TLDR 2021-04-22

Samsung is trying to help people convert old phones into new IoT devices with its new Galaxy Upcycling at Home service for users in the US, UK, and South Korea. Users can access the feature through the SmartThings app. The app gives old phones the ability to perform as a light and sound sensor, and as a hub to control other devices. The program aims to reduce the number of phones sitting in landfills by making the process of repurposing an old phone easier.

Signal founder Moxie Marlinspike recently published details of exploits for Cellebrite devices, noting that the software was missing many industry-standard exploit mitigation defenses. Cellebrite devices are used by law enforcement to gather evidence from encrypted devices. Future versions of Signal will include files that Marlinspike has implied were designed to tamper with Cellebrite devices. Signal's research into Cellebrite's software may have also uncovered some copyright violations.

The Rafflesiaceae are a family of rare parasitic plants that have shed superfluous genes and acquired new ones from their hosts. Researchers recently mapped the genome for a species of Rafflesiaceae and found that it was missing nearly half of the genes widely conserved across plant lineages. There were no functional genes in its chloroplasts, like in other members of the Rafflesiaceae family. While the genome seemed to be missing a lot of DNA, it is still roughly the same size as ours. Most of the genome is filled up with copies of stolen genes. Horizontal gene transfer is rare outside of bacteria.

Regent's Seaglider is an all-electric flying ferry that has a top speed of 180 mph and a range of 180 miles. The ferry can dock and leave from existing dock infrastructure. It can carry 10 passengers. Regent plans to have one of its Seagliders transporting people as early as 2025. Concept designs of the Seaglider are available in the article.

Prisma is an ORM that makes it easy for two services with incompatible types to communicate. It can be used in any Node.js or TypeScript backend application. Prisma provides a clean and type-safe API for submitting database queries that return plain JavaScript objects.

.NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI) is a multi-platform native UI that can be deployed to multiple devices across mobile and desktop using a single codebase. It is an evolution of the Xamarin.Forms toolkit, so developers familiar with Xamarin.Forms will hit the ground running with .NET MAUI.

Humpback whales frequently and mysteriously change their songs. Songs can go for up to 20-minutes. They are passed on perfectly to other whales across the entire pacific. This article contains a series of images by National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry. It includes images of nursing sperm and humpback whales, belugas playing in the shallows, and orcas teaching their pups how to hunt.

The advertising industry is turning to technology that can seamlessly insert computer-generated images, so items can be digitally added to almost any movie or TV show. UK advertising business Mirriad has developed technology that can understand images and introduce new objects that look real to the human eye. It can be used to add or replace objects in videos, so advertisers can add digital product placement to anything, even older media. Example images from Mirriad demonstrating the technology are available in the article.