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UN study says humans are damaging nature at 'unprecedented' rate
You probably weren't expecting a feel-good nature report from the UN after its alarming findings on climate change, and you won't get one. The organization's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has published a summary of an upcoming study that concludes nature is declining at a pace "unprecedented in human history," and that there are "grave impacts" likely for people around the world. While the finer points of the report aren't available, it makes certain grim facts clear.
Dust storms may have stolen all of Mars' water
In May 2018, Opportunity had been doing science on Mars since 2004, and there was no reason to think that the plucky rover wouldn't carry on. Then, a dust storm hit that completely obscured the planet from view. After fine dust coated Opportunity's solar panels, the rover apparently lost power and was declared dead by NASA in February 2019. Now, scientists think similar storms may have also delivered a coup de grace to water on Mars, stripping it from its surface for good.
First private Japanese rocket reaches space
Japan can finally include itself among the ranks of countries with successful private spaceflight outfits. Interstellar Technologies has successfully launched its MOMO-3 sounding rocket into space, with the vehicle easily crossing the Kármán line (62 miles in altitude) before splashing into the Pacific. It's a modest start -- the rocket only stayed aloft for 8 minutes and 35 seconds -- but it's also a relief after Interstellar's previous two attempts ended in failure.
NASA's Hubble Legacy Field image contains 16 years of data
The Hubble Space Telescope has been capturing tons of space images since it entered orbit in 1990. Now, NASA has put together a mosaic photo using 16 years' worth of data to create one of the widest views of the universe we've ever seen. The image, called Hubble Legacy Field, was created from 7,500 individual exposures captured in wavelengths spanning from ultraviolet to near-infrared light by 31 different programs.
The Morning After: Firefox extensions stopped working for a while
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Welcome to your weekend! The weekend got off to a bad start for the Firefox team, but other notable stories this week included the Sonic trailer and Samsung's odd vertically-oriented TV. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as fresh updates like a new Star Wars-branded Lego Boost kit.
SpaceX says its Crew Dragon capsule was destroyed during test
A SpaceX official confirmed Thursday during a press briefing that one of the company's Crew Dragon capsules meant for crewed spaceflight was destroyed, according to CNBC. The update from the company confirms reports that followed the failed April 20th test. SpaceX has yet to provide more details about the incident other than to say it was the result of an "anomaly." The company still moving forward with a plan to launch another Crew Dragon capsule that is set to dock with the International Space Station.
The Morning After: Epic bought the maker of 'Rocket League'
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Are you ready for the first 5G-connected TV? Huawei may have one on the way; however, we're probably closer to seeing all of Google's Pixel 3a and the Moto Z4. Also, NASA uncovered a fraud scheme that resulted in a couple of destroyed rockets, and tinkerers should check out this DIY smartwatch project.
IBM hopes AI can speed up glaucoma treatment
A glaucoma diagnosis typically requires multiple painstaking tests to accurately gauge vision loss. If IBM has its way, though, you might just have to ask a computer to do the hard work. The company's research wing has used AI to discover retina imaging data that could be used to detect and manage glaucoma. A deep learning system estimates the visual field index (the degree of visual function) based on a single 3D scan of the optic nerve, giving an idea of how glaucoma has developed with greater accuracy than conventional tests.
NASA was sold faulty rocket parts for almost 20 years
When the launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory and Glory missions failed in 2009 and 2011, the agency said it was because their launch vehicle malfunctioned. The clamshell structure (called fairing) encapsulating the satellites as they traveled aboard Orbital ATK's Taurus XL rocket failed to separate on command. Now, a NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) investigation has revealed that the malfunction was caused by faulty aluminum materials. More importantly, the probe blew a 19-year fraud scheme perpetrated by Oregon aluminum extrusion manufacturer Sapa Profiles, Inc., which Orbital ATK fell victim to, wide open.
Anki is closing the doors on its toy robot business
Anki, the startup responsible for adorable robotics, is closing its doors and will terminate nearly 200 employees Wednesday. CEO Boris Sofman broke the news to staff today, Recode reports. In a statement provided to Engadget, the company said, "A significant financial deal at a late stage fell through with a strategic investor and we were not able to reach an agreement."
FCC clears SpaceX to fly internet satellites in lower orbit
SpaceX is one step closer to fulfilling its plans of launching a host of internet satellites. The FCC has approved its revised plan that would fly over 1,500 of its Starlink satellites at a lower orbit of 'just' 550km (about 342 miles). The move clears the path for an initial Starlink launch "no earlier than" May, the company said. Theoretically, the lower flight path allows coverage with fewer satellites, lowers latency and reduces the chances of space debris.
Implant turns brain signals into synthesized speech
People with neurological conditions who lose the ability to speak can still send the brain signals used for speech (such as the lips, jaw and larynx), and UCSF researchers might just use that knowledge to bring voices back. They've crafted a brain machine interface that can turn those brain signals into mostly recognizable speech. Instead of trying to read thoughts, the machine learning technology picks up on individual nerve commands and translates those to a virtual vocal tract that approximates the intended output.
NASA's InSight lander may have recorded a marsquake
It might not have taken long for NASA's InSight lander to capture a marsquake. The machine's seismometer recorded trembling on April 6th that seems to have come from within Mars, rather than an above-ground source like the wind or InSight itself. Although the event was too quiet to say much about Mars' insides (it would have been difficult to detect on Earth), it suggested that Mars is, in fact seismically active. There were other events on March 14th, April 10th and April 11th, although they were faint enough as to have been ambiguous.
Particle learning system could help robots make sushi
There have been many attempts at teaching robots how to grab delicate objects, but they tend to rely on rough approximations that quickly fall apart in real life. MIT researchers may have a better solution: teach robots to predict how even the squishiest items will react to their touch. They've developed a "learning-based" particle simulation system that helps robots refine their approach. The new model captures how small pieces of a given material (the "particles" in question) react to touch, and learns from that information when the physics of a given interaction aren't clear. It's akin to how humans intuitively understand grip -- we already have ideas based on our personal understanding of physics.
SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule suffers 'anomaly' in testing
SpaceX's dreams of crewed spaceflight appear to have faced a setback. The company and the US Air Force's 45th Space Wing have confirmed to Florida Today that a Crew Dragon capsule suffered an "anomaly" during a static test fire at Cape Canaveral. Most tests went according to plan, SpaceX said, but a "final test" led to problems on the testing stand. Observers could see smoke from miles away, suggesting that the capsule or something attached to it had caught fire.
Mental health apps are sharing data without proper disclosure
It's important for health apps to keep your data under lock and key, but it's not clear that's the case for some mental health apps. A study of 36 mental health apps (not named in the public release) has revealed that 29 of them were sharing data for advertising or analytics to Facebook or Google, but many of them weren't disclosing that to users. Only six out of 12 Facebook-linked apps told users what was happening, while 12 out of 28 Google-linked apps did the same. Out of the entire bunch, just 25 apps had policies detailing how they used data in any form, while 16 described secondary uses.
Hitting the Books: How calculus is helping unravel DNA's secrets
Welcome to Hitting the Books. With less than one in five Americans reading just for fun these days, we've done the hard work for you by scouring the internet for the most interesting, thought provoking books on science and technology we can find and delivering an easily digestible nugget of their stories.
The Morning After: Cracking open the Galaxy Fold
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Welcome to your weekend! It's time to take a peek inside Samsung's Galaxy Fold and consider what the future of console gaming will look like under the Xbox or PlayStation banner. Also, consumer BBM is going away and remember to avoid any Avengers: Endgame spoilers that have leaked out.
Syringe 'watch' puts a life-saving allergy shot on your wrist
If you're prone to serious allergic reactions, carrying an epinephrine shot (such as an EpiPen) could be vital. Those shots are often bulky, though, and there's a real chance you could lose yours right before you need it. Students at Rice University have a (relatively) simple solution: put the shot on your wrist. They've developed a wearable, the EpiWear, that hides a foldable epinephrine syringe in a device not much larger than a watch. If you're in an emergency, you just need to unfold it, flick a safety lever and push a button when you're ready to inject the medicine into your thigh.
NASA finally found evidence of the universe's earliest molecule
Scientists have long suspected that, around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to form the first molecule, helium hydride. That helped the universe begin to cool and led to the formation of stars. But, despite decades of searching, scientists could never locate helium hydride in space -- until now.