Read the latest articles from Futurism (Page 770)

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Santa Claus and his sleigh special commercial flight permissions to visit the International Space Station.
Off-World

FAA Issues Santa Claus Commercial License for Launch to Space Station

Santa Claus will reportedly be using his "StarSleigh-1 space capsule powered by the Rudolph Rocket."

By Victor Tangermann

Yet another new strain of the coronavirus called 501.V2 has surfaced in South Africa, prompting several countries to implement travel restrictions.
Developments

There’s Yet Another COVID Strain Spreading

"We are seeing a much earlier and much sharper rise in the second wave or resurgence than we anticipated."

By Victor Tangermann

A German court ordered Tesla to stop clearing the forest where it wants to build its Gigafactory because a protected lizard species is hibernating there.
Tesla

Hibernating Lizards Are Blocking Tesla’s Plans for a Berlin Gigafactory

A German court ruled that Tesla can't clear a forest where protected lizards live.

By Dan Robitzski

SpaceX has laid out its governmental laws for its future colonies on Mars. But lawyers have their doubts if those rules will be enforceable.
Off-World

Elon Musk Will Run Into Trouble Setting up a Martian Government, Lawyers Say

"He could be trying to lay some groundwork for offering up an independent constitution."

By Victor Tangermann

TikTokers have been picking up Simulation Theory over the last few weeks, posting "glitches in the Matrix" to demonstrate that our world isn't real.
Future Society

Kids on TikTok Are Convinced We’re Living in a Simulation

"Basically we are living inside a video game."

By Dan Robitzski

An internal review process at Google reframes research on controversial AI technology in a "positive tone," censoring accurate discussions on its dangers.
Google

Google Reportedly Forcing Its Researchers to Say Its Tech Is Good

A senior scientist at Google says there's a "serious problem of censorship" at the company.

By Dan Robitzski

In a Medium post, NASA engineer Evan Hilgemann explores what its actually like to drive a Mars rover. It's simpler than one might think.
Mars

A Guy Who Drives NASA’s Mars Rover Is Dishing About the Experience

Here's how to drive a Mars rover.

By Victor Tangermann

TikTok parent company ByteDance is assembling a team of AI experts that it hopes will build AI to develop new pharmaceuticals.
RX and Medicine

TikTok Parent Company Says It’ll Develop Drugs Using AI

ByteDance is building a team to enter the world of pharmaceuticals.

By Dan Robitzski

SpaceX has rolled out its next full-scale Starship prototype called SN9 onto the launchpad, setting the stage for yet another high-altitude test flight.
Starship

SpaceX Moves Next Starship Prototype to Launch Pad

Next one's ready to go.

By Victor Tangermann

Scientists caught octopuses occasionally punching nearby fish on film. Sometimes its to keep them in line during a hunt, other times it just seems spiteful.
Biology

Scientists Say That “Spiteful” Octopuses Punch Fish When They’re Angry

Ever get so mad you just punch a fish?

By Dan Robitzski

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is effective after just two weeks following a single dose, according to FDA data.
Developments

US Government Orders 100 Million COVID-19 Vaccines

It's a Pfizer Christmas miracle.

By Victor Tangermann

Tesla CEO Elon Musk reflected on a recent Reuters report that suggested Apple is bringing a self-driving passenger vehicle to market as soon as 2024.
Elon Musk

Elon Musk Reveals That Apple Refused to Buy Tesla

Apple CEO Tim Cook "refused to take the meeting."

By Victor Tangermann

In a new ad, Ford showed off its massive electric F-150 truck tearing through a winter wonderland, drifting around a frozen lake track like a pro.
Advanced Transport

Watch an Electric F-150 Truck Absolutely Shred on a Snowy Track

Drifting through a winter wonderland.

By Victor Tangermann

A new nanomaterial biosensor can spot coronavirus antibodies — and track whether the vaccine is working — in ten seconds.
Viruses

Nanomaterial System Detects Coronavirus Antibodies In Just Seconds

"Because our technique can quantify the immune response to vaccination, it is very relevant in the current environment."

By Dan Robitzski

Harvard astrophysics professor Avi Loeb called on the scientific community to search not just for mysterious radio signals, but for alien probes as well.
Science & Energy

Harvard Astronomer Says We Should Hunt for Alien Probes

An interstellar object could be a "message in a bottle."

By Victor Tangermann

A team of Oxford scientists found a way to take carbon dioxide and turn it back into jet fuel, potentially cleaning up the aviation industry.
Climate Change

Oxford Scientists Turn Carbon Dioxide Into Jet Fuel

"This does look different, and it looks like it could work."

By Dan Robitzski

A close look at an asteroid fragment revealed crystals that likely formed on an ancient, long-gone dwarf planet-sized object.
Solar Power

Scientists Say There Was a Huge, Mysterious Object in the Early Solar System

"Our surprising result suggests the existence of a large, water-rich parent body."

By Dan Robitzski

Startup Jupe is selling prefabricated portable shelters that were designed by ex-Tesla and SpaceX designers. And they come wtih an "average-sized monolith."
Tesla

Former SpaceX, Teslas Designers Selling “Pods” for Human Habitation

For $17,500, you get a furnished pod — which can even come with solar and WiFi.

By Victor Tangermann

NASA euthanized all 27 of its primates at the agency's Ames research center in California in February 2019, The Guardian reports.
Future Society

NASA Killed All Its Monkeys on the Same Day, Investigation Reveals

"Shame on those responsible."

By Victor Tangermann

Roscosmos director general Dmitry Rogozin is furious that the U.S. government imposed sanctions on the company that makes the Soyuz rocket.
Off-World

Russian Space Chief Accuses US of Sabotaging Russian Space Program

He says the sanctions are "illegal" and "stupid."

By Dan Robitzski