According to a new study, colonies of ants began farming fungi when an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago. This asteroid impact caused a global mass extinction but also created ideal conditions for fungi to thrive. Innovative ants began cultivating the fungi, creating an evolutionary partnership that became even more tightly intertwined 27 million years ago and continues to this day. …read more
For the first time, scientists have taken near-daily measurements of the Sun’s global coronal magnetic field, a region of the Sun that has only been observed irregularly in the past. The resulting observations are providing valuable insights into the processes that drive the intense solar storms that impact fundamental technologies, and thus lives and livelihoods, here on Earth. …read more
Headlined by Jr NTR, Devara Part 1 has failed to beat all time blockbusters Baahubali, RRR, Jawan, Animal, and Kalki 2898 AD in its first week. …read more
Soon after launching AI playlists in the US, Spotify is adding a new way to keep the music going when you lose your internet connection. The new Offline Backup feature for iOS and Android automatically creates a playlist of your queued and recently played tracks, ready for listening on flights or off-the-grid excursions. Offline Backup is for Premium users only.
The feature complements Spotify’s existing offline mode for user-triggered downloads. In contrast, the Offline Backup playlist doesn’t require any manual downloads. So, think of it as more preparation with less planning. (And, of course, the standard offline mode will still be there.)
Spotify says the playlist will “evolve,” learning your habits as you continue to listen. It will also include the tracks already cached on your device from regular use.
Spotify
Once you go offline, the Offline Backup playlist will appear automatically in your Home feed. Once it populates, you can filter and sort songs within it to more easily nail down the artist, genre or vibe you’re feeling. Spotify also lets you add the playlist to your library for easier access.
You’ll need to turn it on manually to start using the feature. You’ll find it under Data Saving …read more
Epic’s game store is finally on mobile. Next up, the company plans to add features that make people want to use it — on both mobile and PC.
A key thing Epic Games wants to introduce is what store boss Steve Allison calls a “social framework” — think the types of social and chat features you see on consoles or Steam.
“Our social features on PC suck,” Allison says in an interview with The Verge. “Let’s call it what it is.” Social features are the “battery that powers Fortnite,” Allison says, and Epic wants to “take that battle-tested social framework and move it up from Fortnite up to the store level.” The idea is that you’ll be able to party up and chat with your Epic Games friends across devices, theoretically meaning that friends on…
Trump is now preparing for a tough contest with the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris who is an Indian American and is at present the Vice President …read more
Oura’s next-gen ring appears to be an upgrade in every way. It features a sleeker design, longer battery life and smarter sensors to offer deeper insights for wearers. No more squarish edges; it’s a perfect ring this time. Oura says Ring 4 has 18 signal pathways, up from eight in the Gen3, which is paired with its new Smart Sensing algorithm.
New features include automatic heart rate and activity detection for up to 40 activities. It’ll land in six colors: Silver, Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Stealth and Black. All bar the Stealth is made of titanium. Oura Ring 4 is available to pre-order today, with shipping expected to begin on October 15, 2024. Prices start at $349.
Through an Instagram stream and publicly available information.
Two Harvard students used facial recognition tech and a large language model to unearth a subject’s name, occupation and other details. Their setup (dubbed …read more
