Science and Future Technology

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(Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc ( UPS.N ) said on Tuesday it is buying 125 Tesla Inc ( TSLA.O ) all-electric semi-trucks, the largest known order for the big rig so far, as the package delivery company expands its fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles. Tesla is trying to convince the trucking community it can build an affordable electric big rig with the range and cargo capacity to compete with relatively low-cost, time-tested diesel trucks. This is the largest public order of the big rig so far, Tesla said. Tesla unveiled its semi last month and expects the truck to be in production by 2019. The Tesla trucks will cost around $200,000 each for a total order of about $25 million. UPS expects the semi-trucks, the big rigs that haul freight along America's highways, will have a lower total cost of ownership than conventional vehicles, which run at about $120,000. Tesla has received pre-orders from such major companies as Walmart ( WMT.N ), fleet operator J.B. Hunt Tra...

Apple  has released its most powerful computer ever. The iMac Pro looks like the traditional computer that hasn't changed in years, except with a darker, space grey finish. But inside it has been completely revamped, with Apple redesigning the inside of the Mac so that it can shove more processing power and other guts inside. The computer has gone on sale today, and will begin at £4,999, though all sorts of expensive additions can be added to get it all the way to top speed. Users can pay for a processor with a full 18 cores, for instance, if they're unhappy with the already incredibly fast 8-core processor that comes in the base model. The computer was first unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers' Conference in the summer. But little has been said about it ever since, until  a page appeared on the Apple website and they started being sent out to developers and other pros. Together it is intended to be far and away the most powerful computer that App...

A huge object that flew past Earth  might be an alien spacecraft, scientists have said. Scientists had originally thought that the cigar-shaped object was a very strange passing asteroid. But a number of things have led scientists engaged in the search for alien life to wonder whether it might actually be an "artifact" from an alien civilisation. Researchers involved in the Seti – Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence – project are now preparing to point a powerful telescope at the bizarre object and find where it came from. The mysterious object, which has been named Oumuamua, is our first visitor from another part of the galaxy to make it into our solar system. It flew past in October when it was spotted by astronomers from the University of Hawaii. Scientists initially presumed that it was an asteroid. But a number of strange characteristics have led them to wonder whether it might have been intentionally formed . Some researchers have suggested...

STAR Wars Battlefront 2 fans turn on EA over on Reddit, as the shocking true cost of DLC characters is uncovered. Star Wars Battlefront 2 developer EA is facing a backlash, as fans take to Reddit to criticise the game's DLC model. With the Star Wars Battlefront 2 release date just a few days away, fans have discovered the true cost of unlocking hero characters like Darth Vader. Star Wars Battlefront 2 won't have a season pass, but players will need to spend in-game credits to unlock new characters. A new report suggests Star Wars Battlefront 2 characters will cost 60,000 in-game credits, which will take an estimated 40 hours of playtime to earn. EA has responded to the controversy on  Reddit , telling fans that it will continue to make changes based on daily data. More controversially, EA said that it wants to provide players with a sense of accomplishment. "Our goal involves creating a compelling progression path for all of our players," EA e...

What's the country's wealthiest man to do with an extra $80 million lying around? Build his own "smart city," of course. Microsoft Corp. cofounder Bill Gates and his investment firm Belmont Partners have invested $80 million to jump-start development of a smart community in Arizona. Gates bought about 25,000 acres of land in the state's West Valley, about 45 minutes west of downtown Phoenix, Belmont Partners told local media, according to KPNX. The proposed community will be called Belmont. "Belmont will create a forward-thinking community with a communication and infrastructure spine that embraces cutting-edge technology, designed around high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles and autonomous logistics hubs," Belmont Partners said in a news release. Belmont Partners said 3,800 acres will be devoted to office, commercial and retail space. About 470 ...

NEW YORK, Nov 13 — As promised, the new 2019 Corvette ZR1 is the fastest and most powerful in the nameplate’s 64-year history. But this is a ZR1 that has been built as much for having fun in the corners without coming unstuck as it has been designed for impromptu and (highly illegal) perfectly straight-line drag races between sets of traffic lights. The car’s 6.2-litre supercharged V8 has been independently verified as outputting 755hp to the rear wheels while torque available is a huge 969Nm or 715 lb-ft. But GM has done more than simply strap a bigger blower to the crankshaft to force-feed the engine more and more air. This is the first engine from the company that uses both primary injection and supplemental port fuel injection for the biggest possible bang on every revolution. And, what’s more, all of that power can be enjoyed via a seven-speed manual or, for the first time ever in a ‘Vette carrying the ZR1 badge, an automatic transmission. However, it’s a serious, race...

The 2018 Aston Martin Vantage will make its world premiere later this month. Before the overhauled British sports car is unveiled, a few details have already been revealed. Earlier this week, Aston Martin released a new  teaser image  for the next-generation Vantage. The promotional picture does not feature the sports car; instead, it focuses on the piercing blue eyes of a wolf. The social media post came with the hashtag #BeautifulWontBeTamed and confirmed the 2018 Aston Martin Vantage's debut on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The British automaker previously released two other  teaser images , showing the new Vantage's headlights and taillights albeit under drapes. Though official details for the upcoming sports car have not been revealed yet, it is expected to be heavily inspired by the bespoke DB10 coupe used by James Bond in the 2015 movie "Spectre." According to  Autocar , the 2018 Vantage will be built using a new aluminum architecture, which is a shorter ve...

On Saturday, the Dream Chaser space plane completed a milestone in its development. During an “approach and landing” test, the spacecraft was dropped from a helicopter to fly back to a landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The company behind the space plane confirmed the successful test in a tweet on Saturday night,  saying , “The Dream Chaser had a beautiful flight and landing!” The company released no immediate, additional details about the test. (It promised more information Monday). But Saturday’s flight clearly marks a significant milestone for Dream Chaser and its manufacturer, Sierra Nevada Corporation. During the last free-flight test in 2013, the spacecraft had a problem with the deployment of its left landing gear, causing the plane to skid off the runway and leading to minor damage. At the time,  Dream Chaser  was competing with Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft as entrants in NASA’s commercial crew competition. A year...

The TicHome Mini is a welcome newcomer in the world of smart speakers. It brings some excellent features that currently aren’t available on other  Google Home devices , such as IPX6 splash-resistance and a built-in battery. Pound-for-pound it’s the most feature-packed smart speaker I’ve tested. At first glance Mobvoi ’s TicHome Mini looks like a baby Roomba, or slightly less like a hockey puck than an Echo Dot. It’s also slightly larger than the Echo Dot or Google Home Mini, at over 4 inches in diameter. And it comes with an attached strap, giving it a leg up in convenience — you can hang it on the wall or dangle it from a bicycle or  I was surprised by the speaker’s sound. Earlier impressions I’d read led me to believe it would be tinny or lacking lows. My experience with it was pleasant – it sounds better than the modest 3W speaker should thanks to clever design. A 360 degrees speaker-grill on the bottom helps it fill a room, but it does lose a touch of depth i...

Rumors in early October had Nintendo  more than doubling production  for the highly successful  Switch  in order to meet what will almost certainly be crushing demand during the holidays. The company may be planning even higher volumes for next year — perhaps as many as 30 million consoles. Citing sources with direct knowledge of the plans,  the Wall Street Journal reports  that Nintendo has started sharing the idea of expanded manufacturing with partners. 25 to 30 million is the cited goal volume, but they could aim even higher depending on how the holidays go. The goal mentioned in October’s report was 10 million units out the door by March 2018, but by the end of the month Nintendo had  upped its sales predictions to 14 million  in the same period, perhaps even as high as 17 million. That would put its first-year sales well ahead of the lifetime sales of the unfortunate Wii U. With games like the new  Zelda  and  ...

Handle Handle is a research robot that stands 6.5 ft tall, travels at 9 mph and jumps 4​ ​feet vertically. ​It uses electric power to operate both electric and hydraulic actuators, with a range of about 15 miles on one battery charge. ​​​ Handle uses many of the same dynamics, balance and mobile manipulation principles​ found in the quadruped and biped robots we build, but with only about 10 actuated joints, it is significantly less complex. Wheels are efficient on flat surfaces while legs can go almost anywhere: by combining wheels and legs Handle can have the best of both worlds . WATCH VIDEO