Hello, and welcome to The Edge, the newsletter that brings you groundbreaking stories from the frontiers of technology and science.
We’ve got some great stories for you today including Harvard’s hunt for alien civilisations, sunsets on other planets in our solar system and Apple’s WWDC 2020 announcements. For today’s Start-up Stories we’ll be talking about Skyrora. As always, we’ve added extra stories under each article should you find yourself in a curious state of mind.
Big changes announced by Apple
Apple made some major announcements at this year’s WWDC. Image credit: Apple
Everything from Apple's WWDC 2020: watchOS 7 sleep tracking to Apple Silicon in Macs
Every year, Apple hosts the WWDC, or the Worldwide Developer Conference. The conference is mainly aimed at developers and is Apple’s way of showing the world what they’ve been working on. This year’s edition was a big one, full of major announcements.
While no new devices were shown, Apple announced some important changes and updates. For starters, Apple will stop using Intel chipsets in its Mac lineup, opting instead to use Apple-designed chips. Like the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, Macs will be getting proprietary Apple chips as well. Key features of the upcoming iOS 14 were also announced. The improved operating system will enhance group chats, improve Maps, auto-organise your app collection and make downloading relevant apps far easier. iOS 14 will also add picture-in-picture video viewing. iPad OS 14 will see similar updates, with the addition of features that take better advantage of tablet screens. WatchOS 7 will get sleep tracking, more workout modes and improved watch face customisation.
MacOS 11 Big Sur, the upcoming Mac operating system, will be getting interface refinements and improvements to Finder and the Toolbar. It will also get a Control Center similar to the one on iOS. These announcements, and the others made by Apple are seriously exciting and we can’t wait to see them come to life down the line.
The original iPhone release still gives us goosebumps
Harvard joins the hunt for alien life
Is there anybody out there? Image credit: Jeremy Thomas/Unsplash
NASA Funds Harvard Hunt for Alien “Technological Civilizations”
Harvard and other institutions have put together a team of astronomers to amp up the search for signs of technological civilisations in space. The project is especially interesting as it’s the first to receive a NASA grant for SETI-specific research in over 30 years.
According to Avi Loeb, chair of the Harvard astronomy department, the team will be looking for ‘technosignatures’. Technosignatures are “signatures of advanced alien technologies similar to, or perhaps more sophisticated than, what we possess,” said Loeb. Examples of these signatures would be industrial pollution of atmospheres, solar panels, city lights, satellite swarms or megastructures. Thanks to the growing number of known exoplanets, some of which could harbour life, the search for alien life has never been more promising. The increasing number of exoplanets gives scientists a better idea of ‘where to look’, so to speak.
According to the team, an initial study will scan the skies for signs of solar panels and pollutants on exoplanets, which could be indicators for intelligent life on these planets.
The history of SETI
Amazon’s $2 billion climate fund
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Image credit: Amazon
Amazon creates a $2 billion climate fund, as it struggles to cut its own emissions
Amazon has launched a venture fund of $2 billion which it will invest in companies developing ways to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Amazon says that the fund will focus on start-ups that can help it achieve “net zero” emissions by 2040
Since walkouts last year, Amazon has been under pressure to reduce its environmental footprint as the challenges of global warming continue to grow. As a result, Amazon has pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, which will require it to offset any remaining emissions from its operations through investments in carbon removal projects.
Sunsets in the solar system
The sunset you’re used to. Image credit: Sebastien Gabriel/Unsplash
See a sunset on Uranus, other worlds (and a moon, too) in this NASA simulator
Sunsets are beautiful - on Earth. If you’ve ever wondered what sunsets look like in other parts of the solar system, you’re in luck.
Geronimo Villanueva, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, has created a stunning visualisation of what sunsets would look like in different parts of the solar system, in this beautiful video. The video shows what sunsets would like on Uranus, Earth, Mars, Venus and Saturn's largest moon Titan. While the visualisation is part of a computer modelling tool being built for future missions to Uranus, which may one day be carried through Uranus’ actual atmosphere, the video is still incredible to look at.
Venera and pictures from Venus
Start-up Stories
Skyrora
Image credit: Skyrora Limited
Skyrora is a UK-based space start-up that designs, manufactures and deploys rockets that make it easier for small satellite manufacturers to access space. They also work towards innovating the supply chains that make space exploration possible. Inspired by the space heritage of the UK, Skyrora attempts to engage with the community and launch vehicles that produce minimal carbon footprint.