Lexus has announced the 2020 RX and RXL SUVs, and they bring with them some firsts for the Lexus brand. One first is the integration of Android Auto into both of the vehicles. Android Auto is a first for the entire Lexus brand and will go along with the Apple CarPlay that is already supported.
A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology has announced the development of the world's first iron-ion battery. The new battery tech promises to be a low-cost and stable alternative to existing lithium-ion battery technology. A battery is made of an anode that uses low-carbon steel rather than pure iron along with a cathode of vanadium pentoxide.
The ESA has announced that its Earth-observing satellite called Aeolus had to fire its thrusters to avoid a potential collision with one of the satellites in the SpaceX Starlink mega constellation. The ESA stated that the avoidance maneuver took place only half an orbit before the collision could have occurred. Space agencies all around the world track satellites and space debris in hopes of avoiding a collision.
Lamborghini has unveiled a new concept car that points to a future where the iconic Lambo V12 has a place along with electric hybrid technology. The car is called the Lamborghini Sian, and it has a V12 engine that is paired with what Lambo calls "groundbreaking hybrid technologies" that combine to create a super sports car of the future.
Last month the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully put its Chandrayaan-2 orbiter into orbit around the moon. The two halves of the orbiter have now separated in preparation for the Vikram lander portion of the spacecraft touching down on the surface of the Moon. The separation of the two portions of the spacecraft happened yesterday.
MIT has invented a new robotic thread that is small enough to travel through the blood vessels inside the human brain. The robotic thread is controlled using magnets to actively guide it through the narrow and winding passages inside the vasculature of the brain. The team thinks that the invention could be used in the future to treat people suffering from stroke or aneurysm.
Subaru has announced the pricing on the 2020 Forester SUV. This is the second year for the fifth-generation Forester, and Subaru promises it offers the most space, capability, and features in the 23-year history of the model. All 2020 Forester models come with Subaru Eyesight Driver Assist Technology.
Back in June, we talked about some new autonomous robot boats that had been invented by MIT. These boats were designed to find and attach to each other while floating in the canals of Amsterdam to pick up trash. MIT has announced an improvement to its robotic boats that could make them more efficient at picking up garbage.
NASA has announced that engineers have attached the Mars Helicopter to the belly of the Mars 2020 rover. The Mars Helicopter will be the first aircraft to fly on another planet. The helicopter was attached to the rover in the High Bay 1 cleanroom.
Porsche has announced the return of the Macan Turbo for 2020. The SUV gets a new 2.9L Biturbo six-cylinder engine that offers 440 PS of power. That output is 10% higher than the past Macan Turbo engine with 20% less displacement.
Scientists as the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have created what they say is the first nickel oxide material that shows clear signs of superconductivity. The material can transmit electrical current with no loss.
Astronomers have discovered a new exoplanet that is massive coming in at three times the mass of Jupiter. The giant planet travels on a long, egg-shaped path around its star. The scientists say that if the planet, called HR 5183 b, were placed into our solar system it would have a highly elliptical orbit that took it from within the asteroid belt out past Neptune.