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Why is Nasa’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample canister ‘scientific treasure box’ to scientists?

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As scientists took a closer look at the sample of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu that was recently collected by Nasa, they were greeted with a pleasant surprise.

Last week, scientists discovered a dark, fine-grained material on the inside of a canister containing a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu which could provide key insights about the asteroid before the primary sample is analysed.

Nasa’s 7-year OSIRIS-Rex mission returned to Earth on September 24, carrying the asteroid sample, topping a total trip distance of some 3.86 billion miles.

The canister, which according to Nasa is a “scientific treasure box,” was taken to Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where a clean room was built for the analysis of the cosmic sample.

Asteroids, remnants of the solar system’s formation, provide insights into the early days of planet formation. However, they also pose a threat to Earth, highlighting the importance of understanding their composition and orbits crucial for deflecting space rocks on collision courses, CNN reported.

In October 2020, OSIRIS-REx used its ouch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) head to collect a sample from Bennu’s surface, which gathered so much material that particles drifted off into space before being stowed in a canister.

Scientists believed they could analyse the material quickly, but there was plenty before reaching the bulk of the sample, requiring more time to collect all the material.

“The very best ‘problem’ to have is that there is so much material, it’s taking longer than we expected to collect it,” said Christopher Snead, deputy OSIRIS-REx curation lead, in a statement.

“There’s a lot of abundant material outside the TAGSAM head that’s interesting in its own right. It’s really spectacular to have all that material there.”

The asteroid sample will be revealed on October 11 in a live Nasa broadcast. The TAGSAM head will be carefully disassembled in a specialised glovebox to reveal initial findings from Bennu material.

“We have all the microanalytical techniques that we can throw at this to really, really tear it apart, almost down to the atomic scale,” said Lindsay Keller, OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team member, in a statement.

Additionally, the team plans to examine Bennu’s collected material using scanning electron microscopes, X-rays, and infrared instruments to understand its chemical composition and detect hydrated minerals or organic particles.

The instruments will also reveal the abundance of specific minerals on the asteroid.

The initial analysis will help researchers have a better idea of what to expect from the bulk sample collected from Bennu.

Scientists believe asteroids like Bennu may have introduced essential elements like water to Earth early in our planet’s formation, potentially answering questions about the origins of our solar system.

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WhatsApp launches bulk channel management functionality

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WhatsApp has initiated testing of a bulk channel administration feature on iOS for select beta users, enabling the simultaneous selection of many channels, hence enhancing the efficiency of managing following channels.

This essential update enables users to perform bulk activities, including muting many channels simultaneously, designating them as read, and altering notifications. If the chosen channels are muted, users will now have the option to activate notifications. Users can swiftly silence unmuted channels in one action.

Additionally, this feature enables users to unfollow many channels simultaneously, thereby optimizing the process of decluttering their channel list. This change is particularly beneficial for users that oversee numerous subscriptions, as reported by WABetaInfo.

Previously, users were required to manage each channel individually, rendering tasks such as muting or designating channels as read laborious and time-consuming.

The functionality provides enhanced flexibility and control over channel subscriptions, enabling users to efficiently manage notifications. The solution streamlines laborious operations for consumers who subscribe to numerous channels, hence enhancing their entire experience.

Accessibility
The bulk management feature is presently accessible exclusively to a limited number of beta testers who installed the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS using the TestFlight application. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, plans to expand the feature’s availability to a larger user base in the next weeks.

This update demonstrates WhatsApp’s dedication to enhancing user experience by offering a clear and efficient method for managing channels and notifications.

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Pakistani internet slowdown: ongoing submarine cable issue

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Even after two weeks, the global submarine cable AAA-1 problem that was discovered on January 2 near Qatar has not been fixed, causing sluggish internet connection in several Pakistani towns.

According to a representative for Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the issue has affected customers’ capacity to effectively access social media applications and browse the online. Even with initiatives to fix the problem, social networking sites still lag during busy times.

Internet traffic has been redirected via alternate channels to lessen the impact, and more capacity has been set up to stabilize the service.

The PTCL representative promised that “Internet service across the country is operating normally, and there will be no issues with web browsing,” noting that social media applications’ lag is common during

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Government and SIFC Work Together to Advance the IT Sector: Youth Skills ICT Training Portal Launched

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In an effort to better prepare young people for opportunities in the quickly changing technology sector, the government has launched a new ICT training portal.

To allow graduates to work with IT companies, Huawei and the Ministry of IT have struck an agreement. This program will give participants hands-on exposure to cutting-edge technology, including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).

There is now a training program that offers three-year internships to graduates. Huawei has also stated that it is dedicated to helping with training initiatives and contemporary technology.

In order to strengthen technical training, Huawei signed an MOU with COMSATS University Islamabad, further demonstrating its support.

Plans call for establishing training facilities in Karachi and growing the initiative across the country.

These projects funded by the Special Investment Facilitation Council are key to revitalizing Pakistan’s economy and fostering growth in the IT sector.

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