Fresh daily news

Tim Sweeney: The Epic Game Store Doesn’t Spy on People
Tim Sweeney: The Epic Game Store Doesn’t Spy on People

Users are concerned about the Epic Game Store's privacy practices. While there's no proof of outright nefarious activity, Tim Sweeney's comments didn't tamp things down as much as he may have hoped.

Ethiopian Airlines Black Box Data Retrieved, Shows Similarities to Lion Air Crash
Ethiopian Airlines Black Box Data Retrieved, Shows Similarities to Lion Air Crash

An analysis of the black box data from Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 shows similarities with Lion Air 610. Meanwhile, Boeing may have changed how the MCAS system works without informing the FAA.

Mercury Is Actually the Closest Planet to Every Other Planet
Mercury Is Actually the Closest Planet to Every Other Planet

Numerous websites, and even NASA itself, say Venus is our closest planetary neighbor. A new article in Physics Today lays out a more accurate way to determine which planets are closest together.

MIT Creates Soft Robotic Gripper That Can Lift 100 Times Its Weight
MIT Creates Soft Robotic Gripper That Can Lift 100 Times Its Weight

The origami "magic ball" gripper doesn't try to imitate our hands, but it can still hold 100 times its weight.

Hypervelocity Star Flung Out of Milky Way May Have Unusual Origin
Hypervelocity Star Flung Out of Milky Way May Have Unusual Origin

Scientists have discovered an unusual origin story for one of the fastest, largest objects we've ever discovered.

Most Android Anti-Malware Apps Don’t Offer Any Protection
Most Android Anti-Malware Apps Don’t Offer Any Protection

A new analysis from Austrian antivirus testers AV-Comparatives claims that most AV apps on Android are ineffective, and some are downright frauds.

Tesla Model Y Unveiled: An Affordable (Sort of) Midsize EV Crossover
Tesla Model Y Unveiled: An Affordable (Sort of) Midsize EV Crossover

Affordability starts at $40,200 in spring 2021, but you can't place an order yet. The cheapest one you can order today is $48,200 (plus options): the Model Y Long Wait. Sorry, we meant Model Y Long Range.

NASA May Launch Orion Crew Module on Commercial Rocket
NASA May Launch Orion Crew Module on Commercial Rocket

It might seem like we've been talking about the Space Launch System (SLS) for years, and that's because we have been. NASA began this ambitious project in 2011, eventually settling on Boeing as the primary contractor for what will be the most powerful rocket in the world. It's not ready to fly yet, and NASA is getting impatient.

Tropical Tectonics May Have Triggered Past Ice Ages
Tropical Tectonics May Have Triggered Past Ice Ages

What caused the ice ages in Earth's past? Possibly plate tectonic action in the tropics, over millions of years.

NASA Discovers Mercury Dust Ring, Hints of Hidden Asteroids Near Venus
NASA Discovers Mercury Dust Ring, Hints of Hidden Asteroids Near Venus

NASA has released new reports on discoveries in the inner solar system. Dust belts and possible new asteroids ahead.

Opportunity Sent Back One Final Stunning Mars Panorama Before Going Offline Forever
Opportunity Sent Back One Final Stunning Mars Panorama Before Going Offline Forever

Before the plucky little rover passed on, it beamed back one final gift to the people of Earth: an awe-inspiring panorama of Perseverance Valley.

Western Digital Launches Low-Cost WD Blue NVMe SSDs
Western Digital Launches Low-Cost WD Blue NVMe SSDs

Western Digital's new WD Blue SN500 NVMe SSD offers high-end performance on a budget.