Science
The latest news and reporting on robotics, space exploration and scientific research.
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Hitting the Books: Why AI won't be taking our cosmology jobs
In "The Universe in a Box" cosmologist Andrew Pontzen discusses how recent advances in supercomputing technology are revolutionizing our capability to model the complexities of the cosmos on a smaller scale.
Firefly Aerospace buys the final scraps of doomed Virgin Orbit
The last remnants of Virgin Orbit have been offloaded. Firefly Aerospace has agreed to buy the defunct satellite-launch company’s remaining assets for $3.8 million. Firefly’s purchase included the leftovers from a May auction that cleaned out most of the company’s possessions, netting $36 million in Virgin Orbit’s bankruptcy proceedings. Firefly’s purchase was reported in June 15th filings in a Delaware bankruptcy court (via SpaceNews).
Students create robot death machine for invasive spotted lanternflies
The spotted lanternfly may look innocent, but these ravenous creatures have been known to decimate crops, causing more than $500 million in damages to various fruit trees since being accidentally introduced to this country nearly a decade ago. Students at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed a plan to battle the insects via a robot death machine that targets eggs.
Scientists develop remote-controlled pill-shaped camera to diagnose digestive issues
Ingestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for a while, but they’re severely limited and not controllable by physicians, relying entirely on the digestive system for movement. Researchers may have just gotten around that limitation by developing a pill-shaped capsule that allows for remote control, as announced by the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences.
Hitting the Books: Why we like bigger things better
In "Size," Dr Vaclav Smil takes readers on a multidiscipline tour of the social quirks, economic intricacies, and biological peculiarities that result from our function following our form.
Scientists claim they're the first to transmit space-based solar power to Earth
A team of Caltech researchers claim to be the first to successfully transmit solar power from space to Earth.
Boeing Starliner's first crewed ISS flight delayed due to technical issues
Boeing's Starliner was supposed to fly its first crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 21st, but a couple of technical issues has kept the company from pushing through with its plan.
Japan will try to beam solar power from space by 2025
A Japanese public-private partnership will attempt to put orbital solar arrays in space later this decade.
Hitting the Books: Renee Descartes had his best revelations while baked in an oven
In the hilarious and enthralling new book, "Edison's Ghosts," Dr. Katie Spalding explores the illogical, unnerving, and downright wacky behaviors of history's greatest geniuses.
Japan's ispace says Hakuto-R crashed because it got confused by a crater rim
ispace is done analyzing data from its failed Hakuto-R lunar landing, and it sounds like tricky terrain and a late change in the landing site are to blame.
Virgin Galactic completes its final VSS Unity flight test before space tourism debut
Virgin Galactic has completed the last VSS Unity test before it starts space tourism service.
Watch Axiom Space’s second private flight to the ISS with us at 5PM ET
Axiom Space's second all-civilian space flight will launch later today from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
NASA picks Blue Origin to build the Artemis V Moon landing system
NASA has chosen TKTKTK to develop the Artemius V Moon landing system.
Astronomers identify volcano-covered planet that could have water on its surface
The boringly named LP 791-18 d is located about 90 light-years from Earth in the Crater constellation.
Virgin Galactic's final VSS Unity flight test is slated for May 25th
Virgin Galactic's last flight test before paid service is now set for May 25th.
James Webb telescope finds water around a comet in the main asteroid belt
The James Webb telescope has spotted the first known instance of a comet with water vapor in the main asteroid belt.
Vast and SpaceX plan to launch the first commercial space station in 2025
Vast is teaming with SpaceX to launch what could be the first commercial space station.
A robot puppet rolled through San Francisco singing Vanessa Carlton hits
In 2002, pop star Vanessa Carlton and her piano "made their way downtown" through Newbury Park in Los Angeles. Twenty-one years later, a team of hobbyist roboticists have brought Carlton’s music to the streets of San Francisco.
JWST captures images of the first asteroid belts seen beyond the Solar System
Since 1983, astronomers have known the 440 million-year-old Fomalhaut is surrounded by dust and debris, but what they didn’t expect to find was three different debris fields surrounding the star.
'Oppenheimer' trailer shows Chris Nolan's take on the birth of the atomic bomb
The trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' explores the ethical issues behind the first atomic bomb.