Curiosity has found an intriguing shiny object on the surface of Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered an intriguing shiny object on the surface of Mars called Little Colonsay, believed to be a meteorite. Curiosity has discovered meteorites on the surface of Mars before, but chemical analysis is needed before a judgement can be made about what exactly the object is.
Astronomers find water in atmosphere of nearby planet in Pegasus constellation
Astronomers from the Keck Observatory have discovered water on a nearby planet known as HR 8799 c. HR 8799 c is only 179 light-years away from Earth, making it a relatively close neighbor to us, and is a large planet seven times more massive than Jupiter which orbits around its star every 200 years.
Two asteroids pass close to Earth today — one the size of the Statue of Liberty
Today will be a busy day in the skies above our planet: not one but two asteroids will be passing close enough to Earth to be considered a near-Earth object (NEO). The larger NEO, known as 2009 WB105, is a monster measuring between 170 feet and 400 feet across, bigger than the Statue of Liberty.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule to take test flight on January 7, 2019
Elon Musk's SpaceX company will sent its Crew Dragon capsule on its maiden test flight on January 7, 2019. The first flight will be called the Demo-1, and the capsule will be launched stop a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch will take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
There are no custom moves or equippable items in ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’
New details about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate have been revealed. Two features that will not be in Ultimate are custom moves and equippable items, which were previously available to customize character stats. There will be a customizable character, however: the Mii Fighter makes a return.
U.S. Customers spent over $6 billion on Black Friday purchases
The sales on Black Friday are getting larger each year. In 2018, an enormous total of $6.2 billion was spent, which is up 23.6 percent from last year. While the majority of customers shopped from a desktop or laptop, nearly one third of customers shopping in this period purchased from their smartphone.
Breathtaking video: A Soyuz rocket launch as seen from space
The European Space Agency has released an incredible time-lapse video of the launch of the Russian Progress MS-10 cargo spacecraft on November 16 -- as seen from the International Space Station. ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst captured the images using a camera in the Cupola module of the ISS.
NASA’s InSight mission prepares for Mars landing on Monday
NASA's InSight mission to Mars is just days away from reaching its destination. On Monday 26, the InSight lander will blaze through the atmosphere of the red planet and land on the surface. Now, the NASA team is making final preparations for the landing. The landing will be streamed live on YouTube.
Will ‘Red Dead Online’ release this week or will it be delayed?
Fans have been waiting impatiently for the release of Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode, called Red Dead Online, which is supposed to be opening in beta mode in November. However, some are skeptical of whether the multiplayer mode will actually be made available this month.
Smart speakers used primarily for music and information — and shopping
A survey of Alexa and Google Home users shows most people use their devices for core functions and had issues discovering third-party apps. Despite this, users are generally very satisfied with their devices and would recommend them to others. A significant number of people use their device for shopping.
Ancient crater the size of NYC discovered under the Greenland ice sheet
A huge crater has been discovered beneath the ice of Greenland, and is thought to be the result of a meteorite impact millions of years ago. The crater is one of the largest ever discovered, measuring 19 miles across, and is the first to be found beneath the Greenland ice sheet.
Ghostly galaxy discovered lurking on the edge of the Milky Way
A team of astronomers from the University of Cambridge have discovered a strange galaxy next door to the Milky Way. The dwarf galaxy, named Antlia 2, is much larger than other dwarf galaxies. But it is dark and dim and gives out much less light than expected, hence being described as ghostly.
OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully tests its asteroid-sampling arm
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, launched in September 2016, is closing in on its target of the Bennu asteroid. And on October 16 NASA confirmed that an important step had been taken: the craft unfurled its robotic arm, called the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), and tested it.
‘Super-Earth’ discovered orbiting nearby star
Astronomers have discovered a large planet circling a sun nearby to Earth called Barnard's Star. The potential new planet is thought to be cold and icy and has a size of around 3.2 times the Earth. It is called Barnard's Star b and to lies 37 million miles from Bernard's Star.
Hope it doesn’t melt! Rocket to ISS carries vital supplies — including ice cream
A rocket has launched over Virginia's eastern shore, carrying supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). The rocket used was an Antares developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Inside the spacecraft are supplies for the ISS itself and the crew onboard, such as scientific equipment and food.
‘Fortnite’ named Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick awards
This year's Golden Joysticks, the gaming awards handed out by GamesRadar, have been announced and Fortnite has been named the Ultimate Game of the Year. It beat out Red Dead Redemption 2 for best game, but Red Dead was named the critics' choice. Mobile Game of the Year went to PUBG Mobile.
‘Blockchain gaming’ startup gets $16 million in Series A funding
A new gaming startup, Mythical Games, has raised $16 million in Series A funding to work on their concept of blockchain gaming. The aim is for the startup to develop games for the PC, console, and mobile markets which use the blockchain for the distribution and tracking of in-game items.
Ancient continent discovered beneath the ice of Antarctica
The ice sheets of Antarctica could be hiding the remains of a long-lost continent, according to satellite data collected by the ESA. They created a 3D map of the crust beneath the Antarctic ice sheet which shows a similarity to the crust in Australia and India, suggesting they used to be joined.
Quantum-based accelerometer can locate objects without GPS
Researchers at Imperial College London have created a quantum "compass" that allows navigation without reliance on satellites. The instrument, technically called a standalone quantum accelerometer, is small enough to be transportable and has a very high level of accuracy.
Pairs of supermassive black holes spotted in colliding galaxies
Astronomers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have discovered several pairs of supermassive black holes in galaxies that are colliding with each other. These pairs of black holes will spiral closer and closer together and eventually merge into one enormous supermassive black hole.
Tesla raises prices and simplifies options on Model S and Model X
Tesla is making changes to its offerings of the Model S and Model X. The lower-range 75D models will increase in price, while the higher-range 100D models will decrease in price. Fewer options for the interiors and configurations will be offered in the future in order to streamline production.
Astronomers discover two rogue planets that do not orbit a star
Astronomers from Warsaw University, Poland have identified two rogue planets in our galaxy which do not orbit around a star. Unlike the vast majority of discovered planets, these rogue planets drift through space alone with no sun to shine on them. Some researchers predict many more could exist in our galaxy.
Curiosity rover active and drilling again after computer issue
The Curiosity rover exploring Mars has succeeded in drilling a hole into the tough bedrock that previously defeated it, allowing imaging and collection of samples from the planet's surface. The rover had been incapacitated for a few weeks due to problems with its computer, but is now moving once more.
‘Bionic mushroom’ can generate electricity without using fossil fuels
Researchers at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey have come up with an unexpected way to produce electricity without fossil fuels: A mushroom covered with bacteria. The mushroom provides a safe environment for special cyanobacteria that generate electricity when light is shone on them.
Social media use increases depression and anxiety, experiment shows
A study by psychology researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has shown for the first time a causal link between social media use and lower rates of well-being. Students who limited their social media usage to 30 minutes a day showed significant decreases in anxiety and fear of missing out.
Muji and Sensible 4 collaborate on ‘friendly’ autonomous shuttle bus design
Design brand Muji and autonomous driving company Sensible 4 have combined forces to design the world's first autonomous shuttle bus for all weather conditions. The Gacha shuttle will be unveiled in Finland and is designed to look friendly and welcoming and can operate even in fog, snow, or heavy rain.
Autonomous drones perform search and rescue without the need for GPS
Researchers at MIT have developed an autonomous drone that can explore densely forested areas and produce collaborative maps without the need for GPS. The drones could be used to find lost hikers who cannot be seen by helicopters or traditional drones because they fly above the forest canopy.
Scientists confirm supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy
New data from the Very Large Telescope confirms what scientists have believed for some time now: that there is an enormous supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A* at the center of our galaxy. Scientists observed flares of hot gases coming from the edge of the black hole, confirming predictions.
Powerful data privacy legislation drafted by Democratic senator from Oregon
Oregon senator Ron Wyden has drafted a data privacy bill for the U.S. which proposes sweeping changes to data laws to make data use more transparent and accessible to customers. The bill aims to protect Americans' privacy by giving customers more control over the sharing or selling of their data.