9 great reads from CNET this week: Satellite science, China crackdown, Facebook as Meta and more
We go behind the scenes to see how Lockheed Martin builds cutting-edge satellites, take stock of China's get-tough stance on Big Tech, look at reaction to Facebook's name change and then some.
What goes up must send data back down. That, in a nutshell, is why we send satellites into orbit. A case in point: the GOES satellites that NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use to collect data about weather on Earth.
CNET's Claire Reilly went behind the scenes to find out how Lockheed Martin is building the latest of those satellites, called GOES-T, which will transmit 30 times more data than its predecessors to help scientists and meteorologists better predict natural disasters. It's a fascinating look at methods and machinery that are central to our modern way of life.
Her story and the accompanying video are among the many in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don't want to miss.
Step inside the clean room where a revolutionary satellite is taking shape
When it launches in 2022, the GOES-T satellite will watch over Earth and give us early warning of natural disasters. But preparing it is an epic task for Lockheed Martin.
China's great Big Tech experiment
The People's Republic has spent the last year showing tech titans who's boss. The unprecedented crackdown offers lessons about what and what not to do.
Facebook has a new name but the same old problems
Plagued by scandals, Facebook rebrands itself as Meta. The tech giant still must earn back our trust.
What is the iPad Pro, now that new MacBook Pros are here?
Commentary: Is it a laptop replacement? Is it really pro? It's got to be something for a starting price of $799.
How science is helping unearth an 80-year-old Holocaust mystery
Out of the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto, remnants of resistance emerge, thanks to advanced geoscientific tools and a team determined to keep the horrors of history from fading.
Have astronomers found the first planet outside our galaxy? It's complicated
A new study claims to have detected evidence of a planet outside of the Milky Way. Not everyone is convinced.
TikTok goes wild: Meet the adventurers taking audiences into the great outdoors
Tech and nature can seem at odds, but not on TikTok.
Science of fear: Why we love being terrified on Halloween
"We want, as human beings, to have the capacity to experience a range of emotions -- fear, being one of them."
Is the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion pack worth it?
Commentary: The answer isn't as straightforward as you think...
