The speed of sound on Mars ✅

Plus: A new "speed limit" for all electronic devices Mar 29, 2022 [View in browser]( When I looked at the grainy first image of Mars beamed back to Earth by the Perseverance rover, I thought the arid landscape seemed eerily empty, lonely, and quiet. But one of those isn’t true. Early last year, the world heard Mars for the first time when Perseverance recorded blowing Martian winds, clicks from its rock-scanning laser, and crunching sounds made by its rolling wheels. I was absolutely smitten. Now, using a microphone, a laser, and some clever mathematics, scientists have taken that one step further by calculating the speed of sound on Mars. Turns out, speaking in Mars' atmosphere may produce a strange effect: higher-pitched sounds travel faster than those low bass notes. Science-fiction writers, take note. Before we join Perseverance in its adventures on Mars, today’s video will transport you to our planet’s azure skies to meet a new concept: the Flying-V. Hailed as the future of aviation, it carries passengers in its wings. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. We’re all ears. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [The new Flying-V substantially upgrades speed and carries passengers in its wings]( Welcome to the future of flying. [The new Flying-V substantially upgrades speed and carries passengers in its wings]( SCIENCE [Scientists calculate the speed of sound on Mars, thanks to the Perseverance rover]( [Mars.]( NASA's Perseverance mission has achieved another historic first: The rover that landed on Mars in February 2021 [is helping scientists confirm the speed of sound]( on the red planet. Reminder. The speed of sound is not constant throughout the universe, as it travels at different speeds depending on the density and temperature of the substance through which it travels — the denser the medium, the faster sound travels. - The scientists behind the new experiment used the Perseverance SuperCam microphone and a laser aboard the rover that can trigger a perfectly timed noise. They showed definitively that the speed of sound near the surface of Mars is approximately 787 feet per second. Moreover, Mars is the only terrestrial-planet atmosphere in the Solar System experiencing a change in speed of sound right in the middle of the audible bandwidth (20 to 20,000 Hertz). The scientists say this could lead to a "unique listening experience" on [the Red Planet](. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Nvidia moves its metaverse to the cloud. Will other companies follow?]( [NVIDIA.]( In a bid to make the metaverse accessible to all, chip designer NVIDIA [has announced that it will move]( its metaverse design suite to the cloud. - In NVIDIA's Omniverse, 3D designers share a virtual world where they can create collaboratively, and more than 700 companies, including Lockheed Martin, Sony Animation Pictures, and BMW Group are using these tools to further innovation in their products. NVIDIA's move makes the metaverse not only more accessible to creators but also to their clients who will now be able to leverage the power of the cloud and experience the metaverse even on less resourceful devices, like laptops and smartphones. Big picture. NVIDIA's Omniverse trumped both Meta and Microsoft, the latter of which also harbors intentions of building out the metaverse. With its cloud services, Azure, running quite well, Microsoft could also follow the Omniverse path to bring [its version of metaverse onto the cloud](. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Scientists discover a new "speed limit" for all electronic devices]( [Concept of digital technology.]( It's hard to imagine a world that's reached the ceiling for innovation when it comes to the speed of electronic devices. But that's exactly what a global team of scientists has done. - A team of researchers [calculated the ultimate speed limit]( for electronic devices, the point at which the laws of quantum mechanics prevent microchips from becoming any faster. To make their calculations, the team experimented with semiconductor materials and lasers. The need for speed. The fastest devices in the world are known as optoelectronics — systems that use light to control electricity. The study outlines the limit for optoelectronics by calculating the speed at which the most powerful examples of these devices can operate. The researchers found that the upper limit of optoelectronic systems is one Petahertz, which is equivalent to a million Gigahertz. To go any faster would break [the laws of quantum physics](. The team does state that many technical hurdles would stand in the way of getting anywhere near that speed, so we have nothing to worry about just yet. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS The tech we use today cannot compete with electronic devices working at the speed of one Petahertz. In reality, the speed of many devices can be quite annoying. Which one irritates you the most? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Slow internet speed. It’s 2022, catch up.]( [Slow computer. Fit of rage incoming.]( [Pop-up ads. Just ads in general. Go away.]( [Hard drive failure. End me.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked whether you think science will be able to cure HIV soon. Like you, we're also keeping our fingers crossed for a complete treatment. I really hope so. It’s long-overdue. 44% Yes. It’s just around the corner. 26% I don’t know, I’m not an expert. 18% No, there’s a reason why we’ve managed to only treat it so far. 12% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ In science, we must be interested in things, not in persons. ” Marie Curie to an American journalist, 1904 AND ANOTHER THING... - A “photoelectrochemical” system [converts astronaut wastewater and carbon dioxide]( from Mars' atmosphere into fuel using sunlight. - Changing the genetic makeup of trees could supercharge their ability to suck up carbon dioxide. But [are forests of frankentrees really a good idea]( (WIRED $) - Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken to Twitter to declare that [he has contracted COVID-19, again](. Production is halted until April 1st in the Shanghai Gigafactory. - Life’s preference for symmetry is like “a new law of nature”. Techniques from computer science [may explain the tendency]( in biology for structures to repeat themselves. (The New York Times $) - A new product provides the taste and culinary utility of egg whites [without the need for a single chicken](. - Carminic acid is a bright, natural coloring used in some cosmetics and foods. It’s traditionally sourced from “farming” an insect on acres of prickly pears. Today, scientists [are moving to engineer it in microbes](. (Knowable Magazine) - [Demand for Tesla’s electric vehicles]( is increasing daily, despite a steady uptick in the price of the company's electric vehicles. [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. [ [Referral Program Terms and Conditions]( Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? 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