Tag: Physics
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New robot ‘on the path to self-awareness’
Will robots ever be self-aware? Scientists at Colombia University have built a machine that learns about itself in the same way as a baby. Could it become more intelligent than a human?
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Emergency plan to deflect giant asteroid
Are asteroids our biggest threat? Scientists are now working on a plan to protect Earth from Didymos, a giant rock the size of Egypt’s great pyramid — one of 20,000 known near-Earth objects.
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Zero: the idea that changed the world
Has the number “zero” done more to advance humanity than any other idea? Many mathematicians think so — for, without zero, we could not ponder either the concepts of the void or the infinite.
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The scientist: ‘Just keep working on it’
What does it take to be a scientist? In part one of our new ‘Careers’ series, research engineer Hollie Wright tells The Day about her life in the lab and how she achieved a childhood dream.
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France hires sci-fi writers to predict threats
Can fiction be truer than fact? The French army is to create a “Red Team” of sci-fi writers to imagine possible, future threats. But many say it is absurd and that soldiers would be better.
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One in six believe this was taken in a studio
Why are conspiracy theories so powerful? Despite all the proof that it happened, there are still thousands who are convinced that the Moon landing was a hoax set up by the US space agency.
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Neil Armstrong, a reluctant American hero
What makes someone a hero? Centuries from now, Neil Armstrong will still be remembered as the first man to walk on the Moon. But he thought of himself simply as a “nerdy engineer”.
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Celebrating 50 years since mankind’s giant leap
Will humans ever live on the Moon? Tomorrow, it will be 50 years since the Apollo 11 astronauts began their historic journey to the Moon. Now, the world wants to go back — this time to stay.
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Scientists warn public on alien communication
If aliens call, what should we say? Scientists are turning to the public to ask how — and if — we should reply to intelligent extraterrestrial life. It could alter the course of history.
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Artificial stars could redesign the night sky
Why not re-write the stars? We have the ability. Already, Japan wants to create fake meteor showers, China wants an artificial moon for street lighting and Russia wants to sell advertising.
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The first-ever image of a black hole
This week, scientists released the first-ever picture of a black hole, compiled over the last two years using data from eight telescopes around the world. It is a major landmark in the history...
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NASA’s Parker probe makes daring flyby of Sun
The Parker probe has now completed two flybys of the Sun, coming closer to its fiery surface than any man-made object in history. Could the mission unlock the secrets of the Sun?
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US fires starting gun in new race to the Moon
The US has announced that it will put a woman on the Moon by 2024, sparking a new space race against Russia, China and India. The winner could dominate the next era of human history.
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Huge meteor explosion like 10 atom bombs
The blast happened in December over Russia but has only just been detected. Worryingly, scientists had no idea the meteor was coming. Could there be more and, if necessary, could we stop them?
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Universe is expanding too fast, say scientists
Scientists have found a troubling statistic in their observations of the universe: it is expanding about 9% faster than it should. Why is this happening? And should we be worried about it?