Experimental robot performs simulated surgical operations aboard space station
Source: NBC
A surgical robot originally intended for space has the potential to revolutionize surgery here on Earth.
Technology
A new device let a man sense temperature with his prosthetic hand
Source: ScienceNews
Researchers in Italy and Switzerland have developed a new device that makes it possible for a person with an amputation to sense temperature through their prosthetic hand. The technology is a major step toward prosthetic limbs that could restore a full range of senses, improving both the prosthesis’s usefulness and its acceptance by those who wear them.
Naming Apollo: Why NASA chooses Greek gods as names
Source: Astronomy.com
In 2019, NASA announced that the agency’s efforts to return to the Moon would be named the Artemis program. The goddess Artemis was heavily associated with the moon, and she’s also the twin of Apollo, whose name graced NASA’s first lunar missions in the 1960s. But why does NASA choose mythological names in the first place?
The Amazon’s ancient complex of ‘lost cities’ flourished for a thousand years
Source: NBC
A new discovery in the Amazon unveils more information about the vibrant and complex civilization of the Upano people, who populated the region thousands of years ago.
People Are Increasingly Worried A.I. Will Make Daily Life Worse
Source: Wired
Like it or not, artificial intelligence is here to stay–and it is making its way into every part of our lives. With self-driving cars using A.I. to make split-second steering decisions, A.I. helping to sort job and college applications, and companies using A.I, to sway customer behavior, a lot of people are growing fearful of the technology. People used to fear monsters in the darkness, but in modern times, some of our scariest monsters are lines of code in a machine.
These Chemists Cracked the Code to Long-Lasting Roman Concrete
Source: ScienceNews
Its formula long forgotten, the mystery of why Roman concrete remained strong over several millennia when more modern versions crumbled much faster has long baffled scientists and engineers. But now the secret of “self-healing” concrete has been rediscovered and it could lead to a construction revolution more than 2,000 years after it was first discovered.
10 Offbeat Things Humans Have Launched into Space
Source: How Stuff Works
Did you know that Buzz Lightyear has really been to space? Most of the more than 100 space trips have included an odd item or two on board. Read to find out more about the interesting, and sometimes wacky, items that have traveled to space.
Harnessing the Military Power of Animal Intelligence
Source: CNN U.S.
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy revealed that sea lions and dolphins were being used to find and retrieve valuable equipment from the sea floor. These animals are also being trained to help clear mines and to protect our harbors. Read to learn about the secret uses of marine mammals!
‘We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things’
Source: The Atlantic
Online shopping can be a convenience. Yet the ease of buying online might also contribute to hoarding disorder and overspending. Review the research in this article to find out more.
Hollywood Writers Reached an A.I. Deal That Will Rewrite History
Source: Wired
The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike for 148 days this summer, demanding that studios put guardrails around AI’s encroachment on their work. The effects of their new contract will echo in industries far beyond Hollywood.