NASA spacecraft makes history, Bluesky adds new features
A Nasa spacecraft has made history by surviving the closest-ever approach to the Sun. Scientists received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe just before midnight EST on Thursday (05:00 GMT on Friday) after it had been out of communication for several days during its burning-hot fly-by. Nasa said the probe was “safe” and operating normally after it passed just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) from the solar surface. The probe plunged into our star’s outer atmosphere on Christmas Eve, enduring brutal temperatures and extreme radiation in a quest to better our understanding of how the Sun works. BBC
This was the year that gen Z had their “Brat summer”, or so we were led to believe. Inspired by the hit album by pop sensation Charli xcx, the trend was seen to embody all the messiness of modern youth: trashy, chaotic and bright green. But on the teenager’s social media platform of choice, TikTok, a more sepia music trend has been taking root. Despite having an endless amount of music to pair with their short, scrollable videos, TikTok users have been raiding the back catalogues of artists from yesteryear including Bronski Beat and Sade to soundtrack their posts. Guardian
As a special holiday treat, on December 25th, the social media app Bluesky announced that it has added a new feature to its mobile app: a list of Trending topics that lets you know what subjects are popular among its users. The new feature can be found by selecting the search icon (the magnifying glass), which appears at the bottom of the screen on the mobile app and on the left sidebar on the web. Lists of Trending and Recommended subjects now appear below the search bar. Tap on any topic, and you will be able to access the associated posts. d as a Beta on the app) and “we will be iterating with your feedback.” The Verge
The Samsung Galaxy S25 family is widely believed to be officially announced on January 22, with multiple rumors and a leaked teaser all mentioning that date. But that’s just when they get unveiled – you may also have been wondering when exactly they will become available in stores. Luckily, a new rumor from Samsung’s home of Korea now brings us just that: a purportedly leaked release date for the company’s next flagship smartphone lineup. And it’s February 7, apparently. GSM Arena
Millions of people living in the UK will see their physical immigration documents expire in the new year as the Home Office transfers to a digital system. From 1 January 2025, foreign nationals will have to rely on digital records of their status to travel to the UK, prove their right to work, or rent a flat. Airline carriers, ferry and international train operators will be able to automatically access the immigration status of their passengers when they present their travel documents. Independent
