"You just assign a prior probability to each of these models."

Columbia professor: There's a 50% chance we're living in a simulation

I Know Kung Fu

Columbia University astronomer David Kipping argues that there's about a 50-50 chance we are living inside a simulation, but we don't know for sure.

Columbia Professor: There’s a 50% Chance We’re Living in a Simulation

He did the math.

"I will tell you this: We have now created a military the likes of which we have never had before."

Trump implies that the US military could defeat aliens if they show up

Oh God

In a Fox News interview over the phone on Sunday, Trump was asked why the Department of Defense has set up a UFO task force. His answer was perplexing.

Trump Implies That the US Military Could Defeat Aliens If They Show Up

Trump is going to have "a good, strong look" to see if there are UFOs.

The more pieces of debris in orbit, the higher the chance of a collision.

Space debris trackers warn of "explosions in orbit"

1-800 Space Junk

The European Space Agency's Space Debris Office is warning that the risk of space debris explosions in orbit is on the rise.

Space Debris Trackers Warn of “Explosions in Orbit”

"The biggest contributor to the current space debris problem is explosions in orbit."

Waymo One is opening to the public — and won't have anyone behind the wheel.

Waymo ditches human safety drivers in its self-driving taxis

Empty Seat

The autonomous vehicle company Waymo just announced that its self-driving taxi service Waymo One is opening up to the public.

Waymo Ditches Human Safety Drivers in Its Self-Driving Taxis

"As of yesterday, we've returned with 100% fully driverless for the near term."

"One of the driving points of this mission is that these asteroids could have delivered some of the precursor organic matter that gave rise to [life on] Earth."

NASA spacecraft finds evidence of ancient rivers on asteroid

Soggy Past

Scientists have found that asteroid Bennu's parent body, likely a proto-planet, was covered in a massive "hydrothermal system of water."

NASA Spacecraft Finds Evidence of Ancient Rivers on Asteroid

The team is calling it a "major scientific triumph" for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.

"We wouldn't feel anything because we wouldn't exist, we wouldn't survive it, we would be broken down into our fundamental pieces."

Nobel Prize winner on falling into a black hole: "I would not want to"

Congrats!

American astronomer Andrea Ghez just won this year's Nobel prize in physics for her groundbreaking work on black holes, only the fourth woman to do so.

Nobel Prize Winner on Falling Into a Black Hole: “I Would Not Want To”

I mean, same.

"It’s a step in the right direction, but they should really aim for full reusability by 2026."

Elon Musk just dissed Russia's new reusable rocket design

Rocket Envy

Russia's space corporation just unveiled plans for its "Amur rocket" — a design that has some striking similarities with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket

Elon Musk Just Dissed Russia’s New Reusable Rocket Design

To be fair, it does look like a bit of a ripoff.

Gorgeous NASA X-ray images of universe look like an 80s nightclub

Vaporwave Cosmos

NASA released a "treasure trove of cosmic delights," gorgeous imagery courtesy of telescopes from around the world, last month.

Gorgeous NASA X-Ray Images of Universe Look Like an 80s Nightclub

The universe has never looked this good.

Scientists just took an actual picture of a planet in another star system

Snap

Using the Very Large Telescope in Chile, astronomers managed to confirm the existence of an exoplanet by taking a picture of it for the first time.

Scientists Just Took an Actual Picture of a Planet in Another Star System

"We are just starting to explore stunning new worlds."

How Gravitational Microlensing Reveals Rogue Planets

Lone wolf "rogue planets" are becoming much easier to find thanks to a new technique.

An Earth-sized planet is floating around without a star

A Bit On the Nose

Astronomers have spotted something strange and unexpectedly sad: a rogue planet floating freely in the dark confines of our galaxy.

An Earth-Sized Planet Is Floating Around Without a Star

"The universe could be teeming with rogue planets and we wouldn’t even know it."

Fusion energy still has a long way to go.

Elon Musk: fusion will probably be more expensive than wind, solar

Game of Renewable Thrones

In a recent tweet, Elon Musk argued that fusion energy will probably be more expensive than wind and solar. Experts are divided.

Elon Musk: Fusion Will Probably Be More Expensive Than Wind, Solar

Elon Musk says he's impressed by the research — with one major catch.

"As Jupiter migrated, Venus would have gone through dramatic changes in climate, heating up then cooling off and increasingly losing its water into the atmosphere."

Research: Jupiter likely turned Venus into an uninhabitable hellhole

Venus Life Trap

According to new research, the massive heft of Jupiter may have disturbed Venus's orbit to the point where it was no longer capable of hosting life.

Research: Jupiter Likely Turned Venus Into an Uninhabitable Hellhole

Scientists say Jupiter's gravity pulled Venus out of an orbit that could sustain life — likely killing most or all organisms living there. 

A trove of internal documents reveals that Amazon's workplace injury problem is far worse than the company ever let on.

Injuries went up when Amazon deployed warehouse robots

Workplace Cruelty

Despite all of Amazon's claims to the contrary, warehouse workers suffer extremely high rates of injuries, and impossible quotas and robots make it worse.

Injuries Went Up When Amazon Deployed Warehouse Robots

The robots made Amazon more efficient — but also far more dangerous.

It's the first confirmed COVID-19 death linked to a reinfection.

Woman dies after catching COVID-19 a second time

Troubling Development

A woman died after catching the coronavirus, even though she had recovered from COVID-19 months prior. It's the first confirmed death linked to reinfection.

Woman Dies After Catching COVID-19 a Second Time

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/13/europe/covid-19-dutch-woman-reinfection-death-intl/index.html">Dutch woman dies after catching Covid-19 twice, the first reported reinfection death</a> [CNN]

More on coronavirus reinfections: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/reinfected-patients-second-case-covid19-more-severe">Reinfected Patient&#8217;s Second Case of COVID-19 Was Even More Severe</a>

Studies

It's the first confirmed death of someone who caught the coronavirus twice.

"The possibility of reinfections could have significant implications for our understanding of COVID-19 immunity."

Reinfected patient's second case of COVID-19 was even more severe

Ah Crap

A coronavirus patient caught the disease on two separate occasions, and the second time around was even more severe than the first.

Reinfected Patient’s Second Case of COVID-19 Was Even More Severe

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54512034">Covid reinfection: Man gets Covid twice and second hit &#8216;more severe&#8217;</a> [BBC News]

More on immunity: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-mutated-coronavirus">Scientists: Mutated Version of Coronavirus May Have Hit NYC, Italy</a>

"Our findings signal that a previous infection may not necessarily protect against future infection."

"The algorithm is looking for a black circle in the middle of the image. That black circle is the direction where the tip of the instrument needs to go."

Researchers built a powerful robot arm to do colonoscopies

Butt Wait!

A new colonoscopy robot sounds terrifying, but it might actually make for a smoother ride than having a human doctor steer the endoscope.

Researchers Built a Powerful Robot Arm to Do Colonoscopies

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2256896-robot-that-can-perform-colonoscopies-aims-to-make-it-less-unpleasant/">Robot that can perform colonoscopies aims to make it less unpleasant</a> [New Scientist]

More on colonoscopies: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/swallow-device-scrape-gut-bacteria">Swallow a Small Device and it&#8217;ll Scrape Your Gut Bacteria for Signs of Trouble</a>

Robotics/Prosthetics

What could possibly go wrong?

Investigations into the phenomenon are still early, but what researchers are finding is ominous.

Doctors say many COVID survivors have memory loss, brain fog

Long Shadow

There's a growing body of evidence, the New York Times reports, that COVID adversely affects the memory and concentration of some patients.

Doctors Say Many COVID Survivors Have Memory Loss, Brain Fog

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READ MORE: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/11/health/covid-survivors.html?smid=tw-share">‘I Feel Like I Have Dementia’: Brain Fog Plagues Covid Survivors</a> [The New York Times]
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More on COVID: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/trump-exposed-people-covid">Trump Exposed Countless People to COVID-19 After Learning He Might Have It</a>

Neuroscience/Brain Science

"I feel like I have dementia."

"The gauntlet has been thrown down! The prophecy will be fulfilled."

Elon Musk slashes Tesla Model S price to $69,420

Nice

Elon Musk announced on Twitter today that the Tesla Model S "Long Range" sedan is getting a price cut to $69,420, just undercutting competitor Lucid.

Elon Musk Slashes Tesla Model S Price to $69,420

Nice.

The tardigrades went about daily life while scientists blasted them with UV radiation.

Newly-discovered tardigrade glows blue to block deadly radiation

Blue Myself

A newly-discovered tardigrade can survive dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation, and it glows blue whenever it's exposed.

Newly-Discovered Tardigrade Glows Blue to Block Deadly Radiation

A new tardigrade just dropped.

"I think that’s kind of the dilemma we’re all in is that are we waiting for it to go back to normal or are we starting to plot, ‘What’s the future look like? What is the future of live music?’"

Band plays show with each audience member inside a plastic bubble

Ball Pit

On Monday, The Flaming Lips played a show where every member of the audience was safely sealed away inside a plastic bubble.

Band Plays Show With Each Audience Member Inside a Plastic Bubble

The Flaming Lips just debuted the world's strangest mosh pit.

"It’s basically just Teslas in tunnels at this point, which is way more profound than it sounds."

Elon tweets about new Tesla vehicle, then deletes tweet

Disappointed.mp4

In a now deleted tweet, Tesla CEO Elon Musk elaborated on the Boring Company's vision in the future: "We will make a dense Tesla if it matters."

Elon Tweets About New Tesla Vehicle, Then Deletes Tweet

Did Elon just reveal plans for a Tesla bus?

It's an amazing example of how we're still evolving.

Humans are evolving a new artery

X-Men But Boring

Research shows that the human species is rapidly evolving: The percent of people with a median artery in their forearms has grown over the last 150 years.

Humans Are Evolving a New Artery

READ MORE: <a href="https://scitechdaily.com/our-species-is-still-evolving-forearm-artery-reveals-humans-evolving-from-changes-in-natural-selection/">Our Species Is Still Evolving: Forearm Artery Reveals Humans Evolving From Changes in Natural Selection</a> [Flinders University]

More on evolution: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-watched-bacteria-evolve-real-time">Scientists Just Watched Bacteria Evolve in Real Time</a>

"This is micro evolution in modern humans…"

High-speed internet for Hoh Tribe

"The last eight years I feel like we have been paddling up river with a spoon, and almost getting nowhere with getting internet to the reservation."

SpaceX gives Native American tribe early access to Starlink internet

PR Win

SpaceX gave a Native American tribe in Washington early access to Starlink internet. Learn more about this internet service upgrade.

SpaceX Gives Native American Tribe Starlink Internet | Futurism

"It seemed like out of nowhere SpaceX just came up and catapulted us into the 21st century."

SpaceX Gives Native American Tribe Early Access to Starlink Internet

How to use the Bathroom in Space

Watch an astronaut show you how to poop in space

Space Toilet Demo

In a recent video, International Space Station crew member Chris Cassidy demonstrated how to do your business in microgravity.