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We should be teleporting, not transporting: Mark Zuckerberg; Hints Facebook Labs working on it in Clubhouse chat show (3 minute read)

Mark Zuckerberg detailed Facebook's progress in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in a Clubhouse meeting recently. A combination of AR and VR will unlock the ability for anyone to live anywhere they want, opening up a lot of economic opportunities. People will be able to 'teleport' into their workplace, reducing commutes, which will have a positive impact on the environment and other benefits. A 25-minute recording of the Clubhouse stream is available in the article.

Tianwen1 probe sends back its first picture of Mars (2 minute read)

China's Tianwen-1 probe has sent back its first pictures of Mars. The mission launched in July last year and is expected to enter Mars orbit around February 10. It is China's second attempt to reach Mars. The image, which is available in the article, was taken from 1.4 million miles away from the planet. It shows geological features including the Schiaparelli crater and the Valles Marineris.

New robotic arm opens up musical worlds for “cyborg” drummer (3 minute read)

The Georgia Institute of Technology recently unveiled a drum-enabling robotic arm. It allows amputee drummers to perform three distinctive stick patterns simultaneously. A video is available showing Jason Barnes, a below-the-elbow amputee, demonstrating the arm by playing the drums. The arm works using electromyography, reading signals from Barnes' upper arm. It is possible for fully-abled people to use the robotic arm, and the researchers are now exploring the possibilities.

Clubhouse App Offers Chinese Rare Glimpse of Censor-Free Debate (3 minute read)

Clubhouse has gained many Chinese users recently, with thousands joining in on discussions usually censored by the Chinese government. Chinese-speaking communities from around the world discussed China-Taiwan relations and shared knowledge about the Uighur situation in Xinjiang. Clubhouse is only accessible by invite on iPhones with non-Chinese Apple accounts. Further access to the public could see the app banned. Those who are using the app could be taking on a degree of personal risk.

Dogecoin: The meme that somehow became a real cryptocurrency (11 minute read)

Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency similar to bitcoin, with a picture of a dog for a logo. At one point it was worth $2 billion. Its popularity has stumped experts. The coin is based on the doge meme and it started off as a joke aimed at the bizarre world of crypto and bitcoin's multiple derivatives. It was created by replacing 'bitcoin' with 'doge' in the bitcoin code, along with some other changes like increasing the maximum amount of coins and making the coins easier to mine. After it was created, the Reddit community pushed it into popularity very quickly.