5G Networks May Arrive In 2019

On October 17th 2019. Qualcomm, Verizon, and Novatel Wireless announced that they are moving forward with their 5G New Radio (NR) speed trials in an effort to bring 5G mobile networks to the masses by the end of 2019. The new 5G networks will use Millimeter Wave Technology, which uses the millimeter band of the spectrum between 30 gigahertz and 300 GHZ. 5G (NR) is an effort of 3GPP or (Third Generation Partnership Project), which is working on a global 5G standard.

Windows Fall Creators Update Has Arrived

On October 17th 2017. Microsoft began the roll out of its Fall Creators Update. This update, preciously code named Redstone 4, is considered a big one, with a long list of features that include, My People, Story Remix, Paint 3D, Windows Mixed reality, and Fluent Design. This will be the fourth feature update since Windows 10's original release two years ago. Its Microsoft's intention to continue releasing updates twice yearly on into the future.

Miles Davis And Deep Purple Are Recorded On DNA

On October 2nd 2017, researchers at the University of Washington, Microsoft, and Twist Bioscience, announced that they had successfully recorded "Smoke On The Water," by Deep Purple and "Tutu," by Miles Davis onto synthetic DNA. The two songs were archived recordings from the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Dr Karen Strauss, senior researcher for Microsoft said, "The amount of DNA used to store these songs is much smaller than a grain of sand."

The process of storing files to DNA starts with a digital file of the music. The researchers then turn the 1s and 0s into the genetic code or nucleotide bases that make up DNA. Those nucleotides are Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine and go by the letters, A, G, C, and T. These chemicals pair up to create base pairs that form long strands that form a spiral structure, that's known as the double helix.

Each segment created containes 12 bytes of data along with a sequence number which is used to indicate the location of specific data within the DNA file. To decode the DNA file, the As, Cs, Ts, and Gs are converted back into 1s and 0s, which can be played as a standard digital file. At present, this method is a proof of concept project. However, researchers believe that as the cost of DNA sequencing comes down, the storage process will become more available to consumers.

Another Asteroid Will Pass Close To The Earth

On October 3rd 2017, it was announced that an asteroid about the size of 30 to 100 feet in size is due to pass close to the Earth on October 12th 2017. The asteroid, named 2012 TC4 is approaching the Earth at a speed of 30,000 mph. It is not expected to strike the Earth. It will, however, come within 27,000 miles, or about one eight of the distance from the Earth to the Moon, as it passes. Asteroid TC4 was first discovered in 2012.