Reports - Part 13
671 reports
NASA Tests Fire-Resistant Webbing for Moon and Mars Missions
NASA testing found that a natural gold-colored Kevlar(R) and PBI webbing met flammability criteria in a high-oxygen environment, though complete softgoods assemblies still require configuration and wear testing
Medieval Stone Structure Discovered Outside Selja Monastery in Norway
Archaeologists using ground-penetrating radar have identified a substantial medieval stone wall outside the Selja monastery in western Norway, raising new questions about the scale and complexity of this early Christian site
Tech Giants Form Open Secure AI Alliance to Counter Cyber Threats
NVIDIA, Microsoft, SpaceX, and other major firms have launched the Open Secure AI Alliance to develop open-source tools for defending software, AI agents, and infrastructure from cyberattacks, highlighting new security challenges as AI systems proliferate
NASA's Roman Telescope Will Carry 1.35 Million Names to L2
A memory card carrying 1,350,144 names has been mounted on NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope ahead of its planned launch to an orbit about one million miles from Earth
Mercury and Jupiter Meet as Venus Rules August Skies
Venus reaches its widest evening separation from the Sun on Aug. 15, while Mercury and Jupiter pass within 0.6 degrees before dawn in a difficult but rewarding conjunction
How to Watch the 2026 Solar Eclipse Safely in the UK
The August 12, 2026, eclipse will cover about 90% of the Sun in parts of the UK. Here is how to choose certified eye protection and compare viewing options without risking permanent damage
Apollo 15's Lunar Rover Turned Moonwalking Into Exploration
Apollo 15's Lunar Roving Vehicle gave astronauts their first way to travel extensively across the moon's surface, extending scientific exploration beyond the immediate landing site in July 1971
Playmobil's Space Sets Span Star Trek, Mars and ESA Missions
From a meter-long USS Enterprise to ESA-inspired lunar rovers and compact Mars vehicles, these 13 Playmobil sets turn space exploration into hands-on play across a wide range of ages and budgets
Coffee-Filled Soft Gripper Shows Low-Cost Robotic Handling Advance
A soft robotic gripper using a latex membrane and coffee grounds has demonstrated the ability to securely grasp fragile and irregular objects without cameras or complex sensors, offering a low-cost alternative for robotic manipulation tasks
Crusoe and Aalo plan nuclear-powered data center for AI workloads
Crusoe and Aalo Atomics have announced a partnership to build a modular data center powered by a small nuclear reactor, aiming to test nuclear energy's suitability for large-scale AI computing at Idaho National Laboratory in 2027
NASA's SARP Students Launch Ozone Sensors in Gulf Coast Field Campaign
Undergraduates in NASA's Student Airborne Research Program deployed ozonesonde balloons and flew on science aircraft to collect atmospheric data over the Texas Gulf Coast, gaining hands-on experience with field instruments and satellite validation
IBM Quantum Processors Run Verified Tasks Beyond Supercomputer Reach
IBM and research partners have demonstrated quantum processors performing tasks that exceed the reach of leading classical supercomputers, using new verification methods to establish trust in quantum outputs where classical checks fail
Hybrid Quantum Interference Links Atomic and Semiconductor Photon Sources
Researchers in South Korea have directly demonstrated two-photon interference between a quantum dot and a warm cesium atomic vapor, achieving photon indistinguishability across distinct quantum hardware without active filtering or frequency conversion
US Naval Research Lab Sets Quantum Technology Priorities for Defense
The US Naval Research Laboratory has detailed its Quantum Science Institute's operational roadmap, focusing on quantum sensing, computing, networking, and materials to address defense and maritime needs under new federal directives
FAA Proposes Easing Environmental Rules for Commercial Space Launches
A new FAA proposal aims to accelerate commercial rocket launches and spacecraft reentries by waiving certain environmental regulations, raising questions about the balance between mission demand and environmental oversight
Google DeepMind Expands Gemini Robotics to Full-Body Humanoid Control
Google DeepMind has released Gemini Robotics 2, a model designed to control entire humanoid robots, enabling walking, object manipulation, and multi-robot coordination with limited retraining across different robot platforms
Triple-Lobed Asteroid 44 Nysa Imaged With Orbiting Moon in Asteroid Belt
Astronomers have resolved asteroid 44 Nysa as the first known triple-lobed body in the main belt, using adaptive optics on major ground-based telescopes. The object also hosts a small moon, raising new questions about asteroid formation and evolution.
Ohio AI Data Center to Operate on 350 MW Off-Grid Microgrid
A new AI data center campus in Ohio will use a dedicated 350 megawatt microgrid, operated by Veolia, to supply all its electricity needs, bypassing the regional grid and aiming to accelerate deployment of large-scale computing infrastructure
Ancient DNA Reveals Two Unknown Human Lineages in Modern Genomes
A new genome analysis method has identified traces of two previously unknown extinct human lineages in the DNA of living people, offering fresh insight into ancient population interactions and the complexity of human evolution
Ice Age Bird Figurines Unearthed in Hohle Fels Cave, Germany
Archaeologists have identified two miniature bird carvings from mammoth ivory in Hohle Fels cave, Germany, dating to around 40,000 years ago. The finds expand evidence for symbolic art among early Homo sapiens in Upper Paleolithic Europe
Ancient Inca Mummies Yield Earliest Smallpox DNA in the Americas
Researchers have recovered ancient smallpox DNA from two Inca mummies in northern Chile, providing the first direct molecular evidence that European-introduced smallpox reached South America during the early colonial period
Astronomers Link Two Supernova Remnants to a Single Binary Star System
A faint supernova remnant near the Jellyfish Nebula has been identified as the likely companion explosion from a binary star system, based on 16 years of gamma-ray data and multiwavelength observations
Galileo's 1610 Observation of Saturn's Rings Changed Planetary Science
In July 1610, Galileo Galilei used a newly invented telescope to observe Saturn, recording features that would later be identified as the planet's rings-a finding that reshaped our understanding of planetary systems
Satellite Images Reveal Penguin Diet Shifts on Antarctica's Danger Islands
NASA's Landsat 8 satellite and drone surveys have enabled researchers to monitor Adélie penguin colonies on the Danger Islands by analyzing the color of their guano, offering new insight into how changing sea ice may affect Antarctic food webs
Webb Telescope Maps Dusty Structures in Active Galaxy Centaurus A
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed mid-infrared image of Centaurus A, revealing complex dust lanes and energetic activity in this nearby galaxy using its MIRI instrument
Estonian Startup Demonstrates Autonomous Monowheel Security Robot
Rollo Robotics has introduced 1ROLLO, a single-wheel robot designed for autonomous patrols of large facilities, using computer vision and edge AI to monitor industrial sites and campuses with minimal human intervention
FLUX-mimic Model Cuts Robot Training Time for Factory Tasks
Mimic Robotics and Black Forest Labs have introduced FLUX-mimic, a video-action model that enables industrial robots to learn complex manipulation tasks from video demonstrations using far less training data than previous approaches
SpaceX Rocket Stage to Impact Moon, Raising New Scientific Questions
A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is set to collide with the lunar surface on August 5, offering researchers a rare opportunity to observe the effects of artificial impacts on the Moon using telescopes and orbital instruments
July's Buck Moon Captured Worldwide Amid Wildfires and Atmospheric Haze
Astronomers and photographers documented the July Buck Moon on July 29, 2026, as it rose through wildfire smoke and atmospheric haze, producing striking images across multiple continents and urban skylines
NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for Early Launch to L2 Orbit
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for launch on August 30, aiming to deliver wide-field infrared surveys and exoplanet imaging from a stable orbit beyond the Moon
Part 13 of 20