Recent Developments in Science, Technology, and Space Exploration

The SpaceX Falcon Lunar Crash Is a Warning for Moon Bases

The risk of more debris hitting the moon is on the rise as the space race heats up.

A New Device Eases One of the Most Annoying Parts of Routine Physicals

Nobody likes getting a swab shoved up their nose. A startup in Japan has developed a much less intrusive system.

One of NASA’s Most Important Deep Space Observatories Hit by Spanish Wildfires

Flames burned through the Deep Space Communications Complex near Madrid, but NASA has been unable to assess the damage as a wildfire emergency grips the region.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Is About to Crash Into the Moon—and It Could Be Visible From Earth

The impact will kick up a plume of debris so high, it’ll likely be visible through some telescopes. Astronomers will be watching.

Scientists’ Side Hustle? Using AI and Quantum Computing to Generate New Peptides

Researchers cobbled together funding and time to show how quantum computing could aid in the development of drugs to help underserved populations and combat rare diseases.

The Search for Another Earth-Like Planet Just Took a Big Step Forward

Astronomers have discovered a rocky exoplanet that has an atmosphere and sits within the habitable zone of a solar system.

An Inventor of Apple’s FaceID Wants to Analyze Your Brain’s Health With AI

Gidi Littwin’s new AI startup, Hemispheric, makes diagnostic brain scans for conditions like depression, PTSD, and Parkinson’s. He wants the technology to be as cheap and easy as for a blood test.

Tropial Diseases Like Dengue Fever and Chikungunya Are on the Rise in Europe

Climate change is helping invasive species to not only establish themselves across the continent but to stay alive for longer. Scientists suggest we get used to it.

Google’s Gemini Can Now Stomp Around as a Humanoid Robot

The latest version of Google DeepMind's AI model includes a significant jump into “physical AGI.” But plopping AI into the real world comes with risks.

The US Approves Launch of Mirror Satellite That Can Reflect Sunlight and Illuminate the Earth at Night

The FCC authorized Reflect Orbital to launch the mirror satellite Eärendil-1. “For optical astronomy, this poses an existential threat,” the European Southern Observatory said.

China’s Tianwen-2 Space Probe Has Rendezvoused With Earth’s Quasi-Moon

The probe sent back the first pictures of the asteroid Kamo’oalewa. Next step: landing on the surface and collecting samples to send back to Earth.