The far side of the moon (often mistakenly referred to as the “dark side” of the moon) never faces Earth due to the sphere’s elliptical orbit and synchronous rotation. For the first time, information—including a photograph—has been transmitted from the hemisphere by way of China’s National Space Administration’s Yutu-2 rover. While this might not seem like that big of a deal, it marks significant achievements and technological …
Since its first sighting in 2017, “Oumuamua” has puzzled scientists and researchers. Its strange propulsion-like movement and determined trajectory call into question whether the long, flat object is merely a comet or a meteorite—despite that being the more mundane, and maybe likely, conclusion. The way the object sped up as it passed the sun has researchers most puzzled. “Lightsails,” the solar-powered starships that Breakthrough Starshot plans …
In his collection of final thoughts, published 16 October, physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking addresses nothing less than the future of humanity. The book, called Brief Answers to the Big Questions, emphasizes the importance of regulating artificial intelligence, implementing clean nuclear fusion power and preparing for asteroid collision. He also predicted that gene editing tools will create an advanced race of superhumans—and so much more. In many …
