"We were thrilled when we saw the first tomatoes ever grown on Mars soil simulant turning red."

New research: You could grow crops in Martian soil

Eat Local

New research found that the soil on Mars and the Moon could feasibly be used to grow plants, suggesting future space colonists may be able to farm crops.

New Research: You Could Grow Crops in Martian Soil

This is good news for off-world colonies.

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Bold, bright, and better than ever — you need to check out "The Future Is."

It just announced filters for offensive text. Voice filters are the next goal.

Microsoft wants to censor Xbox Live voice chat in real time

You Can't Say That on Xbox

Microsoft's Xbox Live now has a filter system for offensive text-based messages. Next, it wants to filter out offensive voice chats.

Microsoft Wants to Censor Xbox Live Voice Chat in Real Time

Could a nimble AI beep out offensive phrases in real time?

ANA AVATAR Vision | ANA AVATAR

CEATEC 2019 , ANA avatar-in project , nweme DEMO

The company wants you to trade in your plane ticket for a roving robot.

Airline unveils robot avatars it hopes will replace flying

Air Bender

Japan's biggest airline believes robot avatars are the future of travel, allowing people to visit far-off destinations without leaving their homes.

Airline Unveils Robot Avatars It Hopes Will Replace Flying

The future of travel is... no travel at all?

This awful tabloid predicts a killer asteroid almost every day

Broken Clock

A tabloid called Express publishes at least one article about killer asteroids almost every single day. Futurism investigates!

This Awful Tabloid Predicts a Killer Asteroid Almost Every Day

Is this the worst science journalism on the internet?

In 1976, NASA sent two separate Viking orbiter and lander pairs to the Red Planet to conduct experiments on its surface and return some snapshots.

Former NASA scientist "convinced" we already found life on Mars

Contentious Results

Former NASA scientist Gilbert Levin argues we already discovered we're not alone in the universe during NASA's Viking mission to find life on Mars in 1976.

Former NASA Scientist “Convinced” We Already Found Life on Mars

Is this 1976 experiment on the surface of Mars proof that alien life exists?

Visayan Warty Pigs Using Tools

Let's just hope they never reach Napoleon-levels of intelligence.

Pigs caught using tools in first-of-its-kind video

Smart Swine

Researchers have recorded a video of pigs using tools, a hallmark of advanced intelligence exhibited by only the smartest species.

Pigs Caught Using Tools in First-of-Its-Kind Video

It’s evolution, Babe.

The researchers estimate it could've lasted for some 300,000 years.

3.5 million years ago, our galaxy was rocked by an explosion

Big Burp

According to a new study, the center of the Milky Way galaxy exploded in a huge flare-up of hot gas. And an explosion might explode again in the future.

3.5 Million Years Ago, Our Galaxy Was Rocked by an Explosion

And it could happen again.

But do the pros of fake meat outweigh the cons?

There's a huge, angry backlash against fake meat

Going Meatless

Not everybody is on board with the growing adoption of fake meat, with critics arguing that it's unhealthy and over-processed.

There’s a Huge, Angry Backlash Against Fake Meat

Some argue that plant-based meats are overprocessed and unhealthy.

That drunk Nancy Pelosi video spurred the creation of a new bill.

New law makes it illegal to distribute political deepfakes

Fake Views

California has banned the creation of political deepfakes — clips manipulated to make it look like a politician said or did something they didn't.

New Law Makes It Illegal to Distribute Political Deepfakes

But only under very specific circumstances.

They didn't use it for frivolous purchases, like some critics argued they would.

Basic income recipients spent the money on “literal necessities”

Essentials First

An experiment in California tested how people would spend a universal basic income — and found that most spent it on food, utility bills and clothing.

Basic Income Recipients Spent the Money on “Literal Necessities”

Most of the money went toward food, utility bills, and even donations.

They told their targets the scan was just a "mini-game."

Google contractors tricked homeless black people into face scans

Not Cool

Contractors hired to collect face scans for Google specifically targeted homeless black people and lied to them about the nature of the collection.

Google Contractors Tricked Homeless Black People Into Face Scans

The homeless people "didn’t know what was going on at all."

"It will rebalance itself, but not on a timescale that is of significance to humans."

Humans produce 100x more CO2 than all volcanoes combined

It'll Buff Out

According to a decade-long study by a team of scientists, human activity emissions total up to 100 times more than all volcanoes combined.

Humans Produce 100x More CO2 Than All Volcanoes Combined

"We are on the same level of carbon catastrophe which is a bit sobering."

They called it "a gross and dangerous misrepresentation of the work."

Scientists: app claiming to detect gay DNA misuses our research

Crap Science

An app claiming to use DNA tests to determine whether someone's gay is under fire by the scientists who actually conducted the research it's based on.

Scientists Call For Removal of App Claiming to Detect Gay DNA

More on &#8220;How Gay Are You?&#8221;: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/app-analyzes-dna-how-gay">This Startup Says It Can Analyze Your DNA To Detect If You&#8217;re Gay</a>

Genetics

An app that claims to detect gay DNA says it's based on work by these scientists. They say it's a "gross and dangerous mischaracterization" of their research.

And they think they're just 5 years away from reaching that goal.

Scientists want to grow babies in giant, liquid-filled balloons

Gestation Station

A team of researchers just secured funding to create a working prototype of an artificial womb, which could end one of the leading causes of infant deaths.

Scientists Want to Grow Babies in Giant, Liquid-Filled Balloons

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-50056405/the-world-s-first-artificial-womb-for-humans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The world&#8217;s first artificial womb for humans</a> [BBC News]

More on artificial wombs: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/grow-babies-artificial-wombs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientists: We’ll Grow Babies in Artificial Wombs &#8220;in a Decade&#8221;</a>

Devices

"Natural reproduction is not the only way."

"I won't speculate on the intentions of the provider of the app, though it is clear the potential for misuse is great."

This startup says it can analyze your DNA to detect if you're gay

Awful Idea Department

An app literally called "How Gay Are You" uses incredibly questionable science to predict whether people are homosexual based on their DNA test results.

This Startup Says It Can Analyze Your DNA to Detect if You’re Gay

More on genetics: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/debunks-gay-gene-myth">Huge Study Conclusively Debunks The &#8220;Gay Gene&#8221; Myth</a>

Experts told us the app is an ethical disaster that's based on flawed, totally inaccurate science.

"The biggest challenge will be getting everybody together at first."

A new project is helping map every cell in the human body

At the Liver, Turn Left

An international group of scientists is compiling a biological "atlas" of all the individual cells that make up the human body.

A New Project Is Helping Map Every Cell in the Human Body

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/10/ambitious-effort-map-human-body-s-individual-cells-gets-backing-nih">An ambitious effort to map the human body’s individual cells gets backing from NIH</a> [Science]

More on mapping the human body: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/human-genome-3d-map">15 Years Ago, We Sequenced the Human Genome. Now We Can 3d Map It.</a>

Developments

They're building an "atlas" of the human body.

The company confirmed to CNBC that it's "aware of the case of S10's malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch."

Oops: Samsung admits anyone's thumbprint can unlock its new phone

Dumb Hack

Tech giant Samsung has admitted that any thumbprint can unlock its Galaxy S10 phone — a flabbergasting security misstep for a leading iPhone competitor.

Oops: Samsung Admits Anyone’s Thumbprint Can Unlock Its New Phone

When the Galaxy S10 launched earlier this year, Samsung called the fingerprint authentication system "revolutionary."

"The project brings together the best of the Church’s spiritual tradition and the latest advances of the technological world."

Catholic church launches $109 Bluetooth "Click to Pray" gadget

Prayer Hands Emoji

The Catholic Church has a new idea to promote religion in the age of smartphones: a $109 smart rosary bracelet that connects to an app.

Catholic Church Launches $109 Bluetooth “Click to Pray” Gadget

It comes in a box decorated to look like a Bible.

San Francisco just joined a growing list of cities enacting bans on personal cars.

The latest urban trend: banning cars on city streets

Carpocalypse

Across the globe, cities are banning cars on the roads in an effort to decrease traffic and air pollution, while encouraging a sense of community.

The Latest Urban Trend: Banning Cars on City Streets

"Our main objective is to give the streets back to people."

"We know for sure it is not a plant but we don’t really [know] if it’s an animal or a fungus."

Paris zoo unveils bizarre "blob" that can learn with no brain

Blob Dole

This bizarre organism can learn without a brain, digest food without a mouth or stomach, and rapidly heal itself after being chopped in half.

Paris Zoo Unveils Bizarre “Blob” That Can Learn With No Brain

It can move on its own, solve problems, and quickly heal if chopped completely in half.

"The idea of NASA ever giving SpaceX preferential treatment over Boeing is simply giggle-inducing to industry insiders."

NASA paid $5 million to make sure SpaceX workers don't smoke weed

Jazz Cabbage

NASA required SpaceX to undergo review to make sure workers weren't getting high after Elon Musk smoked weed. But, inexcplicably, NASA paid for it.

NASA Paid $5 Million to Make Sure SpaceX Workers Don’t Smoke Weed

"We need to show the American public that when we put an astronaut on a rocket, they’ll be safe."

The goal is drones that operate at the "speed of thought."

The Pentagon wants to control drones with soldiers' brain waves

Deadly Thoughts

The U.S. military is developing non-invasive technology that would allow soldiers to control drones with just their brain.

New Research: You Could Grow Crops in Martian Soil

This is good news for off-world colonies.

The Latest

The One Daily Science and Technology Newsletter You Absolutely Need to Read

Microsoft Wants to Censor Xbox Live Voice Chat in Real Time

Airline Unveils Robot Avatars It Hopes Will Replace Flying

This Awful Tabloid Predicts a Killer Asteroid Almost Every Day

Former NASA Scientist “Convinced” We Already Found Life on Mars

Pigs Caught Using Tools in First-of-Its-Kind Video

3.5 Million Years Ago, Our Galaxy Was Rocked by an Explosion

There’s a Huge, Angry Backlash Against Fake Meat

New Law Makes It Illegal to Distribute Political Deepfakes

Basic Income Recipients Spent the Money on “Literal Necessities”

Google Contractors Tricked Homeless Black People Into Face Scans

Humans Produce 100x More CO2 Than All Volcanoes Combined

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NASA Paid $5 Million to Make Sure SpaceX Workers Don’t Smoke Weed

New Research: You Could Grow Crops in Martian Soil

The Pentagon Wants to Control Drones With Soldiers’ Brain Waves