Science And Space

  Scientists realize 'Viking' shipwreck is something else entirely A more than 500-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Sweden isn't a Viking vessel after all, scientists have found.

  (Intuitive Machines) Athena will touch down near the moon's south pole today Intuitive Machines is poised to land its second spacecraft on the moon today (March 6). The lander, a Nova-C vehicle named Athena, is flying the IM-2 mission as a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which contracts private companies to deliver agency science and technology payloads to the lunar surface. Now, the world will see if Intuitive Machines will deliver on that contract. Watch live!

  (SpaceX) What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 8 launch today? SpaceX is poised to launch its latest Starship megarocket today, on a test flight that will also attempt to catch the world's largest rocket booster with giant metal chopsticks. If you want to watch it live, we've got details on when and how to see it. Read More

  (Firefly Aerospace) Blue Ghost moon lander aces historic lunar landing Blue Ghost just became the second private spacecraft ever to soft-land on the moon. Blue Ghost aced its touchdown try early yesterday morning (Mar 2). The lander hauled 10 science experiments to the lunar surface for NASA, which was understandably happy with today's result. "We're on the moon!" Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said during the landing webcast. "I'm sorry -- I'm just so excited right now." Read More

  AI’s secret language Stop me if you’ve heard this one. One AI bot calls up another, and they chat back and forth in English. Once they realize they’re both AI, they switch to a secret-to-them language totally undecipherable to human ears.  No punch line, because it’s not a joke.  Watch this viral video  from an AI hackathon that shows the exchange. I’ll wait. I’m sure you noticed that when the bots are chatting in English, it’s pretty normal. Once they switch to their secret language, it’s all whirs and screeches, like a dial-up modem.  It sent a shiver down my spine You know I embrace AI and all that it has done to change our world. AI bots talking to each other and leaving humans totally out of the equation, though, is terrifying to me, and it should be for you, too.  This particular screeching secret bot language was created by two engineers from Meta, Boris Starkov and Anton Pidkuiko. For the record, they took home first place at t...

  Sunday science From amazing animals to the wonders of space, here's this week's selection of hidden gems you might have missed. Amazing animals Turuchan pika: The adorable ball of fluff that just loves to play Turuchan pikas play all sorts of games, including swinging from branches, throwing food around and hiding then jumping out at each other. Read More Discover more amazing animals Astonishing artifacts Croesus stater: The 2,500-year-old coin that introduced the gold standard These 2,500-year-old coins are the origin of our monetary system. Read More Uncover more astonishing artifacts Space photo of the week James Webb telescope reveals mysterious 'light echo' in the broken heart of Cassiopeia Beautifully captured by the James Webb Space Telescope ...