Japan-based toy company TOMY has unveiled a mini robot for exploring the lunar surface. Measuring approximately 8cm in diameter and weighing in at just 250 grams, this elliptical-shaped robot is a transformer of sorts, with a body that extends, functioning as makeshift wheels to allow it to move around on the Moon. It also comes equipped with small cameras that face forward and backward to transmit images of the Moon back to Earth.
Archaeologists are using cosmic rays, or subatomic particles from space, to uncover a previously unknown void within the Great Pyramid of Giza. That’s right, they are imaging it with muons, which are basically high-energy byproducts of cosmic rays created when protons and other atomic nuclei strike the atmosphere. Since muons are approximately 207-times bigger than electrons, the negatively charged particles can travel through hundreds of meters of stone before being absorbed.
A gamer who goes by Dan Creator online has managed to build a working Super Mario Kart-inspired hovercraft using cardboard and a few other parts. The idea came to him as he was playing Mario Kart 8 on the Nintendo Switch, as he had already built an arcade cabinet from cardboard. Let’s just say that he built upon his previous creation to make this one, complete with an adjustable seat, steering wheel, and some air hockey table technology. Read more for a video of it in-action and additional information.
No, this isn’t a controller for Microsoft Flight Simulator, but rather a LEGO creation that lets you control a miniature plane. Riley of Brick Science came up with this idea after wanting to create a LEGO-based game that can be put on a table, complete with a LEGO EV3 joystick and throttle. Think of it as a flight simulator, but in real-life, all powered by the EV3 motor, which is used to power Mindstorms robots as well as other machines built from the colorful bricks.
Apple AirPods Pro are still the best active noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds that the company offers, and you can get a pair for $174.98 shipped, today only. Unlike standard AirPods, the AirPods Pro come with three different sizes of soft, flexible silicone ear tips that conform to the contours of each individual ear, providing maximum comfort as well as a superior seal. They also feature an innovative vent system to equalize pressure, minimizing the discomfort common in other in-ear designs. Product page. Read more for a hands-on video review and additional information.
Inventor Jake Laser of Jlaservideos wanted to see if he could actually walk on water without using resorting to CGI, so he came up with these homemade shoes of sorts. It requires approximately 200-pounds of force to push him above the water, but after first trying some electric wind turbines to achieve this, they found that it just wasn’t enough power. So, they ended up going with 10-horsepower motors and small boat propellers instead.
Photo credit: Let’s Go Digital
Samsung Electronics recently had a patent approved by the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) for a ‘method and apparatus for operating functions of electronic device having flexible display’, and from the sketches, it appears to be some type of smartphone with a wraparound display. This flexible panel offers both touchscreen and S Pen operation, making it great for entertainment as well as productivity.
Photo credit: Yi-Kai Tea | California Academy of Sciencesa
This isn’t a Photoshopped image, just a new-to-science Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa) fish that looks to be straight out of the Twilight Zone. A team of scientists from the California Academy of Sciences, the University of Sydney, the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI), and the Field Museum collaborated on the discovery as part of the Academy’s Hope for Reefs initiative aimed at better understanding as well as protecting coral reefs around the world.
Chipotle Mexican Grill recently unveiled their latest digital innovation, Chippy, an autonomous kitchen assistant that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to make fresh tortilla chips. This robot was developed by Miso Robotics and specially trained to follow Chipotle’s exact recipe to create their famous tortilla chips by using corn masa flour, water and sunflower oil with a dusting of salt before fresh lime juice is splashed on them.
NASA’s Apollo 17 was the final mission of the Apollo program, launching on December 7, 1972 with Commander Eugene Cernan, Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt and Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans. Both Cernan and Schmitt walked on the moon, with the latter being the only professional geologist to land on the lunar surface. This mission focused on science, which meant the inclusion of a number of new experiments, including a biological experiment containing five mice carried in the command module.