Technologies

A Postcard From Mars: NASA’s Curiosity Rover Sends Beautiful Mount Sharp Panorama

Curiosity took the images in the morning and the evening to show what light looks like during different parts of the day.

One of the best things about NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers are the amazing scenic photographs that they produce of Mars’ landscape. These photos give scientists a better view of our red neighbor and are also just cool to see. The latest image from Curiosity is a gorgeous panorama taken from Mars’ Mount Sharp region, and it’s an instant classic.

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The photo, which NASA posted on Dec. 30, is located along a ridge on the foothills of Mount Sharp, a three-mile-high mountain that Curiosity has been slowly climbing since 2014. The mountain is smack dab in the middle of Gale Crater, and the photo is looking down the slope toward the crater’s floor. You can also see the rim of the crater in the background of the photo.

Curiosity was in the vicinity to collect more samples from a nearby spot known as Nevado Sajama. Eagle-eyed viewers may also see Curiosity’s tracks, which lead back to the Valle de la Luna dig site. Valle de la Luna shares its name with two Earth landmarks that are also known for their unique rocky structures that were carved out by wind and water erosion.

A whole day on Mars

Arguably the coolest part of the photo is when it was taken. The image was stitched together from raw photos taken on the 4,722nd and 4,723rd Martian days, or sols, and at different times of day. Curiosity took the first image at 4:15 p.m. on Sol 4,722 and the other at 8:20 a.m. on Sol 4,723. To save you a Google Search, the times translate to Nov. 18 here on Earth for both photos.

Once the images were stitched together, NASA colorized the image to show what early morning and afternoon might look like on the red planet. The image shows late afternoon on the orange side and morning on the blue side. NASA also notes that adding color helps differentiate the landscape and make minor details easier to see. It is also much more pleasing to look at when compared to the raw images that Curiosity sent home on those days.

This is the third such «postcard» taken by the Curiosity rover. The first one was in November 2021, and it was taken closer to the base of Mount Sharp. The second one came from Marker Band Valley, which is also located in the foothills of Mount Sharp.

Technologies

Digg, an Early Social and News Site, Officially Relaunches

Digg was an early Internet platform similar to Reddit.

Can you digg it? Digg, a news forum and social site similar to Reddit, launched an open beta version on Wednesday and is now available for download. Digg features a website and mobile app where people can read, create and comment on posts, as well as join communities. Upvoting content here is called «digging» it.

«The Digg Public Beta is rolling out and will be available to everyone everywhere shortly. That doesn’t mean Digg is ‘done,'» CEO Justin Mezzell said in a Digg post Wednesday. «It means we’re ready to grow in the open. To test features, listen closely, and evolve the product alongside the people using it. We’re just getting started, and you know the drill: things will change, feedback will shape direction, and Digg will keep getting better.»

The original founder of Digg, Kevin Rose, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, now own the website and app.

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As AI technology continues to grow, and many social sites become overrun with bots and other fake personas, Digg will experiment with various technologies to ensure that anyone verified on the app is a legitimate person with a genuine reason for verification, Rose told TechCrunch

Digg is now available for download on the Apple App store and Google Play Store.

Technologies

Verizon Says It’s Resolved Massive Outage Across US (Live Updates)

Technologies

Popular Chinese ‘Are You Dead?’ Safety App Changes Name

The app offers a way for people who live alone to let others know they’re alive and well.

Some people who live alone don’t always stay in contact with their families and friends on a daily basis. That’s the reason for an app created by Chinese company Moonscape Technologies, which requires users to check in regularly to reassure their emergency contact that all is well. Now, the company has changed the app’s original name, Sileme, which bluntly translated to «Are You Dead?» According to Global Times, the company announced the new name, Demumu, on Tuesday on the Weibu app. The new name is still partially derived from a Chinese word meaning death.

The original name was a play on the name of a popular Chinese food delivery app, Ele.me, which translates to «Are you hungry?» But when the app drew worldwide attention on Monday, the company announced the name change.

Not everyone was a fan of the new name. Global Times cites one online commenter as saying, «The reason you went viral was your original name.»

Whatever name it goes by, the personal safety app, launched in 2025, is designed to serve as a safety net for individuals living alone, particularly those who may be less mobile or have health issues.

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«We wanted to build something that works invisibly in the background of people’s lives — not intrusive or complicated, just a simple tap each day that says ‘I’m OK’ to the people who care,» a spokesperson for Demumu said in a statement.

Demumu currently holds the top spot among the most popular paid apps in China and is just as sought after in Spain, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States and Australia. Demumu is available for iOS and costs 99 cents as a one-time purchase.

Of course, you could just reach out to your loved one via phone or text daily for free, but the app offers a kind of forced reminder in case you forget.