Daily Archives: February 19, 2020

Saturn's most Earth-like moon looks a bit less likely to host life, thanks to quantum mechanics, the weird rules that govern subatomic particles.

Titan, the second largest moon in our solar system after Jupiter's Ganymede, is unique in two ways that have convinced some researchers that this moon might host extraterrestrial life: It's the only moon in our solar system with a dense atmosphere, and it's the only body in space, besides Earth, known to definitely have pools of liquid on its surface. In Titan's case, those pools are frigid lakes of hydrocarbons, closer to the gasoline in a car than the oceans on Earth. But some researchers have suggested that complex structures could arise in those pools: bubbles with special properties that mimic ingredients found to be necessary for life on our planet.

On Earth, lipid molecules (fatty acids) can spontaneously arrange themselves into bubble-shaped membranes that form the barriers around the cells of all known life-forms. Some researchers think this was the first necessary ingredient for life as it formed on Earth.

Related: 9 strange scientific excuses for why humans haven't found aliens yet

On Titan, researchers have speculated in the past, an equivalent set of bubbles might have emerged, these consisting of nitrogen-based molecules called azotosomes.

But for those structures to arise naturally, the physics has to work just right in the conditions actually present on Titan: temperatures of about minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 185 degrees Celsius), without liquid water or atmospheric oxygen.

Previous studies, using molecular dynamics simulations a technique often used to examine the chemistry of life suggested that such bubble structures would arise and become common on a world like Titan. But a new paper, published Jan. 24 in the journal Science Advances, suggests that those earlier simulations were wrong.

Using more complex simulations involving quantum mechanics, the researchers in the new paper studied the structures in terms of their "thermodynamic viability."

Here's what that means: Put a ball at the top of a hill, and it's likely to end up at the bottom, a position of lower energy. Similarly, chemicals tend to arrange themseIves in the simplest, lowest-energy pattern. The researchers wanted to know whether the azotosomes would be the simplest, most efficient arrangement for those nitrogen-bearing molecules.

Titan represents a "strict test case for the limits of life," the researchers wrote in their paper. And in this role, the moon fails. Azotosomes, the simulation showed, just aren't thermodynamically viable on Titan.

This work, the researchers said in a statement, should help NASA figure out what experiments to include on its Dragonfly mission to Titan, planned for the 2030s. It's still theoretically possible that life emerged on Titan, the researchers said in the paper, but such life would likely not involve anything we'd recognize as a cell membrane.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Saturn's weird, Earth-like moon just failed a key test for alien life - Space.com

To heat a slice of pizza, you probably wouldntconsider first chilling it in the fridge. But a theoretical study suggests thatcooling, as a first step before heating, may be the fastest way to warm upcertain materials. In fact, such precooling could lead sometimes to exponentially faster heating, two physicists calculate in a study accepted in Physical Review Letters.

The concept is similar to the Mpemba effect, the counterintuitive and controversial observation that hot watersometimes freezes faster than cold water (SN:1/6/17). Scientists still dont agree on why the Mpemba effect occurs, andits difficult to reproduce the effect consistently. The new study is a way ofthinking of effects like the Mpemba effect from a different perspective, saysphysicist Andrs Santos of Universidad de Extremadura in Badajoz, Spain, who was not involved with the research.

This potential for faster heatingdoesnt actually apply to pizza slices, but to certain simplified theoreticalmodels of materials, which scientists use to make calculations that help themunderstand real materials. Physicists Amit Gal and Oren Raz of the WeizmannInstitute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, studied a theoretical system calledthe Ising model, a 2-D grid of atoms which have magnetic poles that pointeither up or down. In particular, they considered a version of the Ising model inwhich neighboring atoms tended to point their poles in opposite directions,behavior which is called antiferromagnetic. In that system, heating could occurfaster after a precooling phase.

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For the new effect to occur, there mustbe some relevant property of the system other than a uniform temperature thatis affected by the precooling. Otherwise, thered be no difference between asystem that had been precooled and rewarmed, and one that hadnt. Thetemperature cannot really tell the whole story, Gal says.

In the case of the antiferromagnetic Isingmodel, the researchers considered the total magnetization produced from all theatoms, as well as how many magnets pointed in the opposite direction of theirneighbors. Cooling the material could change the ratio between those twoproperties in a way that would allow heating to proceed more quickly.

Raz hopes that physicists might look forthe effect in real materials next, such as magnetic alloys.

The prospects are exciting, says physicist Adolfo del Campo of the Donostia International Physics Center in Spain. Scientists have been searching for ways to speed up heating in tiny machines that follow the rules of quantum mechanics and can bypass some of the limits of standard machines (SN: 4/1/19). If the effect can be exploited in such minute machines, he says, it would [be] quite handy.

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The fastest way to heat certain materials may be to cool them first - Science News

Simple, immersive, affordable surround sound. Thats the promise of Rokus new operating system update, which allows you to link up the companys soundbar, sub, and Roku Wireless Speakers for a slick and concise surround setup that costs just $500.

On many fronts, Rokus makeshift system delivers on its promise, booming and sweeping its way to some pretty sweet cinematic immersion. But, after spending some quality time with the newly minted setup, I can tell you it wont be for everyone, especially those looking for a system as musical as it is cinematic.

Here are the highs and lows of Rokus new Voltron-style surround setup.

Rokus new system is designed to be so easy to use that even your aging Aunt Freda can set it up and enjoy those mahjong tournaments on ESPN 7 in immersive surround. Roku shoots for a broad audience, so the system needs to be accessible for all. For the most part, thats the case when it comes to setup, but there are some caveats to mention.

The Roku Smart Soundbar is basically a Roku TV in soundbar form. You can stream directly from it and easily access the onscreen menu for everything from streaming apps to sound settings. Once youve got the bar set up and all components plugged in, pairing the wireless subwoofer and speakers to the bar is done by simply holding down the remotes Home button for five seconds and selecting them from the on-screen menu.

Thats assuming the new update that makes this possible goes off without a hitch, of course. Updates can be tricky, and you may need to hit the reset button on the speakers or sub, though the simple on-screen directions should make this clear. However, since the Roku Wireless Speakers were originally designed to pair to a Roku TV, they kept chiming improper directions about doing just that after I plugged them in. This may be something thats worked out in the update (or a future one).

Youll also need to find a place to set up the speakers behind (and to the left and right of) the listening position. This will likely require you to pick up speaker stands or find a console for them, etc. So, while the setup is simple, it isnt necessarily a breeze for surround newbies.

Thats not to say this system isnt intuitive as all get-out its Roku, after all and operation is a snap once youre up and running. Apart from the luxury of a built-in video streamer, easy access to on-screen sound settings, a signature perk of Roku audio gear, is perhaps the most useful feature.

A tap of the star key on the soundbars remote calls up a small but effective suite of settings, including leveling and night mode (for keeping the system from blasting during commercials or when the kids are sleeping), two settings to pump up dialogue (low and high), and a range of bass controls for the subwoofer. The settings are limited, but work well for those for whom a graphic EQ is as mysterious as quantum physics.

Like most modern soundbars, the system also works seamlessly with your TV remote for power and volume when connected via HDMI ARC (cable included).

Theres also a cool feature called Expanded Stereo mode, which uses digital signal processing (DSP) to pump ambient sound into the surround satellites for stereo content. The Movies and TV mode, which is on by default, actually works impressively well, seeming to magically pull only the background effects into the back speakers for a more immersive experience. I was less impressed with the Music version when streaming Bluetooth, but it does give you a bigger soundstage.

Smart assistant support includes Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for some basic functionality like streaming from select services, volume control, and turning the system on and off, while the microphone in the remote allows for searching streaming content via Rokus operating system as well.

The opposite side of the coin that is Rokus dead-simple interface is that, well, theres not a lot you can do to tune the system manually. For control freaks like yours truly, the lack of incremental levels for the subwoofer and (especially) zero control over the satellites is maddening. While there are settings that raise or lower bass output, the only way to control the surround volume appears to be where you place them in conjunction with your listening position.

Also somewhat frustrating is Bluetooth streaming, which demands you go through the settings via your TV for initial pairing. Id rather just have an input key. That said, once youve paired to it, the system is designed to allow you to stream to the bar with the TV off (though for my TCL 6-series Roku TV, it seemed to turn on the TV when I turned on the bar).

Speaking of inputs, the options are limited. Unlike competitors such as Vizios $500 SB36512-g6 surround soundbar (which also tacks on Dolby Atmos, by the way), theres no way to stream over Wi-Fi, or even a 3.5mm input.

When it comes to performance, the highlights of this four-piece system are easily the subwoofer and satellite components, which deliver power and immersion, respectively, that rises above what youll get from the vast majority of competitors at this price point.

After connecting the sub, Rokus booming test demo freaked out my normally quiet dog from a dead slumber, causing him to bark as viciously as a 15-pounder can at what he deemed a full-on invasion. The impressive little tub holds court in everything from major action scenes to acoustic tracks, offering clean and powerful bass that punches well above its weight when measured by both size and price point.

Meanwhile, the Roku Wireless speakers offer power and clarity thats far above what youll see in most surround bars in this price class (or even well above it). Designed as stand-alone speakers for Roku TVs, their smooth-and-clear, dual-driver attack adds definition, detail, and poise to the swirling effects of action scenes, while swelling brilliantly with ambient sound in slower moments.

The result is excellent immersion that really pulls you into the moment in films like Avengers: Infinity War and The Dark Knight. But the setup also leaves something to be desired when it comes to the weakest link in this chain, the soundbar itself.

While the bar is the piece that ties it all together, its also the wild card of the system. Loaded with DSP, at times it can sound quite good, reveling in the meat of the sound for clean and detailed midrange effects and dialogue. At other times, youre reminded of its stubby size, which limits its soundstage significantly, while its smaller tweeters seem to be stretching to produce more velocity, resulting in a shouty sound signature.

That goes for music playback, too, which often comes off flat and boxy. My first impression when I called up a Spotify playlist was that of disappointment as the soundstage seemed to collapse on itself significantly. The subwoofer helps take some of the load, adding punch to songs that hit hard and chocolaty bass to acoustic fare, but I often wished for more warmth and presence in the middle of the sound and more definition up top.

This wasnt always the case I certainly found myself enjoying some tunes, usually those with excellent mixing, but in general, Bluetooth streaming is lackluster. You can lean on the Roku Wireless Speakers a bit by engaging the Expanded Stereo Music mode, but it cant really make up for the lack of musicality upfront. And perhaps ironically, I found myself wishing I was just listening to the twin speakers on their lonesome instead.

At $500, Rokus mostly wireless surround setup has a lot going for it. Its slick and simple to use, offers a great streamer built-in (assuming you dont already have one), and provides compelling surround sound immersion for your favorite cinematic scenes. Its not the best for music streaming, though, and while its easy to use, I find its limitations in both connection options and settings frustrating.

If you love the simple and intuitive nature of Roku and especially if youve already invested in one of these components the full system might be a good option. Otherwise, you can get more well-rounded surround solutions from Vizio and other brands, often for less.

Updated 2/20/2020: This piece has been updated to clarify that basic smart assistant functionality is supported for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

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Rokus surround sound system is simple, immersive, and not for everyone - Digital Trends

February 14, 2020

CLIFFORD GOLDSTEIN

How did humanity survive in the primeval BSP (Before Smart Phones) era? How did we shop, communicate, or find our way to whatever unknown location we were driving to? (Remember how cutting edge a printed Google map was?) Smart phone technology that once amazed us (I remember my astonishment with Shazam, the app that instantly identified whatever music you heard playing) now seems as humdrum as indoor plumbing. Who knows what smart phone technology will bring next?

How about a call or text to or from the dead? The Soulphone Foundations (thesouldphonefoundation.org) motto is: Bringing Spirit Communication Technology to Life, and by Spirit they mean you-know-who. The iconic Hollywood line, I see dead people! will supposedly become a reality because the Soulphone Foundation claims that it is creating technology that will allow us to contact the deceased via texts, phone calls, and video-conferencing.

After all, its science, which, according to the Soulphone folk, shows that the dead still exist: a basic understanding of the physics of light and electromagnetic fields, when integrated with quantum physics, illustrates how our bioenergy and information persists in the vacuum of space (sometimes called the zero-point field) long after physical death. Its not surprising that they shuffle into the mix the mind-mocking realm of quantum physics. Even Albert Einstein, one of its founders, referred to some quantum phenomena as spooky action at a distance (though he wasnt talking about the kind of spooks the Soulphone Foundation is).

Calling the dead post material persons (PMPs), the site claims that when humans morph into corpses they simply pass on into another phase of forever but retain their consciousness, identity, and core aspects of their previous physical form. But most importantly, the Soulphone folk claim to be developing, in three phases, technology that will allow communication between material and postmaterial persons.

The first phase, SoulKeyboard,TM will allow texting and typing with postmaterial family, friends, and experts in every field of expertise. Phase two, SoulVoice,TM is supposed to enable talking with your dear ones who are living in another part of forever. The third phase, SoulVideo,TM will open the way to hearing and seeing those who are experiencing the field of all possibilities from a different observation point. The Foundation envisions apps that will allows us to communicate with the dead and, also, it hopes to host webinars with postmaterial geniuses in science, healthcare, religion, law.

Especially creepy, at least from a Seventh-day Adventist perspective, is how they test if the communicating dead are really whom they claim to be. For example, the site says, a bereaved parent might ask the following question of a son or a daughter who has changed worlds: Did you have a dog named Snoopy when you were a child. Did we give you a pocketknife for your tenth birthday? Correct answers are final proof for deeply realizing that life and love are forever. How interesting in light of this warning:Spiritual beings sometimes appear to persons in the form of their deceased friends, and relate incidents connected with their lives and perform acts which they performed while living [Ellen G. White,Patriarchs and Prophets(Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1890, 1908), pp. 684, 685].

Among the Soulphone aficionados are plenty of heady material persons: Ph.D.s, M.D.s, bestselling authors, and so forth. A leading figure, Gary Schwartz, earned his doctorate from Harvard, where he taught for years, and later at Yale. Some of the foundation staff had children who, tragically, transitioned, which helps explain their involvement with the Soulphone Foundation and their desire to communicate with them.

No doubt, these people are getting messages from the other side, the wrong side (unfortunately). This is spiritualism, a twenty-first century version. Instead of seances its science; instead of Ouija Boards its quantum physics and the zero-point field. The enemy of souls cloaks the same old lie (You will not certainly die [Gen. 3:4]) in the untrammeled authority of science and technology. If, as the Foundation claims, science can show that the dead exist in a post-material form, then why couldnt science create technology that allows us to contact them?

The logic sounds great, except that the dead are now but dust, molecules sprinkled across the earth, and as such know no pain, no fear, no sorrow. The dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5), which is great for the dead because they close their eyes in death and, in what will seem to them but an instant, many will be resurrected, in flesh and bone, to a new existence. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Rev. 21:4).

However sincere, even honest, the Soulphone folk surely are, sincerity and honesty dont change the state of dead. Which means that whomever they contact with their SoulKeyboard,TM SoulVoice,TM or SoulVideo,TM it wont be their transitioned loved ones whoundisturbed by the tumult and rage herepeacefully and quietly rest until Christ comes back. Then the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable. . . . Then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:52-54).

Clifford Goldstein is editor of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. His latest book, Baptizing the Devil: Evolution and the Seduction of Christianity, is available from Pacific Press.

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Cliff's EdgeA Text to and from the Dead? - Adventist Review

Video games are dense creations. There are thousands of different doodads in Starbound, countless different micro-celebrities in Destiny and Final Fantasy XIV, and entire tomes of background lore in StarCraft, Halo, and The Witcher. The sheer amount of content demanded by games once inspired epic GameFAQs plain text walkthroughs entire megabytes in size. Today the army of dedicated game archivists have moved on to sprawling wikis, ensuring no tiny detail is forgotten. This is a wonderful outlet for any fan. I've lost entire days scrolling through the curated factoids on Wowpedia. I mean, where else am I going to read the pre-retcon history of the Draenei?

That being said, sometimes wiki editors go to truly outlandish lengths to document their favorite games. Sometimes they remember things that no human being was ever meant to recall. Sometimes they're literally forced to define the pendulum of quantum physics because a franchise decided to go down that rabbit hole. Sometimes, like in Disco Elysium, there needs to be a page just called, "Communists."

This list is a tribute to the weirder, funnier side of video game wikis. Where would we be without all these anonymous obsessives, who ensure that no trivia, no matter how broad or ancillary, goes to waste?

Did you know that the man in the pot from Getting Over It has a name? Did you know that his name is Diogenes, of all things? Sure enough, make your way to the Getting Over It wiki and you can read all the biographical details of the sledgehammer guardian. On that page, you can read that Diogenes bears a striking resemblance to Vin Diesel and Vladimir Putin, and that nobody knows how he fits his legs in that pot.

"Diogenes tends to be a silent character throughout the game," reads one passage. "However, when it comes to moments of pulling himself up onto ledges with a lot of force, you can often hear him grunting, and from time to time you can hear him mutter the word, 'No,' when falling."

Thanks for clearing that up!

Kralnor, a level 11 Orc Warlock, made an inscrutable post on the World of Warcraft forums back in the early days of the game's lifespan. "I dont like to stress the fact that the warlock rocks, but he jus does," it reads, in its original syntax. "So, for all you staff users out there, feel free to come in and post, my staff is a good one, but here is how it goes."

1. post message in the room

2. LOOK IT OVER

3. dont report anything, i might get in trouble 🙂

and 4. Have fun!!!

We still have so many questions. Why did staff users need their own dedicated forum thread? Why did Kralnor think he was going to get in trouble? What staff was he using anyway? Should I be offended that I'm more of a sword guy? These questions swirled into a maelstrom on the Warcraft boards until it was finally, mercifully, locked. But the legend of Kralnor remains. He was immortalized by Blizzard in the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, and therefore his legacy lives on in the universe's corresponding wikia database.

Is there a better distillation for the cantankerous anarchy of Rust than its Wikia page for Raw Human Meat? According to the database, Raw Human Meat provides less regeneration stats than Cooked Human Meat, and it has the chance of giving you food poisoning. Cool! Thanks Rust! I am glad that even in one of the most hellish online player communities in the world, the wiki has the good sense to not recommend eating the flesh of your fellow man.

Look man, corporate cross-promotion might seem harmless at the time, but this is where it leads to. Halo, one of the most protected commodities in the industry, now has an entry on its wiki dedicated to a rancid cherry-citrus soft drink. Why? Because Microsoft had the gall to stick Master Chief on the bottles back in 2007, as hype for Halo 3 reached staggering heights. Mountain Dew is officially part of the Halo canon. This is a hell of your own making, Gates.

Similar to the Mountain Dew, but not quite as egregious: a couple years ago some eagle-eyed Terraria fans dug up an item called "Mysterious Package" from the Terraria inventory. On screen, this "mysterious package" looks conspicuously similar to an Amazon cardboard delivery box (it has the logo and everything!) and on use, the box summons a Prime Delivery drone. The Mysterious Package was never implemented into Terraria, so most fans have concluded that it was meant to serve some sort of Amazon promotional tie-in that never got off the ground.

Still, the idea that the Bezos estate is acknowledged within Terraria wiki makes a lot of sense. This is a game about mastering land, sea, and air until you're so resource-rich you no longer know what to do with yourself. Remind you of anyone?

I know this is PC Gamer, and therefore this isn't the place to wax poetic about ancillary Nintendo characters. But no list of weird video game Wikia entries can be complete without paying homage to Mario's Time Machinea scarcely remembered Super Nintendo game where the Tiny Plumber Who Rides Dinosaurs takes a trip through Actual Human History. In one scene, Mario runs into the revolutionary abolitionist Frederick Douglass, you know, the former slave, for a brief history lesson in the racial justice movement of the 18th century. Because of this, Frederick Douglass is forever a part of the Mario multiverse.

You already know what I'm thinking: PUT FREDERICK IN SMASH.

One of the main advantages of indie game development is that you can put pretty much whatever you want into the product you're making, forcing any customers in your wake to deal with your vision. Case in point: Guppy, the name of the cat that belongs to The Binding of Isaac's creator Edmund McMillan. Isaac can transform into Guppy by collecting the right suite of items, which mandates that Guppy will permanently immortalized in the game's Wiki. When I die, don't bury me, just turn me into a really good buff in a roguelike.

One more weird Nintendo exception. In the early days of the development of Ocarina of Time, Nintendo used assets from Star Fox to test some of the enemies. Those assets were left in the game's code, and with the proper Gameshark finangling, you can absolutely summon a Star Fox-style Arwing in Kokiri Forest. Watch as it scours the skies! Chuck a boomerang at it, if you'd like! The Zelda Wiki, as uncompromising as it often is, is forced to take the Arwing at face value.

"The Arwing relies on a hit-and-run tactic that involves flying toward Link to attack and falling back at great speed. It can fly at varying altitudes and can even venture underwater unhindered. Unlike most enemies encountered in the game, the Arwing has no fade-in routine and will remain active and visible on-screen even when it is very far away from Link."

Good advice for the next time Link finds himself in space.

You can go down this rabbit hole with plenty of other Star Wars properties, but like, just look at the description of the human race on the Knights of the Old Republic wiki. It will seriously start to make you wonder how, exactly, earthlings enforced hegemony over what's supposed to be a galaxy far, far away.

"Since humans are the most common sentient species, they are often considered to be a standard or average to which the biology, psychology, and culture of other species are compared."

Literally, even in the dead of space, human-first nationalism reigns unchecked. I reject this premise entirely. Luke Skywalker is an alien.

Herobrine has no pupils and the default skin. He appears in your Minecraft seeds late at night and haunts you until you uninstall.

None of that is true, but due to Minecraft's extreme popularity and incredibly young fanbase, the legend of "Herobrine" managed to pierce the veil between creepypasta and canon. Because of that, Herobrine is the proud occupant of his very own Minecraft Wiki page, so he may terrorize future generations of builders for years to come.

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10 of the weirdest gaming wiki pages - PC Gamer