Hell or high waters

Both comets and asteroids are objects orbiting the sun, but comets are made of dust and ice while asteroids are made of rock, which means they have very different properties and appear differently in the sky. But there are rarely-spotted objects called centaurs which are a little bit of comet and a little bit of asteroid — hence their name after the mythical creatures which were half human and half horse. The orbits of centaurs often cross the orbits of the outer planets, which makes them unstable, and they have water ice on their surfaces which leaves a comet-like trail, but their interior composition is more like an asteroid. Recently, the Hubble Space Telescope snapped an image of an object called P/2019 LD2 which appears to be a centaur, with a comet-like tail that is formed when surface ice starts to vaporize, leaving a long tail of matter spread across the sky. Previous observations by the Spitzer Space Telescope showed its composition included carbon monoxide and carbon … [Read more...] about Hubble captures a wandering comet passing through the Trojan asteroids

In the future, tattoos might not only be decorative — they could be tools for healthcare, sports, and more. Scientists recently developed a light-emitting, transferable tattoo that can be attached to the skin and could be used to display information. The concept of smart tattoos has been around for a while, but this is the first time a light-emitting version has been created. It uses organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), the same technology that is used in high-end TVs , which are printed onto temporary tattoo paper. The tattoo can then be applied by being put on the skin and dabbed with water — and it’s easily removable as well. The scientists who developed the tattoo at University College London and the Italian Institute of Technology said they could see a number of uses for the technology, both for fun and for important healthcare reasons. “The tattooable OLEDs that we have demonstrated for the first time can be made at scale and very cheaply,” said author Franco Cacialli … [Read more...] about Glowing OLED tattoos could be used for fashion, healthcare, and more

Outriders was supposed to be the first big, third-party video game of this new console generation. It was revealed back before players had a hint of what the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X would even look like, making it seem like a day-one launch was imminent. A few delays later and the sci-fi game was pushed out of 2020 entirely and into a new April 1 release date . With the release date finally looming, Square Enix dropped a demo for the third-person shooter, which gives players a taste of what’s to come. The three-hour gameplay snippet features a handful of missions, a brief introduction to the game’s war-torn world, and a whole lot of shooting. While Outriders offers up intrigue with its ability-based class system, playing it feels like entering a time machine. It’s a game design period piece that harkens back to the heyday of Xbox 360 shooters, for better or worse. Take cover It’s not hard to describe Outriders ; it’s a sci-fi third-person shooter with … [Read more...] about Outriders feels like a game design period piece for the Xbox 360 generation

Vizio 65" Class P-Series (P65Q9-H1) Score Details “One of the best values in high-performance TV.” Excellent HDR brightness for the price Solid on-angle black levels Excellent color coverage HDMI 2.1 ports Feature-loaded Potential local dimming bug Game console sync bug Poor off-angle contrast MSRP $1,200.00 After reviewing the Vizio P-Series Quantum X (PQX for short), I wondered if folks really needed all the bells and whistles Vizio’s most premium set had to offer. For a few hundred dollars less, I was hoping the step-down Vizio P-Series Quantum (PQ9 for short) would be “all killer, no filler.” What do you lose when you lose the “X”? Let’s find out. Vizio P-Series Quantum 4K HDR TV details While we reviewed the 65-inch model, our review also applies to the 75-inch model. Screen Size Model Number MSRP 65-inch P65Q9-H1 $1,200 75-inch P75Q9-H1 $1,700 Out of the box The box comes with … [Read more...] about Vizio P-Series Quantum 4K HDR TV review (P65Q9-H1): Big potential

SpaceX continues to launch satellites to add to its Starlink service, which aims to provide global satellite internet with coverage even in rural or remote areas. It has already launched more than 1,000 satellites and eventually aims to have as many as 12,000 satellites in orbit. Tonight, the company will launch its twentieth batch, with 60 satellites being launched using a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. SpaceX will stream the launch live, and we’ve got all the details on how to watch. How to watch the launch The launch, which will take place from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is scheduled for 8:37 p.m. ET (5:37 p.m. PT) on Sunday, February 28. SpaceX will livestream the launch, including final launch preparations, liftoff, first stage separation, fairing separation, the deploying of the satellites, and the always-exciting catching of the first stage. The first stage will be caught by the droneship Of Course I Still Love You which will be … [Read more...] about How to watch SpaceX’s 20th Starlink launch tonight