Sunday, September 17, will mark the final day of an eight months long experiment which had a team of six researchers backed by NASA live in isolation on a volcano in Hawaii.

The scientists will emerge from a specially created habitat that mimics the conditions which travelers to the outer space are likely to face. For example, the team had to work with a 20-minutes communication delay between its base and the mission center.

The team of six researchers has been living ever since January on a remote volcano in Hawaii. Their habitat was placed on a vast plain below the summit of one the largest active volcanoes in the world.

Composed of two women and four men, the crew is part of an isolation experiment whose target was to better understand the psychological impacts of living in confinement for an extended period of time. Reportedly, the results will be used by NASA to better select the crews of years long outer-space missions.

These could have certain traits, which would allegedly help them fare better during a two to three years long manned expedition towards Mars. NASA is working on deploying such a mission to the Red Planet by the 2030s.

The Fifth but Not Final Isolation Experiment?

The team of six people involved in this isolation experiment has been living in a 1,200-square foot dome, and its primary food source has been canned or freeze-dried goods. The researchers were also asked to wear sensors that were specially designed to gauge their proximity to the other members, as well as their moods.

Based on several factors, such as their voice levels, the sensors were capable of detecting if the crew members were avoiding one another or perhaps arguing. A series of specially assigned games also measured their stress levels and compatibility.

In case things got stressful, the team did nonetheless have an outlet. They could use virtual reality devices to ‘go’ anywhere they wanted. The crew also had to keep written logs in which they expressed how they felt.

“This is our fifth mission, […]. We’ve learned, for one thing, that conflict, even in the best of teams, is going to arise. So what’s really important is to have a crew that, both as individuals and a group, is really resilient, is able to look at that conflict and come back from it.”

This is according to Kim Binstead, the lead investigator of the project and part of the University of Hawaii. The current mission is the fifth in a series of six. According to reports, the university is already starting to plan Mission 6.

Image Source: Wikimedia

It seems like a configuration error done by some of Time Warner Cable’s vendors made public on the internet an entire data base. The problem was that this data base contained info for over 4 million accounts belonging to their customers. According to a blog post, BroadSoft, the communication software which Time Warner Cable uses, made about 600 GB worth of private info completely available on the internet.

Error leaks customer records all over the internet

The same blog post from Kromtech Alliance said that most of the private info came from customers of Time Warner Cable. Those came along with data related to AMC Networks and Bright House Networks. One of those files, the biggest one, held private info about 4 million user accounts. Those contained names, passwords, transaction IDs from 2010 until 2017.

Other files, which had a rather large size too, contained info like names. Also, phone numbers and billing addresses, all belonging to Time Warner Cable customers. It’s interesting that just last year, Charter Communication, the second biggest cable company in the United States, acquired both Time Warner Cable and Bright House.

However, according to an official statement, the company reportedly removed all the files immediately after discovering the issue. The issue is currently under investigation. Until now, BroadSoft failed to comment on this situation.

It’s important for the users who know they have used the MyTWC app recently to secure their accounts. Change the passwords, along with their usernames. Also, according to Time Warner Cable, the company is going to contact every user that had their information made public.

All in all, it seems like those errors are happening more often. Especially when it comes to sensitive and private information. Until now, people had their worries about hackers stealing their info. Now, they should also be worried about certain companies unknowingly providing them.

Image source: wikimedia

A team of astronomers detected the magnetic field of a galaxy situated around 5 billion light years away from our planet. Besides making it the record holder of the most distant galaxy to reveal magnetic field information, this galaxy may also help reveal new information about our magnetic universe.

New Data Supports the Idea of a Magnetic Universe

This distant galaxy’s magnetic field was detected by astronomers part of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy led by Sui Ann Mao. These conducted their research with help from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, a radio telescope network found in New Mexico.

This helped detect and also characterize the magnetic field of this distant galaxy. One of its discoveries is that this system’s magnetic field is similar in configuration to that of the Milky Way. It is also similar in strength. This was a surprise seeing as the galaxy is believed to be some 5 billion years younger than our own.

“This means that magnetism is generated very early in a galaxy’s life by natural processes, and thus that almost every heavenly body is magnetic,” stated Bryan Gaensler, a study co-author and professor at the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics.

He then continued by pointing out that “The implication is that we need to understand magnetism to understand the universe.”

The study team members also pointed out a method of studying the magnetic universe and its cosmic evolution. Scientists can do so by measuring the magnetic fields of differently distanced galaxies when compared to Earth. Being of various ages will also help the process of better understanding this evolution.

Some theories suggested that new galaxies start off with weak and tangled magnetic fields. However, this might not be so, as suggested by this recent research.

Current study findings were released earlier this week in a paper in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Image Source: Wikimedia

NASA’s Curiosity rover, still operating long after its planned mission end date, recently took photographs of some stunning clouds on Mars with its Navcam system.

They were cirrus clouds, similar to those found on Earth. While these are amazing pictures, they are also extremely rarely noticed on modern Mars. Likely, they were more common in the past, and this view of them might give science a clearer glimpse as to what this neighboring planet was once like.

A Ghost Like Image of the Stunning Clouds

The photos are rough, grainy, and in black and white. Still, they provide some of the eeriest images of atmospheric condensation NASA has received from the Red Planet until now.

They were taken on July 17, 2017, when the Navcam was pointed at the sky. This took eight snapshots as the clouds passed overhead. It then lowered its camera several degrees and took eight more photos as the ice vapor passed over a pair of rock outcroppings in the distance.

Photos taken later in the day showed no more clouds. Presently, these are the clearest images of such stunning clouds on Mars ever taken by Curiosity.

“It is likely that the clouds are composed of crystals of water ice that condense out onto dust grains where it is cold in the atmosphere,” stated John Moores of York University in Toronto, Canada.

 

Moores then explained that these “wisps” as the crystals fall and start evaporating is patterns that came to be known as “mare’s tails” or “fall streaks”.

 

“While the rover does not have a way to ascertain the altitude of these clouds, on Earth such clouds form at high altitude.”

Scientists believe that some billions of years ago, Mars had more water on its surface. It might have also had a thicker atmosphere. At that time, these clouds would have been far more widespread a sight as they were floating above the plains and mountains of the Red Planet.

Image Source: JPL/NASA

Deep in the deserts of northwest China, a new project is beginning that will act as a Mars Simulation base. The state media has reported that a deal is signed to build this “Mars Village” as both a tourist attraction and a scientific experiment at Haixi prefecture in Qinghai province. This simulation will provide a unique cultural and educational opportunity for everyone who visits. Not to mention its role as a scientific and research opportunity. One placed in a region not that dissimilar from the terrain on Mars.

Even the Sand Beneath the Mars Simulation Base is Red

NASA has done multiple experiments of this nature, simulating both the journey to and the stay on Mars. Other nations have done it as well, including the European Space Agency and Russia. Still, theirs weren’t as much geared directly towards being a tourist attraction. Liu Xiaoqun, an official with the Chinese Academy of Sciences space exploration program, said this “Mars Community” or “Mars Camp” would be a boost to the local tourism industry. That, in turn, could build more public support for the potential cost of such missions.

The property itself is in the Qinghai desert, which is mostly devoid of vegetation. It spreads over 95,000 square kilometers, and even the sand and rocks have a similar formation and coloring to the Martian surface.

China has a greater plan for future space exploration, and a lot of that seems to be looking at the Red Planet. This Mars simulation base is just the first step on several announced missions. In 2020, they will be launching their first Mars probe. They also have shows plans for a rover which will eventually join the other NASA rovers already on the planet.

The Chinese ambition to be involved in space seems very serious. They also have plans for missions to the moon and a potential Chinese space station.

Image Source: Wikimedia

The latest update from Google Street View will allow anyone interested in taking a stroll or more likely drifting aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Thanks to this latest update, they will be able to access and explore the space laboratory just as they would any other place here on Earth, available in the system.

Astronauts have been continuously living, working, and studying aboard the ISS for 16 years now. Depending on future funding rounds, they will also continue doing so up until 2024. The space station is scheduled for decommission at that time.

Google Street View Cast an Eye Out in Space

Now, those wishing to take a closer look inside the ISS, but without leaving the comforts of Earth, or without the chance to do so in person can now turn to Google Street View.

This is the first time Street View leaves the planet. On board of the station, it will let viewers take a look at everything from the astronauts’ sleeping quarters to where they store their space suits. This is an even more detailed view of the station, which can already be explored thanks to several other services, games, and movies.

The ISS Street View also comes with an additional feature, as users will note little dots. These should be quite handy as clicking on them will launch notes. In turn, these will be offering explanations as to what everything does.

The information in these notes will vary. For example, one may point out the locations in which astronauts conduct scientific experiments. Or another will show what kind of food they like to eat. It even points out where they work, as staying fit is very important.

The ISS is constructed out of 15 connected modules. All of them are now more easily accessible thanks to Google Street View. This will also be offering a panoramic, 360 degrees view imagery.

Google collaborated with the Marshall Space Centre and NASA on developing a new technology which could create such data. This led to the appearance of the “gravity-free method”. It uses DSLR camera and equipment already on board the ISS to collect the needed images.

“We did a lot of troubleshooting before collecting the final imagery that you see today in Street View,” wrote Thomas Pesquet, an ESA astronaut aboard the ISS which helped with the development.

Pesquet first collected the photos in space and then sent them back to Earth. Here, they were stitched together and helped create the panorama.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Starting with July 18, Bluetooth will start working on offering users the ability to turn to mesh networking when using its wireless technology.

On Tuesday, the group that oversees the Bluetooth standard, Bluetooth SIG, released the technical specifications for Bluetooth Mesh. This will allow low power Bluetooth devices to act and create a mesh network.

Usually, wireless communications go from one point to the other without passing through any other sources. For example, they offer a straight, in-line connection between a router to a PC or back. Still, the other device can be too far away. In such cases, the user will have to find a solution on their own.

Mesh Networking: A Brief Explanation

Now, mesh networking is a possible solution to such an issue, as it helps data travel over longer distances. It can do so as the communication “hops” between devices. Namely, if the signal from the router cannot readily reach the device from the first try, another device, connected to the same network, will help it reach its target.

This will take the message and re-transmit it to its intended target. In any case, this will enable the communication to travel over longer distances. It will also help it reach its goal as the retransmission can pass from one device to another more than once.

Bluetooth mesh networking will reportedly be particularly useful for smart home technologies. This is because it will allow a router to transmit data to any device in the house, not just those within close range.

Mesh devices will also be quite energy efficient. Usually, sending out a fast signal over a longer distance can require a lot of energy. However, thanks to mesh networking, this can be transmitted with lower-power signals. These will be picked up by a device and then simply retransmitted from one to another.

Bluetooth Mesh will be added to devices that can already support Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0. As it is, new hardware will not be required for it. Nonetheless, the technology will still depend on whether or not the devices’ manufacturers will be releasing an update for it, or not.

It remains to be seen when this new Bluetooth technology will actually reach the market or when they’ll become usable.

Image Source: Wikimedia

The physicists at the CERN facility in Geneva, Switzerland have recently discovered a new particle that was only predicted by the current patterns in particle physics. The particle, named XI-cc++, is made up of two heavy quarks and one light one. Thus, its conclusive detection could make it a useful tool in understanding more about the force that binds the quarks together and leads to the formation of the atom.

The New Particle is an Important Discovery to Quantum Theory

The XI-cc++ particle is a baryon, which means it is composed of three quarks. The quark is a unit of measurement for hadrons, the main object of study for the scientists at CERN.

Usually, three light quarks form most baryons. However, as the XI-cc++ particle has two heavy quarks, it is four times heavier than a usual baryon. This makes for an important clue for the suppositions made in quantum theory. As Giovanni Passaleva from the Large Hadron Collider states:

Finding a doubly heavy-quark baryon is of great interest as it will provide a unique tool to further probe quantum chromodynamics, the theory that describes the strong interaction, one of the four fundamental forces.

Physicists have split the quarks into different “flavors” called up, down, top, bottom, charm and strange. The XI-cc++ has two charm quarks and an up quark. That is why it makes the particle lean towards the heavy side. Because lighter particles move faster, they are harder to study.

However, with the XI-cc++ particle, a single light quark moves around the heavier quarks which are slower, making it easier for the physicists to study the phenomenon.

By proving the existence of a speculated particle pattern, researchers wish to discover other such patterns that involve the charm quark and measure their lifespan as well as the frequency with which they can be created in the collision experiments at CERN. With these measurements, scientists can reinforce or disprove the current theories in the Standard Model of particle physics.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

Following a string of lawsuits, Qualcomm now seeks the US government to enforce a ban on iPhone imports. Since the beginning of 2017, Apple filed four lawsuits against the market giant on accusations of overcharging for basic patents. The latest lawsuits came after the Federal Trade Commission announced that it would sue Qualcomm for abusing its position as market leader.

The Legal Fights Seem to Only Escalate

As the lawsuits against the market giant seem to pile up, the company is now retaliating by asking the US government to enforce a ban that would stop Apple products for entering American soil. Moreover, the company asks for halting the sales of iPhones that are already in the country.

Qualcomm accuses Apple of violating six patents that deal with extending the battery life of a mobile phone. The company added that the patents have not been licensed because they are not essential for a standard product. However, the company accuses Apple of using technology that the industry giant refuses to pay for. Qualcomm’s general counsel, Don Rosenberg stated:

Qualcomm’s inventions are at the heart of every iPhone and extend well beyond modem technologies or cellular standards.

By striking back, the company aims to put a strain on Apple and its suppliers.

On the other hand, Apple’s lawsuit stays in line with the Federal Trade Commission’s accusations of Qualcomm’s practicing anti-competitive prices. Moreover, Apple extended the lawsuit to two other countries, including China.

The company claims that Qualcomm charges extremely high royalties for technologies it is not responsible for and therefore abusing its position as a market leader. Apple claims that the rates are five times higher than all the other patent licensors combined.

Qualcomm has strongly denied both FTC’s and Apple’s accusations. As a primary supplier of smartphone modems, the company has a leverage that might force Apple to come to an agreement regarding the shipment of iPhones.

As of yet, Apple did not issue a response and its position remains to be seen.

Image Source: Techcrunch

The latest update on the matter reveals that SpaceX had to delay its launch of a Falcon 9 Rocket carrying an Intelsat satellite for the second time in a row.

Initially, the company was looking to mark this as its third take off in under two weeks. It would have followed the deployment of two other rockets on Friday, June 23, and Sunday, June 25 respectively. Now, the next launch window will open on either June 05 or June 06.

Intelsat Launch Left For A New Day

Initially, the Falcon 9 rocket set to carry an Intelsat 35e satellite into space was scheduled for July 3^rd at 2337 GMT or 7:37 p.m. EDT. It would have taken off from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

However, the launch team was forced to call off the event with just 10 seconds before the projected take off. Now, the Intelsat launch has been delayed for yet another day, according to a new tweet posted by Elon Musk, the company’s CEO and founder.

We’re going to spend the 4th doing a full review of rocket & pad systems. Launch no earlier than 5th/6th. Only one chance to get it right …

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2017

According to reports, the reason behind the cancellation revolves around the Falcon 9’s Guidance System. It might have also been caused by the rocket’s hardware which may have some issues. No exact details have been offered on the matter as of yet.

“We’ve got plenty of information, but (engineers are) taking their time right now to understand what system they’re really looking at that would be the cause of the hold … stated John Insprucker.

He is the principal integration engineer of the Falcon 9. Insprucker also stated that the next launch window would open on July 05^th. If this succeeds, it will mark the third SpaceX mission in 11 days, 12 if it will be deployed on June 06^th.

Image Source: Wikimedia