Technology News

The Japanese space agency suggested Monday that power may have been restored aboard the Slim module, which landed in a lunar crater a few days ago. According to her, he had “resumed operations” and thus his “scientific observations” with the on-board camera.

Published on: 01/29/2024 – 01:54

3 mins

Japan's lunar lander Slim (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) has “resumed operations,” the Japanese Space Agency (Jaxa) announced on Monday, January 29, suggesting that power on board may have been restored. “Last night we managed to establish communication with Slim,” Jaxa wrote on the social network X, formerly Twitter.

“We immediately began scientific observations” with the onboard camera, said the agency, which also released a photo taken by the module showing the rock called “Miniature Poodle” on the lunar soil.

Also readIn pictures: The first photos of the moon landing by the Japanese Slim probe

On January 20, the Slim module achieved a historic lunar landing 55 meters from its original target, with a very high level of precision. This makes Japan the fifth country in the world after the United States to successfully land on Earth's natural satellite. -United States, USSR, China and India.

But shortly afterwards, Jaxa announced that Slim would not be able to use its solar panels and had to cut power less than three hours after the moon landing to conserve batteries for a possible restart.

She said she hoped to turn Slim back on when the sun's angle changed in the area of ​​his moon landing, allowing the sun's rays to reach his photovoltaic panels.

Before shutting down, the machine was able to land its two mini-rovers normally and conduct analyzes of rocks coming from the Moon's internal structure (the lunar mantle), which is still very poorly understood. One of these two rovers is a spherical probe called SORA-Q, barely larger than a tennis ball, that can change shape to move around the lunar surface. It was developed by Jaxa in collaboration with Japanese toy giant Takara Tomy.

Many attempts failed

More than 50 years after the first human steps on the moon – by Americans in 1969 – Earth's natural satellite has once again become the subject of a global race.

The American Artemis program plans to send astronauts back to the moon, a project that was recently postponed to September 2026 and, in the longer term, envisages the construction of a permanent base on site. China has similar competing plans.

Japan's first two attempts to land on the moon failed. In 2022, the Jaxa Omotenashi probe aboard the American Artemis-1 mission suffered a fatal battery failure shortly after it was ejected into space.

And last year, a lander from the young private Japanese company ispace crashed on the lunar surface after missing the crucial step of soft descent.

The path to the moon remains a huge technological challenge for the major space powers: the private American company Astrobotic, commissioned by NASA, also failed to land its first spacecraft on the moon at the beginning of January.

With AFP

A study shows that exposure to cold temperatures activates a system specialized in eliminating protein aggregates involved in cellular aging.

It has been known for several years that a moderate reduction in body temperature is associated with longer life expectancy. This is particularly noticeable in cold-blooded animals (poikilotherms) such as certain species of fish, whose low temperatures (15 ° C) significantly increase life expectancy.

This phenomenon is also observed in homeotherms (warm-blooded animals) such as rodents: if mice are exposed to cold to reduce their body temperature by 0.5 °C, their lifespan is extended, while if we increase the temperature by 0.5, their lifespan is shortened Increase °C.

It is also possible that slightly cooling the body is beneficial to human health: for example, although it has long been assumed that our normal body temperature is 37 ° C (with fluctuations of fractions of a degree throughout the day), recent data suggests this this temperature has fallen by about 0.03 °C per decade since the Industrial Revolution and is now about 36.6 °C.

It has been suggested that this decline, which may reflect a decrease in chronic inflammation through better treatment of infections and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, may contribute to the increase in life expectancy observed over the past 150 years. (1)

Cell aging

To better understand how cold can improve longevity, German researchers studied the protein aggregates that accumulate in cells during aging.

These aggregates, which arise from defects in the three-dimensional configuration of proteins that make them insoluble, are very toxic to the cell and, over time, lead to loss of function in the affected organs. (2)

This is particularly noticeable in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (known as Lou Gehrig's disease or Charcot disease), all of which are caused by the accumulation of abnormal clusters of certain proteins become.

Since cells contain an enzymatic system specialized in eliminating these aggregates (the proteasome), they wanted to find out whether cold activates this proteasome and allows these aggregates to be eliminated to protect the cell from their toxicity.

It appears that this is indeed the case. (3)

In an animal model containing the typical aggregates of Huntington's disease or ALS, a decrease in temperature from 20 to 15 °C leads to activation of the proteasome and complete elimination of these aggregates, which is associated with increased life expectancy.

An identical phenomenon is observed when human cells derived from an ALS patient are exposed to a temperature of 36 °C, suggesting that the mechanism for eliminating defective proteins that can be activated by cold is very ancient and preserved during evolution.

Clean the cell

Human body temperature is kept constant by an extremely sophisticated control system and therefore it is of course not possible to lower our body temperature for long periods of time.

On the other hand, an interesting observation from the study is that it would be possible to circumvent this limitation: the researchers have actually observed that even at normal temperature (37 ° C), we can stimulate the elimination of toxic aggregates by increasing the concentrations of one Protein (called PSME3), which is involved in the activation of the proteasome.

By developing therapies that manage to recreate this phenomenon, we could not only slow down a central process of biological aging, but above all allow the cleansing of the cell of toxic aggregates that are responsible for several serious diseases, especially at the neurological level are.

♦ (1) Protsiv M et al. Falling human body temperature in the United States since the Industrial Revolution. Elife 2020:9:e49555.

♦ (2) Cuanalo-Contreras K et al. Extensive accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates during natural aging and senescence. Forehead. Aging neuroscience. 2022; 14:1090109.

♦ (3) Lee HJ et al. Cold temperatures extend life expectancy and prevent disease-related protein aggregation through PA28y-induced proteasomes. Nat aging 2023; 3:546-566.

The exploration of the universe is approaching an important new milestone. Gravitational waves, those tiny oscillations of spacetime that Albert Einstein predicted in 1916 and have directly detected on Earth since September 2015, will soon be observed from space. An ambitious project that promises to revolutionize our understanding of the universe.

An international team of scientists, including an astrophysicist from Northwestern University, has received approval to build a new detector, this time in orbit around Earth.

On January 25, the European Space Agency (ESA) officially adopted the Laser Interferometric Space Antenna (LISA) project and plans to build and launch it within a decade.

LISA's discoveries will enrich our knowledge of the origin, evolution and structure of the universe. The detector will respond to gravitational waves of lower frequency than those detected by terrestrial observatories such as the Laser Interferometry Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO).

A giant leap for astrophysics

“This is an important milestone for LISA,” said Shane Larson, American member of the LISA consortium and co-chair of the consortium’s Astrophysics Working Group.

“The mission has been designed and planned, and new technologies have been built and tested. Today it is official that we start construction and commissioning. It will be the first gravitational wave observatory in space. It will likely be the only one of its kind for decades, changing the landscape of astronomy. »

Larson is a research professor of physics and astronomy and associate director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) at Northwestern University. He is interested in how gravitational waves can be used to understand aspects of the universe that light cannot reveal.

Larson's research group at Northwestern University simulates the population of dead binary star systems, called white dwarfs, in the Milky Way, which will be one of the main sources of observations for LISA.

A new window to the universe

Gravitational waves are caused by the rapid movement of compact massive objects such as neutron stars and black holes. LISA will be particularly sensitive to large-scale events such as collisions of massive black holes at the centers of galaxies and smaller binary systems of dead stars consisting of white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes.

LISA will detect gravitational radiation in the still unexplored range between 0.1 MHz and 1 Hz, waves that cannot be detected by ground-based detectors. LISA will be unique in detecting gravitational waves from stellar black holes swirling around massive black holes in galactic cores.

The LISA instrument will consist of three triangular spacecraft with 2.5 million kilometer long arms moving in an Earth-like orbit around the sun. Gravitational waves from sources throughout the universe produce slight vibrations at arm's lengths (smaller than the diameter of an atom).

LISA will detect these movements and use laser links to measure gravitational waves to monitor the movements of free-falling test masses inside spacecraft.

Caption: The planned LISA mission will detect gravitational waves in space using a trio of satellites millions of kilometers apart. Lasers are used to measure tiny changes in their relative distance caused by the influence of gravitational waves. Image by AEI/MM/exozet; Simulation of gravitational waves: NASA/C. Henze

[ Rédaction ]

Outbreak News Today reports that authorities in Sierra County, California report that a domestic cat in eastern Sierra County has tested positive for the plague (Yersinia pestis). This is the first documented positive case of plague in a domestic cat in California since 2011.

The main wild rodents that transmit plague in the Sierra Nevada region are ground squirrels and chipmunks, although other rodents such as woodrats, mice and voles may also be infected. The plague is fatal for many rodents. Therefore, an increase in the number of diseased or dead rodents is a possible warning sign of the presence of plague in the area.

Pets, such as dogs and especially cats, can either contract the plague or bring infected fleas to their owners. In rare cases, the plague can be transmitted to humans from sick cats.

In recent decades, plague has been rarely detected in humans and domestic cats in this region, with the most recent cases in humans occurring in Sierra County in 1977 and 1980.

Sierra County residents and their guests are urged to take the following general precautions to prevent exposure to plague:

• Avoid contact with rodents and their fleas. Never touch sick, injured or dead rodents.
• Keep pets on a leash when outdoors and protect them with flea control products. Do not allow pets to approach sick or dead rodents or explore rodent burrows.
• Domestic cats are highly susceptible to the plague and infected cats can transmit the bacteria to humans. Keep cats indoors and discourage them from hunting rodents. See a veterinarian immediately if your cat becomes ill after coming into contact with rodents.
• Residents of plague areas should prevent rodents from entering their homes and remove food, wood piles and other items that could attract rodents from around homes and outbuildings.
• Do not camp, sleep, or rest near animal dens or areas where dead rodents have been observed.
• Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents at campsites and picnic areas. Store food and waste in rodent-proof containers.
• Wear long pants inside boots to reduce the risk of fleas. Apply insect repellent to socks and pant cuffs to reduce the risk of fleas.

Source: Ourtbreak News Today

A warning regarding the topics covered

Payday 3 is clearly not aimed at younger gamers due to occasional references to various substances and addictions. This is important to consider before exploring this world that depicts the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other illegal products.

Alcohol: a reality in the world of gaming

In Payday 3, alcohol is an integral part of the environment and the plot. Characters may be required to consume alcohol during their adventures, highlighting the risks associated with excessive consumption and the problems associated with alcohol abuse.

Tobacco: a discreet but present mention

Although less common than references to alcohol, tobacco and other similar products are also mentioned in the game. Players are therefore likely to be exposed to situations in which their characters could be tricked or forced into smoking.

Illegal drugs: a presence worth considering

Payday 3 does not hesitate to address the sensitive topic of illegal drugs and their trafficking. Although this is not a dominant theme in the game, it is present enough that age verification is required when you first visit the site.

Why this age verification is essential

• Awareness of material-related topics: Payday 3 aims to educate its adult players about the risks associated with consuming these substances and the problems they can cause.
• Protection of young players: Age verification is intended to ensure that only players of sufficient maturity can access in-game content to avoid accidentally exposing minors to age-inappropriate topics.
• Social responsibility : Our priority is to protect our players and promote a safe and responsible environment on our platform.

Age verification procedure

Simply select your date of birth from the list of dates offered, which includes years 1900 to 2024. Once this information is provided, you can access the game and fully enjoy the adventures it has to offer.

Confidentiality guaranteed

We would like to reassure our users about the processing of their data. The date of birth you provide will only be used to verify your age and will not be recorded or passed on to third parties. Our goal is to protect your privacy while ensuring a suitable environment for all of our players.

Payday 3 is an exciting game that deals with adult themes such as alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. To ensure a safe gaming experience tailored to each player, we ask users to provide their date of birth to verify their age. This information will only be used for this purpose and will not be stored. This means you can enjoy the rich and immersive world of Payday 3 with complete peace of mind.

The Cultural Season of the Community of Municipalities welcomes as a preview the new creation of the company La Musarde, “The Earth is in Heaven”, aimed at small children but also at adults.

Immerse yourself in the infinity of the cosmos in the multicultural space of Entraygues, Saturday February 3rd at 6 p.m.

La Musarde reveals to us: “The earth is in heaven”. This installation show at the intersection of music, song and videos is a poetic flight in which materials, lights, images, music and the manipulatory actress create connections between the cosmos and the unconscious, between the universe and the collective imagination.

Placed in an immersive device, viewers are surrounded by sound diffusion and 360° moving projections. By drawing on myths, tales and legendary stories, the company invites us to dream together of the infinity in which we live suspended. A unique journey into the mystery of life for every audience. The show is open to ages 1 and up.

Around the show

Until February 3rd, the company is based in Entraygues-sur-Truyère for the final phase of its creation.

So it is a preview that will welcome the public of the “Earth is in Heaven” church community. An unforgettable sensory encounter between daydreams and science.

Saturday February 3rd, at 6 p.m., in the multicultural room in Entraygues. Show for all audiences; Duration 30 minutes. Price: €5. Information and reservations: www.comtal-lot-truyere.fr – [email protected] – 05 65 48 33 90.

As part of an educational project led by the Ministry of National Education, the 5th grade of the 7th grade of Henri Wallon College is participating in the work of contributing to the online encyclopedia Vikidia (Wikipedia's little sister for 8-13 years old). “The goal is for our students to learn to work on Vikidia and make it their own by becoming contributors,” explains Caroline Albertini, librarian and teacher at the Berthe district institution.

The current article will focus on the loggerhead sea turtle. Why this choice? “Three years ago, earth science and life teacher Catherine Belloc and her students collected a small, injured turtle from Lazaret Bay. In addition, the Vikidia article on loggerhead sea turtles remains very little developed to date, although they made headlines last summer, with numerous spawning occurring on the Mediterranean coasts.

Conversations with experts

For teachers, the interest of this project is “to enable students to acquire the methodology of documentary research and verification of information”. And since it is necessary to validate the data that the article will contain, the professors contacted those responsible for the ObsTortueMed program in Marineland (Antibes), namely Romain Serigne and Sidonie Catteau. The latter was also called to rescue the injured turtle in Lazaret Bay – but in the end the reptile did not survive its injuries.

That's why the two scientists came to the university on Thursday and spent two hours talking to students about the reptile's life cycle, its diet, its mode of reproduction, the threats it faces and even protective measures that need to be developed…

For the students, the writing work now continues with the French teacher Magali Praud. And that until February 8th, the date on which the draft article will be presented to the CM2 students at the Marcel Pagnol School. “They will re-read it to make sure it is accessible to elementary school students. If this is not the case, it needs to be further popularized,” says Caroline Albertini. Before the article is posted online on Vikidia, it undergoes final proofreading by the two scientists. The story of offering all young French speakers the most serious text possible.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite touch tablet is equipped with an 8.7-inch screen or 22.1 centimeters diagonal. It displays a resolution of 1340 x 800 pixels, making content readable both in the dark and in direct sunlight. Samsung's touchscreen tablet works with the MediaTek P22T octa-core processor. Its engraving process has a fineness of 12nm. The processor of this device is accompanied by a Power GE8320 GPU, 3GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 32GB. Thanks to the integrated microSD port, the memory can also be expanded. Enough to run your applications and other games smoothly and efficiently. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite touch tablet has a fast-charging Li-Po battery with an output of 15 watts. This model runs Android 11 with Google Assistant, giving you smooth and intuitive navigation.

The good Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite offer from Amazon

You can find the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite touch tablet at a reasonable price on Amazon. On the online sales site you can buy this WiFi device this winter for 136.96 euros. This versatile, user-friendly and practical product is appreciated by its users, who give it an average satisfaction rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars according to more than 2,500 voters. There are only a few left in stock, so don't wait too long if you're interested in this good deal. As an Amazon Prime member, you can even enjoy free delivery and free returns. These benefits are among the benefits that the Amazon loyalty program promises, in addition to exclusive discounts and access to applications such as Prime Video, Prime Music and Prime Gaming. Amazon Prime costs 6.99 euros per month or 69.90 euros for a one-year commitment, with a 30-day non-binding trial version being offered with every new registration.

Click here to avail the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite offer on Amazon

You can easily enjoy films, series and games on the large 8.7-inch screen of this Samsung Galaxy A7 Lite tablet. Its format is ideal for entertainment.