On December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will be only 1/5 of a moon-diameter apart! Guy Ottewell offers insights and charts showing a magnified (telescopic) view of their once-in-20-years great conjunction. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/jupiter-saturn-conjunction-telescopic-magnified-dec-2020…
Tag: Singapore
China Rises as World’s Data Superpower as Internet Fractures
Back in 2001, the U.S. was the dominant country when it came to cross-border data flows. It was the early days of the internet boom, and America was where tech companies and tech-savvy consumers were. But the global data order is changing rapidly. From a report: China now accounts for 23% of cross-border data flows, nearly twice the share of the…
Dyson Pledges New Investment Into AI, Robotics and Batteries
Dyson will invest an additional 2.75bn pound ($3.67 billion) on developing technologies and products over the next five years [Editor’s note: the link may be paywalled; alternative source], as the appliances brand pushes deeper into areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and energy storage. From a report: The company founded by billionaire James Dyson and famous for its vacuum cleaners said…
Privacy Advocates Alarmed By Singapore’s World-First Face-Scanning Plans
“Singapore will become the world’s first country to use facial verification in its national ID scheme, but privacy advocates are alarmed by what they say is an intrusive system vulnerable to abuse,” reports AFP: Face scanning technology remains controversial despite its growing use and critics have raised ethical concerns about it in some countries — for instance, law enforcement agencies scanning…
3 TB of Private Webcam/Home Security Video Leaked on Porn Sites
schwit1 quotes Input: A hacking group that has yet to identify itself found and stole more than 3 TB of private video from around the world — mainly collected from Singapore — and shared it on porn sites, according to reports from local media like The New Paper. While some of the footage was indeed pornographic in nature, other videos are…
Singapore Becomes First Country To Use Facial Verification For a National ID Service
“Singapore will be the first country in the world to use facial verification in its national identity scheme,” reports the BBC: The biometric check will give Singaporeans secure access to both private and government services. The government’s technology agency says it will be “fundamental” to the country’s digital economy. It has been trialled with a bank and is now being rolled…
Photos of fiery Mars, nearly at its best in 2 years
Photos from the EarthSky community of the bright planet Mars, now nearly at its best. Earth will pass between Mars and the sun – bringing the planet to a once-in-two-years opposition – on October 13, 2020. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/photos-mars-at-its-best-sep-oct-2020…
The moon, Jupiter and Saturn September 23 to 26
On September 23, 24, 25 and 26, 2020, the moon can guide your eye to the solar system’s 2 biggest gas giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-jupiter-saturn-september-23-26…
Photos of the moon’s sweep past bright Mars
Earth will pass between Mars and the sun in October 2020, and we’re already hot on the Red Planet’s heels. That is, the distance between our 2 worlds is relatively small. And so Mars is very bright now! Thanks to all in the EarthSky Community who contributed photos. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-moon-mars-september-2020…
Researchers Can Duplicate Keys From the Sounds They Make In Locks
Researchers have demonstrated that they can make a working 3D-printed copy of a key just by listening to how the key sounds when inserted into a lock. Slashdot reader colinwb writes: While you cannot hear the shape of a drum it seems you can hear the shape of one type of key from the sound it makes in the lock. That…