For Self-Help Robots, Looks Matter
The University of Cambridge did a study about robotic wellbeing coaches. And it turns out that if we want robots to help us help ourselves… they need to be cute.
Uranus Was Originally Going To Be Named “George”
Today in 1781 astronomer William Herschel pointed his telescope toward Uranus. But long before the internet’s favorite planet got its very pun-filled name, an astronomer wanted to give it a much more chill one.
The First Time Astronauts Walked In Space Without A Tether
Today in 1984, two US astronauts walked in space. And, for the first time, they weren’t connected to anything.
The Moon Trees Came From Seeds That Went Into Lunar Orbit
Apollo 14 may be best known today for the moment when astronaut Alan Shepard hit golf balls on the surface of the moon, but the mission also gave us the “moon trees.”
The Robot That Could Do Surgeries In Space
MIRA is a small robotic surgery system that's set for testing on the International Space Station - and could end up helping astronauts prepare for long-term missions to the Moon as part of the Artemis project.
At Age 11, Venetia Burney Named Pluto
Today in 1918, the birthday of Venetia Burney, who at age eleven, did something few people have done: she named a planet!
Wally Funk, At Long Last An Astronaut
Today in 1939, the birthday of Wally Funk. She first passed astronaut training in her 20s and could have been one of the first US astronauts, but after some 60 years of trying, she finally got into space.
Nellie Bly Made It Around The World In 72 Days
Today in 1890, Nellie Bly finished her trip around the world. She was trying to do what Jules Verne's character Phineas Fogg had done in 80 days, and she took just 72.
Stretchable Batteries Could Make Wearable Tech More Wearable
A team at the University of British Columbia has come up with a way to make durable, stretchy and waterproof batteries that could be useful in wearable devices.
Dancers At This Glasgow Club Are Going To Heat The Place With Their Moves
Dance clubs can get hot when things are in full swing. So why not turn that extra heat into green energy? A nightclub in Glasgow is teaming up with a geothermal power company to use the energy dancers put out to heat and cool the place.