Orchestrating a swarm of robots for exploration of canyon on Mars
An enormous canyon stretches across Mars: Valles Marineris is 3,000 kilometers long, 600 kilometers wide and on average 8 kilometers deep. Its Latin name goes back to the Mars orbiter Mariner, which discovered the valley in the early 1970s......»»
Watch Figure’s latest humanoid robot performing tasks autonomously
Robotics startup Figure has shared a new video showing several of its humanoid robots performing a task that could be applied to the automotive industry......»»
A 4.45 billion-year-old crystal from Mars reveals the planet had water from the beginning
Water is ubiquitous on Earth—about 70% of Earth's surface is covered by the stuff. Water is in the air, on the surface and inside rocks. Geologic evidence suggests water has been stable on Earth since about 4.3 billion years ago......»»
A former Orion manager has surprisingly credible plans to fly European astronauts
"I know it's super hard, and I know it was crazy." It would be easy to be cynical about a German-French startup named The Exploration Company, which aims to build an increasingly.....»»
Oldest direct evidence of hot water activity on Mars found
New Curtin University-led research has uncovered what may be the oldest direct evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars, revealing the planet may have been habitable at some point in its past......»»
A former Orion engineer has surprisingly credible plans to fly European astronauts
"I know it's super hard, and I know it was crazy." It would be easy to be cynical about a German-French startup named The Exploration Company, which aims to build an increasingly.....»»
Scientists construct first complete energy spectrum of solar high-energy protons in Martian space
Scientists have constructed the first complete proton energy spectrum observed during an eruptive solar event in Martian space, deepening our understanding of the radiation environment around Mars......»»
Check out this incredible panorama of Mars taken by Curiosity
A stunning panorama shows the haunting terrain of the Gediz Vallis channel, where the Curiosity rover has been exploring......»»
Making Mars"s moons: Supercomputers offer "disruptive" new explanation
A NASA study using a series of supercomputer simulations reveals a potential new solution to a longstanding Martian mystery: How did Mars get its moons? The first step, the findings say, may have involved the destruction of an asteroid......»»
Curiosity, images, and scientific exploration: New book by physicist explores remarkable phenomena
When we gaze at nature's remarkable phenomena, we might feel a mix of awe, curiosity, and determination to understand what we are looking at. That is certainly a common response for MIT's Alan Lightman, a trained physicist and prolific author of book.....»»
How the Science of Curiosity Boosts Learning
Understanding curiosity can help people—and robots—learn faster.....»»
Mars Curiosity rover takes a last look at mysterious sulfur
NASA's Curiosity rover is preparing for the next leg of its journey, a months-long trek to a formation called the boxwork, a set of weblike patterns on Mars's surface that stretches for miles. It will soon leave behind Gediz Vallis channel, an area w.....»»
The new Mars landing approach: How we"ll land large payloads on the Red Planet
Back in 2007, I talked with Rob Manning, engineer extraordinaire at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and he told me something shocking. Even though he had successfully led the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) teams for three Mars rover missions, he sa.....»»
Nanorobots move closer to clinical trials with new model that helps them navigate through the bloodstream
From repairing deadly brain bleeds to tackling tumors with precise chemotherapy, micro/nano-robots (MNRs) are a promising, up-and-coming tool that have the power to substantially advance health care. However, this tool still has difficulty navigating.....»»
Volcanic caves research advances the search for life on Mars
Through the intricate study of lava tubes—caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down—an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth's ancient environments that could be significant in the search for life.....»»
Big Bang: Trump and Musk could redefine US space strategy
Should NASA return to the moon, or go straight to Mars? Maintain its focus on climate science, or pivot away?.....»»
Saturday Citations: Cold dark matter takes a hit; a new paradigm for biology; those fracking earthquakes
This week, researchers formulated a new method to calculate the probability of generating intelligent life in the universe. Investigations of a meteorite that originated on Mars revealed that it once interacted with liquid water. And an analysis of f.....»»
Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago
An asteroid struck Mars 11 million years ago and sent pieces of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth somewhere near Purdue University and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced.....»»
Happy New Year on Mars
12 November 2024 marks the start of a new year on Mars. At exactly 10:32 CET/09:32 UTC on Earth, the Red Planet begins a new orbit around our sun......»»
Planetary defense mission Hera blasts off toward Mars
The European Space Agency's Hera mission is on its way toward Mars, where it will get a gravity assist before going on to its asteroid target......»»
Geologists rewrite textbooks with new insights from Cambrian rocks of Grand Canyon
Since soon after our planet formed, Earth's 4.6 billion-year-long history was dominated by single-celled life. Something dramatic happened about 500 million years ago called the Cambrian "explosion," during which an incredible diversity of life forms.....»»