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Universe may hold 10 times more galaxies than once thought
The observable universe was already incomprehensibly big, but it now looks to be even bigger. Astronomers have determined that are likely about 10 times more galaxies than previously thought, or between 1 trillion to 2 trillion. We just don't have the technology (or physical proximity) to detect them all, according to the researchers. They reached the conclusion after converting Hubble Deep Field images into 3D to study the number of galaxies at a given point in the universe's history, and using mathematical models to infer the possibility of galaxies that we haven't spotted. Simply speaking, the volume of galaxies seen over time doesn't make sense unless there are many we aren't aware of.
Hubble study helps explain the heyday of galaxy formation
The Hubble Space Telescope still isn't done giving up secrets of the early universe. Researchers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have discovered that a patch of 10 billion-year-old galaxies in Hubble's Ultra Deep Field view holds gas that helps explain the "Golden Age" of galaxy and star formation. This first completely "blind" (that is, not expecting anything) 3D millimeter wavelength search of the old universe turned up galaxies with an abundance of carbon monoxide, a hint that they were rich in the molecular gas key to creating stars.
Samsung begins replacing Galaxy Note 7 handsets in the UK
Although Samsung acted quickly to stop the bulk of Galaxy Note 7s making their way to consumers before its recall in the UK, units were delivered before the official launch. Now that it's had to time to prepare, the company today kicked off its Galaxy Note 7 Exchange Programme, allowing those affected to swap their defective unit for a brand new one.
After Math: The final frontier
We saw some significant developments in the field of space exploration this week. Jeff Bezos unveiled his latest heavy lift rocket. The Gaia satellite has mapped its billionth Milky Way star. China launched another piece of its Heavenly Palace into orbit. And Galaxies just can't seem to stop exploding. Numbers, because how else are you going to accurately measure your insignificance against the infinite voids of space?
Strange galaxy is made almost entirely of dark matter
A galaxy isn't big just because it has many stars in it. A worldwide research group has discovered that a galaxy in the Coma cluster, Dragonfly 44, consists of 99.99 percent dark matter. It has about as much mass as our own Milky Way galaxy, but far fewer stars. The team determined the presence of the invisible, mysterious substance based on the motions of the stars themselves -- there were too few of them to be moving so quickly. If there weren't a gravitational force like dark matter to hold them together, those stars would simply fly away.
Reuters: Samsung to sell refurbished high-end phones
Samsung is preparing an official refurbished phone program, according to Reuters, which could launch "as early as next year." The scheme would offer premium handsets -- think the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note line -- at a discount for customers that can't afford them at full price. Most of the phones would be sourced from its one-year upgrade program, available in places like the US and South Korea, which gives super-fans an easier way to trade-in and acquire the latest handsets. It's not clear, however, how much the new discounts will come to, or where the scheme will be offered.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
Note: On September 2nd, 2016, Samsung issued a global recall for the Galaxy Note 7 following several dozen reports of exploding batteries. Then, on October 10th, the company permanently discontinued the device after reports that replacement units were also exploding. Though this review is still live on Engadget's site for posterity's sake, we have elected to remove the original score. Needless to say too, even if the Note 7 were still being sold we would no longer be able to recommend it.
Milky Way's spinning 'halo' helps reveal how galaxy formed
Out beyond our solar system are billions of other planets, starts, moon rocks and solar systems. Beyond that, however is an enormous, hot, gaseous halo of matter. It stretches for hundreds of thousands of light years, and could be the key to sorting out why there's not as much matter in the Milky Way as scientists estimate there should be. Now, scientists have learned something new about this layer of gas: It's spinning at almost the same rate as the rest of our galaxy.
New Galaxy S7 Active smartphones won't leak, says Samsung
It's official: the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active isn't quite as rugged as it was originally advertised. Well, it wasn't, but it is now. Following failed underwater tests from both Consumer Reports and CNET, Samsung looked into the phone's production process and found manufacturing problems that were compromising its water-resistance. Fortunately, the issue has been resolved. From here on out, the Galaxy S7 Active is expected to be sufficiently water-tight.
Samsung's highest profit in two years comes thanks to the S7
Samsung just had a great quarter, and it's all because people are snapping up Galaxy S7s. The Korean chaebol has revealed that it's expecting its second quarter operating profit to reach 8.1 trillion won ($7 billion), thanks to its smartphone business. That might be far from the 8.84 trillion won ($7.6 billion) operating profit it posted in January 2013, but it's still around 17 percent higher than last year's. It's also the highest in two years since it notched a profit of 8.5 trillion won ($7.4 billion) back in the first quarter of 2014. The company expects its revenue to be up by three percent, from 48.5 trillion won ($42 billion) to 50 trillion ($43 billion), as well.
A third of the world can no longer see the Milky Way
If you never thought light pollution was a problem before, think again. New research claims that more than a third of humanity cannot see the Milky Way anymore, because artificial lights have made the night sky too bright to view the galaxy.
Listen to the sounds of the Milky Way galaxy's oldest stars
You probably won't get to visit the most ancient stars in humanity's home galaxy, but you'll at least get to hear what they sounded like when they were young. University of Birmingham researchers have detected the acoustic oscillations of Milky Way stars that are about 13 billion years old, or not much younger than the galaxy itself. The trick was to use asteroseismology, or measuring the tiny pulses in brightness triggered by sound caught inside those stars. As you'll hear at the source link, they're not exactly hot summer jams -- these are ominous tones that are more likely to remind you of an emergency broadcast signal than anything else.
Samsung might have bendable, foldable smartphones ready for 2017
Bloomberg sources say that Samsung is thinking of introducing phones with bendable screens. In fact, Samsung said that it would have that technology ready by 2017 itself, just a few years ago at its investors conference. However, this goes some way to proving that Samsung has developed the tech enough to bring it to consumer product. A pair of devices will have flexible OLED screens, with one folding like a cosmetic compact and another that transforms from a 5-inch smartphone-sized screen to a display roughly eight inches large; so... a tablet.
Faintest known galaxy could shed light on the early universe
Scientists have only just started finding extremely faint galaxies. However, they've already topped themselves by discovering the faintest known galaxy to date... and it might just provide insight into the universe's early days. Found through gravitational lensing, the galaxy is both supremely ancient (13 billion years old) and extremely tiny (just 0.0001 percent the size of the Milky Way). In other words, it's a textbook example of the dwarf galaxies that researchers believe were key to re-ionizing the universe and taking it out of the lightless "dark ages." With enough study, it could help explain what triggered that ionization and fill in one of the gaps in our understanding of existence.
McDonald's places a large order of Samsung tablets in the UK
If you make a trip to a McDonald's in the coming months, expect to see a few tablets. As part of an agreement with device management company SOTI, the fast food chain plans to install Samsung Galaxy Tabs in the "majority" of its UK restaurants, giving you the chance to play games, check Facebook or browse the web while you eat.
Samsung accidentally reveals the Galaxy S7 Active
A Samsung app has leaked the existence of a new smartphone from the company, the Galaxy S7 Active. The previously unknown phone appears in a long list of supported devices in the Google Play listing for the Samsung Level app, spotted by SamMobile. The Active range of Galaxy phones was born out of necessity. It first appeared in 2013 as a waterproof, ruggedized version of the company's then-flagship Galaxy S4. Each iteration of the "S" line since has been accompanied by an Active variant.
Samsung has a new music app for Galaxy users to test
Have a new Galaxy S7 or other Samsung Galaxy device running Android Marshmallow? Then the electronics giant wants you to kick the tires on Samsung Music. I'd explain what it is, but its name does that for me. The music app plays MP3, WMA, AAC and FLAC files, however, it's still in beta so it might not run without a hitch. But hey, your horoscope suggested opening yourself up to new things, so you might as well give it a shot.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are beautiful, if unsurprising sequels
When Samsung outed the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge last year, we all generally lavished it with praise. It was for a good reason -- they were easily the nicest phones Samsung had crafted in years, even though one was clearly more popular than the other. This year isn't really about reinventing those formulas, but about refining them, and the results are the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. You'll be able to get your own starting on March 11, but read on to get our early impressions.
Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge say hello in leaked photos
We're in prime flagship leak season since Mobile World Congress is just a few weeks away, and we might have just gotten our first in-the-wild looks at Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. If this pace keeps up, we could all the most important details down before Samsung's February 21st press bonanza in Barcelona.
Meet Samsung's Galaxy S7 on February 21st
Waiting to see if Samsung can rekindle its smartphone sales streak with Galaxy S number seven? You won't be waiting long: media invites, as well as a tease-next-to-nothing teaser video, have both surfaced, with the most salient points being that the new Galaxy S will be revealed during the annual mobile flood of Mobile World Congress (in Barcelona, amigo), and that you can expect to sit through an hour of feature rundowns and poetic pontificating on February 21st. (Or, wait on a supercut of the most important parts.)
