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Scientists Succeed in Creating Northern White Rhino Embryos

There are currently only two northern white rhinos left in the world, both of them female. Scientists have successfully created embryos using eggs from the females and frozen sperm from dead males. These embryos will soon be transferred into a surrogate mother. It is hoped that this will help save the species. The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife research aims to create a herd of at least five animals, a project that could take decades. Northern white rhinos were almost wiped out due to poachers killing them for their horns, which are a prized item in traditional Chinese medicine for their supposed healing properties. The last male northern white rhino was euthanized in 2018 due to age-related ills.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

ML Engineering Career Transition Guide (Guide)

This is a guide written by a Google Brain engineer to help software engineers who want to get into ML engineering but don't know where to start. It gives some good advice on necessary qualifications, getting experience, learning resources, and applying for jobs. There is an emphasis on AI Safety, but I think this advice is sort of applicable to all sorts of ML engineering work (so if you want to build Skynet, you should still check this out).

2Science and Futuristic Technology

The Embedded YouTube Player Told Me What You Were Watching (and more)

There was a bug in the embedded YouTube player that allowed hackers to view anyone's YouTube watch history, the links to their unlisted videos, their Watch Later playlist, the list of videos they've liked, and more. YouTube creates internal playlists for all users, which can be accessed by replacing some characters in the URL. You can't just view other people's private videos just with this knowledge, but the embedded player had a bug that could be exploited to do so. The bug was reported, but Google's response showed that they might not have seen the severity of the issue. It has now been fixed.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Creepyface (Website)

Creepyface is a JavaScript library that makes your face look at the pointer. It requires an image for each angle (at 45 degree intervals). Users can create their own Creepyface on the website via webcam or download the code from GitHub to make custom versions. Examples are available on the website.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

CREW DEMO-1 MISSION (Website)

On March 2, SpaceX launched their Crew Dragon’s first unmanned demonstration mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The aim of the launch was to test the Crew Dragon’s ability to safely ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. A live stream from NASA is available on the site, along with a full press kit detailing the mission and schedule. The Crew Dragon is scheduled to return to Earth on March 8.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Meet Mars 2020, NASA’s rover for finding life on Mars

The Mars 2020 rover will look for traces of life in a 3.5 billion-year-old river delta on the red planet. It is currently in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's clean room, which has strictly controlled temperature, humidity, and operating procedures to minimize airborne dust, particulates, and biological contamination that could interfere with electronics and Martian experiments. People must go through a meticulous cleaning and preparation routine in order to access the room. Keeping the Mars 2020 rover clean has been a unique challenge for JPL, and it is important as the focus of the mission is on astrobiology. The rover will launch from Cape Canaveral during a July/August window for a planned landing on February 8, 2021. Its mission will run for one Mars year and cover an area of 12 miles.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Dawn Aerospace conducts five flights of its suborbital spaceplane

Dawn Aerospace has completed five test flights of its Mk-II Aurora spaceplane. The spaceplane is designed to fly up to 60 miles above the Earth's surface, although its test flights only reached altitudes of 3,400 feet. It can take off and land from conventional airports and potentially perform multiple flights to and from space every day. Mk-II is less than 16 feet long and weighs only 165 pounds empty. While Mk-II can only carry a payload of less than 8.8 pounds, Mk-III will be capable of carrying up to 551 pounds to orbit. Mk-III will be fitted with a rocket engine to enable supersonic performance and high-altitude testing.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Researchers Achieve ‘Absurdly Fast’ Algorithm for Network Flow (10 minute read)

A team of scientists has developed a dramatically faster algorithm for maximum flow, a problem that asks how much material can flow through a network if the links in the network have capacity limits. The problem has been studied since the 1950s and it has many applications, such as internet dataflow, airline scheduling, and matching job applicants to open positions. The new algorithm's run time is roughly proportional to the amount of time it takes to write down the details of the network. More information about the history of maximum flow research and the new algorithm is available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

The genetic mistakes that could shape our species (14 minute read)

Gene editing is not an exact science yet, with approximately 16 percent of genetically modified human embryos containing accidental mutations. In 2018, a Chinese scientist announced that they had genetically modified a set of twins to be more resistant to contracting HIV. Further studies have found that the twins did not receive the intended edits. Newer gene-editing techniques target specific organs, but it's still possible for the genome editors to accidentally travel to the reproductive organs. Many risks are still unknown.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds'

A new respiratory illness has emerged from China. The coronavirus is estimated to have infected around 1,700 people, and two people have died so far. Airports around the world have started screening for passengers originating from Wuhan. While the outbreak is centered in Wuhan, there have been two cases reported in Thailand and one in Japan. 3,400 people a day travel internationally through Wuhan International Airport. Chinese authorities claim that the virus was spread through infected animals at a seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan and that there have been no cases of the virus spreading from one person to another. Understanding how the virus spreads is crucial to assessing its threat. It is unlikely that the virus is only spread through animal exposure. Analysis of the new virus shows that the coronavirus is more related to SARS than any other human coronavirus.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

SpiceDB (GitHub Repo)

SpiceDB is a Zanzibar-inspired database that stores, computes, and validates application permissions. It features expressive APIs, a schema language with a playground dev environment, a powerful graph engine, pluggable storage, and more. SpiceDB allows developers to iterate quickly and test designs before altering any application code.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

DevOps Lessons from the Ski Industry (10 minute read)

Operations engineering has a strong tradition of learning from other industries. DevOps can learn a lot from the ski industry. Skiing is a fun sport, but it has many dangers that can result in fatalities. The ski industry engages its users by constantly updating their documentation (maps) and making sure that its users (skiers) comply with safety procedures. Many ski accidents are completely avoidable, and so are many security breaches. Incidents happen, and it is important to have procedures to follow when they happen and to always think of ways to prevent them. Running a ski resort is like testing in production. It's important to be able to notice when things are going wrong and be able to stop things before it causes any meaningful damage. Proven technology is the most reliable choice. Better quality work can be produced via peer review. Honest and open evaluation of systems will benefit everyone in the industry.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

There's Now an Artificial Cartilage Gel Strong Enough to Work in Knees

Researchers from Duke University have developed a material that matches the properties of the cartilage found in our bodies. There are over 790,000 knee replacements a year in the US. The new hydrogel could mean that doctors can replace worn-out or damaged cartilage instead of replacing an entire knee joint. Tests showed that the hydrogel was just as resistant to wear and tear as real cartilage and more durable than the artificial cartilage that is used today. It could take up to three years before the new hydrogel is approved for use in humans.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Netflix Releases Free VR Game, Eden Unearthed, On App Lab For Oculus Quest

Netflix has released a VR game on App Lab for Oculus Quest for free. Eden Unearthed is a game that lets players control a futuristic motorbike and explore a world set in the far future. There is very little information available about the game outside its App Lab listing. A trailer for the game is linked in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ask HN: What's a promising area to work on? (Hacker News Thread)

This thread contains opinions about the next popular and profitable trend. Past trends include social networks in 2004, mobile apps in 2010, or vlogging in 2014. There are many emerging technologies that are proving to fit the description, including machine learning, security and privacy, sustainable energy, sustainable food production, and gene therapies. Many of these technologies are set to change the way the world works, for example, cryptocurrency technology has the potential to change the way we trust others.

4Miscellaneous

Tablet-focused Android 12L update rolls out, just not to any tablets

Google has released Android 12L without any tablet hardware to run it on. The hardware will come later this year. Android 12L features a new taskbar UI, dual-pane UIs for the notification panel and system settings, and a new recent-apps view for bigger screens. An update will also roll out to Pixel 3a, 4, 4a, 5, and 5a devices. A Pixel 6 update will roll out later this month.

1Big Tech & Startups

Dark Lightning: Uncovering the Strongest Energy Discharge on Earth

Dark lightning are bursts of gamma rays that can happen during thunderstorms. When it was first detected, scientists thought the gamma rays were coming from space, but later observations confirmed that they came from a terrestrial phenomenon. Dark lightning could be dangerous to people traveling on a plane during a thunderstorm, but pilots tend to evade storms and dark lightning is rare, only occurring once for every thousand visible lightning bolts. It usually dissipates before becoming dangerous to living things on Earth. The only way to tell if passengers are exposed to dark lightning is by flying with radiation detectors on board.

4Miscellaneous

An AI system can diagnose childhood diseases better than some doctors

A medical center in China has developed an AI system that was better than junior doctors in diagnosing a range of illnesses in children. The system was able to diagnose diseases with 90-97% accuracy. While junior doctors were less accurate in diagnosing illnesses than the AI system, senior doctors were able to to diagnoses illnesses at a much higher success rate. This technology, while still far from being able to replace actual doctors, can potentially be a useful tool in aiding doctors and nurses when performing triage, especially in emergency care situations.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Hardware hacker brings online multiplayer to the original Game Boy

A hardware hacker has reverse-engineered the Game Boy's link cable to make it work over the internet. It connects to a client on a Raspberry Pi which then connects to an online game server. The Game Boy thinks it is connected to another Game Boy normally and is unaware of the server. There is a custom PCB in the works so users don't have to shred their link cables. A video showing two Game Boys playing Tetris over the internet is available in the article.

4Miscellaneous

learngo (GitHub Repo)

This repository contains a collection of Go examples, exercises, and quizzes to accompany the Learn Go Programming: Complete Bootcamp course. There are thousands of examples. A link to the course is available.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Mark Zuckerberg Just Showed How Meta's Next Mixed Reality VR Headset Will Work

The next Meta VR headset is a mixed reality-focused device that uses advanced cameras to pass color video through and blend VR into the feed. Currently called Project Cambria, the device is set to be released sometime this year. The headset will be marketed for professional, work, and fitness purposes. Meta is enabling the development of mixed reality apps through its Presence Platform. The Presence Platform will allow apps to be cross-developed for the Quest 2 and Project Cambria.

1Big Tech & Startups

CyberDog is a new ominous-looking robot from Xiaomi

Xiaomi has unveiled a quadrupedal robot called CyberDog. The open-source robot can respond to voice commands and navigate semi-autonomously. It can perform backflips and trot along at speeds of 3.2m/s. Xiaomi will first release 1,000 units to Xiaomi Fans, engineers, and robotic enthusiasts for 9,999 Yuan, or roughly $1,540. It is unclear if the price will remain the same for subsequent releases. The release of CyberDog signals how accessible robotics technology has become.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

The Hacker's Hardware Toolkit (GitHub Repo)

This repository contains a list of hardware gadgets for Red Team hackers, pentesters, and security researchers. More than a hundred tools are listed, classified into eight categories. All tools are available for purchase online.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

AI - The No Bullshit Approach (20 minute read)

What we currently call AI are computer programs. Deep learning is not magic and it is just another way to construct computer programs. Programs can be manually written, generated from high-level logical specifications, or generated based on data. Commercial AI looks at solving problems with the technology that is available to us. The scientific approach should ideally aim to build a system that could develop high-level symbolic representations and be able to spontaneously manipulate these symbols. Many AI researchers are not interested in solving this problem, with most of the field focused on enjoying AI's success in non-critical applications.

4Miscellaneous

Wikipedia wants to charge Google, Amazon, and Apple for using its content

The Wikimedia Foundation behind Wikipedia has created a new division called Wikimedia Enterprise, which will provide commercial products that tailor Wikipedia's content for publication on services provided by

1Big Tech & Startups

Notes (GitHub Repo)

This repository contains the personal notes for various computer science topics gathered by darshanime over three years. The author comments that many of the notes are not organized ‘nicely’. Topics include computing systems, architecture, various programming languages and modules, machine learning, and app deployment.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Apple’s Prime equivalent “Apple One” will launch in October

Apple One is Apple's all-in-one subscription bundle that will launch in October alongside the company's new 2020 lineup of iPhones. It will be part of iOS 14, though it isn't available in the iOS 14 beta. There will be multiple tiers, with Apple's new workout video subscription service landing in the highest-end tier. The bundles will be geared towards families and will integrate with existing Family Sharing features.

1Big Tech & Startups

Microsoft wins U.S. Army contract for augmented-reality headsets, worth up to $21.9 billion over 10 years

Microsoft has won a contract with the Pentagon to build more than 120,000 custom HoloLens headsets for the US Army. The deal could be worth up to $21.88 billion over 10 years. Microsoft's HoloLens enables people to see holograms overlaid on top of their environments and interact with them. An earlier prototype made for the Army displayed a map and compass and had thermal imaging to reveal people in the dark. Some Microsoft employees are against the project, saying that they did not sign up to develop weapons.

1Big Tech & Startups

Introduction to Git In 16 Minutes

Git is a system that allows developers to track changes to project files over time. It allows developers to record project changes and go back to specific versions of files at any given point. Git can be used to collaborate on team projects. Knowing how to use Git is one of the most important skills for any developer. This article provides a basic introduction on how to use Git and resources for further learning.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Asahi Linux Is The First Linux Distro To Support Apple Silicon

Asahi Linux for Apple Silicon is the first Linux distribution to offer native support for Apple M1 chips. It is now available in an alpha release targeted at developers and power users. Running the operating system will not require a jailbroken device and it won't affect the security level of any macOS installs on the machine. There are still a number of hardware features that don't work. A video showing a MacBook Air booting up Asahi Linux is available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

They remember: Communities of microbes found to have working memory

Scientists have discovered that collectives of bacteria feature a robust capacity for memory. The scientists stimulated the bacterial cells with light. Hours later, the bacteria were still able to remember the exposure, and the process was able to be manipulated so that memory patterns emerged. The study might give clues to how neurons in brains work, and the results open up the possibility of creating basic computer systems with living organisms.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

The Mantis Shrimp Will Change How You See the World

Researchers have developed an optical sensor that can fit on a smartphone and is capable of hyperspectral and polarimetric imaging. It is still in the proof-of-concept phase, but modeling simulations suggest that the design could potentially make detectors capable of sensing up to 15 spatially registered spectral channels. Mantis shrimp have up to 16 photoreceptors and can see in ultraviolet and polarized light. They are the only animals capable of detecting light that is polarized circularly. Computers can make use of data-rich hyperspectral and polarimetric images, and the new design makes the technology potentially more accessible.

4Miscellaneous

'We've bought the wrong satellites': UK tech gamble baffles experts

The UK government is planning to invest hundreds of millions of pounds into OneWeb, a company that is building a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to connect people to the internet. OneWeb lobbyists convinced the government that the satellites could be redesigned to piggyback a navigation payload on them. Every major positioning system currently in use is in medium Earth orbit, while OneWeb's satellites are in low Earth orbit, which is not suitable for military-grade GPS systems. The UK government has been accused of choosing OneWeb for nationalistic reasons, ignoring industry policies. OneWeb filed for bankruptcy in the US in March.

4Miscellaneous

The U.S. Army is building a giant VR battlefield to train soldiers virtually

The Synthetic Training Environment is an initiative to create a unified training environment that will allow soldiers to practice combat scenarios before being deployed into a battle zone. It will use cloud computing and the latest VR technology to simulate terrain from all over the planet in a massively multiplayer training simulation. The STE will allow soldiers to train in well-equipped training centers, at home stations, or even during deployment. Data can be gathered during training to fine tune soldiers’ performance and problems can be identified and rectified before they are encountered in the real world.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Synthetic Celebrity: Cloning A Billion Digital Selves For Fun And Profit

Reface is a platform for making deepfake videos using celebrity likenesses. It has grown to three million active users from 10,000 in just six weeks. The company has been working on technology that enables near-infinite content personalization using anyone's face and body. Reface focuses on the fun aspect of creating deepfakes, with intentionally lower quality videos and techniques embedded in the videos to help identify them as deepfakes in case anyone tries to pass off one of its videos as real. The company aims to eventually allow people to license their likenesses for brands.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Programming Digest (Newsletter)

Programming Digest is a weekly newsletter that curates interesting posts from engineering blogs as well as opinion pieces on programming.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

typejuice (GitHub Repo)

typejuice is a documentation generator for TypeScript Declaration Files. TypeScript Declaration Files are used commonly as a means of enhancing the autocomplete behavior of exposed APIs. typejuice provides godoc-like comment extraction from TypeScript Declaration Files while also inferring on types and signatures.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

“Game Changer” Perovskite Can Detect High-Energy Gamma Rays

Perovskites are materials made up of organic compounds bound to a metal. They are grown as crystals, and the quality and clarity of the crystals determine how they can be used. Scientists at EPFL's School of Basic Sciences have developed a perovskite that can efficiently detect gamma rays at room temperatures with a simple resistivity measurement. Gamma rays can affect biological tissue, so finding a cheap and reliable method of detecting them could be a game-changer for many industries.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

The new burger chef makes $3 an hour and never goes home

Flippy the robot is a robotic burger chef that is able to fry chicken fingers, flip burger patties, and perform other food preparation tasks. Miso Robotics rents the robots to restaurant owners for an estimated $2,000 a month. A human doing the same job would cost significantly more, and they carry more risks. The restaurant industry has been facing a labor crisis for years, with high turnover rates and a large number of open positions. Using Flippy, restaurants will be able to meet demand while lowering costs significantly.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Waymo, Volvo partner to develop electric robotaxis

Waymo and Volvo have announced an exclusive partnership to integrate Waymo's self-driving software into a new electric vehicle designed for ride-hailing. The new vehicle platform will be capable of Level 4 autonomy, which means it will be able to handle all driving in a specific geographic area or in certain weather and road conditions. It is unknown whether the companies will continue to work together after the vehicle has been developed, but the wording from the announcement suggests that it is likely that the companies have more planned and that a possible licensing deal is being discussed. Volvo still has an active deal with Uber to supply vehicles designed for autonomous driving.

1Big Tech & Startups

Building the world's brightest X-ray laser

The Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II) will be the second world-class X-ray laser at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. It will be capable of firing up to 1 million light pulses per second, with beams 10,000 times brighter than its predecessor. The beams are run through a series of alternating magnets to produce X-rays, which are then used to create molecular movies. LCLS-II will allow scientists to answer questions regarding energy transfer, possibly leading to the improvement of technologies like solar power. A video that shows what it is like inside the more than 2-mile long tunnel that houses LCLS-II is available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

First Microsoft, then Okta: New ransomware gang posts data from both

The Lapsus$ group claims that it stole data from Microsoft and Okta, a Single-Sign-On provider. It posted images showing proprietary data on its Telegram channel to prove that it gained privileged access to both companies' systems. The group released a 37GB file archive containing source code for Bing, Bing Maps, and Cortana. Okta says that the impact of its data breach is limited, but Lapsus$ claims that it can reset passwords and multifactor authentication for most of Okta's clients.

1Big Tech & Startups

LASER (GitHub Repo)

This is a library open soured by Facebook that represents sentences in a language agnostic way, so you can easily translate sentences into many languages including ones where training data is extremely limited. It's built on top of PyTorch.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

lazygit (GitHub Repo)

lazygit is a simple UI for git commands. While git may be a powerful tool, many of the things that make it powerful are hard to do. lazygit makes it easy to add files, resolve merge conflicts, check out recent branches, and much more. GIF examples are available.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Microsoft to curb use of non-competes, drop NDAs from worker settlements, disclose salary ranges, launch civil rights audit

Microsoft has announced a series of reforms that will curtail or end some of its most controversial workplace policies and practices. It will no longer include non-compete clauses in its US employment agreements and remove them from existing agreements for all employees except senior leaders. Non-disclosure clauses that prevent employees from disclosing allegations of misconduct will no longer be included for US workers. Microsoft will publicly disclose salary ranges in job posts in the US starting in 2023. It will also commission and publish findings from a third-party civil rights audit in the upcoming fiscal year.

4Miscellaneous

Reimagining Chess with AlphaZero (17 minute read)

AlphaZero is a system that can learn superhuman chess strategies from scratch without any human supervision. It learns its strategies from scratch by playing games with itself, resulting in a unique approach to playing chess. This article discusses an experiment where AlphaZero played chess with different rule variants to see how chess would have looked like if history had taken a slightly different course. The results of the experiment show how some variants of chess can still lead to games that are at least as engaging as classical chess.

4Miscellaneous

New from Satellite 2020: GitHub Discussions, Codespaces, securing code in private repositories, and more

GitHub has announced four new products this week to help software communities work together. Codespaces is a fully-featured, cloud-hosted dev environment that loads directly within GitHub. It can be configured to load code, dependencies, developer tools, extensions, and dotfiles. GitHub Discussions is a place for the community to discuss ideas, help new users, and collaborate on best practices. Code scanning is now available as a GitHub-native experience. Secret scanning is now available for private repositories. GitHub has announced GitHub Private Instances. Private Instances will provide enhanced security, compliance, and policy features for enterprise customers.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Amazon Basics ripped off accessories, now Amazon is coming for gadgets

A handful of Amazon's new devices announced at its annual fall hardware event this week bear striking similarities to preexisting products. While it is possible that Amazon had created its own designs, the company has a history of copying designs sold on its platform and then undercutting the originals on price. Amazon's platform allows it to collect valuable data that can be used to launch competing products. The company has policies to prevent its employees from using non-public data to determine private label product launches, but there are ways around these rules.

4Miscellaneous

Electronic Tattoos Add Power to Wearable Computing

Researchers have created a way to make flexible metal tattoo-like circuits that can be applied to human skin after adding a bit of water (just like those tattoos that little kids get). The connectivity is high enough to support digital circuit functionality. This seems like a pretty big breakthrough in wearable electronics, there's a 2 minute Youtube video in the article demonstrating these circuits in action.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Loki (Github Repo)

Loki is a horizontally-scalable, highly-available, multi-tenant log aggregation system (similar to Prometheus for analytics if you're familiar with that). Because it only indexes metadata and not the actual contents of logs, it's really lightweight.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Facebook is reportedly teaming up with Ray-Ban on its smart AR glasses

Facebook has been working on its own augmented reality glasses that are designed to replace a phone. Users will be able to answer calls on it and there will be a small display, similar to Google Glass. A camera embedded in the glasses will allow users to live stream videos. Facebook has partnered with Luxottica to bring the glasses to market, possibly between 2023 and 2025. Ray-Ban, a brand owned by Luxottica, will be directly involved in the partnership but will be developing a completely different set of smart glasses.

1Big Tech & Startups

Netflix raising prices for 58M US subscribers as costs rise

Netflix is raising its US prices from $8, $11, and $14 dollars/month for its three plans to $9, $13, and $16 dollars/month respectively. The price increases take effect immediately for new signups and will be rolling out over the next three months for existing users. Netflix has 58 million US subscribers and 79 million non-US subscribers.

1Big Tech & Startups

Myanmar internet providers block Facebook services after government order

Internet providers in Myanmar blocked access to Facebook and its related services after military leaders seized power in a coup. A letter posted by authorities said that the services would be blocked until February 7 for the sake of stability. Facebook had been treating the situation in Myanmar as an emergency and was taking temporary measures to remove harmful content. A Facebook spokesperson has urged the authorities to restore connectivity so that people can communicate with their loved ones and access important information.

1Big Tech & Startups

Telegram Now Lets You Delete a Received Message From Sender's Device

Telegram users have been able to unsend messages sent within 48 hours for a while now, but a new update will allow users to delete any message in their private chats, regardless of who sent it and when it was sent. To access this feature, users just have to hold down on any message and an option will pop up to delete the message from both devices. Another feature has also been introduced that will let users send anonymous messages that can't be linked back to their account profiles. Other changes include searchable settings and emojis, and Voiceover and Talkback are now enabled.

1Big Tech & Startups

Artificial photosynthesis devices that improve themselves with use

An artificial photosynthesis device invented by a University of Michigan professor uses nanowires of gallium nitride to convert carbon dioxide into clean chemicals and fuels. Usually, the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis devices falls steeply after just a few hours of use, but the device instead becomes more efficient as it is used. A team of scientists determined that this effect was due to the gallium nitride absorbing oxygen, creating more sites for hydrogen production on the material's surface. Future studies will investigate how nitrides contribute to stability in artificial photosynthesis devices.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

This 22-year-old builds chips in his parents’ garage (11 minute read)

In August last year, 22-year-old Sam Zeloof produced a chip with 1,200 transistors using salvaged and homemade equipment. Zeloof created his first chip in high school as a senior in 2018 and was making individual transistors a year before that. While the chips are far underpowered compared to chips from chip makers with multi-million dollar budgets, Zeloof managed to progress his technology faster than the semiconductor industry did in its early days. Zeloof believes that making chipmaking more accessible to inventors would benefit society.

4Miscellaneous

Building electronic devices via chemical reactions

Almost all demonstrations of atomically small machines are essentially assembled by hand. A team of scientists has successfully used a chemical reaction to bind two atomically thin materials, graphene and molybdenum disulfide, potentially paving the way for mass production. The bridge molecule can be used to alter graphene's behavior in different ways. Details about the technique are available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

NZ to trial world-first commercial long-range, wireless power transmission

New Zealand company Emrod has developed a method of safely and wirelessly transmitting electric power across long distances. Its technology appears to be able to move large amounts of electricity between any two points that can be joined with line-of-sight relays. Powerco, the second-biggest energy distributor in New Zealand, plans to use the technology to deliver electricity in remote places or across areas with challenging terrain. Emrod's initial prototype is only capable of delivering a few kilowatts of power, but it can be scaled up to transmit 100 times more power over much longer distances. The technology will work in any atmospheric conditions as long as the line of sight is maintained. A laser safety curtain is used to trigger a shut down if any object comes near the main beam.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Looking Through Mojo Vision’s Newest AR Contact Lens

Mojo Vision is a company that makes Augmented Reality contact lenses. Its lenses are still in safety testing and there is still more work to be done before Mojo can apply for US FDA approval to sell to consumers. Their full-color microLED displays can display images in 3D at a resolution of 14,000 pixels per inch. The contacts have a built-in battery and a custom 5Ghz radio. This article features an interview with the senior vice president of Mojo Vision about the company's newest AR contacts. Pictures of the AR contacts are available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Break down inefficient silos between DevOps teams (Sponsor)

Avoid monitoring tool sprawl. Unify metrics, traces, and logs in a single platform with instant context without switching tools. Monitor everything with Datadog. Learn more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

New energy-dense lithium-sulfur battery works at extreme temperatures

A new type of lithium battery can operate in freezing cold and scorching hot temperatures while storing double the energy of current batteries.

4Miscellaneous

Awesome GPT-3 (GitHub Repo)

This repository contains a collection of demos and articles about the OpenAI GPT-3 API. Demos include GPT-3 playing chess, doing math, writing Google ads, generating Python, and more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

China suspends Tencent from updating existing apps or launching new apps

Tencent Holdings will not be able to update existing apps or launch any new apps as part of a temporary administration guidance measure against the tech giant. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has ordered app stores and platforms to implement the measure. Tencent is cooperating with authorities, but it is unknown how long the suspension will last. China has been ramping up its legislative efforts to regulate data in the country, introducing increasingly stringent laws and regulations concerning data sovereignty and content censorship.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ceev (Web Tool)

This is a free resume building web tool. It's super easy to use, and the UI is super clean. Also I'm always a fan of products like this one that let you use them without having to create an account.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Olivia (Website)

Olivia is an open-source chatbot. It can answer questions by recognizing certain patterns and then responding with standardized outputs. For example, it can tell you what the capital of a country is, generate random numbers, and answer simple math questions. Developers can create customize modules to expand Olivia’s abilities.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Elon Musk recommends real assets (Sponsor)

Elon Musk recommends real assets . With inflation on the way, Elon gave his Twitter followers one piece of advice: invest in real assets. What happened next? An NYC startup's traffic spiked. It had unlocked one of the greatest real assets you’ll find: artwork. No wonder over 380,000 people signed up. Follow his advice and invest in real assets today with Masterworks. Learn more.

0Sponsor

New leak ahead of Google I/O claims Android 12 may include changes for widgets and notifications

A new leak showing off Android 12 has appeared just before Google I/O. The video shows what appears to be a new user interface with new widgets, toggles, and stacked notifications. There is also a new keyboard design and a new lock screen with a larger clock. The video revealing the leaks is linked in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

Google Podcasts in-episode search is coming, shows now being fully transcribed

Google Podcasts is now automatically transcribing some podcasts and then inserting the transcripts into the podcast’s page metadata. This makes content from the podcasts searchable, which means podcasts can now be found by entering certain phrases or topics into the search field. The technology behind the transcripts may be used to help more people consume content if they prefer text over audio mediums.

1Big Tech & Startups

'I'd be dead': Renowned scientist gets experimental brain surgery to fight alcoholism

A doctor in Canada has undergone an experimental treatment to treat his alcohol addiction. Electrodes were placed deep into his brain and attached to a pacemaker-like device in order to stimulate the part of the brain that is linked to dopamine. Evidence has shown addiction to be a brain-based, brain circuit illness. Using a brain-based intervention may be effective in disrupting the circuit dysfunction in the brain so that the person is no longer addicted to alcohol. The treatment is not a total cure and further therapy is required. After the treatment, the patient was able to stop drinking and became much more positive about life.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Make your app enterprise-ready (Sponsor)

What do products like Slack, Zoom, and Asana all have in common? They became enterprise-ready faster than their peers.Developers use WorkOS' APIs to quickly integrate enterprise features to their app. Implement Single Sign-On (SAML), SCIM user provisioning, and more in minutes, not months. Learn more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

150 mph without a driver: Indy autonomous cars gear up for race

Nine autonomous vehicles took part in the Indy Autonomous Challenge recently. The vehicles raced separately with a $1 million prize on the line. Each team, made up of students from around the world, was given the same model car and equipment. The teams programmed the code to control the vehicles, pushing them to their limits. The aim of the challenge was to increase trust in autonomous technology by proving that it can work in extreme conditions.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

'Rent-a-person who does nothing' in Tokyo receives endless requests, gratitude

Shoji Morimoto is a 37-year-old man from Tokyo who rents himself out to other people to do nothing. He has about 270,000 followers on Twitter and has received over 3,000 requests for his services. Morimoto charges 10,000 yen ($96) per request. He commits to doing nothing while carrying out his jobs, only giving feedback when someone speaks to him. The gig started after Morimoto left his job at a publisher, and he was inspired by a person who did nothing but get treated to meals.

4Miscellaneous

De-identifying Analytics Data with Skyflow (Sponsor)

De-identifying Analytics Data with Skyflow . Sensitive data often finds its way into data analytics pipelines where it’s rarely needed, but adds enormous security and compliance risk. However, blindly purging such data from analytics pipelines can break key use cases.Learn how a data privacy vault and tokenization can help you preserve privacy while enabling analytics. Download this white paper to learn more.

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The coronavirus test that might exempt you from social distancing—if you pass

Antibody tests are being developed to see if people develop immunity to COVID-19. These tests may one day have a significant impact on travel and freedom. There is not enough data at the moment to determine whether humans develop immunity to the coronavirus. People who eventually develop immunity may be more suited to roles where they could be exposed to the virus. Antibody tests are fast and cheap. Some companies are already trying to sell them. However, we still don't know enough about the disease to know if the presence of antibodies means that a person is immune to the virus or that they won't be an asymptomatic carrier. Even if humans develop immunity, it is unknown how long that immunity will last.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

FilesRemote (GitHub Repo)

FilesRemote is an SSH file manager. It can edit files as if they were local, as root via sudo. FilesRemote uses SSH auth agent when available and password based authentication otherwise. Screenshots and demos are available.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2021 (1 hour read)

Stack Overflow conducts an annual survey to help improve its community and platform. This year, the survey revealed a significant evolution in how developers self-educate, with online resources like videos and blogs more popular than books and schools combined for those under 18. More than half of respondents had been coding for less than a decade, with 35 percent having less than five years in the trade. This page contains the full results of the survey, which covered topics like the most popular technologies, the top paying technologies, employment and salary information, and much more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Fortnite’s experimental story is an attempt to create ‘the entertainment experience of the future’

Fortnite has been trying to tell a story since it launched its battle royale mode in 2017. The story is a key element of the experience as Epic aims to create truly mass-scale broad-based entertainment. A story is critical in gaining emotional attachment to an entertainment experience. Fortnite uses big events to tell its stories. Each event leaves a permanent impression in the world and allows the developers to add more lore. Epic is sensitive to feedback and has changed the story before. Fortnite will continue to experiment with different ways to tell its story.

4Miscellaneous

Spotify is testing interactive podcast ads so you never have to remember a promo code again

Spotify will be testing a new feature that allows podcasts to embed a link on their episode pages that leads directly to an advertiser's webpage. The system will load pages with promo codes automatically inserted to remove the work from users. Spotify is looking for more ways to create more of a direct funnel for brands. Streaming Ad Insertion was introduced in January for Spotify's exclusive shows. The technology targets users based on their demographics and other data points in real-time and then inserts ads into podcasts as they are being listened to.

1Big Tech & Startups

Huawei CFO facing extradition to US granted bail (2 minutes)

Huawei's CFO, who has been in Canadian custody for the past week facing extradition to the US, has been released on a $10 million bail. She is to remain under house arrest with an ankle tracker and 24/7 security in one of her Vancouver homes. She is accused of helping Huawei dodge US sanctions on Iran. When asked if he would intervene in the case, President Trump said "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made, which is a very important thing, what's good for national security, I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary."

1Big Tech & Startups

'It's the screams of the damned!' The eerie AI world of deepfake music

OpenAI's Jukebox project uses artificial intelligence to generate music in a variety of genres and artist styles. The project has imitated many artists, alive and dead. A sample of one of Jukebox's productions is available in the article. Deepfake music will have wide-ranging ramifications for the music industry. Companies could eventually start generating their own music rather than paying for royalties. Already, artists are suing companies for creating tracks based on their voice. The legal status of AI impersonation is still yet to be determined.

4Miscellaneous

Cheatsheets (GitHub Repo)

This is a handy collection of 1-page cheatsheets for Modern HTML/CSS, CLI (Bash & Git), Python, Javascript for people who know Python, Python for people who know Javascript, and React/Redux/React Router.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Zoom is adding live translation services and coming to Facebook VR

Zoom plans to add real-time transcription for up to 30 languages and real-time translation across as many as 12 languages by the end of next year. The company is also expanding its whiteboard feature to make it available outside of meetings in Zoom apps and the web. Zoom Whiteboard will have sticky notes and comments and can be viewed at any time. Zoom is coming to Facebook's Horizon Workrooms early next year. People will be able to view and interact with Zoom Whiteboards in virtual spaces.

1Big Tech & Startups

Facebook Groups are being revamped to look like Discord

Meta is testing a new left-aligned sidebar and channels list for Groups.

4Miscellaneous

zola (GitHub Repo)

Zola is a static site generator (SSG) that uses dynamic templates to transform content into static HTML pages. It comes as a single executable with no dependencies. Zola features shortcodes and internal links to make it easier to write content. SSGs are fast and don't require a database, making them easy to host.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Microsoft and GitHub Workers Support 996.ICU (GitHub Repo)

Workers in China are often illegally forced to work long hours. 996.ICU refers to the 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week work schedule which causes workers to end up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Microsoft and GitHub workers have released a public statement in this repository regarding their support for the 996.ICU movement, which is already being censored by companies like Tencent and Alibaba. People can support the 996.ICU movement by going to the original repository and ‘starring’ it.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Inside TikTok's killer algorithm

TikTok has revealed how its algorithm works. The code that TikTok uses to pick the next video to display is a large part of its $20-$30 billion valuation. A "transparency center" has been set up in Los Angeles which will have exhibits showing how TikTok's algorithms and data practices work. The algorithm uses machine learning to determine what the user is likely to engage with and then sends more of the same content. It groups videos into clusters based on similar themes and tries to avoid sending multiple videos with the same music or from the same creator. As the system can produce filter bubbles, TikTok's product and policy teams monitor accounts for misinformation and other content before it reaches the main feed.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020? (Hacker News Thread)

The new decade is coming up, and people are starting to make lists for what to accomplish for next year. This thread is full of book recommendations. Most discussion is around books that help optimize people's lives. Some technical books are listed. Discussion around engineering topics is mostly around managing work/life balance and also making sure that one chooses a small, concise, and clear set of sources rather than reading widely.

4Miscellaneous

Beautiful CSS 3D Transform Examples (Website)

This page contains 12 CSS 3D transform examples. All the examples have just a single div and the code can easily be copied into your own projects.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

A nuclear fusion device pushes plasma to a record-breaking 100 million degrees

UK-based Tokamak Energy has broken a world record in nuclear fusion by achieving a plasma temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius, the threshold required for commercial fusion energy. It achieved the milestone in only 5 years at the cost of less than £50 million. The company will now upgrade the tokamak to test other new fusion technologies. Its research will inform the design of a fusion power plant estimated to start operation in the early 2030s.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Scientists Find a Mysterious 'Ghost Lineage' In the DNA of West Africans

A distant human lineage may have interbred with the ancestors of modern West Africans, significantly contributing to their gene pool. In the past, other human lineages such as the Neanderthals and Denisovans existed. Neanderthal DNA makes up roughly 1.8-2.6% of the genomes of modern humans outside of Africa, and Denisovan DNA makes up 4-6% of modern Melanesians. It is estimated that 2-19% of the DNA in members of some tribes in Africa is from an unknown human lineage. The ghost lineage probably diverged from the ancestors of Neanderthals and modern humans up to 1.02 million years ago.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Humans are about to touch the deepest corners of the ocean for the first time — an endeavor as dangerous as landing on the moon

In December, explorer and investor Victor Vescovo and scientist Alan Jamieson, will begin exploring the deepest parts of each of the world's oceans in a $48 million submarine. 45% of the ocean has been essentially ignored by explorers, so they will be diving in 5 spots, and they're hoping they will find a new deepest spot in the ocean (the deepest known spot is the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, which is almost 7 miles down). All five of their dives into the "Five Deeps" will be between 5 and 7 miles down. There will be no rescue crew.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Apple Event Announced: 'California Streaming' on September 14 With iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7 Expected

Apple's next event will be on September 14 at 10 am. The event will be held digitally with no members of the media invited to attend in person. Apple will likely provide pre-taped segments for each product announcement. Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone 13 models, the Apple Watch Series 7, and possibly the AirPods 3. New MacBook Pros and iPads are expected to be announced at a later event. Details on the hardware that Apple is expected to release are available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

The Internet’s biggest players are all affected by critical Log4Shell 0-day

Log4Shell is a newly discovered zero-day vulnerability that affects many of the biggest names on the internet. It was discovered running on Minecraft servers and clients. The vulnerability allows attackers to input data into username fields to create external network connections, making the server vulnerable to remote code execution attacks. Cloudflare and Minecraft have already taken steps to mitigate the vulnerability.

4Miscellaneous

'Biosolar leaf' project targets air pollution on London campus

A new ‘Biosolar leaf’ is able to clean up carbon dioxide and release oxygen to the air more efficiently than normal trees. The invention uses minute plant life on solar panel structures that can be built almost anywhere. It also produces nutritious plant proteins. While other air-processing technologies require high pressures, this technique can clean air even in low-pressure environments. Council members in the UK are excited to be the first to roll out the technology.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Become an effective engineering manager with Reforge (Sponsor)

To succeed as managers, engineering managers must build upon the skills that made them excel as individual contributors. With Reforge's Engineering Management Program, you'll learn how to effectively manage engineering work, stakeholders, your team, and yourself. Created by Nick Caldwell (Twitter) and Heidi Williams (Grammarly). Learn more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Facebook Working on Smart Watch to Compete With Apple Watch

Facebook is working on a smart watch that will work without a tethered smartphone. Wearers will be able to use it to send messages with Facebook services over a cellular connection. It will have health features like options to track workouts and the ability to connect to services provided by companies like Peloton. Facebook aims to launch the smart watch next year, with a second-generation planned for as soon as 2023.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ten Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer (23 minute read)

Most people don't negotiate, or if they do, they only do so enough to tell themselves that they did. Negotiation is a skill that can be learned just like any other. This article discusses the negotiating process and how to succeed in job negotiations. It teaches readers how to ask for what they want so they can have more successful careers and earn what they deserve.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Linux SysOps Handbook

This book contains notes on common knowledge and tasks for Linux system admins. Topics include processes, user management, permissions, distros, network essentials, and storage. A small list of recommended books, websites, and blogs is available.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Rubbery Chicken? Scientists Say Cook It With Lasers Instead

Scientists from Columbia University and Applied Science's Creative Machines Lab used different types of lasers to cook 3D-printed chicken. The researchers pureed raw chicken and used a 3D food printer to create square samples, after which they cooked it using pulses of blue or near-infrared laser light with different wavelengths. An infrared camera monitored the surface of the chicken at all times along with eight thermistors. The laser-cooked chicken was preferred in blind taste tests. A video of the process is available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Tech Stocks Killing Your Portfolio? De-risk It with This App (Sponsor)

Tech Stocks Killing Your Portfolio? De-risk It with This App . With the NASDAQ down 23% YTD, investors with tech heavy portfolios are singing the blues (cough cough, Cathie Wood).So how do you de-risk your portfolio?

0Sponsor