In 1859, an enormous solar flare struck the Earth’s magnetic field. As well as causing magnificent auroras as far south as the Sahara desert, it wreaked havoc on the nascent electrical system…
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Astronomers discovered a supermassive black hole in an unlikely place
A newly discovered black hole is surprising astronomers, and just because it’s monstrously big.The black hole is about 17 billion times bigger than our sun, making it one of the largest ever …
Astronomers discovered a supermassive black hole in an unlikely spot
A newly discovered black hole is surprising astronomers, and just because it’s monstrously big.The black hole is about 17 billion times bigger than our sun, making it one of the largest ever …
Why this inflatable habitat is headed to the space station
An inflatable space habitat that could one day ferry people to Mars and on other deep space missions is headed up to the International Space Station (ISS) this Friday.The habitat, known as the Bige…
Why these inflatable habitats are headed to the space station
An inflatable space habitat that could one day be used to ferry people to Mars and on other deep space missions will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) this Friday.The habitat, known …
Interview: How do we get more women in tech? US CTO Megan Smith weighs in
From mimosa-topped brunches to a Girls’ Lounge, there was something undeniably different about South by Southwest (SXSW) 2016, which went down last month in Austin, Texas.Organizers don&rsquo…
The FAA might allow commercial drones to fly over people, after all
If there’s been anything resembling a constant in drone laws across the world, it’s that you can’t fly commercial drones over groups of people. But that might soon change statesid…
Taco Bell’s burrito-ordering bot is your new soulmate
It was bound to happen. If pizza was going all 21st-century with Amazon Echo integration and Domino’s drone delivery, tacos would have to follow suit.Enter the TacoBot, Taco Bell’s take…
This is how you feel when you touch a robot’s butt
If a robot asked you to touch its bum, how would you feel? The answer, according to a team of researchers from Stanford University, is ‘aroused yet hesitant’. In an experiment, a group …
Robots are easier to understand when they’re more dramatic
If robots want us to understand them more clearly, they’d better learn to be more expressive.Scientists in the UK have discovered that robot avatars that speak with their hands are easier to …