Life

For its health and yours, keep the cat indoors

by Marlowe HOOD PARIS, France (AFP) — At least one running argument among cat lovers is now over: Whiskers, Lucy and Tigger are definitely better off staying indoors, scientists reported Wednesday. Pet cats allowed outdoors, in fact, are nearly three times as likely to become infected with pathogens or parasites than those confined to quarters, they reported in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. Two-legged house-mates should also take note because cats — a.k.a. Felis […]

‘First’ 3D print of heart with human tissue, vessels unveiled

by Delphine Matthieussent TEL AVIV, Israel (AFP) — Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels on Monday, calling it a first and a “major medical breakthrough” that advances possibilities for transplants. While it remains a far way off, scientists hope one day to be able to produce hearts suitable for transplant into humans as well as patches to regenerate defective hearts. The heart produced by researchers at […]

World’s largest plane makes first test flight

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The world’s largest airplane — a Stratolaunch behemoth with two fuselages and six Boeing 747 engines — made its first test flight on Saturday in California. The mega jet carried out its maiden voyage over the Mojave desert. It is designed to carry into space, and drop, a rocket that would, in turn, ignite to deploy satellites. It is supposed to provide a more flexible way to deploy satellites than […]

Tesla to stop selling $35,000 Model 3 online

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Tesla has pulled the plug on Internet sales of its cheapest Model 3 sedan in the latest shift to the company’s retail strategy. The electric car maker plans to keep taking online orders for the Standard Plus Model 3, which starts at $39,500 and is now the lowest-price option available to digital consumers, along with higher-end models. But online customers will no longer be able to order the Model […]

Future of AI in the Philippines discussed at Microsoft’s Future Now AI Conference

by Emily Manuel Contributor, Eagle News (Eagle News) – “The future is now,” chanted a group of business and IT leaders who gathered at the Okada Hotel in Manila on March 21, 2019 for Microsoft’s Future Now Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference. The results of the Microsoft and International Data Corporation (IDC) study entitled “Future Ready Business: Assessing Asia Pacific’s Growth Potential Through AI” were also unveiled during the said forum. – What is AI? – […]

SpaceX carries out first commercial launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, United States (AFP) — SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch on Thursday with its Falcon Heavy rocket easing a Saudi telecoms satellite into orbit. The bright white rocket rose with a roar and spewed thick gray smoke on the ground as it made its way up into clear blue skies over Cape Canaveral, Florida, trailing a long plume of orange fire. About 34 minutes after liftoff, the shiny silver satellite was successfully […]

Scientist superstar Katie Bouman designed algorithm for black hole image

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Anonymous to the public just days ago, a US computer scientist named Katie Bouman has become an overnight sensation due to her role in developing a computer algorithm that allowed researchers to take the world’s first image of a black hole. “I’m so excited that we finally get to share what we have been working on for the past year!” the 29-year-old Bouman, a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard-Smithsonian […]

Israeli spacecraft crashes during moon landing: mission control; Beresheet supposed to be Israel’s 1st moon landing

  By Agence France Presse Israel’s attempt at a moon landing failed at the last minute Thursday when the craft suffered an engine failure as it prepared to land and apparently crashed onto the lunar surface. “We didn’t make it, but we definitely tried,” project originator and major backer Morris Kahn said in a live videocast from mission control near Tel Aviv. “I think that the achievement of getting to where we got is really […]

Most Asian markets fall, while pound holds ground after Brexit delay

Asian equity markets mostly fell on Thursday, April 11, with few catalysts to drive buying and investors still on edge over a brewing trade battle between the United States and Europe. White House threats this week to hammer $11 billion worth of EU goods with tariffs jolted markets, which have been rallying this year on optimism that China and the US were close to ending their own battle. The warning revived concerns about US President […]

Battle for space more stealth than Star Wars

by Ivan COURONNE Agence France Presse Colorado Springs, United States (AFP)– At tens of thousands of kilometers above the Earth, a Russian satellite slowly approached the French-Italian satellite Athena-Fidus in October 2017, a move France later denounced as “an act of espionage.” What is less widely known is that just a few days before that, the same Russian satellite — known as Luch or Olymp-K — had been approached by an American military satellite named […]

The real deal: Astronomers deliver first photo of black hole

by Marlowe Hood and Laurence Coustal PARIS, France (AFP) — Astronomers on Wednesday unveiled the first photo of a black hole, one of the star-devouring monsters scattered throughout the Universe and obscured by impenetrable shields of gravity. The image of a dark core encircled by a flame-orange halo of white-hot plasma looks like any number of artists’ renderings over the last 30 years. But this time, it’s the real deal. “The history of science will […]