If These Scientists Get Their Way, We Will Soon Be Able To Hear Aliens

If These Scientists Get Their Way, We Will Soon Be Able To Hear Aliens

Why have we not received any call from the aliens out there yet? What if extraterrestrial observers called but nobody on Earth heard?

As scientists step up their search for other life in the universe, two astrophysicists from McMaster University are proposing a way to make sure we don’t miss the signal if extraterrestrial observers try to contact us first.

According to Rene Heller and Ralph Pudritz, the best chance for us to find a signal from beyond is to presume that extraterrestrial observers are using the same methods to search for us that we are using to search for life beyond Earth.

Here on Earth, space researchers are focusing most of their search efforts on planets and moons that are too far away to see directly.

Instead, they study them by tracking their shadows as they pass in front of their own host stars.

Measuring the dimming of starlight as a planet crosses the face of its star during orbit, scientists can collect a wealth of information, even without ever seeing those worlds directly.

Using methods that allow them to estimate the average stellar illumination and temperatures on their surfaces, scientists have already identified dozens of locations where life could potentially exist.

In a paper forthcoming in the journal Astrobiology, Heller and Pudritz turn the telescope around to ask what if extraterrestrial observers discover Earth as it transits the sun?

If such observers are using the same search methods that scientists are using on Earth, the researchers propose that humanity should turn its collective ear to Earth’s “transit zone” – the thin slice of space from which our planet’s passage in front of the Sun can be detected.

“It’s impossible to predict whether extraterrestrials use the same observational techniques as we do,” said Heller. “But they will have to deal with the same physical principles as we do, and Earth’s solar transits are an obvious method to detect us.”

The transit zone is rich in host stars for planetary systems, offering approximately 100,000 potential targets, each potentially orbited by habitable planets and moons.

“If any of these planets host intelligent observers, they could have identified Earth as a habitable, even as a living world long ago and we could be receiving their broadcasts today,” Heller and Pudritz wrote.

The question of contact with others beyond Earth is hardly hypothetical as several projects are under way, both to send signals from Earth and to search for signals that have been sent directly or have “leaked” around obstacles, possibly travelling for thousands of years.

Heller and Pudritz propose that the “Breakthrough Listen Initiative”, part of the most comprehensive search for extraterrestrial life ever conducted, can maximise its chances of success by concentrating its search on Earth’s transit zone.

Apple iPhone 5S Could Be Half As Cheap Once The iPhone SE Is Revealed

Apple iPhone 5S Could Be Half As Cheap Once The iPhone SE Is Revealed

The iPhone SE is all set for an unveiling later this month as per innumerable reports in the media. New word from sources are now indicating that instead of completely replacing the iPhone 5s, the SE might actually have a different impact on the 2013 Apple flagship.

It is said that prices of the iPhone 5s could go down by 50% once the iPhone SE is released, indicating that the smartphone will not become obsolete with the arrival of the new iPhone. As reports have continually told us, the iPhone SE will be a replacement to the iPhone 5s and will borrow the same design as well.

It was largely believed that the iPhone 5s would reach end of life status once the iPhone SE is released, but that doesn’t appear to be the case, well at least according to this revelation by Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities. Perhaps Apple will keep selling the iPhone 5s in developing markets like India where there’s still plenty of demand for the handset.

As for concerns about the customers confusing the two handsets, we don’t think that should be a problem considering the kind of hardware it’s expected to be packing in comparison to the iPhone 5s. As of now, the iPhone 5s can be bought for as low as Rs 21,499 (16GB). So this revelation tells us that the handset will be closing in on the Rs 10,000 mark once the iPhone SE has been launched.

No WhatsApp On BlackBerry, Nokia By 2017

No WhatsApp On BlackBerry, Nokia By 2017
Facebook owned messaging service WhatsApp has announced that its services would be discontinued on BlackBerry and Nokia devices by 2017.

WhatsApp’s announcement also includes Nokia’s low-end S40 and S60 Symbian platforms, as well as the older Android 2.2 and Windows Phone 7.1 operating systems, the Verge reported.

Based in Mountain View, California, WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook Inc. on February 19, 2014, for approximately $19.3 billion.

As of February 2016, WhatsApp had a user base of up to one billion making it the most globally popular messaging application.

What is 5G and How Will It Make My Life Better?

Everybody loves speedy internet, so it’s no surprise that every major telecom in the world is working to make it even faster. Smartphones, watches, homes, and cars are increasingly requiring stable internet connections. In order to pipe in enough bandwidth for that precious wireless feed, we’re going to need an entirely new form of wireless signal-that’s where 5G comes in.
Similar to 4G and 3G before it, 5G is a wireless connection built specifically to keep up with the proliferation of devices that need a mobile internet connection. It’s not just your phone and your computer anymore, either. Home appliances, door locks, security cameras, cars, wearables, dog collars, and so many other inert devices are beginning to connect to the web. Gartner predicts that 20.8 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. By comparison, there are currently an estimated 6.4 billion connected devices in the world. That’s a lot more devices asking for a quick connection.

To make 5G and the future of wireless internet a little easier understand, we decided to break down exactly what it is and how it will make your life better in the very near future.
What exactly is 5G?

The “G” in 5G stands for “generation.” Wireless phone technology technically started with 1G, and in the early 1990s, and it expanded to 2G when companies first started enabling people to send text messages between two cellular devices.

Eventually the world moved on to 3G, which gave people the ability to make phone calls, send text messages, and browse the internet. 4G enhanced many of the capabilities that were made possible with the third generation of wireless. People could browse the web, send text messages, and make phone calls-and they could even download and upload large video files without any issues.

Then companies added LTE, short for “long term evolution,” to 4G connectivity. LTE became the fastest and most consistent variety of 4G compared to competing technologies like WiMax. The difference between WiMax and LTE is similar to the difference between Blu-Ray and HD DVDs: Both technologies achieved similar outcomes, but it was important to create a standard for everyone to use. LTE did just that, and it made 4G technology even faster.

5G will build on the foundation created by 4G LTE. It’s going to allow people send texts, make calls, and browse the web as always-and it will dramatically increase the speed at which data is transferred across the network. 5G will make it easier for people to download and upload Ultra HD and 3D video. It will also make room for the thousands of internet-connected devices entering our everyday world. Just imagine upgrading your data connection from a garden hose to a fire hose. The difference will be noticeable.

Uber to come up with its own Digital Wallet in India

Uber to come up with its own Digital Wallet in India

Soon after Uber started operations in India, it ran into trouble with the authorities for not having a two-factor authentication in place. To counter the same, Uber partnered with PayTM and accepted payments via their wallet.

In due course of time, Uber now accepts payments via digital wallets such as PayTM and Airtel money along with credit cards and debit cards and evencash for all your rides and it is now planning to add another avenue to the same.

If a report by ET is to believed then, Uber has been working on the closed wallet feature (since) right after the RBI mandate was given. However the application will still continue working with other (digital) wallets as well.

Further in the report is mentioned that the company will begin by offering a closed wallet that will not require RBI authorization. This wallet will enable commuters to upload up to a maximum of Rs 5,000 and use it for their rides.