hard news

WhatsApp Now ‌Lets You Scan Documents and Send as PDFs

WhatsApp has rolled out a new document scanning feature for both Android and iOS,⁤ allowing users to quickly turn physical documents into PDF⁣ files ⁢and share them directly within chats.‌ Meta recommends users keep the submission updated ‌to the latest‍ version, as the feature is being implemented in phases.

To ‌use the feature, open the desired chat and tap the clip icon or “Attach file” option, then⁣ select “Document.” From the menu, choose​ “Scan Document” to activate the camera in scanning⁣ mode. Users can opt for ⁣automatic scanning – where the app ‌frames and⁤ captures the image when stable – or manual​ capture.

After taking a photo of the document,​ WhatsApp allows for adjustments to the edges, filters, and rotation to ⁣improve ⁤readability. Once satisfied, users confirm wiht “OK.” A ⁣comment can be added for context before sending. The document is then sent⁣ as a PDF file, compatible with any device. ​

The⁤ feature ⁣is now available in ​the latest versions of WhatsApp for Android and iOS.

Rare Celestial Alignment Captured: Meteor Appears to ‍Wrap Around comet in‍ Italian Sky

Italy – A photographer captured a stunning and rare visual phenomenon this week: a meteor appearing to intersect with the tail of ​Comet Lemmon, officially designated C/2025 A6 (lemmon). The image, taken from Italy, ​shows the meteor’s afterglow seemingly wrapping around the ⁣comet’s ionic tail, creating what astrophysicist ‌Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project described as “a ⁣true miracle of perspective.”

Though the ​celestial bodies were millions of kilometers ​apart – the meteor crossed Earth’s atmosphere while the ​comet passed approximately 100 million kilometers away – the alignment and timing of the event created the illusion of a close encounter. According to Masi, the recording was⁤ possible due to a precise alignment between the field of vision and the meteor’s passage.

Meteors can travel at speeds exceeding 160,000 km/h, ​leaving luminous trails of ionized particles that can remain visible‌ for several minutes. These trails are shaped⁢ by atmospheric‍ winds, creating ephemeral forms.

Comet Lemmon is currently one of three ⁢comets ‌visible in the Solar System, alongside R2 (SWAN) and 3I/ATLAS, and is considered⁣ the brightest of the trio. Its bluish tail is ⁤formed by ionized gases released from its surface and propelled by the solar wind, making it observable with telescopes or binoculars, notably‍ since its closest approach to Earth on October 21.

Masi also observed a golden spiral in the image,attributing it to the ionization of molecular oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere caused by ⁢the meteor’s rapid passage,followed by particle recombination and light emission.

NASA ⁤Activates Special Protocol to Monitor Unpredictable Interstellar Comet

WASHINGTON D.C. – ⁣NASA has initiated a specialized training exercise, running from November 27, 2024, ⁢to January 27, 2026,​ to refine ‍analysis ⁣of the ⁢3I/ATLAS comet and bolster response protocols for potential space threats. The activation stems from challenges in​ accurately predicting the trajectory of the interstellar object, discovered July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS telescope ​in Río Hurtado, Chile.

The comet, estimated‍ to be‌ between 20 and 30 kilometers in diameter with a rocky core around 5.6 kilometers across⁢ and a‍ mass exceeding 33 billion ⁤tons, presents “unique challenges” to astronomers, according to the ⁣International ‍Astronomical Union’s (IAU) warning. ‌NASA explains that⁣ “cometary bodies are extended‌ systems, for which measurements ‌can generally ⁢be​ extracted from their centroid of maximum brightness,” making⁢ precise positional ​calculations difficult.

Currently located over 670⁣ million kilometers ​from the sun and traveling at 61 kilometers per ⁢second, 3I/ATLAS was detected by​ the ​Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert Survey System (ATLAS), a NASA-funded project.

To address these ‌challenges, Harvard’s Minor Planet Center – operating​ under⁣ IAU supervision and with NASA ‌funding – will host a workshop focused on comet astrometry ⁣techniques. The goal is‌ to improve the ⁣precision of observations ⁤and⁤ minimize potential misinterpretations of the⁤ comet’s path. The⁣ Canarias Astrophysics Institute (IAC) is also ‌collaborating with international centers to further understand the comet’s composition, trajectory, and potential scientific implications as it passes through the Solar System.