Model based on fusion energy research explains why sunspots peak every 11 years
Of all the mysteries about our sun, one of the most perplexing is the cycle of sunspots. These dark patches on the sun's surface appear for a few weeks at a time before fading and increase in frequency to a peak every 11 years. A new study aims to explain this cycle by modeling the movement of plasma.
NASA develops autonomous drill to search for life beneath the surface of Mars
One of the challenges of investigating Mars is how to collect samples from beneath the surface. Current projects like the Insight lander have a drill to place probes. But now NASA is trying a new approach: An autonomous drill which can go several feet deep and which can adapt to different environments.
NASA’s troubled next-generation rocket is finally assembled
NASA's Space Launch System should be the next generation of rocket, suitable for launching heavy payloads and traveling to deep space. But the project has been troubled, suffering from delays and ballooning costs. Progress is being made, however, and recently NASA shared an update on the rocket.
Was hellish hothouse Venus once a temperate planet covered in water?
It sounds outlandish, but according to new research, the scorching planet of Venus could once have been habitable. The average surface temperature on Venus today is 863°F, but a new study claims that millions of years ago, the planet could have been a temperate place with liquid water on its surface.
YouTube removes verification from channels, faces backlash, reverifies everyone
YouTube is facing a backlash from its content creators once again, this time for taking away and then re-instating the verification of a large number of channels. On Thursday, many YouTube channels were unverified. After significant complaints from content creators, the company re-verified the accounts.
French court case against Valve may have serious implications for games sales
In 2015, the French group UFC Que Choisir took Valve to court over the way that the store sells digital games. The case focused on the fact that consumers cannot resell a game once they have purchased a digital copy. Now, a court has ruled that Valve will have to change their policies or face a fine.
Astronomers puzzled by a flashing X-ray mystery in the Fireworks galaxy
Astronomers were looking at the Fireworks galaxy when they noticed something odd. There was an X-ray source that wasn't there in their first observations but was seen clearly in a second observation only ten days later. And then in the next set of observations, it was gone again.
NASA chooses a CubeSat project to test orbit route around the moon
NASA's ambitious Gateway program aims to send four astronauts to an outpost in orbit around the moon by 2025. But before this, a safe and stable orbit needs to be chosen. To that end, NASA has awarded a contract to the Advanced Space company to send a small satellite into the orbit planned for Gateway.
Titan’s lakes are formed by explosions of methane from beneath its surface
Other than Earth, there's only one body in our solar system which has liquid on its surface - Titan, one of the moons of Saturn, which has lakes of methane. Using data from the Cassini probe, scientists have a new theory for how these lakes were formed -- by explosions of nitrogen from deep underground.
Astronomers discover hungry black hole that demands three square meals a day
We all know we should be getting three square meals a day. And now astronomers have found a black hole which seems to share this preference -- it consumes material on a regular schedule once every nine hours. Researchers are wondering why it emits bursts of X-rays which repeat in a regular pattern.
Time is running out for India to establish contact with its lunar lander
Time is running out for engineers from the Indian space program to establish contact with the troubled Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander. Earlier this week, more details were revealed about what exactly went wrong as the Chandrayaan-2 lander descended towards the lunar surface.
Hubble scientists find new way to measure the age of star clusters
A new Hubble image shows a scene within the bounds of our galactic neighbor, the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy. This particular object, NGC 1466, is a type of star cluster called a globular cluster -- a group of stars that are held together by gravity and which move together through the edges of the LMC.
Spin me right round: Mars 2020 rover gets its balanced checked
NASA's Mars 2020 rover recently entered its final year of engineering before it is launched on its journey to the red planet, and it has been subjected to a battery of tests to ensure it is ready to touch down. The latest test was a spin on a rotating table to check its weight distribution.
Windows 10 update to fix Cortana bug breaks some users’ start menus
Another day, another Windows 10 update issue. The problem this time is that a fix rolled out for a Cortana bug has caused further issues of its own, by breaking the start menu of some users. Users have found that the update causes their start menu to stop working, with a critical error message.
Biotech company 3D-prints a miniature human heart from stem cells
It's not science fiction anymore: 3D-printing a human heart is now a reality. A company called Biolife4D has developed the technology to print human cardiac tissue by collecting blood cells from a patient and converting these cells to a type of stem cell called Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells.
Jupiter’s magnetic field simulated on Earth using CERN high-energy electron beam
The European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, is most famous for its particle collider, but it also has facilities that can test for other high-energy environments similar to those found in space. Now those facilities are being used to test future spacecraft to see if they are radiation-proof.
Gas at 20 million degrees glows brightly in this colorful supernova remnant
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has returned to the first target it imaged 20 years ago, to collect an updated image. A glowing cloud is the remnant of a supernova Cassiopeia A which is believed to have exploded in the year 1680, generating shock waves that illuminated stellar debris around it.
What happens to concrete when you mix it in space? ISS astronauts investigate
Concrete is a material used everywhere on Earth due to its strength and relatively light weight. That makes it a useful candidate for a material to built structures out of in space as well. But you can't mix up cement in space the same way you do on Earth and expect the same result.
Mars was once an ocean-covered planet with a thick atmosphere like Earth’s
Today Mars is a cold, arid desert. But billions of years ago, it could have been a lush planet covered in surface water, not so different from Earth. The difference between then and now is the atmosphere, which is thin and spare but was once thick enough to retain heat and allow liquid water.
India locates its lander on the moon, is trying to establish communications
It was sad times for the Indian space program on Friday when contact was lost with the Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander in the final minutes before its planned landing on the moon. But all is not lost. Today the ISRO announced it has located the Vikram module and is now trying to re-establish communications.
5 awesome pieces of new tech we saw on display at IFA 2019
It's not just consumer electronics on show at IFA 2019 -- it's also a great place to get a glimpse of emerging technologies which could change the way we live in the future. Here are 5 awesome pieces of new technology we spotted on the show floor this year, from exoskeletons to hydroponic gardening pods.
Roku is coming for Netflix’s European streaming dominance
Roku may be the king of the streaming services in the U.S., but it's less well known in Europe. Now, Roku aims to change that and to challenge Netflix's European dominance. At IFA 2019, the company announced it is expanding into the European market with new Hisense TV models and a TV licensing program.
Everything is connected: Qualcomm is all-in on 5G for 2020
You've heard 5G is coming, though it's tough to get excited about an incremental improvement in mobile internet speeds. But Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon wants to change that, announcing the chipmaker's new 5G features at IFA 2019 and laying out use cases like video streaming, AR, and cloud gaming.
The Plyy is a fully customizable accessible gaming controller for everyone
There are many people who want to play console games but can't due to problems using traditional controllers. German brand Plyon wants to change that, creating a prototype of a fully customizable gaming controller. Digital Trends spoke with head of design Alexander Römmelt about the project.
Samsung takes on home appliances with its Ikea-like modular fridge and more
At IFA 2019, Samsung introduced a range of techy home appliances, including a modular fridge concept, a quiet air purifier, a powerful cordless vacuum, and a dual oven that can cook and steam at the same time. Plus, there's a wardrobe that can steam or dry your clothes as you store them.
Sony’s colorful retro headphones are a match for its funky new Walkman
At IFA 2019, Sony debuted the colorful WF-H800 truly wireless headphones, as well as five color options for the WH-H910N overband headphones. There are also matching colors available for the relaunched Walkman, so you can mix and match your color scheme and get your retro groove on.
Philips unveils a pair of Bluetooth speakers that are works of art
There may be more Bluetooth speakers available than is possible to count, but they're generally not very attractive objects. Philips is aiming to change that, with a range of audio products created in partnership with Scandinavian designer Georg Jensen. The devices were announced at IFA 2019.
Sony updates its wireless headphones with new noise-canceling processor
Good news for sporty audio lovers: At IFA 2019, Sony announced it will be expanding its range of noise-canceling headphones to include a new wireless model. As well as the true wireless WF-1000XM3s and the beloved over-ear WH-1000XM3s, Sony is releasing a wireless model called the WI-1000XM2.
The Aalto Explorer drone lets people explore under the sea using VR
If you've ever wanted to experience life beneath the waves without getting your feet wet, now's your chance. A project called the Aalto Explorer will let members of the public get a first-person view from an underwater drone using VR. At IFA 2019, Digital Trends spoke with team member Annie Tran about the project.
Acer introduces a (slightly) more affordable version of its epic gaming throne
Acer unveiled its utterly bonkers Predator Thronos gaming chair at IFA 2018, though calling this beast a chair is underselling it. At this year's IFA, Acer announced an updated version of the chair called the Predator Thronos Air which is (slightly) more affordable. At $14,000, it's practically a bargain.
Astronomers think microbes could be changing Venus’ atmosphere
Venus may be our neighbor in the solar system, but there's still a lot we don't know about the planet, particularly about the clouds that float in its atmosphere. Now, a new study suggests the weather on the planet could be affected by microorganisms similar to those which live in our atmosphere.
Researchers use brain-machine interface to create a sixth sense in rats
A University of Pennsylvania study used a brain-machine interface to create a sixth sense for navigation in rats. Digital Trends spoke with senior author Dr. Tim Lucas about how the technology works and how it could be developed in the future to restore sensory experiences to people suffering from paralysis.