The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12 share most software features but differ significantly in hardware: the Ultra 4 offers a larger 49mm titanium case, bigger battery, satellite messaging, an Action button, and better GPS, while the Series 12 comes in smaller sizes (42mm/46mm) with aluminum or premium materials at lower base prices starting at $399 versus $799 for the Ultra 4.
Amateur astronomers can measure distant asteroids by observing occultations—when asteroids block starlight—using modest equipment like a 5-inch telescope, affordable camera, and GPS-synchronized flasher for timing calibration. Unlike professionals with large telescopes, amateurs can position themselves in the asteroid's shadow path to collectively map its shape and reveal details about the asteroid.
Coros has leaked two new smartwatch models in regulatory filings: the Vertix 4, skipping the Vertix 3 numbering to align with other 4-series models, and a mystery Orizon model likely designed for a specific sport or activity. The Orizon name and trademark filings suggest it could target sailing or aerial sports, following Coros' precedent with its niche Nomad fishing watch.
Runtime Arguments episode 37 explores the Unix Year 2038 problem—when 32-bit signed timestamps overflow on January 19, 2038—and compares it to Y2K, arguing both represented reasonable engineering trade-offs for their era given storage constraints. The hosts discuss how 64-bit systems and modern kernels (Linux 5.6+) have largely mitigated the issue, then catalog real-world overflow bugs spanning GPS week counters, NTP rollover, Boeing 787 generators, NASA probes, and date-handling flaws in Excel, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Zune.
Hyperbolic navigation is a radio-based system that determines location by measuring timing differences of signals from synchronized beacon transmitters, producing hyperbolic curves that intersect to pinpoint position. First used for acoustic artillery detection in World War I, hyperbolic radio systems like Gee, Decca, and LORAN were widely deployed in the mid-20th century until GPS and satellite navigation replaced them in the 1990s.
A discussion of the Unix Year 2038 problem, where 32-bit signed timestamps overflow on January 19, 2038, alongside historical context comparing it to Y2K and examining how engineering trade-offs made sense given era constraints. The episode covers mitigation status across systems, similar overflow bugs in GPS/NTP/databases, and real-world failures like NASA's Deep Impact probe and Sony PS3 bricking, concluding with reflections on writing maintainable code.