If it wasn’t for launch capabilities we would never have delved deep into the echo of the Big Bang nor lived out the adventures of Rosetta and Philae at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Nor would we have captured some of the Universe’s most energetic phenomena, or be on our way to the innermost planet of the solar system. Some of ESA’s biggest science…
Tag: Echo
Word of the week: Ecliptic
The ecliptic is the path the sun takes across our sky. It’s the Earth-sun plane, and, more or less, the plane of our solar system. Stargazing tip: Learn the whereabouts of the ecliptic in your sky. You’ll always find the sun, moon and planets on or near it. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-ecliptic-what-is-the-ecliptic…
Robot Boat Wins $4 Million Ocean Floor Mapping XPRIZE
“A robotic boat and submersible have won the XPRIZE to find the best new technologies to map the seafloor,” writes the BBC — taking home the grand prize of $4 million. dryriver shares their report:
The surface and underwater combo demonstrated their capabilities in a timed test in the Mediterranean, surveying depths down to 4km. [2.48 miles — slightly deeper than the…
Amazon Patent Reveals Plans To Allow Alexa To Listen, Record Users At All Times
schwit1 shares a report from ScienceAlert: A newly revealed patent application filed by Amazon is raising privacy concerns over an envisaged upgrade to the company’s smart speaker systems. This change would mean that, by default, the devices end up listening to and recording everything you say in their presence. Rather than only record what is said after the wakeword is spoken,…
Comcast Is Reportedly Developing a Device That Would Track Your Bathroom Habits
Comcast is reportedly working on a device designed to closely monitor a user’s health. “The device will monitor people’s basic health metrics using ambient sensors, with a focus on whether someone is making frequent trips to the bathroom or spending more time than usual in bed,” reports CNBC. “Comcast is also building tools for detecting falls, which are common and potentially…
Amazon Updates Alexa To Guard Your House and Listen For Broken Glass, Smoke Alarm
Amazon is rolling out an update to Alexa that will turn the company’s line of smart home products into home security devices while the user is out. Called “Alexa Guard,” the feature will have your smart speakers listen for key sounds, including breaking glass and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. If the Echo hears the noise, it will send you an…