Science

NASA Will Give $1.6 Billion to Private Companies to Design a Shuttle Replacement

After announcing its new deep space rocket and Apollo program heir, NASA says that they will give $1.61 billion to private companies to design a full system and a spacecraft capable of ferrying cargo and astronauts to the ISS. https://gizmodo.com/this-is-nasas-new-deep-space-rocket-5840149 The money will fund the Integrated Design Contract and the Commercial Crew Development Round 2,…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

Pet Rabbit Rescues Homeowner From Fire

You often read about a dog or a cat saving an owner’s life, but you almost never read about a heroic rabbit. That is until now. The rabbit rescue went down in Ketchikan, Alaska where an early morning fire broke out in a residence. The rabbit was apparently aware of the fire, jumped on the…

Biology Kelly

How to Save a Dog’s Life? Take Better Pictures

So many dogs are euthanized every year because they can’t find a family to adopt them. It’s not their fault. With some better picture taking, a few cute poses and accessories, dogs can find a new home in no time. It’s true, Dallas pet photographer Teresa Berg has taken it upon herself to “better market”…

Biology Casey Chan

Pocket Chainsaws, Tablet Rumors, and Other Stories We Didn’t Post

So much news passes before our collective eyes every day that we couldn’t possibly cover it all. Mostly because much of it isn’t worth covering! But here are a some borderline tidbits we passed on, just in case. What It Feels Like to Fly Over Lightning from Space We were a little late getting to…

Space & Spaceflight Brian Barrett

Can Bird Poop Really Crack Your Car’s Windshield?

It’s one of life’s great mysteries: how much damage can bird poop falling at terminal velocity really do? Rhett Allain, Wired’s resident physics guy, did us all a kindness and set his equations on this serious and pressing matter, originally raised by a Car Talk caller. The answer? Maaaaybe, if it was an especially large…

Physics & Chemistry Kyle Wagner

See the Amazing Killifish Jump From Its Mud Puddle Habitat

The killifish is a weird little critter that lives in muddy puddles that cars and trucks drive right through, and no one knows how they don’t get crushed. Some people are completely obsessed with them. Take Mateuz Herczka, a Swiss artist at the Verbeke Gallery in Antwerp (also home to Eduardo Kac, creator of the…

Biology Kristen Philipkoski

China Creates “Infinite Hero Bacon” by Cloning Invincible Earthquake Pig

Where does one secure the very best bacon? The supermarket? Shut up, rookie! You secure it from the heroic pig that survived for more than a month buried beneath the rubble of China’s horrific Sichuan earthquake. His name is Zhu Jianqiang, or “Strong-Willed Pig,” but he might as well be known as “Infinite Hero Bacon”…

Biology Jack Loftus

This Massive Cold War Spy Satellite Was Hidden from the World Until Now

The HEXAGON satellite spied on America’s Cold War foes for over a decade, taking extremely detailed (film!) photographs from space. It was 60 feet long—bigger than a bus. And the public never, ever saw it. We did. To celebrate its 50th birthday, the top secret satellite operators at the National Reconnaissance Office gave the public…

Space & Spaceflight Sam Biddle

The Solar System’s Newest Beach Spot Is an Icy One

One ticket to Pluto, please! Seems there’s an ocean there just waiting to be discovered, surfed or lounged about. Don’t worry about my well-being though—I’ll be packing a sweater. Scientists with more know-how of how the Universe works than do I conclude this slushy sea could exist in spite of Pluto’s frosty -230 degree Celsius…

Space & Spaceflight Jack Loftus

Should We Just Let Pandas Die Off Already?

Pandas. Zoos want them, other bears want to be them (maybe?). But are they really worth all the trouble? Let’s fight about it: Point: Pandas Are Awesome! The panda bear, above all, is a survivor of the keenest degree. You might deride it for its sloth, for its listlessness, for its struggle to spread its…

Biology Sam Biddle and Brian Barrett

NASA’s Not Sure Where in the World This Satellite Will Crash

The 20-year-old UARS satellite has dropped out of orbit—as old satellites are wont to do—and is reentering the atmosphere. Too bad NASA can’t pinpoint where—or when—exactly it will land. Could be the middle of the Pacific, could be the middle of Paris—it’s a surprise! If you have to leave your house on or around September…

Space & Spaceflight Andrew Tarantola

This Is NASA’s New Deep Space Rocket

NASA got a new deep space exploration system, the Space Launch System. A new heavy rocket designed to take astronauts well beyond planet Earth’s orbit. It’s beautiful. It’s like the Saturn all over again, but better. The Space Launch System is designed to carry the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and additional cargo to the Moon…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

Your Internet Might Be Slow Because of Bears

The NY Times has an interesting article today about how abysmally slow download speeds are in Idaho. It’s pretty bad out there! And made even worse by the occasional vicious bear attack. The money quote: Barry Ramsay, who owns a small manufacturing company here between two mountains, remembers the day his Internet connection crashed for…

Biology Brian Barrett

The First View of Robonaut’s Eyes In the International Space Station

Robonaut, the robot now living inside the International Space Station. I find his tweets disturbing, especially this one after his awakening: “ISS, you are looking good this morning.” Maybe it’s because it reminds me of the aesthetic of Alien. Or maybe it’s because I can imagine that, one day, it will not be a human…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

This Is the Very First American Manned Ship That Will Go to Space After the Shuttle

NASA has just started work on the first space-bound Orion capsule. Here you can see a robotic arm welding the new spaceship. It will be NASA’s first manned ship in space after Atlantis returned on July 21, 2011. https://gizmodo.com/the-definitive-goodbye-space-shuttle-desktop-wallpaper-5824409 After several successful tests, NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility workers started to build the space-bound Orion Multi-Purpose…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

In This Battle Between Lasers and Lightning, Laser Won

Maybe this is the use the Wicked Laser was built for: LIGHTNING JOUSTING! Cold hard technology versus the awesome might of nature. And yet the red beam of man’s raw lust for power pierced through lightning’s heart unabated. Victory! https://gizmodo.com/wicked-laser-s3-krypton-lightning-review-holy-christ-n-5834091 Well, ok. What you see is the European Southern Observatory testing its Wendelstein laser guide…

Space & Spaceflight Kwame Opam

Ancient Earth Got a Galactic Golden Shower

A large part of gold’s allure is its rarity. Even so, it’s still 1000 times more abundant on Earth than it should be. Boffins at University of Bristol now have an explanation for this phenomenon: it came from ouuuuter spaaaaaace! In theory, most of the gold, and other heavier metals like tungsten, that were around…

Space & Spaceflight Michael Zhao

This Is What Spacecraft Look Like Before Lift Off

What you see is a gorgeous photo of the 20-minute rollback of the GRAIL spacecraft before it rocketed on its lunar mission this morning. What I see is some kind of early Federation ship entering warp. Amazing. https://gizmodo.com/nasa-has-just-launched-a-mission-to-the-center-of-the-m-5838947 Photo and permission courtesy of Ben Cooper/LaunchPhotography.com

Space & Spaceflight Kwame Opam

Debris from the World Trade Center Is Exploring Mars

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of one of the worst tragedies in America’s history. We remember and we mourn, but it’s a pleasant thought to know that the memories of those who perished are part of the machinery that is exploring the Martian surface even now. Honeybee Robotics, collaborating with NASA, were working on the…

Space & Spaceflight Kwame Opam

NASA has Just Launched a Mission to the Center of the Moon

At 9:08 this morning, NASA shot two spacecraft into space to visit our beloved moon. As part of the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission, the rockets will map the entire lunar surface and interior to see how it formed and evolved. The GRAIL rockets are expected to reach the moon by New Year’s. The…

Space & Spaceflight Kwame Opam

NASA Will Give $1.6 Billion to Private Companies to Design a Shuttle Replacement

Pet Rabbit Rescues Homeowner From Fire

How to Save a Dog’s Life? Take Better Pictures

Pocket Chainsaws, Tablet Rumors, and Other Stories We Didn’t Post

Can Bird Poop Really Crack Your Car’s Windshield?

See the Amazing Killifish Jump From Its Mud Puddle Habitat

China Creates “Infinite Hero Bacon” by Cloning Invincible Earthquake Pig

This Massive Cold War Spy Satellite Was Hidden from the World Until Now

The Solar System’s Newest Beach Spot Is an Icy One

Should We Just Let Pandas Die Off Already?

NASA’s Not Sure Where in the World This Satellite Will Crash

This Is NASA’s New Deep Space Rocket

Your Internet Might Be Slow Because of Bears

The First View of Robonaut’s Eyes In the International Space Station

This Is the Very First American Manned Ship That Will Go to Space After the Shuttle

In This Battle Between Lasers and Lightning, Laser Won

Ancient Earth Got a Galactic Golden Shower

This Is What Spacecraft Look Like Before Lift Off

Debris from the World Trade Center Is Exploring Mars

NASA has Just Launched a Mission to the Center of the Moon

Deadpool Will Deface ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Classics for a New Secret Lair

Apple’s Siri Isn’t Just Going to Use One Chatbot. It’s Going to Use All of Them

Why ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 Is the Key to the Rest of the Series

ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-Inch Portable Monitor Is Now Cheaper Than Black Friday in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Early Wildfires Are Surging Across the US—and Trump’s New Fire Agency Isn’t Ready

INIU Brings Another Power Bank to the Spring Sale as SnapGo Keychain Portable Charger Drops to Its Lowest Price

Attorney Hit With Historic Fine for Citing AI-Generated Cases

Travelers Experiencing the Longest Security Lines in TSA History

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

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