News

Study Documents Extinction Threats to World's Freshwater Species Washington, 13 Jan (ONA) --- Freshwater environments cover about 1% of Earth's surface while accounting for more than 10% of known species. Like many marine and terrestrial ecosystems, however, they are in distress. A new study looking at some of the denizens of freshwater habitats offers a stark illustration of this biodiversity predicament. Researchers assessed the status of 23,496 species of freshwater animals in groups including fishes, crustaceans such as crabs, crayfish and shrimp, and insects such as ...

Apple Watch SE with 'New Look' Expected to Launch Later This YearWashington, 13 Jan (ONA) --- A third-generation Apple Watch SE will be released later this year (2025), and it will have a "new look" of some kind, according to Bloomberg. Bloomberg said that the redesigned Apple Watch SE as one of many new products that Apple plans to launch in 2025, but it did not share any specific design details at this particular time. Apple introduced Apple Watch SE in 2020, based on the design of 2018's Apple Watch Series 4. It is possible that a design more closely resembling ...

Apple Releases First Updates in 2025Washington, 7 Jan (ONA) --- Apple has released its first software releases of 2025, with updates for iOS and iPadOS 18.2.1 serving as bug-fix releases. The updates for iOS 18.2.1 and iPadOS 18.2.1 both have build number 22C161. They arrive just under a month after Apple released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 to the public on 11 December 2024. That release included graphical changes such as Image Playground for Apple Intelligence, as well as Genmoji, and for iPhone 16 users, Visual Intelligence, among other features. The 18.2.1 ...

Snap Launches SnapGen AI to Generate High-Resolution Images on MobileWashington, 6 Jan (ONA) --- Snap Inc.'s research team recently launched an AI image generator named SnapGen, capable of generating high-resolution images directly on high-end smartphones. This technology allows users to enjoy an efficient and convenient image creation experience on their phones, breaking the limitations of traditional AI image generation that requires powerful computing capabilities. The core advantage of SnapGen lies in its compact and efficient model. Compared to popular image ...

Groundbreaking Study Uncovers How Tree Leaves Manage Raindrop Falling Force New York, 25 Dec (ONA) --- A groundbreaking study published in Physical Review Fluids uncovered how tree leaves manage the force of falling raindrops, revealing insights with potential applications in agriculture and renewable energy.Researchers at Cornell University, led by Professor Sunghwan Jung, used high-speed imaging to analyze the interaction between water droplets and a plastic beam mimicking leaf structure.The study demonstrated how the opposing motions of droplets and leaves reduce ...

UN General Assembly Adopt Milestone Cybercrime TreatyNew York, 25 Dec (ONA) --- The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has adopted the Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats. The agreement on the legally binding treaty marked the culmination of a five-year effort by UN Member States, with inputs from civil society, information security experts, academia and the private sector. The resolution containing the Convention was adopted ...

WhatsApp to End Support for Old Android Phones in 2025Washington, 23 Dec (ONA) --- Meta has announced that it will end support for WhatsApp on older Android smartphones starting 1 January 2025. More specifically, devices running on Android KitKat or older operating systems will no longer be able to run the popular instant messaging app. While the reason for this change isn't fully clear, its most likely due to hardware limitations of old devices. Android KitKat was released back in 2013, which means devices that run on that operating system will have ...

Promising Drug for Treating Rare Childhood Cancer: Study Canberra, 15 Dec (ONA) --- A new study by researchers from The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia suggests that health of children with a rare, high-risk cancer called neuroblastoma could be improved by adding an existing drug to their treatment plan. The study focuses on the use of TETA (triethylenetetramine), marketed as Cuprior. This drug helps shrink tumors and boosts the immune system's ability to fight the disease. Tests on mice showed that the drug weakens tumors by transferring copper to ...

China Conducts Successful Static Firing Test of XZY-1 Verification Rocket Beijing, 11 Dec (ONA) --- China's XZY-1 verification rocket has conducted a successful static firing test at the Haiyang Oriental Aerospace Port in east China's Shandong Province. The XZY-1 rocket was developed by Beijing Jianyuan Technology Co., Ltd., which is also known as Space Epoch. It is China's first medium-lift launch vehicle with a stainless steel rocket body that is powered by liquid oxygen-methane engines and recoverable after ocean splashdown. The test involved full-power ...

Google Docs Adds 40 New TemplatesWashington, 11 Dec (ONA) --- Google Docs is rolling out 40 new templates to make documents more visually appealing. The new pageless templates cover a wider range of scenarios, whether writing a blog post, creating a project roadmap, or making an interview guide. Google says its "high-quality, visually modern" templates come with preset layouts and styles. They also make use of some of the newer features within Google Docs, such as tabs to better organize documents and placeholder chips that let others know the information they ...

OpenAI Rolls out Canvas to All ChatGPT UsersWashington, 11 Dec (ONA) --- OpenAI today announced a new capability to all ChatGPT called Canvas, as part of the "12 days of OpenAI" announcements. Canvas is a side-by-side interface where users can work alongside ChatGPT in real-time. It allows users to edit, integrate feedback, and further refine the content or code generated by ChatGPT. "Its a game-changer for how people interact with AI, enabling deeper collaboration and unlocking new levels of creativity," said Kevin Weil, OpenAI chief product officer. ...

YouTube Auto Dubbing Feature Now Available for More CreatorsWashington, 11 Dec (ONA) --- YouTube has now made auto dubbing available to hundreds of thousands of channels in the YouTube Partner Program that are focused on knowledge and information and will expand to other types of content soon, the platform said in a blog post. YouTube had first introduced its AI-powered auto-dubbing tool at Vidcon last year (2023), which was only being tested with a limited group of creators. This tool could help make content on the platform more accessible and easier to understand for ...

Chinese Researchers Develop Polarization Photodetector Mimicking Desert Ant Beijing, 10 Dec (ONA) --- Chinese researchers have developed an on-chip integrated polarization photodetector (pol-PD), drawing inspiration from the unique polarization vision of desert ants. The study, recently published in the journal Science Advances, was conducted by researchers from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Pol-PDs have widespread applications in geological remote sensing, machine vision and biological medicine. However, ...

NASA Researchers Discover More Dark Comets Washington, 10 Dec (ONA) --- Astronomers have identified seven additional "dark comets," mysterious celestial objects that look like asteroids but behave like comets, doubling the known count to 14. The findings were published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These findings reveal two distinct types: larger outer dark comets in eccentric orbits in the outer solar system and smaller inner dark comets in near-circular orbits closer to the Sun. First detected in 2016, dark comets puzzled ...

Copernicus Observatory Announces November 2024 as Second Warmest Month GloballyParis, 9 Dec (ONA) --- The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service today announced that November 2024 was the second-warmest month globally, with average temperatures in November 2024 being 1.62 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, second only to November 2023. In a statement the Copernicus Observatory said that at this stage, it is virtually certain that 2024 will be the hottest year on record, with temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial ...

China Launches New Communication Technology Test Satellite Beijing, 3 Dec (ONA)--- China successfully launched a new experimental communication satellite today from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province. The satellite, sent into orbit at 1:56 PM (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March 3B carrier rocket, will support satellite communication, radio and television broadcasting, data transmission, and conduct related technology tests. This mission marks the 549th flight of the Long March rocket series. Moreover, with this launch, the Long March 3B ...

Oman Braces for Launch of First Experimental Rocket Duqm-1 on 4 December 2024 Muscat, 1 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman is preparing to launch its first experimental scientific rocket, called “Duqm-1”. The operation will take place under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, represented by the National Space Programme, in cooperation with strategic partners in the sector. The project’s implementation and investment is undertaken by “Etlaq” company, a subsidiary of the National Space Services Company (NASCOM). A ...

Google Chrome to Add AI-Powered Store Reviews FeatureWashington, 1 Dec (ONA) --- Google Chrome is testing a new AI-powered feature designed to enhance online shopping safety and user experience.Called "Store reviews," this feature will provide users with AI-generated summaries of reviews from various independent platforms, including Trustpilot, ScamAdvisor, and Google.When encountering an unfamiliar online store, users will be able to access this feature through the "View page information" option in the address bar. By clicking on the "Store review" option, users can view ...

Apple Plans to Remove iPhone's SIM Card Tray in More Countries Washington, 27 Nov (ONA) —- Apple is reportedly set to eliminate the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in additional countries next year, as indicated by a report from (The Information) that centers on the ultra-slim "iPhone 17 Air." In the United States, all models from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 16 have already transitioned to a design that does not include a SIM card tray. The iPhone 17 Air prototypes are between 5 and 6 millimeters thick, a dramatic reduction compared to the iPhone 16 at 7.8 mm. The ...

NVIDIA Reveals AI Model for Sound ProductionWashington, 26 Nov (ONA) --- NVIDIA has unveiled a new experimental AI model called "Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1", or Fugatto, a model that is essentially dedicated to sound. This model is characterized by its ability to create or modify music, audio and audio files based on text prompts. It was designed by a team of AI researchers from around the world, making the model's multi-accent and multilingual capabilities stronger. "We wanted to create a model that understands and generates sound like ...

Epsilon Rocket Engine Catches Fire at Japan Space Agency Test CenterTokyo, 26 Nov (ONA) - An engine being developed for use in the Epsilon S small rocket today went up in flames during a combustion test at a facility in southwestern Japan. Flames emerged first before the sound of an explosion was heard around a minute later and white smoke enveloped the area, according to Japan's News Agency (Kyodo). The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said that the fire at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture follows another incident in July 2023 ...

Chinese Rocket Debris Long March-7 Y9 Landed in Atlantic Ocean WatersBeijing, 25 Nov (ONA) --- Debris from the recently launched Long March-7 Y9 carrier rocket fell back to Earth with the vast majority of the remnants burning up during the reentry process, the China Manned Space Agency said. The reentry took place around 21:49 (Beijing time), the agency said in a brief statement, noting that debris from the second stage of the rocket eventually landed in the Atlantic Ocean waters located at a latitude of 28.3 degrees north and a longitude of 52.9 degrees west. Carrying ...

Microsoft Tests Windows 11 Support for Third-Party Passkeys Washington, 24 Nov (ONA) --- Microsoft is testing WebAuthn API updates that add support for support for using third-party passkey providers for Windows 11 passwordless authentication.Passkeys use biometric authentication, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, to provide a more secure and convenient alternative to traditional passwords, thus significantly reducing data breach risks.The company has been collaborating with credential providers like 1Password, Bitwarden, and others since early October when it first ...

Threads Tests AI-Powered Summaries of Trending Topics Washington, 24 Nov (ONA) --- Threads is testing an expanded Trending Topics feature, as well as new AI summaries and improved search tools.Users will now be able to search for posts within specific date ranges or search for posts from a single account.The updates, according to Instagram Head Adam Mosseri, are "long overdue." Meta has been moving quickly to update Threads at a time when many X users are moving to Bluesky, which has now surpassed 20 million users.Earlier this week, the social network rolled out custom feeds to allow ...

India Announces Successful Hypersonic Missile TestNew Delhi, 17 Nov (ONA) --- India has successfully tested a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile. The Indian missile, developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and industry partners, is designed to carry payloads for ranges exceeding 1,500 km (930 miles) for the armed forces.--- ...

China Launches Ocean-salinity Detection SatelliteBeijing, 14 Nov (ONA) --- China today sent a new satellite for ocean-salinity detection into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The satellite was launched using a Long March-4B Y53 carrier rocket, and has successfully entered its preset orbit. The satellite will fill the gap of China's high-precision global ocean-salinity detection capabilities, improve data collection on ocean dynamics and environmental ...

Xiaomi to Release AI Smart Glasses in Q2 of 2025Beijing, 14 Nov (ONA) --- Xiaomi is reportedly gearing to unveil smart glasses that offer support for features backed by artificial intelligence (AI) in collaboration with Goertek, in the second quarter of 2025. Other firms like Meta, Snap, and Baidu have either launched or unveiled glasses equipped with cameras, and Xiaomi's purported wearable is also expected to offer similar functionality. The purported AI glasses from Xiaomi will reportedly offer features found on similar devices, such as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart ...

44% of Warm-water Coral Species Face Extinction: StudyBaku, 13 Nov (ONA) --- Almost half of warm-water reef-building coral species are at risk of extinction, conservationists have warned after a global assessment released at the UN climate conference in Baku. The conservation status for all 892 species was analysed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan. The corals are found in shallow, warm-water habitats and form the colourful reefs seen in tropical and sub-tropical ocean areas. ...

China Launches Commercial Carrier Rocket with 15 Satellites OnboardBeijing, 11 Nov (ONA) —- China today launched the Lijian-1 Y5 commercial carrier rocket with 15 satellites onboard. The rocket blasted this morning from a commercial aerospace innovation pilot zone in northwest China and sent the 15 satellites, including the Jilin-1 Gaofen series, Yunyao-1 series, Xiguang-1 series, and a remote-sensing satellite launched for the Sultanate of Oman, into their planned orbits, China's News Agency (Xinhua) reported.—- ...

Windows Mail and Calendar to Stop working after 31 December: MicrosoftWashington, 10 Nov (ONA) —- Microsoft announced that Windows Mail, Calendar, and People apps will no longer be supported after 31 December 2024. "Support for Windows Mail, Calendar, and People will end on December 31, 2024," the Microsoft Support website explains. "We're currently in the process of moving existing users to the new Outlook for Windows. After December 31, 2024, users will no longer be able to send and receive email using Windows Mail and Calendar. Any local emails, calendar events, ...