Science, Space, & Robotics - Page 132

What appears to be a cube-shaped object has been photographed on the horizon of the Moon, and now a lunar rover is on its way to check it out.

China's Chang'e-4 lunar lander mission introduced the Yutu-2 rover to the lunar surface back in 2019, and since then, it has been exploring the barren landscape, relaying any valuable information back to China National Space Administration (CNSA). According to Andrew Jones, a journalist that covers China's space program for SpaceNews, the Yutu-2 rover is located in the Von Karman crater, and the cube-shaped object is on the northern horizon approximately 80 meters away from the rover.

Jones goes on to say that the cube-shaped object is being referred to as "mystery house", and that the next 2-3 lunar days will be spent bringing Yutu-2 closer to the object. For those speculating that the cube-shaped object is an alien house/obelisk, Jones says it's more likely that it's a large undiscovered boulder that's been created from an asteroid impact. If you are interested in reading more about this story, check out this link here.

Over the weekend there was a the only total solar eclipse for the rest of the year, and while it wasn't visible to majority of people, individuals still managed to capture stunning photographs of it.

(Image credit: Felipe Trueba/Imagen Chile/AFP via Getty Images)

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes in front of the Sun from a viewers perspective, and depending on your location at Earth at the time, can make quite the spectacle for photography. On Saturday, December 4, a total solar eclipse, which only happens when the Moon is close enough to Earth that it blocks out the entirety of the Sun, was expected to happen for two minutes in Antarctica.

A recently discovered comet is expected to make a close fly-by of Earth within the coming weeks, and it may even be visible to the unaided eye.

Comet Leonard, or C/2021, will be making its closest approach to Earth on December 12, bringing it 22 million miles away from our planet, which is about 90 times farther away than the Moon. NASA says in the above video that comets are notoriously difficult to predict in terms of brightness/visibility, but Comet Leonard is predicted to be bright enough to be able to view it with binoculars. However, the possibility of it being visible to the unaided eye is still on the table as well.

EarthSky reports that Comet Leonard is "likely to be 2021's best comet, and its brightest comet by year's end". For the first two weeks of December, Leonard is visible in the sky in the east before sunrise, and according to NASA, it can be seen passing between the Big Dipper's handle and Arcturus. The space agency also states that the time of Leonard's closest approach to Earth will coincide with its approach to the horizon in the sky, which means that it will likely be brighter but more difficult to observe.

A food delivery service has announced a new partnership with Bitcoin rewards app Lolli, where users will be rewarded Bitcoin when they order food.

On Wednesday, December 1, Lolli announced that it will be partnering with Grubhub to bring Bitcoin (BTC) rewards to the food delivery platform's hungry customer base. The announcement can be found on Lolli's website, where it states that Grubhub customers will be able to earn $1 in Bitcoin every time they order food through Grubhub. The press release states, "To earn on Grubhub orders, users must download Lolli's browser extension or app for iOS and activate Lolli on web or mobile before placing an order at Grubhub."

Users who sign up and complete their first order will receive $5 in Bitcoin. Once a user has reached $15 in confirmed Bitcoin rewards, that user will then be able to withdraw or send their Bitcoin to another virtual wallet. Lolli co-founder and CEO Alex Adelman said that partnerships such as this one is way Bitcoin can become a part of "everyday life", and that combining food delivery, which is a "ritual for many", with Bitcoin makes "Bitcoin a part of that ritual".

Researchers have achieved something that sounds like the beginning of a science fiction movie - living robots that have learned to reproduce.

Pac-Man-shaped xenobots gathering stem cells into piles, which will then mature into xenobot offspring.

A new study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PNAS has detailed a team of researchers using stem cells from the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) to create the first living robots called xenobots. Researchers from the University of Vermont, Tufts University and Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering who created the living robots said that they have discovered a new form of biological reproduction called "kinetic replication".

In a new paper published in Space: Science & Technology, a team of researchers have created a new lightweight robotic arm with precision controls.

As missions in space increase in scope and variety, so to will the tools necessary to accomplish them. Robots are already used throughout space, but robotic arms used on Earth do not translate well to space. A flat plane relative to the ground enables Earth-bound robotic arms to articulate freely in a three-dimensional coordinate grid with relatively simple programming. However, with constantly changing environments in space, a robotic arm would struggle to orient itself correctly.

Researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology's (HIT) School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation have developed a robotic arm with the ability to adjust its position and speed in real-time based on its environment. The arm weighs 9.23 kilograms (20 pounds) and can move almost a quarter of its weight.

Researchers have found a way to trap a single photon in a cavity to aid in further research involving new quantum technologies, publishing their findings in Science Advances.

Previously, trapping photons in a cavity has involved using materials with an extremely large optical nonlinearity. Adding one photon from a laser significantly alters that cavity's resonance frequency, preventing another photon from entering. For this mechanism to work, extremely large optical nonlinearities are needed in conjunction with very low dissipation, which is extremely difficult to achieve.

Professor Aashish Clerk from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago, alongside graduate students Andrew Lingenfelter and David Roberts, devised a system with significantly weaker nonlinearity and two separate photon sources. With precise tuning, destructive interference between the two sources creates a "wall" that blocks photons from entering the cavity once the selected number has been captured.

A collaboration between researchers of Princeton University and the University of Washington has resulted in a tiny new camera the size of a grain of salt.

Traditional cameras use curved glass or plastic lenses to focus light rays onto a sensor, while this camera uses a "metasurface." The metasurface measures half a millimeter wide and is covered with 1.6 million cylindrical posts, each approximately 0.1 micrometers in diameter. Each post has unique geometry to allow the best capture of an optical wavefront yet. Using machine learning-based algorithms, computing the interaction of light with all posts generates images with the most detail and widest field of view of any full-color metasurface camera to date. The new camera produced images comparable to a conventional compound camera of more than 500,000 times the volume.

Arianespace's launch of two Galileo FOC (Full Operation Capability) global navigation satellites has been temporarily delayed.

The VS26 launch was 8 minutes and 22 seconds from lift-off but was scrubbed due to the risk of lightning in poor weather. It has been rescheduled for 21:19 local time in Kourou on December 4th (00:19 UTC on December 5th).

The rocket used for the mission is a four-stage Soyuz ST-B Fregat and will be launching from the Guiana Space Center, the first Soyuz rocket from there in 2021. Soyuz rockets have been used to launch Galileo satellites before. The first two test-bed Galileo satellites were launched aboard a Soyuz rocket in December 2005 and April 2008, respectively, and were ultimately retired in July 2012. Other Galileo launches have also involved Soyuz, but they can only carry two at a time, so Arianespace has also used its Ariane 5 ES to carry four at a time for multiple launches.

SpaceX is starting work on a launchpad for its Starship rocket in Florida, expanding its launch options from only Texas.

The launchpad is being built at Launch Complex 39A, part of NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral in Florida. SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy already use the site for their launches, but new infrastructure is necessary to accommodate future Starship launches.

Some preliminary work at Pad 39A was completed in 2019 related to Starship but was put on hold as operations at Starbase, SpaceX's facility in South Texas, were scaled up. Starship is currently manufactured and tested at Starbase, and the site has played host to multiple prototype test flights in previous years.

A new study has been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlighting the discovery of more than a thousand potential gene editing iterations to CRISPR.

CRISPR-Cas are naturally occurring systems in bacteria that can be used to edit small portions in various genes. The sections of genes that use CRISPR to insert themselves into other places in an organism's genome are designated CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs). Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have identified many more likely CASTs, up to nearly 1,500 from only about a dozen.

NASA's Curiosity Rover continues to explore the surface of Mars and has sent back a new 360-degree panoramic selfie.

The rover landed on Mars in August 2012 and has roamed the Gale Crater, Mount Sharp, and many other Mars locales in search of past life since. Curiosity was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, which Caltech manages from Pasadena, California.

Using the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at the end of Curiosity's robotic arm, the image comprises 81 individual shots taken on November 20th, 2021. That date was the 3303rd Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission. The MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.

A new sub-Earth exoplanet has been discovered 31 light-years or ~9.5 parsecs away from our Sun.

The exoplanet, designated GJ 367b, orbits a red dwarf star in less than 24 hours, making it an ultrashort-period (USP) planet. A year on this planet, the time it takes for it to complete an entire orbit of its host star spans 7.7 hours.

Typically, sub-Earth exoplanets, those smaller in mass than Earth, are challenging to detect due to their small mass and size. No sub-Earth USP planets have been observed previously with enough precision to determine their size and composition. Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), researchers could use high-precision photometry and spectrographs to determine its characteristics.

After an initial delay in the scheduled spacewalk due to space debris, astronauts above the ISS have successfully ventured out to fix a faulty antenna.

Two astronauts made the walk to repair the faulty S-band Antenna Sub-assembly (SASA) during U.S. EVA-78 (extravehicular activity) as part of the Expedition 66 mission. Routine testing initially detected the defective antenna when Mission Control in Houston experienced issues with the S-Band string 2. NASA determined the antenna would need to be repaired or replaced.

Ultimately it was decided replacement was the more economical option, and it was scheduled to take place on November 30th, 2021. However, 5 hours before the initial spacewalk was due to be undertaken, it was rescheduled for fear of a collision with on-orbit space debris. It has not been confirmed if this is related to the debris leftover from the recent Russian anti-satellite test that forced ISS astronauts to take shelter.

In a new study published in Science, researchers have developed a new method for detecting infrared light by changing its frequency to a corresponding frequency in the range of visible light.

Electromagnetic waves have a characteristic frequency and wavelength that are inversely proportional; as one increases, the other decreases. Measured in Hertz (Hz), human eyes can perceive light frequencies between 400 and 750 trillion Hz, or terahertz (THz). Smartphone cameras can detect down to 300 THz, and other detectors used in fiber-optic cables can detect around 200 THz.

Lower frequency light does not have sufficient energy to be registered by the photoreceptors in our eyes, meaning we cannot see frequencies of light like infrared that fall below this threshold but contain a great deal of information. As everything with warmth radiates energy, temperature differences can be detected visually with infrared spectroscopy, remotely, and without contact.

Taking place on Saturday, December 4th, you may be able to see the year's only total solar eclipse if you live towards the south pole.

A solar eclipse occurs when a new moon moves in front of the Sun from a viewer's perspective on Earth. Total solar eclipses happen when the moon is close enough to Earth during its orbit that it blocks out the entirety of the Sun as it passes between the Earth and the Sun. The length of the totality and percent of Sun covered varies considerably based on the observer's location. It's not advised to look directly at the event without some form of protective eyewear.

In Antarctica, almost two minutes of totality is expected, and NASA will broadcast the event from Antarctica if the weather allows. The best views will be from there, but some eclipse will be partially viewable from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa.

The video has been posted by Engineered Arts to its YouTube channel and reveals the first look at the humanoid robot Ameca.

Developed by Engineered Arts, Ameca is the most advanced humanoid robot from the company and in a video recently posted to the Engineered Arts YouTube channel, Ameca's facial expressions have been demonstrated. Ameca can be seen slowly waking up by shrugging its shoulders and then quickly opening its eyes with a shock or surprised look on its face.

The facial expressions demonstrated here are truly mind-blowing, and I believe what has made this demonstration so impactful is Ameca's small facial movements such as a furrowed brow, blinking multiple times as if it was waking its eyes up, and looking down at its own hands as if it was inspecting what they are capable of.

One of the largest clothing and footwear design and manufacturers has announced it's being led into the Metaverse.

Adidas has announced that the Bored Ape Yacht Club and PUNKS Comic are now leading the company into the Metaverse, with Adidas teasing a Metaverse where people in "overlooked locations with updates values" are able to share their "most original ideas". Engadget reports that Adidas is being quite cryptic about what it's sharing with its audience about the announcement, but judging on who is involved, it can be assumed that the entry into the Metaverse will come with NFTs.

The extremely popular collection of Bored Ape NFTs that can be purchased on the Ethereum blockchain has a new entry, Adidas' "rebellious optimist" ape Indigo Herz. Adidas said that this is a "sign of what's to come", and pushes people who are interested in learning more about this announcement to download the Adidas' Confirmed app to "discover more". If you are interested in learning more about this story, or would like to download the app, check out the Adidas website here.

Researchers have identified an asteroid that is scheduled to make a relatively close approach to Earth very soon.

The asteroid is 4660 Nereus, and it measures in at a whopping 1,083 feet in diameter, which is just shy of the height of the Empire State Building. 4660 Nereus was first discovered back in 1982, and every 10 years or so, the massive asteroid flies relatively close by Earth which makes it a perfect candidate for asteroid missions. Next week on December 11, 4660, Nereus will pass by Earth at a safe distance of 2.44 million miles, which is a little over 10 times the distance between Earth and the Moon.

4660 Nereus is officially classified as a "potentially hazardous" object, as is any asteroid that passes 4.65 million miles of Earth and has a diameter larger than 500 feet. Reports indicate that the next approach 4660 Nereus makes will be the closest it has made in decades, and the next time that it will come close to Earth will be on February 14, 2060. If you are interested in reading more about asteroids, or comets, check out this link here.

I've written over 25,000 articles in over 11 years at TweakTown, and never... never did I think I'd write the headline "Sperm used by scientists as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic". But hey, here we are... using fish cum as an alternative to plastic. Righty-o.

Anyway, a team of Chinese scientists has created a new raw, squishy material known as "hydrogel" because hydrogel sounds way better than "salmon semen" or "fish cum". The scientists used two small strands of DNA from the sperm of salmon -- yeah, fish cum -- and then combined them with vegetable oil that binds them together, creating hydrogel.

The gel is then molded into different shapes, freeze-dried in order to remove moisture, and already the scientists have turned it into cum cups, I mean plastic cups made from semen-based materials. Because I want my lips around a fish cum-based plastic, instead of real plastic, because I care about the environment that much. Uh, yuck.