TLDR 2022-03-02

Google's ATAP group recently unveiled its latest Soli Radar research project. The project is focused on making the radar system aware of non-verbal interactions to understand what actions mean. Project Soli can use cues such as head orientation, distance, what the eyes are looking at, and movement speed to understand humans. The technology could make it easier for humans to communicate more effectively with devices. A video from Google demonstrating some applications of the technology is available in the article.

A new Tesla Cybertruck prototype that features a bed cover has been spotted at Tesla’s Fremont factory. Tesla has delayed the Cybertruck until at least 2023, but new prototypes have been spotted around California and Texas over the last few months. The article contains several photos and drone footage showing the prototype and the Fremont factory. Links to photos and videos of other sightings are available.

Betterland is a startup that produces cow-free milk using animal-free dairy protein made from fungi. The dairy protein gives cow's milk its desired properties when used in coffee or baking. Betterland uses genetically modified fungi to produce the protein, which is then combined with sugar and fat to produce milk that is virtually indistinguishable from cow's milk. It will launch its product at a premium price, but the company aims to eventually compete on price with traditional milk.

Engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have forged a new type of ultralight armor called a nanofiber mat. The new form of armor is made with carbon nanotubes, tiny cylinders of carbon a single atom thick. The carbon nanotubes form hydrogen bonds when mixed with the right ratio of Kevlar nanofibers, resulting in a dramatic leap in performance. The novel material can protect against high-speed impacts better than Kevlar fabric while being much lighter. It could potentially be used to protect spacecraft from high-speed space debris.

This article provides simple styles for developers to add a dark mode web3 aesthetic to their sites. It includes gradient backgrounds, glowing effects, bright and white text over dark backgrounds, semi-transparent backgrounds, and a transition on hover. Many examples of dark mode web3 designs are available.

Web pages are interactive animations played back by the web browser. Every movement, including scrolling, zooming, text selection, and hovering over a button is technically an animation. This guide explains how browsers turn code into pixels and how to work with them to make pages look smoother.

A new type of DDoS attack was discovered last August. It involves using fleets of misconfigured servers more than 100,000 strong to flood targets with unthinkable amounts of junk data. Attackers have been using the method to target sites in the banking, travel, gaming, media, and web-hosting industries. The attack is being deployed by nation-states and large organizations to censor restricted content and block sites. More details about the attack and how it is carried out are available in the article.

Ukraine has asked the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to disconnect all Russian sites from the internet. The request seeks to revoke domains and shut down Domain Name Servers (DNS) in the country. If approved, people around the world will be cut off from Russian websites and Russian citizens will only be able to reach Russian parts of the internet. Cyberattacks are impeding communications for Ukraine's government and citizens. However, the request could do more harm than good, and it sets a precedent that threatens other countries' unrestricted access to the internet in the future.