How the pandemic could dethrone the larks
When the light starts to fade in the evening is when I start feeling it. A rush of heightened awareness, a palpable sense of increased IQ, like my brain is...
State-backed COVID-19 disinfo spreads faster and farther than local news outlets in 4 languages – TechCrunch
Questionable stories on COVID-19 from state-backed outlets in Russia, China, Turkey, and Iran are being shared more widely than reporting by major news organizations around the world, according to Oxford...
One wild chart shows intensity of this year’s Arctic Circle fires
For a vivid idea of how extreme the Arctic Circle fires have been this year, look at the stark graphic below. Produced by the European Union's earth observation agency, Copernicus,...
Why Earth has a stubborn cold spot that’s cooling
Earth is relentlessly heating. So it's strange that there's a persistent "cold blob" in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The cold blob (aka "warming hole") is like a glaring...
NASA pays out $51 million to small businesses with big ideas – TechCrunch
NASA has announced its latest batch of small business grants, providing more than 300 businesses a total of $51 million in crucial early-stage funding. These “phase I” projects receive up...
NASA sets path for up to six more Artemis moon exploration missions with SLS booster order – TechCrunch
NASA has laid the groundwork for an order of up to six additional SLS solid core booster rockets, from supplier Northrop Grumman, the agency announced this week. The six additional...
Just wear the $%#@ing mask
Coronavirus in Context is a weekly newsletter where we bring you facts that matter about the COVID-19 pandemic and the technology trying to stop its spread. You can subscribe here. Hola pandemic pals,...
CMU researchers develop a an automatic politeness engine for text-based communications – TechCrunch
If you’re a typically terse communicator who could probably benefit from a little more civility in your everyday communications, a new Carnegie Mellon University research project could be the answer....
Why we should explore Venus before Mars
There are some encouraging signs. Russia is working on its first Venus probe since 1983, the long-delayed and (to English ears) unfortunately-named Venera-D. Its goal is to study Venus’ greenhouse...
How aliens could use black holes to power an intergalactic civilization
Remember when I warned everyone that humans would probably destroy all life in the universe like construction workers killing ant colonies to make way for a never-ending series of cosmic...