NASA’s Voyager 1 is approaching a milestone no human-made object has ever achieved. On November 18, 2026, the spacecraft is expected to reach a distance of one light-day from Earth, meaning a radio signal will take 24 hours to reach it and another 24 hours to return. Nearly 50 years after launch, the historic crossing comes as engineers struggle to keep the aging spacecraft operational following an unexplained communications blackout. NASA’s Most Distant Spacecraft Is About to Enter a New Era of Communication Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 has traveled farther from Earth than any other spacecraft in…
Author: Michael
As a California state senator, Scott Wiener authored legislation aimed at curbing the risks of advanced AI. Now, after winning a tight congressional race for former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s open San Francisco seat, he could play a key role in setting federal AI policy. I spoke with Wiener on Friday, only a few hours after he had been declared the victor. But he was already thinking about AI risk. The previous day, the AI nonprofit METR had released a report that had been widely interpreted as evidence that Anthropic had achieved recursive self-improvement, a phenomenon in which…
Sperm whales and pygmy sperm whales are known among mammals for their unusually shaped heads. Unlike most vertebrates, which are bilaterally symmetrical, toothed whales have asymmetrical skulls that accommodate highly specialized organs used for echolocation and sound production.
Cultivating crops—such as wheat, barley and rye—alongside rows of trees is a system of agroforestry that is known as “alley-cropping.” It serves many functions: in addition to enhancing ecosystems and biodiversity, it can also counteract the negative effects of growing crops in treeless open land. The advantages of alley-cropping come from the interaction between trees and crops, resulting in improved soil quality, reduced wind erosion, enhanced nutrient cycling, and climate change mitigation through increased carbon capture.
Uber Parking is the latest example of the company offering products beyond its core ride-hailing service.
Anthropic bought billions of dollars worth of natural gas turbines in a deal that could give it buyer’s remorse.
Australia’s broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) is as unique as it is threatened. However, ecologists at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have good news about this reptile. According to researchers, four of six captive-bred juveniles recently released into the Australian bush have survived their initial, most dangerous months outdoors. The team’s first-of-its-kind program may provide a promising path forward for the species—and a set of bespoke, artificial rocks may be the key. “Reintroducing any threatened species is challenging, especially when they’re captive bred,” explained University of Technology Sydney (UTS) wildlife ecologist Jonathan Webb. “When the juvenile snakes are released, they…
NASA is putting $1 million on the line for students who can help design humanity’s future home on the Moon. The newly launched Moon Base Student Challenge invites young innovators across the United States to tackle the engineering problems standing between short lunar missions and a sustained human presence near the Moon’s South Pole. NASA Wants Students to Help Build the Future of Lunar Exploration The next generation of lunar explorers may help shape the Moon’s first sustained human outpost long before they become professional engineers. On November 8, 2026, NASA officially opened its $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge…
NASA is putting $1 million on the line for students who can help design humanity’s future home on the Moon. The newly launched Moon Base Student Challenge invites young innovators across the United States to tackle the engineering problems standing between short lunar missions and a sustained human presence near the Moon’s South Pole. NASA Wants Students to Help Build the Future of Lunar Exploration The next generation of lunar explorers may help shape the Moon’s first sustained human outpost long before they become professional engineers. On November 8, 2026, NASA officially opened its $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge…
Is any good deed truly selfless—and does it matter?