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Technology 2025-12-14 10:46:10

Coronavirus: More, Faster Tests, & Re-Using Masks

Coronavirus: More, Faster Tests, & Re-Using MasksNFK Editors - April 2, 2020This article is the second in a series about different ways people are working hard to help bring the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic under control.Companies around the world are working quickly to help solve problems created by the new coronavirus, COVID-19. Recently, two big problems have been that there aren’t enough tests and that there aren’t enough masks.It is very important to be able to test quickly whether someone has COVID-19. Test results can help doctors figure out how to treat a patient, and whether they need to be isolated.It’s very important to be able to test quickly whether someone has COVID-19. Test results can help doctors figure out how to treat a patient, and whether they need to be isolated. Above is a kit used to test for COVID-19 in the US.(Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)More importantly, when health experts know that someone has the disease, they can try to trace back, to find and help other people that person came in contact with. This can help to limit the spread of the disease.Getting clear numbers of how many people have the disease also helps scientists predict how the virus might spread, and figure out the best ways to fight it.Around the world, most countries haven’t been prepared to do enough tests. Germany can now test 500,000 people a week. The US has only recently tested 1 million people in total. Above, a drive-through testing station in Germany.(Source: Henning Schlottmann [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)But around the world, most countries haven’t been prepared to do enough tests. Even when tests did become available, they had to be sent off to a laboratory. It can take days to get the results back. In the US, the average wait time is still four to five days.Many companies have been working hard to produce more tests. They’ve also been working to produce faster tests. A US company called Abbott Laboratories has been given permission to begin producing machines that can tell in about 15 minutes whether someone has the coronavirus or not.A US company called Abbott Laboratories has been given permission to begin producing machines that can tell in about 15 minutes whether someone has the coronavirus or not. The machines, called ID Now (above), are small enough that they can be moved easily.(Source: Abbott Laboratories.)The machines, called ID Now, are about the size of a toaster – small enough that they can be moved easily. And best of all, the test materials don’t have to be sent off to a lab. The whole test happens on the machine.Other companies in the US and Australia have created similar tests. One of the problems with these tests is that they only catch patients who have had the coronavirus for several days, and miss people who just got the disease.With Abbott’s new machine, the test materials don’t have to be sent off to a lab. The whole test happens on the machine. One problem with these tests is that they only catch patients who have had the coronavirus for several days.(Source: Abbott Laboratories.)Early testing in the US was slowed because of strict government rules about what tests were allowed. These rules were designed to protect people. Normally, medical equipment and methods must be very carefully tested.But the coronavirus crisis is so severe that governments are now agreeing to new ideas with less double-checking than usual. One area where this is true is in the re-using of protective gear like masks and gowns.Because so many people have the coronavirus, supplies of medical gear like masks are running very low. Masks are generally used once and thrown away.The US government has agreed to allow a special cleaning system made by a company called Battelle. The system can clean up to 80,000 masks a day so that they can be re-used. Each mask can be re-used up to 20 times. Above, masks ready to be cleaned.(Source: Battelle.)Now the US government has agreed to allow a special cleaning system made by a company called Battelle. The system can clean up to 80,000 masks a day so that they can be re-used. Each mask can be re-used up to 20 times. This will make the current supply of masks last a lot longer.Two of Battelle’s machines are in use in Ohio. More machines will be sent to New York, Seattle, and Washington, DC.NewsForKids.net has these COVID-19 resources:• Overview of COVID-19• Coronavirus Words Explained• Collection of our articles on COVID-19• Regular, detailed COVID-19 updatesCheck Yourself0/41. The article names two things that there aren’t enough of. What are they?2. Testing people quickly for COVID-19 helps health experts control the spread of the disease.True   False3. The new machine from Abbot Laboratories can give test results in 15 minutes. What's one problem with it?test materials need to be sent to a labit's too bigit's hard to moveit only works on people who've had COVID-19 for several days4. Battelle created a cleaning system that allows people to re-use masks up to _______________ times.How can early testing help prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19?ResetSourceswww.theguardian.comwww.npr.orgwww.theverge.comwww.msn.comwww.news.com.auwww.vox.comwww.npr.orgwww.usatoday.comen.wikipedia.orgShare:Scientists have created the first gene-editing medicine made for a single patient. The patient – a young baby who was sick because of a problem with his DNA – is now greatly improved, and is expected to go home soon.Doctors Say Vaccines Key to Fighting US Measles OutbreakNFK Editors - Mar 18, 2025The US is facing a serious measles outbreak, with over 300 cases reported across 14 states so far this year. That’s more cases in the first three months of 2025 than in all of last year. The rise in measles cases is connected to a drop in vaccination rates.

Technology 2025-12-19 13:13:29

Using Apps to Track the Spread of the Coronavirus

Using Apps to Track the Spread of the CoronavirusNFK Editors - April 30, 2020Governments and businesses worldwide are creating smartphone apps to help track the spread of the new coronavirus. The apps could be an important part of easing up on lockdowns, but they are also causing some worries.Tracking the spread of a disease is an important step in stopping an outbreak. By tracking down people who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients, health experts can warn them, and keep the virus from spreading further. This is called “contact tracing”.As governments remove coronavirus lockdown limits, they’ll need to be able to quickly identify and contain new outbreaks. Contact tracing will be an important part of that process.Tracking the spread of a disease is an important step in stopping an outbreak. By tracking down people who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients, health experts can warn them, and keep the virus from spreading further. This is called “contact tracing”.(Source: CFCF [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)But because the coronavirus spreads so quickly to so many people, it’s almost impossible to trace all contacts with phone calls and in-person visits. That’s why many people hope that digital contact tracing with smartphones will help.Most contact tracing apps collect information about where people have gone and the people they’ve had contact with. The apps use smartphone features like GPS (for the phone’s location) and Bluetooth (to learn about other nearby phones).Most contact tracing apps collect information about where people have gone and the people they’ve had contact with, using GPS and Bluetooth. This picture from Hong Kong in the early days of the coronavirus shows how phones might help keep track of contacts.(Source: 中国新闻网 [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)The apps can notify users when one of their recent contacts has been found to have the coronavirus. Some systems also notify governments or health care workers.Currently, dozens of apps have been created or are being developed around the world. But there are concerns about privacy and security with these apps. Some people worry the apps are being made too quickly and may not protect people’s private information.Currently, dozens of apps have been created or are being developed around the world. But there are concerns about privacy and security with these apps. This screenshot is from an app made for Singapore which has been shared with other countries.(Source: Ben McLean [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Others are afraid the apps will let governments track people in ways that could be used for much more than just controlling the coronavirus. They fear that once governments have the ability to track people, they won’t give it up, even if the threat of the coronavirus passes.Some app developers are working to protect user privacy. Apple and Google have recently teamed up to create an app for Apple and Android phones. Under Apple and Google’s system, information about contacts will stay on a user’s phone unless the user chooses to share it.Some app developers are working to protect user privacy. Apple and Google teamed up to create an app which keeps information about contacts on a user’s phone unless the user chooses to share it. The cartoon above shows how contact tracing can be made private.(Source: [CC0, Public Domain] (modified) Nicky Case.)For these apps to work, governments will need to make sure people are being tested for the coronavirus. Test results are what start the contact tracing process. In some systems, health care workers report results. In others, it’s up to the patient.About 60% of the people in an area need to use an app for it to be helpful in limiting the spread of the virus. That could be a problem. In places which already have apps, the numbers of users are far lower. Norway has one of the highest sign-up rates, but only 30% of people in Norway are using the app.About 60% of the people in an area need to use an app for it to be helpful in limiting the spread of the virus. There are also other challenges, like making sure apps don’t drain phone batteries too quickly. For many older phones, the apps may not work at all.(Source: Martin Abegglen, via Flickr.com.)There are also other challenges, like making sure apps don’t drain phone batteries too quickly. For many older phones, the apps may not work at all.Still, if smartphone apps can handle most contact tracing, they could help limit the spread of the coronavirus, and make it easier for health care workers to track the people that the apps don’t catch.Check Yourself0/41. Contact tracing is a way of tracking down people who have come into contact with a sick person.True   False2. Digital contact tracing with smartphone _______________ could help make contact tracing more automatic.3. Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a possible problem with contact tracing apps?the apps aren't games so they won't be popularthe apps might use too much batterythe apps might not protect private informationthe apps might give governments too much power4. In Apple and Google's system, the _______________ decides if they will share information.Think back to your life before the lockdown. List the places where you got together with people. Could you have remembered everyone you came into contact with during a two-week period?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.wired.comwww.bbc.comwww.nzherald.co.nzwww.abc.net.auwww.laht.comwww.dw.comwww.theguardian.comtheconversation.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.

Technology 2025-12-31 14:16:24

Shock at Powerful Facial Recognition Program

Shock at Powerful Facial Recognition ProgramNFK Editors - February 12, 2020In January, the New York Times reported on a company which claimed its computer program could identify almost anyone from a picture. The news that a small company had secretly done this shocked many people.When a computer system identifies a person from their face in a picture, it’s called “facial recognition”. Usually, the program compares one photo to a computerized library, or “database”, of known photos.Typically, a facial recognition program takes measurements based on important parts of the face and uses those measurements to create a math formula that describes the face. Then it searches the database for faces with similar formulas.(Source: IBM Research, via Flickr.com.)Typically, a facial recognition program takes measurements based on important parts of the face and uses those measurements to create a math formula that describes the face. Then it searches the database for faces with similar formulas.Many police departments use facial recognition. It can be helpful when police just have a picture of a suspect, but no other information. In some cases, facial recognition has helped identify criminals and solve cases.For companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and NEC, facial recognition is big business. These companies often sell their programs to police departments or to prisons. But until recently, these programs mainly used databases filled with pictures of criminals and pictures from driver’s licenses.For companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and NEC, facial recognition is big business. These companies often sell their programs to police departments or to prisons. Above, Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, gives a talk on facial recognition.(Source: Brookings Institution, via Flickr.com.)But in January, the New York Times (NYT) reported on a small company called Clearview AI. Using a collection of 3 billion pictures of ordinary people, Clearview claimed it could identify almost anyone, tell where they lived, and provide links to images of them on the internet – whether they were a criminal or not.Many companies could have done this, but they didn’t because of worries about privacy. Clearview didn’t share those worries.The New York Times reported that a small company called Clearview AI was using a collection of 3 billion pictures of ordinary people to identify almost anyone, whether they were a criminal or not. The screenshot is from Clearview AI’s website.(Source: Screenshot, Clearview AI.)Clearview’s library of images is based on pictures of ordinary people that the company took from websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube – all without permission.The NYT reported that Clearview was selling its program to over 600 police departments in the US. Clearview’s program is reported to work well, and it has helped solve several crimes very quickly.Clearview’s library of images is based on pictures of ordinary people that the company took from websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube – all without permission.(Source: Alex O, via Flickr.com.)But what Clearview is doing bothers many people, and not just because the company doesn’t have permission to use the photos.Many people find it scary that a private company is able to secretly identify just about anyone walking down the street. They point out that the technology could be misused in many ways. They also worry that when Clearview makes mistakes, it could make innocent people look like criminals.Clearview is selling its program to over 600 police departments in the US. Many people find it scary that a private company has the power to identify almost anyone from just a picture. The app shown above is by NEC, not Clearview.(Source: NEC Corporation of America, via Flickr.com.)Many of the websites have now demanded that Clearview stop taking photos from their sites. Clearview says that it did nothing wrong and doesn’t have any plans to remove the photos it has stored. Even if the photos were erased, Clearview still has the math formulas that describe the faces.Currently, Clearview is mainly used in the US and Canada, but the company has had talks about selling its technology to 22 different countries.Though some cities and towns in the United States have banned facial recognition, the US doesn’t currently have laws limiting facial recognition. It also doesn’t have laws that prevent collecting information from the internet for the purpose of identifying people.(Source: Marco Vanoli, via Flickr.com.)Though some cities and towns in the United States have banned facial recognition, the US doesn’t currently have laws limiting facial recognition. It also doesn’t have laws that prevent collecting information from the internet for the purpose of identifying people.This is one of many areas where technology is moving far more quickly than lawmakers are.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.abc.net.auwww.nytimes.comwww.buzzfeednews.comwww.buzzfeednews.comwww.buzzfeednews.comwww.vox.comwww.cnn.comwww.axios.comShare:Scientists at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have created what they call “the world’s smallest violin”. The violin is made of metal and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful microscope. The project was designed to test new technology for building extremely small things.

Technology 2025-12-18 12:25:40

NASA Scientists Control Spacecraft From Home

NASA Scientists Control Spacecraft From HomeNFK Editors - April 27, 2020Around the world, millions of people on lockdown are having to work from home. Among them are NASA’s scientists – including those controlling spacecraft, and even Curiosity, one of NASA’s Mars rovers.Since March 20, all NASA workers who don’t absolutely have to be in NASA’s buildings have had to work from home. Like many people working from home, NASA’s scientists are facing the challenges of turning their living spaces into work spaces, in spite of the distractions of pets, children, and other family members.Around the world, millions of people on lockdown are having to work from home. Among them are NASA’s scientists – including those controlling spacecraft, and even Curiosity, one of NASA’s Mars rovers (above).(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems, Julian Herzog [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Alicia Allbaugh is in charge of the team that plans and carries out the actions of NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity. Since Curiosity is a complicated robot moving around on a distant planet, it’s very important that its movements be planned and put into action carefully.Ms. Allbaugh says the situation is a classic NASA challenge. “We’re presented with a problem and we figure out how to make things work. Mars isn’t standing still for us. We’re still exploring,” she says.Alicia Allbaugh (above) is in charge of the team that plans and carries out the actions of NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity. She says the situation is a classic NASA challenge. “We’re presented with a problem and we figure out how to make things work.”(Source: NASA.)But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Creating each series of actions that a rover takes can require the efforts of 20 or more people working together. When it became clear that a lockdown was likely, NASA’s teams began making plans that would allow them to keep working together, even from home.The teams are usually all in the same room at NASA. Now, at home, they are holding several video and chat sessions at once. “I probably monitor [keep track of] about 15 chat channels at all times,” said Ms. Allbaugh.Controlling a rover’s actions requires the efforts of 20 or more people working together. The teams are usually in the same room at NASA. Now, at home, they are holding several video and chat sessions at once. Above, the Curiosity rover team working from home.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech .)Still, the teams aren’t able to do everything at home that they can do from work. For example, in NASA’s lab in Pasadena, there are some very powerful 3D goggles that allow the scientists to carefully study the land around the rover.But the 3D goggles require a very powerful computer, so the team has come up with a simpler solution: they are wearing old-style 3D glasses with red and blue lenses.Usually the Curiosity team uses powerful 3D goggles to study the land around the rover. Since the 3D goggles require a very powerful computer, the team has come up with a simpler solution: wearing old-style 3D glasses with red and blue lenses.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech .)In spite of the challenges, the scientists seem to be successful in their work. Just two days after they began working from home, the team was able to send commands to Curiosity that caused it to drill for a rock sample in an area on Mars known as Edinburgh.Curiosity is far from the only project that NASA’s scientists are running from home. One of the biggest challenges is getting ready to launch a new Mars rover called Perseverance by July 17. About 90% of the Perseverance team (above) is working from home.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech .)Curiosity is far from the only project that NASA’s scientists are running from home.One of the biggest challenges is continuing to get ready to launch a new Mars rover called Perseverance on July 17. Because of the way the planets line up, if the team can’t send Perseverance on or near the planned launch date, they will have to wait until 2022.All NASA workers who don’t absolutely have to be in NASA’s buildings are working from home. Above, a NASA worker walks by the countdown clock for the Perseverance rover. If the Perseverance isn’t launched on time, NASA will have to wait until 2022.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech .)NASA’s workers are also controlling several other spacecraft and satellites. The challenges of working aren’t always connected to technology.Ryan Martineau, who’s helping operate a spacecraft from home, has a three year old and a three-month old baby. He told the news websiteThe Verge, “There have been a couple of cases where I had to hurry up with a diaper change real quick before I needed to send some commands to the spacecraft.”Check Yourself0/41. For the last month, most people who work for NASA have been going in to work as they normally do.True   False2. Creating the actions that control a rover on Mars takes the efforts of _________.five peoplejust one person20 or more people10 people3. When is the launch planned for the Perseverance rover?July 17June 17March 20April 274. If NASA misses the launch date for Perseverance, when is the next time it could be sent?Alicia Allbaugh described the current situation as classic NASA challenge. How is working from home similar to some of the challenges NASA workers normally face?ResetSourceswww.theverge.comwww.space.comwww.voanews.comgizmodo.comtechcrunch.comwww.nasa.govmars.nasa.govShare:When NASA sends its new rover blasting off to Mars in July, it will carry the name “Perseverance”. The name was suggested by Virginia middle-school student Alexander Mather, who won NASA’s “Name the Rover” contest.You might be interested in…ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2025-12-24 14:34:55

Brain Implant Brings Simple Vision to Blind Man

Brain Implant Brings Simple Vision to Blind ManNFK Editors - November 28, 2019Los Angeles, California —(Map)When Jason Esterhuizen was 23, an accident left him blind. Now, eight years later, special glasses and a device inside his brain are allowing him to make out some details of the world around him.When Mr. Esterhuizen had his accident in 2011, he was studying to be a pilot. But he had to give that up and focus instead on learning to deal with a world he couldn’t see.When Jason Esterhuizen was 23, an accident left him blind. Now special glasses and a device inside his brain are allowing him to make out some details of the world around him. The picture shows UCLA scientists checking Mr. Esterhuizen’s brain activity.(Source: UCLA.)He learned to read and write Braille – a system of writing created for blind people. He learned how to use a computer without seeing. And he learned how to get around as a blind person.Mr. Esterhuizen is from South Africa. In 2018, he and his wife moved to California in order to take part in a study that offered the possibility of helping him with his vision.After his accident, Mr. Esterhuizen had to learn how to get around as a blind person. In 2018, he and his wife (above) moved to California in order to take part in a study that offered the possibility of helping him with his vision.(Source: UCLA.)The study was being run by UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) and a company called Second Sight. The goal of the study was to test an unusual medical product called Orion.There are three important pieces to Orion. One part looks like a pair of glasses. But the glasses are really for holding a camera on the person’s head. They also send wireless signals. The second part of Orion is a tiny computer that processes the video from the camera.There are three important pieces to Orion. The glasses hold a camera and can send wireless signals. A tiny computer processes the camera’s video. And the brain implant receives signals from the glasses. Mr. Esterhuizen is shown practicing finding objects.(Source: UCLA.)So that’s where the “sight” comes from. But how does it get to the brain? The third part is a tiny device – an implant – that is inserted directly into the patient’s brain. That’s what’s new and different about Orion.For years, Second Sight and other companies have been working on ways to get visual information into the brains of blind people. Most of the efforts have focused on connecting to the retina – a layer at the back of the eye that turns light into electrical signals for the brain.Most efforts to bring sight to blind people have focused on connecting to the retina – a layer at the back of the eye that turns light into electrical signals (above). The light circle to the right is where the optic nerve leaves the retina, taking vision information to the brain.(Source: Alexander Churkin [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)By sending electrical signals to the retina, some visual information can be sent to the brain. So far Second Sight has given about 350 people retinal implants.But a retinal implant wasn’t possible for Mr. Esterhuizen. That’s why Orion’s direct connection to the brain was especially interesting to him. As Dr. Nader Pouratian, the surgeon who gave Mr. Esterhuizen his implant, said, “With the current system we’re testing, you don’t even need to have eyes for the device to work.”A retinal implant wasn’t possible for Mr. Esterhuizen. That’s why Orion’s direct connection to the brain interested him. Dr. Nader Pouratian, the surgeon who gave Mr. Esterhuizen his implant, said, “With the current system we’re testing, you don’t even need to have eyes for the device to work.” Above, Dr. Pouratian points to the location of the device.(Source: UCLA.)Mr. Esterhuizen’s vision isn’t “fixed”. He can’t see normally. But he can tell dark from light. He says he sees “little white dots on a black background, like looking up at the stars at night.”There are six people in the world trying out the Orion. Mr. Esterhuizen is one of two in the US.Mr. Esterhuizen’s vision isn’t “fixed”. He can’t see normally. But he can tell dark from light. “Now I can do things that I couldn’t do before,” he says. “I can sort the laundry, find my way in lighted hallways…and cross the street more safely. It’s making my life much easier.”(Source: UCLA.)“Now I can do things that I couldn’t do before,” Mr. Esterhuizen said. “I can sort the laundry, find my way in lighted hallways without using a cane, and cross the street more safely. It’s making my life much easier.”Sourceswww.voanews.comwww.uclahealth.orgonezero.medium.comwww.insideedition.comucla.multimedia-newsroom.comLos Angeles, CaliforniaView Larger MapShare:In April, Lego announced a new project with its famous bricks: the company is making Braille bricks to help blind students learn to read, write, and do math.Blind Sailor Sails Non-Stop Across the PacificNFK Editors - Apr 28, 2019Mitsuhiro Iwamoto has been blind since he was 16. He wanted to prove that his blindness didn’t limit what he can do. Last week Mr. Iwamoto became the first blind person to sail non-stop across the Pacific Ocean.You might be interested in…Scientists Surprised by Clever Fishing WolfNFK Editors - Dec 3, 2025In 2021, the Heiltsuk Nation in Canada set traps to catch invasive European green crabs. The traps kept getting destroyed, and no one knew how. When scientists set up a camera to learn what was going on, they got a surprise: a clever wolf had used a series of complicated steps to get food from the trap.Pig Kidney Transplant Trial Begins in USNFK Editors - Nov 12, 2025Doctors at a hospital in New York have begun a program that will test whether specially designed pig kidneys can be used to replace human kidneys. The results of the trial program could help thousands of people who are waiting for a new kidney.ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.

Technology 2025-12-25 02:58:05

Record-Setting Astronaut Christina Koch Returns to Earth

Record-Setting Astronaut Christina Koch Returns to EarthNFK Editors - February 11, 2020Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan —(Map)Last Thursday, American astronaut Christina Koch arrived back on Earth after 328 days in space. That’s the longest spaceflight ever made by a woman, and just one of the many things Ms. Koch achieved in space.Ms. Koch, who is 41, took off from Earth for the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, 2019. While Ms. Koch was in space, she made 5,248 trips around the Earth. She traveled 139 million miles (223.7 million kilometers), which NASA says is roughly the same as 291 trips to the Moon and back.Last Thursday, American astronaut Christina Koch arrived back on Earth after 328 days in space and 5,248 trips around the Earth. That’s the longest spaceflight ever made by a woman, and just one of the many things Ms. Koch achieved in space.(Source: NASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)On Thursday, Ms. Koch landed safely in Kazakhstan, along with Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut (astronaut) Alexander Skvortsov.Her time in space is just one of the records set by Ms. Koch. In October of last year, Ms. Koch led the first everall-female spacewalk with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir.During her 11 months on the ISS, Ms. Koch took part in six spacewalks, including three all-female spacewalks. In all, she spent over 42 hours outside the station.In October, Ms. Koch (left) led the first ever all-female spacewalk with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. The two are shown preparing their spacesuits for a spacewalk. While on the ISS, Ms. Koch took part in six spacewalks, spending over 42 hours outside the station.(Source: NASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)But for most astronauts, space travel isn’t about setting records. It’s about doing science. Ms. Koch took part in a wide variety of special experiments while she was on the ISS. Her work included studying how crystals grow in space, how fire behaves in space, and how atoms behave in extreme cold.She did many experiments aimed at learning more about growing plants in low gravity. Growing plants in space could be an important way to provide food on future trips.Ms. Koch took part in a wide variety of special experiments while she was on the ISS, including many experiments aimed at learning more about growing plants in low gravity.(Source: NASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)Ms. Koch also worked on an experiment which tested a new way of separating liquids from gases. This experiment could lead to simple methods of cleaning water and air in space, which could be very important for future space travel.Ms. Koch isn’t just a scientist and an astronaut. She is also being studied. She’s part of a NASA program studying how astronauts are affected by being in space for long periods of time. Ms. Koch’s 328-day trip was only 12 days shorter than the American record set by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016.Ms. Koch is being studied as part of a NASA program looking into how astronauts are affected by being in space for long periods of time.(Source: Bill Ingalls/NASANASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)As they did with Mr. Kelly, NASA scientists will be looking carefully at ways Ms. Koch’s body has been affected by her time in space. That research is important for the longer space trips NASA hopes to make in the future, such as for a base on the moon or a trip to Mars.Ms. Koch says she will miss the amazing views of Earth, and being able to float around in very low gravity. She will also miss her friends from the ISS. But she said she was looking forward to many simple Earth experiences that are impossible in space, such as “the feeling of wind on my face.”On Thursday, Ms. Koch landed safely in Kazakhstan. She says she is looking forward to many simple Earth experiences that are impossible in space, such as “the feeling of wind on my face.”(Source: Bill Ingalls/NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.abc.net.auwww.dw.comwww.theverge.comwww.nasa.govwww.nasa.govDzhezkazgan, KazakhstanView Larger MapShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2025-12-27 16:37:14

For Real? Huge Dinner, Sore Fingers, & Smelly Buses

For Real? Huge Dinner, Sore Fingers, & Smelly BusesNFK Editors - July 4, 2020Prague Holds a Massive Dinner to Celebrate SummerThe city of Prague in the Czech Republic held a huge open-air dinner last Tuesday to celebrate summer and the relaxing of coronavirus lockdown rules. A group called Pianos in the Streets organized the meal.The group set up a 550-yard (500 meter) table crossing the city’s famous Charles Bridge and invited people to reserve their seats online. In less than 40 seconds, all of the seats had been reserved. People were asked to bring their own food and drinks, and hundreds of people did.Embed from Getty ImagesThe city of Prague in the Czech Republic held a huge open-air dinner last Tuesday to celebrate summer and the relaxing of coronavirus lockdown rules. A 550-yard (500 meter) table was set up. Hundreds came, bringing their own food and drinks.The Czech Republic is eager to encourage tourists to visit the country now that travel rules have been relaxed. Prague’s mayor said, “We need to send the world a symbol that we live again.”Though the number of coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic has gone up in recent days, during its lockdown, the country did a good job of getting the virus under control.“Finger on the App” Contest Ends Early With Four WinnersA company called MSCHF teamed up with a YouTube star to create an unusual contest called “Finger on the App”.YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, also known as “MrBeast”, worked with MSCHF to create a game as simple as it was challenging. All users had to do was download the app, wait for the game to begin, and then keep their finger on the app longer than anyone else.The game was set up to handle millions of players and designed so that people had to pay attention to the app. Every few minutes the app would tell users to move their fingers to a new location on the screen.An unusual contest called “Finger on the App” required players to do exactly that for as long as possible. After over 70 hours, the contest was ended early with four winners instead of one. Above, a screenshot of the Finger on the App website.(Source: Website screenshot, Finger on the App.)The prize for winning the contest was $25,000 – or possibly nothing. That’s because of a special contest rule: everyone who lost the contest was allowed to vote for how much money the winner should get. The winner would only earn the average of the amounts chosen by the people who lost.The game began on June 30 and didn’t end until more than 70 hours later, when Mr. Donaldson ended the contest early, giving each of the four remaining players a reward of $20,000. He also gave the winners a bit of advice: “Go to sleep!”Berlin Transportation Company Wants Smelly RidersBecause of the coronavirus, riders on public transportation in Germany are required to wear face masks. Though most people follow the rules, some people aren’t wearing their masks correctly. They’re only covering their mouths, but leaving their noses uncovered.Now the Berlin transportation company BVG thinks it may have found a solution for that problem – smelly riders. On Wednesday, BVG made posts on social media sites encouraging riders NOT to use deodorant under their arms. The company is hoping that if the body smells on the bus are strong enough, even lazy mask wearers will have a good reason to cover their noses.The Berlin transportation company BVG thinks it may have found a solution to sloppy mask wearers – smelly riders. On Wednesday, BVG made the post below on social media sites, encouraging riders NOT to use deodorant under their arms.Though the posts were made partly as a joke, it could have an effect. Over 10,000 people have seen and “liked” the posts, which helps spread the word about how important it is to correctly wear a mask to limit the spread of the coronavirus.Sourceswww.laht.comwww.cnn.comwww.cnbc.comwww.theverge.comwww.forbes.comtechcrunch.comwww.dw.comwww.thelocal.deShare:Scientists from Japan and Taiwan may have solved an old mystery: how did ancient people with simple tools and little scientific knowledge make long, dangerous ocean trips to new places? To test their ideas, the researchers made a trip of their own in a canoe they built from a tree using stone tools.

Technology 2025-12-28 13:00:45

Using Sewage to Track the Spread of the Coronavirus

Using Sewage to Track the Spread of the CoronavirusNFK Editors - May 7, 2020Worldwide, many efforts are being made to test people for the new coronavirus. But scientists are also looking at an unusual way of testing for the virus – studying water that’s been flushed down toilets.When you pour something down the drain or flush it down a toilet in most cities, it goes into a sewer. This “sewage” or wastewater is then cleaned and treated so that the clean water can be used again.But sewage also carries important information about what’s going on with the people who create it. Many diseases leave traces which show up in human poop and pee. In fact, signs that a person is fighting a virus or harmful bacteria can show up in their poop before the person even realizes they are sick.Sewage carries important information about what’s going on with the people who create it. Many diseases leave traces which show up in human poop and pee. Above, a wastewater treatment plant in Yakima, Washington.(Source: Steve Groom [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Scientists have known for years that they can learn a lot about a city’s diseases by studying its wastewater. As scientists have developed new ways of testing for diseases, that process has gotten simpler and more accurate.In 2013, the Israeli government was able to respond to an outbreak of poliovirus after discovering it in wastewater. Recently, signs of a hepatitis A outbreak appeared in Detroit’s sewage almost a week before any cases were reported.“Sewage is a source of information on human health,” says Newsha Ghaeli. Above, Mariana Matus (left) and Newsha Ghaeli (right), the people who started Biobot, a company that studies wastewater..(Source: Biobot.)“Sewage is a source of information on human health,” says Newsha Ghaeli. She’s one of the creators of Biobot, a company that studies wastewater. Biobot has now teamed up with several other organizations to use wastewater to study the spread of the coronavirus.Tracking the spread of the coronavirus has been tricky. Because people can carry the virus without showing any signs of it, it’s hard to know how widely it’s spread. Often, by the time health experts realized there was a case or two in an area, the disease had already spread widely.Imagine if health experts could tell that the virus was spreading in an area before any cases were reported. Teams in the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, and the US are studying wastewater to make this happen.(Source: Biobot.)Imagine if health experts could tell that the virus was spreading in an area before any cases were reported. Teams in the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, and the US are working to make this happen.To get a clear picture of how many people have COVID-19, lots of people need to be tested, including many who feel just fine. But because so many places don’t have enough tests, often the only people who get tested are those who appear to have the disease.To get a clear picture of how many people have COVID-19, lots of people need to be tested, including many who feel fine. So far most tests have been given to people who appear to have the disease. Above, a sailor gets tested for the coronavirus.(Source: US Navy Medicine [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)That’s where testing wastewater can be useful. Sewage can’t give exact numbers, but based on the virus-related material they collect, scientists can make a good guess about roughly how many people have the virus.For example, based on Biobot’s testing in Massachusetts, the company believes that many more people have the virus than are currently reported. Biobot is working with water companies in 40 states to collect more information.With more detailed information, not just in the US, but around the world, scientists should be able to make more accurate estimates about the spread of the coronavirus.(Source: Biobot.)With more detailed information, not just in the US, but around the world, scientists should be able to make more accurate estimates about the spread of the coronavirus.This could be especially useful as cities, states, and countries begin relaxing lockdown rules. Keeping a careful eye on wastewater could give governments an early warning signal for outbreaks, which could save many lives.Check Yourself0/41. Signs that a person has a disease can show up in their poop before they even know they are sick.True   False2. Studying sewage helped scientists in _______________ deal with an outbreak of poliovirus.3. Studying wastewater can help scientists _______________.tell exactly how many people have the coronavirusget a rough idea how many people have the coronavirus4. Testing wastewater for the coronavirus could be especially useful as governments relax their _______________.Unusual methods often help scientists come up with new information. What else do you think scientists might be able to learn from studying sewage?ResetSourceswww.nature.comwww.nytimes.comwww.abc.net.auwww.theverge.comwww.voanews.comtheconversation.commedium.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Massive “Fatberg” Cleared From London SewerNFK Editors - Oct 9, 2025A water company in England has removed a massive “fatberg” which was blocking pipes in a London sewer. The fatberg was a hardened mess of grease, oil, wet wipes, and other items that had been put down toilets and sinks instead of into trash cans.Egypt, Sudan Worried as Ethiopia Opens Massive DamNFK Editors - Sep 10, 2025On Tuesday, Ethiopia held a special event to officially open Africa’s largest dam. The $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is expected to bring electricity to millions of people in Ethiopia. But the dam has upset Egypt and Sudan, which rely heavily on the Nile River for its water.

Technology 2026-01-07 01:22:36

Everyone’s at Home, the Earth is Shaking Less

Everyone’s at Home, the Earth is Shaking LessNFK Editors - April 20, 2020Billions of people around the world are now on lockdown. That means there’s a whole lot less action on the planet’s surface. One result of that is that the earth is shaking less. And scientists can tell.Seismologists are scientists who study earthquakes and other vibrations inside the earth. They use special tools, including seismometers, to measure shaking in the ground. Though earthquakes can be huge and powerful, seismometers can measure much smaller vibrations, too.Seismologists are scientists who study earthquakes and other vibrations inside the earth. They use special tools, including seismometers, to measure shaking in the ground. Above, a seismograph, which measures and records earthquakes.(Source: Yamaguchi先生 [CC BY-SA 3.0], WikimediaCommons.org.)Seismic stations – special research stations with seismometers and other tools for measuring earthquakes – are usually set up far away from cities. Often seismometers are buried deep underground, away from human-created noise. That’s because cities shake too much.Think about it: trucks, buses, trains, subways, hundreds of thousands of cars, machinery like jackhammers and cement mixers – even the pounding of millions of pairs of feet. Ordinary human life, especially in cities, has a lot of noise, and that noise winds up vibrating in the ground.Seismic stations – special research stations with seismometers and other tools for measuring earthquakes – are usually set up far away from cities. That’s because cities shake too much. This seismic station is on Mount Vesuvius in Italy.(Source: daryl_mitchell [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Now, with people on lockdown all over the world, a big part of this background noise has dropped away. It’s like when everyone at a party stops talking at once, and you can hear the smallest of sounds.One of the first people to notice this was Thomas Lecocq, a seismologist who works at the Royal Observatory in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Lecocq says the levels of “seismic noise” have been about 30% to 50% lower since mid-March. He says those levels are about the same as the country would have on a big holiday like Christmas.Seismologist Thomas Lecocq says that levels of seismic noise have been about 30% to 50% lower since mid-March. He says the current levels are about the same as the country would have on Christmas. Mr. Lecocq created the graph above, showing the drop.(Source: Screenshot, Thomas Lecocq.)Mr. Lecocq shared details over the internet about how he detected the drop in seismic noise. Seismologists in several other countries, including France, New Zealand, and the United States, used Mr. Lecocq’s method and found similar results.The unusual quiet is giving seismologists a rare chance to “listen” to the earth without so much human noise. And it makes a big difference. Seismologists say they can now detect earthquakes on the other side of the world – something that would normally be lost in the background noise.The unusual quiet is giving seismologists a rare chance to “listen” to the earth without so much human noise. Seismologists say they can now detect earthquakes on the other side of the world. Above, an underground seismometer.(Source: SpacePen [CC BY-SA 3.0 DE], via Wikimedia Commons.)The quiet period may allow seismologists to study things that create such small vibrations that they normally can’t be detected – things like waves, or the way water moves underground.The drop in noise is improving even “bad” seismic stations. Brussels has a seismic station that was built over 100 years ago, before it became a big, busy city. Normally, Mr. Lecocq says, the station is “basically useless”. But without all the background noise, it’s almost as good as a much more protected seismometer.The scientists say that the lower seismic noise level is a strong sign that people are taking the lockdowns and social distancing rules seriously. Above, the Grand Place square in front of the Brussels City Museum is nearly empty because of the pandemic.(Source: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)The scientists say that the lower seismic noise level is a strong sign that people are taking the lockdowns and social distancing rules seriously. Mr. Lecocq thinks these seismic measurements can be used to encourage people to keep doing the right thing and stay at home.Check Yourself0/41. Seismologists are scientists who study _______________.2. Why are most seismic stations set up away from cities?Land is cheaper outside of citiesPeople are more friendly in the countryCities shake too muchIt's hard to find parking in cities3. Scientists can measure the drop in vibrations caused by people staying at home.True   False4. During the quiet period, scientists may be able to study things that only create small vibrations. Name one example.Have you noticed if it's quieter where you live? Is it easier to stay home if you know everyone else is, too?ResetSourceswww.theatlantic.comwww.cnn.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.nature.comgizmodo.comShare:

Technology 2026-01-08 12:26:37

Robotics Team Sets Toilet Paper Pyramid Record

Robotics Team Sets Toilet Paper Pyramid RecordNFK Editors - January 31, 2020Midland, Michigan —(Map)Students at Bullock Creek High School in Midland, Michigan found an unusual way to raise money for their robotics team – they used 27,434 rolls of toilet paper to build the world’s largest toilet paper pyramid.Every year, the BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics team takes part in the FIRST Robotics Competition – a national robotics contest, where students are challenged to create a robot that can perform certain tasks.Members of Bullock Creek High School’s BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics Team found an unusual way to raise money for their robotics team – they used 27,434 rolls of toilet paper to build the world’s largest toilet paper pyramid.(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)The 28 students on the BlitzCreek team – about half female – design robots, build and wire them, and write the programs that run them.But building robots isn’t cheap, and teams are expected to help raise money for the program.Maxton Herst, 18, first had the idea of building a toilet paper pyramid to raise money in ninth grade, when he joined the robotics team. By accident, he came across a video about a toilet paper pyramid. Maxton realized that it was possible to build a record-setting pyramid, and then sell the toilet paper to raise money.Maxton Herst (above) first had the idea of building a toilet paper pyramid to raise money in ninth grade, when he joined the robotics team. Maxton, now 18, realized that it was possible to build a record-setting pyramid, and then sell the toilet paper to raise money.(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)The problem was convincing other members of the team. Year after year, he suggested the idea, but it never took off. But this year, Maxton is the captain of the robotics team. The rest of the team agreed to try his idea.BlitzCreek has been planning the pyramid since last May. One challenge was calculating how many rolls of paper were needed. The answer turned out to be 27,434.*In late December, team members gave up part of their winter holiday to build the pyramid. The pyramid was so big that they had to build it from the inside (above) before backing out and filling in the areas where they had been standing.(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)In late December, team members gave up part of their winter holiday to build the pyramid. The pyramid was so big that they had to build it from the inside before backing out and filling in the areas where they had been standing.It took about 16 hours, with many people working, to complete the pyramid. The final height of the pyramid was 16 feet 3 5/8 inches (4.95 meters) tall. The team believes their pyramid is about two feet (61 centimeters) taller than the current Guinness World Record.It took about 16 hours, with many people working, to complete the pyramid. In all, it took 27,434 rolls of toilet paper.(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)The pyramid opened for viewing on January 4. Sadly, because the pyramid was in the school’s front hall, it could only stay up three days.With all the excitement caused by the pyramid, it turned out to be fairly easy to sell the toilet paper. Families and other supporters bought nearly half of the rolls. A large company bought the rest.The pyramid opened for viewing on January 4. The final height of the pyramid was 16 feet 3 5/8 inches (4.95 meters) tall, which is about two feet (61 centimeters) taller than the current Guinness World Record.(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)The club is still calculating the costs for the project, but they believe the team made about $10,000 from the event. The money will help pay for the activities of the team, as well as similar programs at Bullock Creek’s elementary and middle schools.This isn’t the team’s first fun project. The team built a robot they call “T-shirt Bot”, which looks like a tank, and can shoot T-shirts into the air. The team has taken T-shirt Bot to hockey games, and to elementary schools, to get younger students excited about robotics.The BlitzCreek team also built a robot they call “T-shirt Bot”, which looks like a tank, and can shoot T-shirts into the air. The team has taken T-shirt Bot to hockey games, and to elementary schools, to get younger students excited about robotics (above).(Source: BlitzCreek 3770 Robotics.)Maxton hopes that the success of his “crazy idea” will inspire others. “If you’ve got an idea, and you know that that idea is good, push it,” he says. “Don’t stop.”* For people who want to do the math:The bottom layer of the pyramid has 43 rolls on a side. After that, each layer has one less roll per side than the layer below it. There are 43 layers in all, and the top layer has just one roll!Did You Know…?There are FIRST robotics contests at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. You can find out more at the FIRST site.Sourceswww.mlive.comapnews.comwww.wnem.comwww.upi.comwww.freep.comMidland, MichiganView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2026-01-05 18:18:06

For Real? Remote-Control Scooters, Freeing Whales, & a Free Picasso

For Real? Remote-Control Scooters, Freeing Whales, & a Free PicassoNFK Editors - May 23, 2020Remote-Controlled Scooters are Running in GeorgiaPeople in Peachtree Corners, Georgia will have to get used to an unusual sight over the next six months – scooters driving themselves. Actually, the scooters won’t be driving themselves. Someone in Mexico City will be operating them remotely.The GoX scooter company has teamed up with Tortoise, a company that provides remote-control technology, in the first US test of a remote-controlled scooter operation.A couple of years ago, scooters seemed like a perfect way for people to get around in cities. Then people started dumping cheap rental scooters everywhere, and cities weren’t so excited about scooters.The GoX scooter company has teamed up with Tortoise for the first US test of a remote-controlled scooter operation. People can use an app to call a scooter, and then send it away again when they’re done. Above, a GoX scooter drives, under remote control.(Source: Tortoise.)In the PeachTree Corners test, people can use an app to call a scooter to come to them, and send it away again when they’re done.Because the scooters are remote-controlled, GoX can easily move them to the places where they’re most needed, and make sure they aren’t left where they’re in the way. (The scooters have an extra pair of wheels to keep them from tipping over.)During the coronavirus outbreak, the remote-controlled scooters have another advantage, too. Between riders, the scooters can be driven to a special station so they can be cleaned for the next rider.Diver Saves Whale, Almost Catches Whale of a FineWhen a diver named Django in Queensland, Australia spotted a young humpback whale with its fin caught in a shark net, he simply dove down to help free the whale.But when Django was leaving the beach, he wasn’t thanked for saving the whale. Instead, he was fined for going near the shark net – an area where divers aren’t allowed. It’s not known how much the fine was, but it could have been as much as $16,000 (AU$26,690).A diver named Django freed a young humpback whale that was caught in a shark net. He was fined for going near the shark net, but the fine was later dropped. Above, a shark net.(Source: Gnangarra [CC BY 2.5 AU], via Wikimedia Commons.)An internet page was set up to raise money to help Django pay the fine. Over the next few days, over $10,000 (AU$17,000) was raised. Luckily, the government decided not to fine Django, since he had never done anything like that before.The money raised for Django will now go to pay for whale research.Winning a $1.1 million Picasso in a RaffleClaudia Borgogno is the new owner of a Picasso painting called “Nature Morte” (Still Life), worth $1.1 million. And she didn’t pay a thing for it. Ms. Borgogno’s son bought two raffle tickets for a chance to win the painting and gave one ticket to his mother. She won.The “1 Picasso For 100 Euros” raffle was organized to raise money to help bring water to villages in Madagascar and Cameroon. Over 51,000 people from around the world bought raffle tickets for €100 ($109) each, meaning the event raised over $5.5 million (€5 million).Embed from Getty ImagesThe Picasso painting above is now owned by Claudia Borgogno. She won the painting with a ticket her son gave her for the “1 Picasso For 100 Euros” raffle, which was organized to raise money to help bring water to villages in Madagascar and Cameroon.The painting which was offered as a prize was created by Pablo Picasso in 1921. Picasso was one of the most famous artists in modern history. The work belonged to art collector David Nahmad, who was paid about $975,000 for the painting. Mr. Nahmad believes the work is actually worth over $2 million.Ms. Borgogno is still getting used to the idea of actually having a Picasso in her house, but she is thrilled about her luck. “I have never won anything before,” she said.Sourceswww.theverge.comtechcrunch.comwww.fastcompany.comwww.abc.net.auwww.abc.net.auwww.theguardian.comwww.bbc.comwww.dw.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-20 00:21:01

Ransomware Hits Targets Around the World

Ransomware Hits Targets Around the WorldNFK Editors - September 9, 2020Criminals are targeting the computer systems of school districts, universities, banks, large businesses, and other groups around the world, locking up their computer files, and refusing to unlock them until they are paid.This kind of computer attack is called “ransomware”. The criminals, often called “hackers”, use special software to scramble the files on computers so they can’t be used. The hackers say they will unlock the files if they are paid money – a “ransom”.Ransomware is special software used by criminals to scramble the files on computers so they can’t be used. The criminals, called “hackers”, say they will unlock the files if they are paid money – a “ransom”.(Source: WeissenbachPR, via Flickr.com.)About RansomwareHackers usually target groups that have important information on connected computers, but not enough money or computer experts to protect that information.In recent years, attacks of this kind have grown rapidly. Experts say that such attacks affected 1,000 or more schools in the US in 2019 alone.Attacks often begin through email. If a worker downloads a dangerous file, for example, the file can often copy itself to all of the connected computers. Since so much work is now computer-based, when ransomware hits an organization, it can affect almost everything.One recent example of ransomware happened in Hartford, Connecticut, where the first day of the new school year was delayed by a ransomware attack.The Hartford school system shares computer resources with the city of Hartford, which was attacked on Saturday. The city was able to recover many of its systems, but it was unable to get the software for its school transportation system working in time for the first day yesterday.One recent example of ransomware happened in Hartford, Connecticut. The first day of the new school year was delayed by a ransomware attack. The schools will now be opening on Wednesday, instead.(Source: Screenshot, Hartford Public Schools.)Hartford joins Atlanta, Baltimore, and New Orleans as one of the many cities that have been hit with ransomware in recent years. Some cities have spent millions of dollars recovering. Luckily, Hartford spent $500,000 preparing for such an attack, and didn’t need to pay the ransom to get going again.The University of Utah, on the other hand, wound up paying criminals $457,000 after it was hit with a ransomware attack in July. The university said that it paid the money because the hackers threatened to put private student information online.The University of Utah wound up paying criminals $457,000 after it was hit with a ransomware attack in July. The university said that it paid the money because the hackers threatened to put private student information online.(Source: विजय ठाकुर [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Newcastle University in the United Kingdom was hit by a computer attack on September 1. It’s not clear whether it’s ransomware or not, but the university says it could take weeks for its computer systems to return to normal.These are just a couple of the colleges or universities that have suffered similar attacks. In June, the University of California at San Francisco paid $1.14 million to rescue some of its files. The university was also worried about private information being made public.Embed from Getty ImagesIn late July, Garmin, which makes GPS and mapping products sold around the world was hit by a ransomware attack. The attack shut down all of Garmin’s services for several days (above).In late July, Garmin, which makes GPS and mapping products sold around the world was hit by a ransomware attack. The attack shut down all of Garmin’s services for several days. The company is reported to have paid several million dollars to get its data back.Even organizations which are expected to have strong security have fallen to these attacks. In Chile, BancoEstado – one of the country’s three largest banks – was forced to close across the country on Monday. The bank is working to recover from a ransomware attack that happened over the weekend.In Chile, BancoEstado – one of the country’s three largest banks – was forced to close across the country on Monday. The bank is working to recover from a ransomware attack that happened over the weekend. Above, the main office of BancoEstado.(Source: Carlos yo [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)On August 27, the government of Argentina was the victim of a ransomware attack. The attack forced the country to close its border crossings for about 4 hours. The hackers demanded $4 million, but the government says it won’t pay.Most experts believe that paying the ransom encourages hackers. But once they have been hit, many organizations feel like they don’t have a choice. That’s especially true when the hackers threaten to reveal private information.For now, the best choice seems to be spending money on backups and security before a ransomware attack comes.Check Yourself0/41. Ransomware is special software used by criminals to scramble the files on computers so they can’t be used.True   False2. In Hartford, Connecticut, the first day of school was _______________ by a ransomware attack.3. The University of Utah paid $457,000 after criminals threatened to reveal _______________ student information.4. Experts believe it's usually a good idea to pay the ransom.True   FalseMost people think that computers make our lives easier. But ransomware only exists because of computers. Can you think of other problems that we wouldn't have if we didn't have computers?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.fastcompany.comwww.zdnet.comwww.zdnet.comwww.zdnet.comwww.theverge.comwww.zdnet.combeincrypto.comwww.bleepingcomputer.comShare:The computer systems of local governments, school districts, and businesses are being targeted more often by criminals, who lock the computer files, and refuse to unlock them until they are paid.Baltimore’s Computers Frozen by HackersNFK Editors - May 23, 2019Around 10,000 computers belonging to the city of Baltimore have been taken over and made useless by a group demanding money in exchange for fixing the computers.Atlanta’s Computers Locked By HackersNFK Editors - Mar 30, 2018For over a week, the City of Atlanta’s computer systems have been under attack. The computer files have been taken over by criminals who want over $50,000 to allow the computers to work again.You might be interested in…Bondi Beach Shooting & US Takes Over TankerNFK Editors - Dec 16, 2025Today, NewsForKids.net looks at important stories from Australia and the Americas. Australians are shaken after two men shot at people celebrating Hanukkah on a popular beach. And last Wednesday, the US took control of a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, raising tensions between the US and Venezuela.The US Mints Its Final PennyNFK Editors - Nov 20, 2025On November 12, the US Mint announced that, after 232 years, it had produced the country’s final penny. The Mint says it costs too much to make the coins and that few people actually use them anymore.ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.

Technology 2025-12-16 12:49:13

Images Show Signs of New Planet Being “Born”

Images Show Signs of New Planet Being “Born”NFK Editors - May 26, 2020A team of scientists believe they have captured the first picture of a planet being created. The new planet is far outside our solar system and is thought to be a gas giant like Jupiter or Saturn.The planet in the picture is known as an “exoplanet”. That means a planet that isn’t going around our sun. Instead, it’s going around its own sun – a star known as AB Aurigae, which is about 4 million years old. Four million years may seem like a long time, but it’s young for a star.This map shows where AB Aurigae is (red circle). Other well-known stars and groups of stars are included to show where AB Aurigae can be found in the sky.(Source: ESO, IAU and Sky & Telescope.)AB Aurigae, is a star about 520 light years from Earth. That’s about 3,120,000,000,000,000 miles (3.1 quadrillion miles/5 quadrillion kilometers) away.To create the pictures, a team of international scientists used European Southern Observatory’s “Very Large Telescope” (ESO’s VLT) in Chile. The VLT is made of four large telescopes which can work together as one even more powerful telescope.To create the pictures, a team of international scientists used European Southern Observatory’s “Very Large Telescope” (ESO’s VLT) in Chile. The VLT is made of four large telescopes which can work together as one even more powerful telescope.(Source: ESO [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)The VLT has been used to study AB Aurigae before. Scientists are interested in AB Aurigae’s system because it is surrounded by a thick disc of dust and gas. These are the building blocks that planets are made of, and that’s something scientists are eager to study.Anthony Boccaletti, who led the study, says,”Thousands of exoplanets have been identified so far, but little is known about how they form.”Scientists are interested in AB Aurigae’s system because it’s surrounded by a thick disc of dust and gas. These are the building blocks that planets are made of, and that’s something scientists are eager to study. This image shows the disc around AB Aurigae.(Source: ESO/Boccaletti et al..)Scientists believe planets form when the gas and dust begin to gather together. As this material spins, it disturbs the dust and gas around it, and some of what is stirred up gets added to the growing planet.The pictures from AB Aurigae don’t actually show the planet. Instead, they show a “twist”. The scientists believe the twist is created by a new planet, which is leaving a path behind it, almost like the path of water left behind a motorboat. As the planet orbits the star, the path begins to form a spiral shape.The pictures from AB Aurigae don’t actually show the planet. They show a “twist” (above, bright yellow). The scientists believe the twist is created by a new planet, which is leaving a path behind it. As the planet orbits the star, the path begins to form a spiral shape.(Source: ESO/Boccaletti et al..)The pictures are the most detailed pictures ever taken of AB Aurigae’s system. Normally, the light from the star itself is so bright that little else can be seen. To get the pictures, the scientists used a tool known as SPHERE*, which helped them block out the light from AB Aurigae and reveal the area around it.The team believes that the exoplanet will be a gas giant, like Jupiter or Saturn. The twist is about as far away from AB Aurigae as Neptune is from our sun.The twist is about as far away from AB Aurigae as Neptune is from our sun. The right-hand image zooms in on the area in the red square on the left-hand image. The ‘twist’ is circled in white. The blue circle is included to show the size of the orbit of Neptune.(Source: ESO/Boccaletti et al..)Though the scientists believe the twist is an exoplanet, they plan to continue to watch and track it. By keeping track of how quickly it moves and the path that it takes, they will be able to confirm for sure whether it is actually a planet.*SPHERE stands for Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearchDid You Know…?The ESO is now building an “Extremely Large Telescope”, which will be even better for studying exoplanets.Check Yourself0/41. An _______________ is a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.2. AB Aurigae is about 4 million years old. Is that old or young for a star?3. The scientists can't actually see the planet being created, but located it by the twist and spiral of its path.True   False4. The scientists expect the planet to be a gas giant, like Saturn or _______________.Our sun is over 1,000 times older than AB Aurigae. How old would something 1,000 times older than you be? How about 1,000 times younger?ResetSourceswww.cbc.cawww.abc.net.auwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.vice.comwww.eso.orgShare:Scientists have taken pictures of a star that is farther away than any single star ever seen. They were only able to see the star because gravity made it look bigger.You might be interested in…ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Australian Moths Use the Stars to Guide ThemNFK Editors - Jul 9, 2025Scientists have made a surprising discovery about one of Australia’s migrating moths – Bogong moths use the stars to help guide them on their long trips across Australia. The moths are the first insects known to use the stars as a guide while migrating.Vera Rubin Telescope Reveals Amazing ImagesNFK Editors - Jun 25, 2025On Monday, scientists released the first pictures taken by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. The observatory has a powerful new telescope that’s designed to take complete pictures of the southern night sky over the next ten years. It’s expected to bring huge changes to the way scientists study space.

Technology 2025-12-11 15:09:51

Shimon the Robot Writes and Sings Songs

Shimon the Robot Writes and Sings SongsNFK Editors - April 1, 2020Researchers at Georgia Tech have been working to improve a musical robot called Shimon. Now Shimon doesn’t simply play music, he also writes the words to his own songs – and sings them.Shimon is a four-armed robot with a ball-like head. He holds small mallets in his “hands” to play a kind of xylophone called a marimba. As Shimon plays, his head moves around in time to the music.Shimon is a four-armed robot with a ball-like head. He holds small mallets in his “hands” to play a kind of xylophone called a marimba. As Shimon plays, his head moves around in time to the music.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)Shimon has been around for quite a while as a musical robot. Even back in 2015, he was playing with other musicians at the Kennedy Center in New York. What Shimon could do back then was already pretty cool.Using “deep learning”, Shimon was taught to write his own music. Deep learning – also known as Artificial Intelligence (AI) – means that computer programs sort deeply through huge amounts of information. This allows them to find patterns humans may not have noticed. The programs can then use those patterns in new and surprising ways.Using “deep learning”, Shimon was taught to write his own music. He can create his own music in real time, while playing with other musicians. This is called “improvising”. Above, project members Gil Weinberg (left) and Richard Savery play with Shimon.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)For Shimon, that meant he could not only make up his own music, he could do it in real time, while playing with other musicians. This is called “improvising”.Now Shimon is back with a whole bunch of new tricks. He can write the words to his own songs, and sing them.Now Shimon is back with a whole bunch of new tricks. He can write the words to his own songs, and sing them.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)Shimon learned to write the words for the songs the same way he learned to write music – by being “fed” thousands and thousands of examples. Shimon was trained on the lyrics (words) to 50,000 songs.Georgia Tech professor Gil Weinberg, who leads the Shimon project, gets Shimon going with a starting idea. Shimon then writes the lyrics based around that idea. Mr. Weinberg usually provides much of the music for the songs, but Shimon helps out there, too.Georgia Tech professor Gil Weinberg, who leads the Shimon project, gets Shimon going with a starting idea. Shimon then writes the lyrics based around that idea.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)Richard Savery, one of the researchers, says, “You’ll get a word like ‘storm’, and then it’ll generate a whole bunch of related words, like ‘rain’.” He says Shimon comes up with many ideas, keeps the good ones, and builds on them.Singing the songs is another story. To give Shimon a voice, the Georgia Tech team worked with experts at Pompeu Fabra University in Spain. The voice was created using AI and sounds very much like a man.Shimon’s face has also gotten new features. Shimon’s mouth now moves smoothly in time as he sings. He also has eyebrows, which allow his face to show more emotion.Shimon’s face has also gotten new features. Shimon’s mouth now moves smoothly in time as he sings. He also has eyebrows, which allow his face to show more emotion.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)To show off Shimon and his new abilities, the researchers have recorded one of Shimon’s songs, called “Into Your Mind”. They have made a video for the song, which is out on YouTube.Later this spring, the team plans to put out an album of about 8-10 of Shimon’s songs. The album will be released on the music streaming service Spotify. There are also plans for Shimon to go on tour with a band to play and sing his songs live.To show off Shimon and his new abilities, the researchers have recorded one of Shimon’s songs, called “Into Your Mind”. They have made a video for the song, which is out on YouTube (above).(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)For Mr. Weinberg, that’s the main goal behind the Shimon project – not to have robots take over, but to have robots and humans make something beautiful together.Did You Know…?By chance, Shimon’s new song has some words of hope for people stuck at home because of the coronavirus: “Home is where the rainbow comes.”Screenshot from video for “Into Your Mind”, by Shimon.(Source: Gil Weinberg, Georgia Tech.)Check Yourself0/41. Shimon plays a kind of xylophone called a _______________.2. What skill does Shimon NOT have?singing songsplay the marimbaplaying drumswriting songs3. To learn to write songs, Shimon was trained on the _______________ of 50,000 songs.4. Later this spring, the team will put out an _______________ of Shimon’s songs.Do you think robots like Shimon mainly replace humans, or do they help humans and robots work together?ResetSourcestechcrunch.comnewatlas.comspectrum.ieee.orgqz.comwww.news.gatech.eduwww.news.gatech.edugizmodo.comShare:Scientists at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have created what they call “the world’s smallest violin”. The violin is made of metal and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful microscope. The project was designed to test new technology for building extremely small things.

Technology 2025-12-26 08:24:23

SpaceX Completes Rocket Safety Test

SpaceX Completes Rocket Safety TestNFK Editors - January 21, 2020Kennedy Space Center, Florida —(Map)SpaceX, a company working to supply NASA with spacecraft, has successfully tested its emergency escape system. During the test, the part of the ship that holds people was safely carried away, while the main rocket exploded.Like most rockets, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is designed to get one small piece of it – the capsule – into space. The capsule carries the crew (astronauts) or important supplies. SpaceX’s capsule is known as the Dragon capsule.SpaceX, a company working to supply NASA with spacecraft, has successfully tested its emergency escape system. During the test, the capsule was safely carried away, while the main rocket exploded. This picture shows what the escape might look like from space.(Source: SpaceX, via NASA Kennedy/Flickr.)To launch spacecraft into space, rockets use several stages of “boosters”. Booster rockets push the main spacecraft up and then fall back to earth when their fuel is gone.The first two minutes of a rocket’s flight is the most dangerous. That’s when the most pressure is on the rocket as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere. Because this part of the flight is so dangerous, it’s important to have a system to keep astronauts safe if anything goes wrong.To launch spacecraft into space, rockets use several stages of “boosters”. Booster rockets push the main spacecraft up and then fall back to earth when their fuel is gone. Above, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is shown taking off for the test on Sunday.(Source: NASA, Screenshot via YouTube.)The flight on Sunday was designed to test SpaceX’s emergency escape system. There were no astronauts on the flight, but there were life-size crash test dummies with sensors to collect information about the conditions in the capsule.During the flight, the Falcon 9 took off normally. But after 84 seconds, when the rocket was traveling 1,200 miles per hour (1,930 kilometers per hour), its engines were shut down. This was a pretend emergency.After 84 seconds, when the rocket was traveling 1,200 miles per hour (1,930 kilometers per hour), its engines were shut down. That’s when smaller rockets on the Dragon capsule carried the capsule (see arrow) away from the Falcon 9.(Source: NASA, Screenshot via YouTube.)At that point, eight smaller rockets (called thrusters) on the Dragon capsule carried the capsule away from the Falcon 9. The main rocket fell and exploded, but by that time, the Dragon capsule was safely away, about 27 miles (43 kilometers) above the earth.By the time the main rocket fell and exploded, the Dragon capsule was safely away, about 27 miles (43 kilometers) above the earth. The screenshot shows the Falcon 9 exploding.(Source: NASA, Screenshot via YouTube.)The Dragon capsule used small thrusters so that it was positioned correctly. Then two sets of parachutes opened up, slowing down the capsule as it returned to Earth. About nine minutes after takeoff, the capsule had splashed down safely in the Atlantic Ocean.Two sets of parachutes opened up, slowing down the capsule as it returned to Earth. About nine minutes after takeoff, the capsule had splashed down safely in the Atlantic Ocean. The picture above was taken through a small window on the capsule.(Source: NASA, Screenshot via YouTube.)SpaceX’s system is important for NASA. The US space program used to make its own rockets. But since NASA stopped using the Space Shuttle in 2011, it has been counting on Russian rockets to bring astronauts to the International Space Station. The costs of using Russian rockets is now about $80 million per trip per astronaut.In recent years, the US has been working with private companies to develop the rockets they need. Now, two companies have systems almost ready for use. SpaceX, a company created by Elon Musk, developed the system tested on Sunday. Airplane maker Boeing has also developed a system for NASA.The escape test was the last test needed before SpaceX’s system can be used with astronauts.The escape test was the last test needed before SpaceX system can be used with astronauts. NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley, left, and Robert Behnken have been selected for the first flight. Above, the two watch Sunday’s launch.(Source: NASA Kennedy, via Flickr.com.)NASA believes a flight with astronauts could happen as early as March. Two NASA astronauts, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken have already been selected for that flight.Having a way to get the crew off a rocket if something goes wrong is extremely important. In 2018 two astronauts were saved by a similar system when a Soyuz rocket had a problem as it launched.Sourceswww.nytimes.comarstechnica.comwww.abc.net.auwww.npr.orgwww.bbc.comwww.dw.comwww.theverge.comwww.nytimes.comKennedy Space Center, FloridaView Larger MapShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2025-12-25 11:28:45

Electric Planes Start to Take Off

Electric Planes Start to Take OffNFK Editors - December 20, 2019A company called Harbor Air in Vancouver, Canada has made a test flight of the world’s first all-electric airplane meant for carrying passengers. The 15-minute flight was an important step toward the future of electric planes.Harbour Air has over 40 seaplanes – planes designed to take off and land on water. The company makes about 300 flights a day, most of them flying a few passengers short distances.A company called Harbor Air in Vancouver, Canada has made a test flight of the world’s first all-electric airplane meant for carrying passengers. The plane was converted from a 62-year-old seaplane that can take off and land on water.(Source: Harbour Air/magniX.)To create their “e-plane”, Harbor Air worked with magniX, a company that makes electric motors. Together, they updated a 62-year-old seaplane so it could fly using magniX’s new motor. The plane, known as a “Beaver”, can carry six passengers.Harbour Air’s leader, Greg McDougall, piloted the e-plane for about 15 minutes before landing it again on the water. He said the experience was just like flying a regular Beaver, but more powerful. “I actually had to back off on the power,” he said.Harbour Air’s leader, Greg McDougall, piloted the e-plane for about 15 minutes before landing it again on the water. He said the experience was just like flying a regular Beaver, but more powerful.(Source: Harbour Air/magniX.)In the future, Mr. McDougall hopes to convert all of his planes into electric planes.About 3% of the world’s pollution comes from airplane travel. That number is likely to go up, since the number of people traveling by plane has been growing for years, and is expected to keep increasing.Electric planes have several advantages over regular planes. Creating less pollution is just one of them.Electric planes have several advantages over regular planes. Creating less pollution is just one of them. Planes powered by electricity are also cheaper to build and run.(Source: Harbour Air/magniX.)Planes powered by electricity are also cheaper to build and run. Electric motors have fewer moving parts and are easier to repair. Also, instead of burning fuel, the planes simply need to have their batteries recharged. That’s cheaper, and with energy from the sun or wind, it pollutes far less.Electric motors are far quieter than a typical plane engine, though they provide more power, more quickly. But that power only lasts as long as the batteries last.Electric motors are far quieter than a typical plane engine, though they provide more power, more quickly. But that power only lasts as long as the batteries last. Batteries are improving, but they’re still a challenge for electric planes.(Source: Harbour Air/magniX.)Batteries are improving, but they’re still a challenge for electric planes. The main problem is the weight. Planes need to be as light as possible, and right now, the only way to power planes with electricity is with large, heavy batteries.No one expects electric planes to replace large jumbo jets, but most companies working on electric airplanes expect batteries to become lighter, cheaper, and more powerful in the next few years.Bye Aerospace in Colorado is another company working on electric planes. Bye has orders for over 60 of its electric planes. Many of Bye’s planes will be used to train new pilots.(Source: Beekachu [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Bye Aerospace in Colorado is another company working on electric planes. Bye has orders for over 60 of its electric planes. Many of Bye’s planes will be used to train new pilots. Flight schools like the planes because the costs are so much lower.Eviation, a company from Israel, also has a new e-plane for sale. The plane, called “Alice”, can seat nine passengers and two pilots and can travel about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) on a charge.Eviation, a company from Israel, also has a new e-plane for sale. The plane, called “Alice”, can seat nine passengers and two pilots and can travel about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) on a charge.(Source: Matti Blume [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)In Norway, the government is working to move the country to electric planes. That plan had a setback earlier this year, when an electric plane crashed during a test flight. Luckily, no one was hurt.Because electric planes are so new, they are being carefully tested. So don’t expect to see e-planes in the skies regularly until 2022 or later.Did You Know…?Just like there are “hybrid” cars, companies are also working on hybrid planes. These planes use a mixture of normal fuel and electric power. They pollute less than regular planes, but they can travel farther than all-electric planes.Sourceswww.theguardian.comwww.dw.comwww.cbc.cawww.denverpost.comwww.reuters.comwww.bbc.comwww.cnbc.comwww.theverge.comen.wikipedia.orgShare:Scientists from Japan and Taiwan may have solved an old mystery: how did ancient people with simple tools and little scientific knowledge make long, dangerous ocean trips to new places? To test their ideas, the researchers made a trip of their own in a canoe they built from a tree using stone tools.

Technology 2025-12-13 03:58:12

Thousands Apply to Become NASA Astronauts

Thousands Apply to Become NASA AstronautsNFK Editors - April 8, 2020In early March, the US space agency NASA asked people who wanted to become astronauts to apply. Over 12,000 people applied, showing that interest is still very strong in the US space program.As children, many people dream of becoming an astronaut. But the number of people who actually make it into space is quite small. Since the 1960s, only 350 men and women have been chosen for NASA’s astronaut training. Currently, NASA has 48 astronauts.In early March, the US space agency NASA asked people who wanted to become astronauts to apply. Over 12,000 people applied, showing that interest is still very strong in the US space program. The picture shows astronauts training underwater.(Source: NASA, via Wikipedia.)Between March 2 and March 31, 12,000 people applied to become NASA astronauts. That’s almost a record. In 2017, over 18,000 people applied. But this time NASA is requiring higher levels of education. They also gave people half as much time to apply.Now comes the difficult part – choosing the right 12 people. Yes, you read that right. NASA will be choosing just 12 people out of the 12,000 who applied.Between March 2 and March 31, 12,000 people applied to become NASA astronauts. NASA will be choosing just 12 people out of the 12,000 who applied. Above, 2017 NASA astronaut candidate Jessica Watkins in a spacesuit before underwater spacewalk training.(Source: NASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)So what does it take to become an astronaut? NASA now requires a master’s degree (a higher level college degree) in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math). You also need to have experience flying jet airplanes, though other work experience is also accepted.The people who are chosen (called “Astronaut Candidates”) will also need to have near-perfect eyesight and be in good physical shape. They must be good at working with other people – able to lead, and able to work as part of a team.The people who are chosen will also need to have near-perfect eyesight and be in good shape. They must be good at working with other people. Above, astronauts practice docking with the International Space Station in a simulator.(Source: NASA/Houston Chronicle/Smiley N. Pool [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)NASA will take over a year to choose the 12 Astronaut Candidates. First, they will decide which people who applied are highly qualified. Then they will hold a series of three interviews with the candidates. During the interviews, the candidates will also take part in activities, to see how they perform.In June of 2021, NASA will finally announce the Astronaut Candidate Class of 2021.The 12 Astronaut Candidates will then be put through a two-year training program. They will learn spacewalk skills, robotics skills, and how systems of the International Space Station work. Above, astronauts train for a spacewalk in a virtual reality simulator.(Source: U.S. Navy/Dominique M. Lasco [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The 12 Astronaut Candidates will then be put through a two-year training program. They will learn spacewalk skills, robotics skills, and how systems of the International Space Station (ISS) work. They’ll also learn to speak Russian to make it easier to work with astronauts from Russia on the ISS.Not everyone who is accepted into the program is certain to become an astronaut. There are many challenging parts to the astronaut training, and the candidates must successfully complete them all.The new class of astronauts will be the second under NASA’s new space program, Artemis. The goal of the Artemis program is to send people back to the moon by 2024, and later, to Mars. Above, the class of 2017, the first class under the Artemis program.(Source: NASA Johnson, via Flickr.com.)The new class of astronauts will be the second under NASA’s new space program, Artemis. The goal of the Artemis program is to put people back on the moon by 2024. NASA hopes to use what it learns during the moon exploration to help with its larger goal of sending people to Mars by 2030.Check Yourself0/41. Is 12,000 the most people who have ever applied to be NASA astronauts?Yes   No2. How many Astronaut Candidates will NASA choose?3. How long is the Astronaut Candidate training program?one yearthree yearstwo yearssix months4. NASA's Artemis program has a goal of going to _______________ after going to the moon.Why do you think it's important for astronauts to be good at working as part of a team?ResetSourceswww.voanews.comwww.theverge.comgma.yahoo.comeu.usatoday.comwww.nasa.govwww.dw.comphys.orgShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2025-12-10 03:23:59

Fake Turtle Eggs Help Track Down Poachers

Fake Turtle Eggs Help Track Down PoachersNFK Editors - October 6, 2020San Jose, Costa Rica —(Map)Scientists have come up with a high-tech method to help protect endangered sea turtles. Using fake eggs with GPS trackers, researchers were able to track turtle eggs that were stolen and learn the locations of people buying and selling them.There are seven different kinds of marine (sea) turtles in the world. All of them are threatened. Several are in danger of being wiped out completely.Sea turtles lay large groups of eggs, called “clutches”, under the sand on beaches. The eggs face many challenges, both natural and man-made. In Costa Rica, one big threat is poachers – people who take the eggs illegally in order to sell them.Sea turtles lay large groups of eggs, called “clutches”, under the sand on beaches. The eggs face many challenges, both natural and man-made. Above, a clutch of eggs being laid by a Leatherback Sea Turtle.(Source: Bernard DuPont [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Kim Williams-Guillén is a scientist who works for the University of Michigan and Paso Pacifico, a group that works to protect animals in Costa Rica.After watching a couple of TV police shows, she suddenly had an idea – what if poachers could be located using a fake turtle egg with a GPS tracker inside?Dr. Williams-Guillén presented that idea and it won a $10,000 prize. She then worked with other scientists to create the decoy (fake egg). They use a special material to 3D-print a ball about the size and shape of a squishy ping-pong ball.Scientists 3D-print a ball about the size and shape of a squishy ping-pong ball. The inside of the egg is like a small cell phone. As long as it has a cell signal, the egg can report its location once an hour. Above, a fake egg cut open to show the insides.(Source: Helen Pheasey.)The scientists cut a small slit in the ball so they can put in the electronics. Basically, the inside of the egg is like a small cell phone. It has a battery, a GPS, and a way to connect to cell networks. As long as it has a cell signal, the egg can report its location once an hour.The researchers call the finished device the “InvestEGGator”.The researchers put one InvestEGGator into 101 different turtle nests on four beaches in Costa Rica. About 25% of those nests had eggs stolen. Above researcher Helen Pheasey is shown holding an InvestEGGator on a beach with a sea turtle.(Source: Otto Whitehead.)The researchers put one InvestEGGator into 101 different turtle nests on four beaches in Costa Rica. About 25% of those nests had eggs stolen.Not all of the decoy eggs showed results. A few were left behind, and some others simply didn’t work. But the scientists were able to track five eggs and see where they were taken. In one case the researchers were able to track an egg for 85 miles (137 kilometers).The scientists were able to track five eggs and see where they were taken. In one case the researchers were able to track an egg for 85 miles (137 kilometers). Scientist Helen Pheasey posted this map.The results showed that most eggs were sold to local people. That wasn’t a big surprise, since in Costa Rica, turtle eggs are considered a special food. And though it’s against the law to take them from the beach, it’s not illegal to buy them.In general, people working to solve wildlife crimes are more interested in large criminal groups than in local people having a meal. By tracking the locations where many eggs seem to be bought and sold, researchers think they may be able to help locate more important criminals.The scientists are excited about the results of the InvestEGGator. The test shows that such simple methods can work well. The researchers believe that similar ideas could be helpful in other places as well.(Source: Paso Pacifico.)The scientists are excited about the results of the InvestEGGator. The test shows that such simple methods can work well. The researchers believe that similar ideas could be helpful in other places as well.For example, sharks are often killed in great numbers for their fins. The scientists believe that it might be possible to slip a fake GPS-tracking fin in with many other fins to help protect threatened animals like hammerhead sharks.Check Yourself0/41. There are _______________ different kinds of marine (sea) turtles in the world, and all of them are threatened.2. Scientists were able to track poachers by tricking them into stealing a fake turtle egg that had a GPS tracker inside it.True   False3. The researchers put InvestEGGators into 101 different turtle nests. How many of those nests had their eggs taken?over 50%about 25%12%about 85%4. Usually, people working to solve wildlife crimes are mainly interested in catching _____________.a few local peopleimportant criminal groupsThe scientists believe that the idea behind the InvestEGGator could be helpful in other places. Can you think of other ways a similar idea could be used to help protect animals?ResetSourceswww.theguardian.comwww.sciencemag.orgwww.wired.comwww.cnet.comwww.kent.ac.ukpasopacifico.orgwww.sciencedirect.comwww.npr.orgSan Jose, Costa RicaView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2025-12-10 19:46:39

Bacteria Show New Ways to Recycle Plastic

Bacteria Show New Ways to Recycle PlasticNFK Editors - May 1, 2020Recently, researchers have reported on two different ways to break down different kinds of plastic. The new advances could lead to easier, high-quality recycling, and help deal with toxic plastic pollution.The world is drowning in plastic, but only 9% of plastic products are ever recycled. Every year, over 17 trillion pounds (7.72 trillion kilograms) of plastic are washed into the oceans.The world is drowning in plastic, but only 9% of plastic products are ever recycled. Every year, over 17 trillion pounds (7.72 trillion kilograms) of plastic are washed into the oceans.(Source: Carsten ten Brink, via Flickr.com.)But bacteria may help recycle, even when humans don’t.Bacteria are tiny living things – so small you need a microscope to see them. Bacteria feed themselves in many different ways. Some bacteria can “eat” other things by changing the chemicals in those things into something that will help the bacteria grow.The secret to this is enzymes. Bacteria use enzymes to cause chemical changes. Enzymes can work like a pair of scissors, snipping and breaking apart other materials.Bacteria are tiny living things that can “eat” other things by causing chemical changes using enzymes. Enzymes can break apart other materials. The drawing above shows how theIdeonella sakaiensisbacteria breaks down a plastic bottle.(Source: G.Mannaerts [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)PETMost people are familiar with PET*plastic. It’s used in water and soda bottles. About 140 billion pounds (63.5 billion kilograms) are produced every year. Most PET is thrown away, but even when it’s recycled, it can’t be made into new bottles. Usually it’s turned into products like carpets.In 2012, in a pile of decaying leaves, scientists discovered an enzyme called LCC*that slowly breaks apart PET plastic. Years later, scientists working at the French company Carbios chose LCC from nearly 100,000 enzymes. It was the best at breaking down PET.Most people are familiar with PET plastic. It’s used in water and soda bottles. About 140 billion pounds (63.5 billion kilograms) are produced every year. Most PET is thrown away, but even when it’s recycled, it can’t be made into new bottles.(Source: Hans-2, via Pixabay.)But the scientists wanted to improve LCC. They studied the enzyme and the way it attacked the PET. By testing thousands and thousands of slight changes to the enzyme, they came up with a new version of LCC. The new version can survive at higher temperatures and can eat through PET very quickly.The process turns the PET plastic back into the materials that it was made from. Those materials can then be used again to make new bottles or other products.The researchers tested their new LCC against the original enzyme, and were impressed with the results. The new enzyme was able to break up 90% of the PET in just 10 hours. The lighter area in the image above shows plastic being eaten by an enzyme (not LCC).(Source: Screenshot, VOA News.)The researchers tested their new LCC against the original enzyme, and were impressed with the results. When the conditions were just right, the new enzyme was able to break up 90% of the PET in just 10 hours. The original enzyme took about 20 hours and only broke up half of the PET.Carbios hopes to start recycling plastic on a large scale by 2024 or 2025.PolyurethanePolyurethane is light and flexible. It’s used in products from shoes to diapers. It’s also used in larger products like furniture, refrigerators, and even buildings. In 2015, Europe produced around 7 billion pounds (3.18 billion kilograms) of polyurethane.But polyurethane is hard to recycle, since it doesn’t melt when it’s heated. It also contains dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer.Polyurethane is light and flexible. It’s used in products from shoes (above) to diapers. It’s also used in larger products like furniture, refrigerators, and even buildings. In 2015, Europe produced around 7 billion pounds (3.18 billion kilograms) of polyurethane.(Source: SABO S.p.A., PressReleaseFinder, via Flickr.com.)In March, German scientists reported on a new kind of bacteria that can help break down polyurethane. The scientists found the bacteria, calledPseudomonas sp.TDA1, in an area with lots of older, cracking plastic. It’s the first kind of bacteria known to help break down polyurethane.The scientists hope that by studying the way the bacteria attacks polyurethane, they’ll discover new ways of breaking down this dangerous plastic.Scientists have discovered a new kind of bacteria that can help break down polyurethane. Studying how the bacteria attacks polyurethane could lead to new ways of breaking down the plastic. Above, polyurethane used in a building (between the two parts of the wall).(Source: KVDP [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)*PET stands for Polyethylene terephthalate. LCC stands for leaf-branch compost cutinase.Check Yourself0/41. Bacteria are tiny living things that feed on unusual "foods".True   False2. Bacteria use enzymes to cause _______________ changes.3. How much of the PET was the new LCC enzyme able to break down?20%50%90%10%4. What disease can be caused by the dangerous chemicals in polyurethane?The scientists at Carbios had to try many things that didn't work before they found a solution that worked well. How do you motivate yourself to keep going even when things don't seem to be working out?ResetSourceswww.sciencemag.orgwww.theguardian.comarstechnica.comwww.theguardian.comwww.voanews.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.dw.comearther.gizmodo.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-29 13:22:33

Robot Lab Assistant Runs Its Own Experiments

Robot Lab Assistant Runs Its Own ExperimentsNFK Editors - July 10, 2020Liverpool, England —(Map)Scientists at the University of Liverpool (UL) have developed a robot that can run experiments on its own. The robot works tirelessly, stopping only long enough to recharge its batteries. Recently, the robot finished nearly 700 experiments in eight days.It’s not new for labs to use robots. But earlier robots usually stayed in one place and did a single job over and over.The UL robot is the opposite of that. The 5 foot, 7 inch (1.75 meter) robot is similar in size to a human. Though it weighs much more than most people – 882 pounds (400 kilograms) – it’s able to easily move around in the same sort of space as humans do.Scientists at the University of Liverpool (UL) have developed a robot that can run experiments on its own. Using a special laser system called LIDAR to guide itself, the robot is able to easily move around in the same sort of space as humans do.(Source: University of Liverpool.)It uses a special laser system called LIDAR to guide itself – even in the dark. Once it’s close to a work station, it can move into a more exact position through its touch sensors.With one long arm which can turn in almost any direction, the robot is capable of using several different kinds of lab equipment. Some of the equipment has been changed slightly to make it easier for the robot, but basically, it’s the same equipment a human would use.With one long arm which can turn in almost any direction, the robot can use several different kinds of lab equipment. Some equipment has been changed slightly to make it easier for the robot, but basically, it’s the same equipment a human would use.(Source: University of Liverpool.)What’s more, the robot can perform many different tasks, such as picking things up, setting them down, pushing buttons, pouring liquids, weighing and measuring things, and studying its results. The robot was built and programmed by Benjamin Burger, a Ph.D. student at the university.Dr. Burger says it took a lot of effort to program the robot so that it can do things without making mistakes. That’s important because it’s meant to run for days without help. Once the programming is done, though, Dr. Burger says the robot makes fewer mistakes than a human.The robot can perform many different tasks, such as picking things up, setting them down, pushing buttons, pouring liquids, weighing and measuring things, and studying its results.(Source: University of Liverpool.)To test their robot, the scientists gave it a challenge: find a material which was good at producing hydrogen from water, using light.The robot was programmed to understand the basic methods for the experiment, but it was given 10 different things it could change which could affect the results. That meant that the robot could choose from around 98 million different mini-experiments.Over the next 8 days, the robot ran 688 experiments, always choosing its next experiment based on the results of the last one.Over the next eight days, the robot ran 688 experiments, always choosing its next experiment based on the results of the last one. The robot ran for 172 hours, stopping for only a couple of hours each day to recharge its batteries.(Source: University of Liverpool.)The robot ran for 172 hours, stopping for only a couple of hours each day to recharge its batteries. To do the same amount of work would have taken a human several months.Though the scientists ran the robot for eight days, its most successful result came on the third day of experimenting.Andrew Cooper, who led the program says the robot is meant to help scientists, not replace them. He says, “…it frees up time for the human researchers to think creatively..(Source: University of Liverpool.)The UL robot wasn’t cheap – it cost around $125,000 and took years to program. But the scientists compare that to the cost of other laboratory equipment which they say can also be quite expensive. The fact that the robot can be used for many different purposes is a huge advantage.Andrew Cooper, who led the program says the robot is meant to help scientists, not replace them. He says, “…it frees up time for the human researchers to think creatively.”Check Yourself0/41. The University of Liverpool's robot is different from earlier robots because it can move around and do many jobs.True   False2. The robot can guide itself safely even in the dark by using a special _______________ system called LIDAR.3. The robot can only work with equipment that was specially designed for it.True   False4. How many experiments did the robot do in eight days?88600400688Can you think of other areas where a robot with similar skills might be useful? Do you think such a robot would take away jobs or simply leave humans free for more creative work?ResetSourceswww.theverge.comwww.newsweek.comnewatlas.comnews.liverpool.ac.ukLiverpool, EnglandView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2026-01-06 18:23:58

For Real? Slow Music, Orca Baby, & a Broccoli Picture

For Real? Slow Music, Orca Baby, & a Broccoli PictureNFK Editors - September 12, 2020Notes Changed in Organ Music Lasting 639 YearsHundreds of people gathered in a church in Germany last week for an unusual musical event: a small change in a piece of organ music that began playing in 2001. The last time the notes changed was seven years ago.The piece is called “Organ/ASLSP”. The ASLSP stands for “As Slow As Possible”. It was written by composer John Cage. Mr. Cage developed many unusual musical ideas. In another piece, called “4′33″”, the musicians simply remain silent for four minutes and 33 seconds.People gathered last week for an unusual musical event: a small change in a piece of organ music that began playing in 2001 and will finish in 2640. Above, the special organ used in the performance, as seen in 2005.(Source: [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Though the music is just eight pages long, the current performance of “Organ/ASLSP” is expected to take 639 years. If all goes well, it should end in 2640.ASLSP is being played on a special organ, which isn’t completely built. Pipes are added to the organ as they are needed. Last Saturday, two new pipes were added.Now the organ will keep playing the same notes until the next change, on February 5th, 2022.ASLSP is being played on a special organ, which isn’t completely built. Pipes are added to the organ as they are needed. Last Saturday, two new pipes were added. Above, the organ in 2015.(Source: Clemensfranz [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Orca Who Lost Calf Gives Birth AgainIn 2018, a female orca whale known as J35 gave birth to a calf that didn’t live. J35 became famous when she carried her dead calf around with her for 17 days. The action seemed to show how sad she was over losing her calf.The news wasn’t just sad for the mother, but for all the orcas in the area.* These whales are endangered. Two years ago, there were only 88 left, and the numbers have kept dropping.The orcas face many challenges, including polluted seas and increased boat traffic. The biggest threat is the lack of Chinook Salmon – a fish that’s the orcas’ main food source. Salmon numbers have been greatly reduced by human actions, like fishing and damming up rivers.In 2018, a female orca whale known as J35 gave birth to a calf that didn’t live. Now there’s some happy news for J35 – she’s had another calf, and this time it appears to be strong and healthy. Above, the fin of the mother orca, J35, and the calf, J57.(Source: Photo by Katie Jones, Center for Whale Research.)Now there’s some happy news for J35 – she’s had another calf, and this time it appears to be strong and healthy. The new orca has been given the label J57. With the birth of J57, there are now 73 orcas in the area.Scientists report that several other orcas in the area are also pregnant.Scientists Test World’s Most Powerful Camera – on BroccoliScientists at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California are building a camera so big that it’s 13 feet (4 meters) long, and 5 feet (1.5 meters) across.The camera’s pictures will be extremely high quality. If you look closely at your screen, you’ll see little colored dots called pixels. SLAC’s new camera has 3.2 billion of them. To see an image from the camera at full size, you’d need to join up 378 of the highest quality TVs there are.Scientists at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California are building a camera so big that it’s 13 feet (4 meters) long, and 5 feet (1.5 meters) across. The camera’s pictures will be extremely high quality – they’ll have 3.2 billion pixels.(Source: Jacqueline Orrell, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, via Flickr.com.)The camera is designed to take pictures of the sky that cover an area as big as 40 moons. But the camera’s not ready to take pictures of the sky yet, since construction was delayed by the coronavirus.Still, the scientists wanted to test the camera, so they build a special box that allows them to take super high-quality pictures of ordinary things. What did they decide to take a picture of? Broccoli! Luckily, it was a cool, spiral variety known as Romanesco broccoli.The scientists wanted to test the camera, so they build a special box that allows them to take super high-quality pictures of ordinary things. What did they decide to take a picture of? Broccoli! Luckily, it was a cool, spiral variety known as Romanesco broccoli.(Source: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, via Flickr.com.)* The orcas featured in this article live off the west coast of North America, near the border of the US and Canada.Sourceswww.dw.comwww.theguardian.comwww.rollingstone.comwww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.cbc.cawww.npr.orgwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.zdnet.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-24 07:01:13

New Flying Inventions Take Off

New Flying Inventions Take OffNFK Editors - October 2, 2020The coronavirus may have slowed down a lot of normal airplane traffic, but it hasn’t stopped some new flying inventions from taking off. Today NFK looks at a hydrogen-powered plane and a jet suit for medical emergencies.World’s Largest Hydrogen Powered Plane Takes OffLast Thursday, a company called ZeroAvia made a successful test flight of what it calls the “largest hydrogen-powered aircraft in the world”. The company is hoping to make it possible for airlines to carry small numbers of passengers for short distances without polluting.ZeroAvia has made a successful test flight of what it calls the “largest hydrogen-powered aircraft in the world”. The company hopes to make it possible for airlines to carry small numbers of passengers for short distances without polluting.(Source: ZeroAvia.)Though traveling by plane is convenient, it’s not good for the environment. Airline travel causes roughly 2-3% of the pollution that makes the climate crisis worse. Airplanes powered by a very common gas called hydrogen could change all of that.Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles by combining it with oxygen in a “fuel cell”. A fuel cell is like a battery that never runs out as long as it has hydrogen. The chemical reaction which takes place between hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell creates electricity, but doesn’t give off any pollution – only water.A fuel cell is like a battery that never runs out as long as it has hydrogen. Inside the fuel cell, a chemical reaction takes place between hydrogen and oxygen, creating electricity, but only giving off water – and no pollution.(Source: ZeroAvia.)Many companies are working on hydrogen-powered vehicles, but ZeroAvia’s test flight used a plane that can seat 6 people – the largest hydrogen-powered plane ever flown. ZeroAvia made a similar flight in June, but that one was battery-powered.Thursday’s flight was an important step in the company’s HyFlyer project, supported by the United Kingdom’s government. The company’s next big goal is to make a longer flight – of about 290 miles (465 kilometers) or more – by the end of the year.ZeroAvia believes passengers could actually be flying on hydrogen-powered airplanes by 2023.ZeroAvia’s test flight used a plane that can seat 6 people – the largest hydrogen-powered plane ever flown. The company’s next big goal is to make a longer flight – of about 290 miles (465 kilometers) or more – by the end of the year.(Source: ZeroAvia.)Company Tests Jet Suit for Emergency ServicesRecently, a company called Gravity Industries put on a test of its jet suit to show how it could help emergency medical workers reach injured people quickly.The jet suit is powered by small jets on each arm and one on the back. By pointing the jets at the ground, the pilot can take off. Returning to the ground is just a matter of pointing both arms out to the side.Recently, a company called Gravity Industries put on a test of its jet suit to show how it could help emergency medical workers reach injured people quickly. Above, inventor Richard Browning controls the suit by moving the small jets around..(Source: Gravity Industries, Screenshot via YouTube.)Richard Browning, the suit’s inventor, flew up a mountain to find some people who were pretending to be hurt (for the test). To reach the spot by climbing the mountain would have taken 25 minutes. Mr. Browning was able to cover the same distance in just 90 seconds.Andy Mawson is the director of Great North air ambulance service (GNAAS). He heard about the jet suit and realized it might be useful in a hilly area like England’s Lake District.Andy Mawson thought the jet suit might be useful in a hilly area like the Lake District. In the test, it took Mr. Browning just 90 seconds to reach a spot that would have taken 25 minutes to reach by hiking.(Source: Gravity Industries, Screenshot via YouTube.)“What we didn’t know for sure is how this would work in practice,” he said. “Well, we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.” Mr. Mawson says the device could save lives, especially if someone had a serious problem, such as a heart attack.One problem? The cost. The suit sells for about $440,000 (£340,000).Still, GNAAS is interested in the jet suits and says it could possibly put them to work for real as early as next summer.Check Yourself0/41. Normal airplane travel is highly polluting and makes the climate crisis worse.True   False2. A fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen. Instead of pollution it gives off _______________.3. A pilot wearing the jet suit can take off by pointing the jets _______.at the skyat the groundat the place the pilot wants to go4. The test showed that the jet suit wasn't much faster than walking.True   FalseWould you want to try a jet suit if you had the chance? Why or why not?ResetSourceswww.zdnet.comwww.cnbc.comthenextweb.commarkets.businessinsider.comwww.bbc.comwww.theguardian.comwww.engadget.comwww.kentonline.co.ukShare:Movies about the future often show people zipping around in flying cars. Last week, that vision came a step closer to reality for a Japanese company, as it showed off its flying car in action – complete with driver.News Roundup: Russia Votes, Mississippi Flag, and a Flying Couch PotatoNFK Editors - Jul 5, 2020In today’s news roundup, Russian voters approved changes that could allow Vladimir Putin to lead the country until 2036, Mississippi finally drops a flag that many consider racist, and a man in Turkey goes paragliding – on his couch.Electric Planes Start to Take OffNFK Editors - Dec 20, 2019A company called Harbor Air in Vancouver, Canada has made a test flight of the world’s first all-electric airplane meant for carrying passengers. The 15-minute flight was an important step toward the future of electric planes.World’s First Hydrogen TrainsNFK Editors - Sep 22, 2018The world’s first hydrogen trains have begun running in Germany. The trains make almost no noise and they run without polluting. Instead, they give off steam.You might be interested in…Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.Massive “Fatberg” Cleared From London SewerNFK Editors - Oct 9, 2025A water company in England has removed a massive “fatberg” which was blocking pipes in a London sewer. The fatberg was a hardened mess of grease, oil, wet wipes, and other items that had been put down toilets and sinks instead of into trash cans.Swedish Church Rolled for Miles to New HomeNFK Editors - Aug 21, 2025Workers in Kiruna, Sweden have been working hard to raise one of the country’s most famous churches and roll it over 3 miles (5 kilometers) to a new location. The church’s old location was no longer safe. The operation took two days to complete.Scientists Recreate 30,000-Year-Old Ocean JourneyNFK Editors - Jul 31, 2025Scientists from Japan and Taiwan may have solved an old mystery: how did ancient people with simple tools and little scientific knowledge make long, dangerous ocean trips to new places? To test their ideas, the researchers made a trip of their own in a canoe they built from a tree using stone tools.

Technology 2025-12-31 10:31:31

News Roundup: Secret Messages, Stolen Jewels, and VR for Cows

News Roundup: Secret Messages, Stolen Jewels, and VR for CowsNFK Editors - December 1, 2019Teen’s Political Message Spreads Across the InternetA 17-year-old created one of the internet’s most-viewed videos by hiding a political message inside a video offering beauty tips. Feroza Aziz began her video for the social media site TikTok by talking about how to curl eyelashes. But she quickly changed subjects and began talking about China’s treatment of Muslims.Ms. Aziz said she made the video look like a beauty video to keep it from getting blocked by TikTok. TikTok is run by a Chinese company. Many people believe that TikTok blocks videos that make China look bad.A 17-year-old created one of the internet’s most-viewed videos by hiding a political message inside a video offering beauty tips. Feroza Aziz began her TikTok video by talking about how to curl eyelashes. But she quickly changed subjects and began talking about China’s treatment of Muslims.(Source: Feroza Aziz.)In the video, Ms. Aziz spoke about the horrible treatment of hundreds of thousands of Muslims who have been put into camps in Xinjiang, China. She posted two more videos encouraging people to spread the word about the situation in Xinjiang.But as Ms. Aziz’s videos were becoming popular, TikTok suddenly blocked her account. The company later unblocked Ms. Aziz, saying that her account wasn’t blocked because of the video. Ms. Aziz says she doesn’t believe that.Ms. Aziz’s first video has been seen by over 2.1 million people on TikTok. Even more people have seen it on other social media sites.Ms. Aziz’s first video has been seen by over 2.1 million people on TikTok. Even more people have seen it on other social media sites.(Source: Feroza Aziz.)Treasure Stolen From German Museum Still MissingLast Monday, thieves broke into the Green Vault museum in Dresden, Germany. The thieves stole jewels that once belonged to Augustus the Strong, a ruler of Saxony (an old kingdom in Germany). The museum describes the missing objects, which are from the 1700s, as “priceless”.The thieves broke a window to enter the museum. Then they broke into several display cases and quickly grabbed the jewels. The car that the thieves used for their escape was found later. It had been set on fire.Last Monday, thieves broke into the Green Vault museum in Dresden, Germany. The thieves stole jewels that once belonged to Augustus the Strong, a ruler of Saxony (an old kingdom in Germany). The museum describes the missing objects (above), which are from the 1700s, as “priceless”.(Source: Saxony Police.)The police are still working on the case, which they say is similar to a 2017 robbery in Berlin, Germany. A reward of $550,000 has been offered for the jewels.The museum is worried that the jewels may never be recovered. The value of the items doesn’t come just from the jewels themselves, but from the importance of the jewels in history.Russia Tries Out Virtual Reality – on CowsA news report from Moscow, Russia suggests that farmers at RusMoloko Farm are working on an unusual plan to get more milk from their cows. They are giving the cows virtual reality (VR) glasses. Virtual reality glasses show images that seem so real that the mind is tricked.The farmers are testing two ideas: 1. That virtual reality can calm cows down, and 2. That cows will give more milk if they are less anxious (worried).A news report from Moscow, Russia suggests that farmers at RusMoloko Farm are working on an unusual plan to get more milk from their cows. The farmers are testing two ideas: 1. That virtual reality can calm cows down, and 2. That cows will give more milk if they are less anxious.(Source: Moscow Ministry of Agriculture and Food.)The report says the VR glasses have been adjusted to work well for cows. The cows are being shown images of green fields in the summertime. The farmers report that the devices seem to have improved the “mood of the herd”.The next part of the experiment is meant to study whether calmer cows actually give more milk.Some people have wondered whether the story is really true or if it’s just a way for the farm to get some attention.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.voanews.comwww.bbc.comwww.dw.comwww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.bbc.comwww.engadget.comwww.theverge.comShare:Humans are not the only ones who use dating sites and apps to find a mate. Frogs and cows are also finding partners through creative use of technology.China Cracks Down on UighursNFK Editors - Dec 19, 2018China has put up to a million Uighur people in special camps in Xinjiang. Most people think the Uighurs are being punished. China says they are being trained.Thieves Steal Royal Crowns in SwedenNFK Editors - Aug 6, 2018Thieves in Sweden have stolen royal crowns from a display case in a church. In a daring robbery, thieves smashed the case and took the treasures away in a motorboat.You might be interested in…Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.Thieves Steal French Crown Jewels from LouvreNFK Editors - Oct 22, 2025On Sunday, a group of thieves used a truck with a ladder on it to get into the Louvre museum in Paris. They then broke into display cases and stole several important items from the French crown jewels. So far, no one has been arrested.China Opens World’s Tallest BridgeNFK Editors - Oct 15, 2025China already held the record for the world’s tallest bridge. Now it has beaten its own record with an even higher bridge – one which crosses 2,051 feet (625 meters) above the Beipan River in Guizhou province. The bridge is expected to make travel much faster, and to bring tourists to the area.40 Years of Making Software “Free”NFK Editors - Oct 8, 2025The Free Software Foundation celebrated its 40th birthday last Saturday. First started in 1985, the FSF has helped shape the digital world we live in today. Its ideas about free software inspired the open‑source movement; now open‑source programs run on countless computers, phones, and devices around the globe.

Technology 2025-12-24 03:43:52

NEOWISE: Rare Comet Can be Seen With Bare Eyes

NEOWISE: Rare Comet Can be Seen With Bare EyesNFK Editors - July 17, 2020There’s a new sight in the sky these days – the newly-discovered Comet NEOWISE is flying past the Sun. This marks the first time since the 1990s that people have had a chance to see a comet with their bare eyes.A comet is basically a ball of dirty ice that orbits the sun. As the comets come close to the sun, the sun melts some of the ice, which forms a tail behind the comet as it flies through space.There’s a new sight in the sky these days – the newly-discovered Comet NEOWISE (above) is flying past the Sun. This marks the first time since the 1990s that people have had a chance to see a comet with their bare eyes.(Source: SimgDe [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Most comets have an orbit that looks like a flattened circle. Comets spend most of their time moving slowly, far away from the Sun. As they pass the Sun, they speed up.The size and shape of a comet’s orbit affect how long it takes to complete its orbit. Halley’s comet is a famous comet that comes around once every 75 years. But the orbit of NEOWISE is so flat and stretched out that the last time it was here was about 6,800 years ago.Because of the long time it takes to orbit, NEOWISE was only just discovered a couple of months ago. It was spotted in March using a special space telescope run by NASA.Because of the long time it takes to orbit, NEOWISE was only recently discovered, using a special space telescope run by NASA. The first view of Comet NEOWISE came from this string of fuzzy red dots on March 27, 2020.(Source: Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The name of the telescope system that first spotted the comet is NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), so that’s how the comet got its name. Its official name is even less catchy – C/2020 F3.It’s not exactly true that the comet was just discovered. People almost certainly saw NEOWISE around 6,800 years ago, but that was before humans had even invented writing, so there are no records of it passing.NEOWISE is easy to see now because it’s close to the Sun. At its farthest, NEOWISE will be 630 times farther away from the Sun than Earth is. The image above shows part of Comet NEOWISE’s orbit, and its position on April 19, 2020.(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)NEOWISE is easy to see now because it’s close to the Sun. At its farthest, NEOWISE will be 630 times farther away from the Sun than Earth is. (If you want to do the math, multiply the distance between the Earth and the Sun – 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) – by 630.)NEOWISE actually has two tails. One tail is made of bits of ice melted flying off the comet. The second tail is made of plasma – gas that is charged with electricity. That’s similar to the idea behind a neon light.The icy tail flows straight behind NEOWISE, but the plasma tail is bent toward the Sun because of the Sun’s magnetic field.NEOWISE actually has two tails. One is made of bits of ice. The second is made of plasma – gas charged with electricity. The icy tail flows straight behind NEOWISE, but the plasma tail bends toward the Sun because of the Sun’s magnetic field.(Source: Andy.niko [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Even at its closest – which will be on July 23 – the comet will still be as far away from the Earth as Mars is. But it should still be bright enough to see, even without binoculars or a telescope.The comet’s brightness will depend on how big the icy tail grows. Lots of ice particles reflecting the Sun’s light could make the comet even brighter.Even at its closest – which will be on July 23 – the comet will still be as far away from the Earth as Mars is. But it should still be bright enough to see, even without binoculars or a telescope.(Source: JochenK2002 [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)The comet is visible in the northern hemisphere (half of the world). The best time to view it is about an hour and a half after sunset, low in the northwest sky. It should be just below the constellation (group of stars) known as Ursa Major (the Big Dipper).The comet is visible in the northern hemisphere. The best viewing time is about 90 minutes after sunset, low in the northwest sky. It should be just below the constellation known as Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) – shown at the bottom of this photo.(Source: Alex Zelenko [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Did You Know…?Though you won’t need any special equipment to see Comet NEOWISE, you’ll get a much more detailed view if you are able to look at it with binoculars or a telescope.Check Yourself0/41. Comet NEOWISE is a recently discovered comet which becomes visible about once every 6,800 years.True   False2. Comet NEOWISE is named for the _______________ system which was used to discover it.3. Comet NEOWISE has two tails. One is made of ice. What's the other one made of?4. Comet NEOWISE is visible from the _________ hemisphere.southernnorthernDoes is seem strange to think that you can see something today that was last seen by people 6,800 years ago? What do you think people thought of the comet back then?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.theverge.comwww.jpl.nasa.govtheconversation.comwww.smithsonianmag.comphys.orgwww.abc.net.auwww.cbc.caen.wikipedia.orgShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2025-12-21 08:31:00

News Roundup: Brexit, Impeachment, & Cookies in Space

News Roundup: Brexit, Impeachment, & Cookies in SpaceNFK Editors - January 26, 2020Brexit Passes – UK Will Leave EU January 31On Wednesday, the British Parliament finally approved an agreement for the United Kingdom (UK) to leave the European Union (EU). Though the UK announced its plan to leave in March 2017, it took nearly two years for the country to reach an agreement with the EU on how to do that. It took longer still for the British Parliament to agree.Brexit is a word made up to describe the“BritishExit“from the European Union. In 2016, in a special vote called a “referendum”, more than half of the people of the United Kingdom chose to leave the EU.After Parliament rejected or blocked Brexit deals many times, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a general election in December, hoping to get enough votes to approve the deal. He got his wish.Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shown signing the Brexit agreement after it was passed by Parliament and the Queen agreed to it. The deal will allow the UK to leave the EU on January 31.(Source: Number 10, via Flickr.com.)The Brexit bill finally passed on Wednesday. The House of Lords tried to change the bill to add protection for young refugees in the EU whose families are in the UK, but the House of Commons rejected all changes. Queen Elizabeth II agreed to the bill on Thursday.The deal is expected to pass a vote in the European Parliament next week. If it does, the UK will leave the EU on January 31.Impeachment: Democrats Make the Case Against TrumpThe impeachment trial against US President Donald Trump began in the Senate this week. The first days were spent agreeing on rules about how the trial will be run.From Wednesday to Friday, seven Democratic “Impeachment Managers” from the US House of Representatives presented the case against Mr. Trump.They went through the evidence gathered during the House investigation. The Managers said that Mr. Trump’s behavior made it clear that he should be found guilty and removed from office.From Wednesday through Friday, Democrats presented the case against the president to the Senate. Mr. Trump’s defense began on Saturday. Above, Representative Adam Schiff, one of the Impeachment Managers, is shown speaking.(Source: Screenshot via Senate.gov.)The days were long and full of speeches. The Senate had special rules during the impeachment, and senators weren’t allowed to use phones or drink coffee. Some senators seemed bored and a few even fell asleep.On Saturday, Mr. Trump’s lawyers began their three days of defending the president, saying the president did nothing wrong.So far, Republicans, who control the Senate, haven’t shown much interest in bringing in witnesses or new information, in spite of strong arguments by Democrats.Astronauts Bake the First Cookies in SpaceIn December, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) tried something new – baking chocolate chip cookies in space. Baking cookies may sound easy, but in space it’s a challenge.There’s very little gravity on the ISS. That means heat doesn’t rise like it would in a regular oven, since there is no “down”. Also, the dough would just float around in the oven.So the astronauts tested a special new oven. The Zero G Oven is shaped like a tube, and heats things from all sides. To keep the dough from flying around, it was sealed inside a special tray as it baked into a cookie.Astronauts Luca Parmitano and Christina Koch pose in the International Space Station with the first cookies baked in space. Ms. Koch joked that they had baked cookies and milk for Santa. The cookie is in the floating box and the milk is in the pouch Ms. Koch is holding.(Source: Christina Koch/NASA, via Twitter.)It took astronaut Luca Parmitano several tries before his cookies came out well. The first few cookies came out undercooked. But he left the fourth and fifth cookies in the oven for over two hours, and they came out nice and brown.Sadly, the astronauts weren’t allowed to taste the cookies. They had to put them in a freezer for testing back on Earth. Luckily, they had a small supply of cookies that were already baked.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.dw.comwww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.nytimes.comwww.theverge.comwww.bbc.comapnews.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.

Technology 2026-01-06 08:42:10

For Real? Brand-New Fish & 3D-Printing “Chicken” Nuggets

For Real? Brand-New Fish & 3D-Printing “Chicken” NuggetsNFK Editors - July 25, 2020Scientists Create New Kind of Fish – by AccidentScientists in Hungary have created a new type of fish by accident. The new fish was created in a lab, and is a mix of the American paddlefish and the Russian sturgeon.The American paddlefish and the Russian sturgeon live on different sides of the world, and are two very different fish. Both are often called “living fossils” because they’ve been around for millions of years, and have changed very little over that time.The American paddlefish (bottom) and the Russian sturgeon (top) live on different sides of the world, and are two very different fish. Both are often called “living fossils” because they’ve been around for millions of years, and have changed very little over that time.(Source: Harka, Akos [CC BY], Sturgeon, Emőke Dénes [CC BY-SA], Paddlefish, via Wikimedia Commons.)Both kinds of fish are also in danger of dying out, so scientists are looking at other ways to keep their numbers up. One thing scientists are testing is a new way of getting fish eggs to develop in the lab.Scientists thought the two kinds of fish were too different to be able to produce any babies. So they were surprised when combining sperm from the paddlefish and eggs from the sturgeon resulted in a brand new kind of fish. People have begun calling the new fish a “sturddlefish”.The experiment resulted in around 100 living sturddlefish. All are meat-eaters, like their mother, the sturgeon, and some have the long snout and fins of their father, the paddlefish.Scientists were surprised when their experiment resulted in a brand new kind of fish, which is being called a “sturddlefish” (above). All of the new fish are meat-eaters, like the sturgeon, and some have the long snout and fins of the paddlefish.(Source: Attila Mozsar/Genes MDPI.)The scientists say they won’t be making any more sturddlefish, and sturddlefish are unlikely to be able to have any babies themselves.Still, the news has come as a big shock for scientists who study fish. Scientist Solomon David said, “I think it’s pretty cool that these living fossils can still surprise us.”KFC to Test 3D-Printed Chicken NuggetsKFC is working with a Russian laboratory called 3D Bioprinting Solutions to create chicken nuggets using a 3D “bioprinter”. The nuggets will be tested this coming fall, and if they’re successful, they’ll be the first lab-grown meat to be sold by a big fast-food chain.KFC is working with a Russian laboratory to create chicken nuggets using a 3D “bioprinter”. The nuggets will be tested this fall. If successful, they’ll be the first lab-grown meat sold by a big fast-food chain. Above, KFC’s normal Chicken Tenders.(Source: KFC.)3D bioprinting is a new way of growing meat in a lab without animals, using animal cells. Cells – sometimes called the “building block” of life – are so tiny that they can’t be seen without a microscope. 3D bioprinting uses cells from an animal to create meat that has never been part of an animal.KFC’s bioprinted chicken nuggets will be started from chicken cells, but will be grown with material from plants. The goal is to produce meat in a way that is better for the environment.3D bioprinting is a new way of growing meat in a lab without animals. 3D bioprinting uses cells from an animal to create meat that has never been part of an animal. Above, a 3D bioprinter.(Source: Андрей Ильин [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Lab-grown meat will use less land, water, and energy. The process also avoids some of the dangerous medicines and chemicals that are used in raising live animals and keeping meat fresh. As a result, the lab-made nuggets may actually be healthier.The goal is for the lab-made chicken nuggets to look and taste just like real ones. KFC is calling the nuggets the “meat of the future,” and they’re hopeful that this will encourage other companies to create lab-grown meats too.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.cnet.comphys.orgwww.zdnet.comnewatlas.comwww.businessinsider.comglobal.kfc.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-19 14:39:23

Making Flip-Flops with Algae

Making Flip-Flops with AlgaeNFK Editors - September 11, 2020Every year, about 3 billion flip-flops are produced. Now scientists have come up with a way to make sure new flip-flops don’t add to the massive plastic waste problem in our oceans – by making flip-flops out of algae.Flip-flops are the most commonly used shoe on the planet. Sadly, that also makes them one of the most common kinds of trash.In 2019, scientists studied plastic that had washed up on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Not many people live there, and yet the scientists found hundreds of millions of pieces of plastic. Among them were 977,000 shoes – mainly flip-flops.Flip-flops are the most commonly used shoe on the planet. Sadly, that also makes them one of the most common kinds of trash.(Source: John Mason, via Flickr.com.)Scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have come up with a way to cut down on that problem.Their method uses algae – a quickly growing water plant – to produce an oil. This oil can be turned into a material suitable for making shoes. Best of all, the new material will break down naturally over time, instead of remaining permanently in dumps or oceans.UCSD scientists have come up with a way to make algae-based flip-flops (above). The new material will break down naturally over time, instead of remaining permanently in dumps or oceans.(Source: Stephen Mayfield, UC San Diego .)The ProblemPolyurethane is a light, flexible plastic that’s used to make many products, including shoes.But polyurethane is a petroleum-based product, made from polluting oil drilled from deep underground. Polyurethane is hard to recycle, since it doesn’t melt when it’s heated. It also contains dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer.Polyurethane is a light, flexible plastic that’s used to make many products, including shoes (above). But polyurethane is hard to recycle, since it doesn’t melt when it’s heated. It also contains dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer.(Source: SABO S.p.A., PressReleaseFinder, via Flickr.com.)Even worse, polyurethane products can stick around for hundreds of years. They don’t biodegrade (break down completely into natural materials) like a plant-based material might. Instead, they simply break up into smaller and smaller pieces until they become microplastics.The UCSD scientists, though, have found a way to make polyurethane mainly from algae. The scientists started a company called Algenesis to help turn their ideas into real products that people can actually use.How it Works:Algae is a very simple plant that grows quickly and in large numbers in water. The scientists raise algae in shallow “raceway” ponds designed to allow the algae to grow quickly. Above, algae being grown in a raceway pond.(Source: JanB46 [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Algae is a very simple plant that grows quickly and in large numbers in water. The scientists raise algae in shallow “raceway” ponds designed to allow the algae to grow quickly. They then collect the algae and remove the water. What’s left behind is a thick paste.The scientists can use this algae paste to come up with an algae-based oil. It wasn’t easy, but after hundreds of tries, the scientists figured out a way of turning the algae oil into a polyurethane that’s good enough to be used in shoes.The scientists use algae paste to make an algae-based oil. It wasn’t easy, but after hundreds of tries, the scientists figured out a way of turning the algae oil into a polyurethane that’s good enough to be used in shoes (above).(Source: Algenesis.)Currently the scientists are making polyurethane that has 52% oil from algae and 48% oil from petroleum. The scientists think that in a few years they will be able to make their polyurethane from 100% natural sources.What’s exciting about the new polyurethane is that, unlike normal polyurethane, it’s completely biodegradable.Currently the scientists are making polyurethane that has 52% oil from algae and 48% oil from petroleum. What’s exciting about the new polyurethane is that, unlike normal polyurethane, it’s completely biodegradable.(Source: Algenesis.)When the polyurethane is buried in soil (dirt), for just 12 weeks, it breaks down by about 71%. In the right conditions in soil or compost, the shoes should break down completely in about 18 weeks. That means they won’t sit around for hundreds of years once they’re thrown away.When the polyurethane is buried in soil (dirt), for just 12 weeks, it breaks down by about 71%. In the right conditions, it should break down completely in about 18 weeks. Above, how the polyurethane breaks down in compost and soil over several weeks.(Source: Stephen Mayfield, UC San Diego .)The scientists are talking with several shoe companies about using the new algae-based polyurethane in their shoes. The first shoes – flip-flops, of course – are expected to come out early next year.Did You Know…?In 2015, the scientists behind the algae flip-flops made another surprising product out of algae oil – surfboards!Check Yourself0/41. About how many new flip-flops are produced every year?3 million300 million300,0003 billion2. Polyurethane is easy to recycle.True   False3. The UCSD scientists were able to create oil from _______________, which allowed them to create a polyurethane that will break down naturally.4. The scientists say their flip-flops should break down completely after being buried in soil for about __________.18 weeks12 weeks18 years400 yearsDo you wear flip-flops? If so, how many pair do you think you've had in your life? Would you like to try the algae flip-flops? Why or why not?ResetSourceswww.fastcompany.comedition.cnn.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.npr.orgucsdnews.ucsd.eduwww.zmescience.comucsdnews.ucsd.eduwww.sciencedirect.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-23 06:43:08

Scientists Invent a Lickable “Taste Display”

Scientists Invent a Lickable “Taste Display”NFK Editors - June 4, 2020Tokyo, Japan —(Map)Scientists at Meiji University in Japan have come up with something they call a “taste display”. The device can create the taste of any chosen flavor when it is pressed against the tongue.Humans are able to identify different flavors through the taste buds on their tongues. If you look at your tongue in a mirror, you’ll see lots of tiny bumps. These aren’t your taste buds, but most of the bumps contain taste buds – hundreds of them.Humans are able to identify different flavors through the taste buds on their tongues. If you look at your tongue in a mirror, you’ll see lots of tiny bumps. Most of the bumps contain hundreds of taste buds.(Source: Anthonylightening [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Taste buds have tiny openings that take in very small amounts of whatever we’re eating. Special “receptor cells” in the taste buds can then have a chemical reaction to the food, creating one of five basic tastes. The way these basic tastes combine creates the overall flavor of the food we’re eating.The five basic tastes are sweet, sour (or acidic), salty, bitter, and umami. Bitter flavors are sharp, like coffee, unsweetened chocolate, or the peel of an orange or lemon.The five basic tastes are sweet, sour (or acidic), salty, bitter, and umami. Bitter flavors are sharp, like coffee, unsweetened chocolate, or the peel of an orange or lemon. Umami is sometimes called “savory”. Above, a labeled view of the end of the new “taste display”.(Source: Homei Miyashita .)The fifth taste may sound unusual. It wasn’t even given a name until 1908. Umami is sometimes called “savory”. It’s a rich taste, common in soups, gravies, cheeses, and soy sauce. Umami can help bring out other tastes.Together, these five basic tastes create the flavors of everything we eat. Different amounts of these basic tastes create completely different flavors. That’s the main idea behind the “Norimaki Synthesizer” – the new taste display.The five basic tastes create the flavors of everything we eat. Different amounts of these basic tastes create completely different flavors. That’s the main idea behind the “Norimaki Synthesizer” (above).(Source: Homei Miyashita .)The device’s creator, Homei Miyashita, got the idea for calling it a “taste display” from computer screens. Computer screens are made up of thousands of little pixels which are only able to show red, green, or blue. But the color purple, for example, can be displayed by mixing red and blue.The “Norimaki Synthesizer” works roughly the same way, but with tastes. One part of the device is a tube that is held in the hand and touched to the tongue. Inside this tube are five smaller tubes. Each contains a gel with the chemicals needed to create one of the five basic tastes.One part of the device is a tube that is held in the hand and touched to the tongue. Inside this tube are five smaller tubes. Each contains a gel with the chemicals needed to create one of the five basic tastes.(Source: Homei Miyashita .)The tube is covered with copper. When the tip is touched to the tongue, an electric circuit is formed. That electric circuit begins to release tiny amounts of the gels to the taste buds.When the tube touches the tongue with no added electricity, the user can taste all five tastes. But, by using a small box with sliding controls, the amount of different tastes can be lowered, creating different flavors.The researchers have been able to create sweet flavors like a gummy candy and more salty and sour tastes like sushi, simply by moving the sliders around.When the tube touches the tongue, the user can taste all five basic tastes. But, by using a small box with sliding controls, the amount of different tastes can be lowered, creating different flavors. The researchers have created flavors like gummy candy and sushi.(Source: Homei Miyashita .)The device doesn’t create anything you can smell, though. It also can’t produce the effect of spicy foods.The current version of the Norimaki Synthesizer is just a prototype – a rough version to test the idea.Mr. Miyashita believes that in the future, we may be able to share flavors over the internet. He says one day you may be able to see a meal on TV and actually be able to taste it.Check Yourself0/41. There are five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.True   False2. Different amounts of the five basic tastes combine together to create different _______________.3. When the tip of the Norimaki Synthesizer is touched to the tongue, an _______________ circuit is formed.4. Can the Norimaki Synthesizer allow you to smell flavors, too?Yes   NoDoes the Norimaki Synthesizer sound interesting to you? If you had one, what would you use it for?ResetSourceswww.hackster.iogizmodo.comwww.meiji.ac.jpwww.dezeen.comwww.digitaltrends.comen.wikipedia.orgTokyo, JapanView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2025-12-22 08:00:49

Australian Bushfires Threaten Animals

Australian Bushfires Threaten AnimalsNFK Editors - January 15, 2020New South Wales, Australia —(Map)Cooler weather and rain are expected in Australia, where this year’s bushfire season has brought damage like never before. The fires have been terrible for humans, and worse for animals.Since September, the fires have burned around 31,000 square miles (80,000 square kilometers). That’s nearly as large as Austria. Thousands of homes have been burned and 28 people have died.Cooler weather and rain are expected in Australia, where this year’s bushfire season has brought damage like never before. The fires have been terrible for humans, and worse for animals. This picture is from December.(Source: Sean Cox, USDA Forest Service.)Australia’s Bushfires     Bushfires are common in Australia because of the hot, dry weather. Strong winds can blow the flames and make them travel far and fast.     This year’s bushfires have set records for their size and the destruction they’ve caused. The country has been going through a very long drought. The dry conditions make things burn easily. Other weather patterns have just made things worse.     Though the bushfires weren’t caused directly by climate change, the climate crisis has helped create conditions that make fires like this more likely and more serious.Though the expected cooler weather and rain will make the fires easier to manage, experts believe many fires will continue for months. “These fires aren’t out and they’re not going to be out until they burn themselves out or we finish with a really big rain event,” said Victoria’s premier (leader), Daniel Andrews.Still, the change in weather is some of the best news Australia has had for months.Though the expected cooler weather and rain will make the fires easier to manage, experts believe many fires will continue for months.(Source: Michelle Moore, Bureau of Land Management, National Interagency Fire, via Flickr.com.)Early on, most reports about the bushfires focused on the loss of land and cost to humans. Recently, people have become more aware of the effects of the fires on animals.Chris Dickman, a scientist at the University of Sydney tried to figure out how many animals might have been killed by the fires. The number he came up with was surprisingly large: over 1 billion animals. Other scientists say it’s very hard to get this number right.A scientist at the University of Sydney says that over 1 billion animals may have been killed in the fires. The picture shows USDA Forest Service fire fighter Dave Soldavini, who is volunteering, with a rescued joey (young kangaroo).(Source: US Embassy Canberra.)Fast animals, or those that can fly, may be able to escape a bushfire. Slow-moving animals like koalas, may not.In New South Wales, around 8,000 koalas – about a third of the state’s koalas – are believed to have been killed. In other areas, like Kangaroo Island in South Australia, as many as 25,000 may have died.Slow-moving animals like koalas may not be able to escape the fires. Around 8,000 koalas are believed to have been killed in New South Wales. In other areas, the numbers could be as high as 25,000. The koala shown above was hurt in a fire in 2013.(Source: Ausgrid photos, via Flickr.com.)The loss of animals would be a tragedy any time and anywhere, but it could be especially bad news in Australia, which is home to many special animals that can’t be found anywhere else.Scientists worry that the bushfires might put an end to some kinds of animals that were already in danger of dying out.The loss of animals is especially bad news in Australia, which has many special animals not found anywhere else. Scientists worry that the bushfires might put an end to some kinds of animals that were already in danger of dying out. There were only a few hundred remaining Glossy Black Cockatoos, shown above. Now much of the area they live in has been destroyed.(Source: Aviceda [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)It’s not just about animals killed directly by the fires. Even when animals survive, it can be hard for them to stay alive in the world left behind by the fires. That’s because many of the places they live and their sources of food have been destroyed.For that reason, workers for Australia’s National Park are using helicopters to drop sweet potatoes and carrots onto 12 different areas where rock-wallabies live. Rock-wallabies often survive bushfires, but can have difficulty finding enough to eat once the fires have passed.Workers for Australia’s National Park are using helicopters to drop sweet potatoes and carrots onto 12 different areas where rock-wallabies live. Rock-wallabies like the one above often survive bushfires, but can have difficulty finding enough to eat once the fires have passed.(Source: Jesper Örtlund [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)The “1 billion animals” number doesn’t include farm animals like sheep and cows. Some people expect the fires to kill as many as 100,000 farm animals.Other animals, like thousands of wild camels, are being killed on purpose in order to protect farms and homes. Because of the drought, thirsty camels have been invading places where people live, looking for water.Insects and fish are also not included in the number. For fish, the worst could still be in the future. There is so much ash on the ground from the fires that when strong rains finally do arrive, rivers and lakes will be heavily polluted with ash.For fish, the worst could still be ahead. There is so much ash on the ground from the fires that when strong rains finally do arrive, rivers and lakes will be heavily polluted with ash. The picture above shows ash from the bushfires in New South Wales on a Newcastle beach.(Source: Tim J Keegan [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Sourceswww.theguardian.comwww.abc.net.auwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.theguardian.comwww.abc.net.auwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.nytimes.comwww.voanews.comNew South Wales, AustraliaView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2026-01-01 12:39:58

Is the Clock Running Out for TikTok?

Is the Clock Running Out for TikTok?NFK Editors - September 24, 2020US President Donald Trump has insisted that the popular app TikTok be sold to an American company or be shut down. The company has been given an extra week to work out a deal before the US bans it.TikTok is a hugely popular social media app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos. The algorithm (formula) the company uses to suggest videos is so powerful that many users find it hard to stop using the app.Embed from Getty ImagesTikTok is a hugely popular social media app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos.But because TikTok is run by a Chinese company, the app has raised concerns in the US. Many groups worry that the Chinese government could use the app to gather information on the app’s millions of users.There are some reasons to be concerned. China’s government keeps tight control over what Chinese users can see, do, and say on the internet. The government also demands that Chinese companies work with the government when asked.Embed from Getty ImagesThe crackdown on Chinese technology companies is one part of a larger battle. In the last few years, the relationship between Mr. Trump’s government and China has become extremely tense.The crackdown on Chinese technology companies is one part of a larger battle. In the last few years, the relationship between Mr. Trump’s government and China has become extremely tense.Cracking Down on Chinese Tech Companies     The US government has already taken action against Chinese cell phone maker Huawei and the Chinese technology company ZTE. The US believes the Chinese government may be able to spy on people using equipment made by these companies.     WeChat is another powerful Chinese social media app used by over a billion people each month. It’s run by the Chinese company TenCent, which shares information on its users with the Chinese government. As with TikTok, the US government is working to limit or shut down WeChat in the US.As TikTok became more popular, many government groups began taking steps to make sure it wasn’t used to leak information. For example, most US military branches have banned the use of TikTok on government devices.Embed from Getty ImagesAs TikTok became more popular, many government groups began taking steps to make sure it wasn’t used to leak information. For example, most US military branches have banned the use of TikTok on government devices.On August 6, Mr. Trump announced that TikTok must be sold to an American company or be shut down. The step was highly unusual.The US president has powers to limit the way foreign companies can act in the US, but the ban seemed extreme to many. The exact threat from TikTok wasn’t very clear. Some experts have pointed out that many US companies, such as FaceBook, collect even more information.Embed from Getty ImagesOn August 6, Mr. Trump announced that TikTok must be sold to an American company or be shut down. The US president has powers to limit the way foreign companies can act in the US, but the ban seemed extreme to many.TikTok has sued the US government, saying the move limits free speech – an important idea in the US. It’s an unusual position for the US, since the US often criticizes China for its lack of internet freedom.The US company Microsoft made an offer for TikTok, which was turned down. As time was running out, the US companies Oracle and Walmart reported a new deal, which seemed to be accepted by all sides. Even Mr. Trump seemed to like the deal.Embed from Getty ImagesAs time was running out, the US companies Oracle and Walmart reported a new deal, which seemed to be accepted by all sides. Even Mr. Trump seemed to like the deal.Under the deal, TikTok will create a new company called TikTok Global, and part of that will be sold to US buyers. Not everyone agrees on how quickly that will happen and what will be included in the sale. For example, TikTok says it will not give away the secrets behind its algorithm.The US Department of Commerce has given TikTok an extra week – until September 27 – to work out the details. If the agreement isn’t approved, the US could begin blocking downloads of the TikTok app starting this Sunday, and completely ban the app by November 12.The US Department of Commerce has given TikTok an extra week – until September 27 – to work out the details of the deal. If the agreement isn’t approved, the US could begin blocking downloads of the TikTok app starting this Sunday.(Source: Solen Feyissa, via Flickr.com.)Many people expect that the US ban of TikTok will lead China to crack down on US companies doing business in China.Did You Know…?The US is not the only government pushing back against Chinese technology. As a result of disagreements between India and China, India has banned TikTok, WeChat, and all other apps made in China.Check Yourself0/41. TikTok is a hugely popular social media _______________ owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.2. Because TikTok is run by a Chinese company, some groups worry that the Chinese government could use the app to gather _______________ on the app’s users.3. _______ has demanded that TikTok be sold to an American company or be shut down.the Chinese governmentPresident Donald Trumpthe US Congressthe US military4. For now, it looks like Oracle and Walmart have reached a deal that will allow part of TikTok Global to be sold to US buyers.True   FalseMany apps, including apps from US companies, collect a lot of information. Why do you think companies are so interested in gathering information on their users?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.npr.orgwww.theverge.comwww.nytimes.comwww.npr.orgwww.theguardian.comwww.voanews.comwww.npr.orgwww.nytimes.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.

Technology 2025-12-24 12:34:04

A Computer Assistant Built to Float in Space

A Computer Assistant Built to Float in SpaceNFK Editors - December 12, 2019A floating computer assistant called CIMON 2 has been sent to the International Space Station. CIMON will work for the next three years to help the astronauts, and also to be “someone” they can talk to.The International Space Station (ISS) is a science laboratory in space. The station rotates around the Earth, over 200 miles (320 kilometers) above it. The ISS lets scientists do research in a place with very low gravity.A floating computer assistant called CIMON 2 has been sent to the International Space Station. CIMON will work for the next three years to help the astronauts, and also to be “someone” they can talk to. The picture shows the first CIMON.(Source: Airbus.)The ISS also lets them test things that might be used on other trips into space, like CIMON. CIMON (pronounced “Simon”) stands forCrewInteractiveMobile Companion. In August, the first version of CIMON returned from over a year on the space station. The new device is called CIMON 2.CIMON was created by the European airplane company, Airbus. It has no arms or legs, but it has motors inside that allow it to rotate in any direction and move where it needs to go.CIMON was created with two jobs in mind. One is helping astronauts with tasks. The other, which is trickier, is trying to be a companion (friend).CIMON was created by the European airplane company, Airbus. Three of the people involved in the project are shown above. CIMON has no arms or legs, but it has motors inside that allow it to rotate in any direction and move where it needs to go.(Source: [(CC BY 3.0)], DLR.)Helping astronauts is easy for CIMON – it can hear, understand, and speak. The brains behind CIMON were provided by IBM, a computer company with a lot of experience training computers to understand human speech. CIMON can understand not just what people say, but what they mean.That allows astronauts to ask it for instructions or information using everyday language, keeping their hands and minds free for other, more important things. CIMON can answer the astronauts, or use its screen to display pictures or documents, if needed.Astronauts can ask CIMON for instructions or information using everyday language, keeping their hands and minds free for other, more important things. The picture shows the first CIMON during an activity on the ISS involving a Rubik’s Cube.(Source: Airbus.)CIMON has several cameras, which can take pictures and videos to help astronauts keep records of experiments or other important actions.The more difficult part of CIMON’s job is being a companion for the astronauts. The first CIMON could understand what people were saying, but it was limited.In one video, taken with German astronaut Alexander Gerst, CIMON seemed to become confused as Mr. Gerst spoke with another astronaut. “Don’t be so mean, please,” CIMON said.The first CIMON could understand what people said, but it didn’t understand feelings. In one video, taken with German astronaut Alexander Gerst (above), CIMON got confused as Mr. Gerst spoke with another astronaut. “Don’t be so mean, please,” CIMON said.(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)CIMON 2 has been improved so that it can recognize emotions and figure out how people are feeling.One big goal of the CIMON project is to give astronauts “someone” they can share their thoughts with on long trips. Currently there are six people on the ISS. Usually astronauts stay in the ISS for five or six months. Can you imagine what it might be like to live in a tight space with just five other people for six months?One goal of the CIMON project is to give astronauts “someone” to share their thoughts with on long trips. Currently there are six people on the ISS (shown above). Usually astronauts stay in the ISS for five or six months. From left to right: Andrew Morgan, Alexander Skvortsov, Luca Parmitano, Oleg Skripochka, Jessica Meir, and Christina Koch.(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Having companions is important on the space station, but it could be even more important during longer trips in space, such as a trip to Mars.The goal is for CIMON to be a calm, trusted friend that astronauts can talk to when they don’t want to talk with others. This could be especially important if tension in a group of astronauts causes them to stop thinking clearly.The creators hope that CIMON would be able to help people stay calm and make good decisions.The goal is for CIMON to be a calm, trusted friend that astronauts can talk to when they don’t want to talk with others. This could be especially important if tension in a group of astronauts causes them to stop thinking clearly.(Source: [(CC BY 3.0)], DLR.)Sourceswww.dw.comwww.abc.net.auwww.discovermagazine.comwww.space.comwww.theverge.comwww.airbus.comwww.youtube.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.40 Years of Making Software “Free”NFK Editors - Oct 8, 2025The Free Software Foundation celebrated its 40th birthday last Saturday. First started in 1985, the FSF has helped shape the digital world we live in today. Its ideas about free software inspired the open‑source movement; now open‑source programs run on countless computers, phones, and devices around the globe.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.

Technology 2026-01-01 01:01:29

2019 Year in Review: World of Technology

2019 Year in Review: World of TechnologyNFK Editors - December 27, 2019To recap 2019, NewsForKids.net is taking a look back at some of the most interesting stories we’ve covered this year.Today we’re looking at stories that show how technology is changing our world.Google’s Quantum Computer Takes Huge StepOctober 31, 2019Google scientists say they have used a special “quantum computer” to complete a calculation that would take the fastest computers in the world up to 10,000 years to solve. It took Google’s computer 200 seconds.Man Builds Brain-Controlled Robotic HandMay 16, 2019In elementary school, Glenn Cameron was very aware of the challenges faced by his friend, who was missing a hand. Now Mr. Cameron has built a robotic hand that can be controlled by a human brain.Grocery Stores Try Self-Driving Delivery CarsJanuary 11, 2019Grocery stores are testing different ways of delivering orders using self-driving cars. Companies are experimenting more as self-driving cars get better and the pressure from online stores like Amazon gets stronger.Faking Videos is Easy – and DangerousSeptember 11, 2019It has become very easy for people to use computer programs to make fake videos that seem real. Many people are very worried about how these tools might be misused.Brazil to Sell Computer-Created PerfumeJune 4, 2019A beauty company in Brazil will soon begin selling two brand-new perfumes. But there’s an unusual story behind the perfumes – the smells were created by a computer.The Growing Problem of RansomwareAugust 28, 2019The computer systems of local governments, school districts, and businesses are being targeted more often by criminals, who lock the computer files, and refuse to unlock them until they are paid.Sweden Begins Using Driverless Electric TrucksMay 31, 2019A company called Einride has begun using driverless electric trucks on a public road in Sweden. The project is testing ideas that could bring important changes in transportation.Mara Makes First ‘Made in Africa’ SmartphonesNovember 22, 2019In October, a Rwandan company called Mara opened two factories – one in Rwanda and the other in South Africa. The factories will produce the first smartphones built completely in Africa.Company Turns Sunlight into Extreme HeatNovember 20, 2019A company called Heliogen has announced a new process that can reach extremely high temperatures using only the power of the sun. The process could help reduce the pollution that’s causing the climate crisis.San Francisco Says “No” to Facial RecognitionMay 30, 2019San Francisco has decided that its city government workers can’t use computer programs that recognize faces. San Francisco is the first US city to take such a strong step to keep this technology under control.Share:Scientists at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have created what they call “the world’s smallest violin”. The violin is made of metal and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful microscope. The project was designed to test new technology for building extremely small things.Rubik’s Cube Record Smashed by College StudentsNFK Editors - Jun 26, 2025Students at Purdue University have created a robot that can solve a Rubik’s Cube faster than any robot ever. The robot, which they call “Purdubik’s Cube”, solves the cube in just 0.103 seconds. That’s faster than the time it takes to blink your eyes.

Technology 2026-01-03 12:12:05

For Real? Solo Tourist, Dog Goggles, & a Record Flight

For Real? Solo Tourist, Dog Goggles, & a Record FlightNFK Editors - October 17, 2020Peru’s Machu Picchu Re-Opened for One TouristMachu Picchu is an ancient fort-like city high in the Andes mountains in Peru. At 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) above sea level, Machu Picchu is hard to get to, but it’s still popular with tourists.Since March, Jesse Katayama, a 26-year-old Japanese tourist, has been living in a small village just below Machu Picchu, waiting for a chance to visit. Machu Picchu was shut down because of the coronavirus right as Mr. Katayama was scheduled to visit.Machu Picchu is an ancient fort-like city high in the Andes mountains in Peru. At 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) above sea level, Machu Picchu is hard to get to, but it’s still popular with tourists.(Source: Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Instead of giving up, he’s been patiently waiting – for seven months. Mr. Katayama, who’s a boxing teacher, has been teaching local children how to box. He’s become famous in the area as the last tourist in Machu Picchu.As more people learned about Mr. Katayama’s situation, several of them asked the government to allow Mr. Katayama to visit Machu Picchu.Finally, he got his wish. Normally, Machu Picchu gets hundreds of visitors every day. But last Sunday, Mr. Katayama was the famous spot’s only visitor.Normally, Machu Picchu gets hundreds of visitors every day. But last Sunday, Mr. Katayama was the famous spot’s only visitor. Above, Jesse Katayama at Machu Picchu with a guide.(Source: Andean Roots Perú.)“After the lockdown, the first person on earth to visit Machu Picchu is meeeeeee,” he wrote.US Army Develops Augmented Reality for DogsAugmented reality (AR) is technology that puts a layer of information over what people see in real life. AR can put labels on things, draw diagrams, or even completely change the way something looks. If you’ve seen Pokemon Go, that’s AR in action.Now the US Army is developing AR goggles for dogs. The army already works with dogs in many different ways, including sniffing out bombs and helping track people down. Usually soldiers control the dogs by moving their hands or pointing at things with a laser.Augmented reality (AR) is technology that puts a layer of information over what people see in real life. AR can put labels on things, draw diagrams, or even completely change the way something looks. If you’ve seen Pokemon Go (above), that’s AR in action.(Source: Maria Narodetsky, Penn State, via Flickr.com.)So why would the army want dogs to wear AR goggles? Mainly so that dogs can travel farther away without always having to stay close to a trainer.Here’s how it works: the dog’s goggles record and send back everything the dog is seeing and hearing, allowing the trainer to see and hear the same thing. The trainer can then send a command to the dog through the goggles, telling it what to do next.The dog’s goggles record and send back everything the dog is seeing and hearing, allowing the trainer to see and hear the same thing. The trainer can then send a command to the dog through the goggles, telling it what to do next.(Source: US Army.)So far, the program is just being tested. But if it works well, it could change how dogs are used in the army.Godwit Sets Record With 11-Day Non-Stop FlightA new record for non-stop bird flight has been set by a male bar-tailed godwit. It flew from Alaska to New Zealand in just 11 days.Godwits are wading birds, which hunt for food in shallow ocean waters. In summer, they raise their families in the Arctic. When it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, they fly south – sometimes as far as Australia or New Zealand.In summer, godwits raise families in the Arctic. When it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, they fly south – sometimes as far as Australia or New Zealand. The map above shows their flight patterns.(Source: WikimediaCommons.org.)The bird who set the record is known as 4BBRW. That’s short for the blue, blue, red, and white bands on his legs that scientists use to identify him. To follow him while he flew, scientists attached a very lightweight tracking device to his back.On September 16, 4BBRW left Alaska and flew for 11 days straight. Scientists report that he covered 7,581 miles (12,200 kilometers) before landing near Auckland, New Zealand. His high speed was 55 miles per hour (89 kilometers per hour).On September 16, 4BBRW left Alaska and flew for 11 days straight. He covered 7,581 miles (12,200 kilometers) before landing near Auckland, New Zealand. His high speed was 55 miles per hour (89 kilometers per hour). The bar-tailed godwit above isn’t 4BBRW.(Source: Paul van de Velde [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.abc.net.auwww.dw.comwww.theverge.comwww.bbc.co.ukwww.army.milwww.theguardian.comwww.independent.co.ukgizmodo.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-19 08:38:14

News Roundup: Coronavirus Hits Businesses & Tech for Traffic Jams – x 2

News Roundup: Coronavirus Hits Businesses & Tech for Traffic Jams – x 2NFK Editors - February 8, 2020Coronavirus Spreads, Causing Human and Business WorriesThe new coronavirus, which first appeared in Wuhan, China in December, has continued to spread. Currently there are nearly 35,000 cases, and 720 people have died. Though the disease has spread to over 25 other countries, almost all the cases are in China.In response to the outbreak, the Chinese government closed off 50 million people in Wuhan and cities near it. As the virus spread to other areas of China, the government took more actions to limit the spread of the disease.Currently, most people around the country are staying home. If people go out, they wear masks. Many places where people gather have been closed, including many museums, theaters, restaurants, and shopping areas.Currently, most people around the country are staying home. If people go out, they wear masks. Many places like museums, theaters, restaurants, and shopping areas have been closed. This Beijing street is normally busy, but in late January, it was empty.(Source: Pau Colominas [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Hundreds of companies have closed their factories until the disease is more under control. Since China makes so many parts for products used by companies around the world, the effects of the factories shutting down are being felt in other countries, too.Car companies like Honda, Toyota, and others have closed their factories, some until the end of February. Many tech factories, such as those of iPhone maker Foxconn, are also closed.Car companies like Honda, Toyota, and others have closed their factories. Many tech factories, such as those of iPhone maker Foxconn, are also closed. This Dongfeng Honda factory in Wuhan, China (above) will be closed until the end of February.(Source: Wuchernchau [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Most businesses expect some slowdown in China during the Chinese New Year holidays, which just finished. But if factories and businesses in China remain closed, the effects could soon be felt around the world.Many products like clothing, electronics, and even medicine could become a little harder to find or more expensive.Mumbai Traffic Lights Punish Honking DriversMumbai is famous for its bad traffic. It’s not just bad, – it’s loud! The noise at street level can reach above 85 decibels (dB). That’s about as loud as a blender or a garbage disposal. Listening to noises that loud for a long time can lead to hearing loss.Drivers in Mumbai traffic jams have a habit of honking their horns. Many of Mumbai’s traffic lights have countdown timers, which show drivers how long until the light turns green. But drivers often begin honking long before the countdown timer reaches zero.Mumbai police created a ‘Punishing Signal’ that makes people wait longer if there’s too much honking. The picture shows a timer that was just reset to 90 seconds because the noise level is over 85 decibels.(Source: Mumbai Police, via Twitter.)Mumbai police found a clever way to train drivers to stop honking. They attached devices which measure noise levels to several traffic lights. If drivers honk enough to raise the sound level above 85 dB, the countdown timer resets to 90 seconds, making drivers wait longer.The police warned drivers with a large sign saying, “Honk more, wait more”. Police hope that with time, Mumbai’s drivers will learn to honk less.The police warned drivers with a large sign saying, ‘Honk more, wait more’. Police hope that with time, Mumbai’s drivers will learn to honk less(Source: Mumbai Police, via Twitter.)Artist Uses 99 Phones To Trick Google MapsSimon Weckert, a German artist, created an unusual art project. He pulled a little red wagon holding 99 cell phones along streets in Berlin that were mainly empty,. The cell phones caused Google Maps to show that there were traffic jams on the streets.Mr. Weckert says Google Maps has changed the way that people interact with maps, and that this gives Google a lot of power over how people see cities.Artist Simon Weckert tricked Google Maps into showing traffic jams on nearly empty streets by pulling 99 cell phones along in a wagon. Mr. Weckert’s traffic jam is the heavy double red line toward the bottom of the map shown above.(Source: Simon Weckert .)Mr. Weckert wanted to turn that around, and show that people also have the power to affect Google Maps. His “traffic jam in a wagon” seems to have proved his point.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.voanews.comwww.bbc.comwww.laht.comwww.nytimes.comwww.theguardian.comwww.cnn.comwww.abc.net.auwww.wired.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-27 08:54:02

News Roundup: Dust Storm, Fake Pilots, NASA Renames Headquarters

News Roundup: Dust Storm, Fake Pilots, NASA Renames HeadquartersNFK Editors - June 28, 2020Sahara Dust Cloud Blows Across CaribbeanEvery year, a large cloud of dust rises from the Sahara Desert and crosses the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in the Caribbean. The pattern is called the Saharan Air Layer. It’s part of a natural cycle that helps develop farmland and beaches in Central and South America.This year’s Saharan Air Layer is the largest in at least 50 years. The cloud covers an area as large as the United States and ranges between 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) and 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) in thickness.Every year, a large cloud of dust rises from the Sahara Desert and crosses the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in the Caribbean. The pattern is called the Saharan Air Layer. The map above shows dust crossing the Atlantic on June 28, 2018.(Source: NASA EarthObservatory.)The dust cloud has blanketed much of the Caribbean and Mexico in a thick haze, raising temperatures and lowering visibility. The dust cloud is also bringing dangerous levels of pollution.Puerto Rico has been hit hard by the cloud. At one point its air quality was rated at 305 – almost twice as high as its previous record of 154. Air quality ratings above 150 are considered “Unhealthy”. Over 300, they’re considered “Hazardous” (dangerous).Embed from Getty ImagesThe dust cloud has blanketed much of the Caribbean and Mexico in a thick haze, raising temperatures and lowering visibility. The dust cloud is also bringing dangerous levels of pollution. Above, Puerto Rico on June 22.Over the weekend, the dust cloud hit the southeastern United States, covering states like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.Though the dust cloud will slowly break up over time, a second cloud may be forming behind it.There are two advantages to the dust cloud. The first is that it makes thunderstorms and hurricanes less likely to form. The second is that since red and orange light have an easier time getting through the cloud, the dust can make sunrises and sunsets especially beautiful.Pakistan Discovers 30% of Pilots Have Fake LicensesThe Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is in charge of airlines and flying in Pakistan, reported last week that around 30% of the country’s pilots had fake flying licenses. The result is part of an investigation that started back in February, 2019.The CAA says the country has about 860 active pilots, and as many as 262 of them may be flying with fake licenses.The Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority reported last week that around 30% of the country’s pilots had fake flying licenses. As a result, Pakistan International Airlines has told 150 of its pilots that they’re no longer allowed to fly.(Source: Aleem Yousaf [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)The news has caused Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to take a close look at its 434 pilots. As a result, PIA has told 150 of its pilots that they’re no longer allowed to fly.There is a strong focus on the skills of pilots in Pakistan now, following a crash last month that killed 98 people. The crash was judged to be the result of pilot error.NASA Renames Headquarters After Mary JacksonNASA has renamed its headquarters in Washington, DC for Mary Jackson. Ms. Jackson was a math expert who became NASA’s first black female engineer in 1958. At that time, few black people and few women were given jobs with such a high level of responsibility.NASA renamed its headquarters in Washington, DC for Mary Jackson. Ms. Jackson was a math expert who became NASA’s first black female engineer in 1958. Above, Ms. Jackson stands in front of a NASA computing machine in 1977.(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)A book (and movie) called “Hidden Figures” told the story of Ms. Jackson and two other highly talented black women who worked for NASA in the early days. The name “hidden figures” refers to the fact that though the women were an important part of NASA’s efforts to put a person on the moon, they weren’t given much credit for their work.Now NASA is trying to make sure the women are remembered. Last year, the street in front of NASA’s headquarters was renamed “Hidden Figures Way.”Sourceswww.npr.orgwww.laht.comwww.voanews.comedition.cnn.comwww.scmp.comwww.voanews.comwww.laht.comwww.npr.orgwww.smithsonianmag.comShare:

Technology 2026-01-06 18:49:05

Bad Facial Recognition Leads to False Arrest

Bad Facial Recognition Leads to False ArrestNFK Editors - July 1, 2020In 2019, Robert Julian-Borchak Williams was wrongly arrested for stealing five watches from a store. Though he didn’t do it, he was arrested after his face was “recognized” by a computer system. Now he’s making a complaint against the Detroit police.When a computer system identifies a person from their face, it’s called “facial recognition”. Facial recognition programs take measurements of important parts of the face and turn that information into a math formula describing the face. The programs then search for faces with similar formulas.But facial recognition programs have a mixed record. The programs often recognize white men, but they’re not so good at identifying women and people with darker skin.Facial recognition programs take measurements of important parts of the face and turn that information into a math formula describing the face. The programs then search for faces with similar formulas.(Source: IBM Research, via Flickr.com.)Still, many police departments use facial recognition. They believe it helps them do their jobs. In some cases, facial recognition has helped identify criminals.But it’s not unusual for a system to create a “false match” – when the computer identifies a person, but it’s wrong. For years, experts have warned that false matches could make innocent people look like criminals.Embed from Getty ImagesWhen a facial recognition program is wrong, it’s called a “false match”. False matches are more common with women and people with darker skin.Mr. Williams’s arrest is the first known case of someone being wrongly arrested because of bad facial recognition.A facial recognition program chose Mr. Williams as the closest match of an image taken from a security video. The person who sent the video to the police also chose Mr. Williams’s photo from a group of photos. But that person hadn’t been at the store during the robbery.Mr. Williams was arrested, kept in jail overnight, and questioned. Mr. Williams said that when he was questioned, he held the picture from the security video near his face. He reports that one of the police officers then said, “the computer must have gotten it wrong.”A facial recognition program chose Mr. Williams as the closest match of an image taken from a security video. Mr. Williams was arrested, kept in jail overnight, and questioned. The picture above is NOT Mr. Williams.In spite of the mistake, Mr. Williams wasn’t released until hours later. Mr. Williams is now working with the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) to make a complaint against the Detroit police.The ACLU is concerned because the police counted on facial recognition instead of police work. Before he was arrested, Mr. Williams wasn’t asked about where he was when the robbery happened or whether he owned clothes like those worn by the man shown in the security video.Mr. Williams says that he wouldn’t have known why he was arrested if the police hadn’t mentioned the facial recognition “match”. He thinks there could be other innocent people who have also been wrongly arrested.The ACLU is concerned because the police counted on facial recognition instead of police work. Mr. Williams thinks there could be other innocent people who have also been wrongly arrested.(Source: Marco Vanoli, via Flickr.com.)Some local governments are taking facial recognition concerns seriously. San Francisco, Boston, and several cities in Massachusetts have banned the use of facial recognition.Even some of the companies behind facial recognition are taking a step back. IBM has dropped its facial recognition program. Microsoft and Amazon are limiting how they sell the technology to police departments.Some companies are taking a step back from facial recognition. IBM has dropped its facial recognition program. Microsoft and Amazon are limiting how they sell the technology. Above, Microsoft president Brad Smith talks about facial recognition.(Source: Brookings Institution, via Flickr.com.)But most of the facial recognition tools used by police departments are made by less well-known companies which are still promoting the technology.IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon have asked the US Congress to make laws that limit the use of facial recognition. Such laws may be the only way to keep innocent people from going to jail because of bad technology.Check Yourself0/41. Facial recognition programs often recognize white men, but aren't so good at identifying women and people with darker skin.True   False2. When the facial recognition program identifies a person, but it’s wrong, it's called a _______________.3. The ACLU is concerned because the Detroit police counted on facial recognition instead of _______________.4. Which tech company has dropped its facial recognition program?Do you think police should be allowed to use facial recognition? Why or why not? Can you think of any rules that might help protect innocent people?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.npr.orgwww.theverge.comwww.nytimes.comwww.nytimes.comwww.cnn.comShare:Scientists at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have created what they call “the world’s smallest violin”. The violin is made of metal and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful microscope. The project was designed to test new technology for building extremely small things.

Technology 2025-12-25 09:30:38

United Arab Emirates Launches Mars Mission

United Arab Emirates Launches Mars MissionNFK Editors - July 20, 2020The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the first mission to Mars by an Arab country. After several delays caused by bad weather, the probe, named “Hope”, was successfully launched early Monday morning.Shortly before 7 am (in Japan), a Japanese rocket carrying the UAE probe blasted off from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. The rocket remained on course after its first booster stage separated. Booster rockets push the main spacecraft up, falling back to earth when their fuel is gone.Embed from Getty ImagesThe United Arab Emirates has launched the first mission to Mars by an Arab country. After several delays caused by bad weather, the probe, named “Hope”, was successfully launched early Monday morning.The probe is expected to reach the Red Planet in February, 2021. For the next two years, it will orbit Mars. The probe has several devices which will allow it to study the planet’s upper atmosphere. The UAE says Hope will be the first mission to provide details about Mars’s atmosphere through all Martian seasons.The probe is expected to reach the Red Planet in February, 2021. For the next two years, it will orbit Mars. The probe has several devices which will allow it to study the planet’s upper atmosphere.(Source: Emirates Mars Mission.)Monday’s launch was one of three Mars missions scheduled during the next couple of weeks. China plans to launch a complicated mission named Tianwen-1 on July 23. The US space agency NASA is scheduled to launch a new Mars rover named Perseverance on July 30.All of these trips are starting at roughly the same time because right now is the best time to travel between Earth and Mars, using as little fuel as possible. Another chance like this won’t come for more than two years.The launch of the Hope probe – known as “Al-Amal” in Arabic – is a huge step for a small country like the UAE. The UAE only became independent of the United Kingdom in 1971 – less than 50 years ago. The Hope probe is shown above.(Source: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.)The launch of the Hope probe – known as “Al-Amal” in Arabic – is a huge step for a small country like the UAE. The UAE only became independent of the United Kingdom in 1971 – less than 50 years ago.The country’s space agency was started in 2014. Before that, the UAE had only launched a few satellites. In September of last year, the country sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station.Embed from Getty ImagesThe UAE’s space agency was only started in 2014. Above, team members at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai prepare for the launch.One of the goals of the Hope mission is to inspire younger Arabs, especially those in the UAE. The country grew rich off of oil and gas, but it’s now looking for other ways of bringing money into the country that will be more secure in the future.That’s one reason it’s encouraging young people to focus on science and technology. The efforts seem to be working. Most of the scientists and engineers who worked on the Mars mission are under 35.Most of the scientists and engineers who worked on the Mars mission are under 35. Women make up around 34% of all of the Hope mission’s workers, and 80% of its science team.(Source: Emirates Mars Mission.)The UAE’s Hope mission is striking in another way, too. While just 28% of workers in the UAE are female, women are playing a large role in the UAE’s science program. Women make up around 34% of all of the Hope mission’s workers, and 80% of its science team.Sarah al-Amiri is a 33-year-old woman who leads the science for the Hope mission. She is also the country’s Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and heads the country’s Science Council.Sarah al-Amiri (above) is a 33-year-old woman who leads the science for the Hope mission. She is also the country’s Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and heads the country’s Science Council.(Source: Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary – Foundations World Economic Forum [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)A US space expert who worked with the UAE team says it’s “incredible” that the country has gone from launching satellites to a Mars mission in just six years.“It’s not about reaching Mars,” says Omran Sharaf, the manager of the Hope mission. “For the Emirates, it’s more about the journey.”Did You Know…?The UAE has big plans beyond their current mission. By 2117, the country hopes to have developed a settlement for people to live on Mars.Check Yourself0/41. On Monday, the UAE became the first Arab country to launch a mission to Mars.True   False2. Several Mars missions are launching now because it's the best time to travel between Earth and Mars, using as little _______________ as possible3. What year did the UAE start its space agency?4. How much of the Hope mission's science team is female?28%16%50%80%Omran Sharaf said the Hope mission wasn't about reaching Mars, but was "about the journey." What do you think he meant by that?ResetSourceswww.nytimes.comwww.scmp.comwww.dw.comwww.space.comwww.cnet.comwww.dw.comwww.nature.comwww.nytimes.comwww.smithsonianmag.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Blue Origin Sends Six Women Into SpaceNFK Editors - Apr 16, 2025On Monday, the aerospace company Blue Origin launched its spacecraft RSS Kármán Line on a ten minute trip into space. The spaceship carried the first all-female crew to go into space since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo mission in 1963.Private Company Makes Perfect Moon LandingNFK Editors - Mar 5, 2025On Sunday, a company called Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to make a perfect landing on the moon. Firefly is working with NASA, and its spacecraft, Blue Ghost, is carrying out several experiments for the space agency.

Technology 2026-01-09 01:08:36

Lawmakers Go Virtual During the Pandemic

Lawmakers Go Virtual During the PandemicNFK Editors - May 25, 2020While much of the world has been on lockdown, lawmakers around the world have struggled to decide whether to continue to meet or suspend their sessions. Lawmaking groups in several countries are now trying to meet virtually.The problem with lawmakers meeting in person is fairly clear. Lawmakers meet indoors in large groups where the coronavirus could be easily spread.Several members of the United States (US) Congress have gotten the coronavirus or were near people who had it. In the United Kingdom (UK), several members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, also had COVID-19.Several members of the US Congress have gotten the coronavirus or were near people who had it. In the UK, several members of Parliament also had COVID-19, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson (shown above, after being released from the hospital).(Source: Pippa Fowles/Number 10 [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr.com.)Online meetings are a very different way of doing business for lawmakers. Many of the important agreements made in these groups are often worked out in short, unplanned meetings during the day.Though that kind of meeting can’t be imitated online, many of the planned meetings for these lawmaking groups, such as “hearings”, can be done virtually fairly easily.Embed from Getty ImagesThough casual, unplanned meetings can’t be imitated online, many of the planned meetings for these lawmaking groups, such as “hearings”, can be done virtually fairly easily. Above, a screenshot taken during a virtual hearing in the US Senate.But when full sessions of these lawmaking groups meet, it can involve hundreds of people. Figuring out who gets to speak and for how long is difficult in person. Managing it virtually is a massive challenge.The biggest challenge is voting. Since these groups are actually creating or changing laws when they vote, it is very important to make sure that the votes are counted securely and accurately.In the UK, the US, and Canada, lawmakers are meeting in a mix of live meetings and virtual sessions.In the UK, only 50 members are allowed in Parliament at one time. Another 120 join in sessions over the internet. Large screens have been placed on the walls to allow remote members to be seen. Above, the first virtual Prime Minister question time.(Source: Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament [Parliamentary Copyright], via Flickr.com.)In the UK, for example, only 50 members are allowed in Parliament at one time. Another 120 join in sessions over the internet. Large screens have been placed on the walls inside Parliament to allow remote members to be seen.Many of the UK Parliament’s virtual activities, including some voting, is happening through a computer system called MemberHub. Mr. Johnson’s Conservative party is pushing for a return to real-life sessions. But many members of Parliament don’t feel it’s safe to return yet.Canada’s Parliament has been meeting virtually over the last month. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, 338 ministers of parliament take part in a massive online meeting to question members of the government. On some other days, about 30 lawmakers meet in person to discuss special subjects.Embed from Getty ImagesCanada’s Parliament has been meeting virtually over the last month. On some days, there is a massive online meeting. On other days, a small group of lawmakers meet in person to discuss special subjects. Above, a meeting on the coronavirus pandemic.No new laws have been passed except for emergency spending bills. Canada is still studying how lawmakers can vote securely online. About 32 lawmakers are meeting in person today to discuss what Parliament’s virtual future looks like.The US House of Representatives has passed a temporary rule which allows members to vote even when they’re not actually in Congress, by choosing someone to vote for them.Embed from Getty ImagesThe US House of Representatives has passed a temporary rule which allows members to vote even when they’re not actually in Congress, by choosing someone to vote for them. Above, the House rules committee discussing the new rule.This is a huge change, and not everyone likes it. The move was passed by Democrats, with Republicans voting against the idea. House members will also be able to take part in some other activities virtually.The US Senate is holding some hearings over the internet, but voting will still be done in person. This is easier to manage for the Senate, since it only has 100 members, compared to the 435 in the House.Did You Know…?In Venezuela, the National Assembly has also approved a plan to allow members to take part and vote remotely, but not because of the coronavirus. The National Assembly is controlled by lawmakers who oppose Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Mr. Maduro has often tried to interfere with the lawmakers. With the rule, which was passed in December, Venezuelan lawmakers can take part in the Assembly without worrying about Mr. Maduro trying to stop them.Check Yourself0/41. Several members of the US Congress and the UK Parliament have gotten the coronavirus.True   False2. One of the biggest challenges lawmakers face is figuring out how to _______________ securely.3. The ____________ voted to allow remote voting in the US House of Representatives.RepublicansDemocrats4. In which country are lawmakers NOT voting remotely yet?Canadathe UKthe USDo you think that large online meetings can work as well as large in-person meetings? Why or why not?ResetSourceswww.theguardian.comwww.nytimes.comwww.nytimes.comwww.npr.orgwww.axios.comnews.yahoo.comwww.cbc.cawww.msn.comapnews.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-16 17:52:18

Girls Takeover: Girls Try Out Jobs As Leaders

Girls Takeover: Girls Try Out Jobs As LeadersNFK Editors - October 9, 2020Helsinki, Finland —(Map)On Wednesday, 16-year-old Aava Murto took over for a day as prime minister of Finland. The move was part of an international effort called “Girls Takeover”, designed to bring attention to the rights of girls.Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin, handed over the position to Aava and showed her how things worked. Though Aava didn’t make any laws, she did meet with politicians, speak to reporters, and give a speech.On Wednesday, 16-year-old Aava Murto (left) took over from Sanna Marin (right) for a day as prime minister of Finland. The move was part of an international effort called “Girls Takeover”, designed to bring attention to the rights of girls.(Source: Finnish Government, via Flickr.com.)Girls Takeover is a global program run by a group called Plan International. The program allows girls around the world to temporarily take over positions normally held by leaders of all different kinds.This is Finland’s fourth year taking part in the program. In addition to Aava taking over as prime minister, other girls took charge of other businesses, including a magazine, a university, and Rovio Entertainment, the company behind the Angry Birds video game.Other girls took charge of other businesses in Finland, including a magazine and a university. Above, 16-year-old Dristi (left) took over from Kati Levoranta (right) as the head of Rovio Entertainment, the company behind the Angry Birds video game.(Source: Sini Leskinen, Plan International.)This year, the focus of Girls Takeover is on equality for girls in technology. Aava normally spends a lot of her time working to promote climate action and human rights. But on Wednesday, she focused on technology in her speech.“Inequality affects many of us girls globally and impacts our lives in a variety of ways,” she said. Aava pointed out that many people assume that boys are interested in technology and that girls aren’t, which can make it harder for girls to master these skills.Aava said that since up to 90% of jobs in the future will rely on digital skills, it’s important to make it easy for everyone to develop these abilities. Aava notes that this is especially important in poorer countries where technology isn’t as cheap or as common.(Source: Finnish Government, via Flickr.com.)Aava said that since up to 90% of jobs in the future will rely on digital skills, it’s important to make it easy for everyone to develop these abilities. Aava notes that this is especially important in poorer countries where technology isn’t as cheap or as common.“Girls, too, have a digital future,” she said, “And that is why girls should have a voice in technology.”Many of the activities for Girls Takeover haven’t happened yet. That’s because the day is linked with the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl, which is celebrated on October 11. This year, that falls on a Sunday.In the Dominican Republic, 15-year-old Lorena (center) took over as mayor of Santo Domingo, replacing the current mayor, Carolina Mejía Gomez. She met with several politicians during the day to share her ideas about the needs of girls and teenagers.(Source: Plan International.)Several other countries around the world are taking part in Girls Takeover, including the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Paraguay, Peru, Sudan, and Vietnam.In the Dominican Republic, 15-year-old Lorena took over as mayor of Santo Domingo, replacing the current mayor, Carolina Mejía Gomez. She met with several politicians during the day to share her ideas about the needs of girls and teenagers in Santo Domingo.Mary (center), who’s 18, took over from Joe Mucheru (right) as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications. Mary pointed out that girls need to feel safe online.(Source: Plan International.)Mary, who is 18 years old, took over from Joe Mucheru as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications. Mary pointed out that many girls feel harassed or mistreated on the internet. She said that this needs to stop, since girls need to feel safe online.In Paraguay, Diana (top left) took over as the Minister of Children and Adolescents. During her day, she took part in remote meetings with others in the ministry. Diana highlighted how important it is for everyone to have a good connection to the internet.(Source: Plan International.)In Paraguay, Diana took over as the Minister of Children and Adolescents. During her day, she took part in remote meetings with others in the ministry.Like Aava, Diana highlighted how important it is for everyone to have a good connection to the internet – something that’s even more important now, with so many students learning from home.Did You Know…?In the next few days, many more girls will be taking part in Girls Takeover. You can see more examples of their experiences on Plan International’s interactive map.Check Yourself0/41. Aava Murto took over as the prime minister of _______________ as part of a program called Girls Takeover.2. During Girls Takeover, girls get to spend a day as the _______________ of important businesses and other organizations.3. This year, the focus of Girls Takeover is on equality in ________.sportsmoneytechnologyjobs4. Aava mentioned a study that said up to ______ of jobs in the future will require digital skills.90%50%75%10%How do you think taking on positions of power changes the ideas girls have about the things they can do? How do you think it changes boys' ideas about what girls can do?ResetSourceswww.washingtonpost.comwww.dw.comwww.bbc.co.ukwww.scmp.comvaltioneuvosto.fiplan-international.orgHelsinki, FinlandView Larger MapShare:

Technology 2025-12-25 19:02:46

Student Names NASA’s New Mars Rover

Student Names NASA’s New Mars RoverNFK Editors - March 9, 2020Burke, Virginia —(Map)When NASA sends its new rover blasting off to Mars in July, it will carry the name “Perseverance”. The name was suggested by Virginia middle-school student Alexander Mather, who won NASA’s “Name the Rover” contest.NASA has a long-term plan of sending people to Mars. But there’s a lot to figure out before that can happen. For years, NASA has been sending rovers to Mars to learn more. In 2012, it landed a rover named Curiosity on Mars.When NASA sends its new rover blasting off to Mars in July, it will carry the name “Perseverance”. The name was suggested by Virginia middle-school student Alexander Mather (above), who won NASA’s “Name the Rover” contest.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech.)Now NASA’s getting ready to send another rover to the red planet for more research.As it has done with other rovers, NASA held a contest to name the new machine. Around 28,000 students entered the contest. Those entries were narrowed down to nine choices. After 770,000 people voted online, Alex’s name, “Perseverance”, was chosen.For years, NASA has been sending rovers to Mars to learn more about the planet. Now NASA’s getting ready to send another rover to the red planet for more research. This drawing is an artist’s idea of what the rover might look like on Mars.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)NASA’s Thomas Zurbuchen congratulated Alex last Thursday at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, where the seventh-grader’ goes to school.The word “persevere” means to keep going even when things are tough. In his essay for the contest, Alex wrote, “We, …as humans, will not give up. The human race will always persevere into the future.”NASA’s Thomas Zurbuchen (left) congratulated Alex last Thursday at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, where the seventh-grader’ goes to school. Lori Glaze (right), director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, looks on.(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Perseverance is a pretty good name for a rover that will fly hundreds of millions of miles through space to land on a dusty, rocky, planet with no known life.Finding out about life on Mars will actually be one of the big goals for Perseverance. The Curiosity rover has turned up information suggesting that Mars might once have supported tiny forms of life called microbes.Perseverance will be looking for proof or any signs of earlier life. It is landing in an area which NASA believes may have once had life.Perseverance is a pretty good name for a rover that will fly hundreds of millions of miles through space to land on a dusty, rocky, planet with no known life. The photo above shows Alex’s name on the rover.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Having a reliable supply of oxygen and water will be required for any future trip to Mars that involves humans. Part of the rover’s job will be trying to locate water below the surface of Mars.The rover will also be testing a system called MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment). MOXIE, which is about the size of a shoebox, is meant to pull carbon dioxide out of the Martian atmosphere and use it to create oxygen.Perseverance has many complicated parts to help it accomplish many different challenging tasks. The rover is seen here on its first test drive.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)One of the main jobs of the Perseverance rover is to be a rock hunter. NASA is looking for samples of Mars rocks that are worth bringing back to Earth to study. Perseverance will travel around, checking out different kinds of rocks and dirt samples, and storing those most worth studying.A future trip to Mars will be needed to bring the samples back.Perseverance will travel around, checking out different kinds of rocks and dirt samples, and storing those most worth studying. The drawing on the photo above shows how the rover may search, collect, and store samples.(Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The mission to send Perseverance to Mars is expected to launch on July 17, and land on Mars on February 18, 2021. For winning the contest, Alex and his family will get to travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch the launch.Did You Know…?You can learn more about NASA’s Mars 2020 program here.Sourceswww.nytimes.comphys.orgwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.sciencealert.comen.wikipedia.orgwww.jpl.nasa.govwww.nasa.govBurke, VirginiaView Larger MapShare:On Monday, NASA will land its InSight spacecraft on Mars. The landing will be difficult, but if all goes well, InSight will send back important information about the inside of Mars.You might be interested in…ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Rubik’s Cube Record Smashed by College StudentsNFK Editors - Jun 26, 2025Students at Purdue University have created a robot that can solve a Rubik’s Cube faster than any robot ever. The robot, which they call “Purdubik’s Cube”, solves the cube in just 0.103 seconds. That’s faster than the time it takes to blink your eyes.Students Shine at International Science FairNFK Editors - Jun 12, 2025In mid-May, the 2025 International Science and Engineering Fair was held in Columbus, Ohio. It’s the world’s largest science contest for students who haven’t gone to college yet. The grand prize went to a student from Slovakia for a new way of making a medicine.

Technology 2025-12-26 11:27:26

Changing Maps to Win Arguments

Changing Maps to Win ArgumentsNFK Editors - December 4, 2019Countries that are fighting over land are using maps to prove their arguments. Map makers and other companies are often caught in the middle of these disputes.Apple is the most recent company to give in to this kind of pressure by displaying an area called Crimea as part of Russia.Crimea has been part of Ukraine since the 1950s. But in 2014, Russia took control of Crimea. Though no country stopped Russia or forced it out, most countries still believe Crimea belongs to Ukraine. This map shows Crimea as part of Ukraine.(Source: VOA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Crimea has been part of Ukraine since the 1950s. But in 2014, Russia took control of Crimea. Though no country stopped Russia or forced it out, most countries still believe Crimea belongs to Ukraine.Now Russia is forcing mapping companies like Google and Apple to show Crimea as part of Russia. The government says that inside of Russia, Crimea must be shown as Russian.Apple and Google changed their maps of Crimea. Now, anyone in Russia looking at Crimea on those mapping services will see the area as part of Russia. Outside of Russia, both services show Crimea as if it isn’t a part of any country. This screenshot of Apple’s Crimea map was taken from outside of Russia.(Source: Screenshot, Apple Maps.)Google made the change in March. Apple changed their maps in late November. Now, anyone in Russia looking at Crimea on those mapping services will see the area as part of Russia. Outside of Russia, both services show Crimea as if it isn’t a part of any country.Many people criticized Apple for changing its map. The company says will take a “deeper look” into how it displays disputed lands.China – TaiwanThe dispute over Crimea isn’t the only argument over mapping. Many disputes involve China.From 1927 to 1949, there was a war for control of China. When the Communists won the war in 1949, the group that had been fighting them escaped and set up their own government on the island now called Taiwan. But China has always believed that Taiwan belongs to it.For years, China has forced companies that call Taiwan a “country” to change their language. Most airlines don’t list Taiwan as a country, even if they fly there. They do this to avoid being punished by China. The picture shows a United Airlines plane at Taipei Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan.(Source: Sunil Gupta [GFDL 1.2], via Wikimedia Commons.)For years, China has forced companies that call Taiwan a “country” to change their language. Most airlines don’t list Taiwan as a country, even if they fly there. They do this to avoid being punished by China.Many other companies – car companies, clothing companies, hotels, and more – have apologized to China for calling Taiwan a “country”.In 2018, Gap apologized for selling a t-shirt with a map of China that didn’t include Taiwan. In October, the fashion brand Christian Dior apologized for a presentation that used a similar map. The map of China shown above includes the areas that China claims.(Source: DrRandomFactor [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)In 2018, Gap apologized for selling a t-shirt with a map of China that didn’t include Taiwan. In October, the fashion brand Christian Dior apologized for a presentation that used a similar map. In August, three clothing companies apologized for t-shirts that showed Hong Kong as its own country.Disputes with ChinaSeveral other countries are upset that China seems to be trying to grab parts of the world that they think belong to them.The most famous examples involve maps with a “nine-dash line”. This line shows China claiming most of the South China Sea. Five other countries say that parts of this sea belong to them.Many disputes involve China’s nine-dash line, which covers most of the South China Sea and it represents waters that China says belong to it. But five other countries say that parts of this sea belong to them. The nine dashes are the short black dashed lines in the water.(Source: PRC/UN [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)In October, the children’s movie “Abominable” was blocked in Malaysia and Vietnam because it briefly showed a map with the nine-dash line.Vietnam’s government took away a Volkswagen car because its built-in mapping program showed the nine-dash line. In the future, similar mapping apps will be removed from all cars brought to Vietnam. Vietnam says no products with maps showing a nine-dash line will be permitted.In October, the children’s movie “Abominable” was blocked in Malaysia and Vietnam because it briefly showed a map with the nine-dash line. The line can be seen just to the right of the girl in the picture above. Vietnam says no products with maps showing a nine-dash line will be permitted.(Source: Screenshot of Abominable Trailer, DreamWorksTV.)One thing seems clear – when countries disagree about who owns what, companies working in those countries will have a hard time keeping everyone happy.Did You Know…?It’s not just maps – flags are important, too. In China, Apple products don’t show the flag of Taiwan. Earlier this year, Apple removed the Taiwan flag from iPhones and iPads in Hong Kong, too.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.voanews.comwww.latimes.comwww.businessinsider.com.aumashable.comwww.bbc.comwww.scmp.comwww.voanews.comwww.scmp.comShare:Vladimir Putin has been elected to lead Russia for the fourth time. If he finishes the next six years as president, he will have led Russia for almost 25 years.You might be interested in…ISS Celebrates 25 Years of People Living in SpaceNFK Editors - Nov 6, 2025This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.China Opens World’s Tallest BridgeNFK Editors - Oct 15, 2025China already held the record for the world’s tallest bridge. Now it has beaten its own record with an even higher bridge – one which crosses 2,051 feet (625 meters) above the Beipan River in Guizhou province. The bridge is expected to make travel much faster, and to bring tourists to the area.40 Years of Making Software “Free”NFK Editors - Oct 8, 2025The Free Software Foundation celebrated its 40th birthday last Saturday. First started in 1985, the FSF has helped shape the digital world we live in today. Its ideas about free software inspired the open‑source movement; now open‑source programs run on countless computers, phones, and devices around the globe.

Technology 2026-01-07 05:50:20

Microsoft’s Undersea Data Center Passes Test

Microsoft’s Undersea Data Center Passes TestNFK Editors - September 17, 2020Orkney Islands, Scotland —(Map)The computer company Microsoft recently ended an unusual experiment by pulling up a data center that has been serving internet requests from under the sea for the last two years. The company says the experiment was a success.The computer company Microsoft recently ended an unusual experiment by pulling up a data center that has been serving internet requests from under the sea (above) for the last two years. The company says the experiment was a success.(Source: Jonathan Banks, Microsoft.)Data centers are usually large buildings full of hundreds or thousands of high-powered computers called servers. You may not think about data centers much, but they’re responsible for everything that we do on the Internet.When we search for something, or load a webpage, our requests follow a bouncing path through the internet until they reach one or many servers, which give us back the information we asked for. As the internet has grown, the need for data centers has also grown.Data centers are usually large buildings full of hundreds or thousands of high-powered computers called servers. The servers use lots of energy. Some energy is needed to make the computers run, but much of the energy is used to keep the servers cool.(Source: Florian Hirzinger – www.fh-ap.com [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)Data centers have many problems. The servers use huge amounts of energy. Some of this is needed to make the computers run, but much of the energy is used to keep the servers cool. If computers overheat, they’re far more likely to break.Microsoft wanted to try putting a data center under the sea, to see if the seawater could naturally cool the computers, saving energy and money.Microsoft wanted to try putting a data center under the sea, to see if the seawater could naturally cool the computers. So the company created a special data center (front) that could fit inside a large tank (rear).(Source: Frank Betermin, Microsoft.)So the company created a special data center that could fit inside a large tank. Microsoft hired a company that builds submarines to design the tank. They wanted the unit to be large enough to hold lots of computers, but small enough to move around on a truck.In 2018, the company lowered their data center into the water near the Orkney Islands. The data center was called “Northern Isles”, since it was located in Scotland’s northern islands.In 2018, the company lowered their data center into the water near the Orkney Islands. The air in the tank was replaced with a gas called nitrogen, to keep oxygen from damaging the computer parts.(Source: Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures, Microsoft.)The air in the tank was replaced with a gas called nitrogen, to keep oxygen from damaging the computer parts. Special cables provided a high-speed internet connection and electricity. The electricity came from nearby wind and solar energy sources.After a few tests, the Northern Isles data center was put to work. For the last two years, its 864 servers have been helping the internet run. Earlier this year, some of the servers were used to do research on the coronavirus.Special cables provided the data center with a high-speed internet connection and electricity. The electricity came from nearby wind and solar energy sources. Above a windmill in the Orkney Islands, near Microsoft’s Northern Isles datacenter.(Source: Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures, Microsoft.)In July, the company pulled the data center back to the surface. It was covered with a thin coat of algae, and had some small sea animals clinging to it. But other than that, it was fine.So how did the data center do? Very well, it turns out. Northern Isles used far less energy than a land-based data center would have used over the same amount of time.In July, the company pulled the data center back to the surface. It was covered with a thin coat of algae, and had some small sea animals clinging to it. But other than that, it was fine.(Source: Jonathan Banks, Microsoft.)The conditions were good for the computers, too. Microsoft says that the number of servers that normally have problems on land is eight times higher than the number of servers that broke underwater.The company says that’s probably because there wasn’t any oxygen in the container. It also helped that there were no humans near the servers, so the machines and their cables never got bumped by accident.Microsoft says that the number of servers that normally have problems on land is eight times higher than the number of servers that broke underwater. Above, a Microsoft worker inspects a server from the data center.(Source: Jonathan Banks, Microsoft.)Microsoft is excited about the results produced by its underwater data center, and is eager to apply the lessons they learned to other data centers in the future.Check Yourself0/41. A special high-powered computer that serves internet information is called a _______________.2. Normally data centers use lots of _______________ to run the servers and to cool them.3. How many servers did Microsoft's undersea data center have?4808641,0247684. Microsoft's undersea data center used less energy and was better for the computers than a land-based data center.True   FalseMicrosoft's experiment seemed to work well for one data center. Can you think of any problems that might come up if lots of companies suddenly started putting lots of data centers under the sea?ResetSourceswww.bbc.comarstechnica.comwww.theverge.comgizmodo.comwww.zdnet.comnews.microsoft.comnews.microsoft.comOrkney Islands, ScotlandView Larger MapShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.

Technology 2026-01-05 19:15:33

For Real? Storm Alphabets, Mailing Litter, & an Old TV

For Real? Storm Alphabets, Mailing Litter, & an Old TVNFK Editors - September 26, 2020Second Alphabet Needed to Name This Year’s HurricanesThis year’s busy hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean has made it hard for the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) to name all of the large storms. For the second time ever, the NHC has had to use a second alphabet to come up with the names.Normally the NHC uses alphabetical lists of 21 storm names every year, skipping unusual letters like Q, U, X, Y, and Z. The lists repeat every six years.This year’s busy hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean has made it hard for the US National Hurricane Center to name all of the large storms. The map above shows the tracks of the hurricanes in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.(Source: Master0Garfield Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.)But this year, there have already been 23 named storms, forcing the NHC to begin giving storm names from the Greek alphabet (Alpha and Beta). This has only happened once before, in 2005, when there were 27 named storms.Officially, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. But this year, the first storm, Arthur, formed on May 16.This year, there have already been 23 named storms, forcing the NHC to begin giving storm names from the Greek alphabet (Alpha and Beta). The National Weather Service posted the message below.With the naming of Subtropical Storm #Alpha, we've officially entered the Greek Alphabet for named Atlantic storms this year.We've made it as far as Zeta one time on record, in 2005.Visit https://t.co/meemB5uHAR for the latest. pic.twitter.com/B4TO7JL1Kv— National Weather Service (@NWS) September 18, 2020This hurricane season has already set a number of records, and there are still more than two months left. Many people are wondering (and worrying) about how many Greek letters will be needed before the season finally ends.Littering in Thailand? Expect a Package in the MailThailand has an unusual plan to get tourists to stop littering: mailing the litter back to the people who dropped it.Even though Thailand has laws against littering which can lead to heavy fines or even jail time, the country struggles to control the garbage created by tourists.Recently, in response to a trashy campsite in Thailand’s oldest national part, Khao Yai National Park, the country’s Environment Minister, Varawut Silpa-archa, announced that he’s mailing the litter back to the litterbugs – after posting pictures of it on social media.Thailand’s Environment Minister, Varawut Silpa-archa, announced that he’s mailing litter back to litterbugs – after posting pictures of it on social media. Above, the litter being packaged up with a note saying, “You forgot these things at Khao Yai National Park.”(Source: Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment via FaceBook.)“Your trash – we’ll send it back to you,” reads one post. The pictures show plastic bottles and chip bags packaged up with a friendly note saying, “You forgot these things at Khao Yai National Park.”The country seems to be hoping that returning the litter in a public way will embarrass the litterbugs, and remind other people not to litter in the first place.So how did they figure out who left the garbage? By checking the park’s records and studying the trash left behind.Internet Troubles for 18 Months. The Problem? An Old TV.For a year and a half, the small village of Aberhosan in Wales, United Kingdom struggled to understand why the internet suddenly stopped working every morning at 7.The local internet provider, Openreach, replaced lots of old cables in the town in the hopes of solving the problem. No luck.Finally, Openreach sent out a team at 6 in the morning to check for electrical problems. Sure enough, right at 7, they saw a big spike of electrical noise.The workers tracked the noise down to one house, where the owner had a very old TV which was turned on every morning at 7 a.m. The TV (not the one above) created enough electrical noise to take out the internet for the rest of the village.(Source: WikimediaCommons.org.)The workers were soon able to track the noise down to one house, where the owner had a very old TV. Like clockwork, every morning at 7 a.m., the owner turned on the TV, which created enough electrical noise to take out the internet for the rest of the village.The TV’s owner was very embarrassed to learn that their device was the source of the problem, and promised to never turn it on again.Sourceswww.npr.orgwww.smithsonianmag.comen.wikipedia.orgwww.nytimes.comwww.laht.comwww.bbc.comarstechnica.comwww.bbc.comwww.news.com.auShare:Strong storms and heavy rains have caused terrible flooding in several countries in southern Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. In all, over 1,100 people have died, and millions have been forced to leave their homes.Rare “New” Music by Bach Found and PerformedNFK Editors - Nov 27, 2025Last week, two “new” pieces of music by the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach were played for the first time in centuries. The discovery of the pieces is the result of 30 years of hard work by Peter Wollny, who studies Bach’s music.Is Seeing Believing? AI Videos Look Extremely RealNFK Editors - Nov 5, 2025Over the last year or so, the quality of AI-generated videos has become so good that it’s extremely difficult to tell whether a video is real or not. An English TV channel recently ran a show about AI. At the end of the episode, the “woman” presenting the show announced that she wasn’t real.

Technology 2026-01-03 22:06:50

Companies Rush to Make Ventilators

Companies Rush to Make VentilatorsNFK Editors - March 31, 2020This article is the first in a series about different ways people are working hard to help bring the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic under control.Worldwide, doctors, nurses, and other health care workers are struggling to find the special equipment they need to deal with the coronavirus. Now people around the world are moving quickly to tackle these problems.Because the COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many people so quickly, hospitals worry they may not have enough ventilators to keep up.Ventilators are machines that can move air into and out of the lungs of a person who can’t breathe well on their own. Because COVID-19 has affected so many people so quickly, hospitals worry they may not have enough ventilators to keep up.(Source: Quinn Dombrowski, via Flickr.com.)Ventilators are machines that can move air into and out of the lungs of a person who can’t breathe well enough on their own. Most cases of COVID-19 don’t require a ventilator. But in some severe cases, especially among older people, ventilators are needed.Ventilators cost huge amounts of money – as much as $30,000 – so companies normally don’t make that many of them. Now countries around the world are racing to make more.In Italy, one of the countries that’s been hit hardest, only one company makes ventilators. The company makes just 125 machines a month. The government has now ordered the company to make 500 a month and has sent soldiers to help out.Ventilators cost huge amounts of money – as much as $30,000 – so companies normally don’t make that many of them. Now countries around the world are racing to make more.(Source: أمين [CC BY-SA], via Wikimedia Commons.)The United States (US) currently has more COVID-19 cases than any other country. Health experts worry that hospitals could soon need more ventilators than there are.With its factories closed because of the pandemic, car maker General Motors (GM) has been working hard since mid-March to change some of its factories to build ventilators instead of cars.GM is working with a ventilator company called Ventec (above). Ventec only produces about 200 ventilators a month. Now, working together, the two companies hope to make as many as 10,000 ventilators each month.(Source: Ventec Life Systems.)GM is working with a ventilator company called Ventec. Ventec only produces about 200 ventilators a month. Now, working together, the two companies hope to make as many as 10,000 ventilators each month.The companies had to scramble to find all the parts they’ll need to make 10,000 machines a month, but they say the new ventilators should be on their way to hospitals before the end of April.The companies had to scramble to find all the parts they’ll need to make 10,000 machines a month, but they say the new ventilators should be on their way to hospitals before the end of April. Above, a Ventec ventilator in a hospital.(Source: Mark Stehle/AP Images, Ventec Life Systems.)Elon Musk, who runs the Tesla car company, has promised to give hospitals in New York hundreds of ventilators he bought in China. New York is the US state hit hardest by the pandemic. Mr. Musk says he’s also working to convert one of his factories in New York to make ventilators.In the United Kingdom (UK), inventor James Dyson says he’s come up with a new design for a ventilator that’s quick and easy to produce. That will make it simpler for factories to make many of them. The UK government has already ordered 10,000 of the machines, which Mr. Dyson calls CoVent. The inventor says he plans to give 5,000 of his ventilators away to other countries.Inventor James Dyson (above) says he’s come up with a new design for a ventilator that’s quick and easy to produce. That will make it simpler for factories to make many of them. The UK government has already ordered 10,000 of the machines, which Mr. Dyson calls CoVent.(Source: The Royal Society [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Tackling the problem from another angle, MIT has come up with a cheap way of making ventilators which brings the cost down to around $500. The university is releasing the design information so that experts in other parts of the world can make the ventilators.MIT’s ventilator, called the E-Vent, is based on an old student project. It may be especially useful in poorer countries. Like most ventilators, the E-Vent works automatically. But the bag it uses to move air was originally designed to be pressed by a doctor or nurse. That could come in handy in emergencies or in places where the electricity sometimes goes out.MIT has come up with a cheap way of making ventilators which lowers the cost to about $500. The university is releasing the design information so that experts around the world can make them. Above, MIT’s system is hooked up to a dummy to show how it works.(Source: MIT.)NewsForKids.net has these COVID-19 resources:• Overview of COVID-19• Coronavirus Words Explained• Collection of our articles on COVID-19• Regular, detailed COVID-19 updatesCheck Yourself0/41. Because so many serious COVID-19 patients need help breathing, hospitals worry they might not have enough _______________.2. General Motors is working on making ventilators. What does it normally make?carsbicyclesairplaneslight bulbs3. General Motors and Ventec hope to make 10,000 ventilators a month. How many ventilators does Ventec currently make?4. MIT has come up with a cheap way of making ventilators that costs just $_______________.What sorts of changes do you think might be needed to turn a car factory into one that makes medical equipment?ResetSourceswww.voanews.comwww.cnn.comwww.nytimes.comwww.zdnet.comwww.cnet.comwww.bbc.comnews.mit.eduShare:Scientists at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom have created what they call “the world’s smallest violin”. The violin is made of metal and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful microscope. The project was designed to test new technology for building extremely small things.

Technology 2026-01-05 04:39:44

News Roundup: US Rocket Launch, Tower Protest Ends, & a Name Change

News Roundup: US Rocket Launch, Tower Protest Ends, & a Name ChangeNFK Editors - May 31, 2020SpaceX Launches First US Human Spaceflight Since 2011On Saturday afternoon, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Florida, carrying two American astronauts into space. It was the first time people have been sent into space from the US in nearly 10 years. It’s also the first time a private company has sent people into space.On Saturday afternoon, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Florida (above), carrying two American astronauts into space. It was the first time people have been sent into space from the US in nearly 10 years.(Source: NASA/Bill Ingalls [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The launch marks a big change for NASA. In the past, NASA designed and owned its ships, but had other companies build them. The Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule (which carries the astronauts), are built and owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.For nearly 10 years, the US has been paying Russia to carry its astronauts into space. That makes this launch a big step for the US-based space program, though it’s still seen as a test.NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have each made several trips into space before. The two will fly through space for about 19 hours before docking with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday morning.NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley (right), shown above during a test in March, have each made several trips into space before. The two will fly through space for about 19 hours before docking with the International Space Station on Sunday morning.(Source: NASA.)It’s not clear exactly how long the astronauts will remain on the ISS, but when they leave, they will also be the first to test Crew Dragon’s return to Earth.Update:The Crew Dragon capsule safely docked with the ISS on Sunday morning.South Korean Man Ends Year on Top of TowerOn Friday, a man in Seoul, South Korea came down from an 82 foot (25 meter ) tower, where he has spent nearly a year. Kim Yong-hee spent 354 days on a small platform on top of a tower in a busy area of the Korean capital as a protest against the company Samsung.Mr. Kim was fired by Samsung 25 years ago for trying to organize Samsung’s workers into unions. Unions help workers protect their rights and make better deals with companies.On Friday, Kim Yong-hee came down from an 82 foot (25 meter ) tower, where he spent nearly a year as a protest against the company Samsung. The tweet below from the New York Times shows Mr. Kim in April.Overlooking the busiest intersection in Seoul is an 82-foot traffic camera tower. At the top is Kim Yong-hee, a 60-year-old man with a sleeping bag, plastic sheeting and placards denouncing Samsung. He has been there for 315 days. https://t.co/S9AtnHDYx2— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 19, 2020Mr. Kim has been protesting against Samsung in different ways for the last 25 years. On June 10, 2019, Mr. Kim used a crane to reach the platform at the top of the tower. He has lived there ever since. His friends sent him food and other supplies with a rope. He lowered his waste the same way.Now Samsung has apologized to Mr. Kim and made a deal with him. As a result, Mr. Kim has finally ended his protest, coming down on a fire ladder. He was greeted with flowers at the bottom.Elon Musk and Grimes Rename Their Baby – SlightlyWhen singer Grimes and Elon Musk (the man behind the Tesla car company and the SpaceX company mentioned above) had a baby, it made the news. That was partly because both parents were famous. But it was also because they chose to name the boy “X Æ A-12”.Embed from Getty ImagesIn early May, singer Grimes and Elon Musk (shown above in 2018) announced that they had had a baby and had named it “X Æ A-12”. Now the baby has been renamed “X Æ A-Xii”.The couple explained how they came up with the name X Æ A-12. The ‘X’ stands for something unknown. The ‘Æ’ is meant to stand for AI (Artificial Intelligence). The A-12 comes from a kind of airplane.Now the couple has announced that the child’s name has been changed – but not by much.Instead of “X Æ A-12”, the baby is now named, “X Æ A-Xii”. Xii still means ’12’, but it’s written in a number system known as Roman numerals. Grimes says she thinks the Roman numerals look better.Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.theverge.comwww.npr.orgwww.nytimes.comwww.dw.comwww.scmp.comwww.theguardian.comwww.abc.net.auwww.bbc.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-17 02:57:18

News Roundup: Brexit, the Sun, & the Grammys

News Roundup: Brexit, the Sun, & the GrammysNFK Editors - February 1, 2020Brexit is Official: UK Finally Leaves the European UnionAt 11 o’clock on Friday night, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, ending a process that began 3 1/2 years ago.Brexit is a word made up to describe the“BritishExit“from the European Union. In 2016, in a special vote called a “referendum”, more than half of the people of the United Kingdom chose to leave the EU.Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit fans have been celebrating. Last night, a digital timer was projected onto the wall of the prime minister’s home, counting down the minutes and seconds until Brexit was complete.At 11 o’clock on Friday night, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, ending a process that began 3 1/2 years ago. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit fans have been celebrating. Above is a Brexit celebration at Westminster in London on January 31.(Source: David Howard, via Flickr.com.)For Mr Johnson, it represents the completion of a goal he has long worked for. For many others in the UK, it represents the final stage of something they fought hard to prevent. Mr. Johnson is now the leader of an extremely divided country.For many in the UK, yesterday represented the final stage of something they fought hard to prevent. The picture shows Brexit day protests in central London on January 31, 2020.(Source: Steve Eason, via Flickr.com.)Making things even more difficult is the fact that the next challenge of Brexit has arrived. The UK and EU now have until the end of the year to work out the details of the relationship they will have in the future. Many expect that making these new agreements will be just as difficult as reaching the original Brexit deal.Telescope Produces Amazing New Pictures of the SunOn Wednesday, scientists at the University of Hawaii released new pictures showing the sun in more detail than has ever been seen before. The images show the sun’s surface broken down into many sections. Though the sections appear to be small, each is roughly the size of Texas.On Wednesday, scientists at the University of Hawaii released pictures showing the sun in more detail than has ever been seen before. The images show the sun’s surface broken into many sections. Though the sections appear small, each is roughly the size of Texas.(Source: National Science Foundation [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The pictures were taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, which was recently built on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Solar telescopes are built for studying the sun. The Inouye Telescope is the world’s largest solar telescope.Jeff Kuhn, who works at the University of Hawaii, says the telescope represents a huge improvement in our ability to study the sun. “It’s a big deal,” he says.The telescope represents a huge improvement in our ability to study the sun. Scientists plan to use the telescope to map the magnetic fields in the sun’s outer layer, or corona. The picture shows a highly detailed picture of the sun’s surface taken by the telescope.(Source: National Science Foundation [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)Scientists plan to use the telescope to map the magnetic fields in the sun’s outer layer, or corona. “Space weather” caused by sudden changes in the corona, can have big effects on Earth, interfering with satellites, GPS services, and even taking out electrical systems.The telescope isn’t quite complete yet. Several more tools will be added over the next few months, making it even more powerful.18-Year-Old Billie Eilish Cleans Up at the GrammysLast Sunday night, the 62nd Grammy Awards – America’s best-known music prizes – were announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles.The big winner of the night was Billie Eilish, an 18-year-old singer who started out recording songs in her bedroom with her brother. Ms. Eilish wrote her first hit song, “Ocean Eyes”, when she was just 14.Last Sunday night, the 62nd Grammy Awards were announced. The big winner of the night was Billie Eilish, an 18-year-old singer. Ms. Eilish won Best New Artist, and four more of the night’s big awards. Ms. Eilish is shown at a concert last summer.(Source: ©Lars Crommelinck Photography [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)On Sunday Ms. Eilish won Best New Artist, and four more of the night’s big awards. Her song “Bad Guy” won Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Her first album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.At age 18, she’s the youngest person ever to win the Album of the Year award. Ms. Eilish’s brother, Finneas O’Connell, 22, also won an award as Producer of the Year for their work together.“I never thought this would happen in my whole life,” Ms. Eilish said. “I’m so honored and grateful to be here.”Sourceswww.theguardian.comwww.npr.orgwww.nytimes.comwww.nytimes.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.dw.comwww.npr.orgwww.bbc.comwww.voanews.comShare:This week marks 25 years of humans living in space. On November 2, 2000, three astronauts became the first full-time workers at the International Space Station. Since then, the ISS has never been empty.Meteorite That Hit House Is Older Than EarthNFK Editors - Aug 14, 2025When a fireball fell through the sky in the southeastern United States on June 26, it caught the attention of people across seven states. It was a meteor breaking up as it fell through the Earth’s atmosphere. A small part of the space rock tore through a house in Georgia. Scientists now say the meteorite is older than the Earth.Vera Rubin Telescope Reveals Amazing ImagesNFK Editors - Jun 25, 2025On Monday, scientists released the first pictures taken by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. The observatory has a powerful new telescope that’s designed to take complete pictures of the southern night sky over the next ten years. It’s expected to bring huge changes to the way scientists study space.

Technology 2025-12-21 05:47:01

Companies Work to Develop Paper Bottles

Companies Work to Develop Paper BottlesNFK Editors - July 24, 2020Several large companies have begun creating paper bottles to replace glass and plastic ones. Paper bottles aren’t quite ready to go yet, but you may see them appearing on shelves over the next few years.Companies which sell liquids like drinks or shampoo rely on bottles for their packaging. Usually these bottles are made of plastic or glass. But as customers have become more concerned about the environment, many companies have begun working to develop paper bottles.Companies which sell liquids like drinks or shampoo usually rely on plastic or glass bottles. Now, many companies, like Loreal, are working to develop paper bottles (above). Loreal makes many products that come in bottles, including shampoo.Source: Paboco.)Paper bottles have many advantages. Perhaps the most important is that they should be easy to recycle. Paper bottles also weigh less than glass or plastic, meaning they’ll require less energy to produce and to move around.Paper bottles are usually made from wood pulp, which is used to make many paper products. The wood pulp is pressed into a mold to create the bottle shape. Then it’s baked in a microwave oven until it’s dry and sturdy.Paper bottles have many advantages. Perhaps the most important is that they should be easy to recycle. Paper bottles also weigh less than glass or plastic, meaning they’ll require less energy to produce and to move around.Source: Paboco.)Since paper is soft and easy to mold, companies can design their bottles to take almost any shape they choose.A company called Paboco (which stands for “PaperBottleCompany”) has been working with many large companies to develop paper bottles. The companies are creating their own bottle designs, but they’re sharing what they learn, to speed up the development of paper bottle technology.Paboco (PaperBottleCompany”) has been working with many large companies, like Coca-Cola, to develop paper bottles. The companies are creating their own bottle designs, but are sharing what they learn, to speed up the development of paper bottles.(Source: Coca-Cola.)Clearly, one of the biggest challenges is keeping a paper bottle from leaking. The inside of the bottle needs a special coating to make sure the liquid doesn’t leak through. Many companies are lining their bottles with a thin sheet of plastic.Though bottle makers may say this liner can be removed and recycled, many recycling programs don’t have the right machines to handle these liners.The Carlsberg beer company is working with Paboco on a paper bottle called the “Green Fiber Bottle”. Currently the bottle uses a plastic liner. Above, Helle Høst-Madsen, leader of Paboco, holds one of the bottles.Source: Paboco.)A Danish beer company called Carlsberg is working with Paboco on a paper bottle called the “Green Fiber Bottle”. Currently the bottle uses a plastic liner. In the future the company hopes to use a “bio-plastic” that will break down naturally over time.A company named Diageo has just announced the first paper bottle that’s completely plastic-free. Instead of a plastic liner, a non-plastic coating will be sprayed on the inside of the bottles. This should make the bottle fully recyclable. Diageo says they’ll use the bottle with their whiskey in 2021.Diageo has just announced the first paper bottle that’s completely plastic-free. Instead of a plastic liner, a non-plastic coating will be sprayed on the inside of the bottles. Diageo says they’ll use the bottle with their whiskey in 2021 (above).(Source: Pilot Lite.)But even without the plastic, paper bottles aren’t perfect. Most paper bottles use wood pulp, meaning trees need to be cut down to make the bottles. That could lead to the loss of forests, harming animals and others who depend on the forests.Frugalpac, a company from the United Kingdom, has created wine bottles made of recycled paper, so no trees need to be cut down. Frugalpac still uses a plastic liner, though.Frugalpac, a company from the United Kingdom, has created wine bottles made of recycled paper (above), so no trees need to be cut down.(Source: FrugalPac.)There’s still lots of testing to be done before paper bottles can replace glass or plastic. Companies will need to see how long liquids can be stored in the bottles, and make sure the bottles don’t affect the taste.But with so many companies working toward the same goal, it’s likely that we can expect to see paper bottles on store shelves in the near future.Check Yourself0/41. Paper bottles have been fully tested and are ready to go on the market.True   False2. Companies are making bottles out of paper instead of plastic or glass because it's _______.more interestingfasterbetter for the environmentcheaper3. Most paper bottles are made out of _______ which is put into a mold and heated up so it's dry and sturdy.4. One drawback of creating paper bottles is that many trees would likely be cut down.True   FalseDo you think the advantages of using paper bottles outweigh the problems? How could paper bottles be improved even more?ResetSourceswww.theguardian.comwww.cnbc.comearther.gizmodo.comwww.bbc.comwww.forbes.comwww.foodandwine.comwww.greenbiz.comShare:

Technology 2025-12-26 15:24:27

Making Progress on Coronavirus Vaccines

Making Progress on Coronavirus VaccinesNFK Editors - July 29, 2020Companies and scientists around the world are racing to create vaccines to help protect people against the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Because the coronavirus is so serious, the process is happening much more quickly than normal.COVID-19 is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. The virus has changed life around the world, making millions of people sick, and killing over 650,000.Companies and scientists around the world are racing to create vaccines to help protect people against the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (shown above under a microscope). The virus has changed life around the world, making millions sick, and killing over 650,000.(Source: NIAID [CC BY], via Wikimedia Commons.)Currently over 140 different coronavirus vaccines are being developed. Vaccines help the body create “antibodies” – chemicals specially designed to attack a disease.There are many different ways to make vaccines. Many of the new vaccines may not work or may cause other problems. That makes testing them very important.Testing VaccinesBefore vaccines are tested on humans, they’re first tested on animals. If animal testing seems safe, human testing is done in several steps, called “phases”.Phase 1:a small group of people are given small amounts of the vaccine, to see if it has any bad effects.Phase 2:trials begin with a larger group of people. Phase 2 still tests the vaccine’s safety, but mainly tests to see if the vaccine seems to work.Phase 3:The vaccine is tried on a much larger group of people to see how well it works.Because of the rush, some research groups have combined some of these testing phases.Embed from Getty ImagesThere are many different ways to make vaccines. Currently over 140 different coronavirus vaccines are being developed around the world. Above, workers at a vaccine lab in Shenyang, China.Normally, vaccines take seven or more years to develop. But the process is being rushed because of how serious the coronavirus is. Several countries hope to have a vaccine ready before the end of the year.Four vaccines seem to be leading the way. All of them seem to have some effect at training the body to fight the coronavirus. Scientists know this by testing for antibodies. The vaccines also have some negative effects, such as pain, headaches, and fevers. All are now moving to Phase 3, the final level of testing.Embed from Getty ImagesFour leading coronavirus vaccines have been shown to have some effect at training the body to fight the coronavirus. Scientists know this by testing for antibodies. Above, a scientist works on a coronavirus vaccine at Oxford University’s Churchill Hospital.Two of the vaccines work by mixing small bits of the coronavirus into a weakened version of a less dangerous virus. This is a common method for creating vaccines.In the United Kingdom (UK), Oxford University and the drug company AstraZeneca are working on a vaccine known as AZD1222. AZD1222 worked well in combined Phase 1 and 2 testing. It’s now in Phase 3 trials in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa.Embed from Getty ImagesOxford University and the drug company AstraZeneca are working on a vaccine known as AZD1222. AZD1222 worked well in combined Phase 1 and 2 testing. It’s now in Phase 3 trials in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Above, the Phase 3 trial in Brazil.In China, a company called CanSino Biologics and the Chinese military have developed a vaccine called Ad5-vectored COVID-19. Ad5 includes bits of the coronavirus in a weakened version of a virus known as an adenovirus. Phase 2 trials were successful, but the vaccine worked less well in people who had already had an adenovirus infection.Two other vaccines are mRNA vaccines. They rely on packaging up part of the coronavirus RNA – the special code that helps create the coronavirus. In this case, the mRNA vaccines help the body recognize and fight the spikes on the outside of the coronavirus.Two vaccines are mRNA vaccines. The mRNA vaccines help the body recognize and fight the spikes on the outside of the coronavirus. This model of the SARS-CoV-2 virus shows the spikes.(Source: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Vaccines based on RNA are new, and haven’t been approved for general use before.In the US, the drug company Moderna and the NIAID* are working on a vaccine called mRNA-1273. Its Phase 1 trial with 45 people was successful. Now it’s started a Phase 3 trial with 30,000 people.In the US, the drug company Moderna and the NIAID are working on a vaccine called mRNA-1273. Now it’s in a Phase 3 trial with 30,000 people. Above, Kizzmekia Corbett, Ph.D., lead scientist of the Coronavirus Team at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center.(Source: NIAID [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)The German company BioNTech is teaming up with drug company Pfizer to make a vaccine named BNT162b1. In a combined Phase 1 and 2 trial with 45 people, the vaccine seemed to work fairly well.Phase 3 trials offer an extra challenge, because scientists won’t just check for antibodies. They need to find out if the vaccines protect people against the coronavirus in real life.Even once a good vaccine is found, many challenges will remain. Huge problems will need to be solved to create enough of the vaccine and ship it around the world.Embed from Getty ImagesEven once a good vaccine is found, many challenges will remain. Huge problems will need to be solved to create enough of the vaccine and ship it around the world. Above, lab workers in France prepare tanks for making vaccines.*NIAID stands for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.(Front page image: Retha Ferguson [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.)Check Yourself0/41. How long does it normally take to develop a vaccine?a yearseven or more yearssix monthstwo years2. In the early phases, scientists can see if the vaccines seem to be working by testing for _______________.3. Have vaccines made with RNA ever been approved before?Yes   No4. Once scientists find a good vaccine, all of the coronavirus problems will be solved.True   FalseThink about the efforts required to create, test, and deliver a good coronavirus vaccine worldwide. Try to list all the sorts of workers who would be needed to help out along the way.ResetSourcesarstechnica.comwww.voanews.comwww.nytimes.comtheconversation.comwww.axios.comwww.wired.comwww.japantimes.co.jpwww.nytimes.comwww.dw.comShare:Worldwide, many efforts are being made to test people for the new coronavirus. But scientists are also looking at an unusual way of testing for the virus – studying water that’s been flushed down toilets.Using Apps to Track the Spread of the CoronavirusNFK Editors - Apr 30, 2020Governments and businesses worldwide are creating smartphone apps to help track the spread of the new coronavirus. The apps could be an important part of easing up on lockdowns, but they are also causing some worries.Rushing for a Coronavirus VaccineNFK Editors - Apr 23, 2020Scientists around the world are racing to create and test vaccines to help protect people from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The scientists are making progress, but it will still be quite a while before any vaccines are ready.You might be interested in…Are Orcas and Dolphins Working Together?NFK Editors - Dec 17, 2025Scientists have discovered that two different kinds of sea animals – orcas and dolphins – may be working together to hunt for salmon. Orcas and dolphins are both clever, but it’s unusual for two different kinds of animals to cooperate in this way.Scientists Discover “Death-Ball” Sponge & Other New SpeciesNFK Editors - Nov 19, 2025By exploring deep under the Southern Ocean, researchers have discovered 30 unusual species that are new to science. The species include a sponge that eats animals, worms that eat bones, and several news sea stars and sea worms.Pig Kidney Transplant Trial Begins in USNFK Editors - Nov 12, 2025Doctors at a hospital in New York have begun a program that will test whether specially designed pig kidneys can be used to replace human kidneys. The results of the trial program could help thousands of people who are waiting for a new kidney.Scientists Spot Unusual Hybrid “Grue Jay” in TexasNFK Editors - Sep 25, 2025Scientists have reported on an unusual “hybrid” bird spotted in Texas – a cross between a blue jay and a green jay. The discovery is surprising because the two species are quite different. Scientists think the hybrid could be a result of climate change.

Technology 2025-12-31 21:55:09

News Roundup: Floods, Puffins, and Pokémon Go

News Roundup: Floods, Puffins, and Pokémon GoNFK Editors - January 4, 2020Heavy Rains Cause Deadly Flooding in IndonesiaDays of nonstop rain in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, has brought flooding that has killed at least 43 people, and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes.Jakarta often has floods at this time of year, but the rains that fell on Tuesday and Wednesday were the heaviest ever recorded. On Tuesday, an airport in East Jakarta recorded 14.8 inches (37.7 centimeters) of rain in a single day.The waters have flooded much of the city and caused landslides in areas around Jakarta. In some areas, the power has been turned off to prevent people from being hurt by the electricity. Some train services were stopped for the same reason.Days of nonstop rain in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, has brought flooding that has killed at least 43 people, and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. The waters have flooded much of the city and caused landslides in areas around Jakarta. The picture shows flooding in a village outside of Jakarta on January 1.(Source: Sasmito Madrim, VOA News.)Jakarta is home to about 10 million people. Nearby cities bring this number to over 30 million. Yet Jakarta is built on swampy ground – around 40% is below the level of the sea.The government has taken some steps to control flooding in Jakarta, but most of these projects aren’t complete. Recently, the government announced plans to move the country’s capital to East Kalimantan, an area that is much less likely to flood. But that project will take years to complete.More rain is predicted. The government now plans to spray salt crystals into rain clouds outside of the city, hoping to force the rain to fall before the clouds reach the city.Puffin With a Stick Gets Scientists’ AttentionA puffin (a kind of seabird) has excited scientists by using a stick to scratch itself. Why would that be exciting? Well, the stick is considered a “tool”, and it’s very unusual for animals to use tools.A few kinds of birds, such as crows, vultures, and parrots are known to use tools. But puffins are the first seabirds to be recorded using tools.A puffin caught on video scratching itself with a stick is exciting for scientists because it’s the first known case of a seabird using a “tool” for “body care”.(Source: Fayet et al [CC BY], via PNAS.)What’s more, scientists call the scratching “body care”. In this case, the puffin was probably trying to get rid of an itchy tick. Using tools for body care is unknown among birds. Usually animals use tools to get food.Annette Fayet, who studies puffins, first saw one use a stick for scratching in 2014. But it wasn’t until last year that Dr. Fayet caught the behavior on video.Pokémon Go Causes Trouble at Canadian Army BasesWhen the game Pokémon Go came out in 2016, it caused a lot of excitement. The game gets people to travel to different locations in the real world to collect made-up creatures called Pokémon. Players use cell phones which show a make believe world laid on top of the real world.In Pokémon Go, players use cell phones which show a make believe world laid on top of the real world. The goal is to collect made-up creatures called Pokémon. The game caused a lot of confusion for Canada’s Army.(Source: Maria Narodetsky, Penn State, via Flickr.com.)While some people may have been excited, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has learned that Pokémon Go left Canada’s Army very confused. The Army couldn’t understand why people suddenly started showing up at Army bases with their cell phones out. (They were looking for Pokémon.)The army had at least three policemen at different bases walk around with cell phones and notebooks to try to find all the Pokémon hidden there. How confusing was it? “We should almost hire a 12-year-old to help us out with this,” wrote one security expert.Sourceswww.bbc.comwww.voanews.comwww.japantimes.co.jpwww.washingtonpost.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.axios.comwww.cbc.cawww.nytimes.comwww.bbc.comShare:Strong storms and heavy rains have caused terrible flooding in several countries in southern Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. In all, over 1,100 people have died, and millions have been forced to leave their homes.Rare “New” Music by Bach Found and PerformedNFK Editors - Nov 27, 2025Last week, two “new” pieces of music by the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach were played for the first time in centuries. The discovery of the pieces is the result of 30 years of hard work by Peter Wollny, who studies Bach’s music.

Technology 2025-12-11 09:34:07

Scientists Recreate Voice of 3,000-Year-Old Mummy

Scientists Recreate Voice of 3,000-Year-Old MummyNFK Editors - February 4, 2020Leeds, England —(Map)Scientists have used modern technology to recreate the voice of an Egyptian mummy who’s been dead for 3,000 years. During his lifetime, the mummy was a priest whose job was to sing and chant.Nesyamun is a mummy from ancient Egypt. For the last 200 years, Nesyamun has been part of the collection at Leeds University Museum. During his lifetime, over 3,000 years ago, Nesyamun sang and chanted as a priest in Thebes, the capital of Egypt.Scientists have recreated the voice of Nesyamun, an Egyptian mummy who’s been dead for 3,000 years. During his life, Nesyamun sang and chanted as a priest. The picture shows part of Nesyamun’s coffin.(Source: Leeds Museums and Galleries, via Flickr.com.)When he died, Nesyamun was mummified and sealed in a decorated coffin. The coffin had the words “Nesyamun, true of voice” written on it.In 2016, scientists took Nesyamun to Leeds General Infirmary, where they put the mummy in a CT scanner.A CT scanner uses a computer to combine many different X-ray pictures taken from different angles to build a 3D image of an object. This allows scientists and doctors to see inside of things without cutting them open.A CT scanner uses a computer to combine many different X-ray pictures taken from different angles to build a 3D image of an object. This allows scientists and doctors to see inside of things without cutting them open. Above, Nesyamun is shown in the CT scanner.(Source: © Leeds Teaching Hospitals/Leeds Museums and Galleries, via Scientific Reports.)The CT scanner gave the scientists a complete picture of Nesyamun’s vocal tract – basically the tube running from the throat to the lips that is used to make sounds. Because the process of turning Nesyamun into a mummy was done so well, his vocal tract was in surprisingly good shape.Once the scientists had images of the vocal tract, they were able to make a 3D-printed copy of it.The CT scanner gave the scientists a complete picture of Nesyamun’s vocal tract. With this, they were able to make a 3D-printed copy of it. Above, the 3D-printed copy of Nesyamun’s vocal tract.(Source: Howard, et al, via Scientific Reports.)Dr. David Howard, one of the main scientists involved in the project had done some similar work before. He created something he called a “Vocal Tract Organ” (VTO). This is basically a speaker that can push sounds through a 3D-printed vocal tract.The scientists chose a simple sound as a test. The sound was somewhere between the vowels heard in the words “bed” and “bad”. They used the VTO to play the sound through the 3D-printed vocal tract.Audio Playerhttps://newsforkids.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/nesyamun-voice.wav00:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.The scientists chose a simple sound as a test. The sound was somewhere between the vowels heard in the words “bed” and “bad”. The scientists say the sound is very much like the sound that Nesyamun would have made.(Source: Howard, et al, via Scientific Reports.)It’s not much, really – just a shaky “ehhhhh” sound. But the scientists say the sound is very much like the sound that Nesyamun would have made.How can they be so sure? They’ve made 3D-printed models of the vocal tracts of living people. The sounds those models make are very similar to the voices of the actual people.The sound isn’t perfect. The sound wasn’t produced by Nesyamun’s own vocal cords – the folds in the throat that vibrate to create sound. The researchers also point out that Nesyamun’s tongue is mainly gone.Professor Joann Fletcher told the BBC that Nesyamun wanted his voice to be heard after he was dead. “It’s actually written on his coffin,” she said. The picture shows Nesyamun’s name in hieroglyphs as shown in his coffin.(Source: Howard, et al, via Scientific Reports.)But the researchers believe this is just the first step. They hope that at some point in the future, using carefully made models and more computing power, they will be able to recreate the sounds of Nesyamun speaking in full sentences.Professor Joann Fletcher told the BBC that Nesyamun wanted his voice to be heard after he was dead. “It’s actually written on his coffin,” she said. “It was what he wanted. In a way, we’ve managed to make that wish come true.”Sourceswww.nytimes.comwww.bbc.comarstechnica.comwww.smithsonianmag.comwww.york.ac.ukmuseumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.ukLeeds, EnglandView Larger MapShare: