Betelgeuse has been the center of significant media attention lately. The red supergiant is nearing the end of its life, and when a star over 10 times the mass of the Sun dies, it goes out in spectacular fashion. With its brightness recently dipping to the lowest point in the last hundred years, many space enthusiasts are excited that Betelgeuse may soon go supernova, exploding in a dazzling display that could be visible even in daylight.

While the famous star in Orion’s shoulder will likely meet its demise within the next million years—practically couple days in cosmic time—scientists maintain that its dimming is due to th...

Relativity Space, which aims to revolutionize spaceflight with its 3D-printed rockets, will soon be based out of a 120,000-square-foot (11,150 square meters) space in Long Beach, California, company representatives announced Friday (Feb. 28). The new facility, close to Relativity Space’s old Los Angeles headquarters, will house business operations and the autonomous factory that will churn out the company’s Terran 1 rocket. That vehicle is scheduled to fly for the first time next year.

“Relativity is disrupting nearly 60 years of prior aerospace technology by building a new manufacturing platform using robotics, 3D printing and AI,” Relativity Space CEO and co-founder Tim Ellis sai...

Researchers have developed an octopus-inspired soft robotic arm that can grip, move, and manipulate a wide range of objects. Its flexible, tapered design, complete with suction cups, gives the gripper a firm grasp on objects of all shapes, sizes and textures – from eggs to iPhones to large exercise balls.

Of all the cool things about octopuses (and there’s a lot), their arms may rank among the coolest...

 Effects of Germline VHL Deficiency on Growth, Metabolism, and Mitochondria. New England Journal of Medicine, 2020; 382 (9): 835 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1907362

A team of researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that reduces a patient’s ability to exercise efficiently.

In a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, a team including researchers from King’s College London have found a link between a genetic mutation that affects cellular oxygen sensing and a patient’s limited exercise capacity.

The team identified a patient who had a reduced rate of growth, persistent low blood sugar, a limited exercise capacity and a very high number of red blood cells.

The team carried out genetic and protein analysis of the patient, examined their respiratory physiolog...