CT scan solves the mystery of 425-million-year-old long-necked reptile

Mysteries surrounding an ancient, long-necked reptile that lived 242 million years ago have been resolved after almost 170 years by an international team led by the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History. First described in 1852, Tanystropheus is so d… Continue reading CT scan solves the mystery of 425-million-year-old long-necked reptile→

MIT study reveals why razor blades go dull cutting humble old hair

A team of engineers at MIT led by C. Cem Tasan has discovered why steel razor blades go dull even when cutting hair that’s 50 times softer than them. Using an electron microscopic, they found that under the right conditions a single hair can chip a bla… Continue reading MIT study reveals why razor blades go dull cutting humble old hair→

Satellites and penguin poop reveal new emperor penguin colonies

A team of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) led by geographer Peter Fretwell has used satellite imagery of penguin poop captured by ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission to calculate that there are 20 percent more emperor penguin colonie… Continue reading Satellites and penguin poop reveal new emperor penguin colonies→

Upping the contrast enables daytime laser tracking of space debris

A team of ESA scientists has developed a way to use lasers to accurately track space debris even in broad daylight. Using a combination of special telescopes, detectors, and light filters tuned to specific wavelengths, it’s now possible to increase the… Continue reading Upping the contrast enables daytime laser tracking of space debris→

Virgin Galactic enlists Rolls-Royce for Mach 3 passenger aircraft concept

Virgin Galactic has taken the wraps off a concept for a new commercial jet capable of flying at three times the speed of sound. The delta-wing aircraft has already passed its Mission Concept Review (MCR) and the company has signed a non-binding Memoran… Continue reading Virgin Galactic enlists Rolls-Royce for Mach 3 passenger aircraft concept→

SpaceX Demo-2 mission ends with first splashdown in 45 years

History was made today as two NASA astronauts returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a privately built and operated spacecraft. At 2:48 pm EDT, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico of… Continue reading SpaceX Demo-2 mission ends with first splashdown in 45 years→

US Army’s conversational AI system to get soldiers and robots talking

The US Army is developing a conversational interface that allows two-way dialogue between soldiers and autonomous robotic systems. Being developed by researchers from the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory and th… Continue reading US Army’s conversational AI system to get soldiers and robots talking→

More realistic bite sleeve improves training of US Army working dogs

The US Army has developed a more realistic bite sleeve for training military working dogs. Worn by the trainer during biting exercises, the protective silicone and Kevlar sleeve looks and feels more like a human arm when bitten, but still shields the w… Continue reading More realistic bite sleeve improves training of US Army working dogs→

First autonomous free flight for Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 prototype

Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) prototype has flown autonomously for the first time. At a drone test center near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France, the pilotless rotorcraft performed a 10-minute free flight.Continue Reading… Continue reading First autonomous free flight for Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 prototype→