The Drop

Screen share

Crowdsourced

Signing off

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

At a time when climate change and managing water resources are major global concerns, the importance of advanced technology for monitoring and data collection is greater than ever. One notable effort in this field is the partnership between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French space agency, Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES). Together, they have developed an innovative thermal imaging satellite called TRISHNA. The satellite, weighing approximately 770 kg, is expected to orbit at an altitude of 761 km in a sun-synchronous orbit, with a local crossing time (descending node) of 1 p.m., ensuring consistent lighting conditions for its observations. The mission is set to last for five years, with a launch date targeted for 2025. 

This joint  mission aims to deliver high-quality thermal images to help us better understand and tackle environmental issues, especially those connected to climate change and water management. TRISHNA, short for Thermal infra Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural resource Assessment, is built to provide exceptional details about the Earth’s land and water temperatures. These measurements are crucial for various uses, such as farming strategies, tracking urban heat, and managing disasters. 

“The satellite’s advanced technology also addresses food security challenges by focusing on the impacts of human-induced climate change and improving water resource management through evapotranspiration monitoring. TRISHNA aims to enhance our understanding significantly and offer more accurate data for scientists, policymakers, and environmentalists around the world,” explained space expert Girish Linganna. 

Evapotranspiration is the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere through two main mechanisms: evaporation from soil and water surfaces, and transpiration from plants. It’s a crucial part of the water cycle and helps in understanding water use and availability, especially in agriculture and climate studies. 

The TRISHNA satellite comes with two main payloads—Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) Payload provided by CNES which features a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor capable of high-resolution surface temperature and emissivity mapping. Then the second payload Visible – Near Infra-Red – Short Wave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) Payload developed by ISRO which includes seven spectral bands designed for detailed mapping of surface reflectance in VSWIR bands (Visible, Short-Wave Infrared) and will help generate important biophysical and radiation budget variables. 

The satellite will orbit the Earth in a sun-synchronous path at an altitude of 761 km, crossing the equator at 12:30 PM local time. This orbit allows the satellite to capture images with a spatial resolution of 57 meters for land and coastal areas, and 1 km for ocean and polar regions. The mission is planned to last for 5 years. 

“Thermal imaging satellites are essential for monitoring Earth’s climate, water resources, and environmental changes. They use thermal sensors to detect heat variations on the Earth’s surface, aiding studies on urban heat islands, agricultural health, and forest fire detection,” added Linganna. 

There have been other similar programs such as the USA’s Landsat, Europe’s Sentinel-3, and China’s Gaofen series. The Landsat program, overseen by NASA and USGS, has been providing continuous Earth observation data since 1972. This program is essential for monitoring environmental changes, land use, and natural resources with high-quality satellite images. The latest data from the Landsat program, featuring Landsat 9, is freely accessible to the public. Launched on September 27, 2021, Lands at 9 continues the work of previous satellites by offering detailed images of Earth. This data is vital for tracking land resources and understanding environmental changes. One can find this data on platforms like EarthExplorer, LandsatLook, and GloVis. 

On the other hand Sentinel-3(Europe) is a key part of the Copernicus Programme, which helps monitor our oceans and land. There are two satellites, Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B, that provide detailed images and measurements. These satellites are useful for studying the oceans, water bodies, and land, and they play an important role in climate change research and protecting the environment. Recently, there have been some issues with the quality of  Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR)products due to satellite maneuvers, and the security system has been upgraded. 

On the other hand China’s Gaofen series is part of the China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS). The most recent satellite, Gaofen 12 (03), was launched in 2022. It orbits close to the poles and uses microwave remote sensing technology. This satellite helps improve land surveys, urban planning, and disaster relief efforts. Each of these programs contributes unique capabilities and data sets, advancing scientific understanding and practical applications in agriculture, water management, and disaster response. 

The TRISHNA satellite, a collaboration between ISRO and CNES, represents a significant advancement in thermal imaging for climate and water monitoring. Compared to other prominent satellites, Trishna’s cutting-edge technology captures high-resolution thermal data with exceptional precision. Landsat’s historical data is invaluable, but TRISHNA offers higher resolution and sensitivity. Sentinel-3 excels in marine and coastal monitoring, while TRISHNA is tailored for terrestrial applications. Gaofen-5 provides detailed data on air pollution and water quality, yet TRISHNA’s focus on climate and water monitoring offers more targeted thermal data. TRISHNA’s frequent revisits and high temporal resolution enable near real-time monitoring of climatic and hydrological phenomena, enhancing our ability to track local and global climate patterns,” explained Linganna. 

The ISRO-CNES collaboration on TRISHNA highlights the potential of international cooperation in addressing global challenges like climate change and water resource management. TRISHNA, with its advanced thermal imaging technology, complements existing systems by providing higher resolution data and more frequent revisit times, enhancing global environmental monitoring. Its high spatial resolution and superior thermal sensitivity place it at the forefront of thermal imaging satellites. TRISHNA’s data will support applications such as agricultural planning, urban heat island analysis, and climate change studies, playing a critical role in informing policy decisions and fostering sustainable development. 

“TRISHNA’s technical prowess lies in its advanced payloads. The Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload, provided by CNES, features a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor capable of high-resolution surface temperature and emissivity mapping. The Visible – Near Infra-Red – Short Wave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) payload, developed by ISRO, includes seven spectral bands designed for detailed mapping of surface reflectance of VSWIR bands to generate important biophysical and radiation budget variables,” said Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, which is into design, fabrication and launch of small satellites, spacecraft and ground systems. 

This expert further says that when compared to other thermal imaging satellites globally, TRISHNA stands out for its high spatial and temporal resolution. “If one compares it with the British company SatVu’s HOTSAT-1 satellite, which also focuses on high-resolution thermal imaging, captures thermal images from space revealing the planet’s surface temperature in great detail. However, HOTSAT-1’s resolution is down to 33 feet, which, while impressive, does not match TRISHNA’s ambition to achieve a resolution better than 100 meters with frequent revisits several times a week,” added Kesan. 

Last year, Lucasfilm announced a handful of promising new film projects set within the Star Wars universe, including one that will follow Rey (Daisy Ridley) as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order following the events of 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy subsequently confirmed in an interview with IGN that the film will take place 15 years after the conclusion of Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy and will find the Jedi “in disarray” and Rey trying to rebuild the Order “based on the books, based on what she promised Luke (Mark Hamill).”

Since then, progress on the project has been slow. Its original writers, Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson, departed the project in March 2023, and their replacement, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, reportedly parted ways with the film recently as well. For her part, Daisy Ridley has remained fairly tight-lipped about the project and its status. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, though, she did open up about actually preparing to reprise her life-changing Star Wars role.

“I feel like the new one/new ones will be so interesting. Time has passed and a lot has changed for me, personally,” Ridley told the outlet. “It’ll be interesting to come back to someone who I know so well, but in such a different moment. For me to inhabit Rey again after all the time that we haven’t seen her, it’s actually scary, but it’s also exciting.”

Given how much time has passed since Ridley worked on The Rise of Skywalker, it’s easy to see why it might seem both daunting and a bit strange to return to her role in that film. Ridley, who became a household name because of her breakout turn as Rey in 2015’s Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, has also grown a lot as an actress in the years since she made her Star Wars debut. To watch her return to a role that she played when she was less seasoned as a big-screen performer should be an interesting experience for Star Wars fans everywhere.

It is, unfortunately, unclear when fans will actually get to see Ridley back as Rey. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is still attached to direct the film in question, but its behind-the-scenes screenwriter exits have cast doubt on when it will actually begin shooting — let alone when it will hit theaters. There is a lot of pressure on the film to get Star Wars’ post-Sequel Trilogy era off to a strong start, which may be why Lucasfilm seems to be taking so much time developing it.

In the meantime, while fans wait for an official update on the project and Ridley continues preparing to step back into her Jedi robes, Lucasfilm still has a few other film and TV titles in the pipeline right now. These projects include The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is currently set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026.

The EU has slapped a $334 million fine on LinkedIn over its targeted advertising practices. The Microsoft-owned social media platform may not challenge the fine. Instead, it would change its ad practices to comply with the GDPR.

LinkedIn fined $334 million by lead European Union privacy regulator

The EU has confirmed LinkedIn is liable to pay a 310 million euro (approx. $334 million) fine. The regulator has fined the Microsoft-owned professional networking platform for its targeted advertising practices.

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has determined that LinkedIn had improperly conducted behavioral analyses of the EU members’ personal data for targeted advertising. The regulator is relying on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that’s currently in effect in the EU.

Speaking about the fine on LinkedIn, DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle stated, “The lawfulness of processing is a fundamental aspect of data protection law and the processing of personal data without an appropriate legal basis is a clear and serious violation of a data subjects’ fundamental right to data protection.”

Simply put, the EU watchdog has argued that LinkedIn violated the GDPR by not obtaining proper consent. Moreover, it has accused the networking platform of failing to demonstrate legitimate interest or showing a contractual necessity to process the data it and third parties collected.

Did Microsoft expect to pay a fine for its data collection policies?

Microsoft was reportedly aware it could face some heat from the EU over its data collection practices. According to Reuters, back in 2023, the tech giant said it expected to take a charge of about $425 million for a potential fine from the Irish regulator for its LinkedIn unit.

LinkedIn hasn’t categorically refuted the allegations. The company issued a statement that said, “While we believe we have complied with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we are working to ensure our ad practices meet this decision by the IDPC’s deadline.”

It appears LinkedIn might not contest the fine. Instead, the company has indicated it would alter its data collection practices or policies to ensure the company complies with the GDPR.

In an AMA this weekend, Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared some insight into why some videos on the platform appear reduced in quality well after they’re posted, and it all boils down to performance. Responding to a question about old stories looking “blurry” in highlights, Mosseri said, “In general, we want to show the highest-quality video we can. But if something isn’t watched for a long time — because the vast majority of views are in the beginning — we will move to a lower quality video.” If the video later spikes in popularity again, “then we will re-render the higher quality video,” he said in the response, which was reposted by a Threads user (spotted by The Verge).

Further elaborating in a follow-up reply, though, Mosseri added, “We bias to higher quality (more CPU intensive encoding and more expensive storage for bigger files) for creators who drive more views.” The comment has sparked concern from small creators in the replies who say it puts them at a disadvantage competing with others who have larger platforms. Meta has previously said it uses “different encoding configurations to process videos based on their popularity” as part of how it manages its computing resources.

The performance system “works at an aggregate level,” Mosseri said, “not an individual viewer level… It’s not a binary theshhold [sic], but rather a sliding scale.” In response to one user who questioned its fairness for smaller creators, Mosseri said the quality shift “doesn’t seem to matter much” in practice as it “isn’t huge” and viewers appear to care more about video content over quality. “Quality seems to be much more important to the original creator, who is more likely to delete the video if it looks poor, than to their viewers,” he said. Understandably, not everyone seems convinced.