Gadget

WhatsApp is said to be developing a new lockdown-style mode to enhance security for users at risk of targeted cyberattacks, according to feature tracker WABetaInfo. Spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.33.4 update on the Google Play Store, the feature will reportedly let users apply stricter privacy settings with one toggle. It includes protections like IP address masking during calls, blocking media from unknown senders, disabling link previews, and enabling two-step verification, offering stronger, simplified protection for high-risk users.

Students who are looking for a new laptop or to upgrade their current device can check out the list of the best laptops under Rs. 50,000, which includes Asus Vivobook 14, Moto Book 60, Infinix Inbook Air Pro+, Acer Chromebook Plus 15, and Honor MagicBook X16 (2024). These laptops are capable of performing most tasks on a budget. The Asus Vivobook 14 (X1407QA), which features a 14-inch full-HD+ (1,920×1,200 pixels) IPS screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 60Hz refresh rate, is powered by Qualcomm’s octa core Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) processor.

Samsung Galaxy XR could be available in more global markets next year. The company is reportedly planning to launch the device in Germany, France, Canada, and the UK in 2026. The company’s first extended reality (XR) headset could be launched in more regions based on production capacity and the growth of XR apps and experiences.

A new study shows dark matter falls into cosmic gravity wells much like ordinary matter, narrowing one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries. Researchers say any unknown force acting on dark matter must be very weak, though future missions could detect smaller effects. The findings bring scientists closer to understanding how the universe’s unseen mass behaves.

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has brightened far faster than expected during its solar approach, surprising researchers. Scientists say the unusual surge may point to rare chemical traits from another star system. Further observations in 2025 may reveal why this cosmic visitor behaves differently from typical comets in our solar neighbourhood.

NASA will retire the ISS in 2030, sending it to Point Nemo, a remote Pacific zone known as the spacecraft cemetery. Most of the station will burn up during reentry, with remaining debris falling harmlessly into the sea. The controlled descent aims to avoid past mishaps and reflects a new era of commercial space stations.

In a breakthrough study, scientists merged data from Japan’s T2K and the U.S. NOvA neutrino experiments to explore why matter exists in the universe. The findings improve measurements of neutrino behavior and may help reveal whether these particles break symmetry with antimatter, offering vital clues to how the universe survived after the Big Bang.

Scientists from TU Dresden have created a laser drill that vaporises ice to reach potential subsurface oceans on Europa and Enceladus. Lighter and more energy-efficient than mechanical drills, it enables deep exploration with minimal power, paving the way for studying icy worlds and their potential for extraterrestrial life.

Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft, which studied Venus for nearly a decade, has been declared inoperable by JAXA. Successfully orbiting in 2015 after an initial failure, Akatsuki uncovered major insights into Venus’s swirling clouds and atmosphere. Its mission’s end leaves a gap until NASA’s VERITAS and DAVINCI+ missions take over.

Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope observed a huge solar storm from EK Draconis, a young Sun-like star. The eruption’s energy may trigger atmospheric chemistry, forming greenhouse gases and organic molecules. Such events could mirror early solar activity that helped spark life on ancient Earth and distant exoplanets.