What has Japan's Hayabusa2 mission accomplished?

A small capsule from Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully landed in a sparsely populated desert in the Australian Outback on Sunday. After a preliminary inspection, it will be flown to Japan for research. The extremely high precision required to carry out the mission thrilled many in Japan, who said they took pride in its success. The project's manager, Yuichi Tsuda of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, called the capsule a (asterisk)treasure box.(asterisk) The AP explains the significance of the project and what comes next.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-japan-hayabusa2-mission.html

Japan space agency hails return of asteroid dust on Earth

Japan space agency officials on Sunday hailed the arrival of rare asteroid samples on Earth after they were collected by space probe Hayabusa-2 during an unprecedented mission.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-japan-space-agency-hails-asteroid.html

US probe finds no 'misconduct' in Kodak loan: report

A US watchdog report has found no "evidence of misconduct" in the processing of a government loan to Kodak that was subsequently suspended pending investigations into the deal, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-probe-misconduct-kodak-loan.html

Moroccan geeks flock to 'paradise for hackers'

With its rows of sleek computers and ultra-modern study methods, Morocco's 1337 campus is a dream come true for budding geeks, in a country where IT skills are in high demand.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-moroccan-geeks-flock-paradise-hackers.html

Schools confront 'off the rails' numbers of failing grades

The first report cards of the school year are arriving with many more Fs than usual in a dismal sign of the struggles students are experiencing with distance learning.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-schools-rails-grades.html

Last month the hottest November on record: EU

Last month was the hottest November on record as Europe basked in its highest Autumn temperatures in history, the European Union's satellite monitoring service said Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-month-hottest-november-eu.html

Airbnb to increase IPO price: report

Home-sharing giant Airbnb, which is scheduled to go public this week, will significantly raise its IPO price, valuing the group at more than $40 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-airbnb-ipo-price.html

Chinese probe orbiting moon with Earth-bound samples

A Chinese probe was orbiting the moon on Monday in preparation for the returning of samples of the lunar surface to Earth for the first time in almost 45 years.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-chinese-probe-orbiting-moon-earth-bound.html

Twilio CEO discusses why pandemic lifted tech to new heights

Twilio has emerged as a technological backbone for thousands of companies during the pandemic. Its users rely on its digital tools to connect with customers through mobile apps, call centers and messaging services as the shift to online commerce and curbside pickup accelerates.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-twilio-ceo-discusses-pandemic-tech.html

Australian surfer survives great white shark attack

An Australian surfer told Monday how he managed to paddle back to shore and walk hundreds of meters to get help after being attacked by a great white shark.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-australian-surfer-survives-great-white.html

Giant vertical farm opens in Denmark

A purple glow illuminates stacked boxes where lettuce, herbs and kale will soon be sprouting at one of Europe's biggest "vertical farms" which has just opened in a warehouse in an industrial zone in Copenhagen.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-giant-vertical-farm-denmark.html

The world's first DNA 'tricorder' in your pocket

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists developed the world's first mobile genome sequence analyzer, a new iPhone app called iGenomics. By pairing an iPhone with a handheld DNA sequencer, users can create a mobile genetics laboratory, reminiscent of the "tricorder" featured in Star Trek. The iGenomics app runs entirely on the iOS device, reducing the need for laptops or large equipment in the field, which is useful for pandemic and ecology workers. Aspyn Palatnick programmed iGenomics in CSHL Adjunct Associate Professor Michael Schatz's laboratory, over a period of eight years, starting when he was a 14-year-old high school intern.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-world-dna-tricorder-pocket.html