💻 AI-enabled Macs, Exoplanet 'glory,' World's largest clean energy park

With computer sales dipping since their 2022 peak, Apple Inc. is planning a major upgrade of its Mac lineup with its newest artificial intelligence (AI) focused M4 chips.

Every Mac model is primed for an upgrade even though the M3 chips made their debut only five months ago, according to sources. There will be three variants, so to find out more about them, check out today’s Must-Read.

🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Engineer
> Mechanical & Physical Engineer - Core Engine Calibration Engineer

🎙 New podcast Sci-fi to reality: the quest to harness solar power from space

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MUST READ

💻 AI-enabled Macs soon? Apple aims to revamp product line with M4 chips

Apple is planning a fresh lineup of Mac products with the AI-focused M4 chip. This is expected to arrive in three variants: Donan, Brava, and Hidra.

According to a report, Donan is an entry-level processor that will power the lower-end versions of the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini. The mid-level Brava chip is likely to run the higher-end MacBook Pros and slightly expensive Mac Mini.

The highest-level Hidra chip will power Apple’s highest-end desktop, the Mac Pro. To give you an idea of how powerful the chip might be, Apple is working to support the Mac Pro with 512 GB RAM.

🌈 First rainbow ‘glory effect’ seen on exoplanet beyond our solar system

In a new study, astronomers claim they observed the rainbow-like ‘glory effect’ on another exoplanet outside our solar system. The exoplanet WASP-76b is a hot gas giant located 637 light-years away.

Venus is the only other planet besides Earth where this phenomenon has been observed.

The effect on the exoplanet appears as though it’s “beaming straight at Earth.” The European Space Agency (ESA) proposes that the heat and light experienced by the sunlit side of WASP-76b, coupled with the perpetual darkness on its unilluminated side, may have given rise to this first observed extrasolar ‘glory.’

⚡ World’s largest clean energy park with 30 GW capacity commences in India

India is set to host the world’s largest clean energy farm, reducing dependence on fossil fuels in energy generation. Renewable energy firm Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is building the project near a remote airstrip in the western part of the country.

The estimated capacity of the solar farm of the Khavda Renewable Energy Park in the Indian state of Gujarat is set to cross 30 gigawatts. In its first phase, the company has already operationalized one gigawatt of solar energy.

Construction on the park will finish in the next five years, and the entire capacity is expected to be commissioned by 2029. By 2026, India is predicted to provide over half of the world’s new capacity expansions for renewable energy.

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HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> ESA has achieved a milestone, successfully testing its Juice mission's ability to navigate by itself during a Callisto flyby without real-time guidance. (More)

> ‘Only bacteria can take nitrogen and convert it into a form that is usable for life.’ Well, not anymore — say hello to this newly discovered algae Nitroplast. It could help on the way toward the future with less fertilizer. (More)

> Researchers from Max Planck Institute and Philipps University in Marburg have discovered the first fractal structure at the molecular scale. All previously identified fractals exist on a macroscopic level. (More)

ENERGY

> Officials in Liverpool, England, are proposing plans to build the largest tidal power generator in the world on the River Mersey. The project would produce enough energy to power over a million homes for over 120 years. (More)

> A man in the Gaza Strip is using solar panels to clean water for his neighbors – a seemingly small gesture that has large consequences at a time when the region is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. (More)

> A conversation with former engineers from SpaceX and General Motors reveals how they're making space-based solar power — a 100-year-old tech — a reality. (More)

INNOVATION

> The US Space Force announced that it is partnering with private space companies Rocket Lab and True Anomaly for a military on-orbit demonstration. A proposed mission will demonstrate how the military would counter “on-orbit aggression.” (More)

> Humane co-founder Imran Chaudhri gave us a glimpse of a world without smartphones. The company commercially launched its AI Pin and priced it at a whopping $699, a hundred dollars shy of an entry-level iPhone. (More)

> Students at ETH Zurich are creating a robot that can move around in extremely low gravity by hopping like a human. One of SpaceHopper’s impressive feats is its precise reorientation capability. (More)

VIDEO

> A team at MIT is investigating the potential of hydrogen-powered motorcycles. The team has a history of converting gasoline vehicles to electric. But it hopes hydrogen could deliver a greener - and faster - option for the future. (More)

> Carnegie Mellon's Team Explorer is diving underground with their cutting-edge autonomous robots for the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, revolutionizing exploration in tunnels, caves, and urban landscapes. (More)

> Oxford University is using a supercomputer called Dawn to research fusion power. Fusion could be a solution to the world's energy needs. But it's exceptionally complex, and needs a supercomputer to design fusion reactors. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

Yesterday’s quiz asked you, “What numbers are hidden?”

The answer is: Top left = 3.5; Top right = 4.5; Bottom left = 9.5; Bottom right = 3.5

Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

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