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The government watchdog, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has issued a ‘high’ severity warning for the popular browser Google Chrome. This warning comes in light of major vulnerabilities discovered in the web browser. CERT-In stated that the vulnerabilities could enable hackers to remotely attack
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In what can be termed a significant boost to India’s online payment system, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have also been provided with the service. NRIs can use the UPI facility with their international mobile numbers linked to their Indian bank accounts. This step will ensure seamless transactions, allowing NRIs
Read Morekey differences between a basic and advanced drone controller A drone controller is the primary interface used to operate a drone, and it plays a vital role in how a drone performs. The controller sends commands to the drone, guiding its movement and various functions. There are two main types of drone controllers: basic and
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Free camera repair of iPhone 14 Plus: In an announcement, Apple has stated that it will provide free repairs for iPhone 14 Plus models that recently encountered a rare manufacturing defect. The issue affects devices manufactured between April 10, 2023, and April 28, 2024. The affected iPhone 14 Plus models experience a problem where the
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iPhone 15 Plus Price Drop Alert: iPhones are among the very few devices that keep users interested throughout the year. As the festive season is drawing to a close, a new mouthwatering prospect for iPhone enthusiasts awaits, with the iPhone 15 Plus available at a discounted price of Rs 27,949 on Flipkart. The deal includes
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Xiaomi 15 Series Launched: Xiaomi has launched its latest flagship smartphone series – Xiaomi 15 Series. There are two smartphones under this series and they are the first in the world to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Xiaomi 15 Series Variants There are several variants of the Xiaomi 15 Series with the
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OpenAI is launching a ChatGPT-powered search engine that could put the artificial intelligence company in direct competition with Google and affect the flow of internet traffic seeking news, sports scores and other timely information. San Francisco-based OpenAI said Thursday it is releasing a search feature to paid users of ChatGPT but will eventually expand it
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Help me Write: Tech major has decided to expand its ‘Help me Write’ feature for web users now. Earlier, this feature was available only for mobile users. The features can now be accessed by web users and they will see a prompt similar to the mobile version. This feature allows users to not just draft
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Call Recording on iPhones: Tech major Apple has rolled out iOS 18.1 and with this iPhone users can now have access to a lot of new and exciting features. Apple has also introduced a feature that people have been waiting for a long time – Call Recording. With iOS 18.1, users will not just be
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Diwali 2024 Photography Tips For Smartphones: Diwali is the celebration of good over evil and is observed across the country. During the festival, people wear their finest clothes, and light diyas, exchange sweets and of course click pictures with family and friends. But getting good pictures can be a daunting task for many. To help
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Qualcomm recently announced its latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This SoC (System-on-Chip) is built on a 3nm architecture and features a second-generation Oryon CPU. According to the company, it will not just increase the performance of smartphones but will also provide several AI features as it has a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU). Xiaomi
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Sharp, a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of SHARP Corporation Japan, has launched its advanced PureFit series of air purifiers in India – The PureFit FX-S120, PureFit FP-S42M-L and PureFit FP-S40M-T/W. Each air purifier in the PureFit series is equipped with SHARP’s Plasmacluster technology, leveraging a combination of positive and negative ions to neutralise airborne contaminants,
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Diwali 2024 Gifting Ideas: Gifting plays a very important part whenever Diwali arrives, and what is the better way to celebrate than with some tech gifts? This Diwali, these thoughtful tech gifts can make festive moments even more memorable. Check out the list below – OPPO Reno 12 Pro+ 5G Manish Malhotra Limited Edition The
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iOS 18.1 on iPhone, iPad, Mac: Apple has finally rolled out iOS 18.1 which brings a host of Apple Intelligence or AI features for users. It is worth mentioning that the tech major announced several AI features during its WWDC 2024 event. Weeks after the launch of the iPhone 16, these features are now available
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Smartphone launches in November 2024: The year is about to end but a lot of exciting launches are yet to happen. These smartphones are expected to come with several segment-first features and exciting camera capabilities. So let’s have a look at some of the most anticipated launches expected next month. Smartphone launches in November 2024:
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Following its launch in September, the iPhone 16 series has stirred the smartphone market, with Apple enthusiasts eager to purchase the latest iPhones, including the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Along with other upgrades, the camera prowess of the device has seen significant changes. However, there are other devices on the market that stand neck to
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Philips Audio has announced the launch of a new lineup of true wireless earphones and headphones ahead of the festive season. According to the company, the new products come with features like extended playtime, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) and others. “Combining seamless functionality with top-tier audio quality, this new line-up blends
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The Indian smartphone manufacturer Lava has unveiled its next smartphone, the Lava Agni 3, in the affordable market segment. The device is equipped with decent features and has undergone notable design tweaks, strongly positioning it in the segment. Some of the standout features include the dual AMOLED display, a glass sandwich design, and an action
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iPhone 16 Pro series manufacturing in India: Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn has procured equipment worth USD 31.8 million (about Rs 267 crore) for its India factory as it gears up to start manufacturing of iPhone 16 Pro Series at its Tamil Nadu unit, according to a regulatory filing and industry sources. This is the first
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Zoho Corporation has announced that it will be leveraging the NVIDIA AI accelerated computing platform – which includes NVIDIA NeMo, part of NVIDIA AI Enterprise software – to build and deploy its large language models (LLMs) in its SaaS applications. Once the LLMs are built and deployed, they will be available to Zoho Corporation’s 700,000+
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In a world of technology, all of us are quite reliant on our mobile phones but at times these smartphones can lag or abruptly stop during critical moments. These hiccups can be quite frustrating for people at times. To fix this issue, tech specialists recommend some quick fixes for slow and hanging mobile phones to
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OnePlus has officially unveiled its latest operating system, OxygenOS 15. The company claims that the new OS will deliver an industry-leading “Fast & Smooth” experience and has addressed several feedbacks received from users. OnePlus OxygenOS 15 – Key Features OxygenOS 15 has introduced Parallel Processing that will improve animation interactions and enhance usability. This will
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Apple Inc. is reportedly gearing up for a significant update to its MacBook Air lineup, with new models featuring M4 chips expected to debut in early 2025. According to The Verge, the refreshed MacBook Airs are likely to be announced between January and March of next year. While Apple is anticipated to unveil a series
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Garmin Fenix 8 Series: Garmin has announced the launch of its highly anticipated Fenix 8 series in the Indian market. It is to be noted that the Fenix 8 has been already available globally. According to the company, the Fenix 8 Series has been specifically designed to meet the demands of athletes and adventure enthusiasts.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook recently confessed that he was not aware of the iPhone feature that allows users to name group chats in iMessage. He made this confession during an interview with the Wall Street Journal Magazine. Cook was caught off guard when he was asked to tell the best name for a group chat.
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Nothing has confirmed that the company will release its first Community Edition smartphone by the end of this month on October 30. The forthcoming phone is the conclusion of the ‘Nothing Phone 2a Community Edition Project’ that began in March this year. The UK-based company has occupied layout, wallpaper, and packing concepts from the community
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We all want to avoid unwanted callers and one easy way to do this is to use Truecaller, which even offers a variety of premium subscriptions to enhance the communication experience of users. Moreover, the Family Plan lets you share Premium benefits with up to five users which will cost each user around Rs 25.
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Chinese smartphone manufacturer Redmi has launched its latest smartphone in India, the Redmi A4 5G. As a sub-Rs 10,000 device, it is the first entry-level smartphone to be equipped with a Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chip. Expected to be one of the most affordable 5G capable devices, the smartphone was unveiled at the ongoing annual
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While the iPhone 16 series continues to hog the limelight following its September launch, reports and speculation are circulating regarding the anticipated iPhone 18 series. A report suggests that the iPhone 18, expected to be unveiled in 2026, will likely feature a groundbreaking 2-nanometer chip. In collaboration with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Apple is
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Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus is slated to launch its next flagship device, the OnePlus 13. Leaks and rumours have been circulating on social media regarding the device’s specifications and upgrades. From design to battery, the smartphone is expected to see significant changes compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus 12. Let’s take a look at the
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Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: Samsung has announced the launch of the Galaxy A16 5G in India. According to the company, the Galaxy A16 5G sets will offer 6 generations of OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates. The smartphone will be available at a starting price of Rs 18,999. Samsung Galaxy A16 5G will
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Versuni India has announced the launch of its new range of Philip air purifiers. There are four models under this range – 3200, 4200 Pro, and 900 Mini Wifi and 900 Mini. According to the company, these air purifiers are designed to be the ultimate “Silent Protectors”. The new air purifier range features advanced double-fan
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In a welcome announcement for businesses worldwide, Apple has announced to extend its Apple Business Connect programme. The latest update will enable companies to share information about their businesses, allowing them to be featured in Apple Maps, Siri, and various other locations across the operating system. Previously, the programme was exclusive to businesses with physical
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Huawei’s ultra-premium GT5 smartwatch is now available in India. The GT5 smartwatch is available in two variants – 46mm edition for men offered in three colour options – Blue, Brown and Black – and a 41mm edition for women available in five colours – White, Brown, Blue, Gold, and Black. According to the company, the
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Instagram has rolled out a new feature which will allow creators to make a two-sided digital card, facilitating the smooth sharing of their profiles. The Meta-owned social media platform’s new feature enables creators to design cards which match their style, thanks to multiple customisable options based on their preferences. This feature follows the introduction of
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Vivo has launched its new flagship collection, the X200 series, in China loaded with the updated MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip with major upgrades in performance, enhanced battery, and camera abilities. This lineup consists of three handsets the Vivo X200, X200 Pro, and the X200 Pro Mini. According to reports, the Vivo X200 will be launched
Read Moretroubleshoot issues in flexible PCB fabrication The rigid-flex PCB fabrication process can be complicated and prone to errors. These errors may result in broken traces, cracked or torn areas, or even delamination of the board. Fortunately, many of these issues can be fixed with a thorough inspection using a variety of tools and techniques. A
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With a cautious start and competitors having already established themselves strongly, Apple is poised to make an entry in the smart home market. The company aims to put its devices in every corner of a household, competing with brands like Amazon and Google. According to a report, Apple’s potential entry will involve the use of
Read MorePCB rigid flex improve signal routing Unlike traditional PCBs, rigid-flex circuits can be bent or folded into any shape for your application. This flexibility makes it easy to repair and maintain a product, reducing downtime and costs. It also reduces the number of connections and cables required to power your device, making it lighter and
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While the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is primarily for constructive purposes, instances have emerged where AI is being employed for malicious activities. One such instance is “spoofing”, intended to take unauthorised control of digital accounts, including Gmail, one of the world’s leading email services. For cybercriminals, Gmail has become an easy target, given its
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Amazon’s festive season sale has kicked off offering several lucrative deals and offers on numerous electronic gadgets. Consumers can avail of many smart deals on iPhones during the sale. Although the previous deals made at least the last three generations of the iPhone available at significantly reduced prices, buyers can now purchase the iPhone 13,
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Samsung has announced the commencement of pre-reserve for its Galaxy Ring in India. The Galaxy Ring, which comes with several Galaxy AI features and sensors, adorns a titanium finish. Also, the ring has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The Galaxy Ring is rated 10ATM as it is built to withstand water depths
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Galaxy S25 Ultra Vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: As Apple makes inroads through its latest iPhone 16 series and Samsung braces for the Galaxy S25 Series launch, the clash of titans seems inevitable. Over the past few weeks, leaks and rumours regarding the features and specifications of Samsung’s next flagship series—including the Galaxy S25, Galaxy
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Mozilla Firefox Users Beware: Indian watchdog, the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), has issued a security advisory for the popular web browser, Mozilla Firefox. The warning calls for immediate action, as CERT-In has flagged major vulnerabilities in the browser and related software. These vulnerabilities make the browser prone to cyber-attacks, allowing cybercriminals to remotely exploit
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In what comes as a concerning development for Android users, Qualcomm has confirmed that a cyberattack recently exploited a zero-day vulnerability in its chipsets. Discovered by security experts from Amnesty International’s Security Lab and Google’s Threat Analysis Group, the flaw impacts a wide range of chipsets used in various smartphones. Rather than launching a widespread
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Apple iPhone 17: The sale of Apple’s new lineup, the iPhone 16 series began on September 20, 2024. Many buyers are rushing to grab the latest iPhone. However, it might be a good decision to wait for the iPhone 17 as the iPhone 16 Series continues to feature the old design with a few minor
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U&i has launched four new products ahead of the festive season. The new lineup includes the Dominator Series Neckband UINB-2304, Beats Series TWS 7650, Modern Series Powerbank UIPB-2151 and Innovative Series Portable Speaker UiBS-801. “At U&i, our focus has always been on merging innovation with user-centric design. With the launch of our new Dominator, Beats,
Read Moresignificance of circuit board traces Circuit board traces, the conductive pathways etched onto a printed circuit board (PCB), play a crucial role in the functioning of electronic devices. These traces connect various electronic components, such as resistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits, allowing them to communicate and work together to perform complex tasks. Understanding the significance
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Vivo’s sub-company iQOO is all set to launch its next flagship smartphone, the iQOO 1 in a couple of weeks in China. The worldwide release of the device is expected to take place by the end of this year. The phone is anticipated to be supported by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset and can
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Realme PI Speed Launch Date in India: With the Reame P1 Speed set to launch on October 15, the company has officially revealed some of its key specifications, such as the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, which is a capable processor for its segment. Let’s take a brief look at the officially disclosed features of
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THE JAPANESE picture book “Soratobu medaka” tells the extraordinary tale of tiny stream-dwelling fish called medaka hitching a ride on an obliging bird to a far-off freshwater pool. The story has delighted children in the country since 1999, when it was first published, but now comes an even more delightful twist: it is true.
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Solutions include bendy propellers and “acoustic black holes”
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IT IS A recurring joke among chemists that the Nobel prize for chemistry is, more often than not, awarded for developments in biology. Recent examples include awards for the gene-editing tool CRISPR, in 2020; directed evolution of enzymes and antibodies, in 2018; and DNA repair mechanisms, in 2015. Some may view this year’s prize, which
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NOBEL SCIENCE prizes are awarded in three areas: physics, chemistry and physiology or medicine. But occasionally some noteworthy discovery comes along that does not really fit into any of them. In 1973, for example, three pioneering students of animal behaviour, who worked on honeybees, geese and sticklebacks, were shoehorned into the physiology category.
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Before the committee that awards the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine made its announcement on October 7th, the speculation about which discovery would win ranged from the revolution in the treatment of obesity to cancer-causing genes; from understanding the gut microbiome to perhaps even the mapping of the human genome itself—something that has still
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For now, it is the most sophisticated connectome ever made
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ISLAND LIFE is famously idyllic, but it’s long been known that islanders tend to experience disproportionately high rates of some rare genetically transmitted diseases. Faroe islanders, for example, who live on an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, have a much higher-than-average incidence of carnitine transporter deficiency (CTD), a condition that prevents the body from
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NATIONAL CLIMATE policies are a relatively recent invention. In 1997, according to the Grantham Institute, a think-tank at the London School of Economics, there were 60; by 2022 the number had risen to almost 3,000. Their effectiveness has proved almost impossible to measure. In August, an international research group published the first global evaluation of
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Traditional methods of diagnosing mental-health conditions require patients to speak directly to a psychiatrist. Sensible in theory, such assessments can, in practice, take months to schedule and ultimately lead to subjective diagnoses.
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FOR MORE than 3,500 years the mummified remains of the Xiaohe people lay undisturbed in a desert cemetery in Xinjiang in western China. Then, in 1979, a team of archaeologists got their hands on them. Among the treasures they dug up were mysterious white lumps strewn across the mummies’ necks: chunks of the oldest preserved
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NASA HAS big plans for the Moon. By the end of the decade, it wants to send humans back to the lunar surface. Before then, though, it intends to send probes to look for ice at its south pole. This ice carries enormous scientific value. It could shed light on how Earth acquired its liquid
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IN JUNE, BLISTERINGLY hot temperatures and a prolonged dry spell plunged much of southern Italy into its worst drought in decades. Water shortages on glitzy Capri became so dire that local authorities temporarily banned ferries from offloading tourists at the island. A lack of rainfall tells only half the story. Decrepit infrastructure is as much
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IN 2010 AN American girl called Emily Whitehead developed a form of leukaemia that is usually terminal. She was five years old. Two years later, she became the first paediatric patient to be offered a form of treatment called CAR–T, in which the body’s immune system is reprogrammed to attack cancerous cells. The treatment worked.
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THE MALAGASY baobab tree, whose thick trunks and tiny branches dot Madagascar’s landscape, should not, by rights, have survived to the present day. Scientists believe that its large seeds were once dispersed by the giant tortoises and gorilla-size giant lemurs that roamed the island. When these species went extinct over one thousand years ago owing
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Despite a slowdown in electric-vehicle (EV) sales in some countries, demand for batteries was up by around 40% globally last year, and seems likely to continue at a similar pace. Consequently, the world’s appetite for lithium, the vital ingredient in the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that dominate the EV market, is expected to exceed 2.4m tonnes
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IN THEir QUEST to build a better battery, researchers have blazed a trail through the elements of the periodic table. The earliest prototype cells ran on nickel and cadmium; successors have used everything from zinc and iron to sodium and lead.
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Tweaks to software blunt the shortage of powerful hardware
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Could Earth once have had a planetary ring like the ones around Saturn? Scientists from Monash University in Australia think so. In a recent paper they identify 450m-year-old craters that lie close to Earth’s historical equator. They propose these were caused by the collapse of a ring of debris (possibly the remnants of a large
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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY may be approaching its Mitchell moment. George Mitchell, a scrappy independent oilman, is known as the father of fracking. Nearly three decades ago, he defied Big Oil and the conventional wisdom of his industry by making practical the hitherto uneconomic technique of pumping liquids and sands into the ground to force out gas
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IN A TALK she gave in 2016, Katie Hinde, a biologist from Arizona State University, lamented how little scientific attention was commanded by breast milk. Up until that point, she said, both wine and tomatoes had been far more heavily studied. Eight years on, alas, that remains true.
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FOR MORE than 100 years scientists and companies have tried to create an artificial version of breast milk. Success has been limited. Early efforts, full of sugar or cheap corn syrup, fell woefully short. Even 20th-century formulas meant to emulate breast milk’s nutritional profile were a far cry from the real thing.
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FOR THE discerning timekeeper, only an atomic clock will do. Whereas the best quartz timepieces will lose a millisecond every six weeks, an atomic clock might not lose a thousandth of one in a decade. Such devices underpin everything from GPS and the internet to stock-market trading. That may seem good enough for most. But
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ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS do not respond well to highly charged particles. Accelerated to near the speed of light by Earth’s magnetic field, such particles pack enough kinetic energy to cause damage. History offers ample evidence of the consequences: in 1859 a massive solar storm known as the Carrington event started fires at telegraph stations. A century
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ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS do not respond well to highly charged particles. Accelerated to near the speed of light by Earth’s magnetic field, such particles pack enough kinetic energy to cause damage. History offers ample evidence of the consequences: in 1859 a massive solar storm known as the Carrington event started fires at telegraph stations. A century
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SUPERMAN ASIDE, peeking inside a living body requires advanced technology. But even with the most sophisticated imaging techniques the resulting pictures are often unclear. Some things are obscured while others cannot be seen at all. A doctor’s life would be so much easier if skin could be made transparent at will. It now turns out
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In many parts of the world, the cool blast of an air-conditioner on a hot day is nowadays seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Climate change is tipping the balance. Average global temperatures are now roughly 1.2°C higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution: by mid-century they are projected to be about
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THE ENGLISH colonists who brought cattle to Australia in 1788 soon faced a malodorous problem. The dung heaps that gradually and tastefully vanished back home were not going anywhere. Instead, they were growing ever-larger, and becoming infested with bloodsucking flies that wounded the livestock.
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Makers of Formula 1 cars and jet engines are leading the way
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SCIENTISTS ARE no strangers to computer models. Some of the very first uses of computers to simulate reality, in fact, were built by physicists keen to understand the behaviour of subatomic particles, and meteorologists hoping to predict the weather. Over the 75 or so intervening years, computer modelling has become an integral part of scientific
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WHEN A PASSENGER in search of a taxi orders an Uber, all it takes is a few taps on a smartphone to make a car appear, as if by magic. Traffic permitting, they are soon whisked to their final destination. But the magic tricks do not end there. As soon as that screen is pressed,
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Flying on Elon Musk’s spaceship; sponsored by Doritos
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ENTHUSIASTS HAVE been paying to fly into space for more than two decades. In 2001 Dennis Tito, an American engineer and investor, paid $20m ($35.6m in today’s money) for a jolly to the International Space Station (ISS). A string of other wealthy passengers followed. Charles Simonyi, another American businessman, even managed to go twice, once
Read MoreDissipation in Flex Circuit PCBs Compared to rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs), flex circuit PCBs are much more flexible and offer many different layout options. However, they are also more prone to temperature variations and need special considerations to ensure they are able to withstand high temperatures and other stressors. To maximize your flex PCB’s
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Climate change is accelerating the blaze
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Five DECADES of research into artificial neural networks have earned Geoffrey Hinton the moniker of the Godfather of artificial intelligence (AI). Work by his group at the University of Toronto laid the foundations for today’s headline-grabbing AI models, including ChatGPT and LaMDA. These can write coherent (if uninspiring) prose, diagnose illnesses from medical scans and
Read Moreflex PCB suppliers PCBs are used in a wide variety of electronic devices including mobile phones, MP3 players and laptop computers. They are also used in medical equipment, aircraft and satellites. These boards must be reliable and function on demand. They must be capable of handling extreme temperatures and vibrations. They must meet rigorous inspection,
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QUANTUM COMPUTERS, which exploit strange properties of the subatomic realm to crunch numbers in powerful new ways, do not actually work yet. But if and when they do start working, they will be able to break the cryptographic algorithms that currently protect online communications, financial transactions, medical records and corporate secrets.
Read Morehigh density interconnects handle vibrations and shocks High density interconnects enable more components to fit on a PCB, increasing the performance and functionality of devices. They also reduce space requirements, making them ideal for applications where size and weight are crucial. Nevertheless, such PCBs need to be able to handle mechanical vibrations and shocks. Vibrations
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Five DECADES of research into artificial neural networks have earned Geoffrey Hinton the moniker of the Godfather of artificial intelligence (AI). Work by his group at the University of Toronto laid the foundations for today’s headline-grabbing AI models, including ChatGPT and LaMDA. These can write coherent (if uninspiring) prose, diagnose illnesses from medical scans and
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THE MISSION is simple. Arrive on foreign soil, blend in and wait. Then, when the time is right, emerge from the shadows and take over. This procedure, familiar from spy fiction as the preserve of sleeper agents, is also the modus operandi of certain invasive plant species.
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It aims to make research and tinkering more accessible to the public
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BASKING IN THE sun has been considered a health hazard for at least four decades. The main risk comes from ultraviolet (UV) light, which the Sun emits alongside visible radiation. This can increase the chances of skin cancer—the number of diagnoses of which are rising—as well as bringing on premature ageing and leading to wrinkles.
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Scientists have turned it into clothing
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Many factors can influence whether a patient lives or dies. The quality of the drugs they receive, for example, the rigour with which their symptoms are monitored, or—more surprisingly—the gender of the attending physician. In data from a host of different countries, patients seen by female doctors seem to do better than those seen by
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Batteries are getting smaller, lighter and more powerful all the time. This is good news for manufacturers and buyers of products ranging from electric cars to mobile phones and fitness trackers. But for some applications the conventional shape and structure of a battery, with a rigid form and metallic components, is simply too clunky to
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IF YOU WANT to live elsewhere in the solar system, Mars is the least-bad choice. These days, the planet is a frigid, poison-soaked desert. But as the dry river valleys that cross its surface suggest, things were balmy enough in the past to allow liquid water.
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Some of the best strategies for reducing the chances of developing dementia are, to put it kindly, impracticable: don’t grow old; don’t be a woman; choose your parents carefully. But although old age remains by far the biggest risk factor, women are more at risk than men and some genetic inheritances make dementia more likely
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The promising treatments still face technical and economic hurdles, though
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In the summer of 2020 American intelligence analysts in Afghanistan got a warning from “Raven Sentry”, an artificial-intelligence (AI) tool that they had been operating for a few months. There was a high probability, the AI told them, of a violent attack in Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern Nangarhar province, at the beginning of
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When Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced its latest open-source large language model (LLM) on July 23rd, it claimed that the most powerful version of Llama 3.1 had “state-of-the-art capabilities that rival the best closed-source models” such as GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Meta’s announcement included a table, showing the scores achieved by these
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Complete with holograms on the windscreen
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THE VAST majority of Earth’s oxygen is made as a by-product of photosynthesis, the use of light to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars. Any oxygen found in regions where photosynthesis is impossible—such as the abyssal seafloor, a pitch-black realm up to 6,000 metres deep—was thought to be surface gas on the move.
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ONCE RUSSIA’S full invasion got rolling on February 24th 2022, Ukraine’s prospects for defending its airspace looked poor. The country’s radar coverage was patchy even before its radar stations came under attack, and many incoming drones and cruise missiles were flying too low to be spotted by stations still standing.
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Decades into the epidemic, the numbers for AIDS are still awful. In a report published on July 22nd, UNAIDS, the United Nations agency tasked with dealing with the disease, says that 40m people around the world are now infected. There were 1.3m new HIV infections in 2023, and 630,000 HIV-related deaths. But those two numbers
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Doctors, scientists and activists meet to discuss how to pummel the virus
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ON JULY 14TH America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported five new cases of the H5N1 avian flu virus in humans, bringing the total number of cases reported since April to nine. All five were involved in culling infected poultry in Colorado, and appear to have the same strain that has been spreading
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FROM AN ESTATE agent’s perspective, the lunar surface has little to recommend it. Its none-too-metaphorical lack of atmosphere means it is bombarded by meteorites, cosmic radiation is unrelentingly harsh and temperatures range from lows of -246°C to highs of 121°C. Subsurface lunar caves, on the other hand, with stable temperatures and cover from projectiles, would
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ANYONE CAN spot a tipping point after it’s been crossed. Also known as critical transitions, such mathematical cliff-edges influence everything from the behaviour of financial markets and the spread of disease to the extinction of species. The financial crisis of 2007-09 is often described as one. So is the moment that covid-19 went global. The
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BLEEDING THROUGH a tampon or pad never makes for a good time. The risk of leaks is annoying and stressful for all women who bleed, and especially for the 20% to 30% whose menstrual flow is so heavy that they sometimes must change their tampons or pads every hour. Some dread leaving their homes for
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TO MOST PEOPLE, the inner workings of a car engine or a computer are a mystery. It might as well be a black box: never mind what goes on inside, as long as it works. Besides, the people who design and build such complex systems know how they work in great detail, and can diagnose
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For palaeontologists, DNA is infuriatingly fragile. Its long chains begin to break apart shortly after death, destroying valuable information about the deceased parent organism. Unlike bones, footprints and even faecal matter, which can comfortably survive—in fossilised form—for millions of years, DNA rarely lasts much more than a hundred. In recent decades scientists have discovered that
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ERIK SLINDE has spent 40 years developing vaccines. Not for humans; for salmon. “Back in the 1980s, it was looked upon as a joke,” says Dr Slinde, the former director of aquacultural research at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway. Nobody is laughing now. Sea lice—rice-grain-sized crustaceans that have evolved to parasitise salmon fish
Read More我可以在哪里获得有关纸 无论您的孩子是梦想着飞到遥远的地方，还是只是想找点有趣的活动，这款纸飞机应用程序下载都会帮助他们飞上天空。这个易于使用的应用程序演示了如何制作和折叠各种纸飞机，从简单的模型到可以飞得很远的模型。该应用程序提供了分步说明和视频教程，以尽可能轻松地制作飞机。这是教孩子们基本的折纸技巧和如何驾驶纸飞机的好方法，纸飞机是一种经典的童年消遣。 最适合飞行的纸飞机是那些简单而坚固的纸飞机，可以让它们长时间停留在空中。要制作一架好的纸飞机，您需要一张足够硬的大纸，折叠后可以保持其形状。使用光滑的表面也很重要，这样在折叠时不会损坏纸张。准备一支笔或记号笔也很有帮助，因为这样可以更容易地画出正确的飞机形状。 纸飞机app下载 除了是一项有趣且具有教育意义的活动外，这款纸飞机应用程序还非常适合培养空间思维和想象力以及精细运动技能。这也是锻炼大脑的绝佳方式，因为它需要运用逻辑、注意力和记忆力。 我可以在哪里获得有关纸飞机应用程序下载的教程？ 该应用程序提供了各种各样的纸飞机设计，按受欢迎程度和难度级别进行分类。一些较难掌握的纸飞机包括 Maestro、A-9 Eagle 和 Firestrike。Valkyrie 虽然外观简单，但折叠顺序复杂，使其看起来令人惊叹，飞得也很漂亮。Emperion One 是另一款美观实用的模型，因为它飞得慢而优雅。A-4 Skyhawk 也是一个不错的选择，因为它速度快，机翼面积大。 这款纸飞机应用程序的另一个很酷的功能是能够创建虚拟回旋镖，让用户可以将他们的飞机发送给世界各地的人们。然后，飞机可以被抛出，用摄像头扫描并跟踪，使用户能够看到它们飞过的地方。这是促进全球理解并与来自世界各地的其他人建立联系的好方法。 纸飞机应用的教育潜力不仅限于折叠技术和飞行模拟。许多应用都设计有教育模块，向用户传授飞行背后的科学知识。这些模块可以包括空气动力学、飞行物理学和航空历史课程。通过整合教育内容，这些应用可以成为教师和家长的宝贵工具，帮助他们以有趣和互动的方式向孩子介绍 STEM（科学、技术、工程和数学）概念。这种动手活动和理论学习的结合可以激发好奇心，并加深对科学原理的理解。 此应用程序可免费使用，可从 Apple Store 或 Google Play 下载。但请注意，它可能包含应用内购买。建议您在下载前阅读开发者的隐私政策。该应用程序将在 iOS 9.3.3 及以上版本以及 Android 5.0 及以上版本上运行。值得注意的是，该应用程序需要高质量的互联网连接才能运行。该应用程序与蜂窝数据连接或 WiFi 网络不兼容。
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CONSERVATIONISTS GENERALLY disapprove of flooding species-rich habitats. But the law of unintended consequences works in mysterious ways. For it was just such a flood, in 1913, that created Barro Colorado Island in central Panama. Gatun, the lake surrounding the island, was, at the time of its birth, the largest artificial body of water in the
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LÉO WURPILLOT was ten years old when he learned he had a brain tumour. To determine its malignancy, sections of the tumour had to be surgically removed and analysed. Now 19, he recalls the anguish that came with the subsequent three-month wait for a diagnosis. The news was good, and today Mr Wurpillot is a
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As frequent pub-goers will be well aware, beers come in two varieties—lagers and ales. Lagers are brewed at cool temperatures and typically have a crisp taste. Ales, known to be spicy and flavourful, are brewed in the warmth. Both get their distinctive flavours from fermentation—the conversion of sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide—by single-celled fungi
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BEFORE HUGH Herr became a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he was a promising rock climber. But after being trapped in a blizzard during a climb at age 17, he lost both his legs below the knee to frostbite. Since then he has worked on creating prosthetic legs that would work and
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IN EARLY 2021 Micross Components, a designer of highly specialised circuitry in Melville, New York, received an intriguing request. An American aerospace giant wanted components that could protect a military system’s electronics from the radiation generated by a nuclear detonation. Micross signed the contract, and set about doing the work, but was left in the
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The woolly mammoths of Wrangel island were survivors. Trapped on a hunk of rock in the Arctic Ocean after rising sea levels cut them off from present-day Siberia, they were the last of their species to go extinct. Palaeontology textbooks have explained their eventual demise around 4,000 years ago as a classic case of extinction
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MPOX IS A viral infection typically found in parts of Africa and spread through contact with infected animals as well as within households. It causes severe fever, flu-like symptoms and a rash of pus-filled blisters across the body. In 2022 the disease, formerly known as monkeypox, spread around the world—cases turned up everywhere from Nigeria
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WHAT APPEARS to have been our first article about solar power, in 1955, mostly dealt with water heaters, cooking stoves and the like. But it also noted, “among the more ingenious low powered devices…the Bell Company’s solar battery”—which is to say the first silicon-based solar cell, unveiled by AT&T’s Bell Labs the previous year. Indeed
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ANY biologically aware parent who has started talking about the birds and the bees will have realised halfway through that what they are really discussing is flowers. Bees carry pollen grains from one plant to another, enabling fertilisation; birds digest and excrete the resulting seeds, allowing new blooms to grow. The role that flowers themselves
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TODAY’S BEST image-generating artificial-intelligence (AI) models are remarkable. Ask OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, or its counterparts Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, to draw a penguin sipping on a vodka martini on the French Riviera and they will do so with aplomb. Ask them to replicate it in the style of Rembrandt or Caravaggio and they will speedily
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AT KITT PEAK National Observatory, in Arizona, a telescope has spent three years building a three-dimensional map of the heavens. In examining the light from tens of millions of galaxies, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) may have found something astounding. DESI, as its name suggests, is a tool to investigate the nature of dark
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Few students go into medical research dreaming of one day giving a mouse a tumour or heart disease to a rabbit. But animal experimentation of this kind has become fundamental to modern medicine. For regulatory bodies around the world, treatments that might save human lives must be proven safe and effective in animals with similar
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In the atrium of a research building at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing is a wall of patents. Around five metres wide and two storeys high, the wall displays 192 certificates, positioned in neat rows and tastefully lit from behind. At ground level, behind a velvet rope, an array of glass jars
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ONE ROLE of science, history suggests, is to wipe that smug grin off humanity’s face. It has moved Earth from the centre of the universe and relocated it in an astronomical backwater. It has downgraded Homo sapiens from being the pinnacle of God’s creation to just another species shaped by Darwinian evolution. And it has
Read MoreAI video editor ensure consistent video quality Maintaining consistent video quality can be challenging, especially when editing multiple clips. AI tools can retouch and color correct videos automatically, eliminating time-consuming manual adjustments. Using AI to edit videos can be a powerful tool for marketers. However, it’s important to understand its limitations and use it responsibly.
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“ONE OF THE key questions is—does that seal work? We think it will work, but it may not work,” said Elon Musk, the boss of SpaceX, on June 5th, as his company’s Starship rocket was being prepared for its fourth test flight the following day. He was referring to one particular component of the rocket:
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Globally, sea levels have risen by somewhere between 21cm and 24cm since 1880. Most of this rise is a consequence of water physically expanding as it warms, but in recent decades meltwater flowing off Greenland and Antarctica has significantly contributed too. These rises in sea levels threaten coastal properties and the livelihoods and lifestyles of
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“WHAT DO YOU see right now?” a man asks a humanoid robot standing behind a table. “I see a red apple on a plate in the centre of the table, a drying rack with cups and a plate, and you standing nearby, with your hand on the table,” the robot replies. “Great—can I have something
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IF THE CANON of science-fiction cinema is in broad agreement on one thing, it is that a robot is supposed to look like a human being. It is not only casting directors and special-effects technicians who are on board: engineers can also see the appeal. Pras Velagapudi, the chief technology officer at Agility Robotics, a
Read MoreAI Video Editor AI video editors can automatically trim, cut, and arrange clips to create a smooth and cohesive sequence. They can also add professional transitions and effects. Editing videos can be tedious and time-consuming without an AI video editor. AI software can help streamline the process by automating tasks like color correction and noise
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Newly developed research models show promise
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AS UKRAINE’S STOCKS of artillery shells have dwindled, its army’s reliance on drones has grown. These are able to deliver ammunition with great precision over long distances—provided they can maintain connections with GPS satellites (so they know where they are) and their operators (so they know what to do). Such communication signals can be jammed,
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All across the eastern states of America, it is cicada season. These small winged insects roughly the size of a paperclip emerge at periodic intervals in vast hordes known as broods, many millions or billions of individuals strong. They spend a few frantic weeks breeding before the females lay eggs in slits carved into tree
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On May 22nd America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a new human infection with the H5 avian influenza virus, a bug with pandemic potential that has recently spread rapidly among dairy cows in America. This is the second identified human case linked to the cow outbreak. Both are farm workers who probably got
Read Morefast turn rigid flex pcbs more expensive than other types The cost of fast turn rigid-flex PCBs is a common concern for manufacturers and designers alike, particularly when compared to other types of PCBs. In this article, we’ll explore the factors that contribute to the cost of fast turn rigid-flex PCBs and whether they are
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In the 1960s, during the height of the cold war, American spy satellites spotted an unusual stubby-winged craft at a Soviet naval base on the Caspian sea. Was it a boat, was it a plane? Dubbed the “Caspian Sea Monster”, it turned out to be a heavily armed naval craft some 100 metres long designed
Read MoreHow do circuit board assembly services techniques Circuit board assembly services play a pivotal role in the creation of electronic devices, serving as the backbone upon which intricate electronic systems are built. The fabrication process of these circuit boards is a meticulously orchestrated sequence of stages, each contributing to the creation of a functional and
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By harnessing windpower, high-tech sails can help cut marine pollution
Read Moreground planes play in pcb and pcba design Ground planes play a crucial role in PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) design, serving as an essential component for ensuring signal integrity, reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI), and providing a stable reference voltage for electronic circuits. A ground plane is a large area
Read Moreenvironmental considerations in Printed circuit assembly services Printed circuit assembly (PCA) services, while integral to modern electronics manufacturing, are not without their environmental implications. As the demand for electronic devices continues to rise, so does the need for sustainable practices within the industry. Addressing environmental considerations in PCA services is crucial for minimizing the ecological
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FOURTEEN YEARS ago, Melanie Reid, a journalist, fell off a horse and broke her neck. The injury to her spinal cord left her paralysed, limiting the function of her four limbs and torso—a condition known as tetraplegia. For more than a decade her left hand was incapable of either sensation or motion. Now, however, Ms
Read MoreCommonly Encountered in RF Circuit Board Design The RF circuit board design process is complex, requiring specialized knowledge and software tools. These devices are integral to modern wireless communication and high-frequency electronic components, so they must handle signals with precision and efficiency. This is often a challenge, as high-speed signals can induce significant signal loss
Read MorePrinted circuit board assembly companies support flexible electronics Printed circuit board (PCB) assembly companies play a crucial role in supporting the development and production of flexible electronics, a rapidly growing segment of the electronics industry. Flexible electronics encompass a broad range of devices and applications, including flexible displays, wearable sensors, medical devices, and smart textiles.
Read MoreInspection SPI in SMT Circuit Board Smt circuit board is a piece of printed circuit boards assembled with components, including chips and other electrical elements. During the SMT process, solder paste is applied to the component pads on the PCB through a stencil. It is essential for the proper function of the finished product that
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FOR YEARS security experts have warned that a technology at the heart of global communications is dangerously insecure. Now there is proof that it has been used to snoop on people in America. Kevin Briggs, an official at America’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a regulator, earlier this year that
Read MoreCan an ordering pcb be used In the realm of aerospace engineering, where precision, reliability, and durability are paramount, the question arises: Can ordering Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) be effectively utilized in aerospace applications? The answer lies in understanding the unique challenges and requirements of aerospace technology and how PCBs can meet those demands while
Read MoreRework Affect PCB Board Assembly Manufacturing Despite advances in production techniques and management approaches, it’s still common for manufacturers to engage in PCB rework. Essentially, this means they take defective products or parts and process them again to match the design specifications required by customers. This adds labor and expense to production, but it also
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CORAL REEFS, home to about a quarter of all known marine species, face an existential threat. Rising water temperatures cause the corals to expel their resident photosynthetic algae, bleaching them white and depriving them of their major food source. But, says Joanie Kleypas of the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, some corals are
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THE GREAT Barrier Reef is a natural marvel. Spanning 2,300km along the north-east coast of Australia, this vast ecosystem boasts hundreds of species of multicoloured corals across an area roughly the size of Italy. Thousands of other marine species rely on it for their survival. But the rate at which Earth is warming leaves its
Read Moresolder masks applied in rigid flex rigid pcb Solder masks play a crucial role in the manufacturing of rigid-flex-rigid PCBs, providing insulation, protection, and delineation of conductive traces on the board’s surface. These masks are applied over the copper traces and pads to prevent unintended solder bridges, shorts, or corrosion during assembly and operation. The
Read Moreflex circuit board Becoming a flex circuit board involves a multi-step process that requires specialized knowledge, skills, and equipment. Flex circuit boards, also known as flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs), are essential components in various electronic devices, offering flexibility, lightweight construction, and adaptability to complex geometries. For individuals interested in pursuing a career in flex
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Ask ChatGPT to recommend the must-do activities on a holiday to Berlin, and OpenAI’s chatbot will do a great job of proposing restaurants, bars, museums and parks that it reckons you might like. But ask it to plan your trip—complete with details of which order to see the sights in, given how long each one
Read MoreHow do pcb circuit board assembly perform Printed circuit boards (PCBs) serve as the backbone of modern electronics, facilitating the functionality of devices across various environments. However, the performance of PCBs can be significantly impacted when operating in high-altitude environments. From reduced air pressure to extreme temperature fluctuations, the challenges posed by high altitudes require
Read Moreprinted circuit board manufacturerss be used in underwater applications In the realm of electronic engineering, the question of whether printed circuit board manufacturers can be utilized in underwater applications is both intriguing and complex. The underwater environment presents a unique set of challenges, including exposure to water, pressure, and corrosive elements, all of which can
Read MorePcB Printed Circuit Board Conformal coating enhances pcb printed circuit board by providing additional protection from operating conditions, thus reducing failure rates and prolonging working life. However, it’s important to choose the right material for the job and apply it correctly to ensure your product has all the benefits you expect. With a wide variety
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IN THE 1980S the KGB had a well-worn method for pumping disinformation around the world. “We preferred to work on genuine documents,” recalled Oleg Kalugin, a former KGB general, “with some additions and changes.” That method has not changed greatly, but technology has accelerated the process. In early March a network of websites, dubbed CopyCop,
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The world is awash in pesticides. Fully 3m tonnes are thought to be sprayed onto crops worldwide every year, of which only a small fraction are needed. The excess chemicals are known to run off onto increasingly fragile land and seep into watercourses, with damaging environmental and health effects. The use of agrochemicals continues to
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IN RECENT YEARS the manufacture of blades for wind turbines has undergone a revolution, as it were. Two decades ago lengths of 40 metres or so were an achievement. Thanks largely to lighter and stronger carbon-fibre composites, the state of the art is now triple that. As turbine output is proportional to the square of
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Running around the inside of a barrel might help
Read MoreHow Micro Vias Impact the Design Technology continues to trend towards miniaturization, and printed circuit boards (PCBs) are no exception. Advanced PCB fabrication techniques have shaved off the space needed to house powerful electronics, allowing them to be packed into a small form factor. One of the key technologies enabling this miniaturization is the use
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Mykhailivka, a village on the right bank of the River Dnieper in Ukraine, lies dangerously close to the front line of Russia’s war on its western neighbour. Seventy years ago, however, it was the site of an excavation by Ukrainian archaeologists. There, they discovered one of the earliest known settlements of the Yamnaya culture. The
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Researchers and governments need to co-ordinate; tech companies need to open up
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Understanding it will lead to better ways to fight it
Read MoreCircuit Board Withstand Harsh Environments A circuit board is a flat piece of material that holds and interconnects electronic components using conductive pathways, enabling the functioning of electronic devices. It is the heart of most electronic equipment, and it’s crucial to keep in mind that circuit boards are sensitive to environmental elements such as water,
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But that’s not the whole story, when it comes to AI
Read MoreHigh Density Interconnect Materials High density interconnect, or HDI, circuit boards have a much higher wiring density than traditional printed circuit board technology. This is achieved by using smaller vias, spaces, copper traces and pads. The result is a more compact product with improved functioning and signal transmission. There are several considerations when designing and
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EVERYONE HAS a blood group, defined by the characteristic chains of sugar molecules, or antigens, that protrude from their red blood cells like spikes on a hedgehog’s back. Not all these groups are created equal. In the roughly 50% of people with type O, the sugars are harmless, allowing their blood to be transfused into
Read MoreAdvantages of Quick Turn Printed Circuit Boards In an industry where time is precious, fast PCB assembly helps companies maintain their market edge. Moreover, it allows them to deliver innovative products at an expedited rate without having to wait for longer production runs. This gives their clients a competitive advantage and makes them able to
Read MoreCan flex PCB fabrication support A hybrid rigid-flex design is an ideal solution for combining standard PCB construction with flexible materials, such as copper traces, to achieve the necessary mechanical stress tolerance. The resulting PCB can safely bend while still providing reliable electrical connections. However, there are a number of factors that must be considered
Read MoreConstruction of Flexible PCBs When it comes to flexible printed circuit boards, it’s important to understand what materials are commonly used in the construction of these versatile products. Flex PCBs provide a wide range of electrical connections and eliminate traditional wiring harnesses in many applications. They’re often used to make complex and lightweight designs with
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THE PERFECT day should have 86,400 seconds: 24 hours for Earth to spin around its axis, 60 minutes in each hour, and 60 seconds in each minute. But the apparent precision of these simple calculations ignores the messy reality of planetary bodies. Tidal forces, combined with the roiling currents in Earth’s core and the redistribution
Read MoreHDI PCB When you need a PCB for your next electronic project, consider an HDI PCB. This type of board features high-density interconnections that provide higher performance and allow you to cram more capabilities into a smaller space. It’s also less prone to damage from environmental conditions and physical impacts. An hdi pcb is built
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In AI-land, technologies move from remarkable to old hat at the speed of light. Only 18 months ago the release of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s chatbot, launched an AI frenzy. Today its powers have become commonplace. Several firms (such as Anthropic, Google and Meta) have since unveiled versions of their own models (Claude, Gemini and Llama), improving
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WHEN IT comes to architectural accomplishments, humans like to think they stand at the top of the pyramid. That is to underestimate the astonishing achievements of social insects: termites raise skyscraping nests and honeybees fashion mesmerisingly geometric combs. The true master builders of the insect world, however, are the hundreds of species of stingless bee,
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IN THE run-up to Ukraine’s rocket attacks on the Antonovsky Bridge, a vital road crossing from the occupied city of Kherson to the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, security officials carefully studied a series of special reports. It was the summer of 2022 and Russia was relying heavily on the bridge to resupply its
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The enormous titular robots of the “Transformers” universe, a popular franchise spanning toys, TV series, video games and films, move along the ground in one of two ways. On wheels, when they are shaped like vehicles; on giant humanoid feet when they are not. For decades, most real-world robots also fell neatly into these two
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In 2020 XKCD, a popular online comic strip, published a cartoon depicting a teetering arrangement of blocks with the label: “all modern digital infrastructure”. Perched precariously at the bottom, holding everything up, was a lone, slender brick: “A project some random person in Nebraska has been thanklessly maintaining since 2003.” The illustration quickly became a
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The killer whales that roam the waters of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, off the coast of California, are brutal animals. When hunting grey whales, they target mother and calf pairs, chasing them until the calves begin to tire. At that point the killer whales separate the grey whales by manoeuvring between them or dragging the
Read MoreFlex Circuit PCBs As our electronic devices get smaller and more compact, the size and shape of circuit boards must change to keep up with the demands. This has led to innovations like flex circuits, which can help us design and assemble products in a range of shapes and sizes without compromising on functionality. Flexible
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IN 2021, WHILE visiting a friend’s house in the Welsh town of Caerphilly, ten-year-old Jack Lis was fatally attacked by a dog called Beast. It mauled him so severely that Jack’s mother could only identify her son’s body from his shoe. According to British government statistics, such fatal attacks are on the rise. After decades
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TO ZHE WANG at Google DeepMind, an artificial-intelligence (AI) company, corner kicks are like games of chess. Partly because both feature opposing sides poised to react to a single imminent move. But also, no doubt, because they may also one day be revolutionised by AI. AI models thrive where there is abundant data. Football more
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THE WORLD’s largest rocket has flown again, and the uncrewed test flight on March 14th, like the two previous ones, ended in “rapid unscheduled disassembly” (ie, catastrophic explosions). But the upper stage of Starship, built by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company, reached orbit for the first time and completed several test operations before being destroyed
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The human voice, with all its power to mesmerise audiences, woo loved ones and irritate neighbours, is a delicate thing. Each person’s distinctive sound is produced when air from the lungs causes the vocal cords, folds of muscle tissue in the larynx, to vibrate. These vocal cords can easily get damaged by stress, infections, or
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Much like their human owners, dogs are experiencing an obesity epidemic. One recent study of British pooches found that one in 14 is too pudgy, putting them at higher risk of conditions like arthritis, shortening their lifespan and making walks more of a drag. Certain breeds, like Labradors, are particularly prone to fatness. Purebred Labs
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In fiction, hard-pressed pathologists presented with a corpse are able to take a bite of their sandwich and instantly pronounce a time of death. Reality is, of course, a lot messier, and the results—or lack of them—can make or break a case. Now artificial intelligence is offering a helping hand. By analysing thousands of deaths
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GRAPHENE is strong, lightweight, flexible and an excellent conductor of electricity. In the 20 years since it was first isolated at the University of Manchester, however, it has also proved dispiritingly light in useful applications. That is slowly beginning to change, as its remarkable properties keep researchers well-stocked with inspiration. For Krzysztof Koziol at Cranfield
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WHEN A FETUS shows signs of trouble in the womb, doctors face a precarious task. They must find out what is wrong and how to help without jeopardising the pregnancy. Despite sophisticated modern genetic and imaging tests, many questions are difficult to answer—how severe a malformation is, for example, or how a fetus might respond
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The tall grey buildings covering an industrial complex at Nysa, in south-west Poland, look like a modern car factory has been teleported into the surrounding farmland. The plant, though, does not make cars, but it is a new and vital part of the automotive supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs). These rely on batteries containing
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Astronomy is a passive science. Its practitioners usually earn their livings studying what they are given: light and other forms of radiation emitted by stars and nebulae, sometimes after it has bounced off other objects, such as planets. But there is an exception. A small but dedicated band of astronomers is not content with the
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Mach 5 is the new Mach 1. Just as aviators of old sought to break the sound barrier and travel supersonically, the search is now on for reliable and controllable ways to travel “hypersonically”, generally defined as more than five times the speed of sound. While re-entering spacecraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles have rushed through
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“WHERE ARE the islets of Langerhans?” is a trick question that pops up from time to time in quizzes. The answer is to be found not in atlases of geography, but rather in those of anatomy, for the so-called islets are in fact clusters of cells scattered through the pancreas. There they synthesise and release
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LANDING ON THE Moon is difficult. Of the five robotic landers that have made the attempt in the past year, two succeeded and three failed. Both successful landers were sent by national space agencies—those of India and Japan—though the Japanese probe, called SLIM, suffered an engine failure and landed upside down. Luna 25, a lander
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THE HORSE archers of ancient Iran had a trick known as the Parthian shot. When retreating after a charge they were able to twist their bodies around in the saddle and loose a final salvo. That is not a bad description of the announcement made on February 8th by the controllers of the Joint European
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For decades linguists have argued over how children learn language. Some think that babies are born as “blank slates” who pick up language simply from experience—hearing, seeing and playing with the world. Others argue that experience is not enough and that babies’ brains must be hardwired to make acquiring language easy. AI models such as
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