Science & Technology

• New iPhone Design Triggers Strange Phobia
  
  The camera setup on the newest top-of-the-line iPhone models Apple unveiled Tuesday is bringing an odd phobia into focus.
• Astronomers Believe They Have Discovered New Interstellar Object
  
  Astronomers believe they have discovered a new interstellar object in our solar system and think it should be observable for at least a year, according to the Minor Planet Center at the Center for Astrophysics.The object, now provisionally called C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), was...
• Pew Poll: 59 Percent Back Facial Recognition Security
  
  Fifty-nine percent of Americans in a recent Pew Research Center study backed law enforcement in using facial recognition technology in public spaces to assess potential security threats.
• Scientists: Aliens Already Visited Earth and Plotting Next Stop?
  
  Extraterrestrial life may have already visited planet Earth before humans evolved into intelligent beings, a new study claims.Business Insider reported on the study that theorized that because the stars and planets within the Milky Way galaxy all move, aliens could merely...
• In Breakthrough, Scientists Reverse Humans' Biological Age
  
  Scientists reached a breakthrough in a new study by reversing the biological clocks of the test subjects at an average of 2.5 years.
• Report: 'Wormlike' Robots Could Recast Stroke Treatment
  
  A robotic device developed by scientists could revolutionize the treatment for stroke, according to news reports Thursday.
• Doctor in India Performs Heart Surgery From Afar
  
  Robot-assisted heart surgery was performed on five patients who were 20 miles away from a doctor in India during the procedure, according to a report in the medical journal EClinicalMedicine.
• WashPost: Dorian Churning Out Dangerous Tornadoes
  
  A a powerful storm like Hurricane Dorian can account for as much as 10% of the annual tornadic activity in the United States, according to The Washington Post.
• Scientists: Loch Ness Monster Might Be a Giant Eel
  
  Scotland's fabled Loch Ness monster could possibly be a giant eel, scientists said on Thursday after an intensive analysis of traces of DNA in the Loch's icy waters.
• China Finds Gel-Like Substance on Far Side of Moon
  
  China says it has found a strange gel-like substance on the surface of the moon, the state-run newspaper People's Daily reports."Yutu-2 rover, part of China's Chang'e-4 mission, has discovered an unusually colored "gel-like" substance during its exploration activities on...
• Report: No Need for Ouija Board When You Can Talk to Digital Humans
  
  Andrew Kaplan might be remembered as one of the world's first "digital humans," as the 78-year-old spy novel and Hollywood script writer has agreed to become "AndyBot," a virtual person who will be immortalized in the cloud, The Washington Post reported.
• Study: Astronauts May Face Cognitive Function Deficits
  
  Chronic exposure to radiation could harm astronauts' minds and bodies on a journey to Mars, including, a recent study published in the journal ENeuro suggests.
• Report: Scientists Work on Gene Editing Human Sperm
  
  So changes can be passed on to future generations, scientists are trying to alter the DNA in human sperm, according to an NPR report.
• Intelligence Agency Using AI to Combat Opioids
  
  An external intelligence service of the federal government is using artificial intelligence to combat the opioid epidemic.The program, called SABLE SPEAR, scans millions of websites, images and other open-source material to map the drug marketplace for fentanyl and other...
• Pentagon Seeks to Use AI to Bolster Innovation, Security
  
  To construct more digitally secure vehicles, weapons systems, and other network-connected platforms much faster than it takes today, the Pentagon is looking into how artificial intelligence can help.
• Scientists Determine Number of Earth-Like Planets
  
  Scientists have figured out the number of planets in the universe that resemble Earth and orbit stars like the Sun, the Independent reports.
• Report: High Tides Flood Miami Due to Rising Sea Level
  
  Because of sea-level rise caused by human-induced climate change, a phenomenon known as "king tides" is getting worse in Miami, according to The Washington Post.
• Astronomers Using AI to Detect Fast Radio Bursts
  
  Astronomers are now using artificial intelligence to detect mysterious fast radio bursts coming from outer space.The technology was developed by Wael Farah, a doctoral student at Australia's Swinburne University of Technology.Fast radio bursts (FRB) are brief pulses of...
• Studies: Human Biases Show Up in Robots
  
  Human biases extend to robots, according to the study, "Robots And Racism," conducted by the Human Interface Technology Laboratory in New Zealand.
• FBI Looking for Tech to Monitor Social Media
  
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking a "social media early alerting tool" it can use to monitor terrorist groups, foreign intelligence services and criminal organizations on those platforms, Nextgov reports."With increased use of social media platforms by subjects...
• Report: Police Depts Ditching Facial Recognition Tech.
  
  Due to costs, privacy concerns, and limited resources, several police departments are eliminating the use of facial recognition technology, according to Defense One.
• Report: Epstein Sought to Seed Humanity With His DNA
  
  By impregnating women at his vast New Mexico ranch, accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein hoped to seed the human race with his DNA, The New York Times reported.
• Astronomers: Undetected 'City-Killer' Asteroid Barely Missed Earth
  
  A huge asteroid just missed Earth this week and wasn't noticed by astronomers until the very last minute.
• Man Who Located Titanic Wreckage Turns Focus to Finally Finding Amelia Earhart
  
  To solve the disappearance of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, the man who found the Titanic is setting sail on a new mission, according to The Washington Post.
• NASA Studies Space Gardening for Mars Trek
  
  A trip to Mars might take as long as three years roundtrip to complete, so NASA is researching how to sustainably feed its astronauts throughout the journey, including growing food in outer space, The New York Times reported."It's not like you can just run out to the...

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