New Starshade Technology May Reveal Earth-Like Exoplanets
A new starshade technology that combines traditional optics with photonics could allow future space telescopes to detect exoplanets 10 billion times fainter than their parent stars. This would enable detailed study of potentially habitable planets around red dwarfs.
Key Facts & Points
- Starshades block starlight to reveal exoplanets, but even they may not reveal planets around faint red dwarfs.
- New photonics technology can detect faint light at the photon level.
- Combining optics and photonics could detect planets 10 billion times fainter.
- This would allow observing potentially habitable planets around red dwarfs.
- The tech could be ready by the 2040s when telescopes like HabEx are launched.
Amazon Introduces Simpler RFID-Based Cashierless Technology
Amazon launched a new RFID-based version of its Just Walk Out cashierless technology that is easier for retailers to implement than the original camera-based system. It uses RFID tags on items that are scanned when leaving the store via an "exit gate".
Key Facts & Points
- The new system uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track purchases.
- It was tested at Climate Pledge Arena and Lumen Field stadiums in Seattle.
- The prior system relied on complex camera and sensor arrays.
- RFID tags are easier and cheaper for retailers to deploy than cameras.
- Customers scan credit cards or use Amazon One to pay on exit.
OpenAI Unveils Major Upgrades in Dall-E 3 Image Generator
OpenAI revealed its new AI system Dall-E 3, which has significant improvements in generating images with readable text and better human details like hands. It allows more control over object placement.
Key Facts & Points
- Dall-E 3 builds on learnings from Dall-E 2 to enhance image generation capabilities.
- It can generate images with readable text and typography baked in.
- Allows more reliable control over the placement of objects and figures in images.
- Will be available to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise subscribers.
Scientists Uncover Clues on the Origins of Rare Pink Diamonds
A new study reveals that pink diamonds likely formed when continents stretched apart, bringing the rare gems closer to the Earth's surface. This provides clues on the origins of pink diamonds, which are found primarily at one mine in Australia.
Key Facts & Points
- Pink diamonds are extremely rare, with one mine providing 90% worldwide.
- They require high pressure and heat to form deep in the Earth's crust.
- Stretching and breaking of continents brings them closer to the surface.
- Their cause of color remains a mystery, unlike blue and yellow diamonds.
The Complex Role of Dopamine in the Brain
New research reveals dopamine has multiple functions beyond regulating pleasure and motivation. Different types of dopamine neurons track rewards, movement, and aversive events. This diversity likely impacts brain disorders differently.
Key Facts & Points
- Dopamine was thought to only regulate mood and pleasure, but has multiple roles.
- There are at least 7 types of dopamine neurons with distinct functions.
- Some dopamine neurons track rewards, others track movement, and some track both rewards and aversive events.
- Understanding dopamine diversity will improve treatments for brain disorders.
