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A study on the experiment titled "Rapid Radiolytic Degradation of Amino Acids in the Martian Shallow Subsurface: Implications for the Search for Extinct Life" has been published in the journal Astrobiology.

A recent NASA laboratory experiment indicates that potential signs of ancient life on Mars are more likely found about 6.6 feet (~2 meters) below the Martian surface. Researchers determined that ionizing radiation from space could quickly destroy small molecules like amino acids, erasing signs of life from the surface. Though amino acids can be created by non-biological chemistry or by life, their discovery on Mars would be strong evidence for terrestrial life.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just replaced two outdated supercomputers with new supercomputers that will bring massive upgrades to weather forecasting.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced back in 2020 that it would be replacing some of its older, now-outdated supercomputers that are used to run weather forecasts and predict patterns. NOAA has now replaced the older models, which were Cry and IBM supercomputers located in Reston, Virginia, Florida, and Orlando - with two Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Cray supercomputers.

These two supercomputers come with 2,560 AMD Epyc Rome 64-core 7742 server CPUs that collectively provide 327,680 cores that are capable of operating up to 12.1 petaflops. This new setup is approximately three times faster than what NOAA was previously using, and with the new upgraded power, the agency believes it will be able to provide more accurate and detailed weather forecasts to the public. Notably, the two new NOAA supercomputer systems are called Dogwood and Cactus, and rank as the 49th and 50th fastest supercomputers in the world.

Elon Musk has finally reached a milestone number of Twitter followers, and that number has arrived on Musk's birthday.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has reached 100 million Twitter followers on June 28, 2022, the day of his 51st birthday. A massive uptick in followers occurred when Musk entered into a deal to purchase Twitter, the world's second largest social media platform, for $54.20 a share, or $44 billion. However, the deal is somewhat thrown up in the air as Musk has said the acquisition won't go ahead until Twitter can prove that less than 5% of its userbase are bot/spam accounts.

Earlier this month Twitter executives said that they would comply with Musk's request to provide him with userdata, and said that Musk will receive the full "firehose" of Twitter data that consists of a staggering 500 million tweets posted each day. Since Musk announced the deal to purchase Twitter the company's stock has dropped considerably, with its current price sitting at approximately $38 a share.

SpaceX is moving forward with its preparations for Starship's first orbital test flight, following the environmental report recently conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA recently evaluated the environmental impact of SpaceX conducting orbital launches of its Starship launch vehicle in its Texas test site, and according to the regulators' recently released report, Elon Musk's vehicle and launch site were found to have "Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI)". However, the FAA did give SpaceX many requests to prevent any future environmental impact and also put a cap on the number of launches SpaceX can conduct per year - five orbital launches and five suborbital launches.

With that review by the FAA now out of the way, Elon Musk and SpaceX can move forward with getting everything in order to perform Starship's first orbital test flight, which, when achieved, will be a monumental milestone for the company and another big step on the road to getting a consistent human presence on the Mars and the moon. On June 23 SpaceX was spotted rolling out Super Heavy Booster 7 to the orbital launch site, and according to reports from NASASpaceFlight, the booster sported 33 Raptor 2 engines.

Astronomers identified Comet C/2017 K2 back in 2017, and now the extremely old comet is making its way into our inner solar system.

Researchers believe that Comet C/2017, or Comet K2, originally came from the Oort Cloud, and when it was originally found, it was approximately 1.5 billion miles away from the Sun between Saturn and Uranus. When Comet K2 was first discovered, astronomers believed it was 99 miles wide, but follow-up observations from the Hubble Space Telescope brought that number down to the agreed 11-mile-wide diameter.

It should be noted that while the diameter estimate was originally incorrect, the size of Comet K2 is still very large - being as wide as two Mount Everest's stacked on top of each other. Spaceweather.com writes that most comet nuclei are approximately 0.62 - 1.86 miles in diameter. Comet K2 harbors its own mysteries as most of the larger comets do, with researchers being perplexed at how the comet remains "active", which is a term researchers use to label comets that are producing a glow and the iconic tail.

ASUS isn't a stranger to totally ridiculous gaming smartphones, but holy hell is the new ROG Phone 6 gaming smartphone absolutely ridiculous. I mean... seriously, look at the cooler... a COOLER, on a smartphone:

In some new leaked photos from Evan "@evleaks" and 91Mobiles, the flagship ASUS ROG Phone 6 gaming smartphone and its insane cooling accessory. The new ASUS ROG Phone 6 is going to be a mobile gamine powerhouse, which is why the ridiculous cooling accessory is being offered. The new renders, give us a sneak peak before the July 5 reveal of the ROG Phone 6.

I would love to see just how many people buy, and use the crazy cooling accessory for the ASUS ROG Phone 6 gaming smartphone, because it truly is gigantic. Just how hot are the internals in it running that it needs this cooler. ASUS is offering the "AeroActive Cooler 6" as its new snap-on fan for the ROG Phone 6 gaming smartphone, which while huge, does look awesome.

EVGA's new PowerLink 41s has been announced, acting as a next-gen cable management accessory for your EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 graphics card.

The new EVGA PowerLink 41s provides maximum stability, improved case airflow, and of course it glows with fully-customizable ARGB LED lighting. EVGA has designed its PowerLink 41s exclusively for its GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 series of GPUs, which rock the new 16-pin PCIe power connector... this is where PowerLink 41s helps.

PowerLink 41s connects to the end of your EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 graphics card, and turns the single 16-pin PCIe power connector into 4 x 8-pin PCIe power connectors, which then get connected individually to your power supply. You'll also get some beautiful RGB lighting on the back of it, so the EVGA PowerLink 41s connected to an EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 will look beautiful... cleaner, and has RGB lighting to boot.

Intel's next-gen 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPU will be launching in a few month's time, but the upcoming Core i9-13900 has already been taken around the benchmarking route... and it's shaping up very nicely against Alder Lake.

The new Core i9-13900 sample is labeled "Q0D8" and is recognized as an ES1 (an early engineering sample) and was benched against the current Core i9-12900K processor. Expreview is using a high-end ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme motherboard, with the Core i9-13900 "Raptor Lake" ES1 sample has the same 8 Performance cores, and 16 Efficient cores as what the retail CPU will have, but in its engineering sample form, there is a much lower CPU clock speed than ANY of the retail 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" processors.

Intel's new Core i9-13900 was sitting at 3.8GHz Turbo Boost on its Performance cores, which is much lower than its +5GHz speeds that the retail Raptor Lake CPUs will burst out of the gate with. The new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs will also have updated Performance cores based on the Raptor Cove CPU architecture, meanwhile, the Gracemont CPU architecture.

The original Overwatch launched in 2016, and now that Blizzard has Overwatch 2 ready for release, we're finding out some upsetting news.

Blizzard will be killing off the original Overwatch the second that Overwatch 2 goes live on October 4, confirmed by Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller in a recent AMA on Reddit. Overwatch 2 launches with a bunch of new heroes, maps, and so much more, but the original Overwatch... will be killed off.

In the Reddit AMA, one of the questions was "What does the term "Early Access" means for Overwatch 2? Does this means that on this day OW1 is getting replaced by OW2's PvP or will OW1 shutdown once the game is out of Early Access?"

AMD and NVIDIA are both preparing for monster next-gen GPUs, with NVIDIA's new Ada Lovelace-powered graphics cards using upwards of 800W at the flagship next-gen GPU side of things.

We've had a growing list of manufacturers join the PCIe 5.0 power supply unit (PSU) game, with MSI's new MEG PCIe 5.0 + ATX 3.0 PSUs being tested behind the scenes. MSI has their next-gen MEG Ai1300 and Ai1000P PSUs that will be ready for next-gen GPUs, with some new details to jump into.

MSI says that their next-gen MEG Ai1300/1000P power supplies are the "ultimate future proof PSU" where it has an output port that is compliant with PCIe 5.0 and Intel PSDG (Power Supply Design Guide) ATX 3.0. MSI also states that the new MEG Ai1300P and Ai1000p PCIE5 power supplies can hold up to 2x total power excursion and 3x GPU power excursion.

Sony today revealed its new INZONE line of enthusiast gaming hardware built specifically for the PlayStation 5 and PC gaming, including two new high-end monitors and three gaming headsets.

As we previously reported, Sony's latest INZONE gaming hardware includes two gaming displays and three audio headsets that are optimized for both PS5 and PC gaming. The monitors come in two models: the INZONE M9, a 27-inch 4K 144Hz display, and the INZONE M3, which is also 27-inches but targets esports with 1920x1080 resolution and 240HZ refresh rates.

"INZONE is a totally new gaming brand from Sony. It sharpens your visual and hearing senses to maximize your ability, and leads you into the zone," Sony's marketing communication department general manager Shuhei Sugihara said. "We promise you higher performance and better results in gameplay."

Intel might as well launch its new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs now, given that we've got early reviews of the Core i9-13900 and now an engineering sample of the Core i9-13900K has allegedly hit the black market.

The new Intel Core i9-13900K processor is being sold somewhere in China, in engineering sample (ES) form stating that the chip can overclock, has 8 large cores and 16 small cores with 32 threads of CPU power. That's because the new Intel Core i9-13900K in flagship Raptor Lake form has 8 Performance cores (updated to the Raptor Cove CPU architecture) while the 16 Efficiency cores are on the Gracemont CPU architecture.

The seller says the Core i9-13900K processor is working on the ASUS ROG Z690 APEX motherboard, while the picture of the Raptor Lake CPU has its CPU SPEC code and QR codes removed, obviously. As for the price, we're looking at only $426 or so (2850 RMB) which is a steal considering this is a next-gen 13900K chip.

NASA's InSight Mars Lander first landed on Mars on November 26th, 2018, and took its first selfie ten days later.

Its final selfie was taken on April 24, 2022, and comprises multiple images taken by its Instrument Deployment Camera and stitched together. All of the dust now covering InSight and its solar panels has dramatically reduced its power output. Therefore, it was scheduled to gradually shut down its remaining instruments until running out of power around December.

The seismometer, Insight's last operational science instrument, was to be automatically shut down by the end of June to conserve power. However, the team has decided to allow the lander to continue using the seismometer until either the end of August or early September so that it can continue to gather scientific data for longer. Unfortunately, while remaining active to detect more marsquakes, InSight's batteries will discharge more quickly, and the spacecraft will ultimately completely lose power sooner.

AMD's new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000 WX series CPUs are already hitting the market, and while you won't find them on the shelves stateside, the new processors are already on sale in China.

The new AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000 WX series CPUs are true number-crunching monsters, with the flagship Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX processor rocking 64 cores and 128 threads of processing power, and costing around $7029 according to @AnhPhuH on Twitter.

AMD's second-best Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX processor has 32 cores and 64 threads of CPU power, and is available in China for around $3589, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX can be had for around $2572 in China offering 24 cores and 48 threads of CPU power. AMD only recently announced that it would be launching some of its new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000 WX series CPUs into the DIY market, but this was pretty dang fast.

A study on the evolution of monkeypox titled "Phylogenomic characterization and signs of microevolution in the 2022 multi-country outbreak of monkeypox virus" has been published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Researchers from Portugal have completed a genetic study of 15 samples of the monkeypox virus, which has surfaced in over fifty countries so far, despite normally being relegated to Africa. Monkeypox comes from the same genus as smallpox and comes in two main varieties of monkeypox; the West African and Congo Basin forms.

Prior research has shown monkeypox ends up mutating once or twice yearly. However, new samples from 15 patients have revealed the virus is currently mutating about 6 to 12 times more frequently than expected. The accelerated mutation rate may suggest that the virus is now infecting people via a new pathway, compared to the traditional transmission methods through open wounds, bodily fluids, or airborne droplets.

A study on fasting and nerves titled "The gut metabolite indole-3 propionate promotes nerve regeneration and repair" has been published in the journal Nature.

Researchers from the Imperial College London have observed an increased ability in mice to recover from nerve damage, owing to gut bacteria changes resulting from intermittent fasting. Gut bacteria produce more of a metabolite called 3-Indolepropionic acid (IPA) in response to fasting. This metabolite is required to regenerate axons, the nerve fiber part of a neuron (nerve cell).

The particular bacteria which produces IPA, Clostridium sporogenesis, is found in both human guts and that of mice, so the mechanism will hopefully apply in potential future human trials. In the study, half of the mice ate on alternating days, while the other half ate as they pleased. The mice had their sciatic nerves, which run from the spine down the leg, severed, and within 24 to 72 hours, the fasting group experienced ~50% greater regrowth in their axons.

The International Space Station (ISS) periodically requires boosts from external spacecraft to help it maintain its orbit.

The ISS weighs 444 tonnes and continues to expand, while orbiting at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 kilometers). However, atmospheric drag brings the space station closer to Earth by about one mile (1.6 kilometers) each month, and consequently, it needs to be lifted back up.

The task is currently Russia's responsibility, for which they use the thrusters on the Progress cargo spacecraft and the ISS' Zvezda module. However, Russia's future with the ISS is unclear, with the nation potentially withdrawing from the space station in 2024 despite NASA's commitment to keep it operational until 2030. Therefore, the remaining countries need a way to manage the space station responsibilities currently left to Russia.

A study on organic carbon on Mars titled "Organic carbon concentrations in 3.5-billion-year-old lacustrine mudstones of Mars" has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

NASA scientists have measured the total organic carbon present in Martian rocks for the first time with the help of data from the Curiosity rover. Organic carbon refers to the carbon found in organic compounds, which consist of carbon and hydrogen, and form the basis of all known forms of life. Organic carbon does arise on Mars as a result of non-living sources, however, such as volcanic activity or meteorites.

The Curiosity rover has found organic carbon and evidence of water existing long ago on Mars in the Gale crater, where it has been exploring and collecting samples. These conditions in the crater, as well as low acidity, and the presence of chemicals like oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, show Mars could have supported life at some point.

A group of hackers have announced a digital war has begun on anti-abortion states with gigabytes of data already reportedly stolen.

The hacking group is called SiegedSec, and according to reports, in the past, has concentrated on stealing/destroying portions of user data held by private companies. The group announced on its Telegram that it will be launching attacks against government bodies and organizations that don't hold their pro-choice views. Notably, the group declared that they are "pro-choice" and "one shouldn't be denied access to abortion".

Adding to the announcement, the group said that it has already hacked government servers in Arkansas and Kentucky, claiming that they have already stolen approximately 8 gigabytes of data that contains government workers' personal information. Taking to Telegram, SiegedSec declared that the attacks will continue and that their targets are any "pro-life entities", which will include any government servers within states that have anti-abortion laws.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is closing in on its goal of calibrating all of its extremely sensitive and highly advanced instruments.

NASA has taken to its blog to update the public on the progress being made on the agency's next-generation space telescope. According to NASA, one of the four primary scientific instruments aboard the observatory is known as the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph instrument (NIRISS), and the testing of the final "mode" on the instrument, the Single Object Slitless Spectroscopy (SOSS) capability, was recently completed - leading NASA engineers to give the thumbs up for science operations.

The space agency explains that the SOSS mode is a specifically designed prism that absorbs the light from the cosmos and splits it into three separate rainbows. The observatory will be able to capture more than 2,000 infrared colors from a single observation, which will allow researchers to lock onto planets and probe their atmosphere for certain molecules. Observing exoplanets and determining their atmospheres will be the main task of the SOSS mode, according to NASA.