Technologies

Scientists launching Blob the slime mold into space

Let’s see how Blob behaves in microgravity.

A single-cell yellow slime mold known as Blob is headed to the International Space Station.

Blob is a naturally occurring slime mold with the scientific name Physarum polycephalum. But the European Space Agency — which is sending Blob to the ISS so it can be observed in microgravity — clearly understands that calling it by its nickname makes it way likelier the mold will snag a movie deal.

«Composed of just one cell, the brainless blob is still able to move, feed, organize itself and even transmit knowledge to like-minded slime molds,» says the ESA, which does not elaborate on the kind of knowledge like-minded slime molds tend to share.

The goal of the Blob investigation is studying the influence of microgravity on the Blob’s behavior. Will the organism behave differently in space? How might microgravity and radiation affect its evolution?

Blob is scheduled to launch to the ISS on Aug. 10 on Northrop Grumman’s 16th NASA commercial resupply mission. Once it arrives, ESA astronaut and space photographer Thomas Pesquet will add water to Blob to wake it up and and take pictures of it under two scientific protocols. One will study how two Blobs respond alongside one another in an environment without food. Another will analyze the two other Blobs when food is available (oat flakes, naturally).

Primary, middle and high school students down on Earth will conduct similar experiments, comparing their results to a timelapse video from space to observe differences in Blob’s speed, shape and growth up there and down here. The goal is getting kids in France and other ESA member states more immersed in the biological sciences. As this is an educational experiment, there is no direct space application, at least that we’re aware of yet.

France’s space agency, CNES, is partnering with the country’s national scientific research center on the investigation.

«Blob is a unique experience that stimulates student curiosity about themes such as the impact of the environment on organisms and the development of living organisms,» Evelyne Cortiade-Marché, head of the CNES’ education department, said in a statement.

The experiment will last seven days. During that time, a four-second video of Blob will automatically be recorded on a micro SD-card every 10 minutes. And later, possibly, sent to Hollywood agents.

Technologies

Microsoft Will Erase Your Passwords in 2 Weeks: What to Do Now

If the Authenticator app is your go-to password manager, you’ll need to pick a new one soon.

Microsoft is axing passwords starting in August — and if you use its Authenticator app, you’ll want to be prepared.

For years, Microsoft Authenticator has been a go-to for managing multifactor authentication and saved passwords. However, starting next month, it will no longer support passwords and will move to passkeys instead. That means your logins will soon rely more on things like PINs, fingerprint scans or facial recognition.

Using a passkey can make your account safer, and it’s a move I’m excited about. I recently uncovered that 49% of US adults have risky password habits that can open the door to scammers getting access to your sensitive data.

If you’re a fan of Authenticator and not sure where to start before the switch, here are other password managers CNET recommends and steps you should take before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator.

Starting this month, you won’t be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. «Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,» Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

So what exactly is a passkey? It’s a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That’s generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack.

«Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,» said Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert.

Passkeys aren’t stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they’re stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager.

How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. «If you have a password and ‘one-time code’ set up on your account, we’ll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you’re signed in, you’ll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to sign in with your passkey,» according to the blog post.

To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select «Set up a passkey.» You’ll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you’re logged in, you can set up the passkey.

Other password manager alternatives

Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in two weeks, you’ll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several.

The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It’s open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator.

Bitwarden’s upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too.

Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it’s second on the list, Tomaschek says it’s just as good as Bitwarden.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for July 19, #769

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 19, #769.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle leans heavy on short words, but that didn’t make it any easier. Possibly harder, since a long phrase is easier to match up, at least for me. But as a Gen Xer, I loved the purple category. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Thirsty?

Green group hint: Think Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes.

Blue group hint: Ouch!

Purple group hint: Heroes in a half shell!

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Sources of drinking water.

Green group: Things you can do with a football.

Blue group: Sharp fasteners.

Purple group: Starts of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is sources of drinking water. The four answers are rain, spring, tap and well.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is things you can do with a football. The four answers are pass, punt, snap and spike.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is sharp fasteners. The four answers are brad, nail, pin and tack.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starts of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The four answers are Don, Leo, Mic and Rap.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 19, #299

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 19, No. 299.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

I thought the purple group was a lot of fun in today’s Connections: Sports Edition. I love finding the secret thread between the words. Need a little help? Keep going for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: After an owie.

Green group hint: Hurler numbers.

Blue group hint: NCAA head honchos.

Purple group hint: Not night.