What's Up: January 2021 [Video] | NASA Solar System Exploration

What's Up for January? Getting close to the Sun, some easy outer-planet spotting, and a chance to catch quick-moving Mercury.

The new year begins with planet Earth at the closest point in its orbit around the Sun, called perihelion, on January 2nd. Now you may have learned in school that Earth orbits a certain distance from the Sun and that its orbit is nearly circular. The average distance from Earth to the Sun is called an astronomical unit, but since our orbit is not a perfect circle, it means sometimes we're a bit closer to the Sun, and sometimes farther away.

Publisher: NASA Solar System Exploration

Author: name

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Mysterious dwarf planet-sized asteroid is hidden in our solar system, study suggests | The

Our solar system appears to be home to a huge and unknown dwarf planet -sized asteroid , according to a new study.

A small shard of meteorite that arrived on Earth in 2008 appears to have come from the asteroid, according to researchers who have studied the sample.

The parent asteroid appears to be roughly the size of Ceres, the dwarf planet is the biggest object in the asteroid belt, the researchers say. It also appears to have been formed around water and under some pressure, they found.

Publisher: The Independent

Date: 2020-12-31T17:07:14.000Z

Author: Andrew Griffin

Twitter: @Independent

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Getting Data about the Solar System: Telescopes and Spacecrafts

Our study of the solar system and the universe changed when Hubble was launched in 1990 and successfully repaired and upgraded in 1993. Hubble's large mirror is 2.4 meters in diameter. That, combined with the fact that the telescope operates in space, where the Earth's atmosphere can't cause any problems, are the important factors in the science revolution that Hubble brought forth.

With Hubble, we've been able to monitor the planets in our solar system, especially at times when spacecraft aren't visiting them for even closer views. With Hubble we've captured pictures of global dust storms on Mars, new storms on Neptune, and even volcanoes on Io. Hubble can also be used to study the atmospheres of extrasolar planets.

Publisher: The Great Courses Daily

Date: 2020-12-30T17:20:00 00:00

Twitter: @TheGreatCourses

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Space: 2021 | Discover Magazine

Food, water, and energy, and information are essential. Everyone deserves fair access to them. That said, devoting just a tiny (truly tiny) portion of the economy to the exploration of space reminds us of the wonder that we are all born with — the sense that we are individuals who belong to a species, a species that belongs to a planet, and a planet that is part of a vast, gorgeous, mysterious universe.

Space exploration also offers its rhythmic certainties. Grand missions require long-term planning and set celestial schedules. Whatever unforeseeable events may happen down here, good or bad, we know that 2021 will offer some grand new adventures up there. Even if there are accidents or malfunctions, the coming year promises to be a banner one in our ongoing peek into the solar system.

Publisher: Discover Magazine

Twitter: @DiscoverMag

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Duke Energy installed major rooftop solar system at Keck Observatory in Hawaii – Daily

Duke Energy's REC Solar completed the world's largest commercial solar system installed at the highest altitude.

The rooftop solar project is at the W. M. Keck Observatory on the Big Island of Hawaii, located near the summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The installation is at an altitude of 13,600 feet.

It is located on the rooftop of Keck Observatory's telescope facility, between the domes of the twin Keck I and Keck II. The system will produce 259.1 MWh of energy each year, which will reduce the observatory's electric power needs by about 10-15 percent.

Publisher: Daily Energy Insider

Date: 2020-12-31T13:30:46 00:00

Twitter: @insider_energy

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In the far future, stellar flybys will completely dismantle the solar system

To the stream of excited follow-up questions that are bound to follow your explanation, you can further explain that the sun itself and the Milky Way will be the culprit. And then you can mention a new study.

The study is titled "The Great Inequality and the Dynamical Disintegration of the Outer solar system." The lead author is Jon Zink, a graduate student in UCLA's Division of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The paper is published in the Astronomical Journal .

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History of the solar nebula from meteorite paleomagnetism | Science Advances

Measuring the magnetic field strength in PPDs therefore offers a unique opportunity to test disk theory with far-reaching implications for planet formation. Thus far, astronomical observations have yet to unambiguously constrain the strength and morphology of magnetic fields in the planet-forming regions of PPDs ( 9 ).

Formation of PPDs from the collapse of prestellar and protostellar cores in molecular clouds is a natural consequence of angular momentum conservation. The subsequent evolution of such a disk into the present-day solar system, in which >99% of the mass is within the Sun and >99% of the angular momentum is carried by the planets, required the inward transfer of mass.

Publisher: Science Advances

Date: 2021-01-01

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Free power: State focusses on solar system - The Hindu

The decision taken by the State government to provide free power to the farm sector is set to become a reality as the ball has already been set in motion. The government invited tenders for the 10,000 MW solar power project on November 30 and received bids from five companies in four weeks, according to an official release.

Officials are now gearing up to open the bids and put them through the process of of reverse tendering. The entire exercise is scheduled to be completed by the end of February, 2021. Care has been taken in preparing the tender documents in compliance with the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Publisher: The Hindu

Date: 2020-12-31T00:42:07 05:30

Author: Staff Reporter

Twitter: @The_Hindu

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Happening on Twitter

Are you up to the challenge of designing your own mission to Mars? Pre-register your class, education group, or f… https://t.co/i4Y2OFTw6a NASA Sat Jan 02 17:55:00 +0000 2021

Well, 2021 certainly started with a bang. Nearly an hour before the first sunrise of the year, the sky over… https://t.co/sclGS259KH DaveDiCello (from Pittsburgh) Fri Jan 01 13:42:36 +0000 2021

Find out what's coming up in January! https://t.co/LMzZNoLl49 soompi (from Worldwide) Sat Jan 02 10:00:01 +0000 2021

Today, Ireland takes up its seat as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council 🇺🇳for the 2021-2022 te… https://t.co/TReUVt5tsi dfatirl (from Dublin, Ireland) Fri Jan 01 11:31:00 +0000 2021

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And here's another article:

Your Stargazing Guide To January 2021: A 'Wolf Moon,' A Five-Planet Finale And Year's Best

January is the best month to go stargazing. Sure, it's cold in the northern hemisphere, but there are just so many special celestial sights to see. That goes triple in 2020, with a three-way planetary conjunction—and a chance to see no less than five planets—as Orion dominates dark skies. 

* * *

The first major meteor shower of 2021 will peak in the early hours of Monday, January 4. However, the Moon will rise just before midnight so it's worth getting outside at 1 p.m or thereabouts to try for some of the estimated 40 "shooting stars" per hour. 

Publisher: Forbes

Date: 2020-12-31

Author: Jamie Carter

Twitter: @forbes

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White House releases planetary protection strategy - SpaceNews

WASHINGTON — The White House released a national strategy for planetary protection Dec. 30, outlining new assessments to prevent terrestrial contamination of other worlds and vice versa.

A third objective seeks to incorporate private sector views on planetary protection issues given the growing capabilities of, and interest by, companies in flying missions to other worlds, in particular Mars. That objective includes work by the government to develop guidelines for authorization and continuing supervision of private sector missions to destinations with planetary protection implications.

Publisher: SpaceNews

Date: 2020-12-30T21:04:09 00:00

Author:

Twitter: @SpaceNews_Inc

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Planet Earth has remained habitable for billions of years 'because of good luck'

Scientists at the University of Southampton have carried out a mass simulation of climate evolution of 100,000 randomly generated planets.

Of these planets, 9 per cent (8,700) were successful at least once but, of those, nearly all (about 8,000) were successful fewer than 50 times out of 100 and most (about 4,500) were successful fewer than 10 times out of 100.

He said: "A continuously stable and habitable climate on Earth is quite puzzling. Our neighbours, Mars and Venus, do not have habitable temperatures, even though Mars once did.

Publisher: inews.co.uk

Date: 2021-01-02T12:35:24 00:00

Twitter: @theipaper

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Bright stars, planetary clusters among highlights in January skies | To Do | wyomingnews.com

Publisher: Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Author: Marcy Curran For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle

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Planetary Society All-Stars Review 2020 Space… | The Planetary Society

A cool device called Time Since Launch (TSL) from CW&T . Pull the pin and it begins counting up to 2,738 years.

* * *

What is the approximate ratio of the average density of Jupiter to the average density of Saturn? In other words, how many times denser is Jupiter than Saturn?

Mat Kaplan: Welcome, and happy new year, everyone. I'm Mat Kaplan of The Planetary Society with more of the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. It's a tradition, four of my colleagues are here with a review of the past year and a look ahead. 2020 wasn't so bad once you got off the surface of our world. Bruce Betts is part of this quartet. He'll stick around for the last What's Up before 2021. We'll offer one of the coolest prizes ever in the new Space Trivia Contest.

Publisher: The Planetary Society

Twitter: @exploreplanets

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‘A Perfect Planet’: David Attenborough talks narrating nature series amid COVID-19

Sir David Attenborough has one of the most recognizable voices in TV history. His calming timbre has been the guiding force of numerous specials, and he’s synonymous with some of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.

The first four episodes explore the power of volcanoes, sunlight, weather and oceans. The final episode in the series looks at the dramatic impact of the world’s newest force of nature — humans — and what can be done to restore our planet’s perfect balance.

Publisher: Global News

Twitter: @globalnews

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Coyne Incident over Charles Mill Lake was most credible UFO sighting of 1973 | Area History |

Coyne Incident over Charles Mill Lake was most credible UFO sighting of 1973 | Area History |

This was a sketch of what Capt. Lawrence J. Coyne and his crew witnessed in the sky over Charles Mill Lake on Oct. 18, 1973.

LOUDONVILLE -- On Oct. 18, 1973, north central ohio residents witnessed strange lights in the sky to the west over Charles Mill Lake.

The next morning they were shocked to hear that they weren't the only ones -- a military helicopter flying near Mansfield also reported the lights in what is now known as the Coyne Incident. According to the Center for UFO Studies, the Coyne Incident is now considered the most credible incident in a wave of sightings in 1973.

Publisher: Richland Source

Author: Kenny Libben Curator Cleo Redd Fisher Museum

Twitter: @richlandsource

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While you're here, how about this:

High-flying balloon seen over Topeka now in Indiana

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The unmanned balloon that had several people looking to the skies on Tuesday has moved out of Kansas and is now in Indiana.

While the balloon is no longer known as a UFO, its point of origin and who launched it are still unknown.

The balloon has a registry of N253TH through the FAA, but public data does not list who it belongs to or what its purpose is.

The balloon was seen over Topeka around noon Tuesday and at last track at 59,000 feet going about 16 kts.

Publisher: https://www.wibw.com

Twitter: @wibw

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Did you see mysterious lights over Manchester, New Hampshire, area? They weren't from a UFO

If you were looking in the skies above Manchester on Tuesday night, you might have seen some strange lights.

WMUR received a lot of phone calls and Facebook messages about the lights, so we decided to check it out for ourselves.

Publisher: WMUR

Date: 2020-09-02T13:26:00Z

Author: KC Downey

Twitter: @WMUR9

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Meteor, asteroid or UFO? Multiple reports of streak of bright light

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Dozens of people reported a possible meteor lighting up the morning sky Wednesday across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

"It became extremely bright and then fizzled out after a half second," one observer wrote from Mason.

"This was a very rare experience that I am happy I got to witness," reads another from Springdale. "It looked like something sparked a fire in the air and then it turned bright blue and fell from the sky."

Publisher: https://www.fox19.com

Date: 2020-09-30T14:43:55.196Z

Author: Jennifer Edwards Baker

Twitter: @FOX19

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In case you are keeping track:

Navy Reports Describe Encounters With Unexplained Flying Objects - The New York Times

Navy fighter pilots reported close encounters with unidentified aerial vehicles, including several dangerously close, in eight incidents between June 27, 2013, and Feb. 13, 2019, according to documents recently released by the Navy.

Two happened on one day, according to one of eight unclassified Navy safety reports released in response to requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act by news outlets, including The New York Times.

Last month the Defense Department authenticated three videos of aerial encounters previously published by The Times, accompanying accounts of Navy pilots who reported such close encounters.

Date: 2020-05-14T22:46:59.000Z

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Thursday is World UFO Day, a day for people to celebrate their beliefs in extra-terrestrials

"The most important thing is that people collectively open their minds to the subject for one day and send out the message mentally that UFOs are welcome on this earth," the website says.

One popular topic among UFO enthusiasts is Area 51, where conspiracy theorists believe the U.S. government stores and hides alien bodies and UFOs.

The U.S. government's official name for Area 51 is the Nevada Test and Training Range, which is a unit of the Nellis Air Force Base. Today, it's used as an open training range for the Air Force.

Publisher: KMGH

Date: 2020-07-02T20:26:29

Twitter: @DenverChannel

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UFO sighting over Oklahoma City explained

KOCO meteorologist Jonathan Conder says the stream of lights over Oklahoma City Wednesday morning was not a UFO, but part of a parade of communication satellites.

Publisher: KOCO

Date: 2020-03-25T16:04:00Z

Author: Jonathan Conder

Twitter: @koconews

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UFO sightings in Oregon and Washington | kgw.com

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Pentagon on Monday officially released three Navy videos of "unidentified" flying objects.

That revelation led us to think about the Pacific Northwest's unique history when it comes to UFOs, which includes some of the most famous reported sightings in United States history.

In 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine " saucer-like aircraft flying in formation " between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in Washington. Arnold estimated the objects were traveling about 1,200 miles per hour.

Publisher: kgw.com

Date: 4/29/2020 4:33:54 AM

Twitter: @KGWNews

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Microsoft Says Russian Hackers Viewed Some of Its Source Code - The New York Times

Microsoft said on Thursday that the far-reaching Russian hack of U.S. government agencies and private corporations had gone further into its network than the company previously understood.

"Our investigation into our own environment has found no evidence of access to production services or customer data," the company said in a blog post . "The investigation, which is ongoing, has also found no indications that our systems were used to attack others."

Date: 2020-12-31T18:02:02.000Z

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Over 100,000 Zyxel firewalls, VPN gateways at hacking risk: Report | Business Standard News

Dutch cybersecurity researchers have discovered backdoor account in over 1 lakh networking devices manufactured by Taiwan-based company Zyxel, that can grant hackers access to those vulnerable devices and put data at risk.

More than 1 lakh Zyxel firewalls, VPN gateways and access point controllers were reported to have been compromised by the hardcoded admin-level backdoor account.

Zyxel has issued a security patch "for the hardcoded credential vulnerability of firewalls and AP controllers recently reported by researchers from Eye Control Netherlands".

Author: IANS

Twitter: @bsindia

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What we know – and still don't – about the worst-ever US government cyber-attack | Hacking | The

Nearly a week after the US government announced that multiple federal agencies had been targeted by a sweeping cyber-attack, the full scope and consequences of the suspected Russian hack remain unknown.

* * *

Here's a look at what we know, and what we still don't, about the worst-ever cyber-attack on US federal agencies.

The hack began as early as March, when malicious code was snuck into updates to a popular software called Orion, made by the company SolarWinds, which provides network-monitoring and other technical services to hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world, including most Fortune 500 companies and government agencies in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Publisher: the Guardian

Date: 2020-12-19T19:57:25.000Z

Author: https www theguardian com profile kari paul https www theguardian com profile lois beckett

Twitter: @guardian

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Hackers swipe IndiGo's internal documents, airline assures minimal impact

There were some segments of data servers that were breached - so, there is a possibility that some internal documents may get uploaded by the hackers on public websites and platforms, IndiGo said

IndiGo on Thursday stated that its servers were targetted by hackers in a cyber attack earlier this month. While the damage was contained and repaired promptly, the hackers were able to access some internal documents related to the airline.

"We would like to make this disclosure that some of our servers were subject to a hacking incident earlier this month. We were able to restore our systems in a very short span of time with minimal impact," IndiGo said.

Date: 2020-12-31T23:21:00 05:30

Twitter: @BT_India

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Many things are taking place:

Social media hacking scams target more people than ever

PITTSBURGH — With so many of us spending more time online during the pandemic, fraudsters are lurking out there, spoofing and hacking social media accounts, trying to trick your friends into giving money and personal information.

Marlo Vena from Kennedy Township recently learned how sneaky and persistent these cybercriminals can be. She got a message through Facebook Messenger that looked like it was from her cousin in California. It said she had good news about a charity helping people during the pandemic.

Publisher: WPXI

Date: 2021-01-01T23:05:09.495Z

Author: Angie Moreschi

Twitter: @WPXI

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Around the World in 2021 Hacker Predictions - Infosecurity Magazine

In five years, Mårten Mickos, CEO at  HackerOne  predicts that we’ll see the first hacker pass the $10 million in earnings mark. With increased competition, he says that bounty prices continue to rise and more and more businesses will be offering these types of programs.  

With such an immense opportunity for innovation, it’s clear that we’re going to need ethical hackers to help secure these advances in technology. We spoke to a few members of the global HackerOne community about what they think is happening in the market and what to expect in 2021 and beyond.  

Publisher: Infosecurity Magazine

Date: 2021-01-01T13:30:00

Author: Dan Raywood

Twitter: @InfosecurityMag

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SolarWinds hack: US agencies investigating hacking of government networks - CNNPolitics

Publisher: CNN

Date: 2020-12-13T22:29:44Z

Author: Brian Fung and Alex Marquardt CNN

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The Best Hacking Build in Cyberpunk 2077 | Screen Rant

Controversies aside , it's hard to deny that there is a whole lot going on in Cyberpunk 2077 . On top of the main story, there are a plethora of side questions, cyberpsychos to apprehend, gangland politics to navigate, and more gigs than you can shake a dildo at .

* * *

There are quite a few ways one can approach engagements with enemy NPCs in Cyberpunk 2077 . V can go in guns-a-blazing, or sneak around using their exceptional arm strength to stealthily snap everyone's neck. Better yet, V can be built as a Netrunner, and use their Quickhacks to wreak havoc on their foes. It's an extremely effective way to approach combat, and a fun one, too. This guide will cover some of the best ways to build V into an unstoppable hacker.

Publisher: ScreenRant

Date: 2021-01-01T17:35:15Z

Twitter: @screenrant

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Happening on Twitter

Microsoft says hackers tied to a massive intrusion of U.S. government agencies and private companies sneaked furthe… https://t.co/MZ3WDfdvUN AP (from Global) Thu Dec 31 21:25:42 +0000 2020

Microsoft says suspected Russian hackers behind a massive US government security breach also viewed some of the com… https://t.co/Wl3SV8ytRT cnnbrk (from Everywhere) Thu Dec 31 20:45:26 +0000 2020

Microsoft admits that hackers behind the #SolarWinds supply chain attack were also able to access a small number of… https://t.co/PaQ1mFyXmq TheHackersNews (from The Internet) Fri Jan 01 04:57:13 +0000 2021

"The investigation, which is ongoing, has also found no indications that our systems were used to attack others."… https://t.co/BDIbgDqjyn EpochTimes (from New York, USA) Fri Jan 01 04:40:01 +0000 2021

2020 will change the way we look at robotics – TechCrunch

When the Waltham, Massachusetts-based startup was acquired by Google in 2013, it was still a carefully cultivated mystery. That the internet's response to the company was largely one of curiosity shaded with discomfort should come as little surprise. Boston Dynamics' primary output from a public relations perspective was viral videos of impressive but imposing quadrupedal robots built with the aid of defense department contracts.

In instances where robotic deployment has been successful, the technology has helped ease the burden on an impacted workforce.

Publisher: TechCrunch

Date: 2020-12-30 12:15:31

Twitter: @techcrunch

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Not to change the topic here:

China’s adaptive robot maker Flexiv raises over $100 million – TechCrunch

As businesses around the world look to automate production lines and supply chains, companies making the robots are attracting great investor interest. The latest to get funded is Flexiv , which closed a Series B round north of $100 million from investors including China’s on-demand services giant Meituan , TechCrunch learned.

The company operates out of several major Chinese cities and California with two-thirds of its staff stationed in China, a common strategy for AI startups helmed by Chinese founders who have worked or studied in the U.S.

Publisher: TechCrunch

Date: 2020-12-30 08:00:36

Twitter: @techcrunch

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Not quite the Terminator, but 'muscle-bound' robots are coming for the Army, Marines

The effort by scientists with the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command, Army Research Laboratory and Duke University and the University of North Carolina is looking first at adding muscle to legged robot joints rather than using actuators, according to an Army Research Laboratory statement.

The combined muscle and robot echoes a line from the 1991 film, "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" when the T-1000 character explains what he is to the young protagonist John Connor shortly after they meet.

Publisher: Army Times

Date: 2020-12-30T19:45:10.792Z

Author: Todd South

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These Boston Dynamics robots can boogie down better than most humans - CNN Video

Publisher: CNN

Date: 2020-12-31T00:12:24Z

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Robots show cool dance moves. 'This is not CGI,' tweets Elon Musk - it s viral - Hindustan Times

In a super cool video, which has now gone viral, a few robots are seen dishing out some really amazing moves while grooving to The Contours’ hit song Do you love me. The stunning dance video was shared on the official YouTube channel of Boston Dynamics, the company that created the robots. It was also re-shared on Twitter by entrepreneur Elon Musk who, in the post’s caption, wrote that the video is not created using CGI and shows real robots.

The video show four robots performing choreographed moves. If reading that left you surprised wait till you see the video. This a little over two-minute-long clip is so fun to watch that you may want to play it on a loop.

Publisher: Hindustan Times

Date: 2021-12-31T18:07:30 05:30

Twitter: @httweets

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Rise of the Robots? What to expect from tech in 2021 - CGTN

Robotics is one trend which we are likely to see more of in 2021 and beyond. According to the International Federation of Robotics, global sales of robotic services amounted to more than $17 billion in 2019, but sales are forecast to top $55 billion by 2023.

One company to look out for is Extend Robotics, a UK-based start-up which receives funding from the UK government's innovation fund. Extend Robotics has created a robotic arm which is controlled using VR and a hand-held console. It means someone can control the arm from hundreds of miles away.

Twitter: @CGTNOfficial

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Automation nation: 9 robotics predictions for 2021 | ZDNet

The pandemic has offered challenges and a major opportunity to robotics firms in the logistics and grocery spaces. Unforeseen stresses to supply chains and runs on products have emphasized the need for greater supply chain efficiencies. Workforce constraints due to safety protocols and illness have also hammered various sectors.

The lessons of 2020 can help us read the tea leaves for the priorities and trends in the robotics sector in 2021. Predictions are always to be taken with a grain of salt, but this year's batch come with the benefit of a lot of hindsight and hand wringing.

Publisher: ZDNet

Author: Greg Nichols

Twitter: @ZDNet

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Soft robots: Why they have NASA, doctors, and techies excited | Fortune

Publisher: Fortune

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Happening on Twitter

1/ New Year rhymes with Hope!💫 2020 saw largest crisis communication exercise in history of @EU_Commission. Pdt… https://t.co/eCa6WcpCHZ PiaAhrenkilde (from Brussels, Belgium) Thu Dec 31 13:18:55 +0000 2020

Air fares, destinations and cabin layouts: Here's how coronavirus will change the way we fly https://t.co/ipJSzbhvrI business (from New York and the World) Fri Jan 01 20:59:03 +0000 2021

Astronomers Discover Mysterious Radio Signal From Proxima Centauri | Smart News |

Scientists detected a mysterious radio signal from a nearby galaxy, which begs the question—could it be aliens?

The scientists behind the discovery explain that there are several potential non-alien explanations for the strange signal. But they have yet to find a terrestrial culprit and have not yet ruled out an extraterrestrial intelligence origin story.

“It has some particular properties that caused it to pass many of our checks, and we cannot yet explain it,” Andrew Siemion, Breakthrough Listen’s principal investigator, tells Jonathan O’Callaghan and Lee Billings for Scientific American .

Publisher: Smithsonian Magazine

Author: Claire Bugos

Twitter: @smithsonianmag

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Not to change the topic here:

Feds probing whether Nashville bomber believed in lizard people conspiracy

Since Saturday, authorities have been examining Warner's digital devices — which an official said includes a significant trove of pictures, videos and writings — looking for any clues to what drove the man to set off a powerful bomb inside his recreational vehicle, which took down communications networks and injured several people in downtown Nashville.

Specifically, investigators are looking into the suspect's previous trips to an undisclosed location in Tennessee where he would camp out in his recreational vehicle and, according to the suspect's statements to others, hunt possible aliens, the officials said.

Publisher: NBC News

Date: Wed Dec 30 2020 17:35:00 GMT 0000 UTC

Twitter: @NBCNews

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Sykesville residents Dan and Kat Eckhart peer into future, unveil predictions for 2021 - Carroll

For those curious or concerned about what the new year has in store for us, fear not ― a husband and wife tandem has put their minds together just in time.

Sykesville residents Dan and Kat Eckhart recently unveiled their predictions for 2021, and they say they feel confident the calendar's turn will be a positive one.

The Carroll County couple dabbles in many aspects of magic and mysticism, from mind-reading and mentalism to seances and psychic readings. The Eckharts provide entertainment for private parties and events, and they garnered publicity in February 2019 by predicting some of the headlines in the Carroll County Times .

Publisher: baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll

Date: AAC9C18F70AC386BC4DCF4DDF9BF1786

Author: Pat Stoetzer

Twitter: @CCTNews

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5 Things To Know On Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Jones has questioned the state COVID-19 dashboard that she helped create and has since created her own. Since her firing, she has lit up social media with posts criticizing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and his state agencies.

Palm Beach County's health director is expecting COVID-19 cases to continue climbing locally throughout the holiday season and into next year as it'll likely be between April and June before the general public has access to a vaccine.

Publisher: WPTV

Date: 2020-12-09T11:42:33.166

Author: https www wptv com victoria lewis

Twitter: @WPTV

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New supercluster discovered by astronomers

Now, a group of astronomers led by Vittorio Ghirardini of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany, reports the discovery of a new supercluster. The structure was identified by the eFEDS survey during its Performance Verification (PV) phase.

"We analyze the 140 deg 2 eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS) field, observed during the Performance Verification phase to a nominal depth of about 2.3 ks. In this field, we detect a previously unknown supercluster," the astronomers wrote in the paper.

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Year in review: Science and technology - Going viral | Science & technology | The Economist

Pre-eminent though covid-19 was in the stories we reported during 2020, however, it was by no means the only one of scientific and technological interest. And, in the long term, some of the others may be equally, if not more important.

The development of new energy technologies that might help curb global warming by reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, for example, continues apace. Batteries good enough to consign the internal-combustion engine to the history books by the pull of demand rather than the push of regulation are close at hand ( here , and also here ). And the use of hydrogen as a means of storing and transporting energy, in parallel with electricity, is also gathering support ( here , and also here ).

Publisher: The Economist

Twitter: @TheEconomist

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China's spacecraft brings home moon samples - Xinhua | English.news.cn

The return capsule of China's Chang'e-5 probe touched down on Earth in the early hours of Dec. 17, 2020, bringing back the country's first samples collected from the moon, as well as the world's freshest lunar samples in over 40 years. (Xinhua/Meng Lijing)

The spacecraft landed in Siziwang Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, at 1:59 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

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It marks a successful conclusion of China's current three-step lunar exploration program of orbiting and landing, and bringing back samples, which began in 2004.

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Hutchins’ year in review: Here's what happened in Colorado's media world in 2020 –

Dumpster fire, clown show, a glitch in the simulation, whatever you want to call it, 2020 was a kind of something else we should have seen from the start. 

A few months later there was more to worry about than our privacy, the vulnerability of our nuclear arsenal , or extraterrestrials — so we kinda sorta just let that one go. Looking back at it now, my goodness, if that was the most unbelievable thing to happen in 2020 it would have been fine by me. 

Publisher: The Colorado Sun

Twitter: @coloradosun

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