The field work can be grueling. “The first summer was a heat wave in northern Ontario, and the mosquitoes were atrocious,” said Laura Duncanson, assistant professor of geographical sciences at the University of Maryland, laughing as she recalled her early days in the field as an undergraduate. “We were measuring the stem diameters of tons of spiky little spruce trees, and I was covered in insect bites, sweat, and scratches....

“The challenge to restructure the Mars Exploration Program has turned from the seven minutes of terror for the Curiosity landing to the start of seven years of innovation,” said John Grunsfeld, NASA’s associate administrator for science and a former astronaut. The new rover would launch in 2020 and would bear at least some resemblance to its sibling, although it’s not clear exactly what. But at the very least, it would have a very similar entry, descent and landing plan, with a sky crane that can lower the hefty car to the surface instead of letting it bounce on airbags....

But a new, startling exclusive published this morning courtesy of Reuters, however, details a much more troubling company culture. The claims are so substantial, in fact, that they convinced the US Department of Agriculture’s Inspector General to launch a previously undisclosed federal probe regarding violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Neuralink’s records reviewed by Reuters cite roughly 1,500 animals killed since experiments began in 2018, including over 280 pigs, sheep, and monkeys....

A new mystery fighter flies alongside a few of Northrop’s already flying planes, including the B-2 and the unmanned X-47B technology demonstrator. While not a design made for mass production, the X-47B, with its stealth, autonomy, and ability to land on carriers, is seen by many as a precursor to an unmanned era of military aircraft ahead. But the new ad suggests the opposite. While this commercial just shows off concept art, the cockpit on the potential 6th-generation fighter are clearly visible....

Oakley Kato lenses From the front, the Oakley Kato sunglasses are basically entirely lens. Rather than supporting the lens with a frame, Oakley has formed the lens itself into a sturdy structure that can stand on its own. The lens flares around the nose and juts out to form a flange at the top of the lens in order to provide extra durability. This modified shape provides support where a frame typically would without the need for extra material that can block a view or separate from the lens under heavy activity....

To make the grade, we look for science-themed infographics that are engaging–either literally as an interactive graphic or metaphorically due to excellent design aesthetics. The infographic also must clearly communicate the concept being presented–it must tell a complete story, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions rather than having to be told what the answer might be. Click through to see which ones we chose.

Pros Fits on almost any surfaceCan be placed in any room, even one without windowsEasy to use and greenery grows quickly Cons Not all pods are compatible with the Personal modelNutrient-to-water ratio requires more liquid than the model holdsExpensive compared to competitors What is the Personal Rise Garden? Hydroponic gardening is a system by which plants, like an herb garden, grow in a solution of water and nutrients rather than in dirt....

Dragon Empire, set in 2025, is a creative telling of the real-world impact that various technologies–including hypersonic missiles, satellite weapons, drones, and stealth aircraft–would likely have on a future war between two modern military powers like China and the United States. But beyond that, Weigold is funneling the book’s proceeds into his defense startup Lightning Gun Inc. which aims to produce a laser weapon that can swat guided missiles and other electronically-augmented weapons from the sky–and thus change the playing field for modern warfare....

1. Easing the squeeze The most coveted inches on any plane are the ones we sit on—the economics of air travel forces most of us to cram into seats averaging just 17 inches across. But slightly wider seats might have to make a comeback for drawn-out journeys. Research from the London Sleep Centre shows that increasing width to 18 inches improves passenger sleep quality by 53 percent. Airlines are also looking at ways to provide more legroom....

Pole vaulting without a pole is called the high jump, and although the world record in that event is an astonishing 8 feet or so, somewhere in the process of jumping, as we transfer horizontal motion into vertical motion, we lose some of the energy of the approach. Also, high jumpers can’t approach the bar at a full sprint, because biomechanically you can’t generate the maximum vertical push-off while running at top speed....

Best for travelers: Gravel Explorer PLUS & Explorer SLIM Combo PackBest for outdoors enthusiasts: YETI Rambler 14-ounce Mug Best for new photographers: Qubii Photo Storage DriveBest for new homeowners: Le Creuset Dutch OvenBest for fitness buffs: lululemon Studio MirrorBest for cleaning: Eufy Handheld VacBest for foodies: Disco Hot SauceBest for the absent-minded: Tile Mate TrackerBest for grillers: Lekue Microwave Grill, Sandwich Maker, Panini PressBest for concertgoers: Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs Best for cinephiles: ViewSonic M1 Mini ProjectorBest for people who eat at their desks: MagicFiber Extra Large Microfiber Cleaning ClothsBest for sustainability: Lifx LED Light BulbBest for business travelers: Polardo Travel Clothes SteamerBest for handy people: Yala Life GeeKey Pocket ToolBest for home office: Anker 10-Port USB Data Hub...

Arguably the biggest water wake-up-calls have come from the city of Flint, Michigan. On April 25th, 2014, the city government switched its water supply from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River. The water supply then wasn’t properly treated to prevent lead and other elements from leaching out of the city’s old water pipes and into the drinking water. Virtually all Flint residents were consequently exposed to drinking water with unsafe levels of bacteria, disinfection byproducts, and lead (a neurotoxicant)....

Photons and teensy bits of atoms are the most complex bodies we can send over long distances in a flash. Each particle of the same type—photon, neutron, ­electron—​is largely the same as every other member of its subatomic species. Configurations known as quantum states distinguish them. Two photons spinning clockwise, for example, are identical. You can’t make one zip elsewhere with no lag time (sorry, that’s magic), but you can create its duplicate in another spot....

Time: 5 to 10 minutes Cost: A few bucks Difficulty: 1/5 Gather the parts 25 feet of 30-gauge magnet wire Two ¾-inch-diameter-by-¼-inch cylindrical refrigerator magnets Two cardboard strips, ½ inch by 1.5 inches A wooden cutting board or piece of particleboard One 6-inch-long, ¾-inch-diameter dowel Sandpaper A hot-glue gun Potato chips (thick-cut chips work best) Build a voice coil Wrap the magnet wire tightly around the dowel to make a ⅜-inch-tall coil, leaving 12 inches of wire on each end....

Several aspects of Razer’s ambitious gaming chair don’t even really exist yet. For instance, the display is a curved, 60-inch screen that would retract into the back of the chair when it’s not in use. Curved OLED displays do actually exist, but they’re still few and far between when it comes to commercial availability. The screen would also have a super-wide aspect ratio and a very steep curve, which is tricky to pull off without the images on-screen becoming distorted or disorienting....

Of the roughly 10,000 balloons—or “Fu-go”—launched, about 10 percent made it across the ocean. But the timer couldn’t control where the bombs dropped, so most fell in unpopulated areas. The strategy never amounted to much. Still, these balloons were the first successful intercontinental weapons. Last year, a pair of foresters found a 70-year-old Fu-go, half-buried but intact, in the mountains of eastern British Columbia. That amazing discovery inspired me to build my own fire balloon—without the dangerous payload....

Instead of sending you the usual stream of mail and giving you options to filter it (what Gmail does right now) the service can automatically sort your mail into five different categories. Those are: Primary: Your usual, run-of-the-mill mail, with everything together in one spot.Promotions: Groupons! And other assorted stuff Gmail terms deals.Social: “Hi! Someone posted something on your Facebook wall.” That sort of thing, and other social-networking updates.Updates: Apparently these are like life updates....

Later, in the seminal 1985 “A Cyborg Manifesto,” the fembot was co-opted by the feminist scientist Donna Haraway, who memorably declared, “I’d rather be a cyborg than a goddess.” Without the constraints of organic life, the female robot is not shackled to the tyranny of the reproductive cycle; she becomes a metaphor for female power, paradoxically more potent because it is barren. It’s no coincidence that “fembot” has recently become a widespread epithet for hard-core feminists....

The team of researchers built computer algorithms based on infant research studies and then put them to the test with robots. There are two prongs to testing this idea: a gaze-based experiment done with a computer simulation, and an experiment that has an actual robot imitate a human. In the gaze scenario, a simulated robot is taught the mechanics of how its head moves, and watches a human move its head....