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Mar 30, 2022

Pixxel raises $25 million for hyperspectral imaging constellation

Posted by in category: satellites

TAMPA, Fla. — Indian startup Pixxel said March 28 it has raised $25 million for a hyperspectral imaging constellation that plans to deploy its first satellite this week.

Canadian early-stage investor Radical Ventures led the Series A round, bringing Pixxel’s total funding to $33 million to date.

Awais Ahmed, Pixxel’s CEO and co-founder, said proceeds will support plans to launch two satellites this year and six in early 2023 for the constellation.

Mar 29, 2022

VPNs are digital ‘snake oil,’ expert claims — here’s why

Posted by in category: security

Here’s the true pros and cons of VPNs.


Don’t believe all the exaggerated claims that VPNs make about protecting your privacy and security, experts say.

Mar 29, 2022

Cute Oscilloscope Uses LEDs For Display

Posted by in category: media & arts

Oscilloscopes were once commonly called CROs, for the fact that they relied on cathode ray tubes for display. Since then, technology has moved quickly, and oscilloscopes these days almost entirely rely on modern screens like LCDs. However, [lonesoulsurfer] went a different route with this fun DIY build, creating an oscilloscope with a low-resolution LED display.

Yes, the signals are shown on a 10×10 matrix made up of red LEDs. The individual pixels look nicely diffused and chunky thanks to the fact that [lonesoulsurfer] was able to source square 5mm LEDs for the build. The whole project only uses four ICs – a decade counter and a LM3914 LED driver to run the display, a 555 timer for clock input, and an LM386 op-amp for amplifying incoming signals.

Continue reading “Cute Oscilloscope Uses LEDs For Display” »

Mar 29, 2022

Artificial intelligence beats eight world champions at bridge

Posted by in categories: entertainment, robotics/AI

Only surprised there are games left for AI to beat people at.


Victory marks milestone for AI as bridge requires more human skills than other strategy games.

Mar 29, 2022

A group of crypto enthusiasts bought a 1.1-square-mile private island between Australia and Fiji which is part of the republic of Vanuatu — to be renamed Satoshi Island

Posted by in category: blockchains

Parcels on Satoshi Island will be sold as NFTs.

Over 50,000 people have applied to live there so far.

1. No capital gains tax.
2. No withholding tax.
3. No death tax.

Mar 29, 2022

NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope will be able to sniff out methane. Here’s how to tell if it’s a sign of life

Posted by in category: space

Researchers lay out a framework explaining how methane could be a biosignature rather than a false alarm.


If an exoplanet’s atmosphere contains methane, that could be a sign of life — as long as planetary conditions meet certain criteria. The framework for those conditions has now been established in a new study by researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Mar 29, 2022

A group of crypto enthusiasts bought a 1.1-square-mile

Posted by in category: blockchains

A group of crypto enthusiasts bought a 1.1-square-mile private island between Australia and Fiji which is part of the republic of Vanuatu — to be renamed Satoshi Island. Parcels on Satoshi Island will be sold as NFTs.

Over 50,000 people have applied to live there so far.

1. No capital gains tax.
2. No withholding tax.
3. No death tax.

Mar 29, 2022

Look: 9 exoplanets that hold the most potential for alien life

Posted by in category: alien life

Some planets are more likely to be habitable than others.


Over 5,000 exoplanets have been confirmed outside our Solar System, yet only a handful are suspected to host life. Here are 9 top contenders.

Mar 29, 2022

Honeybee and the Blot

Posted by in category: space

My science fiction short story has been reprinted by Metastellar. The piece previously appeared in Theme of Absence magazine. It’s a quick read, but it packs a punch, so I encourage you to check it out!


An unusual rendezvous takes place in outer space. The synthetic creature known as Honeybee brings a young man’s soul to her lover, an entity called the Blot. Yet Honeybee begins to question her rel…

Mar 29, 2022

The Long Goodbye to Saturn’s Rings

Posted by in category: space travel

The planet’s defining feature is slowly disappearing.