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A computer is suspended from the ceiling. Delicate lines and loops of silvery wires and tubes connect gold-colored platforms. It seems to belong in a science-fiction movie, perhaps a steam-punk cousin of HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey. But as the makers of that 1968 movie imagined computers the size of a spaceship, this technology would have never crossed their minds – a quantum computer.

Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems that conventional computers can’t. Conventional computer chips can only process so much information at one time and we’re coming very close to reaching their physical limits. In contrast, the unique properties of materials for quantum computing have the potential to process more information much faster.

These advances could revolutionize certain areas of scientific research. Identifying materials with specific characteristics, understanding photosynthesis, and discovering new medicines all require massive amounts of calculations. In theory, quantum computing could solve these problems faster and more efficiently. Quantum computing could also open up possibilities we never even considered. It’s like a microwave oven versus a conventional oven – different technologies with different purposes.

Our reluctance to think, talk or communicate about death is even more pronounced when we deal with others’ loss compared to our own, new research finds, but either way we tend to frame attitudes and emotions in a sad and negative way.

Teaching new more positive ways to address these difficult conversations is the focus of a new paper in PLOS ONE journal by palliative care specialists across Australia.

Led by Flinders University’s Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying (RePaDD) and Palliative and Supportive Services, researchers from Flinders, CQUniversity Australia, NT Palliative Care Central Australia and University of Technology Sydney, surveyed 1,491 people about the use of language to express their feelings and insights into death and dying.

The ongoing dispute between wireless carriers and the aviation industry heated up over the holidays, with AT&T and Verizon on Sunday refusing a request from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to delay their planned 5G deployments.

Why it matters: The Federal Aviation Administration has warned that potential interference from 5G signals, especially in bad weather, could cause flight cancellations or force planes to divert to different airports.

Instead of further postponing their 5G plans for a second time, the wireless providers offered to beef up protections around airports to address concerns about potential signal interference with aircraft equipment.

If you’re wanting to be prepared for any situation that arises, having a portable power station in an emergency kit is a solid choice all around. The DBPOWER model on sale today offers a few crucial features to have on hand in an emergency. The 250W AC plugs can power small appliances and other crucial devices if the power goes out, and there are two USB-A and an 18W Type-C port in addition to an LED light and the ability to recharge via solar panels or your car. It’s a solid package all around for its sale price of $135, making now a great time to pick it up. You’ll also find discounts on electric lawn mowers and much more below, as well. We also have a wide selection of Tesla, Greenworks, and other e-bike discounts in today’s New Green Deals, so you won’t want to miss that either.

Head below for other New Green Deals that we’ve found today, more on why going electric for your yard tools like the mower on sale is important, and of course Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Natrogix (96% positive lifetime feedback) via Amazon is offering the DBPOWER 250Wh Portable Power Station for $134.99 shipped once you clip the on-page coupon. For comparison, you’re saving $45 here and scoring one of the best prices of the year here. This portable power station delivers an AC wall outlet with 250W of power available to run things like small appliances, TVs, coffee makers, CPAP machines, and more. On top of that, there are two USB-A ports with 2A/1A outputs, an 18W Type-C output, and more. This portable power station also delivers three charging methods that range from a standard 110V socket to a car 12V/24V adapter or even solar panels. You’ll find a built-in LED flashlight that features three modes as well allowing your new portable battery to be very multi-functional.

An asteroid as large as Big Ben will be approaching Earth in January, 2022. However, it is not the only asteroid heading towards Earth.


The year 2022 has just started and here we are with dire NASA warnings of potentially hazardous asteroids heading for Earth. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has reported that as many as five asteroids are coming towards the Earth in the first month of the year. An asteroid around the size if a bus will approach the Earth in the first week of January itself.

Asteroids, comets, and meteoroids are large rocks in space that orbit the Sun and occasionally vary their orbits due to the gravitational attraction of planets. When these space rocks do collide with any planet, it’s usually a disaster. That’s why, even when an asteroid with a diameter of more than 150 metres approaches Earth, NASA classifies it as a potentially hazardous asteroid and monitors it closely.

Asteroid 2021 YK which is 38 feet (12m) wide is expected to pass within 118,000 miles of Earth by today.

The “world’s first” nailable solar shingle, the Timberline Solar Energy Shingle, is being launched today by GAF Energy, the sister company of GAF, the largest roofing and waterproofing company in North America.

The Energy Shingle is combined with other standard roofing components to create the “Timberline Solar” roof system. GAF Energy claims to have the only product to integrate solar technology into existing roofing processes and materials, resulting in a full-fledged solar roof.

GAF Energy claims its Energy Shingles have comparable weatherproof performance to GAF’s roofing shingle, the Timberline HD/HDZ.