All articles tagged with #technology and science
Ohio billionaire Larry Connor and Triton Submarines co-founder Patrick Lahey plan to take a submersible to the Titanic site to demonstrate the safety of modern submersible technology, following the tragic OceanGate implosion. They aim to prove that safe voyages to the Titanic are possible with advanced materials and technology.
Ohio billionaire Larry Connor plans to dive to the Titanic site in a $20 million submersible designed by Triton Submarines co-founder Patrick Lahey to demonstrate the safety of deep-sea exploration following the OceanGate disaster that killed five people.
Researchers are developing transparent wood as a stronger and potentially more sustainable alternative to glass and plastic for smartphone screens and other applications. This innovative material allows for high light transmittance and is significantly stronger than traditional screen materials. The process involves removing the lignin from wood and replacing it with epoxy resin, although efforts are ongoing to find more environmentally friendly substitutes for the resin. Transparent wood could also be used for smart windows that transition from clear to tinted.
Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works® has unveiled the X-59, a groundbreaking aircraft designed to minimize sonic booms, potentially revolutionizing commercial supersonic flight. The X-59, developed in collaboration with NASA, aims to gather data to inform new noise standards and possibly overturn the ban on supersonic travel over land. The unveiling event, featuring Lockheed Martin and NASA executives, will be streamed live on various platforms including NASA Television and the NASA app. The X-59's rollout is a significant step towards halving current flight times by enabling faster-than-sound travel across the United States.
DARPA, in collaboration with Aurora Flight Sciences, is constructing the X-65 aircraft, a part of the CRANE program, which aims to revolutionize flight control by using active flow control (AFC) actuators instead of traditional moving surfaces like flaps and rudders. The X-65 will retain conventional control surfaces as a precaution while testing the new AFC technology. With a wingspan of 30 feet and a top speed of Mach 0.7, the aircraft is set to be completed by early 2025, with its first flight planned for the summer of that year. The X-65's modular design will allow for future testing beyond the CRANE program.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has launched six satellites in collaboration with T-Mobile to provide mobile phone service from space, allowing text messaging via users' current phones in remote areas without the need for specialized equipment. Future expansions of the service are expected to include voice and data capabilities.
SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites, including six equipped to provide direct connectivity to unmodified smartphones, on January 2, 2024. This marks the beginning of testing for a service that could enable texting, voice, and data connectivity from space, in partnership with various global cellular operators. The company is also addressing concerns about the satellites' brightness and its impact on astronomy, with plans to deploy a total of 840 direct-to-cell satellites in the near future. Competitors AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global are also advancing in the race to expand direct-to-device satellite services.
Researchers are utilizing the Harry Potter series as a rich linguistic resource for AI experiments, particularly in the field of generative AI technology. A study named 'Who's Harry Potter? Approximate Unlearning in LLMs' is investigating methods to make AI forget specific information, drawing parallels to the memory-erasing spell 'Obliviate' from the series. This highlights the intersection of popular culture and advanced technology in AI development.