A University of Oklahoma astrophysics team has discovered for the first time a population of planets beyond the Milky Way galaxy. Using microlensing–an astronomical phenomenon and the only known method capable of discovering planets at truly great distances from the Earth among other detection techniques–OU researchers were able to detect objects in extragalactic galaxies that …
The Very Large Telescope’s GRAVITY instrument is online and already gathering data from the extreme environment surrounding our galaxy’s supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A S2’s orbit is the epitome of extreme. In 2018, the star will reach the closest part of its 16-year journey around Sagittarius A*, coming as close as 17 light-hours of the …
The August 17, Gravitational wave measurements of a Neutron star collision have opened a window onto nuclear astrophysics, neutron star demographics and physics and precise astronomical distances said Scott Hughes, an astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. Neutron star collision emit light, x-rays, gamma rays and gravity …
Spacefab is currently building ther Waypoint space telescope with a 21 centimeter mirror. It is launching as a co-payload on a SpaceX rocket in 2019. This commercial telescope will have an image intensified ultraviolet and visible camera, and a 48 megapixel camera for visible and near-infrared imaging for astronomical and Earth observation purposes, available for …
Andy Weir wrote the Martian. His new book is about a lunar colony of 2000 people late in the 21st century. He looked at the science and economics of a lunar colony. Eighty-five percent of the rocks on the surface of the lunar highlands are anorthite, which contains aluminum as well as a massive supply …
Lockheed revealed the first images from an experimental, ultra-thin optical instrument, showing it could be possible to shrink space telescopes to a sliver of the size of today’s systems while maintaining equivalent resolution. Weighing 90 percent less than a typical telescope, the Segmented Planar Imaging Detector for Electro-Optical Reconnaissance (SPIDER) opens a path for extremely …
The Google Word Lens app is now available in Japanese. You’ll never have to worry about taking a wrong turn on a busy Shibuya street or ordering something you wouldn’t normally eat. The Google Translate app already lets you snap a photo of Japanese text and get a translation for it in English. But it’s …
Arrival has been out for a while and is actual mostly out of theaters I just want to point something out that I noticed. Minor spoiler. The pair of aliens are called Abbot and Costello. They look more like Kang and Kodos. Brian WangBrian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger …
DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program envisions flight operations with reduced onboard aircrew while improving mission performance and flight safety—all through a tailorable, drop-in, removable kit that would provide advanced automation to existing aircraft. In two important steps toward that goal, DARPA has recently completed Phase 2 of this development effort and has …
Scientists at Cern have found a new way to unlock the secrets of antimatter. In a major technological advance, physicists shone a laser on trapped anti-atoms to detect whether they behaved any differently to atoms. The work could shed light on one of the enduring mysteries about antimatter. Although the Big Bang produced matter and …
1. Forbes James Conca – Oops! – Rick Perry Chosen To Head Energy Department The former Texas Governor is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to become the next Secretary for the Department of Energy (DOE). This is amazing given that Governor Perry wanted to kill the Department completely. Everyone seems fixated on shifting DOE away from …