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The James Webb Space Telescope just made its second breakthrough observation in as many weeks. Researchers have used the observatory’s near-infrared camera to detect the first known instance of water vapor around a comet in the main asteroid belt, also known as a main belt comet. Scientists had thought comets could preserve water ice so relatively close to the Sun, but didn’t have firm evidence until now. They generally expected comets to sit in the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud, both of which are far enough away from the Sun that ice could last.

The findings have created a new riddle, however. While carbon dioxide normally represents 10 percent of the potentially vaporized material in a comet, Webb’s instruments didn’t detect any in Read. The research group speculates that the CO2 either dissipated over billions of years, or that Read formed in a comparatively balmy part of the Solar System that didn’t have CO2.

Read was one of the first bodies used to establish the main belt comet category. The Webb telescope is the first equipment powerful enough to study these comets in detail.

More observations will be needed to understand if Read’s lack of CO2 is a fluke or shared by other main belt comets. Whether it is or not, team member Stefanie Milam suggests a sample collection mission might be helpful in learning more about comets like this. It would certainly be more practical than other missions — the Kuiper Belt starts roughly at the edge of Neptune’s orbit, while the Oort Cloud is roughly two light-years away.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/james-webb-telescope-finds-water-around-a-comet-in-the-main-asteroid-belt-203825983.html?src=rss 

Sonos will soon end support for a feature that allows users to stream files stored locally on their Android devices directly to its speakers. “As newer versions of mobile operating systems are released, it can sometimes change the way information is shared between devices, and this feature will no longer be compatible with newer versions of the Android operating system,” a Sonos community post reads. The change comes into effect starting on May 23rd. The company ended support for a similar feature on iOS in 2019.

There are other options for you to play files stored on your Android devices to Sonos speakers, with Bluetooth perhaps being the easiest one. Alternatively, you can upload the files to a NAS drive on your network or a supported streaming service. Sonos supports user-uploaded file playback from Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer and Plex. On the other hand, if you don’t mind going old school, Sonos’ new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers have line-in support.

While several of these methods are straightforward enough, nixing On this Device support on Android removes one of the many listening options from the Sonos app, making it less of a one-stop shop for all your audio needs. However, given the popularity of streaming services, it may be the case that this feature wasn’t seeing much use anyway.

It seems plausible enough that Sonos is ending support for the feature due to compatibility reasons but, as The Verge notes, Google and Sonos are involved in a legal battle against each other over patent infringement. Still, the timing of Sonos’ move is likely just a coincidence given that the tussle between the two sides has been lumbering on for severalyears.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-is-ending-support-for-local-file-playback-on-android-184537921.html?src=rss 

Doing your taxes in the United States can be famously convoluted. It can also be expensive: on top of paying their tax bills, Americans who have more complicated finances often have to pay for software to help them navigate the US tax code. That might change soon: a report from the Washington Post says that the Internal Revenue Services is preparing to roll out a free direct filing system that will allow Americans to complete their taxes digitally.

The first version of the direct filing system could be available as soon as next year, according to the report, with a pilot program launching for a small group of taxpayers in January of 2024. That would arrive just a year after the IRS publicly started exploring the option, when the tax agency tapped the New America think tank to help explore the feasibility of an agency-run filing program. That effort was kicked off in February of this year, after the Inflation Reduction Act earmarked $15 million to the IRS to research a “multi-lingual and mobile-friendly” free direct e-file system.

That focus on a user-friendly system might be the point. The IRS already offers a Free File Online tool, but according to the Government Accountability Offices, it’s used by less than 3% of eligible taxpayers. If the program is a success, it could make filing taxes easier and more affordable for millions of Americans. If not? Well, TurboTax and H&R Block probably aren’t going anywhere. After all, the US tax prep and filing industry is still worth about $14 billion.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-irs-reportedly-has-a-free-turbotax-alternative-in-the-works-191527170.html?src=rss 

Elon Musk has failed in his latest attempt to challenge a ruling that requires a lawyer’s approval for some Tesla-related tweets. A federal appeals court in Manhattan has rebuffed Musk’s claim that the 2018 consent decree with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an unfair “prior restraint” on his speech. The CEO could have defended himself against the charges or negotiated a different deal if he’d wanted to tweet without a legal monitor, the court panel says.

Musk reached a settlement with the SEC in 2018 after the regulator claimed that he lied when he had “funding secured” for taking Tesla private. On top of requiring approval, the deal also had Musk step down as Tesla chairman. He and his company paid separate $20 million fines. The SEC wanted to find Musk in contempt when he claimed that Tesla would make 500,000 cars one year, but a judge pushed the parties involved to negotiate a 2019 arrangement that gave Musk more freedom in return for requiring legal team approval for finance-related tweets.

The tech leader has fought with the SEC in the years since, and more recently has been calling for courts to undo the settlement. Musk claims the Commission pressured him to strike a deal and overstepped its authority. The pact violated free speech rights, Musk’s side claimed. A judge denied a request to cancel the deal last April, prompting the appeal.

It’s not certain how Musk and Tesla will respond. Tesla disbanded its communications team years ago. If this latest decision stands, though, Musk won’t have much choice but to either have his tweets screened or risk a regulatory crackdown.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elon-musk-loses-appeal-to-tweet-whatever-he-wants-about-tesla-190942572.html?src=rss 

Horror collection ‘Layers of Fear’ has a concrete release date of June 15th, which is just around the corner. This news follows the official launch of a Steam demo that went live today. The forthcoming title includes remakes of the original Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2, including various DLC content and a brand-new chapter to provide a new perspective on the first game’s narrative. It launches on PC via Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

These are not simple upscales, as each game was completely recreated in Unreal Engine 5, so they include all kinds of modern graphical touches like ray-tracing, HDR and volumetric lighting. In other words, this collection is pretty easy on the eyes, though the eerie atmosphere may not be good for the old ticker.

Developer Bloober Team is also busy crafting a Silent Hill 2 remake, so there’s that to look forward to. The original Layers of Fearcame out back in 2016 and is widely considered one of the better horror titles of recent years, thanks to an expertly crafted narrative and psychedelic thrills and chills. The sequel was equally revered, though it shifted locations from a creepy Victorian mansion to a, well, creepy ocean liner.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/layers-of-fear-remake-launches-on-pc-ps5-and-xbox-june-15th-193050271.html?src=rss