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Researchers have found that graphene-enhanced hard drives can store data at ten times the density of existing HDDs.

By leveraging the wonder material graphene, a group at the University of Cambridge is claiming an advance in data storage that resembles more of a leap than a step forward. The new design unlocks higher operating temperatures for hard disk drives (HDDs) and with it, unprecedented data density, which the team says represents a ten-fold increase on current technologies.

In a HDD, data is written onto fast-spinning platters by a moving magnetic head. Special layers called carbon-based overcoats (COCs) protect these platters from mechanical damage and corrosion during operation, though these can only perform within a certain temperature range and also take up a lot of space.

Continue reading “High-density hard drive packed with graphene stores 10 times the data” »

Clouds on Mars — SpaceX Starlink — Science images.

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured rare clouds on Mars as telescopes peered into the center of the Milky Way and cosmonauts walked in space this week.

The Moon will get between us and the Sun next week, creating a fiery halo.

During the annular eclipse, the Sun is at its nearest point to Earth, while the Moon is at its greatest distance away from Earth, so it is not large enough to cover up the entirety of the Sun from our view from Earth.

When is the annular solar eclipse?

Continue reading “You need to watch the ‘ring of fire’ annular solar eclipse” »

Space weaponization is on the rise between the 3 super powers. This is dangerous and it could lead to the Stone Age.

HELSINKI — Russia and China have formally invited countries and international organizations to join the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project being developed by the two nations.

China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Russia’s Roscosmos said the ILRS project would be open to participation at all stages and levels. This includes planning, design, research, development, implementation and operations.

Continue reading “China, Russia open moon base project to international partners, early details emerge” »

A team of Leiden astronomers has managed to calculate the first 100 million years of the history of the Oort cloud in its entirety. Until now, only parts of the history had been studied separately. The cloud, with roughly 100 billion comet-like objects, forms an enormous shell at the edge of our solar system. The astronomers will soon publish their comprehensive simulation and its consequences in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

The Oort cloud was discovered in 1950 by the Dutch astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort to explain why there continue to be new comets with elongated orbits in our solar system. The cloud, which starts at more than 3000 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun, should not be confused with the Kuiper belt. This is the rim of rock, grains and ice in which the dwarf planet Pluto is located and which orbits relatively close to the Sun at about 30 to 50 times the Earth-Sun distance.

The space agency is launching two missions to study Venus’ atmosphere and geological history.

“I did a lot of screaming and jumping up and down,” Grinspoon tells Inverse. “I scared my dog.”

Continue reading “Why NASA’s return to Venus could help save the Earth” »

If space moguls like Elon Musk have their way, the red planet could one day be home to millions of people.

Arcadia Planitia, located in the northern hemisphere of the red planet, holds promise as a habitable, resource-rich area for space civilizations.

The Perseverance rover began a two-year mission to collect Martian soil samples this year. It’s the first of three missions, jointly sponsored by NASA and ESA, aiming to bring Martian soil back to Earth in hopes of finding evidence of past life. The total costs of the missions will likely exceed more than $9 billion.

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Continue reading “Why Two Pounds Of Dirt From Mars Costs $9 Billion | So Expensive” »

TAMPA, Fla. — Satellite operators have cleared a portion of C-band in a key step toward giving the spectrum to U.S. wireless companies in December.

Work has now started on installing filters on ground antennas across the United States, so wireless operators can use the lower 120 MHz of C-band for 5G without interfering with satellite broadcast customers.

Intelsat and SES, the satellite operators with the largest share of the 500 MHz C-band in the U.S., will get more than $2 billion from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) if they can hand over the 120 MHz swath of frequencies by Dec. 5.