Science & Technology
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Deadly brain disease found in 2 California deer
LOS ANGELES — State officials reported the presence of deadly chronic wasting disease in two wild California deer earlier this week. This is the first time the disease, which has plagued other areas of the nation for years, has appeared in the state’s deer or elk population.
The positive samples came from a deer that died of unknown causes ...Read more
NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission
The damage to the Orion capsule from the Artemis I mission is already top of mind for NASA as it works to make the Artemis II mission safe for humans. But a new agency report revealed the extent of the problem, including scores of cracks in Orion’s critical heat shield.
The report from NASA’s Office of Inspector General outlined six issues ...Read more
Why US offshore wind energy is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity
America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms began sending power to the Northeast in early 2024, but a wave of wind farm project cancellations and rising costs have left many people with doubts about the industry’s future in the U.S.
Several big hitters, including Ørsted, Equinor, BP and Avangrid, have canceled contracts or ...Read more
La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon
One of the big contributors to the record-breaking global temperatures over the past year – El Niño – is nearly gone, and its opposite, La Niña, is on the way.
Whether that’s a relief or not depends in part on where you live. Above-normal temperatures are still forecast across the U.S. in summer 2024. And if you live along the...Read more
Sperm whale speech -- with 'alphabet' -- is decoded. What other animals can AI translate?
For years, scientists have listened to the clicks of sperm whales and wondered what they were saying.
While previous research scratched the surface of understanding, a new study — published May 7 in the journal Nature Communications — uses machine learning to pinpoint specific patterns in their speech.
With the help of artificial ...Read more
US revokes Intel, Qualcomm licenses to sell chips to Huawei
The U.S. has revoked licenses allowing Huawei Technologies Co. to buy semiconductors from Qualcomm Inc. and Intel Corp., according to people familiar with the matter, further tightening export restrictions against the Chinese telecom equipment maker.
The decision will affect sales of chips for use in Huawei phones and laptops, according to the ...Read more
Microsoft's Xbox Is planning more cuts after studio closings
The sudden closure of several video-game studios at Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division was the result of a widespread cost-cutting initiative that still isn’t finished.
This week, Xbox began offering voluntary severance agreements to producers, quality assurance testers and other staff at ZeniMax, which it purchased in 2020 for $7.5 billion, ...Read more
SpaceX blasts off on 35th Space Coast launch of the year
SpaceX keeps lining them up and knocking them out with an afternoon launch from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying another 23 of the company’s Starlink internet satellites lifted off at 2:42 p.m. Eastern time from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A.
It’s the second launch this week after a Starlink launch midday Monday from...Read more
SpaceX launch today marks 35th on the Space Coast
SpaceX keeps lining them up and knocking them out as it targets an early afternoon launch from Kennedy Space Center today.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying another 23 of the company’s Starlink internet satellites is aiming for 2:10 p.m. liftoff, having passed over initial opportunities, from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A with backup options until the end...Read more
Balls, orbs or neurons: the pioneering tech helping a rural utility company manage transmission lines
Steady gusts of wind swept across a field in Maple Grove, Minnesota, last week as Warren Grange of Heimdall Power flew a drone to attach what looks like a high-tech cantaloupe on to a power line.
The small sphere, which the Norway-based company officially calls a "neuron," has drawn nicknames like "magic ball" or "orb." Whatever the name, ...Read more
'Essentially a gas station,' fishy feast draws sea lions to Pier 39 in numbers not seen in 15 years
They're big, loud and smelly — and they have taken over San Francisco's touristy Pier 39.
In recent days, some 1,100 to 1,200 anchovy-breathed, blubber-bodied sea lions have been counted flopping on and around the docks, Harbormaster Sheila Chandor said Tuesday. That's the highest number recorded in 15 years.
The pinnipeds — who are ...Read more
Meta will let advertisers create campaigns using new generative AI tools
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. is testing new tools that will let advertisers create marketing material, including images and messaging, using generative AI prompts.
If an advertiser uploads a photo of their product, Meta’s artificial intelligence tools can now generate new, different images of that product for ...Read more
Jim Rossman: AirPods sound quality depends on the fit in your ears
I received a question this week from a friend about wanting to upgrade his AirPods from the original AirPods Pro to the AirPods Pro 2.
I have both versions, and my friend asked me about the noise cancellation feature introduced with the AirPods Pro 2. Specifically, he wanted to know if I thought the noise canceling was worth the upgrade cost....Read more
Supercell’s newest game ‘Squad Busters’ launches worldwide May 29
Few companies have been as success in the mobile market as Supercell. The makers of “Clash of Clans,” “Boom Beach” and “Brawl Stars” know how to make accessible games that hook players with a simple premise and turn them into obsessions.
For its 10th anniversary, Supercell wanted to do a mashup game. One that brings all their ...Read more
Gadgets: Car-phone adapter
No CarPlay, no problem. The new Carluex Air is an in-car wireless CarPlay/Android auto adapter connectivity device.
The pocket-sized adapter with a car-shaped design wirelessly bridges the gap between your smartphone and a vehicle's audio system. Every time you get in the car, there's no need to plug in wires and wait for a connection. With ...Read more
World extends run of heat records for an 11th month in a row
April was the Earth’s 11th consecutive month of record-breaking heat, with warmer weather already sweeping across Asia and a hotter-than-usual summer expected in Europe.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said last month’s temperatures globally were 1.58C (2.8F) above historical averages and marked the hottest April on...Read more
'Lost' satellite orbited Earth undetected for 25 years -- until now, scientists say
An experimental spy satellite that was deemed “lost” after eluding detection for decades has finally been found.
“The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years,” astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said in an April 29 post on X, formerly Twitter. He says it reappeared on April 25, citing Space Force data.
...Read more
Why did Boeing Starliner scrub and when will it launch?
A pair of NASA astronauts were ready to go, but a single valve caused a scrub of their ride on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner on Monday night. The next shot to fly won’t be until Friday but could be delayed further.
“I know everybody was eager to see a launch,” said NASA’s Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of the Space Operations ...Read more
As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’
“When it rains, it pours” once was a metaphor for bad things happening in clusters. Now it’s becoming a statement of fact about rainfall in a changing climate.
Across the continental U.S., intense single-day precipitation events are growing more frequent, fueled by warming air that can hold increasing levels of moisture. Most ...Read more
Google updates $499 low-end Pixel phone, cuts tablet price
Alphabet Inc.’s Google rolled out a new version of its $499 lower-end Pixel smartphone, aiming to entice budget-minded shoppers with an updated screen and artificial intelligence features.
The Pixel 8a device, which comes a year after the 7a model, adds a faster processor, brighter screen, an option for double the storage and new AI features...Read more
Popular Stories
- Sperm whale speech -- with 'alphabet' -- is decoded. What other animals can AI translate?
- La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon
- Why US offshore wind energy is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity
- US revokes Intel, Qualcomm licenses to sell chips to Huawei
- NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission