the digest(Page 151)

Latest in the digest

New research suggests that unmitigated climate change could create a world where a fifth of the planet is as hot as the Sahara Desert, uprooting billions.

In 50 years, Billions of People Could Face Sahara-Like Heat

By Dan Robitzski

Staff at the Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo have been noticing that their roughly 300 tiny garden eels have been burying themselves in sand more often.

Tokyo Aquarium Asks People to FaceTime Its Shy Eels

By Victor Tangermann

The Japanese military is currently developing protocols for what pilots should do if they see a UFO, whether it's extraterrestrial or a military drone.

Japan Is Creating Protocols for Dealing with UFOs

By Dan Robitzski

Chinese intelligence warned the country's leadership that its response to the coronavirus pandemic created a massive wave of global anti-China sentiment.

China Fears Its Coronavirus Coverup Could Destabilize the Country

By Dan Robitzski

NASA' Perseverance rover just found signs of ancient life in Australia, giving researchers hope that it's well-equipped to do the same on Mars.

NASA Mars Rover Detects Ancient Life… in Australia

By Dan Robitzski

A laundry delivery startup called Cleanly attempted to help medical workers clean their clothes. Instead, it kept losing all of their stuff.

A Laundry Delivery Startup Keeps Losing Doctors’ Clothes

By Dan Robitzski

Astronomers are baffled by why our Sun is so quiet compared to similar stars. One guess is that it's having a sort of "midlife crisis" transition.

Science & Energy

Astronomers Warn That Our Sun Is Having a “Midlife Crisis”

By Dan Robitzski

John Martinis, a researcher largely credited for Google's success in quantum computers, left the company over philosophical differences with his team.

Quantum Physics

Some Serious Drama Went Down on Google’s Quantum Computing Team

By Dan Robitzski

Astronomers say they may be able to search for signs of life on distant exoplanets that are orbiting collapsed, dead stars.

Science & Energy

Scientists Want to Hunt for Life on Long-Dead Worlds

By Dan Robitzski

A ventilator developed by NASA engineers and designed to save COVID-19 patients was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use.

FDA Approves NASA Ventilator for Use on COVID Patients

By Victor Tangermann

For the first time, scientists built and tested an experimental rocket engine that's powered by a constantly-spiraling explosion.

Science & Energy

Scientists Build Rocket Engine Powered by Spiraling Explosions

By Dan Robitzski

Amazon Buys Thermal Cameras to Scan Workers For Fevers

Amazon Buys Thermal Cameras to Scan Workers For Fevers

By Dan Robitzski

The White House's 2021 budget would cripple NASA's ongoing and future Mars missions. It would also mean shutting down the Curiosity rover.

Science & Energy

The White House Is Trying to Shut Down NASA’s Last Mars Rover

By Dan Robitzski

New economic research shows that ending lockdowns early and re-opening businesses would cause twice the economic damage as staying the course.

New Research: Ending Lockdown Would Hurt the Economy Even More

By Dan Robitzski

The creators of Integrated Information Theory, the bizarre model that suggests the universe could be consciousness, are doubling down on the idea.

Science & Energy

These Mathematicians Think the Universe May Be Conscious

By Dan Robitzski

A U.S. Army tank crew named their tank "Crippling Depression," illustrating the creative freedom crews are granted when it comes to their vehicles.

Robots and Machines

Soldiers Named a US Army Tank “Crippling Depression”

By Dan Robitzski

Hong Kong researchers developed a protective coating that they say can kill the coronavirus on treated surfaces for up to three months.

This Disinfectant Can Keep Surfaces Coronavirus-Free for Months

By Dan Robitzski

In order to enforce its lockdown measures, China has been installing surveillance cameras aimed directly at people's front doors or inside their homes.

China Is Installing Surveillance Cameras Inside People’s Homes

By Dan Robitzski

In response to scientists who say SpaceX's Starlink satellites will block astronomical research, CEO Elon Musk suggested launching orbital observatories.

Science & Energy

Elon Musk Says SpaceX Could Launch Orbital Observatories

By Dan Robitzski

The Pentagon has formally released three unclassified videos of "unidentified aerial phenomena" taken in 2004 and 2015 by Navy pilots.

Pentagon Officially Releases Three UFO Videos

By Victor Tangermann

A patent application from Microsoft describes a system that would read a person's brainwaves and mine cryptocurrency as a reward for completing tasks.

Microsoft Wants to Mine Cryptocurrency Using Your Brain Waves

By Dan Robitzski

Researchers at MIT have developed a Jedi mind control system that allows you to control a drone by just twisting and lifting your forearm.

This System Lets You Fly a Drone With Arm Gestures

By Victor Tangermann

New research threatens the idea that the universe expands outward in all directions, suggesting instead that the laws of physics change directionally.

The Laws of Physics May Break Down at the Edge of the Universe

By Dan Robitzski

On Sunday, a SpaceX Starship prototype finally stayed intact after having its fuel tanks pressurized, paving the road to more ambitious tests.

SpaceX Manages to Test Starship Without Failing Catastrophically

By Dan Robitzski

China's space agency says that its mission to Mars is still happening "in coming months," and that the mission finally has an official name.

China Will Launch Mars Mission “In Coming Months”

By Dan Robitzski

Next month, NASA and SpaceX will launch astronauts from U.S. soil to the ISS for the first time in years. Don't break quarantine to watch it happen.

NASA: Don’t Break Quarantine to Watch SpaceX Launch Astronauts

By Dan Robitzski

Astronomers found a rare, near-death experience play out in space where a black hole devoured the outer layers of a star but left the core intact.

Science & Energy

Black Hole Devours Outside of Star, Leaves Core Behind

By Dan Robitzski

A team of NASA researchers have developed a ventilator for treating COVID-19 patients in just 37 days and is requesting the FDA for fast-tracked approval.

NASA Develops Ventilator to Treat Coronavirus Patients

By Victor Tangermann

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, American billionaires have collectively made an extra $282 billion.

These Billionaires Are Making a Killing Off the Pandemic

By Dan Robitzski

After studying a population of asteroids called the Centaurs for years, a team of scientists believes they originated outside the solar system.

19 Objects Near Jupiter May Be From Outside the Solar System

By Dan Robitzski

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are suggesting we could explore the surface of Mars using a fleet of "nanocardboard" aircraft.

Researchers Want to Explore Mars Using “Nanocardboard” Aircraft

By Victor Tangermann

Their research falls short of a definite discovery, but researchers think they've found evidence of one of the main theories on why the universe exists.

Scientists May Be Close to Understanding Why the Universe Exists

By Dan Robitzski

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the Starlink network is almost ready for its first beta test, and he expects to run a public beta within six months.

Science & Energy

Elon Musk Says the Starlink Network Will Go Live in Six Months

By Dan Robitzski

Robot manufacturer Boston Dynamics has found a job for its robot Spot mini amidst the coronavirus outbreak: a teleconferencing platform for medical staff.

Hospitals Are Using iPads to Turn Robot Dogs Into Doctors

By Victor Tangermann

The U.S. Space Force recently acquired its first offensive weapon: a satellite jammer that can block communications from the ground.

Space Force Unveils Its First Weapon, a Satellite Jammer

By Dan Robitzski

As a new video demonstrates, SpaceX's Starlink satellites have been wreaking havoc with astronomical surveys as they become visible to the naked eye.

Ominous Video Shows SpaceX Satellites Cutting Across Sky

By Victor Tangermann

An increasing number of the mega-rich are trying to hide out in underground bunkers, usually in New Zealand, until the pandemic is over.

The Wealthy Are Hiding From the Pandemic in Underground Bunkers

By Dan Robitzski

A new study suggests that filling the Arctic with huge numbers of grazing animals could help fight climate change and keep the permafrost frozen.

Filling Arctic With Giant Animals Could Slow Climate Change

By Dan Robitzski

Design company Avio Interiors has come up with two airplane seat design concepts that could keep travelers safe(r) during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Advanced Transport

This is What Air Travel Could Look Like After the Pandemic

By Victor Tangermann

A new AI startup called Landing AI has developed a video tool that can tell if people in public are following social distancing rules.

Artificial Intelligence

Pandemic-Inspired AI Narcs You Out For Standing Too Close

By Victor Tangermann

New York will now let clerks perform weddings remotely and engaged couples get their marriage licenses online because of coronavirus lockdowns.

New York State Is Letting You Get Married on Video Chat

By Dan Robitzski

For the first time in history, the price of crude oil has gone negative around 2:30pm EDT as a result of plummeting demand amid the coronavirus outbreak.

For the First Time Ever, the Price of Oil is Now Negative

By Victor Tangermann

Advanced simulations suggest that supernovae in the center of the Milky Way galaxy are shooting nearby stars all the way to its outer reaches.

Science & Energy

Astronomers: Our Galaxy Is Belligerently Flinging Stars Into Space

By Dan Robitzski

According to a new tweet by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the electric automaker's upcoming Cybertruck will be able to float for short periods of time.

Elon Musk: The Cybertruck Will “Float For a While”

By Victor Tangermann

A pairing of orbiting black holes gave off gravitational waves that resonate at a perfect fifth, which makes them the perfect harmony to an Elvis song.

Signal From Deep Space Perfectly Harmonizes With Elvis Song

By Dan Robitzski

Many of the mega-rich who are self-isolating without their household staff are learning that they have no idea how to do household chores.

Science & Energy

The Rich Don’t Know How to Use Vacuum Cleaners

By Dan Robitzski

SpaceX finally has a launch date to return astronauts from US soil to space since the retirement of NASA's Space Shuttle program in 2011: May 27.

SpaceX Is Officially Sending Astronauts to Space Next Month

By Victor Tangermann

The IRS Is Sending Stimulus Checks to Dead People

The IRS Is Sending Stimulus Checks to Dead People

By Victor Tangermann

Astronomers found a quasar that's giving off uncharacteristically, mind-bendingly fast winds unlikely anything they'd ever seen before.

Science & Energy

Astronomers Spot Strongest Cosmic Storm in Known Universe

By Dan Robitzski

Here’s How to Turn Into Deepfake Elon Musk During Zoom Meetings

Here’s How to Turn Into Deepfake Elon Musk During Zoom Meetings

By Victor Tangermann

For the first time, two commercial spacecraft successfully docked while still in orbit: a service vehicle got a derelict satellite running again.

Science & Energy

Parasitic Spacecraft Docks With Dead Satellite, Brings It Back to Life

By Dan Robitzski

Two Democratic lawmakers are proposing a bill that would pay Americans $2,000 a month for six months during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Congress Proposes Paying Americans $2,000 Per Month

By Victor Tangermann

Almost a year after it was announced, Facebook's Libra project looks almost unrecognizable in its updated white paper that was announced today.

Facebook’s Cryptocurrency Has Failed Spectacularly

By Victor Tangermann

Astronomers think they've captured an image of an exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the star that's closest to our solar system.

Science & Energy

This Blurry Photo May Show a Planet in a Neighboring Star System

By Dan Robitzski

Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla is "working super hard" on an update that will allow Teslas to automatically stop at traffic lights or stop signs.

Elon Musk: Teslas Will Soon Automatically Stop at Traffic Lights

By Victor Tangermann

Three astronauts who went to the International Space Station before the pandemic began are about to come home to a significantly changed society.

Astronauts Who Launched Before Pandemic Are Starting to Come Home

By Dan Robitzski

After nearly 30 years of research, astronomers found that a star orbiting a black hole does so in a rosette shape, supporting Einstein's general relativity.

A Star Is Circling a Black Hole and Its Orbit Is Absolutely Nuts

By Dan Robitzski

The team behind NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has transitioned to controlling the rover from their home offices amid the coronavirus outbreak.

NASA Employees Are Running the Mars Curiosity Rover From Home

By Victor Tangermann

A Silicon Valley-based animal sanctuary called Sweet Farm is renting out farm animals, including llamas and goats, to spice up boring Zoom meetings.

Sanctuary Rents Out Goats, Llamas to Spice Up Zoom Meetings

By Victor Tangermann

Zoos in Germany might have to resort to some grim measures to keep doors open during the pandemic — slaughtering and even feeding animals to each other.

Zoo Says Coronavirus May Force It to Feed Animals to Each Other

By Victor Tangermann

Tesla is reaching out to the landlords of its dealerships and service centers to try and negotiate down its rent payments.

Tesla Is Having Trouble Paying Its Rent

By Dan Robitzski

The Pentagon put out a call for vendors to develop a quantum system that could track spacecraft traveling too far away to use GPS.

Quantum Physics

The Pentagon Wants Quantum Sensors to Track Faraway Spacecraft

By Dan Robitzski

Ford filed an unusual patent last week that would actually keep rideshare passengers from getting paired with a smelly car.

Advanced Transport

Bizarre Ford Patent Lets You Filter Rideshare Cars by Smell

By Dan Robitzski

A group of COVID-19 truthers have taken to the streets of Vancouver calling the coronavirus outbreak "fake news" and ignoring social distancing rules.

Protesters Break Quarantine, Calling COVID-19 “Fake News”

By Victor Tangermann