As the space industry evolves, we need a new set of international regulations to decide who is responsible for safety, the number of satellites in space, and more

These dazzling images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope are from the upcoming book Cosmos: Explore the wonders of the universe, which has a foreword by astrophysicist Becky Smethurst

The first 18 satellites of a planned Chinese mega constellation are brighter than all but 500 stars in the sky, raising fears of a huge impact on astronomy

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

A nearby star that exploded some 3 million years ago could have removed all dust smaller than a millimetre from the outer solar system

Complex carbon-based molecules crucial to life on Earth originated somewhere in space, but we didn't know where. Now, huge amounts of them have been spotted in a huge, cold cloud of gas

In order to figure out how something came from nothing, we first need to explore the different types of nothing

Between 2005 and 2021, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were more likely to make policy changes in the weeks after negative stories in the media

Computers made from DNA have previously only been able to store information or perform computations on it – now a new device can do both

An artificial intelligence model that can identify the calls of eight whale species is helping researchers track the elusive whale behind a perplexing sound in the Pacific

In What's Next? Bill Gates digs into AI, climate, inequality, malaria and more. But the man looms too large for alternative solutions to emerge, says Bethan Ackerley

While quantum computers are still in their infancy, more and more people are training to become quantum software developers

One day, doctors might be able to 3D print copies of your organs in order to test a variety of drugs, thanks to a new technique that uses light and sound for rapid printing

The controversies surrounding football’s video assistant referee (VAR) system highlight our troubled relationship with uncertainty – and point to potential solutions

Ghost dads are so embarrassing.

Is Jessie available to babysit again?

The finale doesn’t look to provide a definitive answer to what drove Aaron’s actions, much to the show’s credit.

Mike Tyson has not fought professionally since suffering a stoppage defeat to Kevin McBride in 2005.

Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion.

ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE

ICSR 2024: 23–26 October 2024, ODENSE, DENMARK

Cybathlon 2024: 25–27 October 2024, ZURICH

Enjoy today’s videos!

Imbuing robots with “human-level performance” in anything is an enormous challenge, but it’s worth it when you see a robot with the skill to interact with a human on a (nearly) human level. Google DeepMind has managed to achieve amateur human-level competence at table tennis, which is much harder than it looks, even for humans. Pannag Sanketi, a tech-lead manager in the robotics team at DeepMind, shared some interesting insights about performing the research. But first, video!

Some behind the scenes detail from Pannag:

• The robot had not seen any participants before. So we knew we had a cool agent, but we had no idea how it was going to fare in a full match with real humans. To witness it outmaneuver even some of the most advanced players was such a delightful moment for team!
• All the participants had a lot of fun playing against the robot, irrespective of who won the match. And all of them wanted to play more. Some of them said it will be great to have the robot as a playing partner. From the videos, you can even see how much fun the user study hosts sitting there (who are not authors on the paper) are having watching the games!
• Barney, who is a professional coach, was an advisor on the project, and our chief evaluator of robot’s skills the way he evaluates his students. He also got surprised by how the robot is always able to learn from the last few weeks’ sessions.
• We invested a lot in remote and automated 24x7 operations. So not the setup in this video, but there are other cells that we can run 24x7 with a ball thrower.
• We even tried robot-vs-robot, i.e. 2 robots playing against each other! :) The line between collaboration and competition becomes very interesting when they try to learn by playing with each other.

[ DeepMind ]

Thanks, Heni!

Yoink.

[ MIT ]

Considering how their stability and recovery is often tested, teaching robot dogs to be shy of humans is an excellent idea.

[ Deep Robotics ]

Yes, quadruped robots need tow truck hooks.

[ Paper ]

Earthworm-inspired robots require novel actuators, and Ayato Kanada at Kyushu University has come up with a neat one.

[ Paper ]

Thanks, Ayato!

Meet the AstroAnt! This miniaturized swarm robot can ride atop a lunar rover and collect data related to its health, including surface temperatures and damage from micrometeoroid impacts. In the summer of 2024, with support from our collaborator Castrol, the Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative tested AstroAnt in the Canary Islands, where the volcanic landscape resembles the lunar surface.

[ MIT ]

Kengoro has a new forearm that mimics the human radioulnar joint giving it an even more natural badminton swing.

[ JSK Lab ]

Thanks, Kento!

Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!

[ Wallace and Gromit ]

ASTORINO is a modern 6-axis robot based on 3D printing technology. Programmable in AS-language, it facilitates the preparation of classes with ready-made teaching materials, is easy both to use and to repair, and gives the opportunity to learn and make mistakes without fear of breaking it.

[ Kawasaki ]

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are testing a prototype of IceNode, a robot designed to access one of the most difficult-to-reach places on Earth. The team envisions a fleet of these autonomous robots deploying into unmapped underwater cavities beneath Antarctic ice shelves. There, they’d measure how fast the ice is melting — data that’s crucial to helping scientists accurately project how much global sea levels will rise.

[ IceNode ]

Los Alamos National Laboratory, in a consortium with four other National Laboratories, is leading the charge in finding the best practices to find orphaned wells. These abandoned wells can leak methane gas into the atmosphere and possibly leak liquid into the ground water.

[ LANL ]

Looks like Fourier has been working on something new, although this is still at the point of “looks like” rather than something real.

[ Fourier ]

Bio-Inspired Robot Hands: Altus Dexterity is a collaboration between researchers and professionals from Carnegie Mellon University, UPMC, the University of Illinois and the University of Houston.

[ Altus Dexterity ]

PiPER is a lightweight robotic arm with six integrated joint motors for smooth, precise control. Weighing just 4.2kg, it easily handles a 1.5kg payload and is made from durable yet lightweight materials for versatile use across various environments. Available for just $2,499 USD.

[ AgileX ]

At 104 years old, Lilabel has seen over a century of automotive transformation, from sharing a single car with her family in the 1920s to experiencing her first ride in a robotaxi.

[ Zoox ]

Traditionally, blind juggling robots use plates that are slightly concave to help them with ball control, but it’s also possible to make a blind juggler the hard way. Which, honestly, is much more impressive.

[ Jugglebot ]

Who Will Fill the Democratic Vacuum?

From Goats to airplanes, Xbox Game Pass has another bumper month in store for subscribers. Here's everything you need to know about what is heading to PC and console this November 2024

Aside from offering a more powerful console, the PS5 Pro also packs a sneaky theme for PlayStation fans to uncover - something Sony hadn't previously discussed.

PlayStation 5 Pro is out, and with plenty of availability, scalpers are shifting the £700 console at a loss and turning their attention to a key accessory instead

Black Ops 6 is here, and fans have been itching to know what's included in Season 1 - and now we have an answer. Here's what's included, and when you can play

PS5 owners can play some great games this month, including a Bethesda hit and more. Here's what's free for PS Plus subscribers for November, with more to be announced.

Call of Duty fans are impressed by Black Ops 6 Season 1 already, calling it the 'best Season 1 roadmap' since 2019's Modern Warfare reboot and you can find out below why they're saying it

Overwatch 2 is bringing 6v6 gameplay back from Overwatch 1 - and fans are overjoyed. Here's all we know so far, including when you can finally play the Classic mode

Just got a PS5 or want to know what to prioritise in your backlog? We've got you covered with the best PlayStation 5 games for your console that you can play right now.

Hackers are exploiting EA FC 25 to nab millions of coins and snipe the world's best football players and EA seems unable to stop it - and this is how it happens

Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) was discovered in August and is now whizzing by Earth, but finding it in the sky will be a challenge.

Scientists say geoengineering, or doing things like intentionally increasing Earth’s reflectivity or blocking the sun, is a “really big deal” in slowing down climate change. Here are the ideas they are proposing.

Scientists are using machine learning to decode and eventually translate how sperm whales communicate with Morse code-like clicks and pauses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency supervisor who was fired after she told her staff to skip hurricane-damaged homes with Trump signs in their yards says it wasn't an isolated incident and is a "colossal event."

House Speaker Mike Johnson is seeking a smooth re-election to another term wielding the gavel, but a small group of discontent conservatives are again vying to shake things up at the top.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals four signs of compromised Social Security numbers and offers five steps to protect yourself.

Ransomeware attacks against health care organizations are happening at an alarmingly high rate in 2024, putting patient health at risk.

They must have played. They must ….

Arsenal and England midfielder Jordan Nobbs will be a columnist for 90min & BBC Sport pundit at the Women's World Cup in France this summer, as Phil Neville's Lionesses' look to secure a maiden World Cup triumph. Two wins from our first two games is obviously what we were all hoping for. The first game of a World Cup, or any other major tournament, is never going to be one where you're playing at your absolute best. But the 2-1 win over was Scotland was great given the pre-match hype, the..

Club captain Jordan Henderson, summer signing Naby Keita and centre back Joe Gomez were all absent for the shock midweek Champions League defeat to Red Star Belgrade..

In order to promote the flow of soothing energies, starting October 1st all TIGS folk are wholly encouraged to consider taking part in The Wholesome Competition. Less of a bloody-toothed competition between gladiatorial rivals and more of a friendly environment to tinker away merrily on a small project with pals. A call to jolly cooperation, […]

Emma Raducanu has been crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year on another history-defining night for Britain’s teenage phenomenon.