technical updates

Some of the brightest objects in the universe may also hold the key to understanding how galaxies evolve — especially when gravity transforms them into giant cosmic magnifying glasses. Using artificial intelligence to search through data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), astronomers have identified seven promising candidates for quasars acting as gravitational lenses — natural cosmic magnifying glasses created when a massive object's gravity bends and magnifies light from a more distant object. These unusual systems could help researchers better understand how actively growing supermassive black holes evolve, according to a statement from Ohio State University. "Quasars are like the baby pictures of a supermassive black hole ," Everett McArthur, lead author of the study and a graduate student in astronomy at The Ohio State University, said in the statement. ...

The summer is slowly waning as we soon turn the calendar page to August and back to school supplies are already cluttering store shelves, but Hollywood still has a pocketful of of possible surprises hitting the silver screen. My prediction for " Masters of the Universe " as a summertime sleeper hit did not come to pass, though it was a totally enjoyable nostalgic romp, if not about 20 minutes or so too long. Recent teasers and trailers starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway and their suburban family have them sprinting for their lives after a strange cosmic event whisks their placid American neighborhood seemingly back to prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Think "The Twilight Zone" meets "Jurassic Park" with a dash of "A Quiet Place" and you’ll be pretty close to the wild narrative that will unfold when the "running and screaming...

If you've not seen the Milky Way this year from the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to make a plan. August's dark sky window opens around Aug. 6, when the moon begins to rise late at night as a waning crescent, meaning dark moonless skies for about 10 nights. That's when to see the Milky Way (and if you can time it for Aug. 12/13's Perseid meteor shower peak, all the better). Five things are required to successfully see the Milky Way: the correct time of year (The brightest part is visible March-October) the correct moon phase (last-quarter moon through slim crescent moon) a dark sky away from light pollution dark-adapted eyes (stand in total darkness for 25 minutes) an idea of what you're going to see The best way to dark-adapt your eyes is to start stargazing. Look south and begin picking out stars you know, paying special attention to the Summer Triangle . These three ...

We've seen things you people wouldn't believe! The script is flipped in Prime Video's upcoming " Blade Runner 2099 " series where replicants have rebelled and seized power from human beings in a massive uprising. An arresting new trailer was unleashed during the annual San Diego Comic-Con pop culture pageant and it's an atmospheric return to the futuristic realm of Ridley Scott's " Blade Runner " universe 80 years later. "The old world forever fights to come back," Olwen tells Cora in this interesting first peek at the limited series that arrives Nov. 25, 2026. "Humans want what was taken from them. But it's our time now." Michelle Yeoh as Olwen in "Prime Video's" Blade Runner 2099" (Image credit: Prime Video) "Blade Runner 2099" stars Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh ("Everything Everywhere All At...

Looking forward to the 2026 solar eclipse , happening on Aug. 12? I know I am and even though it's not a total solar eclipse here in the UK (the path of totality crosses Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain), we'll still get to watch the moon obscure around 90% of the Sun, a sight that terrified our ancient ancestors. However, you'll need proper eye protection, such as solar eclipse glasses , to watch the eclipse safely. Sunglasses are not sufficient for a solar eclipse; instead, you need eclipse glasses that follow ISO 12312-2:2015, the standard for solar viewers. If that number's not somewhere on the glasses, you're at risk of damaging your eyesight, maybe even permanently. So, read on as we round up the best solar eclipse glasses to buy in the UK. Want a slightly better view? Here are the best places in the UK to see the partial solar eclipse. (Image credit: Getty Imag...

Venus dominates the evening sky throughout August, but early risers have a special treat too, as Mercury and Jupiter draw together in a beautiful dawn conjunction around mid-month. From our vantage point on Earth, Venus reaches the end of its tether to the sun on the evening of Aug. 15, when it is at greatest elongation 46 degrees to the east of the sun. And yet, paradoxically, instead of appearing high up in the west, Venus is getting noticeably lower to the west-southwest horizon as the month progresses. This is because its declination in the sky is taking it well to the south of the sun. In fact, Venus's greatest elongation coincides with the time that it sets right at the end of evening twilight. During the second half of August, into September, Venus will no longer be setting in a dark sky, but rather in a progressively brighter twilight sky. This is all due to its increasing souther...

Playmobil is known for crafting imaginative playsets, taking kids (and adults) on big adventures from the comfort of their homes. When it comes to the exploration of space, they've got a lot to offer. Not only has Playmobil created two mega Star Trek sets, releasing the Playmobil USS Enterprise long before LEGO released its own version and the Playmobil Klingon Bird of Prey back in 2023 (both of which we've reviewed and loved), but they've even collaborated with the real-life European Space Agency (ESA). As Nadia Lüders, ESA 's partnership and brand licensing officer, said in a statement : “This partnership ensures that the curiosity and wonder of space continue to spark young imaginations — nurturing a new generation ready to explore, innovate and shape the Europe of tomorrow.” Playmobil's dedication to weaving space exploration and learning into imaginative play is demons...

A new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposal says the agency wants to speed up commercial space licensing for rocket launches and spacecraft re-entries by removing "unnecessary" environmental regulations. The proposed FAA rule, released yesterday (July 29), has a 30-day period for comment and if approved, would apply to rocket launches, re-entering spacecraft, and the sites at which launches and re-entries take place. The FAA proposes to "waive requirements of laws of the U.S. for a license or permit, after consultation with the head of the appropriate executive agency, when the requirement is not necessary to protect the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the United States," the text of the proposal reads, in part. The Department of Transportation stated that the proposal, if implemented, would allow ...

Taking a daily multivitamin may help older adults preserve the strength and stamina needed for everyday activities. After three years, users reported better functional health than those taking a placebo, although the preliminary findings still require peer review. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/mk4hBXc

The next great American observatory in space is just one month away from leaving this planet. NASA scientists got together Wednesday (July 29) to share a status update on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — the agency's next great observatory that will soon join the ranks of absolute legends like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope . And that press conference was overflowing with good news. The $4 billion Roman Space Telescope is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX rocket on Aug. 30 at 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT). That's nine months ahead of schedule according to the team. I think of this as doing magic with physics." Julie McEnery, Roman senior project scientist "In 30 days, we're going to be launching Roman, testing it out, opening the deployable aperture cover, looking at the sky, and sending data down to the ground for the first time," Je...