Much of the state of California has been on fire for days as wildfires ravage the area destroying homes, land, and lives. Wildfires aren't uncommon in the western portion of the United States, where much of the country remains in a perpetual drought. Colorado has also had some major wildfires this year. Nothing going on in Colorado is on the scale of the fires in California.
Last weekend we talked a bit about a mysterious Chinese mission that put an unknown payload into space. Reports indicated at the time that the payload was a reusable spacecraft, but no one knew exactly what the mission of the spacecraft was. That spacecraft spent two days in orbit around the earth before reentry and landing.
Mil-Spec Automotive is a company that has been taking trucks and SUVs and souping them up for a long time. The company made its name modifying the long discontinued Hummer SUV. In recent years it's turned its hand to modifying the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup.
Launching rockets is very difficult work, and while some companies, such as SpaceX, make it look very easy, it's not easy at all. A company called Astra, based in California, conducted its first orbital test flight last night. The intent was to send the two-stage Rocket 3.1 into orbit from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska.
Honda has offered some new details on the 2021 Passport SUV. The SUV arrived at dealerships yesterday, and for 2021 features a new Display Audio system that has integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto added to the long list of standard features in some trims. Honda has also announced the fuel economy ratings and MSRP for multiple versions of the 2021 Passport.
All dog owners have had their pet smash their nose against their face or other body parts. Often dog noses are cold and slimy feeling, but other times they are warm and dry. Most pet owners have, at some point, wondered if their dog's nose should be wet or dry. Researchers have recently investigated the noses of animals and determined that it is normal for a dog's nose to be cold and wet, but it's also normal for a dog to have a warm and dry nose.
A team of researchers from Osaka City University worked with international partners to create a reliable and precise microscope-based thermometer using quantum technology. The thermometer is so accurate that it's able to measure the temperature of microscopic animals. The technology can detect temperature-dependent properties of quantum spins and fluorescent nanodiamonds.
Observations made using the Hubble Space Telescope have helped scientists worldwide solve mysteries and gather data since it was placed in orbit many years ago. Recently, astronomers have used Hubble observations to discover a discrepancy between theoretical models of how dark matter should be distributed in galaxy clusters and observations of dark matter's grip on galaxy clusters.
Lamborghini has made some extremely iconic cars over the years with Italian classics such as the Countach. It's modern Aventador has become one of its most popular models ever despite the high price tag. Lamborghini is celebrating producing chassis number 10,000 since the model entered production.
One of the most hazardous conditions for drivers is dense fog. Researchers at Stanford have created a new device that can see through clouds and fog that could be extremely important for future autonomous vehicles. Stanford's technology uses technology similar to tech found on autonomous cars improved with a highly efficient algorithm developed by the researchers.
Researchers from UNSW Sydney have created a soft wearable device worn like a glove that can simulate the sense of touch. The wearable device has potential for use in medical, industrial, and entertainment applications. Researchers say that the wearable device could allow users to touch a loved one during a video call or pick up and handle a tool in a video game.
Volkswagen has been working on its ID.4 electric vehicle for a while and has produced a new video talking about some of the testing and what's going on behind the scenes. The VW ID.4 is the automaker's first long-range electric SUV that will be sold on the American market. Those on the project note that what American buyers want for an EV is different from what Europeans want, and efforts are being made to customize the vehicle for specific markets.