SpaceX aims to send a Starship to the moon within three years
When SpaceX unveiled its gorgeous next-generation Starship rocket last month, CEO Elon Musk announced an ambitious timeline of tests for the new vehicle. Now, more details about SpaceX's plans have been announced by President and COO Gwynne Shotwell at the 2019 International Astronautical Congress.
Mars 2020 rover stands on its own wheels for the first time
Progress continues for NASA's Mars 2020 rover, set to begin its journey to the red planet next year. The rover was recently lowered onto the ground, with the rover taking its full weight on its wheels and legs for the first time. The legs are made of titanium, while the wheels are aluminum.
Swagtron NG-2 electric longboard review: Budget bomber
Even if you hate the name, Swagtron's new NG-2 electric skateboard offers too much bang for your buck to be ignored. It only costs $400, yet it can ride circles around many skateboards that cost twice as much.
Will drive for Froot Loops. Rats cruise around in tiny cars in name of science
In this year's most delightful behavioral neuroscience experience, scientists have taught rats how to drive tiny cars in exchange for pieces of breakfast cereal. When rats were placed inside a robot car, they were able to learn to drive by pressing bars and could navigate around a tiny rat arena.
Inside the outrageously ambitious plan to scan the entire Earth with lidar
The Earth Archive is an ambitious new project that hopes to scan planet Earth in full 3D using the technology which helps self-driving cars make sense of the world around them. Here's why its creators believe that this is such an important mission -- and why time is running out.
Rescue drone can distinguish between survivors, victims in disaster zones
In an amazing world's-first study, researchers have demonstrated how drones could be lifesaving tools by helping to identify survivors in a disaster zone. The drones are able to look for things like heartbeat and breathing rate -- from a distance of more than 25 feet away.
Multitalented Curiosity rover snaps a selfie, performs a chemistry experiment
Everyone's favorite Martian resident, the Curiosity rover, has proudly snapped a selfie while performing an unusual experiment. The team controlling the rover wanted to image the ground to perform a chemistry experiment in which it analyzed the chemical composition of two samples of Martian rock.
NASA plans to cut cost of space exploration by commercializing low-earth orbit
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has spoken about the Artemis mission to the moon and a manned mission to Mars after that. And he laid out how NASA plans for pay for this new era of manned space exploration -- by encouraging the commercialization of low -arth orbit in order to cut costs for the agency.
Meet VIPER, the rover that’s going to hunt for water on the moon
As part of its Artemis mission to return to the moon by 2024, NASA is recruiting a new robotic helper: The VIPER rover, which will sniff out lunar water ice. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover will be sent to the moon's south pole, where frozen water has been detected.
Dear robots: If you come to steal our jobs, please take these ones first
Over the coming decades, it’s likely that huge numbers of other jobs will be replaced thanks to advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. But are there jobs we should specifically try and automate away for the good of humankind? Here are some which fit the bill.
Collisions of neutron stars create element that makes fireworks sparkle
When neutron stars collide, they don't only produce dazzling light, bursts of gamma rays, and magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than the field on Earth. Scientists have found they also create heavy elements like strontium, finally answering a puzzle about the origin of elements found on Earth.
New lightweight robot exosuit makes walking and running a whole lot easier
Researchers in South Korea have developed a new lightweight, portable robotic suit that can help increase running and walking performance without being excessively bulky. The suit could be a game-changer for people with mobility issues, alongside those with strenuous physical work.
Giant 3D-printed wasp nests could be the homes of the future
Ever wanted to live in a giant 3D-printed wasp nest? Inspired by the design of a potter wasp’s nest, this prototype eco-friendly housing unit could provide a home for humans at a time of exponential population increase and lack of affordable housing. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
Trail, road, or both? Ducati’s newly expanded e-bike range lets you choose
For Ducati, making bicycles isn't as random as it might seem -- the company started out building mopeds. Its 2020 range of e-bikes run on electricity, and the new lineup includes two mountain bikes, as well as a city bike. They're all headed for American showrooms in 2020.
We’re slowly trapping ourselves under an umbrella of space junk
Kessler Syndrome is a scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascading effect that ultimately traps humanity beneath a ceiling of space junk. We spoke to the man who coined the term.
Digital Trends Live: Libra testimony, Google goes quantum, rats driving cars
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Luke Larsen discuss the biggest topics in tech, including Zuckerberg’s Libra testimony, Google claims a quantum computer, the air taxi takes flight, rats driving tiny cars, and more.
Robotics company is offering $125K if you’ll let a robot use your face
Running short on cash? U.K.-based additive manufacturing company Geomiq is currently offering $125,000 to the person willing to sign over face rights to let their appearance be used for a new line of humanoid robots. Here's how you can get involved with this unusual offer.
Specialized Turbo Como 4.0 Review: Comfortably quick
Specialized's Turbo Como 4.0 is a quick and comfortable ride that's perfect for your commute. It's more agile, and much faster, than you'd expect a commuter bike to be. It lacks the tech wizardry you might want from an ebike, but Specialized's 45 years of experience building bikes is obvious here.
Elon Musk sends first tweet via SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites
SpaceX offered some tidbits about plans for its recently deployed Starlink internet satellites this week. Meanwhile, Elon Musk decided to take the system for a test run by using it to post a couple of tweets. Judging by his reaction, he seemed pretty surprised that it worked!
The best white noise machines
Are noisy neighbors or late-night traffic interfering with your sleep? Does the overwhelming silence in your bedroom make you restless? White noise machines can mask the noise and help you snooze easily. Here are some of the best around, whether you need to doze while traveling or keep your baby asleep.
Augmented reality could give surgeons X-ray vision when they operate
Imagine what a boon it would be to surgeons’ lifesaving abilities if they were somehow granted X-ray vision while operating on patients. That’s exactly what a new startup called MediView XR wants to make possible -- and it’s all thanks to the power of augmented reality.
Cotton candy machines inspired this breakthrough in lab-grown meat
Lab-grown meat could well be the future. But for it to take off, it's going to have to taste like the real thing. To help, researchers at Harvard recently developed a breakthrough method of growing rabbit and cow muscle cells on edible gelatin scaffolds. Here's what that means.
CVS and UPS join forces for drone deliveries to customers’ homes
More and more major companies are keen to get into the drone delivery game. Take CVS and UPS. The two firms have just teamed up to develop a drone service delivering prescription drugs and other retail items direct to customers. CVS said it was excited to explore faster, lower-cost, and more efficient delivery models.
Here’s how to get a free Beyond Breakfast Sausage at Dunkin’ in November
Now you can get Beyond Meat somewhere entirely new: Dunkin’. The doughnut chain has announced the nationwide rollout of a new Beyond Sausage sandwich. You can try a free sample on November 8 and 9 while supplies last. Dunkin' joins fast-food chains across the country in offering plant-based meat.
Digital Trends Live: PlayStation 5 leak, Zuckerberg goes to Congress, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we dig into the biggest trending tech topics of the day, including a leaked PlayStation 5 photo, Zuckerberg to testify in congress, Virginia gets snack-delivering drones, NASA's inflatable habitats, an artificial skin phone case, and more.
Robots aren’t coming to steal your job. They’re coming to improve it
Paul Daugherty, chief technology an innovation officer at Accenture, thinks it’s neither inevitable nor likely that machines will ultimately replace humans in the workforce
Some crazy folks just spent nearly a whole day flying in a jet plane
If you get a bit fidgety on a four-hour flight, then at 19-plus hours, Qantas' proposed non-stop service between New York City and Sydney probably isn't for you. The Australian carrier tested the route for the first time at the weekend with 49 passengers and crew onboard the Boeing aircraft.
Report calls for changes to rules about contamination of other worlds
A new report has called for NASA to update its rules governing contamination of other planets in the course of space exploration. It points out that many of the guidelines for planetary protection were written at the beginnings of human space exploration and are in serious need of updating.
Europe’s Solar Orbiter has completed testing and is ready to explore the sun
An upcoming mission will travel within a few million miles of the sun to collect data on how our star affects the whole solar system. Testing of the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter is now complete, and the craft is being packed up and shipped to Cape Canaveral ready for its launch next year.
Rocky exoplanets are more like Earth inside than we thought
When looking for exoplanets similar to Earth, astronomers look at planets orbiting red dwarf stars which are similar to our Sun. However, new research shows that rocky exoplanets in orbit around a different type of star, a white dwarf, can have interiors that are surprisingly similar to our planet.
Feeding off-world colonies: Leeks and tomatoes can be grown in Martian soil
In a move that takes us one step closer to creating a permanent colony on another planet, scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to grow edible food crops in soil like that found on Mars and the moon. Nine edible plant species were able to grow in simulated Martian and lunar soil.
NASA will work with Japanese space agency on lunar landing projects
The Japanese space agency, JAXA, has confirmed it will work with NASA on the upcoming Artemis mission to send humans back to the moon by 2024. NASA Administrator James Bridenstine and JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa met recently in Tokyo to affirm their commitment to a joint lunar exploration project.
Hubble images galactic visitor, interstellar comet 2I/Borisov
Hubble has captured an image of the comet which is believed to have traveled to our solar system from a different planetary system somewhere else in the galaxy. The comet, named 2I/Borisov, was first spotted by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov and now Hubble has captured the clearest image of it yet.
NASA’s InSight lander is drilling on Mars again, after being stuck for 6 months
Finally, some good news for NASA's InSight lander, which has been stuck on Mars due to a part of its drill called the mole becoming wedged in the soil. The mole has dug nearly 2 centimeters in the past week after six months of being stuck, giving hope InSight can get back to being fully operational.