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Sometimes, you just need to give your mind a little vacation. And these days, outer space sounds like as good a destination as any. Thankfully, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is here to give us a dazzling new image of the Helix Nebula.Discovered in the early 19th century, the Helix Nebula resides in the constellation Aquarius. (Cue The 5th Dimension.) At about 655 light-years away, it's one of Earth's closest planetary nebulae. When zoomed farther out, it's easy to see why it's been nicknamed the Eye of God or Eye of Sauron. This 2004 image from the Hubble telescope illustrates that.A wider view of the same nebula from 2004NASA / ESA / C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University) / M. Meixner / P. McCullough / G. Bacon ( STSI)What we're seeing in the nebula is, in a sense, a moment of death that lays the groundwork for a new birth. The dying star (out of frame in the closer new image) sheds its outer layers. As expelled gas and dust cool, they provide raw material that could someday form new stars and perhaps planetary systems.The new image from Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) provides a much closer, higher-resolution view.Pillar-like reddish knots in the Helix NebulaThose pillars you see are called cometary knots, and this image is our best view of those to date. "Here, blistering winds of hot gas from the dying star are crashing into colder shells of dust and gas that were shed earlier in its life, sculpting the nebula's remarkable structure," the ESA wrote in its press release.The knots' colors represent temperature and chemistry. Hints of blue indicate the hottest gas (energized by ultraviolet light). The yellow regions, where hydrogen atoms form molecules, are farther from the nebula's nucleus (and therefore cooler). On the edges, reddish-orange regions depict the coolest material, where gas thins and dust begins to form.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/earth-is-having-some-issues-so-lets-enjoy-the-webb-telescopes-new-nebula-image-181049901.html?src=rss
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Roland just unveiled the Go:Mixer Studio, a powerful entry in the company's line of audio interfaces. This one promises to be a portable and affordable way to create high-quality recordings with a smartphone or PC. The biggest news here are the 12 input channels and six output channels. This means that users can record multiple instruments at once and even run the signal through outboard gear if so desired. There are two XLR inputs on the back with phantom power, an instrument jack, stereo -inch line-in jacks, an aux input, TRS MIDI ins and outs, two headphones jacks and stereo line outs for connecting monitor speakers. It records up to 24-bit/192kHz audio, which will certainly get the job done. The device comes with built-in effects for mangling audio on the fly. Each audio input also has a dedicated EQ and compressor directly on the channel. It connects via an app that's available for iOS, Windows and MacOS. The iOS app actually lets users capture both video and multitrack audio at the same time, which should be a boon for streamers and content creators of all stripes. The Windows and MacOS apps allow for complete control of the mixer remotely. As for the unit itself, there are several big knobs to adjust parameters and a color display. It's also really small and light, making it easy to pack away in case of an unexpected recording session. The device can even be mounted on a mic stand. The Roland Go: Mixer Studio is available right now and costs $300. The Roland Go line of audio products has been around for years, but this one seems like a major step up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/rolands-gomixer-studio-is-an-affordable-but-capable-mixer-for-budding-recording-engineers-163927262.html?src=rss
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Meta has a lot of work to do when it comes to limiting hate speech on its platforms. Now, its Oversight Board is looking into the company's decision to ban an account for, among other things, posting visual violent threats and harassment against a journalist and it wants the public's advice. In the year prior to the ban, Meta referred five posts due to violations of its hateful conduct, bullying and harassment, violence and incitement and adult nudity and sexual activity community standards. In addition to the posts harassing the woman journalist, the user also shared "anti-gay slurs against prominent politicians and content depicting a sex act, alleging misconduct against minorities." Meta's internal review experts decided to permanently disable the account due to the consistent violations and calls for violence. This action was taken despite the number of strikes not reaching the ban threshold Meta's guidance states that even seven strikes only get users a one-day ban. However, its account integrity page lays out examples of when it will disable accounts, including violating its community standards through "risk of imminent harm" to an individual. The Board is now looking for insight from the public until 11:59PM PT on Tuesday, February 3. The Board is specifically seeking comments from individuals who can "contribute valuable perspectives" on the following topics: How best to ensure due process and fairness to people whose accounts are penalized or permanently disabled. The effectiveness of measures used by social media platforms to protect public figures and journalists from accounts engaged in repeated abuse and threats of violence, in particular against women in the public eye. Challenges in identifying and considering off-platform context when assessing threats against public figures and journalists. Research into the efficacy of punitive measures to shape online behaviors, and the efficacy of alternative or complementary interventions. Good industry practices in transparency reporting on account enforcement decisions and related appeals. This instance marks the first time the Board has looked into Meta permanently disabling an account. It stated that this "represents a significant opportunity to provide users with greater transparency on Metas account enforcement policies and practices, make recommendations for improvement, and expand the types of cases the Board can review."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/metas-oversight-board-is-looking-into-transparency-around-disabling-accounts-145757717.html?src=rss
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