Three New ISS Crew Members to Launch on July 20

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

(Credit: NASA) Exactly 50 years after the first humans stepped foot on the moon, three astronauts will blast off into space to join the current crew on the International Space Station. On July 20, NASA astronaut Drew Morgan, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Skvortsov, will launch from Kazakhstan around 12:28 EDT. After a four-hour orbit around Earth, the crew will travel the last two hours to the ISS, docking around 6:50 p.m. EDT. Two hours ...read more

Resveratrol, Compound in Red Wine, Could Help Astronauts Walk on Mars

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

(Credit: HappyRichStudio/Shutterstock) The same stuff that’s been linked to red wine’s heart-health benefits could also someday help astronauts walk on Mars. In a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, researchers say that resveratrol, a compound found in wines, could lessen muscle loss on the long trip to Mars. The Trouble With Traveling to Mars Currently, a one-way trip to Mars will take something like nine months. To make the trek, whichever spacecra ...read more

AI is Coming Closer to Deciphering Lost Languages

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Researchers had a lucky break that helped them crack the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics, like the ones shown on this artifact. But many lost languages remain undeciphered, with no Rosetta Stone to point the way. (Credit: Zoran Karapancev/shutterstock) Since the invention of writing several thousands of years ago, humans have come up with myriad scripts that turn the phonetic sounds of spoken languages into something visual. Most of these written languages have already been deciphered, from E ...read more

This New Virtual Reality Glove Lets You Grab Digital Objects

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

The VR glove in action.(Credit: Song et al, Scientific Reports, (2019) 9:8988) Our squishy human brains are notoriously easy to fool. Whether it’s optical illusions or more advanced trickery, it doesn’t take much to exploit our mind’s weaknesses. But, that’s also what enables virtual reality (VR) systems, where technology can effectively transport us to a digital world. And thanks to a newly developed VR glove, the effect might soon be better than ever. A team of en ...read more

Help scientists track extreme weather this week!

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Tropical storms loom large over different parts of the globe, while extreme heat and droughts wreak havoc on other areas. Flash floods and landslides plague parts of India, as dust storms make it difficult to drive and breathe in the southwestern United States. Extreme weather. We may feel powerless, but there are ways we can help scientists better predict these events and help provide warning systems. That’s empowering. Stay safe. The SciStarter Team ISeeChange ...read more