Read the latest articles from Futurism (Page 781)

A team of researchers have created a sensor that can function for an entire year with a single tiny jumpstart of power by using quantum tunneling.
Quantum Physics

Scientists Create Electronic Gadget Powered by Quantum Tunneling

A tiny jumpstart of energy allows it to run for an entire year.

By Victor Tangermann

A new CDC report confirms what ought to be common knowledge: widespread mask-wearing helps slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
Viruses

New Research: Yes, Mask Mandates Help Fight COVID-19 Spread

"This adds to the growing body of evidence that says large, widespread masking helps to slow the spread of COVID."

By Dan Robitzski

In order to prevent a Day Zero drought in Cape Town, South Africa, scientists suggest reflecting sunlight away from Earth with stratospheric particles.
Climate Change

South African Academics Are Considering Dimming the Sun

To avoid a catastrophic drought, they suggest geoengineering.

By Dan Robitzski

China is about to launch an ambitious mission to the Moon in an attempt to retrieve the first lunar samples and bring them back to Earth since the 1970s.
Off-World

Watch China Launch Its Lunar Sample Return Mission Live

The rocket is already on the pad.

By Victor Tangermann

Greenhouse gas emissions dipped during the coronavirus pandemic, but not enough to have a serious or lasting effect on global climate change.
Viruses

UN: Despite the Pandemic, Greenhouse Gases Are at an All-Time High

"The lockdown-related fall in emissions is just a tiny blip on the long-term graph."

By Dan Robitzski

UK's Oxford University and AstraZeneca have announced their COVID-19 vaccine is up to 90 percent effective according to preliminary study results.
Viruses

Third Major COVID Vaccine Turns Out to Be Super Effective

This one is way cheaper to produce — at just $4 per dose.

By Victor Tangermann

"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.
Developments

Dr. Fauci Says That Santa Claus Is Immune to COVID

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

By Victor Tangermann

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.
Artificial Intelligence

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.

By Dan Robitzski

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.
Science & Energy

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.

By Dan Robitzski

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

NASA Tests Experimental Interstellar Propulsion System

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

By Victor Tangermann

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.
Science & Energy

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

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

By Dan Robitzski

Tesla Crashes at 100 MPH, Sending Flaming Batteries Into Multiple Homes
Tesla

Tesla Crashes at 100 MPH, Sending Flaming Batteries Into Multiple Homes

The local fire and police departments now have to track down hundreds of battery cells.

By Victor Tangermann

To Our Readers: On the Future of Futurism
Future Society

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.

By Foster Kamer

AI legal expert Frank Pasquale says that Asimov's laws of robotics are outdated, and he has some ideas for new ones to supplement them.
Robots and Machines

Professor: Asimov’s Laws Are Outdated and It’s Time to Write More

Are the Three Laws of Robotics due for an update?

By Dan Robitzski

The Vatican is investigating why Pope Francis' official Instagram account accidentally liked a Brazilian model's revealing picture.
Future Society

Vatican Confused by How Pope Account “Liked” Sexy Pic

Oops.

By Victor Tangermann

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.
Developments

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

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

By Dan Robitzski

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

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

"The Dragon is the best, short answer."

By Victor Tangermann

In a recent report, NASA admitted that landing the first astronauts on the Moon since the Apollo era in 2024 might be a bit of a stretch.
Moon

NASA Admits It Probably Won’t Be Able to Land Moon Astronauts by 2024

Getting astronauts back to the Moon is going to be expensive.

By Victor Tangermann

Lil Nas X got his hands on a genuine SpaceX astronaut helmet for a recent "Space Odyssey"-themed photoshoot, and Elon Musk personally approved the loan.
SpaceX

How Lil Nas X Obtained an Actual SpaceX Helmet

Elon Musk approved the loan himself.

By Dan Robitzski

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

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

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

By Dan Robitzski