Planetary Science
Farming on Mars will be a lot harder than ‘The Martian’ made it seem
Lab experiments developing and testing fake Martian dirt are proving just how difficult it would be to farm on the Red Planet.
Tech
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AstronomyTurning space images into music makes astronomy more accessible
Music created from telescope data helps people with blindness and visual impairments experience the wonders of astronomy, and could aid research.
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TechA new thermometer measures temperature with sound
An acoustic thermometer takes temperature by listening to the faint hum that objects give off when they get hot.
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NeuroscienceTiny, magnetically controlled robots coax nerve cells to grow connections
Research using microrobots and nerve cells from rats could point to new treatments for people with nerve injuries.
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TechA Game Boy look-alike runs on solar panels and button smashes
A new prototype console that looks and feels like the original Game Boy harnesses user-generated energy to run without batteries.
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ComputingHow next-gen computer generated maps detect partisan gerrymandering
The U.S. census will trigger a new round of redistricting beginning in 2021. Researchers have developed numerous tests to identify gerrymandering.
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TechMethanol fuel gives this tiny beetle bot the freedom to roam
A new robot insect uses energy-dense methanol as fuel, not batteries. It could be a blueprint for future search-and-rescue bots with long run times.
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PhysicsHow understanding nature made the atomic bomb inevitable
On the anniversary of Hiroshima, here’s a look back at the chain reaction of basic discoveries that led to nuclear weapons.
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Space50 years ago, NASA prepared to launch America’s first space station
In 1970, NASA was building Skylab. The orbiting laboratory led to many scientific firsts but was plagued by technical difficulties.
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PhysicsA giant underground motion sensor in Germany tracks Earth’s wobbles
A giant underground gyroscope array has taken its first measurements of how the world goes ’round.