"This feels like you are actually inside a dragon bringing us up to space, so that was quite a feeling."

SpaceX better than Shuttle or Soyuz, says astronaut who flew all three

Expert Opinion

Japanese aerospace agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi explained during a press conference from aboard the space station that "Dragon is the best."

SpaceX Better Than Shuttle or Soyuz, Says Astronaut Who Flew All Three

"The Dragon is the best, short answer."

We're making some changes, growing. Here's to you, our community, growing with us.

To our community: On the future of Futurism

News You Can Use

Futurism Readers –  We’ve got some news. Like the rest of the writing on this site, we’re giving you the need-to-know, sharp and succinct: We need your help to survive. Beginning today, the journalism and news-gathering of Futurism.com is going behind a metered paywall. Subscriptions start at less than $1.25 a week. We’ll also be […]

To Our Readers: On the Future of Futurism

You're about to see some changes around here. We hope you'll hang around to see them.

There's no question: Musk is dreaming big.

Elon Musk: First Mars city will start with glass domes

Mars Rush

Musk elaborated on his vision of establishing a permanent foothold on Mars, claiming that "life in glass domes" will come first — and then terraforming.

Elon Musk: First Mars City Will Start With Glass Domes

"At least a future spacefaring civilization — discovering our ruins — will be impressed humans got that far."

"This decision is not an easy one for NSF to make, but safety of people is our number one priority."

Iconic Arecibo alien-hunting observatory will be demolished

The National Science Foundation has announced that the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico is officially being decommissioned and demolished.

Iconic Arecibo Alien-Hunting Observatory Will Be Demolished

BREAKING: The Arecibo SETI observatory will be demolished, in a sad day for the hunt for extraterrestrial life.

Biden's transitional team already has a lot on their plate.

Progressive groups call for elimination of Space Force

What's a Space Force?

According to a memo, progressive groups are planning to pressure president-elect Joe Biden's transition team into eliminating the Space Force.

Progressive Groups Call For Elimination of Space Force

A memo called the service an "unnecessary bureaucracy that costs $16 billion in 2021."

Ever wanna work with someone remotely? Been in a creative rut? Spotify just built your way through. This thing's rad.

Collaborate With Anyone, Anywhere With This Online Recording Studio From Spotify

Brands We Love

Audio collaboration is now easier than ever thanks to Soundtrap for Spotify. It lets you work with anyone, anywhere, in a virtual recording studio.

Collaborate With Anyone, Anywhere with This Online Recording Studio from Spotify

Soundtrap puts a world of audio collaboration at your fingertips.

It's a lot easier to build a gigantic telescope on the Moon out of liquid than coated glass.

Astronomers propose giant "liquid mirror" telescope on the Moon

Big Moon Vat Energy

A team of astronomers have brought a wild concept back from the grave: a liquid-mirror telescope, 100 meters in diameter, built on the surface of the Moon.

Astronomers Propose Giant “Liquid Mirror” Telescope on the Moon

A swirling vat of reflective liquid on the Moon's surface could allow us to study the moments following the Big Bang.

Scientists: The human brain has odd similarities to the entire universe

Woooaaah

The observable universe and the neuronal networks of the human brain are astonishingly alike according to a new paper by an astrophysicist and neurosurgeon.

Scientists: The Human Brain Has Odd Similarities to the Entire Universe

An astrophysicist and a neurosurgeon teamed up on the ultimate galaxy brain theory.

The Raspberry Pi is a great place to begin learning how to build your own connected devices. And this bundle, 97% off the usual price, will teach you how.

Learn how the Internet of Things works with these Raspberry Pi classes

Raspberry Pi-rade

In 1965, Gordon Moore, who co-founded Intel, observed that in his experience, the number of transistors you can fit into a given space would double about every two years. This quickly was dubbed Moore’s Law, and it’s arguably had one of the greatest impacts on the world. One of those was the availability of cheap, […]

Learn How the Internet of Things Works with These Raspberry Pi Classes

Build your own smart mirror, smart trash can, and more with this training. 

Here's why people are calling Elon Musk a "Space Karen"

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Elon Musk was mocked on Twitter this weekend over calling the validity of his own COVID-19 tests into question. The term "Space Karen" was trending later.

Here’s Why People Are Calling Elon Musk a “Space Karen”

"What's bogus is that Space Karen didn't read up on the test before complaining to his millions of followers."

"Being able to make a car that's affordable enough to put in everyone's garage is going to shift a lot of things. It's going to shift the narrative on climate change and even jobs."

If graphene batteries do everything scientists say, they could be a gamechanger

Piercing The Hype

There's a nearly impenetrable fog of hype surrounding graphene batteries. But it turns out the technology has a whole lot of promise, too.

If Graphene Batteries Do Everything Scientists Say, They Could Be a Gamechanger

They hold way more power. They charge almost instantly. What's taking so long to get them out there?

Stretchable sensor gives robots and VR a human touch

"This skin is a way to allow ourselves and machines to measure tactile interactions in a way that we now currently use the cameras in our phones."

Will this glove finally let you touch stuff in VR?

Power Glove 

A team of scientists at Cornell University has created a stretchable fiber-optic sensor that could give robots and virtual reality a "human touch."

Will This Glove Finally Let You Touch Stuff in VR?

Imagine a glove that could let you touch objects in a virtual world.

In 'Pandemic,' players must keep the world safe from a pandemic. Sound familiar? And. yet, somehow, it's smart, it's fun, it's easy to learn, and addictive as hell.

This pandemic board game from 2017 is almost too perfect for 2020

Games We Love

This 'Pandemic' board game from Z-Man Games is only a few years old, but its newly relevant thanks to current events in 2020.

This Pandemic Board Game From 2017 Is Almost Too Perfect for 2020

The impossible, made possible: A timely board game, that's fun as hell. 

"Santa is not going to be spreading any infections to anybody."

Dr. Fauci says that Santa Claus is immune to COVID

Coming to Town

"Santa is exempt from this because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity," infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said.

Dr. Fauci Says That Santa Claus Is Immune to COVID

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/20/covid-19-and-christmas-santa-immune-coronavirus-fauci-says/3777871001/">Fauci says Santa Claus has &#8216;innate immunity&#8217;, won&#8217;t be spreading COVID-19 to anyone this Christmas</a> [USA Today]

More on Santa: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/how-kids-meeting-santa-age-coronavirus">Here&#8217;s How Kids Are Meeting Santa in the Age of the Coronavirus</a>

Developments

"The good news is that mask compliance there is pretty good, and the elves are committed to social distancing."

More Americans died of COVID-19 Thursday than any day since May

New Record

On Thursday, the coronavirus death toll in the U.S. climbed higher than it had since May, while also setting records for new cases and hospitalizations.

More Americans Died of COVID-19 Thursday Than Any Day Since May

READ MORE: <a href="https://gizmodo.com/1-971-americans-die-of-covid-19-on-thursday-as-u-s-set-1845722021">1,971 Americans Die of Covid-19 on Thursday as U.S. Sets Record For Daily Cases</a> [Gizmodo]

More on COVID-19: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/visualization-likelihood-covid19-spread-bars-homes-classrooms">Visualization Shows Likelihood of COVID-19 Spread in Bars, Homes, Classrooms</a>

COVID killed 1,791 in the U.S. on Thursday.

Kids visit Santa with face masks, plastic shields

Spreading germs to Saint Nick is solid "naughty list" territory.

Here's how kids are meeting Santa in the age of the coronavirus

Bad Santa

Instead of sitting on Santa's lap this year, families can chat online with an AI Santa or stand behind a giant plexiglass barrier.

Here’s How Kids Are Meeting Santa in the Age of the Coronavirus

READ MORE: <a href="http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/19/2130396/0/en/The-First-Ever-AI-Santa-Claus-is-Coming-to-Town-for-Christmas-2020-Powered-by-StoryFile.html">The First Ever AI Santa Claus is Coming to Town for Christmas 2020, Powered by StoryFile</a> [StoryFile]

More on mall Santas: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/malls-santa-gimmicks-court-instagram-parents">Mall Santas Are Using Gimmicks to Court Instagram Parents</a>

Mall Santas have never been quite as dystopian as they are in the age of COVID.

Italian Lambo police car covers 300 miles in 2 hours to deliver kidney

Vroom!

Italian police officers covered 300 miles in just two hours while driving a Lamborghini Huracan to deliver  a donor kidney.

Italian Lambo Police Car Covers 300 Miles in 2 Hours to Deliver Kidney

READ MORE: <a href="https://jalopnik.com/italian-police-use-lamborghini-to-transport-donor-kidne-1845674197">Italian Police Use Lamborghini To Transport Donor Kidney 300 Miles In Two Hours</a>

More on Lambo: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/electric-lamborghini-go-kart">This Electric Lamborghini Go-Kart Looks Fun as Hell</a>

"To save a life you don't need superpowers."

Playing as a dragon, the AI agent had to complete quests using its words.

To teach an AI to pursue goals, scientists made it play an RPG

Unleash The Basilisk

In order to teach AI how to use words with specific intentions rather than babbling, scientists made an AI agent play a fantasy role-playing game.

To Teach an AI to Pursue Goals, Scientists Made It Play an RPG

The goal is to get AI to use words for an actual purpose.

"Scientifically, it's showing us something that is hard, and usually impossible, to see directly."

Hubble glimpses huge "dark rays" streaming out of black hole

Probably Nothing

After a citizen scientist saw what looked like beams of darkness coming out of a black hole, scientists think it's similar to light piercing through clouds.

Hubble Glimpses Huge “Dark Rays” Streaming Out of Black Hole

Scientists took a closer look at Hubble images of a supermassive black hole — and saw what appeared to be long beams of darkness streaming out.

NASA tests experimental interstellar propulsion system

Flying Too Close to the Sun

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory are testing if we can harness the heat of the Sun to travel to interstellar space.

NASA Tests Experimental Interstellar Propulsion System

"What this is showing is that solar thermal propulsion is not just a fantasy."

Simulation of the formation of the Milky Way

"As our cosmic home, the Milky Way is already special to us, but this ancient galaxy buried within makes it even more special."

Scientists find remnants of "fossil galaxy" inside the Milky Way

Pac-Man Galaxy

Astronomers found evidence of a "fossil galaxy" buried deep inside the Milky Way. It seems our galaxy gobbled up one of its neighbors 10 billion years ago.

Scientists Find Remnants of “Fossil Galaxy” Inside the Milky Way

Long ago, our galaxy gobbled up and absorbed another one.

Mathematics is something we use every day. Yet it has a creative side we don't often explore. It can, now.

The key to expanding your mind as an adult? Brilliant's unique learning platform

Smart Stuff to Buy

We spend much of our early lives surrounded by math, programming, logic, and other qualitative skills. And yet, once we hit a certain age, that math takes on a certain tone, driven by spreadsheets and emails instead of joy and creativity. What makes Brilliant, an online learning platform, so fascinating is that it brings the […]

Expand Your Mind as an Adult with Brilliant’s Unique Learning Platform

Math is so much more than checkbooks and calculating a tip. It's creative, and it's worth exploring.

Scientists are still tracking down the source of the coronavirus.

The first known COVID patient was identified exactly one year ago

Grim Anniversary

It's been exactly a year since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in China, according to a March report by the South China Morning Post.

The First Known COVID Patient Was Identified Exactly One Year Ago

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back">Coronavirus: China’s first confirmed Covid-19 case traced back to November 17</a> [South China Morning Post]

More on the virus: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/china-covid-vaccines-black-market">In China, COVID Vaccines Are Already Selling on the Black Market</a>

Who was patient zero?

"As humanity expands beyond the limits of a single planet, it is particularly appropriate that we carry our rituals, celebrations and memorials along with us."

Upcoming mission will fly human remains to the Moon

Among The Stars

In July, a NASA launch will send vials of human cremains and DNA samples to their final resting place on the surface of the Moon.