See both of NASA’s explorers, Curiosity and InSight, on the surface of Mars
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is currently in orbit around the red planet and is snapping photos of its surface using an instrument called the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE). Recently, HiRISE imaged not just one but both of NASA's missions which are on the planet now.
Make a wish upon a star: Here’s how to watch this week’s Orionid meteor shower
Turn your eyes to the skies this week, because it's the time of year to observe the annual Orionid meteor shower. It will begin on October 18 and continue for several days, peaking between October 20 and 22. The meteors are the remnants of one of the most famous astronomical objects, Halley's Comet.
Watch NASA astronauts conduct the first-ever all-woman spacewalk
NASA astronauts and International Space Station residents Christina Koch and Jessica Meir are making history by performing the first-ever all-woman spacewalk. Starting at 7:50 a.m. ET, the pair ventured outside the International Space Station in order to perform repairs to the station's power system.
How to watch NASA’s first all-female spacewalk on the ISS online
NASA's first all-female spacewalk will take place outside of the International Space Station on Friday, October 18 -- and you can watch the whole thing live right here on Earth. Here's how to watch it live, and what you need to know about pioneering astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.
Propella 3.0 ebike review: Cheap thrills
The Propella 3.0 ebike is an evolutionary upgrade to an affordable ebike designed for urban commuters. The bike retains its signature styling and exceptoinal price, while upgrading its front fork for a smoother ride. Other changes include a new battery pack, LCD screen, and an optional suspension seat.
Bosch will test its A.I.-powered, sound-seeing technology in space
SoundSee will ride around the International Space Station on a floating robot called AstroBee. It will perform sound checks, and monitor some of the onboard equipment using a microphone and artificial intelligence. "Sound has a lot of stories to tell, and we are not extracting them enough," Bosch told Digital Trends.
California’s new quake-alert app can give you vital seconds to take action
With California prone to quakes and expecting a big one at any time, residents are being encouraged to download a new early-warning app designed to give those near the epicenter vital seconds to take life-saving action. Available for Android and iOS, the free app utilizes data from numerous sensors around the state.
Bop it, twist it, pull it, grip it: MIT robot hand can pick up objects with ease
Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have figured out a way to make a robot grasp an object quicker and more efficiently. It can take a robot tens of minutes to plan out the possibilities of the sequence, but with a new algorithm, it takes less than a second.
Hurricanes stir up ‘stormquakes’ at the bottom of the sea, scientists discover
The phenomenon of a hurricane and an earthquake happening at the same time now has a name: Stormquake. Scientists discovered this natural disaster combo in a new study. The study says that during a stormquake, a hurricane causes the seafloor to rumble like a 3.5-magnitude earthquake.
Scientists want to implant mini human brains in animals
It sounds like something out of a 1980s horror movie, but medical researchers are now able to transplant human mini-brains, aka brain organoids, into animals like rats. We spoke to lead researcher Dr. Isaac Chen about the ethical issues involved in this research, as well as its potential benefits.
Skydio’s highly autonomous drone now has a robotic charging dock
Skydio turned heads recently with the launch of its highly autonomous drone, the Skydio 2. Now the startup has unveiled a motorized dock-in-a-box that lets the drone launch, land, and charge without any human input. Skydio is aiming the device at those engaged in monitoring, inspection, and security activities.
Virgin Galactic’s spacesuits give you that gym-ready look for spaceflights
Virgin Galactic's spacesuits were designed by Under Armour, and they clearly have a sporty look and feel to them. These sporty spacesuits are meant to be worn by ticket holders for upcoming Virgin Galactic flights. They don't look like your typical astronaut gear -- and that's not a bad thing.
What does Sprint and T-Mobile’s merger mean for you? We asked the experts
T-Mobile's $26-billion merger with Sprint is said to bring consumers 5G quicker and in more places, particularly rural America, according to proponents. Detractors worry that one less carrier means higher prices and less viable options. Here's what you can actually expect
400 years after the Mayflower voyage, this A.I. ship will retrace its path
Four-hundred years ago next fall, a ship called the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, to the New World, aka America. To mark the anniversary, an IBM-powered autonomous ship is getting ready to retrace the voyage. Here's how it came to be, and what makes it so exciting.
Machines are getting freakishly good at recognizing human emotions
In certain scenarios, A.I. algorithms can outperform humans at identifying certain emotions, such as happiness and sadness, by looking at faces. Here is why that matters -- and what it means for the way that we will interact with machines (and vice versa) in the future.
SpaceX wants to send another 30,000 Starlink internet satellites into space
SpaceX is competing with a growing number of companies to build a system capable of beaming broadband from space satellites to locations where the internet is currently unreliable, too pricey, or non-existent. SpaceX recently requested permission to deploy 30,000 satellites on top of the 12,000 already approved.
Forget nut milk: Fungus-based dairy is real milk without the cow
Some vegan products that attempt to mimic animal-based foods fall flat, lacking the creaminess of cow's milk. Perfect Day wants to change that with flora-based dairy products. Using microbes to create milk proteins, its ice cream is an animal-free treat that tastes like the real deal.
NASA shows off the new spacesuits that astronauts will wear to the moon
NASA is pushing ahead with its plans to go back to the moon by 2024, and today showed off its new spacesuit for the first time. The Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit is designed to protect astronauts against temperatures ranging from minus 250 degrees to plus 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Annie Leibovitz didn’t expect to love the Google Pixel 4’s camera
Annie Leibovitz was skeptical of the Google Pixel 4, but ended up liking it much more than she expected, the legendary photographer said during Tuesday’s Made By Google Event, where the company unveiled the smartphone and other new Google products.
Digital Trends Live: Fortnite season 10, Pixel 4 event, Disney+ offerings
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Nicole Raney dig into the biggest trending tech topics of the day, including the season 10 ending of Fortnite, the upcoming Google Pixel 4 event, Blizzard reduces Hearthstone suspension, Disney+ showcases their content, and more.
Remains of shallow, briny pools provide further evidence of liquid water on Mars
As the Curiosity rover explores Mars' Gale Crater, the data it collects tells us more about the history of the planet and whether liquid water once existed there. A new study has examined the geology of the crater to learn more about the briny ponds which once dotted the planet's surface.
New evidence questions whether Venus ever had oceans on its surface
Recently new research surprised astronomers and the public by suggesting that millions of years ago, Venus could have been a hospitable planet with lower temperatures allowing water to exist on its surface. However, a new study of lava flows on the surface of Venus suggests these ideas are mistaken.
Image of rare blue comet captured by the European Southern Observatory
Last year, astronomers in Paris noticed a beautiful and distinctive comet, technically called C/2016 R2 but more colloquially known as the blue comet for its unusual hue. Now, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released this new image showing the comet up close.
Ice on the moon may be billions of years old, new study shows
An important step toward more long-term manned missions to the moon is locating a source of water. A new study has investigated the age and origin of lunar water and found it could have multiple different sources. Some of the ice deposits seem to be billions of years old, while others are more recent.
Help tackle light pollution by identifying photos of cities taken from the ISS
Light pollution is an environmental issue that you might not think much about, but it can have serious consequences. To understand the scale of the problem, the European Space Agency is promoting a program to catalog images of cities taken from space and is asking for the public's help in the project.
IBM contest winners answer call by developing lifesaving tech for firefighters
Could smart sensor technology help make firefighters’ jobs a bit less dangerous? That’s the hope of Prometeo, a Spanish team that was announced as the winners of IBM’s Call for Code 2019 competition. Here's what the team has developed -- and how it promises to help.
New images reveal more about the history of water on Mars
Two new images reveal more about the history of water on Mars. Scientists believe that billions of years ago, Mars had a thick atmosphere that trapped heat and allowed liquid water to exist on the surface. They want to learn more about this period to see if liquid water might still exist there today.
NASA’s Mars 2020 rover practices its crucial descent separation
When the Mars 2020 spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere in two years' time and prepares to land, the rover will need to detach from the rocket-powered descent stage. This delicate operation was recently practiced here on Earth, with engineers at NASA performing a successful separation test.
NASA uses a plane to launch a craft to the very edge of space
NASA has launched a new spacecraft, the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), for exploring the border between our planet's atmosphere and space. The ICON spacecraft was carried aboard a Stargazer L-1011 aircraft, which took it to an altitude of 39,000 feet. The craft was then deployed on a rocket.
Some patients with vaping-related illness are being hospitalized a second time
Some patients who have been hospitalized for vaping-related illnesses are now being hospitalized a second time. The hospital readmissions can take place anywhere between five days and 55 days from discharge, The Washington Post reports. Currently, the reason for the relapses is unknown.
Google has made ‘substantial’ donations to climate change deniers in D.C.
Despite Google’s consistent public stance that it supports political action regarding climate change, the company has reportedly made a number of “substantial” contributions to more than a dozen organizations that are well known as climate change deniers, The Guardian reports.
SpaceX could launch NASA astronauts on the Crew Dragon in 2020
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine made a visit to the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on Thursday to get a firsthand look at the progress on the Crew Dragon rocket and provide updates on the important partnership between the space agency and the company.
This vending machine sells pixels, not Pepsis, to help digital artists
Artist Danner Milliken wants to create a digital art vending machine that marries technology and art into one device that not only serves as a product, but as an art exhibition in and of itself. Once it’s created, people will be able to walk up and purchase contemporary digital art in the form of USBs.
Collapse OS is an open-source operating system for a post-apocalyptic future
Wonder what kind of operating system you would use in a post-apocalyptic world after the collapse of society? The aptly named Collapse OS is here to answer that question. Here's what makes it special -- and how you can get involved if you want to help prepare humanity for the worst.