Python 2’s Core Devs Say ‘Fond Farewell’ While Releasing Its Final Version

This week Python’s core developer blog announced the very last production release of Python 2.7. Hackaday reports:
The intention was for it to coincide with PyCon 2020, but just like so many of the events planned for the first half of the year, the in-person conference had to be canceled in favor of a virtual one due to the COVID-19 epidemic. That…

Photos of April’s Lyrid meteor shower

The Lyrids end the “meteor drought” that happens each year between early January and April. Enjoy these photos of the April 2020 Lyrid meteor shower from the EarthSky community. Thanks to all who contributed! Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/photos-lyrid-meteors-april-2020…

‘Lucky’ MESSENGER data upends long-held idea about Venus’ atmosphere

Philosopher Nicholas Rescher once wrote, “Scientific discoveries are often made not on the basis of some well-contrived plan of investigation, but through some stroke of sheer luck.” Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-04-lucky-messenger-upends-long-held-idea.html…

Ask Slashdot: What Are You Doing To Help?

Long-time Slashdot reader destinyland writes: With all the news stories about how the pandemic is impacting our world, some of us have been just plain lucky. As an information worker, I was already working from home, so I still have my full-time job — and my full-time income. So my question is, if we really are all “in this together,” then…

Remembering Apollo 13 at 50

Marcia Dunn from The Associated Press remembers the Apollo 13 mission 50 years later: Apollo 13âs astronauts never gave a thought to their mission number as they blasted off for the moon 50 years ago. Even when their oxygen tank ruptured two days later â” on April 13. Jim Lovell and Fred Haise insist they’re not superstitious. They even use 13…