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SpaceX mission control to do social distancing for first crewed flight

SpaceX’s first crewed launch is planned for 27 May and will be run from a mission control with desks set six feet apart to comply with social distancing protocols




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I'm a space archaeologist studying junk strewn across the solar system

From vintage satellites to lunar rovers, space archaeologist Alice Gorman is teasing out a unique history of humanity from the objects we've dispatched from Earth




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Social-Distance Policing Is Racially Skewed; How to Fix It




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'1619' Pulitzer Will Boost Socialist Teaching in Schools

The Pulitzer Prize Board this week awarded its commentary award to The New York Times' Nikole Hannah-Jones for her essay launching the "1619 Project." This will accelerate a trend already underway: subjecting schoolchildren to a curriculum that blames slavery on capitalism and whose creator believes socialism offers the best path to racial equity.




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There's One Big Reason Why the Economy Can't Reopen

The country faces the same problem today it did two months ago: There are not enough tests to contain the virus.




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Soft Exosuit Makes Walking and Running Easier Than Ever

A lightweight, flexible exosuit pulls on your muscles as you move to make you more efficient




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Russian Humanoid Robot to Pilot Soyuz Capsule to ISS This Week

Skybot F-850 will spend a week on the ISS charming astronauts with its sense of humor




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How Robotics Teams Are Solving the Biggest Problem at DARPA’s Subterranean Challenge

Supporting long-range communications inside of a mine is extremely difficult, so DARPA SubT teams are trying out some creative approaches




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Soft Self-Healing Materials for Robots That Cannot Be Destroyed

It'll take more than having its fingers chopped off to stop this robot hand




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Video Friday: Misty Robotics Begins Shipping Its Programmable Personal Robot

Your weekly selection of awesome robot videos




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Electronic License Plates for Drones May Come Soon

New drone standard for remote ID submitted for approval




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This "Useless" Social Robot Wants to Succeed Where Others Failed

The creators of Kiki believe they can build an emotionally engaging social home robot that is also "completely useless"




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OpenAI Teaches Robot Hand to Solve Rubik's Cube

Using reinforcement learning and randomized simulations, researchers taught this robot how to solve a Rubik's cube one-handed




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A Path Towards Reasonable Autonomous Weapons Regulation

Experts representing a diversity of views on autonomous weapons systems collaborate on a realistic policy roadmap



  • robotics
  • robotics/artificial-intelligence

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Quantum Computing Gets a Boost From AI and Crowdsourcing

Can an online game that combines human brainpower with AI solve intractable problems?




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Blue Frog Robotics Answers (Some of) Our Questions About Its Delayed Social Robot Buddy

Blue Frog Robotics CEO Rodolphe Hasselvander on the future of Buddy




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Microsoft's AI Research Draws Controversy Over Possible Disinformation Use

Microsoft's AI could enable its popular chatbot to comment on news, but critics see a tool for spreading disinformation



  • robotics
  • robotics/artificial-intelligence

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Predicting the Future with AI and Sound, Starting With Robots in Space

Bosch SoundSee combines deep learning with mobile microphone arrays to identify problems on the ISS before they happen



  • robotics
  • robotics/artificial-intelligence

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In 2016, Microsoft’s Racist Chatbot Revealed the Dangers of Online Conversation

The bot learned language from people on Twitter—but it also learned values



  • robotics
  • robotics/artificial-intelligence

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Help Rescuers Find Missing Persons With Drones and Computer Vision

A new contest aims to help first responders leverage computer vision algorithms and drone imagery during a search





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Boba Fett Might Just Jetpack in to Meet Baby Yoda on The Mandalorian Season 2

Temuera Morrison is appearing on the next season of the show.




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The Eddy Recap: Sad Songs Say So Much

“Amira” invites us to two very different Eddy celebrations, each with Farid at their center.





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Tyra Banks Admits Some America’s Next Top Model Moments Were Over the Line

Hindsight is 20/20, even if you’re smizing.




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The Best Video Games of the Year (So Far)

Whether they feature office bumbling, demon slaying, or parcel delivering, these games couldn’t have come at a better time.




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A Champagne Bottle Sized 'My Personal Bottomless Mimosa' Glass

Just in time for Mother's Day/continued at-home quarantine comes this 750mL 'My Personal Bottomless Mimosa' glass from BigMouth, Inc and available on Amazons. The surprisingly all-glass drinkware (but still hand-wash only on account of the decorations) combines the shape of a champagne bottle with a mimosa glass to holds 8 (read: 2-3) servings, and is perfect for letting the rest of your family know you're not to be bothered for the rest of the day because it may still be early here but, dammit, it's 5 o'clock somewhere that's nine and half hours ahead. Thanks to Tracey H, who informed me she can't count the number of times she's been asked to leave a bottomless brunch for really putting its bottomlessness to the test. Heck yeah, that's called doing God's work.




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Ocarina Of Time's 'Saria's Song' Performed On 24 Partially Empty Wine Bottles

This is a video of musician and Instagrammer nathanleighsays performing Saria's Song (the Lost Woods theme) from The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time on 24 partially empty wine bottles. How about that! Of course this would never work at my aunt's house on account of the bottles all playing the same note because they're empty. And the cats! Soooooo many cats. Keep going for the performance as well as a clip of Link learning Saria's song from the actual game.




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Nanoparticle solar cells make light work

Cheap, printable photovoltaics might finally live up to their early promise.




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Call of the Sea is coming to Xbox Series X in time for the console's launch



The Lovecraftian inspired adventure game will launch on Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC in late 2020 and will be available on Xbox Game Pass




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DIRT 5 release date confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series X and existing consoles



Codemasters next racing game, DIRT 5 has been announced.




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FIFA 20 TOTS La Liga Predictions for next Team of the Season So Far players



FIFA 20 Team Of The Season So Far continues this week, hopefully with the release of the La Liga FUT Squad. Here some predictions on who might be included, plus when they'll be announced.




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FIFA 20 TOTS Liga Nos Predictions for Portuguese Team of the Season So Far



FIFA 20 Team Of The Season So Far continues this week, hopefully with the additional release of the Portuguese Liga Nos FUT Squad. Here some predictions on who might be included, plus when they'll be announced.




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FIFA 20 TOTS Bundesliga Predictions & release delay for next Team of the Season



FIFA 20 Team Of The Season So Far continues this week, hopefully with the release of the Bundesliga FUT Squad. Here some predictions on who might be included, plus when they'll be announced.




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FIFA 20 TOTS La Liga Confirmed with New Team of the Season Ultimate Team Cards



FIFA 20 Team of the Season So Far Premier League Squad is now live and features Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann.




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RPGCast – Episode 243: “Gangnam Done Gone”

Laharl is coming back for another go. The Old School RPG was apparently too old school. And Charizard is burning up his own 3DS. All...




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RPGCast – Episode 244: “Just Give Me My Songs”

A few games with sordid histories are getting second chances. Skyrim is getting another collector’s edition. Baldur’s Gate is getting a new release date. Unfortunately,...




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RPGCast – Episode 245: “Mass Effect Football Manager 2013”

This week we figure out BioWare’s next title. Then we settle the great question of Persona 4 vs. Nocturne. Finally, we give our list of...




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RPGCast – Episode 246: “Cool”

You’re so cool, baby. You know you’re the best at talking to demons in SMT IV. You know you’re gonna get that Pokédex on the...




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RPGCast – Episode 247: “Japan Isn’t All Maid Cafés”

This week we figure out what to play on Wii U. Pier Solar decides what we should play on the Dreamcast. FFXIV decides that we...




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RPGCast – Episode 248: “Super Robot Wars OMG”

Kate Middleton is pregnant! I mean sure, there’s news about a successor to Planescape: Torment. And yeah there’s potentially a new Star Ocean game. But...




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RPGCast – Episode 249: “Imported Handheld Escorts”

We discover the most appropriate analogy for the current handheld market. Jon decides he’s ready to import a 3DS. Square Enix and Nintendo demonstrate how...




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RPGCast – Episode 250: “Feedback Festivus”

In this very special episode of the RPGCast, there’s a Christmas miracle! That’s right, we come up with a useful idea for the Wii U...




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RPGCast – Episode 251: “The Blooper Reel”

RPG Cast is back from its short hiatus with a couple hours of RPG related fun! CES brought us new gadgets to be cynical about....




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RPGCast – Episode 252: “They Announced What?”

This was a week of impossible announcements. Shin Megami Tensei crosses over with Fire Emblem. Project X Zone is coming to North America. Earthbound hits...




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RPGCast – Episode 253: “Set Podcast To Stun”

Star Trek Online is celebrating its third anniversary, but we uncover the sordid coverup that lies between the game’s aft nacelles. Also, you can now...




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RPGCast – Episode 254: “Who Needs Kickstarter?”

Class of Heroes decides to do a physical version after all. The Big Huge Games folks get more bad news. Quin teaches us about fictional...




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RPGCast – Episode 255: “Ear of Luigi”

Today Anna talks about her maple addiction and gets counseling to break the cycle. Meanwhile Manny gets the help he needs to conquer his fears...




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RPGCast – Episode 256: “It’s the Power of Two”

You don’t need fractions, don’t take square roots. Don’t need no matrix math to compute this product. It’s small then it’s bigger then it’s huge...




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RPGCast – Episode 257: “Remember This Podcast?”

EA loves microtransactions. Anna loves farming sims. Square Enix loves trademarks. Chris loves pirates. Mac addicts love…well…any game ports. Manny loves Devil Summoner. Zenimax loves...