News

NASA is actively looking for aliens in space

Sci-fi could soon become non-fiction

Published

on

Extraterrestrial life has always made humans very curious about their past and there are quite a few conspiracy theories that explain their existence on Earth even before human presence. From sci-fi movies to artist representations, we’ve already seen a lot of fiction around it. However, NASA intends to take a step further and has deployed a satellite to actively look for alien intelligence in outer space.

Scientists working on the space agency’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission will collaborate with the US $100 million Breakthrough Listen project in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

The Breakthrough Listen project is currently funded by Russian-Isreali entrepreneur Yuri Milner and it’ll be able to leverage NASA’s satellites that are already cruising deep into outer space.

TESS launched to Earth orbit in April 2018, on a mission to hunt for alien planets circling bright, relatively nearby stars. It is expected to discover 10,000 or more new exoplanets over the course of its two-year primary mission and will now also help in looking for intelligent alien life.

Breakthrough Listen plans to do scans of its own, but the organization will be looking for “technosignatures” coming from TESS worlds. Technosignatures are essentially radio waves that are spilt from many instruments like a radio or television sets. Similar radio waves that are being transmitted from far-away stars can help us understand the presence of alien life.

The project will use a range of instruments. including the Green Bank and Parkes radio telescopes in West Virginia and Australia, respectively. A unique or different anomaly from unknown starts can indicate the presence of alien life and further resources can be allocated to precisely understand these transmissions.

While we’re still millions of light-years away from these stars, we’re glad to see private funding as well as government support for projects that aim to understand the basic fundamentals of life and our existence.

Accessories

Logitech introduces a dedicated shortcut for ChatGPT

Compatible with most keyboards and mice

Published

on

Artificial intelligence is already meant to simplify a workflow. However, despite the ease, there are still a few ways to optimize the process. Today, Logitech has launched a new shortcut to launch ChatGPT straight from your mouse or keyboard.

Minus programmable hotkeys or buttons, there are hardly any built-in way to easily access an AI model. For a typical workflow, it still consists of manually opening the model on a separate window and keeping it within cursor’s reach throughout the day.

Logitech is simplifying the process by adding a dedicated shortcut for its devices. With a Logitech keyboard or mouse supported by the Logi Options+ app, users can program a keyboard or mouse button for the new Logi AI Prompt Builder.

Once activated, the AI Prompt Builder automatically accesses easy options for highlighted text. For example, users can easily rephrase or summarize the text. Likewise, they can input their own custom queries. By eliminating a few clicks and some typing throughout the day, the new tool hopes to save you time.

While most Logitech keyboards and mice are compatible with the new tool, it is also more easily accessible with the new Logitech Signature AI Edition Mouse. The new mouse has a dedicated button just for AI prompts. If you’re an AI power user, this one is perfect for you.

SEE ALSO: Logitech unveils G Pro X 60 gaming keyboard: Price, details

Continue Reading

News

X’s AI accused Klay Thompson of vandalizing houses with bricks

AI thought joke posts were real

Published

on

Image source: Keith Allison, Wikimedia

Despite the ease that the technology promises, artificial intelligence still isn’t the most reliable thing you can depend on. Today’s models can still flub answers. Now, the pitfalls of AI are abundantly clear with a few mishaps on X. Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson was just “accused” of a vandalism spree involving bricks.

Late Tuesday night, X presented an AI-generated news snippet. The article, posted soon after the Warriors’ play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings, reads: “Klay Thompson Accused in Bizarre Brick-Vandalism Spree.”

The snippet hilariously described an incident where Thompson supposedly vandalized houses in Sacramento with bricks. Thankfully, according to the snippet, no one was hurt. It even had a few sources for its claims below the news summary.

The sources, however, are just joke posts stemming from the recently concluded game. In that do-or-die game, Thompson put up a staggering 0 points on ten shot attempts, the most misses without a make by a Warrior since the ’68 season. Naturally, everyone joked that the Warriors guard just threw bricks all over Sacramento.

Now, X is currently experimenting with a new AI feature called Grok. The model collates trending topics and creates snippets of what’s happening for X users. However, it’s not exactly the smartest in determining real news from satiric ones. The feature notes as much, carrying a fine-print caveat warning users to “verify its outputs” because it’s an early feature and can make mistakes.

SEE ALSO: New X users must pay a dollar per year to post and reply

Continue Reading

Apps

New X users must pay a dollar per year to post and reply

Rolling out globally now

Published

on

New users on X might soon face a tough time on the platform. The social media website will likely start charging new accounts a small fee for the right to post on the platform.

Now, the fee isn’t a new one. Almost six months ago, the company tested the paid system in New Zealand and the Philippines. New users in those countries had to pay a dollar per year for the ability to post and reply to content.

As spotted by X Daily News on the same platform, the company might be ready to take the experiment to a larger market. New text strings have shown that the policy is rolling out worldwide.

The policy is designed to combat a wave of bots appearing on the platform. By preventing new accounts from creating posts, X hopes to stave off the standard behavior of bots these days. You might have noticed them as OnlyFans creators in unrelated posts, peddling NSFW content on their bio.

Though the global rollout was only just spotted, owner Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed the change. Replying to X Daily News, Musk says that it is “the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.” He says that the current breed of bots can easily bypass simple checks these days.

SEE ALSO: X will no longer let you hide your blue checkmark

Continue Reading

Trending