Asteroid discovered orbiting inside Venus for the first time
Most asteroids in our solar system orbit around the sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, or in a cluster in the orbit of Jupiter called the Trojans. Plus, there are Near-Earth asteroids that come close to the orbit of Earth. Now, for the first time, an asteroid has been discovered orbiting inside Venus.
Scientists image the progression of a solar flare for the first time
Our sun occasionally flashes brighter than usual in electromagnetic eruptions called solar flares. Now, scientists have released data on the first-ever flare captured moment by moment, pinpointing the exact time and place the flare burst out of the sun's surface with energy equivalent to 1 billion degrees.
Scientists come up with a method to make oxygen from moon dust
The moon is covered in fine dust called regolith which sticks to absolutely everything and causes all sorts of technical problems. But now, the European Space Agency has come up with a plan for the tricky substance: Turning it into oxygen to be used by lunar explorers for breathing and for the production of fuel.
Europe’s ExoMars rover completes environmental tests ahead of launch this year
NASA's Mars 2020 rover isn't the only robotic explorer set to head to the Red Planet this year. It will also be joined by the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover, as part of the ESA and Roscosmos ExoMars mission. The rover has now completed its final environmental tests before launch in July this year.
Astronomers discover bizarre stretchy objects unlike anything else in our galaxy
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious new class of objects at the heart of the Milky Way which are unlike anything else found in our galaxy. They start off small and compact but are elongated when they approach the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy.
SpaceX delays its in-flight abort test until Sunday morning due to rough seas
This weekend, SpaceX is planning a dramatic test of its Crew Dragon capsule, in which it will blow up a Falcon 9 rocket to test the capsule's emergency escape system. The launch will take place from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and you can watch it happen live.
Look, no hands! Airbus nails autonomous takeoff in move toward pilotless jets
Pilotless planes have come a step closer after Airbus recently achieved the first fully automatic vision-based takeoff using image-recognition technology installed directly on the aircraft. Moving forward, the aerospace giant is aiming to test automatic vision-based taxi and landing sequences by the middle of 2020.
Digital Trends Live: Bose closes stores, NBC streams, living concrete, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Riley Winn discuss the biggest-trending tech topics of the day, including Bose's closure of its U.S. retail stores, NBC’s steaming network, contact lens displays, living concrete, and more. You can also check out our Reel News and Work/Life segments.
AR contact lenses are here to usher in the cyberpunk future of our dreams
Staring at your smartphone is no way to experience augmented reality. Mojo Vision is getting ready to change the AR game with the introduction of new augmented reality contact lenses. Here's what you can expect from them -- and why they're likely to be such a game-changer.
Moon rooms made of mushrooms could be the future of space habitat
Potential future inhabitants of the moon and Mars could live in rooms made of mushrooms. NASA is looking at the possibilities of fungi as a more sustainable option to metal and glass, since it can easily grow around an existing frame. Scientists are also looking into whether these 'shroom rooms could be used on Earth.
Nanox is basically the high-tech hospital bed from Star Trek
The Nanox Arc promises to make medical imaging technology available to people around the world at a significantly lower cost and with a much smaller footprint than current machines. Here's how it works -- and why its creators decided to use a design straight out of Star Trek for inspiration.
Here’s what all the movies set in 2020 predicted this year would be like
Life in the 2020s might be new to you and me, but it’s far from fresh territory for movies and TV. What did screenwriters think the world would be facing in the year 2020? Check out our rundown of the future that, well, is no longer quite as futuristic as it once appeared.
Toyota just invested $394M in a secretive startup that makes flying taxis
Toyota has shown it is serious about flying taxis with a $394 million investment in California-based Joby Aviation, which is working on an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The current version can reach 200 mph and fly around 150 miles on a single charge. It’s also super-quiet in flight.
Clever wearable will let soldiers go gloveless in freezing conditions
The U.S. Army is busy working on new technology that will let soldiers go glove-free in cold conditions without feeling the chill. This is thanks to a pair of electrically heated armbands designed to be worn around the forearms. Here's how it works — and when it'll be ready to go.
Exoplanet discoveries include two super-Earths that could support life
Two new exoplanets have been discovered outside of our galaxy that have the potential to support life. GJ180 d and GJ229A c are “super-Earths” and are located relatively close to us in space terms. The exoplanets orbit red dwarf stars, which are cooler and dimmer than our sun, meaning that liquid could be stable.
Smart A.I. bodysuits could reveal when babies are developing mobility problems
Babies could soon have the option of wearing special high-tech artificial intelligence jumpsuits that alert doctors to any possible mobility issues they are developing. Here's how the tech works-- and how it was developed by researchers in Finland’s Helsinki Children’s Hospital.
An all-female spacewalk is happening right now: Here’s how to watch
The second-ever all-female spacewalk is happening right now, and you can watch it live as it plays out on the International Space Station. NASA TV is currently streaming the spacewalk that features two women astronauts: Jessica Meir and Christina Koch. The two are replacing batteries on the ISS.
Here’s why SpaceX plans to blow up a rocket this weekend
This week SpaceX is testing out its Crew Dragon capsule, which will eventually ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, in a particularly dramatic demonstration of the capsule's emergency systems: it will perform an "In-Flight Abort Test," which involves blowing up a Falcon 9 rocket.
Astronomers discover interstellar origin of one of the building blocks of life
Phosphorus is one of the essential elements for the development of life on Earth, but we aren't sure how it got here. Now, astronomers have traced the path of phosphorus from its interstellar origin, onto comets, from where it could be transported to our planet and form a building block for life.
U.K.’s busiest airport deploys new anti-drone system for safer skies
London Heathrow, the U.K.'s busiest airport, has installed a new safety system capable of detecting rogue drones flying nearby, and also of pinpointing the person operating it. The technology’s deployment follows increasing reports of unauthorized drones flying in restricted areas close to airports around the world.
In St. Noire, Alexa plays a detective helping you solve a Clue-like mystery
Amazon's Alexa can play tons of games, but it doesn't play too many board games. St. Noire is one of the first that uses the voice assistant to great effect. Voice actors play suspects, and you're the detective trying to solve a murder. It's a light, cooperative board game with great sound effects.
A paralyzed man just broke a marathon world record with a robotic exoskeleton
Completing a marathon is an amazing achievement. Completing one wearing a robot exoskeleton, after suffering a spinal cord injury that left the wearer partially paralyzed, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. That’s what Adam Gorlitsky achieved when he completed the 2020 Charleston Marathon.
Digital Trends Live: End of Windows 7, Super Nintendo World, Mars Rover names
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we break down the biggest-trending topics of the day, including the end of Windows 7 support, Apple's latest refusal to unlock a cell phone, fallout from the Houston Astros' use of tech to cheat, the effort to choose the Mars Rover's name, and more.
From robots to projection mapping: Inside Panasonic’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic tech
Digital Trends visited the Panasonic Center in Tokyo, Japan to see the technology it's working on for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Its interesting Atoun Power Suit will be used at the Paralympics, representing a world first, and its impressive projection mapping technology is going to be part of the opening ceremony.
Liquid metal nanoparticles could tear apart superbugs like tiny Terminators
Could liquid metal be the answer to the major (and potentially deadly) problem of antibiotic resistance? Researchers in Australia certainly believe it can -- and they’ve got the magnetic nanoparticles to back up their theory. Here's what they have been hard at work developing.
Check out the short list in the Mars 2020 rover naming contest
NASA has revealed the semifinalists in the naming contest for its Mars 2020 rover, which is set to begin its journey to the Martian Surface in July 2020. The public will soon have a chance to vote for their favorite suggestion among nine finalists, though NASA said its judges will have the final say.
Where’s the green? CES 2020 was surprisingly low on environmental tech
CES draws exhibitors from all over the globe, and it’s stuffed with just about every type of technology you can imagine. Unfortunately, that doesn't include much environmental tech, which is practically invisible at the show. The good news is that this could easily be fixed.
Digital Trends Live: Samsung’s S20 line, Oscar noms, prepping for Mars
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the biggest-trending tech topics of the day, including Samsung’s Galaxy S20 line, a possible halt to the U.S. civilian drone program, Teslas that speak with an accent, the Oscar nominations, prepping the public for samples from Mars, and more.
This tiny cell phone is the size of a USB stick, and it has a 7-day battery
The Zanco Tiny 2 packs a whole lot of phone into a small package with seven-day battery life, including a .3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot, and a one-inch TFT screen for $130. But do we really need another phone?
See ripples of dust and ice on Mars’ northern polar cap
The European Space Agency has released a striking image of the northern pole of Mars, showing stormy weather and ripples of dust and ice. It shows the north polar ice cap in summertime, when it is easier to image the poles as there are fewer clouds of carbon dioxide to obscure the view.
U.S. may call a halt to its civilian drone program over security fears
The United States government is about to ban the use of Chinese-made drones in its work, a report by the FT claims. The Department of Interior has been using the machines for various tasks, but recently suspended their use over security fears while it conducted a review.
Japanese billionaire seeks significant other for SpaceX moon trip
SpaceX has already named wealthy Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa as its first paying passenger for a moon trip set to take place in 2023. Now Maezawa says he's looking for someone special to accompany him, with an online streaming channel creating a show to follow his efforts in finding a significant other.
See the inner structure of the Crab Nebula in NASA’s stunning visualization
NASA has released both an image and a video visualization of one of astronomy's most beautiful objects, the famous Crab Nebula, by combining data from three of its key instruments. What makes this new visualization different is the combination of three different data sets to create a 3D image of the nebula.
Impending collision of Milky Way with other galaxy is already creating new stars
In around 2 billion years' time, our galaxy will collide with a nearby satellite galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, in a catastrophic and highly destructive event. For now, though, the interaction of the two galaxies isn't destructive -- new research shows it is actually creating new stars.