The Selenverse Issue Six

Hey explorers! Get ready for an adventure through technology and space. I'm Selen, your guide. This newsletter will keep you updated on the latest advancements and discoveries in these fields.

Breaking News from the Frontiers of Technology and Space:

->?What happened to the Voyager 1 mission?

?In November 2023, Voyager 1, the farthest human-made object in space, began transmitting gibberish instead of its usual data stream. This continued for over five months, causing significant concern for NASA's Voyager 1 mission team.

The issue originated from malfunctioning the probe's Flight Data Subsystem (FDS) memory. Approximately 3% of this memory was found to be corrupted, causing the FDS not to function correctly. The major challenge was communicating a solution over the vast distance—Voyager 1 is currently around 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) from Earth, resulting in a 22.5-hour signal delay each way.

NASA engineers sent a command to the probe's backup system, transmitting a full memory readout to Earth. This confirmed the memory corruption and allowed the team to develop a fix. In April 2024, after months of silence, the probe began transmitting precise data again, marking a success for the mission team.

->?Astronomers finally detect a rocky planet with an atmosphere!?

The Discovery:??Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a powerful new space observatory, to detect the atmosphere surrounding a rocky planet. This planet, 55 Cancrie, is located about 40 light-years away and orbits a star very similar to our Sun.

Super-Earth:??55 Cancri e is classified as a "super-Earth," meaning it's more extensive and massive than Earth but smaller than gas giants like Neptune. While the exact size isn't confirmed yet, it's estimated to be two times Earth's diameter.

Inhospitable Atmosphere:?The JWST data suggests the presence of a substantial atmosphere, but it's likely composed of gases like carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, making it very different from Earth's breathable atmosphere. The planet orbits exceptionally close to its star, leading to scorching surface temperatures. It is likely unsuitable for life as we know it.

Significance:?Although Earth is not a potential home for life, this discovery is a significant step forward. This discovery is a major step forward in identifying and characterizing the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets, paving the way for future discoveries of habitable worlds. Scientists believe studying these atmospheres will provide valuable insights into their formation and evolution.

-> Google I/O just took place! What are the most exciting updates from the event for Android? Let's take a look.

Android's built-in AI assistant, Gemini, is getting brighter!?Gemini now has improved phone usage understanding based on the app and content on your screen. You can use Gemini on top of other apps, drag and drop images into emails or messages, and ask questions about YouTube videos. Advanced users can also ask questions about PDFs without manual scrolling. This update will be available on hundreds of millions of devices in the next few months. More improvements are expected, with Gemini offering more suggestions based on what's on your screen.

Android leads the way?with built-in AI processing on devices, meaning information stays private and works without an internet connection. Pixel phones will soon have the newest version, Gemini Nano with Multimodality. This allows your phone to understand text and what you see, hear, and say.

Good news for visually impaired users!

An update to TalkBack on Android phones will incorporate Gemini Nano to provide more detailed image descriptions, making it easier for visually impaired users to understand unlabeled images. This update will work quickly and even without an internet connection.

Search anything on your phone easily:?Circle to Search lets you search for information about anything you see on your phone screen with a simple gesture without leaving the app you're in. Since its launch, Circle to Search has gained new features like full-screen translation and is now available on more Pixel and Samsung devices. A new update allows students to circle math and physics word problems to get step-by-step solutions directly on their phones or tablets. Circle to Search will soon tackle even more challenging problems involving formulas, diagrams, and graphs. This advancement is powered by an initiative called LearnLM, which focuses on improving Google models and products for learning purposes. Circle to Search is already on over 100 million devices, and Google plans to double that number by the end of the year.

They announced the new Gemini 1.5 Pro!

Gemini Advanced subscribers can now enjoy new features and capabilities, including a longer context window, enhanced data analysis features, increased integration with Google Apps, analyzing documents up to 1,500 pages long, understanding codebases with more than 30,000 lines, creating visualizations of user-uploaded data, interacting via chat or voice commands, compatibility with Google Messages, and future capabilities such as understanding natural speech interruptions, designing custom itineraries, assisting with planning complex tasks, and creating custom versions called Gems.

-> This week's book recommendation coming from me to help you celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month.

Mental health is a topic I'm passionate about, and soon, I will announce a new thing I'm launching that focuses on this topic more until the end of May! Stay tuned.?

For this week's book recommendation from me as a fellow anxiety survivor, Anxiety Rebalance by Carl Vernon

He wrote: "Throughout the fifteen years I battled with anxiety and depression, I was constantly looking for a cure – until I realized I was looking for answers that didn't exist. Don't waste another minute."?- Carl Vernon.

After reading that, I was already hooked on this book, and it was worth it.?

He first discusses unmasking conditions and understanding how to manage them. Then, he gives you new techniques for immediate calmness and helps you control panic attacks, social anxiety, and OCD. Finally, he discusses how balance is the key to overcoming fear.

Plus, his 10-step action plan empowers you to achieve lifelong freedom from anxiety and depression.

This approach is different. It's about finding balance and taking control of your own life. So, if you are also dealing with these issues, give this book a go!

Let's Engage!

This newsletter thrives on your participation! Do you have a burning question about the latest tech breakthroughs or a thought-provoking inquiry regarding the mysteries of the cosmos? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, and let's spark a dynamic discussion.

Connect with the Cosmos:

Connect with me on LinkedIn to stay on top of the latest developments and engage with a community of passionate space and tech enthusiasts.

Thank you for joining me on this inaugural voyage. Remember, exploration is a continuous journey, and together, we can unlock the boundless potential of technology and space exploration. Until next week, keep your eyes on the stars and your curiosity ignited!