World’s largest blanket fort built at Las Vegas community center
The classic blanket fort is a simple structure. Entry level hideouts often only require a bedsheet and a couple of chairs, and it doesn’t take much effort to expand the…
Tech
Bumblebees can spontaneously solve problems, study finds
Despite having tiny brains, bumblebees have demonstrated a remarkable ability to socially learn how to use tools, solve simple puzzles, and cooperate to achieve a goal. It seems they can…
After 11 years at Mars, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft went out with a whisper
NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft was in excellent shape when it disappeared behind Mars on December 6 of last year. The routine passage, called an occultation, was supposed to last less than…
Microsoft, Atom Computing, EeroQ update their quantum computing progress
With dozens of companies, from small startups to tech giants, pursuing quantum computing, there’s a steady flow of results as they try to find a path to utility. We typically…
Can’t make sense of Dashlane’s vault theft notification? You’re not alone.
There’s a lot that doesn’t add up in a security advisory password manager Dashlane published Monday, warning that attackers managed to obtain 20 encrypted user vaults. “Starting on Sunday, May…
Injectable nanorobots may help heal spinal injuries
Despite significant medical advances, spinal cord damage remains one of the most difficult physical injuries to treat. Scarring frequently gets in the way of nerve fiber regrowth, while nerve cells…
NASA Says Farewell to MAVEN Mars Mission, Hosts Media Call Today
Artist’s concept of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft at Mars. The spacecraft entered orbit around the planet in 2014 and has completed over eleven years of observing the Martian upper atmosphere, ionosphere,…
Beans use an immune receptor to call in airstrikes on caterpillars
For decades, scientists have understood that plants can release volatile organic compounds—essentially airborne chemical signals—to attract the natural enemies of the things that eat them, like caterpillars. What we didn’t…
Male bowerbirds hope to dazzle females with bright human-made items
Male bowerbirds are notorious for their complex mating rituals. They build intricate tunnels out of twigs—the bowers from which they get their name—and then decorate them with random colorful items…
If I had a hammer… it might actually be a rhino tooth
One way archaeologists learn how ancient people, including Neanderthals, did things is to attempt to do those things themselves, a process called experimental archaeology. Normally, that involves making stone tools,…