Every couple of years, technology trends change and internet companies change along with it. The latest one that the search engine giant Google is currently dealing with is the changing trend of Gen Z searching for things on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok instead of on Google like they used to.
The Problem
Recently, a Google executive in charge of overlooking the company’s search engine, Prabhakar Raghavan, admitted that more and more people are shifting to social media platforms for their queries. For example, if a person wants to go for lunch, they’ll look up places on social media through tags and reels instead of inputting it in Google. In the demographic of ages 18-24, almost 40% of people are doing this! So Google came up with a new solution to keep Gen Z’s interest.
The Solution
To combat this, Google has announced a new feature added to its search engines and maps. In this, users will see not only the results when they look for a particular thing (like a lunch spot) but also videos and images about it from platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram. One of the changes is a feature called Exploration that will be added to the Google mobile app. In this, users will see a line of photos and videos corresponding to the search they do, not unlike a feed. The feature will first roll out on iPhones and be limited to searches for tourism and travel.
The Neighborhood Vibe Addition
Another really quirky and Gen Z targeting update is a feature called Neighbor Vibes rolled out for Google Maps. In this, users can get an overall review of the vibe of the neighborhood, like the eateries and the photos from around. This was done as it seems more and more young people are responding to visuals rather than text.
NASA Is All Set to Go Ahead With Its Artemis 1 Moon Mission in August
The world is gearing up for humans to set foot on the moon again. NASA has announced a new target launch date for its upcoming Artemis 1 Moon mission, and it’s less than two months away. By the end of August 2022, NASA will be ready to send the Artemis 1 mission into space with the goal of returning humans to the moon by 2024. The new launch window will give us our first look at an integrated Apollo-like system that includes both Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS).
The Launch Date
The Artemis 1 mission is the first in NASA’s new Artemis program to take humans to the moon by 2024. According to Jim Free, associate administrator at NASA, the organization is aiming for an August 23 to September 6 window to launch Artemis 1. This is an aggressive timeline that NASA feels confident they can meet. The Artemis 1 mission will be an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and will pave the way for future human-crewed missions to the moon.
Final Preparations Underway
The final preparations for the launch are underway, and the excitement is palpable, as this will be the first launch of the new Artemis program and the first time humans have been to the moon in over 50 years. The Orion module is set to launch on the Artemis 1 mission. It will carry supplies and equipment for future missions and science experiments. Specifically, on its trip around the moon, the module will study how space journey might affect the human body. The Artemis II rocket will take four astronauts to the satellite in the decade’s second half, ahead of a planned landing on the moon.
Launch Opportunities
In addition to the launch opportunities based on orbital mechanics and performance, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida also presents an operational constraint. In addition, the sphere-shaped tanks used to store cryogenic propellant at the launch pad can only supply a limited number of launch attempts depending on the type of propellant. To make a second launch attempt, engineers must wait 48 hours since liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen must be loaded into the stage on launch day. A third attempt will be delayed by 72 hours because more propellant must be transported from nearby sources to fill the cryogenic storage sphere. So let’s get ready to go back and create more Neil Armstrongs and Buzz Aldrins in the world!