Hundreds of unknown species were discovered in 2023

 Hundreds of unknown species were discovered around the world in 2023

Nearly 1,000 new species were discovered in 2023 by scientists at London’s Natural History Museum and the California Academy of Sciences, proving that Earth is still home to many unexplored wonders. The discoveries were made during a year that marks the 50th anniversary of the US Endangered Species Act, which offers protections for threatened plants and animals and has helped save hundreds of species, according to Scott Sampson, California Academy of Sciences executive director. “Yet a million more species remain imperilled due to human-driven activities like habitat destruction, climate change, and pollution,” Sampson said. “We must document the Earth’s living diversity so that we can work to protect it, and the California Academy of Sciences is honoured to take part in this critical global effort.” The diverse list of 968 new species includes previously unknown dinosaurs and extinct creatures, beetles, moths, sea slugs, geckos, fish, frogs, spiders, plants, fungi, worms and a legless skink.

The incredible discoveries and scientific feats of 2023 prove just how far curiosity and wonder can take humanity. Archaeological findings allowed researchers to take intriguing steps into the past and reveal more about our mysterious ancestors and creatures who roamed the planet before humans. At the same time, technological advancements enabled scientists to make daring leaps forward in how we understand the vast expanse of the universe and our little cosmic neighbourhood within it. Each week brought new marvels and insights, along with dozens of pinch-me moments and awe-inspiring views of the cosmos once invisible to the human eye. In this golden age of scientific discovery, we never take the ability to solve mysteries and gain new knowledge for granted so we can better understand how to protect this extraordinary world.

Pest controlling-wasps

Scientists will likely recall 2023 as the year of the wasp. Of the 815 new species described by Natural History Museum researchers this year, 619 of them were different types of pollinating, predatory and parasitic wasps. The extraordinary number of discoveries was boosted by the work of Dr. John Noyes and Christer Hansson, scientific associates at the Natural History Museum, who are conducting ongoing research to uncover bees, ants and wasps in Costa Rica. Dalek nationi is a new species of wasp from Costa Rica named after the Daleks from the British TV series "Doctor Who". “It is important to keep describing new species because many will have a profound influence on their environment and without knowing what to call them, we cannot convey any information about them,” Noyes said. Some of the new wasp species showcase a variety of metallic hues, including blue, purple and orange. And while wasps may seem like nuisances armed with stingers, the insects help control populations of pests that can plague agricultural crops. “In the past 60 years or so, three species have been incredibly important. One in preventing the possible starvation of up to 300 million people in Africa, a second preventing the rainforest from destruction in Thailand, and another the collapse of the economy of Togo,” Noyes said.

Nearly 1,000 new species were found across the globe in 2023, adding significantly to the tree of life and illuminating how much biodiversity is waiting to be found on Earth. Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences and London’s Natural History Museum uncovered hundreds of creatures and plants from the bottom of the ocean to an isolated peak in Angola. The majority of newfound species were insects — including metallic-hued wasps named after “Doctor Who” characters that help eliminate agricultural pests. And scientists found unusual creatures such as a rare type of silent frog and a gecko that shoots goo out of its tail. As the climate crisis continues, scientists are racing to identify species in an attempt to protect them before they disappear.

Puzzling plants

Scientists from the National Polytechnic Institute in Durango, Mexico, worked with Academy of Sciences researchers to study a rare succulent in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range. The plant, which grows out of the side of cliffs, has long been known to the local O’dam Indigenous community. The O’dam people refer to the plant with bald leaves and stems as da’npakal, which means bald, naked or slippery in their language. Pachyphytum odam is a succulent that grows out of steep cliffsides.  Researchers have named the succulent Pachyphytum odam to maintain the connection between the plant and the community living on the land where it grows.

Meanwhile, scientists solved a case of mistaken identity for a flowering plant in Costa Rica. For more than 150 years, the plant was thought to belong to a similar but separate species in Mexico. The newly identified plant, Stenostephanus purpureus, is different from a plant called Stenostephanus silvaticus found in Mexico. The flowers are different colours, and the Costa Rican plant is missing a flat petal often called a landing pad for butterflies and other insects as they collect pollen. Instead, hummingbirds likely pollinated Stenostephanus purpureus. “I never questioned the identification of the Costa Rican specimens, not until I did a side-by-side comparison with images of living plants from Mexico,” said Academy of Sciences researcher Ricardo Kriebel. “The differences between the two are subtle when you’re working with dead, dry specimens from collections.”

Legless lizard

A new species of legless lizard was found slithering along the slopes of Serra da Neve, the second-tallest mountain in Angola. Legless lizards, known as skinks, resemble snakes, hiding among leaves on the forest floor to hunt for insects and other small prey. Skinks differ from snakes in that they have external ear openings and movable eyelids. While most skinks are uniform in colour, the newly described Acontias mukwando has a pink ring around its neck. Serra da Neve provides a unique ecosystem to the unusual plants and animals that only are found living on the isolated peak. The mountain is on the northern edge of the Namib Desert and has a cool, humid environment. “Each new species we describe from this mountain — and others like it — is evidence that places like these deserve some sort of conservation consideration,” Academy of Sciences research associate Aaron Bauer said. “We’re still finding new species on these isolated ‘islands,’ which tells us it’s not too late for protection.”

Past Discoveries

Natural History Museum researchers identified four new species of extinct birds by studying fossils, including those that lived during the time of dinosaurs. One of the most intriguing discoveries of the year was Kumimanu fordycei, the largest penguin that ever existed on Earth. The flightless birds lived 60 million years ago and weighed an estimated 330 pounds (150 kilograms).

A previously unknown type of armoured dinosaur species was also found on the Isle of Wight. Known as Dinosaur Island, the Isle of Wight is considered one of the best places to find dinosaur fossils in the UK.

The ankylosaur, which lived on the island 140 million years ago, was named Vectipelta barretti in honour of Natural History Museum professor Paul Barrett.

“Paul is incredibly influential in our discipline,” said Dr. Susannah Maidment, a paleontologist at the museum who studied the new species. “He is incredibly high profile and has contributed an enormous amount to the field. But he’s also had an absolutely enormous influence on all of our careers, and we wanted to thank him for that. So we decided to name a small, slow-moving, spikey organism after him.”

Researchers also named an ancient fungus after beloved children’s book author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. The 400-million-year-old Potteromyces asteroxylicola, found infecting the roots of fossilized plants, is the earliest known disease-causing fungus. 

The field of study sounds like the basis of “Jurassic Park,” but scientists are using it to raise awareness of the rise of once dormant viruses as the climate crisis causes permafrost to thaw for the first time in centuries. Resurrection biology is also being used in the search for pharmaceutical solutions by studying the genetic proteins of our ancient ancestors. DNA of living animals today contains all the information about their ancestors (in the) past, so it’s like a time capsule.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+

  Redmi Note 13 Pro+ Teaser Page With Interesting Details

Xiaomi is ready to revolutionize the smartphone market once again with the highly anticipated launch of the Redmi Note 13 series on 4 Jan 23. This series builds upon its earlier success in China, where it was unveiled back in September, and aims to deliver an exceptional mobile experience to users. The series encompasses three models: Redmi Note 13 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. The Redmi Note 13 series consists of three impressive models: Redmi Note 13 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. All of these devices boast magnificent 6.67-inch 1.5K full-HD+ AMOLED panels, ensuring vivid and immersive visuals for users. Additionally, they feature 16-megapixel front cameras, which promise stunning selfies and video calls.

Redmi Note 13 Series Key Details 

One model that’s generating a lot of buzz is the Redmi Note 13 Pro+. A microsite for this device has recently gone live and indicating its imminent availability. The teaser page reveals some exciting features, including a breath taking 1.5K curved screen with Corning Gorilla Victus protection, an impressive IP68 rating for dust and splash resistance, and the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra chipset. These specifications make it clear that the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is a powerhouse.

Moreover, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is set to support 120W wired HyperCharge connectivity, promising an impressive full charge from zero to 100% in just 19 minutes. Say goodbye to long charging times and hello to convenience and efficiency. The camera capabilities of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ are equally impressive, featuring a 200-megapixel rear camera unit equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS) and HDR support. This device is expected to offer an exceptional photography experience to users. Whether you are capturing breath taking landscapes or documenting special moments with friends and loved ones, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ will undoubtedly exceed expectations.

It’s worth noting that this variant of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is expected to share many specifications with its Chinese counterpart. This means that users can anticipate a high-quality display, powerful performance, and exceptional camera capabilities. The Chinese version, running on Android 13-based MIUI 14, boasts a 6.7-inch full-HD+ AMOLED panel, a 16-megapixel front camera, and a powerful 200-megapixel primary sensor at the back, complemented by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. With a robust 5,000mAh battery supporting 120W HyperCharge, the device promises swift charging capabilities.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ in China is available in Black, Silver, and White colour options. Pricing for the Chinese market starts at CNY 1,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant, while the 12GB + 512GB and 16GB + 512GB options are listed at CNY 2,199 and CNY 2,299 respectively. With its cutting-edge features, sleek design, and competitive pricing, Xiaomi’s new series is poised to make a significant impact and establish itself as a game-changer in the industry. Prepare to be amazed by the Redmi Note 13 series and get ready to elevate your mobile experience to new heights.

Android Auto Update

 The Number One Android Auto Update Launched 

We're literally only a few hours away from the start of New Year celebrations around the world, and  look at Android Auto and struggle to remember the updates the application received in 2023. While the biggest update is the most obvious one, it's clear that 2023 didn't bring too many changes to the Android Auto world. The much-anticipated Android Auto has finally landed, and the best part is no more exclusive beta programs. Now available to all users, this update brings a fresh perspective to the familiar interface, promising an enhanced driving experience. Here we will explore the key features of Android Auto, with a particular focus on the visually striking changes it introduces.

We do know that big things are coming to Android Auto users, including phone wallpaper syncing, mobile device OEM icon support, and a disconnect button for wireless connections, but the production channel barely received any changes this year. Aside from the biggest transformation of Android Auto, that is. Its name is Coolwalk, and its rollout was received with much enthusiasm by users worldwide. One of the most noticeable alterations in Android Auto lies in its iconography. For years, users have been accustomed to circular icons, but with this latest update, the once steadfast design principle has evolved. Icons now adapt to the shape of your phone, introducing a level of customization that adds a personal touch to your in-car display. For example, users with OnePlus phones will encounter square icons with rounded corners, while Samsung users will notice a squircle, blending the elements of a square and a circle. 

While it technically started rolling out in December 2022, Google officially announced it in January this year after missing the original release target by approximately six months. The search giant wanted to launch Coolwalk in the summer of 2022, but it needed more time to polish the interface and prepare it for prime time. Coolwalk started showing up for users in the production channel in late 2022, with the rollout gaining pace beginning in January. Google used a server-side switch to enable the new feature for Android Auto users, and waiting for the update. While Material influence You on Android Auto’s design is yet to be fully realized, it holds the promise of a more cohesive and personalized visual language. The Material You design philosophy, which adapts colours and styles based on user preferences, is expected to bring a refreshing and harmonious look to Android Auto, aligning it with the broader Android ecosystem.

Ensuring you’re making the most of Android Auto involves a simple update process:-

Start by checking your current Android Auto version, as updates may occur stealthily in the background.

If you’re not on Android Auto yet, head to Google Play, tap on your profile picture. Then select “Manage apps & device,” and hit “Update All.”

If the update remains elusive, consider visiting the Android Auto page on APKMirror. Download the file to your phone and open it using the package installer. Follow the on-screen prompts and when prompted, press “Update.”

Maintaining your Android Auto app up to date is crucial, even if the visible changes seem limited. Google likely includes internal optimizations and improvements that contribute to the overall performance. 

Coolwalk 

Google has never referred to the new interface as "Coolwalk," but the internal codename eventually became the name everybody used to describe the update. Compared to the previous Android Auto interface, Coolwalk introduces a new screen whose role is to divide the UI into multiple cards. If you used the CarPlay Dashboard, you probably found Coolwalk very familiar. Each card on the screen is assigned to a certain app category, namely navigation, music players, and phone calls. It's a clever way to have more than one app on the screen, regardless of the display's dimensions, resolution and aspect ratio.

Infotainment units sporting a portrait orientation also received a weather card to display the current temperature and conditions. Google also promised to look into ways to bring the same card to landscape screens. Coolwalk completely transformed the way we use Android Auto, as it's now more convenient to keep multiple apps on the same screen at all times. Coolwalk eliminates the need for toggling between apps, so overall, it reduces the driver's distraction. Users who want to switch to full-screen mode can just tap the app and let it switch from the Coolwalk view to using the entire screen. All big apps have been updated to support Coolwalk, including Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Sygic's GPS Navigation. It doesn't mean the work on Coolwalk should be considered complete. Coolwalk occasionally feels like a work in progress, including when it comes to weather information. The status bar at the top of the screen has been removed, with all information but weather data moved to the bottom. 

Other updates

While Coolwalk was nearly the only notable update received by Android Auto in 2023, Google also shipped several related refinements to improve the experience behind the wheel. The Google Maps interface update is already live for all users. It's probably a matter of time until everybody gets used to it. Google Maps also received a quiet update to save the parking location when running on Android Auto. If you navigate to a location and can't find a parking place in front of the address, Google Maps can save the parking spot when you shut down the engine. If you must walk from the car to the address you configured in Google Maps for navigation, the application can offer step-by-step walking directions to the entrance. When you get back to the car, Google Maps can assist you as you walk towards the vehicle.

Bigger things are coming to Android Auto users in 2024, including the features mentioned above and possibly other goodies the search giant is working on. The company likely used 2023 for an interface update, with 2024 to witness the debut of a feature overhaul. Fingers crossed for the Android Auto transformation to continue, especially because carmakers have started investing in software, as they want to turn the infotainment into a money-making machine.

Conclusion

Android Auto signifies a step forward in the evolution of in-car connectivity. Offering users a visually refreshed experience and the promise of future enhancements. While some anticipated features are still on the horizon, the revamped icons showcase Google’s commitment to adapting the platform to varying device designs. Keep your Android Auto updated, embrace the changes and stay tuned for what the future updates might bring to further enhance your driving experience.

NASA mission lines up to 'touch the Sun'

 NASA's Parker Solar Probe lines up to 'touch the Sun', Bringing New Discoveries

It promises to be a remarkable moment in the history of space exploration. A year from now, on 24 December, NASA's Parker Solar Probe will race past the Sun at the astonishing speed of 195 km/s, or 435,000 mph. No human-made object will have moved so fast nor, indeed, got so close to our star - just 6.1 million km, or 3.8 million miles from the Sun's "surface". "We are basically almost landing on a star," said Parker project scientist Dr Nour Raouafi. "This will be a monumental achievement for all humanity. This is equivalent to the Moon landing of 1969," the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory scientist said. Parker's speed will come from the immense gravitational pull it feels as it falls towards the Sun. It will be akin to flying from New York to London in under 30 seconds. Parker will make the closest ever approach.

The US space agency's Parker Solar Probe is one of the most audacious missions ever conceived. Launched in 2018, it has the goal of making repeated, and ever closer, passes of the Sun. The late 2024 manoeuvre will take Parker to just 4% of the Sun-Earth distance (149 million km/93 million miles). The challenge Parker faces in doing this will be huge. At perihelion, the point in the probe's orbit nearest the the star, the temperature on the front of the spacecraft will probably reach 1,400C. Parker's strategy is to get in quick and get out quick, making measurements of the solar environment with a suite of instruments deployed from behind a thick heat shield.

“Parker Solar Probe “touching the Sun” is a monumental moment for solar science and a truly remarkable feat,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Not only does this milestone provide us with deeper insights into our Sun’s evolution and its impacts on our solar system, but everything we learn about our own star also teaches us more about stars in the rest of the universe.”

The reward, researchers hope, will be breakthrough knowledge on some key solar processes. Chief among these is a clearer explanation of the workings of the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere. Parker will be sitting in the corona, which is only visible to us on Earth during a total solar eclipse. It experiences what seems to be counter-intuitive superheating. The temperature of the Sun at its photosphere, the surface, is roughly 6,000C but within the corona it can reach a staggering million degrees and more.

You'd think temperature would decrease with distance from the star's nuclear core. It's also within the corona region that the outward flow of charged particles, electrons, protons and heavy ions, suddenly gets accelerated into a supersonic wind moving at 400 km/s, or 1,000,000 mph. Parker has a sideways-looking camera to detect light scattered off particles in the Sun's corona. Scientists still can't fully explain this either. But it's critical to improving forecasts of solar behaviour and the phenomenon of "space weather". The latter refers to the powerful eruptions of particles and magnetic fields from the Sun that can degrade communications on Earth and even knock over power grids. The radiation also poses health risks to astronauts.

As it circles closer to the solar surface, Parker is making new discoveries that other spacecraft were too far away to see, including from within the solar wind – the flow of particles from the Sun that can influence us at Earth. In 2019, Parker discovered that magnetic zig-zag structures in the solar wind, called switchbacks, are plentiful close to the Sun. But how and where they form remained a mystery.  "This takes on a new dimension, especially now that we're thinking of sending women and men back to the Moon and even setting up a permanent presence on the lunar surface," Dr Raouafi said. Parker's knowledge will inform space weather forecasters for future crewed Moon missions. Parker made one of its close approaches to the Sun on Friday. It has three more planned in 2024 before it then swings around Venus on 6 November to help bend its orbit and make 24 December a historic occasion. Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018 to explore the mysteries of the Sun by traveling closer to it than any spacecraft before. 

Unlike Earth, the Sun doesn’t have a solid surface. But it does have a superheated atmosphere, made of solar material bound to the Sun by gravity and magnetic forces. As rising heat and pressure push that material away from the Sun, it reaches a point where gravity and magnetic fields are too weak to contain it. The point is known as the Alfvén critical surface, marks the end of the solar atmosphere and beginning of the solar wind. Solar material with the energy to make it across that boundary becomes the solar wind, which drags the magnetic field of the Sun with it as it races across the solar system, to Earth and beyond. Importantly, beyond the Alfvén critical surface, the solar wind moves so fast that waves within the wind cannot ever travel fast enough to make it back to the Sun – severing their connection. Until now, researchers were unsure exactly where the Alfvén critical surface lay. Based on remote images of the corona, estimates had put it somewhere between 10 to 20 solar radii from the surface of the Sun – 4.3 to 8.6 million miles. Parker’s spiral trajectory brings it slowly closer to the Sun and during the last few passes, the spacecraft was consistently below 20 solar radii (91 percent of Earth’s distance from the Sun), putting it in the position to cross the boundary – if the estimates were correct.

The head of science at NASA is Dr Nicky Fox. She was the lead scientist on Parker before taking up her current role. She said the major plus of the 24 December flyby would be the length of time the probe got to sit in the corona, far longer than on any previous pass. "We don't know what we'll find, but we'll be looking for waves in the solar wind associated with the heating," she said. "I suspect we'll sense lots of different types of waves which would point to a mix of processes that people have been arguing over for years." The coming year will be the apex of Parker's mission; it won't be able to get any closer to the Sun beyond December, not least because its orbit will no longer afford swing bys of Venus to train its trajectory onto an even tighter path. But to go any closer would also risk shortening the shadow cast by Parker's big shield, exposing the rear of the spacecraft to intolerable temperatures.

“Flying so close to the Sun, Parker Solar Probe now senses conditions in the magnetically dominated layer of the solar atmosphere – the corona – that we never could before,” said Nour Raouafi, the Parker project scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. “We see evidence of being in the corona in magnetic field data, solar wind data, and visually in images. We can actually see the spacecraft flying through coronal structures that can be observed during a total solar eclipse.”

On April 28, 2021, during its eighth flyby of the Sun, Parker Solar Probe encountered the specific magnetic and particle conditions at 18.8 solar radii (around 8.1 million miles) above the solar surface that told scientists it had crossed the Alfvén critical surface for the first time and finally entered the solar atmosphere. For the first time, the spacecraft found itself in a region where the magnetic fields were strong enough to dominate the movement of particles there. These conditions were the definitive proof the spacecraft had passed the Alfvén critical surface and entered the solar atmosphere where magnetic fields shape the movement of everything in the region. The first passage through the corona, which lasted only a few hours, is one of many planned for the mission.

By the time it reaches Earth, 93 million miles away, the solar wind is an unrelenting headwind of particles and magnetic fields. But as it escapes the Sun, the solar wind is structured and patchy. In the mid-1990s, the NASA-European Space Agency mission Ulysses flew over the Sun’s poles and discovered a handful of bizarre S-shaped kinks in the solar wind’s magnetic field lines, which detoured charged particles on a zig-zag path as they escaped the Sun. For decades, scientists thought these occasional switchbacks were oddities confined to the Sun’s polar regions.  Understanding where and how the components of the fast solar wind emerge, and if they’re linked to switchbacks, could help scientists answer a longstanding solar mystery: how the corona is heated to millions of degrees, far hotter than the solar surface below.

Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living with a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living with a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, manages the Parker Solar Probe mission for NASA and designed, built, and operates the spacecraft.

Bed Room Settings

 Great design has the power to promote a positive mood. Since your bedroom is where you go to rest and decompress, it should definitely be designed to help you do just that. Seeing inspiring examples of well-designed spaces is a great place to start your own bedroom decorating process. We have gathered some outstanding bedroom design ideas to help you create your own perfect resting space. No matter how bold you want to go, how large your room is, or what your design preference is, these bedroom decorating ideas, shopping tips, and designer examples are sure to inspire deeper and dreamier slumbers. Not to mention, they're sure to impress guests. Kindly discover endless bedroom decorating ideas, and make sure to save your favourite one for implementing accordingly.