Oxford researchers think we’re probably alone in the universe — here’s why
You don't have to be an X-Files fan to have wondered whether or not humankind is alone in the universe? While the universe is a big place, a new paper published by researchers at Oxford University suggests that there's a good chance that we are indeed. So much for meeting E.T.!
MIT’s zero-gravity musical instrument provides a soundtrack for space travel
What will provide the soundtrack to our future space exploration? Quite possibly MIT Media Labs' Telemetron, the first electronic musical instrument to be designed specifically to be performed in zero-gravity environments. Check it out in all its oddball futuristic glory.
Moving around in zero gravity is hard. MIT’s solution? Spider-Man’s web shooter
Researchers from MIT have been researching optimal ways for astronauts to more easily move around in microgravity conditions. One of their suggestions? That astronauts use Spider-Man-style web shooters to pull themselves from location to location. Check out the device they created.
Science says waste beer could help us live on Mars
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a new super-insulating gel, created from beer waste, which could one day be used for building greenhouse-like habitats on Mars. Here's how it works, and why this is such a promising material both on Earth and beyond.
Want a future-proof degree? Head to Colorado for asteroid mining
Are you an engineering grad, economist, physicist, or policy analyst looking to become an expert in an exciting new discipline? If so, the Colorado School of Mines has the perfect answer for you: You should take up space mining. And they have the perfect course to help.
Asteroid mining is almost reality. What to know about the gold rush in space
Mining resources from asteroids may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but it could be well on its way to becoming science fact. What will be mined? Why do we want this? And who are the big names to watch out for? Check out our beginner's guide to all things space rock-drilling.
Who will be the first private passenger to the moon? SpaceX will tell us today
Later today, Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to announce the name of the mystery passenger who it will launch into orbit around the Moon. Provided all goes according to plan, this person will become the first lunar traveler since the last U.S. Apollo mission way back in 1972.
New simulation shows how Elon Musk’s internet satellite network might work
Starlink is Elon Musk’s ambitious dream of building a network for conveying internet traffic via thousands of satellites Musk hopes to have in orbit by the mid-2020s. A new simulation created by a computer scientist looks at how feasible the idea is. Here's what he concluded.
New technique could allow astronomers to send messages through the void of space
What do you do when you really want to send a message, but your smartphone just isn’t up to the job? Simple: You vibrate space itself so as to harness it as a communication method. At least, that's one method of future space communication put forward by researchers in a new paper.
NASA’s space observatory will map the sky with unprecedented detail
NASA is preparing to launch a cutting-edge space observatory to create the most detailed map ever produced of the sky. Doing so will involve surveying hundreds of millions of galaxies -- some of which are so far away that their light takes 10 billion years to reach Earth.
Another giant leap: U.S. plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says that President Donald Trump is directing NASA to commit to sending American astronauts to the moon by 2024. Provided that this is carried out successfully, it will be the first time that people have walked on the moon since December 1972.
Sustainability guidelines could help solve the growing problem of trash in space
Not content with trashing our own planet, it seems that humanity has a growing problem with space debris as well. A new set of Space Sustainability Rating guidelines, aimed at future satellite and rocket launches, hopes to help by cracking down on the very worst offenders going forward.
NASA wants astronauts to light fires on the International Space Station
Lighting a fire carries an element of risk. Doing it in microgravity on a space station 250 miles above Earth is something else entirely. Which is exactly why astronauts on the ISS have been asked to unleash their inner pyromaniac for a new experiment. Here's what they're doing.
NASA will snatch an asteroid sample with a flying robotic arm next week
If it's successful, the sample will be transported back to Earth by 2023, where it could shed light on the origins of life as we know it.
The latest wild idea for space exploration? Robots made from hunks of ice
Instead of building robots here on Earth and then sending them to distant planets, some say we should build the robots on those planets with found materials
This spherical, BB-8 style robot is built to explore lava caves on the moon
Scientists want to explore a cave on the moon to determine if we could build a habitat inside it. How? With a Star Wars-style robot, of course!
Virgin Galactic’s latest test flight takes it to the edge of space
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic has successfully carried out its fourth powered flight in Mojave, California. The flight took the company’s VSS Unity SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane to the edge of space. It was the company's most ambitious test flight yet -- and bodes well for the future.
Blue Origin test fires the engine that could help it land on the moon
Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company Blue Origin has carried out a test firing of its BE-7 engine, the propulsion system which it hopes will help humankind land on the moon for the first time since 1972. Check out a video showing the impressive test firing, which took place this week.
Looking for a good read? Here are the best, most eye-opening books about tech
Sometimes it's sensible to put down the gadgets and pick up a good old-fashioned book -- to read about the latest gadgets, of course.
Are fidget toys legitimately good for your brain, or pseudoscientific snake oil?
“Fidget” isn’t a word with the most positive of connotations. But according to a number of studies, it may actually turn out to be beneficial.
Create a 3D model of your home in mere minutes with Canvas app for iOS
Canvas is a new iOS app that lets iPad users easily capture scans of entire rooms in their (or other people’s) homes, complete with accurate measurements.
This music app uses a clever new technique to preserve (and improve) your hearing
TSC Music is a new smartphone music app that detects the worst key frequency of your hearing and stimulates it.
Breast-feeding smart sensor tells parents how much milk their baby is drinking
Being a new parent is tough, but Momsense's acoustic smart sensor -- which tracks how much milk your little one is drinking -- can help make it a tiny bit easier. Here's how it works.
Gotta catch ’em all? Not with Biem, the first app-based STD testing service
Hailed as the “world’s first virtual sexual health practice,” Biem is a mobile app that lets people get tested for STDs from their own home.
The best A.I. movies of all time
There are some great tech documentaries out there, but sometimes you just need a good feature film. But which one to choose for the discerning A.I. fan? Combing through the cinematic archives, we've selected our picks for the A.I.-themed movies you have to see before you go.
The final frontier? Astronauts could recycle their waste into protein paste
Researchers at Penn State have used a research grant from NASA to develop technology for breaking down human waste and transforming it into astronaut food that’s hygienic and safe.