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KAUST Mathematical Model Tackles 5G Interference With Aircraft
The simulations showed that one tower inside the exclusion zone could reduce 5G efficiency by 20%, and up to 50% with three towers.
As 5G networks expand worldwide, concerns over aviation safety have sharpened. At the center is the risk that 5G signals may interfere with aircraft radio altimeters — instruments critical for determining altitude during landings and in low-visibility conditions. A research team at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has now come up with a mathematical model to prevent such conflicts, aiming to protect aviation systems while preserving strong network performance.
The study, published in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, introduces the idea of an ideal exclusion zone. These zones define areas near airports where higher-frequency 5G signals should be restricted to reduce interference. The approach offers regulators a framework for balancing passenger safety with mobile connectivity demands.
Led by Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini, the KAUST team is the first to use stochastic geometry — a mathematical tool for modelling random network layouts — to forecast how 5G transmissions might overlap with radio altimeter signals. “5G operates near the same bandwidth as aircraft radio altimeters, which may cause signal interference,” explained Alouini. “This highlights the need to establish exclusion zones to reduce interference levels”.
The research suggests that triangular-shaped exclusion zones provide the best compromise, offering effective shielding for altimeters while limiting the impact on mobile networks. Within these areas, regulators could allow only lower-frequency signals, keeping higher-frequency bands that are more prone to interference outside the zone.
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Simulation results underscored the stakes. A single 5G tower placed inside the exclusion zone was shown to reduce overall efficiency by 20%, while three towers could slash performance by as much as 50%.
The project, supported by Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), positions the Kingdom at the forefront of a global debate. As countries refine their 5G rollout strategies, KAUST’s framework could help regulators worldwide protect aviation safety without stalling digital infrastructure progress.
News
Instagram Redraws Its Wordmark And The Internet Reads “Instagzam”
Instagram’s first wordmark refresh in a decade arrives with new fonts, a restrained gradient — and a Reddit verdict of sidegrade.
Although Instagram’s famous camera icon hasn’t changed, the company has refreshed the handwritten wordmark at the top of its app. This is the first redesign we’ve seen in ten years, and one the internet promptly set about renaming.
“The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on August 13, describing the new version as “cleaner and more modern” while keeping references to the original design.
Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options — all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, even literal handwriting — before returning to script. “Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right,” Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. “The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram”.
The wordmark is part of a broader brand overhaul: an updated Instagram Sans typeface, two new fonts — the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono — plus refreshed motion and layouts, and more restrained use of the signature gradient. The wordmark is rolling out globally now, with the rest arriving throughout 2026 and beyond.
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The design mixes cursive and print lettering, some characters connected and others floating free. That hybrid approach, combined with unusually shaped “s” and “r” characters, led some users to conclude the logo actually reads “Instagzam”. On the r/logodesign subreddit, one user said the wordmark looked “fan-made,” like something built in Canva; another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive”; a third summarized it as a “sidegrade” — or, inevitably, a “zidegrade”.
Not everyone was hostile to the new look. Some found the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others called it an improvement on its predecessor, and one commenter argued Instagram was simply adopting minimalist branding later than everyone else. Either way, the platform now has a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and an unofficial new pronunciation.
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