Last full moon of the decade, again

The last full moon of 2020 – and the last full moon of the 202nd decade – happens on December 29 or 30, 2020, depending on your time zone. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/last-full-moon-of-the-decade-on-december-29-30…

Famous Earthrise photo taken on Christmas Eve

A Christmas Eve photograph showed humans their home world from a whole new perspective. This is the photo that’s said to have launched the environmental movement. It’s “Earthrise,” the iconic photo taken by astronaut William Anders on the 4th orbit of the moon aboard Apollo 8 on December 24, 1968. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/apollo-8-earthrise-december-24-1968-new-simulation…

New York Halts Use of Facial Recognition in Schools

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill Tuesday suspending the use of facial recognition and other kinds of biometric technology in schools in New York, also directing a study of whether its use is appropriate in schools. The legislation places a moratorium on schools purchasing and using biometric identifying technology until at least July 1, 2022 or until the report is…

Dramatic images of erupting Kilauea volcano in Hawaii

Overnight on Sunday, USGS reported lava fountains that shot nearly 165 feet into the sky from a fissure on the eastern side of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Lava has replaced the water that was in the basin of the crater, and a new lava lake was formed. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/dramatic-images-kilauea-volcano-hawaii-eruption-dec-2020…

RubyGems Catches Two Packages Trying to Steal Cryptocurrency with Clipboard Hijacking

One day after they were uploaded, RubyGems discovered and removed two malicious packages that had been designed to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users by installing a clipboard hijacker, reports Bleeping Computer, citing research by open-source security firm Sonatype. Fortunately, while the packages were downloaded a total of 142 times, “At this time, none of the cryptocurrency addresses have received any funds.”…

Amazon Wants To Scan Your Body To Make Perfectly Fitting Shirts

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Fast Company: For just $25, Amazon wants to make you a custom T-shirt. And a virtual body double. This week, the company unveiled a brand called “Made for You” that creates made-to-measure clothes. The initial product, a T-shirt, can be personalized to your taste and measurements, and more products are coming. This is Amazon’s…

Evolving Coursera’s Brand Identity

Today, we’re excited to share Coursera’s new brand identity, a reflection of our commitment to make transformative learning accessible, inclusive, and impactful for all. As we continue to serve our global community of learners, partners, and customers, our new identity expresses the power and potential of every learner—and every learning opportunity—on Coursera.   Learning has the […]
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For 3rd data release, Gaia gazed toward galactic anticenter

The 3rd data release from the Gaia mission will provide astronomers with a “treasure trove” of information they didn’t have before. As they analyze Gaia’s data in the years ahead, we’re sure to learn new and surprising things about our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/gaia-3rd-data-release-edr3-dec-2020…