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Oxygen on Moon? Nasa seeks major breakthrough

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In a major development in space exploration activities, scientists from Nasa have been able to extract oxygen from regolith — lunar soil. It would allow space explorers to use the moon’s surface as a launch pad for their future activities.

The process was carried out by a Johnson Space Center in Houston team, with the help of a high-powered laser to create a carbothermal reaction, they separated life-sustaining oxygen from a lunar soil simulation. For the first time ever, the oxygen was removed within a vacuum environment.

The experiment of Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) could be a base for producing oxygen gas for breathing alongside its uses for transport propellers.

Nasa engineer Anastasia Ford said: “Our team proved the CaRD reactor would survive the lunar surface and successfully extract oxygen.”

Ford also added: “This is a big step for developing the architecture to build sustainable human bases on other planets.”

Nasa has been planning for a long to establish the moon as its operational base for space exploration activities. The Artemis mission is aimed to take humans back to the moon in 2025 after fifty years.

Humans last time put a step on the moon in 1972.

The recent success in the oxygen extraction experiment is regarded at readiness level six which means it is all set to be tested in real space.

Aaron Paz, a senior engineer at Nasa noted that “the technology has the potential to produce several times its own weight in oxygen per year on the lunar surface, which will enable a sustained human presence and lunar economy.”

(L-R) Astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Hammock Koch celebrate after being selected for the Artemis II mission who will venture around the Moon during a news conference held by NASA and CSA at Nasa Johnson Space Centers Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, on April 3, 2023. — AFP
(L-R) Astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Hammock Koch celebrate after being selected for the Artemis II mission who will venture around the Moon during a news conference held by NASA and CSA at Nasa Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, on April 3, 2023. — AFP

Earlier in April, Nasa named four astronauts that will fly to the moon on the Artemis II mission — the first crewed lunar flight of the program.

Nasa has already concluded the Orion spacecraft flight — an uncrewed test —which flew the Moon and returned to Earth in November 2022.

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WATCH: Meta’s AI-fuelled chatbots bring celebrities to your private conversations

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Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms, has just dropped a bombshell of tech innovations set to change the way we interact with AI. 

Among the highlights are smart glasses that redefine connectivity, AI-powered chatbots with celebrity personas, and an updated virtual reality headset.

Personality-infused chatbots

Meta is at the forefront of the chatbot revolution, introducing a series of intelligent virtual assistants. 

These chatbots are not your ordinary digital helpers. They come with distinct personalities and specialisations, offering more personalised and engaging interactions. 

From settling arguments to providing holiday tips and cooking advice, Meta’s chatbots are designed to connect with users on a deeper level.

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses

Shipping from October 17th at £299, the new generation of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses is set to redefine how we experience reality. 

These cutting-edge glasses incorporate a Meta AI assistant, enabling users to seamlessly stream their real-world experiences directly to Facebook and Instagram. 

Gone are the days of mere photo capturing. These glasses deliver real-time immersion.

Quest 3: The ultimate mixed-reality experience

Meta’s Quest 3 headset, slated to be available from October 10th, takes mixed reality to new heights. 

With a starting price of £500, it’s positioned as the best value in the VR industry, challenging Apple’s higher-priced Vision Pro headset. 

Wearers can enjoy virtual experiences while maintaining a connection to the real world, thanks to a live video feed.

Generative AI

Meta also introduced generative AI into its arsenal. This AI innovation can generate both text responses and lifelike images, adding an exciting element of creativity to user interactions.

Zuckerberg’s presentation at the Meta Connect conference, the company’s first in-person event since the pandemic, showcased Meta’s commitment to making cutting-edge technology accessible and affordable to everyone. 

By combining celebrity personas with AI chatbots and delivering immersive tech experiences, Meta is forging a path towards a more interactive and entertaining digital future.

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WATCH: Google search engine shows off creative doodle to celebrate 25th anniversary

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Over 25 years ago, a unique concept for an internet search engine that would classify and rank web pages was developed by two Stanford University students during a brainstorming session in their dorm.

BackRub, initially a startup, transformed into Google, a globally influential company with products like Gmail and Search used by billions, while its co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin ranked among the world’s richest people.

While Google Inc was incorporated on September 4, for more than a decade the company has celebrated its birthday on September 27 with unique doodles displayed on its search engine.

However, this year, Google Inc decided to take a “walk down memory lane” and showcased a series of creative different doodles, including doodles of previous logos, to mark this special occasion.

This year’s Google Doodle comes with a GIF that shows the term ‘Google’ going through a series of transformations before finally transforming to ‘G25gle’.

The tech giant said that it was using this day as a “time to reflect” while being oriented towards the future.

“Today’s Doodle celebrates Google’s 25th year. And while here at Google we’re oriented towards the future, birthdays can also be a time to reflect. Let’s take a walk down memory lane to learn how we were born 25 years ago,” Google wrote in its blog.

Google was founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page in the late 90s, who met in Stanford University’s computer science program.

They shared a vision to make the World Wide Web more accessible, working tirelessly from their dorm rooms to develop a better search engine prototype.

“As they made meaningful progress on the project, they moved the operation to Google’s first office — a rented garage. On September 27, 1998, Google Inc was officially born,” according to the blog.

Furthermore, the company emphasised that much has changed since 1998, but also said that its mission has remained the same which is “to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”.

Thanking users for “evolving with us over the past 25 years,” Google added, “We can’t wait to see where the future takes us, together”.

Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, celebrated the company’s birthday by reflecting on its journey in a note last month.

He looked back on the company’s role in technology transformation, and its future path while thanking users, employees, and partners for their contributions to Google’s success.

He also praised the constant innovation challenge and commended the dedication of past and present Googlers.

In his note, Pichai also noted the importance of innovation and adaptation, acknowledging that the once extraordinary technology quickly became ordinary as the boundaries continued to be pushed, NDTV reported.

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Apple sends iPhone 12 update to French authorities to address radiation concerns

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French authorities have received a software update from Apple for its iPhone 12 in response to concerns about radiation levels, according to a source at the French digital ministry. 

The update is currently under review as a potential solution to the radiation issue. France had recently suspended the sale of iPhone 12 devices after tests revealed breaches of radiation exposure limits. 

Apple had initially contested these findings, asserting that the iPhone 12 complied with global standards as certified by multiple international bodies. However, the company later decided to issue a software update to align with the testing methods used in France.

Apple’s decision to provide the software update came after France threatened to seek a product recall if the company did not take action. The update aims to address the specific concerns raised by French authorities regarding radiation levels.

While the World Health Organization has not established adverse health effects caused by mobile phones, the radiation warning in France was based on test results that differed from those conducted in other countries. Industry experts have emphasised that there are no safety risks, as regulatory limits are set well below levels associated with harm.

The software update for the iPhone 12 is a routine measure taken by Apple to address specific issues or improve device performance. It is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing software updates for its products. Apple users typically receive notifications for eligible software updates, which they can then install.

French authorities and regulators in other countries are closely monitoring the situation, and Italian authorities are awaiting the outcome of France’s deliberations before making a decision. 

The software update is expected to bring the iPhone 12 into compliance with the radiation exposure limits specified by French testing methods. Apple has not issued an official statement regarding the update at the time of this report.

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