The Japanese Hayabusa2 spacecraft touched down briefly on the surface of the asteroid known as Ryugu in February and July 2019. During those brief touchdowns, the readings the spacecraft took with its instruments are giving researchers new insight into the physical and chemical properties of the asteroid. Scientists say that findings could help explain the history of Ryugu and other asteroids as well as the solar system.
Ford is gearing up for the official launch of its highly anticipated Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle later this year. One of the highlights of that vehicle will be over-the-air updates that bring new features and other changes to the electric vehicle. Ford says that unlike some vehicles that require owners to wait while a software update takes place, it has developed a system that allows secure updates to download the background and, in some instances, can be completed in about two minutes.
A group of scientists from the Royal Ontario Museum working with researchers from McMaster University and York University are using what they call state-of-the-art techniques to map individual atoms in minerals formed in fluids on an asteroid over 4.5 billion years ago. The scientists are studying the Royal Ontario Museum's Tagish meteorite using Atom-probe tomography. The technique can image atoms in 3D.
Scientists have created what they call the fastest soft robots ever, inspired by the biomechanics of cheetahs. The soft robot is capable of moving more quickly on solid surfaces or in the water than previous generations. The new soft robots are also capable of grabbing objects delicately or with sufficient strength to lift heavy objects.
Porsche has announced that it has extended the functionality of the Porsche Track Precision App. The update allows the app to be displayed on the car's infotainment screen via Apple CarPlay. While displayed on the screen, the app can be operated via the Porsche Communication Management System.
Researchers have created tiny microbots that they claim to be the world's smallest microelectronic robot. The minuscule robots are powered by shooting out dual jets of bubbles behind them, a propulsion system first conceived about a decade ago. The tiny robots were developed by an international team led by Professor Oliver G. Schmidt from the Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany.
One creature that roams the planet that has been the subject of great research is the gecko. The feet of the gecko have a natural adhesion property that allows the gecko to grip virtually any surface. Researchers have been able to emulate the stickiness of gecko using strips of rubbery material able to pick up and release objects, but mass production has been out of reach.
Recently the IHS conducted a crash test on the 2019-2020 Jeep Wrangler four-door called the driver-side small overlap from crash test. In that test, the Jeep Wrangler was given a marginal rating after the vehicle flipped onto its passenger side after striking the test barrier. The redesigned Wrangler was evaluated in three separate driver-side small overlap crash tests.
Scientists have revealed the first high-resolution map of the mouse brain after three years of intensive data gathering. The mouse brain is very small at about half an inch long and weighs less than a jellybean, but was incredibly complicated to map. The mapmakers from the Allen Institute call their creation the Allen Mouse Brain Common Coordinate Framework.
Scientist have known that Mars, at some point in its life, had water on its surface. Scientists have now found the first evidence of rivers in long-term action preserved in the rock of an exposed cliff-face on the Red Planet. The team says that rivers continuously shifted in their gullies, creating sandbanks similar to the Rhine or rivers found in Northern Italy.
Drivers take for granted that the steering wheel has always been around. No matter which brand of vehicle you purchase, they all have steering wheels and common controls. That wasn't always the case with the first Mercedes-Benz cars using a simple tiller for steering. Mercedes is talking up its new E-Class that will launch in the summer of 2020 that features a completely digitized generation of the steering wheel.
A group of astronomers from the European Southern Observatory, or ESO, and other institutes has discovered a black hole that's only 1000 light-years from Earth. While the distance is vast, the new black hole is closer to our Solar System than any other black hole found so far. The black hole forms part of a triple system that can be seen with the naked eye.