It’s been a long, strange trip out of the solar system for NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, and it may be a bit longer still.
Voyager 1, which launched 35 years ago today, has ventured farther from Earth than any other spacecraft in history. Voyager 1 is now 18.2 billion kilometers from Earth—so distant that it takes radio commands traveling at the speed of light nearly 17 hours to reach the spacecraft. (The twin Voyager 2 probe launched first but took a more leisurely route through the solar system. It is now 14.8 billion kilometers from Earth.). |  |
Voyager’s Long Journey: 35 Years of Incredible Solar System Images
Starting 35 years ago, our view of the solar system was forever changed.
The launch of the Voyager 1 probe on Sept. 5, 1977 ushered in a golden era of planetary exploration. Along with its sister probe, Voyager 2, the spacecraft took the first detailed images of planets in the outer solar system, discovering magnificent rings, churning atmospheric processes, and volcanic activity on tiny moons. Voyager 2 actually launched on Aug. 20, slightly earlier than its counterpart, but took a longer route to reach Jupiter and Saturn after Voyager 1.
The launch of the Voyager 1 probe on Sept. 5, 1977 ushered in a golden era of planetary exploration. Along with its sister probe, Voyager 2, the spacecraft took the first detailed images of planets in the outer solar system, discovering magnificent rings, churning atmospheric processes, and volcanic activity on tiny moons. Voyager 2 actually launched on Aug. 20, slightly earlier than its counterpart, but took a longer route to reach Jupiter and Saturn after Voyager 1.
New obsidian source points to ancient control of resources
As ancient sites and cultural heritage are under threat in Syria during the increasingly destructive conflict, an interdisciplinary research team hopes this new discovery, which has major implications for understanding the world’s first empire, will help highlight the importance of protecting Syria’s heritage.
Obsidian, naturally occurring volcanic glass, is smooth, hard, and far sharper than a surgical scalpel when fractured, making it a highly desired raw material for crafting stone tools for most of human history. In fact, obsidian tools continued to be used throughout the ancient Middle East for millennia beyond the introduction of metals, and obsidian blades are still used today as scalpels in specialised medical procedures.
Obsidian, naturally occurring volcanic glass, is smooth, hard, and far sharper than a surgical scalpel when fractured, making it a highly desired raw material for crafting stone tools for most of human history. In fact, obsidian tools continued to be used throughout the ancient Middle East for millennia beyond the introduction of metals, and obsidian blades are still used today as scalpels in specialised medical procedures.
Men See Things Differently Than Women – Literally
New research shows that the visual centers of men’s and women’s brains are different, with men having greater sensitivity to fine detail and rapidly moving stimuli, while women are better at distinguishing between colors.
For the study, researchers from Brooklyn and Hunter Colleges of the City University of New York recruited a number of men and women over the age of 16 — both college students and staff — who all had normal color vision and 20/20 sight (or 20/20 when corrected by glasses or contact lenses). |  |
Watch an amazing example of "human powered helicopter" flight
(CBS News) A team from the University of Maryland has created an amazing contraption that allows for some high-flying fun using the medium of "human powered helicopter" flight. Phew, try saying that a few times in a row! And then watch the insanely awesome video.
Man Walks With Aid of Brain-Controlled Robotic Legs
Walking on a treadmill is no great feat, unless your legs are being moved by a robotic device connected to your brain.
A new brain-computer interface allows a person to walk using a pair of mechanical leg braces controlled by brain signals (above), as reported on arXiv. The device has only been tested on able-bodied people, and while it has limitations, it lays a foundation for helping people with paralysis walk again.
A new brain-computer interface allows a person to walk using a pair of mechanical leg braces controlled by brain signals (above), as reported on arXiv. The device has only been tested on able-bodied people, and while it has limitations, it lays a foundation for helping people with paralysis walk again.
UK paraplegic woman first to take robotic suit home
LONDON -- A British woman paralyzed from the chest down by a horse riding accident has become the first person to take home a robotic exoskeleton that enables her to walk.
Although bionic exoskeletons have been used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, Claire Lomas is the first to take the ReWalk suit home for everyday use.
Although bionic exoskeletons have been used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, Claire Lomas is the first to take the ReWalk suit home for everyday use.
Brain-controlled drone: It's just what you think
A quadcopter drone controlled by thought commands has taken to the skies at Zhejiang University in China. The prototype, called FlyingBuddy2, showcases the future of hands-free interaction that could allow people to pilot everything from remote-controlled toys to fighter jets with their brains.
To work, the pilot wears an emotiv electroencephalography (EEG) headset that interprets brain activity as commands that are routed to a laptop via Bluetooth and then to the drone over Wi-Fi.
To work, the pilot wears an emotiv electroencephalography (EEG) headset that interprets brain activity as commands that are routed to a laptop via Bluetooth and then to the drone over Wi-Fi.
Astronauts Use Toothbrush for Space Station Fix
It took hard work, determination and some MacGyver-esque ingenuity for a pair of spacewalking astronauts to fix a key power system aboard the International Space Station Wednesday (Sept. 5).
NASA spaceflyer Sunita Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide spent nearly 6 1/2 hours yesterday outside in the vacuum of space to properly install a pair of bolts that had caused problems for the pair during a previous spacewalk last week. |  |
The Environmental Impact Of Wasted Food
We wrote last week about our giant food waste problem. Here's more fuel for the fire: an infographic from U.K. food industry magazine Next Generation Food that illustrates the environmental impact of wasted food.
The infographic includes some remarkable statistics taken from a peer-reviewed study about food waste in the U.S. Waste has increased by about 50% since 1974, and now accounts for nearly 40% of all food produced in the U.S. Across the supply chain, we lose 1,400 kilocalories per head per day, or 150 trillion kilocalories each year.
The infographic includes some remarkable statistics taken from a peer-reviewed study about food waste in the U.S. Waste has increased by about 50% since 1974, and now accounts for nearly 40% of all food produced in the U.S. Across the supply chain, we lose 1,400 kilocalories per head per day, or 150 trillion kilocalories each year.
If we want food to remain cheap we need to stop putting it in our cars
Coverage of the US drought and the run-up in corn, soybean, and wheat prices has been extensive and welcome. It has also been prone to the repetition of falsehoods and the perpetuation of myths about the causes of the food crisis – and the solutions. A recent Guardian article, "The era of cheap food may be over," is a case in point. Specifically, it perpetuates the myth that the main driver of food price increases is demand for meat in fast-growing developing countries. This effectively downplays the full impact of biofuels and ignores two problems underlying price volatility: financial speculation and the lack of publicly held food reserves.
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Arctic ice melt 'like adding 20 years of CO2 emissions'
The loss of Arctic ice is massively compounding the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, ice scientist Professor Peter Wadhams has told BBC Newsnight.
White ice reflects more sunlight than open water, acting like a parasol. Melting of white Arctic ice, currently at its lowest level in recent history, is causing more absorption. Prof Wadhams calculates this absorption of the sun's rays is having an effect "the equivalent of about 20 years of additional CO2 being added by man". The Cambridge University expert says that the Arctic ice cap is "heading for oblivion". |  |
Water voles wander across 'fragmented' Scottish habitat
Scottish water voles have been found to travel enormous distances, enabling them to persist in fragmented habitats.
The large rodents travel around bogs, lochs and moors in order to join, or establish, new colonies. Although the findings were based on a species adapted to a "patchy" environment, the work could help biologists understand how habitat fragmentation may affect other animals. The research was presented at the British Science Festival in Aberdeen. |  |
Sir Tim Berners-Lee accuses government of 'draconian' internet snooping
The inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has accused the government of invading the privacy by monitoring internet use
Sir Tim warned that plans to monitor individuals' use of the internet would result in Britain losing its reputation as an upholder of web freedom The plans, by Theresa May, would force service providers to keep records of every phone call, email and website visit in Britain. Sir Tim told the Times: "“In Britain, like in the US, there has been a series of Bills that would give government very strong powers to, for example, collect data. I am worried about that." . |  |
Dawn departs Vesta to become first asteroid hopper
A chunk of grey rock 525 kilometres wide, the asteroid Vesta is nice for a visit but you wouldn't want to live there. Having learned as much as it could from a year-long survey, NASA's Dawn probe is now departing Vesta for Ceres, the largest asteroid in the solar system (so big, in fact, that these days Ceres is also classed as a dwarf planet).
This will make Dawn the first ever asteroid-hopping spacecraft - a capability that could help pave the way for refuelling stations dotted throughout space and aid futuristic plans to send human explorers to an asteroid. |  |
Loss of tropical forests reduces rain
Deforestation can have a significant effect on tropical rainfall, new research confirms. The findings have potentially devastating impacts for people living in and near the Amazon and Congo forests.
A team from the University of Leeds and the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology found that for the majority of the Earth’s tropical land surface, air passing over extensive forests produces at least twice as much rain as air passing over little vegetation. In some cases these forests increased rainfall thousands of kilometres away. |  |
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