Mars: Why It’s A Strange Cloud and Not Volcano Smoke.

Yes, that’s a volcano right below where the long cloud starts. But the volcano is supposed to be extinct. If it isn’t, that’s a much bigger story than a 930-mile-long (1,500 km) plume of cloud vapour over extinct volcano Arsia Mons that appeared for the first time on September 13, 2018. Sciencealert.com writes: “While the …

Continue reading "Mars: Why It’s A Strange Cloud and Not Volcano Smoke."

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Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

By KATE CONGER, DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and KATIE BENNER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2qk5SaW

A Cosmic Dark Knight Rises in Spooky 'Bat Wing' Hubble Photo

Stand aside, Batman — your bat signal has nothing on a huge "bat shadow" the Hubble Space Telescope spotted in a distant gas cloud.

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Eerie Bizarre Sound Recorded in Montreal October 30-31, 2018 – Listen to Looped Mp3 Here

October 31, 2018 – Montreal, Canada – Here is an email I received today with a link to a cell phone recording of a bizarre high-pitched sound heard by residents last night and discussed on reddit.com. There have been high-pitched, unexplained sounds recorded in several parts of the world from Ukraine to Europe to U. …

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Best Inexpensive Telescopes (a Great Gift Idea): 2018 Guide

Here are the best inexpensive telescopes (sub-$300). These high-quality scopes are light on features but big on value. Each will make a great gift and a fine first telescope.

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Best Telescopes for Beginners (Easy to Use) — 2018 Guide

Here are the best beginner telescopes for the money; a computerized ‘GoTo’ scope driven by your smartphone or tablet, as well as a manually operated scope that comes fully assembled.

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Best Small, Portable Telescopes for Travelers and City Dwellers — 2018 Guide

Here are the best portable telescopes for the money. These grab-and-go scopes are ideal for travelers, city dwellers escaping light pollution, and anyone with limited storage space.

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Best Telescopes for the Money

Here are the best telescopes for the money. Our top picks include recommendations for city dwellers, hobbyists and gift -givers, as well as budget picks. Our editors have selected a few of the best options in each of five categories.

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Best Telescopes for Hobbyists and Serious Learners (Assembly Required) — 2018 Guide

Here are the best hobbyist telescopes for the money, including Go-To scopes. From fully automatic to totally hand-driven, these fine instruments will reward you each night out.

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'War of the Worlds!' The Infamous Martian Invasion Radio Broadcast Explained

Orson Welles' Oct. 30, 1938 broadcast of "War of the Worlds," based on the H.G. Wells tale of alien invasion, startled many listeners who thought Martians were really attacking. Here are some photos relating to the historic broadcast.

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Spotting Disinformation Online Before the Midterm Elections

By KEVIN ROOSE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2P5dEUT

Mars Attacks! Halloween 1938 and the Infamous 'War of the Worlds' Radio Broadcast

On Halloween in 1938, Orson Welles terrified the population of New York and New Jersey with an adaptation of H.G. Well's "War of the Worlds" that was broadcast in the style of a news program.

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Have a 'War of the Worlds' Radio Party This Halloween!

80 years ago this week, "War of the Worlds" aired across the country and secured a creepy legacy for Grover's Mill, New Jersey. For Halloween this year, why not take a listen yourself to the historic broadcast?

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The Milky Way Has a Gigantic Skeleton in Its Closet

Scientists have identified the corpse of a galaxy that fell into the Milky Way about 10 billion years ago in what was likely the last major overhaul to our home galaxy during its development.

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Inside 3 Mars Meteorites: A Different Path for 'Building Blocks of Life'?

Organic molecules — compounds that on Earth can be linked with life — encased within meteorites from Mars may have formed on the Red Planet from chemical reactions much like those found in batteries on Earth, a new study finds.

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Elvis and Darth Vader Invade Space Station for Astronauts' Halloween

Happy Halloween from the International Space Station! The space station's three current inhabitants posed for some spooktacular group photos in their out-of-this-world Halloween costumes and beamed the pics down to Earth today (Oct. 31).

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NASA's Planet-Hunting Kepler Space Telescope Is Done. What Will Happen to It?

For NASA's Kepler space telescope, the world will end in ice rather than fire.

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Signs of Earth's Weird, Elusive 'Dust Moons' Finally Spotted

Dust clouds that orbit Earth like moons may finally have had their existence confirmed after more than a half-century of controversy, new research finds.

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The Violent Deaths of Giant Blue Stars May Spawn Exotic Matter

When the biggest stars in the universe die, they may form exotic states of matter generally not seen in the universe since fractions of a second after the Big Bang.

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Another Space Diamond! NASA Probe Snaps Great Photo of Asteroid Bennu

The asteroid Bennu is really coming into focus for NASA's approaching OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

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The Humans of Kepler: How NASA's Planet-Hunting Telescope Changed Astronomy (And Us) Forever

A decade ago, we thought our solar system was special; today, we know it's no such thing. That revolution is thanks to the work of NASA's Kepler space telescope, which has officially reached the end of its mission.

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Halloween Night Sky 2018: Don't Miss These Celestial Treats

Based on the latest national forecast, skies will be clear on Wednesday evening (Oct. 31) across approximately half of the United States as costumed kids arrive at the door looking for candy or some other Halloween treat.

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Cosmic Eye Candy! James Webb Space Telescope Halloween Costume Is a Real Treat (Photos)

The bar for space-y Halloween costumes has just been raised, way up into intergalactic space.

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Cosmic Halloween! Pumpkin Planets Shine in NASA JPL's Annual Carving Contest (Photos)

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory held its seventh annual pumpkin-carving contest this week, and the results were as impressive as you might imagine.

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Ghouls and Gourds! Awesome Photos from NASA JPL's 2018 Pumpkin-Carving Contest

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory held its seventh annual pumpkin-carving contest in October 2018. See photos of the amazing space-inspired entrants here.

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Miss Those Video Games of Your Youth? Here’s How to Find Them

By J. D. BIERSDORFER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Q8fJMp

Samsung Reaps Record Profit, but Tougher Times Could Come

By RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2JsBLqq

Alphabet Executive Resigns After Harassment Accusation

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CQPSES

Part 12: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“It is the unanimous opinion of the members that Operation MAJESTIC TWELVE be a fully funded and operational TOP SECRET Research and Development intelligence gathering agency.” - Page 0020136 Crash Retrieval Report from CIA to MAJIC, September 19, 1947 Composite model of one of three wedge-shaped aerial craft that crashed in Roswell and White Sands …

Continue reading "Part 12:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Facebook Reports Slowing Revenue and User Growth

By MIKE ISAAC from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CNfUZL

RIP, Kepler: Revolutionary Planet-Hunting Telescope Goes Dead

The most prolific planet-hunting machine in history is dead. NASA's Kepler space telescope, which has discovered 70 percent of the 3,800 confirmed alien worlds to date, has run out of fuel and signed off.

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Apple Unveils New iPad and MacBook Air

By JACK NICAS from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Q5bgKn

Sotheby's to Offer Soviet Robot-Retrieved Moon Rocks at Auction, Again

The only known pieces of the moon to be collected from the lunar surface and legally sold are returning to the auction block, 25 years after they were first offered.

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NASA to Provide Update on Fate of Kepler Spacecraft Today: See It Live

NASA has known that the Kepler spacecraft, its iconic planet-hunting telescope, has been running out of fuel since March, and today (Oct. 30), the agency is providing an update about the instrument's status.

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'War of the Worlds' Radio Broadcast Terrified Listeners 80 Years Ago. Would E.T. Contact Cause Panic Today?

A radio report of an alleged "alien invasion" in New Jersey caused alarm 80 years ago today.

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SpaceX Fires Rocket for Commercial Crew Test Flight (Photo)

Last week, SpaceX company test-fired the Falcon 9 rocket that will loft the Crew Dragon capsule on its first flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under a commercial-crew contract with NASA.

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NASA Will Keep Trying to Revive the Silent Mars Rover Opportunity Through January

The clock hasn't run out on NASA's Opportunity Mars rover after all.

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Audit: NASA Lost Moon Buggy, Other Artifacts Due to Poor Policies

After 60 years of space exploration, NASA could do a better job of tracking its history, federal investigators have found.

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Part 11: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“Based on all available evidence collected from recovered exhibits currently under study by AMC, AFSWP, NEPA, AEC, ONR, NACA, JRDB, RAND, USAAF, SAG and MIT, [the craft and bodies] are deemed extraterrestrial in nature.” - Page 0020133 Crash Retrieval Report from CIA to MAJIC, September 19, 1947 See acronym definitions below. “What forces face us? What …

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On Social Media, No Answers for Hate

By SHEERA FRENKEL, MIKE ISAAC and KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2EQcZlv

Stratolaunch's Rocket Carrier, the Biggest Airplane Ever Built, Aces Fastest Runway Test Yet

The biggest airplane ever built, which will tote a variety of satellite-launching rockets into the sky, just got a step closer to flight.

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Explore Darth Vader's Castle in These Awesome Lego Pics!

The Dark Side of the Force is strong in Lego's Darth Vader Castle, which transports you to Mustafar to see how Anakin Skywalker lived in his Empire days. See awesome photos of the 2018 "Star Wars" Lego set here!

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A NASA Spacecraft Just Broke the Record for Closest Approach to Sun

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe just got closer to the sun than any other human-made object in history.

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Watch NASA Break a Speed Record in Mars Parachute Test

NASA is preparing technology for use on its Mars 2020 rover mission, due to land on the Red Planet in February 2021 — and it's breaking world records along the way.

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China’s King of Internet Fluff Wants to Conquer the World

By RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yE9NUI

Japan Launches UAE's KhalifaSat and Climate-Monitoring Satellite Into Orbit

Japan successfully deployed a pair of brand-new satellites during a launch earlier today (Oct. 29), which was formally scheduled just two days in advance.

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Predicting Seasonal Weather

Predicting Seasonal Weather

Large-scale weather patterns play a large role in controlling seasonal weather. Knowing the conditions of these atmospheric oscillations in advance would greatly improve long-range weather predictions.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/autumnwinter/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 29, 2018 at 09:45PM
Read more at nsf.gov

Space Calendar 2018: Launches, Sky Events & More

Here's a guide to the major astronomical events of the next year, as well as space launches and milestones for spacecrafts already in travel.

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Socially assistive robots for children on the autism spectrum

Socially assistive robots for children on the autism spectrum

Study to advance in-home robots that adapt to the individual needs of children with autism

Full story at https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/science_nation/sociallyassistiverobots.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.


Published October 29, 2018 at 09:30AM
Read more at nsf.gov

Landspace Fails to Reach Orbit with Milestone Private Chinese Launch

Landspace suffered an issue with the third stage of its Zhuque-1 solid launch vehicle Saturday as it bid to become the first Chinese private launch company to reach orbit.

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Hubble Space Telescope Returns to Action After Gyroscope Glitch

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope resumed normal operations Friday (Oct. 26) after a three-week hiatus caused by issues with two orientation-maintaining gyroscopes.

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Tweeting from Space? How 280 Characters Can Change Astronaut Psychology

It turns out that when you tell astronauts that a psychologist has been putting linguistic analysis tools to use on tweets sent by their colleagues, they get a little sensitive.

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Pluto's Biggest Moon Could Give an Orbiter an (Almost) Free Ride

A spacecraft orbiting the dwarf planet could use Pluto's moon Charon to make important orbital changes.

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NASA Needs Help Shipping Cargo to Its Future Lunar Space Station

NASA is asking for help in making shipments to a future lunar space station. The agency opened a solicitation this week asking about requirements for a module to ship cargo; United States firms have until Nov. 2 to provide their input.

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Part 10: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“ A very tentative working theory was expressed by the scientific members of the inspection team that pilot-aerodyne interaction may occur via electronic-nonword symbols perceived through the tactile manipulation of the fingers, feeding impulses to the brain and visa versa ... a product of artificial intelligence.” - Page 0020131 Crash Retrieval Report from CIA to MAJIC, …

Continue reading "Part 10:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Number of Habitable Exoplanets Found by NASA's Kepler May Not Be So Big After All

NASA's Kepler spacecraft hasn't discovered quite as many potentially habitable worlds as previously thought, new results from Europe's Gaia mission suggest.

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Could Misbehaving Neutrinos Explain Why the Universe Exists?

Could new findings explain why the universe is made of matter?

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Gravity Assist Podcast: Solar Storms, with Alex Young

NASA's Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Green, talks to solar physicist Alex Young.

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Part 9: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“Flat panels of unknown metal have been suggested as a device associated with the operation ... It's mode of operation and purpose is unknown. ...Viewing may have been achieved by a form of television imagery. Symbolic notation appears to be the form of flight and control indicators.” - Page 0020128 Crash Retrieval Report from CIA to …

Continue reading "Part 9:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Cesar Sayoc’s Path on Social Media: From Food Photos to Partisan Fury

By KEVIN ROOSE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CJwxp1

This Week's Top Space Stories!

A mission began its seven-year journey to Mercury, scientists found the smallest known cannibal galaxy and a NASA scientist saw rectangular-shaped icebergs in Antarctica. These are just some of this week's top stories from Space.com.

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Spaceflight Might Expand Your Mind, But It Shrinks Your Brain

Going to space does more than change the way you look at the world — it also changes your brain.

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'Star Wars: Boba Fett' Movie '100% Dead' — Report

In favor of Disney Play’s The Mandalorian.

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Hayabusa2 Braces for a Rocky Landing on Asteroid Ryugu

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is getting ready to touch down on asteroid Ryugu, where it will scoop a sample of the asteroid's rocky surface that will eventually be sent back to Earth.

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Urban Planning Guru Says Driverless Cars Won’t Fix Congestion

By JOHN MARKOFF from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2ORouOd

Google Workers Fume Over Executives’ Payouts After Sexual Misconduct Claims

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Oa0oJc

Gallery: Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne Rocket for Satellite Missions

See images of Virgin Orbit's planned LauncherOne rocket for private satellite launches.

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Virgin Orbit Just Attached a Rocket to Its Cosmic Girl Mothership for the 1st Time

Virgin Orbit attached a satellite-launching rocket to its carrier plane for the first time ever this week.

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Super Typhoon Yutu Looks Menacing from Space

Weather satellites are currently monitoring Typhoon Yutu, a monster hurricane threatening land across the western Pacific Ocean.

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As If Space Elevators Aren't Cool Enough, They Might Fix Themselves, Too

Space elevators to ferry passengers and cargo to and from orbit could be built using existing materials, if the technology takes inspiration from biology to fix itself when needed, a new study finds.

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Best Space Books: Science Fiction

Here are the some of the science fiction books Space.com's writers and editors have read and loved.

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Facebook Removes Iranian Network That Was Spreading Disinformation

By MIKE ISAAC and SHEERA FRENKEL from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yBY88Z

New Hot Wheels Tesla Roadster Toy Celebrates SpaceX-Launched Car

Eight months after SpaceX launched a Tesla Roadster into space, the sports car can now be found 170 million miles away from Earth — and on local toy store shelves.

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'Star Trek' Animated Comedy Series Warping to CBS All Access!

Star Trek: Lower Decks focuses on the lowest ranking members of Starfleet.

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The 'Ghost of Cassiopeia' Drifts Along in This Spooky Hubble Image

The "Ghost of Cassiopeia," a slowly eroding cloud of gas and dust, forms a glimmering haze in this eerie image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Author Kim Stanley Robinson Talks China and Lunar Settlement in Novel 'Red Moon'

In Kim Stanley Robinson's new novel, "Red Moon" (Orbit, 2018), readers launch 30 years into the future and follow the lives of humans living and working on the moon.

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Saturn's Moon Dione Is Covered in Weird Stripes

Scientists studying Saturn's moon Dione spotted weird stripes that they now believe could be caused by material falling onto the moon's surface.

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Scientists Now Have the Most Detailed Picture Yet of the Neutrino Factory Inside Our Sun

By tracking every neutrino that hit a detector beneath a mountain in Italy over ten years, scientists have painted the most detailed picture yet of the sun's interior.

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The Week in Tech: Apple Goes on the Attack

By JACK NICAS from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2qatbnw

Astronaut to Ride on Next Crewed Soyuz Has Confidence in Russian Space Tech

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques says he is more confident than ever in the Russian technology that carries astronauts to the International Space Station.

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1 Month to Mars! NASA's InSight Lander Nearing Red Planet Touchdown

One month from today, Mars will welcome a new robotic resident that seeks to probe the planet's innards.

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Space Pirates Take Warning: This 'Skull and Crossbones Nebula' Is Full of Gas and Baby Stars

The constellation NGC 2467 looks like a skull and crossbones.

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How Did Inflation Happen — and Why Do We Care?

In 1980, physicist Alan Guth proposed a radical extension to the standard Big Bang model of the history of the universe, proposing a transformative event called cosmic inflation.

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The Next Big One? Earthquake Scientists Look to A.I.

By THOMAS FULLER and CADE METZ from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2ORJWTe

More Evidence That Planet 9X — At Least Seven Times Earth’s Mass — Is Hidden in Kuiper Belt!

“It’s seven times the mass of our planet and it’s 500 times further away from the sun than Earth.” – Michael Brown, Ph.D., Astronomer, Cal Tech, Pasadena, California Planet 9X has still not been seen in visible or infrared, but a mass at least seven times the Earth is causing perturbations of large objects in …

Continue reading "More Evidence That Planet 9X — At Least Seven Times Earth’s Mass — Is Hidden in Kuiper Belt!"

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New IPCC Climate Report Warns Only Ten Years Left to Slow Down Global Warming Or Face Fire, Water and Storm Hells On Earth.

“The loss of sea ice in the Arctic … it went like two or three times faster than the climate models projected. …And ice melting in Greenland and Antarctica will continue to accelerate … and could add to increasing sea level rise, maybe up to three feet higher.”  – Drew Shindell, Ph.D., Coordinating Lead Author, …

Continue reading "New IPCC Climate Report Warns Only Ten Years Left to Slow Down Global Warming Or Face Fire, Water and Storm Hells On Earth."

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What Are the “Smokey Fogs” Sometimes Linked to After-Life Returns?

“I could see luminous misty grey fog drifting in through the window of my dark bedroom with 3-dimensional lighted hieroglyphs.” – Charles Hazard, retired airline reservation agent, Sun City Center, Florida October 26, 2018  Sun City Center, Florida –  One year ago on November 8th, 2017, I did my first Earthfiles YouTube Channel broadcast. Since …

Continue reading "What Are the “Smokey Fogs” Sometimes Linked to After-Life Returns?"

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Who Are the Humanoids in Light Orbs Documented in Ancient Paintings and Seen by Modern Day Eyewitnesses?

“The orb was glowing white and lime green light and I’m seeing a person standing inside wearing a gown.” – Retired USAF Staff Sergeant Tony Guy, Winston-Salem, NC, about 1965 sighting October 26, 2018  Winston-Salem, North Carolina –  If you Google “UFOs in Ancient Paintings,” several dozen images and websites will emerge, including a 1561 …

Continue reading "Who Are the Humanoids in Light Orbs Documented in Ancient Paintings and Seen by Modern Day Eyewitnesses?"

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Amazon Squeezes Out More Profit as Sales Growth Slows

By KAREN WEISE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yyyxh9

Alphabet Shrugs Off Bad News With Big Quarter

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2qc5vzm

Snap Continues to Struggle to Gain Users

By KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2OOCqZb

There's a Strange Cloud on Mars Right Now, and It's Just Hanging Around

For more than a month now, a European orbiter circling Mars has been watching a long, plume-like cloud on the Red Planet.

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NSF announces new awards for research to better understand Earth’s biodiversity

NSF announces new awards for research to better understand Earth’s biodiversity

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing over $18 million in 10 new projects to research processes in nature and their complex interactions with climate, land use and invasive species at local, regional and continental scales. The awards are funded through NSF's Dimensions of Biodiversity program in the agency's environmental biology division.

Despite centuries of discovery, most of our planet's biodiversity remains unknown. The scale of the unknown diversity on Earth is ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=296993&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 25, 2018 at 09:47PM
Read more at nsf.gov

NASA to Soon End Active Efforts to Restore Contact with Opportunity

NASA expects to soon end efforts to contact the Opportunity Mars rover, silent for more than four months after a major dust storm, but will continue to listen for signals from the spacecraft for months to come.

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How Google Protected Andy Rubin, the ‘Father of Android’

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and KATIE BENNER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2D3XYLf

'It's Going to Be Historic': New Horizons Team Prepares for Epic Flyby of Ultima Thule

In less than 10 weeks, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will explore the most distant target ever visited by a spacecraft. Mission team members don't know what to expect — and that's part of the fun.

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Russia Launches Military Satellite in First Flight Since Soyuz Rocket Failure

The Russian space agency Roscosmos has successfully executed its first rocket launch since Oct. 11's aborted crew launch to the International Space Station.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2yytYDv

ULA Now Planning First Launch of Vulcan in 2021

United Launch Alliance now expects to perform the first launch of its next-generation Vulcan rocket in the spring of 2021, a slip of nearly a year that the company says is due to requirements of a recent Air Force award.

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Sirius: Brightest Star in Earth's Night Sky

The "Dog Star" has been the shiniest star in the sky for a long, long time.

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The History of Rockets

The principles of rockets go back thousands of years, but rockets have come quite a long way since ancient times.

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Space Station-Bound Cargo Ship Named for Moonwalker John Young

NASA's first astronaut to fly six times into space (seven, if you count his launch off the moon) and command four different types of spacecraft will add one more vehicle to his credit, if only in name.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2CBnUwR

Twitter Posts Another Profit as User Numbers Drop

By KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Ar8ZUe

Jupiter's Wavy Atmosphere Resembles Earth's Clouds in Photos from NASA's Juno Probe

Jupiter and Earth may look like two completely different planets, but the planets' atmospheres seem to have something in common, new images from NASA's Juno mission have revealed.

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Scientists Home in on the Best 'Water Worlds' to Search for Alien Life

As far as we know, all life requires one thing, water, and that's why scientists are fascinated by worlds they know or suspect host giant oceans: These worlds are among the best candidates for finding life beyond Earth.

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H2-Whoa! NASA Swamps Launch Pad with Water in Awesome Deluge Test (Video)

On Oct. 15, NASA tested the water-deluge system at Launch Complex 39B at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, and it was a sight to behold.

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Weird Rectangular Iceberg in Antarctica Isn't Alone, NASA Photos Show

A NASA scientist actually spotted two sharp-cornered icebergs during a recent research flight over Antarctica.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2EK2ssf

Apple’s Radical Approach to News: Humans Over Machines

By JACK NICAS from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2ONZJCJ

Microsoft’s Earnings Surge, as Cloud Bet Continues to Pay Off

By KAREN WEISE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yxFcrU

Part 8: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“Autopsy information obtained so far suggests that the occupants mimic the features associated with Orientals ... autopsy notes mention a rarely observed    BLACKED OUT   present which supports the premise that these beings originate from another planet.” - Page 0020126, “PART I  PROJECT WHITE HOT INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE (PRELIMINARY)” from CIA to MAJIC, September 19, …

Continue reading "Part 8:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Here's What Earth Looks Like When You're Heading to the Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe will never return to Earth — but it can still look back on where it came from.

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Best Space Books and Sci-Fi for the 2018 Holiday Season

Space.com's editors present a reading list for space and sci-fi lovers, as well as children who are interested in astronomy and spaceflight.

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Best Spaceflight and Space History Books

Here are Space.com writers' and editors' picks for spaceflight and space history books that dazzle.

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NASA's Chandra Space Telescope Is Back in Action After Gyroscope Fix

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has bounced back from the glitch that knocked it offline two weeks ago.

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Picture Purrrrrfect! NASA Snaps Incredible Photo of Cat's Paw Nebula

We all "knead" more space photos in our lives, so here's a stunning one from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of a region of the Milky Way that scientists call the Cat's Paw Nebula.

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Ask a Spaceman: The Quirks of Quark Star Physics

Can a quark star exist? It's an open question in the astronomy community, but there appears to be an argument for quark stars if we examine the physics of dying stars in more detail, argues astrophysicist and Space.com columnist Paul Sutter.

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Contractual employee dies at NSF's Palmer Station, Antarctica

Contractual employee dies at NSF's Palmer Station, Antarctica

An employee for a subcontractor to the National Science Foundation's Antarctic logistics contractor has died of natural causes at Palmer Station, Antarctica. The death occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Chile Summer Time (CLST) on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

The employee's next of kin have been notified. NSF is not releasing any medical or personal information on the deceased.

The U.S. Embassy in Chile has been informed of the situation. Palmer Station is on the Antarctic Peninsula, ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=297045&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 25, 2018 at 12:30AM
Read more at nsf.gov

Just Embed a Phone Into This Editor’s Mind, Already

By CHOIRE SICHA from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Sh34IC

NSF announces $78.2 million to support frontiers of cybersecurity, privacy research

NSF announces $78.2 million to support frontiers of cybersecurity, privacy research

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program announces new support for a diverse, ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=296933&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 24, 2018 at 10:30PM
Read more at nsf.gov

This Incredible Blinking Star Is the Youngest Pulsar We've Ever Seen

More than 2 million mph (1 million meters per second) — that's how incredibly fast some stuff in space is moving, according to new research using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

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NASA's Ailing Planet-Hunting Kepler Telescope Is Offline Again

NASA's long-suffering Kepler Space Telescope returned to sleep mode just a few days after its most recent observing campaign began, the agency said in a statement released yesterday (Oct. 23).

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Want to See Uranus? A Full Moon Lights the Way

Uranus reached opposition on Oct. 23, and if you want to observe the frigid planet this week, look toward the full moon.

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'Gene Kranz Day' Honors Flight Director, Funds Mission Control Revival

A NASA legend who led the team that landed humans on the moon was saluted in Houston for his current role preserving the site where the Apollo 11 mission was managed.

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Soyuz Space Crew Launch Failure 2018: Full Coverage

On Oct. 11, 2018, a Russian Soyuz rocket failed during the launch of two astronauts toward the International Space Station. Read all about the incident and its aftermath here.

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Monster Black Hole Mergers May Be Common

The collision of black holes harboring millions or billions of times the mass of the sun are likely common throughout the universe, a new study suggests.

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Plans for Space Force Laid Out at National Space Council Meeting

During the fourth public meeting of the newly revived National Space Council, chairman Mike Pence and other council members described the path forward needed to develop a sixth branch of the military known as the Space Force.

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The Purported Plumes of Jupiter's Moon Europa Are Missing 'Hotspot' Engines

The geological hotspots that surround geysers throughout the solar system are mysteriously absent on Jupiter's ocean-harboring moon Europa.

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Asteroid or Comet? Weird Blue Space Rock 'Phaethon' Gets a Close-Up

A bizarre, blue asteroid that acts like a comet and appears to be responsible for the annual Geminid meteor shower made a close flyby of Earth last year, giving astronomers an opportunity to study the object in unprecedented detail.

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Atmospheric scientists begin field campaign to study extreme thunderstorms in Argentina

Atmospheric scientists begin field campaign to study extreme thunderstorms in Argentina

Find related stories on NSF's geosciences risk and resilience interest area.

As residents of the U.S. Midwest know, spring in the Great Plains can bring severe weather, including hail, damaging winds, torrential rains and deadly tornadoes with catastrophic impacts.

Similarly, spring in the Pampas, a vast plains region that extends from the foothills of the Andes Mountains in ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=296639&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 24, 2018 at 03:30PM
Read more at nsf.gov

The Problem With Fixing WhatsApp? Human Nature Might Get in the Way

By FARHAD MANJOO from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yu3xPm

NASA's Found a Weird, Rectangular Iceberg in the Antarctica

A NASA photograph revealed an extremely weird-looking iceberg. A NASA scientist explained why.

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Stephen Hawking's Thesis, First Wheelchair to Be Auctioned Off

One of Hawking's earliest surviving wheelchairs and his groundbreaking doctoral thesis are up for auction in London.

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Part 7: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

TOP SECRET, AUTH: AC of S, G-2, INIT:  c, DATE:  04 July 1947; Sq IPU (Interplanetary Unit); FO 862; 040300A JUL 47. Interplanetary Unit's one-page order directs a team to depart Andrews AAF, Washington, D. C., to proceed to Condron Field, N. M. (Roswell Army Air Field) and make contact with the officer in charge (OIC) …

Continue reading "Part 7:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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ICON of Delay? NASA, Northrop Grumman Postpone Earth Satellite Mission Yet Again

The launch of NASA's much-delayed mission to study the interaction of terrestrial and space weather has again been postponed, the agency announced.

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Russian Soyuz Rocket Will Launch Astronauts to Space Station by Christmas, NASA Chief Says

The next set of International Space Station crewmembers should get off the ground before the end of the year despite the Soyuz rocket failure earlier this month, NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said today (Oct. 23).

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Snapchat Helps Register Over 400,000 Voters

By CECILIA KANG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2PLxxMV

Donn Eisele: Apollo 7 Pilot

Donn Eisele was an astronaut on Apollo 7, the first crewed mission of the Apollo program to make it to space.

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Walter Cunningham: Apollo 7 Astronaut

Walter Cunningham is a former NASA astronaut best remembered for flying the Apollo 7 mission in October 1968.

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Hayabusa2: Japan's 2nd Asteroid Sample Mission

Hayabusa2 is speeding toward an asteroid and will return a sample from its surface.

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Best All-Around Binoculars for Astronomy, Nature, Sports and Travel

Here are the best binoculars to buy, if you can buy only one.

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'Astounding' Chronicles 4 Titans of Science Fiction's Golden Age (Warts and All)

In his new book "Astounding," coming out today (Oct. 23), Alec Nevala-Lee follows four titans of the golden age of science fiction who guided the genre during its formative years.

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How to Choose Binoculars for Astronomy and Skywatching

A good pair of binoculars can help stargazers get the most out of the night sky. Find out which type of binoculars you need in our Buyer's Guide.

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The Journey to Spaceflight: A Q&A with Author Roger D. Launius

Space exploration is constantly fueled by mankind's desire to reach further and learn more about the cosmos.

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Asimov's Sword: Excerpt from 'Astounding' History of Science Fiction

Alec Nevala-Lee's latest book "Astounding," out Oct. 23, chronicles the interwoven lives of four science fiction titans: Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard and John Campbell.

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How Did an Oddball Planet Like Mercury Form?

Whether Mercury formed from a single collision or multiple impacts, the iron-rich planet is probably a rare breed.

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Mercury Capsule Exhibit to Preview Cosmosphere Satellite Location

The historic capsule that carried the second American to fly into space is set to land in the second most populous city in Kansas.

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Pulsar Discoverer Jocelyn Bell Burnell Talks About Her Amazing Find: Watch Live Thursday

Jocelyn Bell Burnell, one of the biggest names in astrophysics, is giving a talk this Thursday (Oct. 25), and you can watch it live online.

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Dizzying Array of Stars Dazzles in New Hubble Photo

The uncountable stellar multitudes of the globular cluster NGC 1898 shine in a newly released photo by the famous Hubble Space Telescope.

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First 'Orphan' Gamma-Ray Burst Reveals Insight into Powerful Stellar Explosions

The first orphan gamma-ray burst reveals what happens after the merger of two massive stars.

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Space Force Policy Memo Being Drafted to Establish New Military Branch

Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday will hold a meeting of the National Space Council at the National Defense University to discuss the next steps toward creating a Space Force as a new branch of the U.S. military.

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The iPhone XR Review: A Cheaper Apple Phone Suited to Most of Us

By BRIAN X. CHEN from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2PRb6pO

Tune In LIVE October 25, 2018 Coast to Coast AM with Linda Moulton Howe.

3 Hours Earthfiles news updates with Reporter & Editor Linda Moulton Howe that begin 11 PM Pacific / 2 AM Eastern: — More Evidence That Planet 9X  — At Least Seven Times Earth’s Mass —Is Hidden in Kuiper Belt!  Report upcoming. “It’s seven times the mass of our planet and it’s 500 times further away from …

Continue reading "Tune In LIVE October 25, 2018 Coast to Coast AM with Linda Moulton Howe."

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Hubble Space Telescope Nearly Ready for Action Again

It looks like NASA's famous Hubble Space Telescope has recovered from the glitch that knocked the observatory offline more than two weeks ago.

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Part 6: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“On 7 July 1947, Lt. General Nathan Twining arrived at Alamogordo AAF for a secret meeting with AAF Chief of Staff Spaatz and to view recovered remains of craft from LZ-2 (Trinity site).” - War Department TOP SECRET Interplanetary Unit Memorandum dated July 22, 1947   “The most disturbing aspect of this investigation was - there were other bodies …

Continue reading "Part 6:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Exoplanet Hunters Have a New Plan to Spot Hidden 'Migrating' Worlds

There's a telescope that can see thick rings of dust in distant star systems. And researchers want to use its data in a new way to spot hidden and migrating exoplanets.

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2018 Full Moon Calendar

The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.

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October Full Moon 2018: Hunter's Moon Swings by Uranus

The full moon of October, called the Hunter's Moon, will grace the skies Oct. 24, making a close pass by Uranus.

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Tiny Cubesat Snaps Photo of Mars for 1st Time Ever

A tiny Mars-approaching spacecraft has snapped a photo of its target, marking the first time that a cubesat has ever captured an image of the Red Planet.

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Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua's Surprise Arrival Still Thrills Scientists One Year Later

A year ago, astronauts spotted a strange object barreling through our solar system on a very weird path — the first discovery of an interstellar object, now called 'Oumuamua.

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Roscosmos to Complete Soyuz Accident Investigation This Month

The final report into the launch failure that forced the abort of a crewed Soyuz spacecraft is scheduled for completion by the end of the month, the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos announced Oct. 20.

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NASA Tests Astronaut Survival Systems for Orion Splashdowns

NASA and the U.S. Air Force recently tested astronaut survival systems for the first time since the space shuttles stopped flying in 2011.

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Salty Martian Water Could Have Enough Oxygen to Support Life

Some pockets of salty water buried just beneath the Martian surface could have enough oxygen to support microbes, and perhaps even simple animal life such as sponges, a new study suggests.

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Extraterrestrial Life Could Be Purple

Earth's early life might have been purple, suggesting the search for extraterrestrial life should scan for the color.

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Einstein and the Incredible Hulk Now Have Their Own Constellations (But You'll Never See Them)

NASA added 21 new "constellations" to the sky, thanks to invisible gamma-ray light.

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Apollo 7 Astronaut Recounts Splashdown at 50th Anniversary Gala

Walt Cunningham hoped the parachutes had opened.

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STEM Sante Fe: Expanding Your Horizons Conference

STEM Sante Fe: Expanding Your Horizons Conference

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/cordova/18/fc181013_expandinghorizons.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 22, 2018 at 07:51PM
Read more at nsf.gov

Orionid Meteor Shower: Leftovers of Halley's Comet

The Orionid meteor shower, made up of remnants of Halley's Comet, peaks in mid-October.

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The Next Battleground: What Do We Really Know About What Adversaries Do in Space?

As the Pentagon moves to stand up a U.S. Space Command and Congress debates whether it makes sense to create a Space Force, a central focus is to defend satellites from orbital weapons that would seek to damage or destroy U.S. assets in space.

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Why We Need Cosmic Inflation

The "vanilla" Big Bang model, without any other additions or amendments, can't explain all the observations. Here's how it might have worked.

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NASA's OSIRIS-REx Checks for Collision Hazards As It Nears Asteroid Bennu

After a huge team of engineers has spent years building a $800 million spacecraft, you want to be sure the craft doesn't bang into anything before it even gets a chance to start work in earnest.

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Part 5: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“It is the collective view of this investigative body, that the aircraft recovered by the Army and Air Force units near Victorio Peak and Socorro, New Mexico, are not of U. S. manufacture.” - Lt. General Nathan Twining, Commander, Air Materiel Command, Wright Field, Ohio, July 1947   Return to Part 1 Reposted October 21, …

Continue reading "Part 5:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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The Next Tech Talent Shortage: Quantum Computing Researchers

By CADE METZ from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2NUcxlE

Neil Armstrong and the America That Could Have Been

According to a Gallup Poll from 1999, only 50 percent of those surveyed could even name Neil Armstrong as the first man to land on the moon.

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'First Man': A New Vision of the Apollo 11 Mission to Set Foot on the Moon

The Apollo 11 lunar landing was the first time humans stepped on another celestial body, and the events leading up to that historic moment – which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year – are depicted in the new movie First Man, out in cinemas today.

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New Book Showcases the Incredible Women of 'Star Wars'

Last Thursday (Oct. 4) at Comic Con, author Amy Ratcliffe discussed her new book "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy" at a panel moderated by voice actor Ashley Eckstein.

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Welcome to Space! BepiColombo Spacecraft Headed to Mercury Snap 1st Photo

The European-Japanese BepiColombo mission captured its first photo on Saturday (Oct. 20), a day after lifting off from French Guiana. The image is a selfie showing a solar array and an insulation-wrapped sun sensor.

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Part 4: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“The NSC felt investigations of UFO sightings and incidents had to continue in secrecy without any public knowledge. ...the fact that an Alien was captured alive and survived for three years under secrecy cannot be released to the public for fear the information would be obtained by SHIS.” - Page 7, “Executive Briefing, PROJECT AQUARIUS (TS)”   …

Continue reading "Part 4:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Here's How to Watch International Observe the Moon Night 2018 Online Tonight!

Oct. 20 is International Observe the Moon Night, an annual celebration allowing people all over the world to enjoy the science and beauty from looking at our closest neighbor. Two livestreams will allow you to participate online.

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BepiColombo's Path: Why Does It Take So Long to Get to Mercury?

The European and Japanese space agencies launched their first mission to Mercury yesterday, but now, the mission's engineers and admirers have to endure a seven-year wait before the project's science begins in earnest.

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Chandra X-ray Observatory Should Return to Action Next Week

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory remains on course to bounce back from its gyroscope issues soon, mission team members said.

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Republicans Find a Facebook Workaround: Their Own Apps

By NATASHA SINGER and NICHOLAS CONFESSORE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2S3KIdJ

How the Blockchain Could Break Big Tech’s Hold on A.I.

By NATHANIEL POPPER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CZ1jey

BepiColombo Spacecraft Launch on 7-Year Trek to Mercury for Europe and Japan

A joint European-Japanese mission to the tiniest planet, Mercury, blasted off from French Guiana on its long journey tonight (Oct. 19, Oct. 20 GMT).

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Facebook Ads From Unknown Backer Take Aim at Brexit Plan

By ADAM SATARIANO from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Pa0HZ5

This Hunk of Metal Fell From Space and Landed in California

Iridium 70 fell out of orbit Oct. 10. A few days later, one of its fuel tanks caused a stir in central California.

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NSF's 10 Big Ideas

NSF's 10 Big Ideas

Since 2017, NSF has been building a foundation for the Big Ideas through pioneering research and pilot activities. In 2019, NSF will invest $30 million in each Big Idea and continue to identify and support emerging opportunities for U.S. leadership in Big Ideas that serve the Nation's future.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 20, 2018 at 01:45AM
Read more at nsf.gov

Disinformation Spreads on WhatsApp Ahead of Brazilian Election

By MIKE ISAAC and KEVIN ROOSE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2OBoUIo

Space Force to be the Topic of Next National Space Council Meeting

The status of proposals to create a separate branch of the U.S. military devoted to space will be the subject of the next meeting of the National Space Council on Oct. 23.

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Five in a Row! See the Planets Align in the Night Sky

For the second time this year, the five brightest planets can be seen at the same time. You can catch them by looking towards the western sky after sunset. The planets will form a line rising up from the horizon.

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International Observe the Moon Night 2018 Saturday Marks Apollo's 50th Anniversary

People taking part in International Observe the Moon Night (IOTN) on Saturday (Oct. 20) have an extra thing to celebrate: the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon program this month.

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NSF-funded ACM Turing awardees: Over 50 years of computing's greatest visionaries

NSF-funded ACM Turing awardees: Over 50 years of computing's greatest visionaries

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Turing Award, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Computing," is given for major contributions of lasting importance to computing. It is named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing. Since 1966, the ACM has been awarded annually to individuals who have contributed lasting and major technical accomplishments to computing.

Alan M. Turing is often credited as a ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=242286&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 20, 2018 at 12:04AM
Read more at nsf.gov

In Liberal San Francisco, Tech Leaders Brawl Over Tax Proposal to Aid Homeless

By KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2R4juCJ

BepiColombo in Pictures: A Mercury Mission by Europe and Japan

Tiny Mercury is a strange planet that may hide secrets to how our solar system formed — and that's why the European and Japanese space agencies decided to build a pair of spacecraft to study it.

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Curiosity Rover on Mars Exercises Its 'New' Brain (Photo)

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is putting its "new" brain to work a bit while mission team members try to fix a memory issue with the "old" one.

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AstroCritic Review: 'First Man' Shows You What Real Astronauts Are Like

I grew up in the 1960s, during the beginning of the space race. The first astronauts were my heroes, and it was the Apollo 11 moon landing that kicked off my dream of becoming an astronaut myself.

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Part 3: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“Missile Maintenance examined the missile and warhead and found the nuclear components missing from the warhead.” - Ellsworth AFB Complaint Report, November 16, 1977, HELPING HAND and COVERED WAGON UFO Security Violations   Return to Part 1 Reposted October 19, 2018 - September 15, 2011  Albuquerque, New Mexico - On April 9, 1983, I was at Kirtland …

Continue reading "Part 3:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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The Week in Tech: Executives Pull Out of Saudi Conference

By CECILIA KANG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2yL7cre

BepiColombo, the First Mercury Mission in 14 Years, Launches Tonight — Watch Live!

It's been more than 14 years since a spacecraft launched toward Mercury, so don't miss your chance to watch a rocket do just that.

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Orionid Meteor Shower 2018 Peaks This Weekend with Bits of Halley's Comet: What to Expect

If you're a meteor enthusiast, the year 2018 has been very kind to you — and another reliable meteor shower is on its way this weekend.

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Red Dwarf Star's Mighty 'Hazflare' Could Be Bad News for Alien Life

Another red dwarf has been caught firing off a superpowerful flare, further bolstering the notion that life might have a hard time taking root around these small, dim stars.

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Astronomers Just Caught the Tiniest Cannibal Galaxy in the Universe

This cannibal galaxy is tiny, and it's right in our cosmic neighborhood.

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Will There Be a Ban on Killer Robots?

By ADAM SATARIANO from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2q1AsG7

Part 2: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

Page 004, MJ-12 briefing paper for American President-Elect Dwight David Eisenhower, Nov. 18, 1952.   Return to Part 1 Reposted October 18, 2018 - September 12, 2011  Albuquerque, New Mexico - An alleged briefing paper for the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, dated November 18, 1952, was first released to the …

Continue reading "Part 2:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Jupiter's Atmosphere & the Great Red Spot

The atmosphere of Jupiter has distinctive belts, bands and a massive swirling storm.

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Venus' Atmosphere: Composition, Climate and Weather

The atmosphere of Venus is thick with clouds of carbon dioxide.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2wrJiOv

How NASA Mars Lander's 'Steampunk' Claw Will Work (Video)

NASA's InSight Mars lander carries a five-fingered metallic claw at the end of its robotic arm that's crucial to the robot's mission. Here's how that claw will work.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2OxSBu5

Moon Science! NASA Needs Experiment Ideas for Commercial Lunar Landers

NASA has opened a submission period for commercial moon-lander proposals, noting that selected technology might fly as soon as next year.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2R5kab1

After Soyuz Abort, Russia Wants 3 Successful Robotic Flights Before Next Crew Launch

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, promised an investigation into the failed Oct. 11 Soyuz crew launch, and the preliminary report should be complete by the end of this week, the agency announced in a statement released yesterday (Oct. 17).

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2CQxWLx

Physicists Model Electrons in Unprecedented Detail — Spoiler Alert: They're Round

Electrons are extremely round, and some physicists will not be pleased about it.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2yMSxMh

Stephen Hawking's Final Book Says There's 'No Possibility' of God in Our Universe

Is there room for God in the endless, expanding universe? In his final book, Stephen Hawking says no.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2Cux79U

How Close Are We to Kubrick's AI-Controlled Vision of the Future?

AI like the malevolent HAL in the movie "2001" are already among us.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2P5OF33

Black Holes Unlikely the Source of Universe's Missing Dark Matter

Scientists have ruled out black holes as a possible source for most of the elusive dark matter scattered throughout much of the universe.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2PH46vB

Why Haven't We Found Aliens? Because We're Just Not Looking Hard Enough.

We still have a long way to go in the search for intelligent aliens.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2PH3DcW

China May Soon Have a Second (Artificial) Moon

Moonlit skies over the Chinese city of Chengdu may get a boost from a second moon.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2CRfpP0

How to Get to Mars: 'Trailblazing' Experts Talk Red Planet Exploration

Spaceflight experts talked about the romance and danger of someday traveling to Mars during a panel at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

from Space.com https://ift.tt/2q0Svwe

Look Up! Former Astronaut Mae Jemison Co-Launches Campaign to Contemplate the Cosmos

To help humans really connect with one another, former astronaut Mae Jemison has a simple request — just look up. The campaign runs all day today (Oct. 18) and people can share their experiences through a free app.

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Would a Space Force Mean the End of NASA?

The United States already has a space agency: NASA. So why do we need a Space Force, and what would it do? Could a Space Force strain diplomatic relationships, reigniting the race to militarize space?

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Fisher Space Pen Celebrates 50 Years in Space with Apollo 7 Pen Set

Fifty years ago, Walt Cunningham became one of NASA's first Apollo astronauts to fly into space and, aboard the same mission, one of the first people to use a Space Pen.

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When Will We Find Planet Nine?

Evidence of a big, unseen world in the extreme outer solar system continues to mount, giving astronomers more and more confidence that "Planet Nine" is real.

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X-37B Military Space Plane Wings Past 400 Days on Latest Mystery Mission

The latest mystery mission of the U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane has now passed the 400-day mark.

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Bringing Dark Energy Out into the Light

We've known for about 20 years that the expansion of our universe is accelerating, but how does the dark energy that causes it work?

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BepiColombo Launches This Weekend to Crack Mysteries of Mercury — and Beyond

Mercury is a tiny, shrinking greyish ball of metal, an unassuming neighbor that's easy to overlook — but don't laugh off the possibility that the little world could rewrite our understanding of our own solar system and those all around us.

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Ask a Spaceman: The Weird Physics of Quark Stars (If They Exist)

Space is an amazing physics laboratory, because we can see stars and other objects behaving under extreme conditions.

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Meet Hyperion: Colossal Supercluster in the Early Universe

Scientists recently uncovered the largest known structure from the ancient universe.

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Rocket Lab Picks Virginia Spaceport As US Launch Site for Small Satellites

The private spaceflight company Rocket Lab has a new spaceport, and it's in Virginia.

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Exotic Matter Made in Space Could Boost the Hunt for Gravitational Waves

By launching a tiny, atom-packed chip into space and blasting it with lasers, German scientists have for the first time created an exotic state of matter known as a Bose-Einstein condensate in space.

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Saturn V Rockets & Apollo Spacecraft

To get astronauts to the moon, scientists built the largest rocket ever.

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Paul Allen: Billionaire Backer of Private Space Ventures

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was a billionaire with a passion for space travel.

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Part 1: U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011

“This Headquarters has come to a determination that the mystery airplanes are in fact not earthly and according to secret intelligence sources, they are in all probability of interplanetary origin.” - George Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, March 5, 1942   Actual photograph taken of eight search lights aimed by American anti-aircraft batteries at an unidentified …

Continue reading "Part 1:  U. S. Government Knowledge of “Interplanetary” Craft, 1942 – 2011"

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Computer Stories: A.I. Is Beginning to Assist Novelists

By DAVID STREITFELD from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2P8Juzs

NSF Prize Competitions

NSF Prize Competitions

NSF welcomes members of the public to help solve science, technology, engineering and math challenges by submitting ideas and solutions for a chance to win prizes.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/competitions/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 18, 2018 at 02:37AM
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Extremely close look at electron advances frontiers in particle physics

Extremely close look at electron advances frontiers in particle physics

An unprecedented, close examination of the electron has opened a window into the mind-bending nature of particles, energy and forces at infinitesimal scales.

The findings, showing a spherical shape for the electron's charge, emerged from the Advanced Cold Molecule Electron Electric Dipole Moment (ACME) Search, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The results support the strength of the Standard Model of particle ...

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=296867&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 17, 2018 at 10:30PM
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An Eye for Photography, but a Google Suite for Events

By WHITNEY RICHARDSON from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CqCFCH

Stephen Hawking's Final Book Discussed at London Panel

In his final book, released Oct. 16, Stephen Hawking tackles big questions about the universe, delving into physics, cosmology, the existence of God and the future direction of humanity.

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What It Feels Like to Be Aboard a Failed Rocket Launch

Everything was going smoothly — until NASA astronaut Nick Hague felt a sudden tremor. "The first thing I really noticed was being shaken pretty violently side to side," he said.

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'Starstruck' Tells Kids the Story of Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson

What do you do when you're a self-described "fierce fan" of famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson? Write a children's book about him, of course.

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2019 Breakthrough Prize Honors Pulsar Discovery, 'Multi-Messenger Astronomy' and More

This year's Breakthrough Prize honors pulsar discoverer Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a pioneer in the field of multi-messenger astronomy, gravitational-wave researchers and scientists investigating the nature of gravity and the quantum realm.

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Craig Newmark, Newspaper Villain, Is Working to Save Journalism

By DAVID STREITFELD from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2P4mhOR

Keanu Reeves' Sci-Fi Film 'Replicas' Get a Gorgeous New Trailer

"Replicas," Keanu Reeves new, little-known, indie sci-fi movie looks awesome in a brand-new trailer.

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Mysterious Signals at the Center of Our Galaxy May Be an Optical Illusion

The universe might be tricking us with its optical illusions.

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'First Man' Cameos, Easter Eggs Add Even More Space History to Film

"First Man" is a movie steeped in even more space history than audiences might be aware. Here's a look at the hidden details, or "easter eggs," that maybe only eagle-eyed space geeks might notice.

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Powerful Cosmic Flash Is Likely Another Neutron-Star Merger

Cataclysmic mergers of the superdense stellar corpses known as neutron stars may be common across the cosmos, a new study suggests.

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Jam-Resistant US Military Communications Satellite Lifts Off in Midnight-Hour Launch

An advanced U.S. military communications satellite soared into space in the midnight hour Wednesday (Oct. 17), lighting up the sky over Florida as it launched into orbit.

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Spaceflight, SETI Communities Mourn Passing of Paul Allen

The death of billionaire technologist, philanthropist and private-spaceflight entrepreneur Paul Allen has hit hard for people from many different walks of life. Read a few tributes to him from folks in the spaceflight and SETI communities.

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NASA Wants to Send Humans to Venus, to Live in Airships Floating on Clouds

But how is such a mission even possible?

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Stephen Hawking Said 'Superhumans' Will Replace Us. Was He Right?

Are we all going to be replaced?

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Uber and Lyft Charge Toward Potential I.P.O.s Next Year

By MICHAEL J. de la MERCED and KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2CnetkA

Arctic & Antarctic

Arctic & Antarctic

At a glance, Earth's polar regions seem like mirror images, located some 12,000 miles apart. Both are vast, icy regions covering opposite ends of the globe. Closer examination reveals differences as well as similarities.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/overviews/arcticantarctic/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 17, 2018 at 03:46AM
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Astronomy & Astrophysics

Astronomy & Astrophysics

For more than 60 years, the National Science Foundation has significantly advanced the understanding of the universe as the federal steward for ground-based astronomy.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/overviews/astronomy/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 17, 2018 at 04:00AM
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Earth & Environment

Earth & Environment

Our planet gives up its secrets slowly. But every year we learn more about its oceans and air, its restless continents, its myriad ecosystems, and the way living things interact with their environments.

More at https://www.nsf.gov/news/overviews/earth-environ/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

This is an NSF News item.

Published October 17, 2018 at 03:51AM
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