ and 1 Mt of hydrogen could produce 3 Mt of diesel, equal to Finland’s yearly consumption. With 30 Mt of large bio-based CO₂ sources available, Finland has the raw materials and infrastructure for industrial-scale production. Therefore, Instead of focusing on fuels, the Forest CUMP study aimed to capture bio-based CO₂ for use in durable polymer products.
Controlling excitons like never before
Excitons hold great importance because they help us understand how light and energy move through materials, especially in technologies like solar cells, LEDs, and quantum computers. The study authors performed an interesting experiment to examine their behavior inside CrSBr.
They used ultra-short laser pulses lasting just 20 quadrillionths of a second (20 x 10-15 seconds) to create excitons inside CrSBr. Then, they used a second laser to push the excitons gently into slightly higher energy states.
This is important because if scientists can convert quantum information smoothly between photons, excitons, and electron spins, it would make quantum systems much more versatile and open up new possibilities for building more advanced technologies.
“The long-term vision is, you could potentially build quantum machines or devices that use these three or even all four of these properties: photons to transfer information, electrons to process information through their interactions, magnetism to store information, and phonons to modulate and transduce information to new frequencies,” said Mackillo Kira, one of the study authors.
“The hydrogels for our skin imitation from the 3D printer have to fulfil a number of requirements.” Karin Stana Kleinschek, PhD, a professor at the Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Biobased Systems at TU Graz and one of the study’s authors, says.
“The hydrogels must be able to interact with living skin cells,” Kleinschek continues. “These cells not only have to survive, but also have to be able to grow and multiply.”
The scientist emphasizes that the starting point for stable and 3D-printable structures are hydrogel formulations developed at TU Graz. These, according to Kleinschek, are characterized by their high water content – a trait that creates ideal conditions for integration and cell growth. However, this same high water content also makes the structures unstable, requiring special mechanical and chemical methods to keep them firm and intact.
According to Kleinschek, initial tests of the 3D-printed hydrogels in cell culture have yielded promising results, showing that the cross-linked materials are both mechanically stable and non-toxic to cells.
“In the next step, the 3D-printed models (skin imitations) will be used to test nanoparticles,” Kleinschek explains. “This is a success for the complementary research at TU Graz and VIT.”
“Our many years of expertise in the field of material research for tissue imitations and VIT’s expertise in molecular and cell biology have complemented each other perfectly,” the professor concludes in a press release. “We are now working together to further optimise the hydrogel formulations and validate their usefulness as a substitute for animal experiments.”
China fires 16 ballistic missiles in large-scale test, unveils next-gen radar system
The radar’s ability to continuously track 31 decoys and secondary targets while prioritizing seven high-value threats represents a significant leap in the country’s anti-saturation capabilities.
Demonstrating its ever increasing military capabilities, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fired up to 16 ballistic missiles at a single target in the Gobi Desert to test a next-generation radar system designed to counter saturation attacks.
Presenting a key technological leap, the system delivered what Chinese military scientists described as early detection, precision measurement, and accurate reporting—essential for neutralizing advanced threats like hypersonic glide vehicles and missiles with decoys or multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).
New radar detects and hits every incoming missile in test
A paper published in February by Zhang Zhenbiao, a senior engineer with the PLA’s 63623 Unit in Jiuquan, Gansu province, revealed that all missiles were successfully detected and tracked by a new dual-band (S/X) phased array radar system, achieving a 100% hit rate on the target, the South China Morning Post reported.
As Zhang and colleagues explain, the radar’s ability to continuously track 31 decoys and secondary targets while prioritizing seven high-value threats represents a significant leap forward in anti-saturation capabilities. This level of precision tracking is crucial in modern warfare, where adversaries often deploy decoys and countermeasures to overwhelm defense systems.
Fast charging, powerful EV battery: Breakthrough US model unlocks lithium failure secrets
During rapid charging of lithium-ion batteries, lithium plating can occur, where metallic lithium accumulates on the surface of the battery’s anode.
A researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a groundbreaking computational model that provides new insights into the causes of lithium-ion battery failure.
“Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, powering everything from cellphones and laptops to electric vehicles. They’re also notorious for overheating or catching fire,” said the university in a press release.
Assistant Professor Weiyu Li has created a model that elucidates the phenomenon of lithium plating. This is a key factor in the overheating and potential fires associated with fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium plating occurs when metallic lithium builds up on the surface of a battery’s anode during rapid charging.
“The mechanisms that trigger lithium plating, until now, have not been well understood,” added the press release.
Lithium plating accelerates battery degradation
Lithium-ion batteries’ ability to charge quickly is a significant advantage. However, the propensity for these batteries to overheat or even catch fire during rapid charging has raised safety concerns.
Lithium plating is a major contributing factor to these issues, as it can lead to short circuits and accelerated battery degradation.
“Lithium (Li) plating is a major challenge limiting the adoption of fast-charging Li-ion batteries,” asserted the researcher in a new study.
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US submarines’ extended firepower with advanced missile tubes to bolster attack impact
The Virginia-class submarines are equipped with vertical missile launch tubes and four 533mm torpedo tubes.
A British defense firm is set to make missile tubes for the United States’ Block VI Virginia-class submarines.
BAE Systems has received a $70 million contract for the production of missile tubes, which add significant firepower to submarines.
It can boost the payload capacity of Virginia-class submarines with its ability to launch up to seven Tomahawks or future missile variants.
Missile tubes deliver critical firepower
“These missile tubes deliver critical firepower to the Virginia-class submarine fleet, a cornerstone to U.S. national security,” said Charles Lewis, director of Submarine Programs for Platforms & Services at BAE Systems.
“Continuing to manufacture VPMs at our Louisville, Kentucky, facility maintains our strong support to the industrial base, while also ensuring Sailors receive the capability they need to protect our country.”
UK to build its largest 1.8 GW pumped hydro project, to power 1.4 million houses
When full, the project’s upper reservoir will store enough energy to generate 22 hours of electricity, integrating more renewables into the UK energy system.
The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit has granted planning permission to Kendal-based Gilkes Energy for a 1.8 GW/40 GWh pumped hydro energy storage project at Loch Earba in the Scottish Highlands. Located about 124 miles from Glasgow, the project is set to be the largest of its kind in the UK.
The Earba Pumped Storage Hydro project, near the Cairngorms National Park, is set to operate by transferring water between Loch Earba and an upper reservoir, Loch Leamhain. The project’s upper reservoir, when full, will store enough energy to generate 22 hours of electricity at its full 1.8 GW capacity, supplying power to over 1.4 million households annually.
Power for 1.4 million households each year
The proposed site work will involve constructing dams to raise the water levels of both lochs, connected by an underground waterway system with up to three headrace tunnels. Key elements of the project include building a powerhouse, an indoor electrical switchyard, two aqueducts, a new road junction, and a bridge over the River Spean, which flows near the site.
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25 New Technology Trends for 2025 | Emerging Technologies 2025
Published: March 20, 2025
This piece dives into the top tech trends for 2025, spotlighting AI, blockchain, and more, with insights on how they’re set to transform industries.
2025 Digital Media Trends: Social Platforms Dominate
Published: March 24, 2025
Deloitte explores how hyperscale social video platforms are outpacing traditional media, reshaping entertainment and content consumption.
US’ Paladin howitzer to shoot faster, deadlier with modern system upgrade
With this project, Leonardo DRS will develop a next-generation prototype with current electrical technology,
A Virginia-based defense firm has received a prototype project award from the U.S. Army to modernize a key weapon.
Leonardo DRS is set to upgrade the Paladin Electric Servo Amplifier (PESA) electric weapon control system for the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer.
The company will modernize the weapon with the OTA award that’s worth $16.9 million.
Mission critical combat system
“Paladin is a mission critical combat system, and our agility and leading-edge capabilities ensure our U.S. Army partner has the necessary capabilities to support our warfighters for the long term,” said Denny Crumley, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Land Electronics business unit.
“We are thrilled to be providing this next generation of technology to the Army’s M109A7 Paladin combat vehicle.”
With this project, Leonardo DRS will develop a next-generation prototype with current electrical technology to improve the producibility and maintainability of the line replaceable units and enable the continued operation of the vehicle with no degradation to current capabilities.
Reuters Tech News: Musk and OpenAI Trial Set for Spring 2025
Published: April 4, 2025
A legal showdown looms as Musk and OpenAI gear up for a jury trial, alongside updates on AI tariffs and Microsoft’s 50th anniversary.
Tech Trends 2025 | Deloitte Insights
Published: December 10, 2024
AI weaves through every trend in Deloitte’s 16th annual report, predicting a future where it’s as ubiquitous as electricity.
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10 Breakthrough Technologies 2025 | MIT Technology Review
Published: January 3, 2025
MIT highlights game-changers like small language models and methane-reducing cattle supplements that could define the year.
Seven Advances in Technology for 2025
Published: January 1, 2025
From Tesla’s Optimus robot to quantum computing leaps, this article forecasts tech shifts that could redefine work and leisure.
Quantum switch: Miracle material uses magnetism to encode information in excitons
The magnetic order of chromium sulfide bromide can be turned on or off—like a switch—by changing the temperature. New experiment could prove to be a game changer for future electronics and IT.
Chromium sulfide bromide (CrSBr) is an intriguing material for scientists as it can handle quantum information in ways no other substance can. It’s possibly the only known material that supports encoding information using light, electric charge, sound-like vibrations, and magnetism. But this is not it, a new study reveals another exciting superpower of this uncanny material.
Scientists have discovered that CrSBr’s strange magnetic properties allow it to effectively trap and control excitons. An “exciton forms when an electron is moved out of its ‘ground’ energy state in the semiconductor into a higher energy state, leaving behind a ‘hole’. The electron and hole are paired together, and that collective state is an exciton,” the study authors note.
The research suggests that the magnetic order of chromium sulfide bromide can be turned on or off—like a switch—by changing the temperature. This change in magnetism influences how the excitons inside the material behave.
“The magnetic order is a new tuning knob for shaping excitons and their interactions. This could be a game changer for future electronics and information technology,” Rupert Huber, one of the authors of the study and a physics professor at the University of Regensburg in Germany, said.
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Lifelike, 3D-printed skin with living cells to replace animal testing in cosmetics
The skin imitations mimic the native three-layer tissue structure and biomechanics of human skin.
In a pioneering effort to replace animal testing, an international team of scientists has developed a lifelike, 3D-printed skin model equipped with living cells, offering a reliable and ethical platform for safely testing cosmetic products and their nanoparticles.
The researchers from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria and the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in India began developing the project after Directive 2010/63/EU imposed strict regulations on animal testing for cosmetics and their ingredients across the EU.
The Directive prompted the need for innovative, ethical alternatives in product safety testing, driving an intense search for new ways to assess the absorption and toxicity of nanoparticles found in cosmetics like sun creams.
To address the issue, the researchers developed a 3D-printed skin model that closely replicates the native three-layer tissue structure and function of human skin, using hydrogel formulations printed together with living cells to enable accurate and ethical testing of cosmetic nanoparticles.
Hydrogels as a medium
With the first skin models now ready for nanoparticle testing, researchers are set to evaluate how cosmetic ingredients – particularly those commonly found in sunscreens – interact with human-like tissue, marking a potential turning point in safety testing standards for the global beauty industry.
Llama 4: A Groundbreaking AI Model
Llama 4 is a new AI model that has been released, featuring three massive models: Llama 4 Force Scoot, Llama 4 Maverick, and Llama 4 Behemoth. The Llama 4 Force Scoot model has a 10 million token context window, outperforming other models like Gemini 3.7 and Sonnet 3.7.
The Llama 4 Maverick model has the same 17 billion active parameter model but with 128 experts and is crushing image grounding, beating GBT4 Omni and Gemini 2.0 Flash.
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The Mini-Smartphones from Japan you've never heard about
The video showcases two unique mini-smartphones from Japan, the Rakuten Hand and Rakuten Mini, which challenge conventional smartphone size norms. The Rakuten Hand features a compact design with premium touches, including a glass back, waterproofing, and a striking red color option. It has an 18:9 ratio OLED display, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and decent battery life.
The Rakuten Mini is even smaller, resembling a credit card, and supports Japan's Osaifu Keitai feature for payments and train tickets. While both phones have limitations, such as low-performance processors and limited storage, they offer a unique experience and can be useful as secondary devices or for specific use cases.
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I Bought 10 Weird Keyboards from AliExpress
The video features a host who purchased 10 unusual keyboards from AliExpress to test their functionality and quality. The host tries out each keyboard, sharing their first impressions, and conducts typing tests to evaluate their performance. Some keyboards, like the foldable Bluetooth wireless keyboard and the machai key mechanical keyboard, showed promising results despite some flaws. Others, such as the waterproof and silent keyboard, were disappointing due to issues like non-functional keys and poor build quality.
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LilyGO T-Deck Pro Review
The LilyGO T-Deck Pro is a new device that features an ESP32-S3, LoRa GPS, and an e-aper display. It has a transparent case, a touchscreen display, and a 1400mAh battery. The device is compared to the previous T-Deck models, including the original T-Deck and the T-Deck Plus.
The T-Deck Pro has a gyroscope, light sensor, and audio jack, making it a promising device for various use cases. However, it currently only has stock firmware, and the availability of Meshtastic or Bruce firmware is still uncertain. The device's e-aper display is visible in bright light, but it may feel a bit laggy compared to devices with LCD displays.
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AI Bots and Open Source Projects
The recent surge in AI-powered scraping bots has led to a significant increase in bandwidth and hosting costs for open-source projects, with 97% of traffic being generated by these bots.
This has resulted in higher costs for project maintainers, who may have to spend time and resources dealing with the issue instead of developing their projects. The bots often ignore the robots.txt file, which is meant to prevent crawling, and can adapt to evade barriers set up to block them.
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How Linux WINE Works Under the Hood
The video transcript explains how Wine works under the hood by creating a fake Windows environment, enabling users to load Windows executables and DLLs into memory. It fakes a Windows environment by faking Windows API calls, making the application feel like it's running on a real Windows.
The video demonstrates this by cloning the Wine repository, building it from scratch, and running the Windows XP Minesweeper game on a Debian 32-bit virtual machine.
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No, No One Is Forcing You to Buy a New Machine
The perception that Windows 11's new hardware requirements are forcing users to buy new computers is a common misconception. Leo Notenboom emphasizes that no one is being forced to do anything, and users have options. They can choose to stay with their existing Windows 10 machine, which will continue to run without significant issues, even after its end-of-support date.
Security software, including Windows Defender, and other Microsoft software will still receive updates. Users can also consider purchasing extended security updates for $30, installing Linux, or switching to new hardware if they prefer.
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