And he was right. Today, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s engineers released information about how they’re making 360 degree video up to 80 percent smaller than the original file, to make streaming the content easier on computers. The answer lies in geometry. Facebook’s engineers explain that instead of thinking about 360 degree video as a sphere, it’s better to think of the final product as a cube, a shape with 6 equal sides....

Of course, the person on the subway looking over your shoulder as you type on your phone (each person’s device is the “end” in end-to-end encryption) could still see what you’re saying, so the system is not perfect—but it’s still an incredibly strong tool that privacy experts say is a fundamental right. You don’t want a tech company or government body listening to what you say in your living room, and you have the same expectation of privacy when you message someone on a device....

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For now, it’s important to add that fallout isn’t just of the radioactive variety. Here’s Phil: And mushroom clouds aren’t just caused by nuclear bombs either. Volcanoes have been known to erupt into great pyrocumulus clouds, and in the late 1780s, a mushroom cloud was featured in a French painting of the Siege of Gibraltar. Support Maki on Patreon

But it quickly became clear that South Africa was just the first country to spot the variant and probably not the location that the virus originated. The earliest confirmed case posted on GISAID, a global database of COVID genomes, was on November 19 in Sweden. On Wednesday, the US confirmed its first Omicron case in a traveler who had recently returned from South Africa. That person tested positive the Monday before Thanksgiving....

With a top speed of 4mph, the poorly named Starship moves slightly faster than walking humans. Inside, it can carry about 20 pounds, or two bags of groceries. Ideally, it will deliver them in 5 to 30 minutes, or about the same time as a walk to the grocery store itself. Its cargo will be stored inside the hollow compartment of the robot’s body. The lock on the compartment will only open with the customer’s mobile app....

What is the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle HR? At about $199, The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle HR promises a robust set of features in an understated package. As the Fossil watch’s name suggests, this is the fifth iteration of the wearable. The generational upgrades include an improved battery life, which can reach more than a full day in one of the watch’s low-power modes. It also recharges quickly, gaining a nearly full charge in less than an hour....

Fortunately, UX designers have spent hours creating systems that are easy to use, so setup takes just a few minutes. Here’s how to get started with all the popular speaker ranges on the market, and some of the differences between them. With Sonos speakers Sonos has been in the high-quality, multi-room, wireless audio streaming game since 2002, and it shows. You can buy Sonos speakers in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they all work together seamlessly....

“Where consumers seek out health care, receive counseling, or celebrate their faith is private information that shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC is taking Kochava to court to protect people’s privacy and halt the sale of their sensitive geolocation information.” Kochava claims its data caches allow businesses to better advertise and analyze their consumer demographics based on info like foot traffic, but as the FTC notes, its selling points go far beyond potentially improving sales numbers....

Unlike a rainstorm, a hurricane–or superstorm, which Sandy was demoted to–scoops up salt from oceans and estuaries the way a kid scoops up sand at a beach. The “brackish” water (salty but not extremely salty) and the saltwater (about 35 parts per million salt) get mixed up with freshwater and carried inland by the storm surge. When that water is pushed to shore, it can be more damaging than the salt-free version, especially if comes into contact with electronic equipment (as was the case with Sandy)....

It features a range of biometric and fitness-tracking apps, training exercises, and navigation tools. Plus, it performs smartwatch functions like controlling your phone’s music and displaying messages and texts. What’s more, it does all this for a price that won’t empty your wallet. But can a relatively inexpensive running watch lap the competition, or does it sputter out just before crossing the finish line? Read on to find out. The Garmin Forerunner 55’s design The Forerunner 55 isn’t as sleek as some dedicated Garmin smartwatches....

Don’t fall for the hype. With very few exceptions, the gizmos and gadgets marketed this time of year are completely unnecessary—and they don’t hold a candle to cheap kitchen staples. For every hundred-dollar pan or fancy knife you’ll use once a year, there’s an affordable alternative you’ll use over and over again. Here’s what to look for. Skip the expensive ovenware and go straight for the aluminum Conventional wisdom says that if you’re going to roast a turkey, you need a deep roasting pan with a V-rack....

Scientists didn’t go in expecting to find remnants of plague. When they genetically analyzed RV 2039’s remains, they were surprised to find the genome of Yersinia pestis, the infectious bacteria responsible for the bubonic plague. The detected strain is the oldest discovered so far—it split from its bacterial predecessor more than 7,000 years ago. It also looks different from the Y. pestis of more recent epidemics. Genetic analysis of the bacteria in the ancient RV 2039 also revealed that the bubonic plague-inducing microbe lacked a crucial genetic element: the gene that lets fleas act as vectors to spread the plague, which is also the gene that lets the bacterium efficiently infect humans....

I first discovered this face wash a few years ago in Taiwan and haven’t stopped using it since. It’s gentle enough to use everyday, and the gel contains natural fruit alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acid that helps wipes all the dead skin and dirt off of your face. Watching the gel turn slightly grey from the dead skin cells is really gratifying, too. A friend of mine who’s studying in Japan right now recently jumped on the Toyo Cure Natural Aqua gel train....

Right now you can purchase the Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 and Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows, both on sale for just $35.99 as a part of our Deal Days savings event, which is our version of Prime Day. There are plenty of other high value savings available as well, but hurry because these amazing deals will only be around through 10/12! Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac creates an opportunity for families, students, and small businesses who want the classic Microsoft Office apps and email....

Start and stop your subscription As with Netflix, you can cancel and restart your Apple TV+ subscription at any time, so if you’ve already binged on everything you want to watch, Apple gives you an easy way out. If you’re on a Mac, you can check your subscription status via the App Store: Click your name (bottom left), then View information, followed by Manage (next to Subscriptions). Alternatively, in any web browser, sign into the Apple TV+ site, then click your avatar (top right), Settings, and Manage (under Subscriptions)....

Startup company Avegant doesn’t bill its Glyph device as a virtual reality headset. Think of it more as an entertainment center on your ears and face. The Glyph headset is available to buy now for $600 and ships in 6-8 weeks. The company plans on increasing the price to $700 after January 15. Putting on the Glyph headset is simple—as it’s reminiscent of simply donning a pair of headphones—and entering your virtual movie theatre requires you to rotate the ear-cups 90 degrees forward....

Nadia is one of 141 goats residing at Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, located in Kent, England. From 2015 through 2016, they were mildly interested participants in Christian Nawroth’s studies of goat and human communication, motivated mostly by the possibility of pasta and cuddles from researchers. The study, recently published in Frontiers of Psychology on May 19, 2020, aims to shed light on animal cognition tests typically administered on dogs, cats, and apes, and bring them to livestock animals—in particular, the goat, which has been Nawroth’s focus for the past five years....

According to a study by the Desert Research Institute, pollutant levels at the beginning of the 20th century were two to five times higher than current levels of pollution. Researchers attribute the decrease in pollution levels to the advent of more efficient coal-burning technologies, as well as legislation aimed at reducing emissions. The results of the study were determined by ice core samples taken from Greenland. Using the samples, researchers gathered continuous monthly and annually averaged pollution levels dating from 1772 to 2003....

This year, Google took the data it collected from Maps users during the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday and crunched the data to find out what times are particularly busy when it comes to driving on highways, visiting local restaurants, and even going to the movies. The results turned up some interesting trends that could help users avoid busy roadways and shopping centers. Here are some of the things they learned....