What is a supernova?

A supernova is a star’s colossal explosion at the end of its life, potentially outshining its entire galaxy. Read about the causes and types of supernovae here. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-what-is-a-supernova…

Electric Bike Motors Will Be Shut Down When Entering Residential Areas of Amsterdam

In an effort to cut road deaths, the Dutch government will be using a new digital system to automatically reduce electric bicycles’ power in residential or built-up areas of Amsterdam. The Guardian reports: The digital technology, which has been successfully trialled on a 4km stretch of bike lanes at Schiphol airport, was funded by the Dutch ministry of infrastructure and water…

Safety Driver in Fatal Arizona Uber Self-Driving Car Crash Charged With Homicide

The back-up safety driver behind the wheel of a self-driving Uber test vehicle that struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona, in 2018 was charged with negligent homicide, prosecutors said. From a report: Rafael Vasquez, age 46, who is also known as Rafaela, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday after being charged in the death of Elaine Herzberg on Aug. 27,…

Golden Gate Bridge Starts To ‘Sing’ After Design Fix

San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Bridge has started “singing” following recent changes to bicycle-path railings that appear to make music as the wind blows through them, residents have reported. The Guardian reports: Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, a Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District spokesperson, said the sounds stemmed from long-planned wind retrofitting. “The new musical tones coming from the bridge are a…

Wary of Public Transport, Coronavirus-Hit Americans Turn To Bikes

Timothy Aeppel writing for Reuters: The coronavirus pandemic has sparked a surge in bike sales across the United States, according to a major manufacturer and a half dozen retailers interviewed by Reuters. Many of the purchases are by people looking for a way to get outside at a time of sweeping shutdowns and stay-at-home orders aimed at containing the virus: Even…

Using radio waves to discover and study exoplanets

A new study from researchers in the Netherlands shows how scientists can detect exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars, and learn about their environments, from the radio waves generated by auroras on those worlds. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-red-dwarfs-radio-waves-auroras…

How Peloton Bricked the Screens On Flywheel’s Stationary Bikes

DevNull127 writes: Let me get this straight. Peloton’s main product is a stationary bicycle costing over $2,000 with a built-in touchscreen for streaming exercise classes. (“A front facing camera and microphone mean you can interact with friends and encourage one another while you ride,” explained the Kickstarter campaign which helped launch the company in 2013, with 297 backers pledging $307,332.) Soon…

Q&A With Legendary Designer Yves Behar

Yves Behar doesn’t really need any introduction. The world-renowned Swiss designer is a frequent creative artist in the gadget realm. He’s designed iconic devices like the OLPC, Jawbone Jambox, Herman Miller SAYL chair, and many more. From an interview, where he also talks about his smart lock company August: Input: What is your favorite gadget right now that’s not the new…

Uber Test Vehicles Involved In 37 Crashes Before Fatal Self-Driving Incident

Uber’s autonomous test vehicles were involved in 37 crashes in the 18 months before a fatal March 2018 self-driving car accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Tuesday. Reuters reports: The board said between September 2016 and March 2018, there were 37 crashes of Uber vehicles in autonomous mode at the time, including 33 that involved another vehicle striking…