Beam

When Artemis II takes four humans around the Moon, NASA hopes to capture HD video of our lunar satellite. Further, the space agency says it wants to use a new laser communication system to beam the HD video back to Earth. The possibility of being able to beam HD video back to Earth – without a major hitch in quality – is intriguing and something that would prove helpful as additional missions continue to take humans further into space than ever before. We already know Nokia is putting 4G on the Moon, and…

A graphic representation of a particle beam in an accelerator. Credit: Greg Steward/SLAC National Accelerator LabThe algorithm combines classical beam physics equations with machine-learning techniques to reduce the need for extensive data processing.When the linear accelerator at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is operational, groups of approximately one billion electrons travel through metal pipes at almost the speed of light. These electron groups form the accelerator’s particle beam, which is utilized to…

via Dimension Films Combining science fiction with horror has always tended to be a mixed bag, with the genre-bending mashups equally capable of delivering greatness as they are garbage. Depending on who you ask, though, Dark Skies can be placed in either camp. Writer and director Scott Stewart had established an unwanted reputation for helming widely-panned high concept fantasies through the dismal Priest and diabolical Legion, but by his standards Dark Skies was a relative critical success after landing a…

While discussing humanoid robots not long ago, someone told me their main issue with the form factor is that — from an evolutionary standpoint — we’re not built particularly well. That’s not to say that our bodies haven’t served us well, of course. They’ve done the trick for a few hundred thousand years. It’s more that if you sat down with a talented product designer and asked them to whip up something from scratch, certain concerns would likely lead them in an entirely different direction. Balance is on that list.…

That said, he expects that the futuristic project could take more than a half-century to realize. It poses a few ambitious physics and engineering challenges, including the development of such a massive laser, the construction of a lightsail that can handle that much power without disintegrating, and the design of the minuscule spacecraft and an instrument for communicating back to Earth. There’s an economic challenge as well, Worden points out: determining whether all the pieces can be put together for an “affordable…

At a GlanceExpert's Rating ProsCompactExcellent sound qualityDolby AtmosHDMI ARCOur VerdictNo longer the affordable device it used to be, the Beam isn’t the best value Sonos soundbar but provides a balance of compact design, big sound, smart features and Dolby Atmos that will still suit many buyers. Best Prices Today: Sonos Beam $369.00 For years, Sonos soundbars have been only…

Only a third of people in the world's poorest countries can connect to the internet, the UN telecoms agency said Sunday, but low-flying satellites could bring hope to millions, especially in remote corners of Africa. Tech giants including Microsoft have pledged to help populations hobbled by poor internet services to "leapfrog" into an era of online connectivity, with satellites set to play a key role as rival firms send thousands of new generation transmitters into low level orbit. At the moment…

Only a third of people in the world's poorest countries can connect to the internet, the UN telecoms agency said Sunday, but low-flying satellites could bring hope to millions, especially in remote corners of Africa.Tech giants including Microsoft have pledged to help populations hobbled by poor internet services to "leapfrog" into an era of online connectivity, with satellites set to play a key role as rival firms send thousands of new generation transmitters into low level orbit.At the moment just 36 percent of the 1.25…

Whether you’re covering deserts, ugly parking lots, canals, or even sunny lakes with solar panels, clouds will occasionally get in the way—and every day the sun must set. No problem, says the European Space Agency: Just put the solar arrays in space. The agency recently announced a new exploratory program called Solaris, which aims to figure out if it is technologically and economically feasible to launch solar structures into orbit, use them to harness the sun’s power, and transmit energy to the ground.If this concept…

Scientists have found a competitor to the lightning rod — one of the most tried and true methods of controlling where lightning strikes. The new method is far more expensive, but it allowed scientists to use a laser beam to control lightning bolts. The physicists working on the experiment did so from a mountaintop in Switzerland, where they used a high-powered laser to steer the lightning bolts where they wanted them to go. They say that the advancement could lead to more ways to use lasers to help protect…