Monthly Archives: March 2022

In an interview with Futurism's Jolene Creighton, Neil deGrasse Tyson said rather than colonizing Mars, we should aim for "just an outpost." Tyson went on to describe the highly unlikely possibility that humanity would be able to develop the necessary "entire infrastructure in which you live that mimics Earth."

"We'd rather stay where it is warm and comfortable," said Tyson. While Tyson is not optimistic about humans establishing a large footprint on Mars, his position stands in sharp contrast to Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX. Despite his assertions about early explorers needing to prepare for the worst, Musk continues to dare to dream that we might reach Mars soonand is getting the SpaceX Starship ready for the journey.

According to NPR, Musk is targeting 2029 as the timeframe for landing the first humans on Mars with cargo missions sent in advance to give astronauts the resources and materials they will need to set up an initial base. No doubt, we will all be watching in awe as this unfolds and wonder who will ultimately be right about the future Mars holds for human civilization: Neil deGrasse Tyson or Elon Musk?

Continued here:

Why Humans Will Never Go To Mars, According To Neil deGrasse Tyson - SlashGear

A lot has changed since we first put boots on the Lunar surface over 50 years ago. Now, with NASA planning to use the Moon as a launching point for future space missions, its time to start talking about how astronauts and people will communicate with the rest of us on Earth. Thats where startups like Aquarian Space come into play. The startup says it plans to bring internet to the Moon within two years.

Humanity has a lot planned for the Moon in the coming years. Not only is NASA planning to put humans back on the Moon, but it also wants to use the Moon as a possible launching point for other space missions. If were going to do all of that, though, we need to have a reliable way to communicate between Earth and the Lunar surface.

Aquarian Space thinks that it has the answer to this conundrum. The company recently announced that it has received $650,000 in seed funding. That funding will be used to develop a broadband internet connection linking Earth to the Moon, and maybe even Mars down the line. The goal, overall, is to offer the first commercial high data communications network in the Solar System.

Its a noble goal and one that future space explorers will not doubt appreciate when it is up and running.

Aquarian Space is calling its new service Solnet, and it expects to launch the first satellite in 2024. It will follow that with a second launch in 2025 to cover the Moons South Pole. The company has yet to share what kind of satellites it plans to use to put the internet on the Moon.

Another part of what makes this new internet service promising is that manufacturers wont need to change their spacecraft designs to work with Aquarians technology. At least, thats what the company claims. The company is currently undergoing technical review in NASAs Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, according to Space.com. There is no ETA on when that review will finish up.

Solnet sounds like a promising approach to putting internet on the Moon. And, if Aquarian Space is able to create a system that works seamlessly with any spacecraft, it could open a lot of doors for itself in the future. Still, it could take years for us to put boots back on the Lunar surface. And, it might take even longer to create a Lunar colony.

In the meantime, other companies are also working towards creating internet for the Solar System, including Elon Musks SpaceX.

Originally posted here:

Aquarian Space says itll launch Wi-Fi on the Moon within 2 years - BGR

All it takes is one line ...

And then a bunch more

And then a lot more still

... to create this.

What you're looking at is a tool that could aidour coral ecosystems.

(And it's made with3D printing )

Human hands have brought our oceans to a crisis point, but these same hands have the power to change that, bit by bit with a little bit of help from 3D printing.

One of these tools made it to the Maldives in 2018.

Near the coast of Summer Island to be specific.

Officially called the Modular Artificial Reef Structure (MARS), these lattice-like structures sit on the sea floor.

This is what they look like once they're installed.

Think of them like Lego blocks Lego for the tropics.

The MARS units are the brainchild of Alex Goad. He's the founder of industrial design studio, Reef Design Lab (RDL).

"It was actually my graduate project from uni, so I'm just that person who could never let his graduate project go," Goad told ABC RN's Blueprint For Living.

He said the units are designed to attract the growth of new coral, to "act as a permanent coral farming device".

Of course, coral farming's success is dependent on keeping ocean temperatures from rising to such an extent that coral can no longer survive.

And in recent weeks, new climate reports and a widespread bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef have demonstrated how much of a precipice coral reefs are on.

RDL's MARS units are made with incredibly complex surface geometry mimicking the crevices, gaps, and indents of natural coral environments to foster new coral growth.

Some of the MARS units are installed with transplanted corals, or coral "frags" think of these as starter kits for a new coral colony.

These are grown in a coral nursery then returned to their natural habitat.

Goad wanted to eliminate the need for heavy machinery during installation.

Instead, his MARS units can be installed with divers and a dinghy.

These units have to survive the extremely corrosive environment under the sea.

So, Goad took some inspiration from the Ancient Romans to inform his decidedly modern invention.

"If you think about the ceramic amphora [vases] that they still find in the Mediterranean Sea after thousands of years, we clearly know ceramic is a great material for longevity underwater," he told RN Blueprint.

"We use a combination of 3D-printed moulds and slip casting to create the ceramic exterior.

"We then fill that with marine concrete and take the units individually underwater to start building these lattice structures."

Beneath the surface, divers gather coral frags

which are installed on the MARS unit.

And if all goes well new coral begins to take shape.

In time, the structures may become shelter for local fish.

This one's attracted a moray eel.

When it was installed in 2018, the MARS reef took the Guinness World Record for being the worlds largest 3D-printed ceramic reef.

What started as Goads 2013 uni project has since been exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Milan Triennale, Helsinki's Design Museum, and the National Gallery of Victoria.

"[MARS] was the catalyst for starting the lab and continuing down a path of digital fabrication for marine restoration projects," Goad told RN Blueprint.

The labs work all hinges on 3D printings ability to create incredibly intricate objects that traditional manufacturing cant.

While traditional manufacturing cuts away from a lump of raw material, 3D printing builds an object layer by layer.

Designers can print objects with a multitude of materials simultaneously, with exceptionally fine detail even replicating things like skin and organ tissue.

So, when it comes to mimicking the complexity of the natural world, 3D printing is one of the best tools out there.

"If we were to use any other fabrication method, it's just harder and much more expensive for us to make the organic geometry that we really want to test," Goad told RN Blueprint.

"It's very affordable to have a 3D-printing farm like what we have here

" to test out all these different ideas so easily."

As Goad points out, his artificial reef blocks are "only one of a million different restoration tools being used at the moment".

So what else has the lab been working on?

If you're reading this in Australia, chances are you live within 50 kilometres of the ocean, like around 85 per cent of Australians.

Australian coasts are at risk of being "loved to death", because urban sprawl isn't just a phenomenon that happens on land.

"We're very aware of habitat loss that's happening on land. We can see when we're removing a forest the same things are actually happening underwaterwe just don't see it," Maria Vozzo, a marine ecologist and research fellow at the CSIRO, told Blueprint for Living.

In many urban areas, coasts are partly and in some cases completely artificial, neatly bordered by seawalls, jetties and building platforms.

Sydney Harbour, for example, has 50 per cent of its coast wrapped up in artificial structures. The platform that holds up the Sydney Opera House is one obvious example.

While these structures protect our built environment from inundation, they interrupt the habitats beneath the surface.

And that's why the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) has created these.

Known as "living seawalls", they're tiles made of marine concrete, cast from 3D-printed moulds all designed by Reef Design Lab.

They're attached, Lego-like, to artificial structures to mimic the "architecture" of the coastlines they're placed in.

And, with time, many marine creatures call the tiles' nooks and crannies home.

Until recently, Dr Vozzo was manager of SIMS's Living Seawall program, an example of the emerging discipline of "eco-engineering", where environmental science and remedial design collide.

To test variations in their tile designs, SIMS and Reef Design Lab collaborate on custom 3D-printed moulds.

Prior to 3D printing, SIMS researchers had to contend with rudimentary experiments, like cutting flower pots in half and attaching them to seawalls to mimic rockpools.

"As researchers, we tend to go to Bunnings and see what we can find to try and retrofit something," Dr Vozzo said.

"Getting to that fine scale of modifying designs like [seeing] what would happen if [tiles] had 45 and 55 degree angles was something we couldn't do before."

Dr Vozzo told Blueprint she hopes that greater diversity in tile design brings greater biodiversity to Sydney Harbour.

"Designs that either retain water during low tide, or provide shade and moisture to keep the habitat cooler, have been really beneficial," she said.

"We tend to see really high [species] diversity and abundance in those types of features."

Further south, the Reef Design Lab has been working with the University of Melbourne to create custom planters to support mangrove seedlings.

And on the other side of the Earth in the North Sea, RDL has a project with WWF Netherlands, using 3D-printed reefs to bring back biodiversity to one of the world's busiest seas.

But do these objects actually work?

No feat of eco-engineering can ever be an equal substitute for an existing natural environment.

So, developers should only turn to it as a last resort.

"Something that we're always very cautious of is greenwashing an excuse for developers to build a really damaging seawall in an ecologically important area," says Goad.

"We would never want a whole mangrove forest to be destroyed and have a Living Seawall put in its place."

It's a sentiment shared by Dr Vozzo.

"[SIMS] has been approached by different companies wanting to develop or modify natural shorelines [using] the Living Seawalls as an offset, when in our opinion, the development or modification wasn't needed it was just a way for the project to get over the line," she toldBlueprint for Living.

"There's plenty of work going into living shorelines, where you use oyster reefs, salt marsh, mangroves or a combination of those to protect shorelines rather than build a hard structure. We want those options explored first."

But where hard underwater structures already exist, living seawall tiles can help mitigate the damage, Dr Vozzo said.

As eco-engineering is a relatively new field, there isn't a heap of peer-reviewed research into how well it works.

Louise Firth, a marine biologist at the UK's University of Plymouth, co-authored a summary of the research on eco-engineered marine structures.

The upshot?

"The evidence is often pointing in the right direction that you can do interventions to improve the biodiversity and functioning of these environments," said Dr Firth.

"But it doesn't always work."

Much of the research about the Reef Design Lab's work specifically is still underway.

It's also important to note that this research while peer-reviewed involves institutes that have directly commissioned the lab's work. This includes a SIMS-led study released in October 2020.

That study analysed the results of their World Harbour Project, a simultaneous global experiment to see whether geometrically complex seawall tiles cast from RDL's 3D-printed moulds could increase biodiversity everywhere they were installed.

Spanning 14 intertidal locations around the globe, the study found designs with greater surface complexity did support more species and higher populations of marine life.

But this wasn't universal, with only 10 out of 14 locations recording positive effects when complex tiles were introduced.

Tropical locations seemed to fare better than temperate ones, and the takeaway was that tiles need to be tailored to their local environment.

"Costly eco-engineering interventions may have negligible benefit at some locations and may even negatively influence some if applied blindly," the study authors concluded.

Another study investigated whether complex Living Seawall tiles could have multiple functions.

It looked at whether tiles could boost biodiversity and also lead to greater water filtration from species like oysters and mussels around Sydney Harbour.

The researchers observed complex tiles, as well as other tiles that came seeded with native oysters.

Greater complexity improved biodiversity and abundance, but there was a catch. Seeding was weaker on more complex tiles, although still more effective than with flat or unseeded tiles.

Another SIMS study currently being peer-reviewed suggests different tile designs support different marine species.

"By having a mosaic of them on a seawall, you can support little communities within this broader living seawall," Dr Vozzo said.

For Dr Vozzo, what's promising is the speed at which biodiversity takes to eco-engineered seawalls.

"The existing community like oysters on a flat seawall have been there for decades, if not longer," she said.

"After six months, the diversity [on living seawall tiles] already matches that of a decades-old community on an [unmodified] seawall, and after just two years, we've actually exceeded that diversity.

"Different designs or geometries do support distinct communities, and by [doing] this, you're further increasing the diversity over a stretch of seawall."

Eco-engineering seems like a tantalising prospect in a world reaching for technological convenience, while facing rapid warming.

But eco-engineering alone isn't going to be the silver bullet that some want it to be.

"We get a lot of people saying, We have mass coral bleaching in our area, can you bring some MARS units in?" Goad said.

"Even with a farming process, if you get really bad heat waves, everything is going to bleach anyway."

Still, eco-engineering is a tool to combat an existential threat that requires a plethora of responses.

Go here to read the rest:

Design, climate change, and the 'eco-engineering' tools to help our oceans adapt - ABC News

What's better than a rom-com? The upcoming HBO Max movie "Moonshot" seems to think the answer to that question is "a rom-com in space"! Starring Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor, the sci-fi rom-com follows two unlikely allies on a space shuttle to a Mars colony. It definitely sounds like the kind of world that could support a ton of stories, but if you're wondering whether a "Moonshot" sequel is in the works, it might be a while before we get answers.

There are at least a few behind-the-scenes factors that could make a sequel easier. According to Deadline, "Moonshot" is the second movie in a four-movie deal between production company Berlanti/Schechter Films and HBO Max.

The first movie in the deal, "Unpregnant," hit HBO Max in 2020. That still leaves two more movies to go to complete the deal, and there's really no reason one of those couldn't be a "Moonshot" sequel. This is, of course, if everyone involved decides that a sequel sounds like a good idea.

Like with most movies (and TV shows, for that matter), the question of whether or not a sequel ever happens really will rest heavily on how well the first one does. On the surface, it certainly seems like the kind of movie that would attract a decent-size audience. The two lead actors are both fast-rising stars thanks to roles in popular, young-adult-oriented franchises, and the supporting cast is filled with other recognizable names like Zach Braff, Mason Gooding, and Lukas Gage.

Unlike some of the other recent HBO Max movie releases, "Moonshot" is an HBO Max exclusive rather than a simultaneous streaming and theatrical release. This will make it a little harder for ordinary viewers to know how well it does right away. But rest assured that if a sequel does end up happening, we'll hear about it soon!

Read the rest here:

A Sequel to "Moonshot" Isn't Totally Out of the Realm of Possibility - POPSUGAR

Newswise HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (March 25, 2022) After two years of work, a four-function robotic rover developed for use on Mars by a 21-person Space Hardware Club (SHC) team at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, will be in summer competition at the University Rover Challenge (URC) finals in the desert of southern Utah.

The Adaptable Service Transport Research Apparatus (ASTRA) team recently earned a perfect score in the science category for its URC System Acceptance Review to advance to Utah. This is one of the most impressive SAR submissions by a novice team I have ever seen, a reviewer wrote. Kudos to you all.

Outfitted with a very dexterous main arm, ASTRA is equipped with cameras, a microscope, a spectrometer and the hardware and chemicals needed to conduct tests to detect life.

The URC, a project of The Mars Society, is the world's premier robotics competition for college students. It challenges student teams to design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside astronauts exploring the red planet.

Under URC rules, the rover has to fit inside a cube-shaped space that is 1.2 meters on all sides, or almost 4 feet. Once deployed, the rover can get bigger.

Our rover has a footprint that is 1.19 x 0.9 meters and is 1.19 meters tall when stowed, says team lead Shelby Tull, a senior in aerospace engineering from Nashville, Tenn., who founded the project. It gets taller when we deploy its antenna. At its heaviest, the rover weighs 46.9 kg, or 103.4 pounds.

The rover is designed to accomplish four unique missions, Tull says.

One of those missions is life detection. More specifically, it has to look at rocks and soil and tell whether there is extant life, extinct life or no life, she says. The other missions are extreme retrieval and delivery involving picking up heavy objects and carrying them across difficult terrain, equipment servicing involving dexterous tasks like using a keyboard, and autonomous navigation.

Using a vacuum and cyclonic separator, the rover can pick up either Earthly dirt or Martian regolith and perform a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) test by adding a mixture of copper sulfate and BCA to the sample. If the chemicals turn purple, that indicates protein, which can only exist if there is extant life.

We use our onboard spectrometer to look for pigments that are also only found with life, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids, Tull says.

For rock samples, the rover has a rudimentary arm with a camera and a microscope to take a closer look at samples.

On rocks, we are really looking for endoliths and hypoliths those are colonies of organisms that grow on, inside and underneath the rock, Tull says. We might see streaks of green or gray, which indicate plant or bacterial life.

For extinct life, the rovers cameras allow the team to search out two types of fossils: cast fossils and trace fossils.

Cast fossils are what you usually think of when you think about a fossil, the actual shape of the organism petrified into rock, Tull says. Trace fossils are other things that organisms leave behind, such as footprints or nests.

Primarily manually operated, ASTRA is also able to autonomously drive to Global Positioning System (GPS) waypoints over flat terrain using an on-board GPS sensor and magnetometer to drive to coordinates.

Advised by Dr. Gang Wang, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Dr. Richard Tantaris, a mechanical and aerospace engineering lecturer, the SHC team is working to enable the rover to detect obstacles in its path so it can operate autonomously on rougher terrain.

The main arm is remarkably precise in operation, and thats the result of a lot of design work upfront, says electrical lead Thomas Bennett, a graduate student in aerospace systems from Charleston, S.C.

Getting it to be so dexterous didn't really take much fine tuning at all, it was basically that good from when we first turned it all on! Bennett says. That's not to say we just got lucky though. We really did our homework when designing it. We selected components and designed it from the beginning to have the best balance of strength and dexterity.

Weight is always a consideration in long-distance spaceflight and so the arm went through several design revisions to implement the same mechanical structure using lighter and lighter components, Bennett says. As for the software that controls it, I have to thank UAH's Dr. Farbod Fahimi, he says. Dr. Fahimi is an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Taking his MAE 664 class taught me everything I needed to know, Bennett says. I even used one of my old assignments as a basis for the control software."

Tull says that for her, the most challenging part of developing the device was designing the biosensor module used to detect life.

We have no biology or chemistry majors on the team at this time, so we had to do a lot of homework to get it right. It was very difficult to sort through scholarly research without being familiar with all the vocabulary used in biochemistry! she says.

We were also in uncharted territory when designing the spectrometer, which involved a lot of research in optics. Thomas actually wrote an optical simulation program in MATLAB, which simulated the path that rays of light follow in our spectrometer. He got it right to within 60 microns!

Other team members think the arms design and fabrication were the most challenging parts, she says. Most mechanical components were fabricated in the UAH Research Machine Shop under the guidance of Jim Buckley, prototype development specialist. Final assembly and all electronics work was done in the Space Hardware Club's lab in UAHs Optics Building.

It was pretty challenging finding enough room to work, but I'd say we've managed it pretty nicely, Tull says. Space Hardware Club's cage in the shop is full, and we have to share lab space with other Space Hardware Club projects, but working under difficult constraints is what engineers do.

The design and refinement process hasnt stopped as the team advances through the layers of URC review needed first before ASTRA can actually perform on the desert sand. Testing has revealed opportunities for improvement in the suspension, wheels and drivetrain.

We're hoping to end up with a suspension structure that's trapezoidal instead of the triangle we have now, with larger wheels and more of a speed reduction between our motors and wheels, Tull says.

The team is also working to enclose exposed electronics, fine tune the camera placement and smooth operation through upgraded software.

Our current biosensor is also only a prototype, and we're going to be going back and remaking that from scratch in order to make it much more refined, she says. Lastly, we also need to finish our autonomous navigation system by adding obstacle avoidance.

The 21-member ASTRA team is large, Tull says, but other URC teams have as many as 90 members.

We are actually on the smaller side for a URC team, she says. I founded this project in February, 2020, with about five or six other people, so we have definitely grown.

When she founded ASTRA, Tull had a completely different goal in mind.

At the time, I was obsessed with the prospect of interstellar exploration and specifically studying exoplanets, she says. In the future, space probes will have to autonomously identify their own science targets, simply because they are too far away for researchers at Earth to make decisions in real time.

ASTRA started out as an autonomous science target identification rover project.

However, just a couple weeks after I got some friends together for my idea, we discovered the University Rover Challenge, which combined several of my interests with several of theirs.

While the experience has taught her a lot, from technical information and design work to project management, Tull says the most important lesson is the value of surrounding herself with people who know a lot more than she does about their own unique fields.

There's an old adage, If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room, which I have found to be very true through this project, she says. I have learned so much over the course of two years, but it all boils down to the amazing peers who I have worked with along the way.

About The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Launched from America's quest to conquer space, The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of Americas premier doctoral-granting, research-intensive universities. Located in the second largest research park in the United States, UAH has robust capabilities in astrophysics, cybersecurity, data analytics, logistics and supply chain management, optical systems and engineering, reliability and failure analysis, rotorcraft and unmanned systems, severe weather, space propulsion and more. UAH prepares students for demanding positions in engineering, the sciences, business, nursing, education, the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Read the original post:

UAH Space Hardware Club teams robotic rover on its way to summertime competition in Utah - Newswise

We don't see sci-fi movies at the Oscars as often as we like, but over the years some amazing sci-fi flicks have received the recognition they deserved.

That's right, its that time of the year again when celebrities and creative luminaries dust off their tuxedos or ball gowns to join the pomp and pageantry that is the Academy Award Ceremony.

Sunday, March 27, 2022 is the date set for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 94th edition of this gala event that recognizes outstanding achievements from Hollywoods finest actors, directors, screenwriters, editors, composers, producers, cinematographers, costumers, special effects gurus, and sound technicians. The ultimate reward for victory is the iconic golden Oscar statue, recognition of excellence, and the admiration (or envy) from your peers.

Science fiction has had a sticky relationship with the Oscars over the decades, often regarded as low-brow, B-movie fare until Stanley Kubricks existential masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey shattered perceptions back in 1968. Then in 1977, George Lucas launched his Star Wars empire that solidified the genre as extremely profitable and ultimately worthy of respect. Even so, only the best sci-fi movies have a chance of winning big at the Oscars.

Over the past few decades there have been many notable winners based on speculative fiction material, whether that's realistic space movies or full-blown sci-fi, but which are the best of the best? Lets walk down the red carpet and salute the 10 Most Successful Sci-Fi Movies In Oscar History.

James Cameron never wanted to imitate Ridley Scotts stylish original Alien film and instead went for a gung-ho combat film filled with old-school war movie tropes and a blistering pace that grabs you by the jugular. Colonial Marines are sent back to the hostile planetoid LV-426 to investigate the lost terraforming colony known as Hadleys Hope.

The bug hunt begins as soon as boots are on the ground and never ends until Ripleys final epic confrontation with the menacing Alien Queen back aboard the U.S.S. Sulaco troop transport spaceship. If you want to watch this absolute gem, check out our Alien streaming guide.

Life finds a way, as seen in the first movie that spawned a billion-dollar dinosaur franchise. Featuring an exotic island theme park populated with cloned biological attractions, Jurassic Park was a multi-generational crowd-pleaser adapted from author Michael Crichtons best-selling novel of the same name.

Whats most shocking about Spielbergs epic sci-fi adventure is how well the computer-generated dinosaurs hold up after nearly 30 years, which is a testament to the team at Industrial Light and Magic. And kudos to Stan Winston and his team for elevating practical effects to another dimension with their full-size articulated monsters inflicting true terror on viewers. Even after four sequels and a fifth on its way, the original is by far still the best.

Watch Jurassic Park on HBO Max

Afrofuturism takes center stage in this mega-successful Marvel movie chronicling the rise of TChalla, the charismatic king of the secret techno kingdom of Wakanda and its exploitation to acquire the rare exotic metal called Vibranium. Its a gorgeous movie in every respect and its pounding tribal soundtrack allows for complete immersion into its imaginary comic book world.

Chadwick Boseman delivers a standout performance as the titular superhero and his untimely passing in 2020 was mourned by fans worldwide. A highly-anticipated sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, arrives in November of 2022 without Boseman or the character being recast. If you want to revisit Wakanda and relive the magic, check out our Marvel streaming guide.

Watch Black Panther on Disney Plus

Welcome to the wondrous planet of Pandora, where peaceful native inhabitants called the Navi are trying to protect their sacred land from a greedy interstellar corporation bent on destruction and domination. The corporation is trying to mine the rare mineral Unobtainium, which we're pretty sure was a placeholder name that got left in the script. Despite that, Camerons lush worldbuilding and inspiring tale of a paraplegic named Jake Sully who enters an artificial body to act as a liaison between the two cultures enthralled audiences to elevate the film to the number one spot on the all-time box office list.

Its soaring visuals and vibrant biomes captured the hearts and imaginations of sci-fi fans worldwide who are now eagerly awaiting the first of three planned sequels this December.

Watch Avatar on Disney Plus

Just like he told you in 1984s Terminator, Arnolds T-800 assassin robot is back for this blockbuster follow-up that most fans and critics feel was the high-water mark for the franchise.

This version of the indefatigable killing machine has returned to protect Sarah Connor and her future resistance leader son, John, instead of trying to murder them. But a shape-shifting liquid metal upgrade called a T-1000 played to chilling perfection by Robert Patrick is out to reshape the future. Like Camerons macho xenomorph hunting mission in Aliens, this Hollywood tentpole is a juggernaut of stunning action set pieces and humanistic pathos. Box office receipts topped $500 million for a theatrical slam-dunk that would inspire four more sequels of diminishing merit.

Is the totem still twirling? Nolans mind-bending tale of a dream insertion team attempting to plant a notion into a billionaire CEOs brain is slightly confusing but nonetheless an exhilarating ride. It's a great example of a well-executed concept using all the tricks of the cinematic trade. Composer Hans Zimmers original score is both brilliant and bombastic and adds another gem to his body of work with Nolan that included Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

You might get lost in the movies multi-level dreamscapes but youll emerge in the end having experienced something totally fresh and fulfilling, even if you cant explain every last trippy detail.

Watch Inception on HBO Max

The beloved movie that immortalized Reeses Pieces candy was initially titled A Boys Life and began as a much darker coming-of-age movie. When a squat little alien is stranded on Earth hes discovered by a young boy who befriends the strange creature and welcomes him into his familys suburban California household. But nefarious government agents are on E.T.s trail while his new allies attempt to keep him safe and find a way to signal his kind so he can go back to his alien world.

Special effects master Carlo Rambaldi and his crew created the $1.5 million puppet that made audiences believe and brought the gentle alien to life. This magical film celebrates its 40th birthday in June.

The post-apocalyptic wastelands of Earth never looked so cool as in director George Millers reboot of Mad Max, the 1979 classic starring Mel Gibson. This gritty resurrection of the burned-out former Main Force Police officer is a visual feast of savage freaks, antihero saviors, tragic villains, and souped-up battle wagons. Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Charlize Therons Imperator Furiosa made for a formidable couple with searing chemistry up against the evil Immortal Joe.

Its all a high-octane, adrenalized thrill ride punctuated by flaming guitars and the driving techno score by Junkie XL. A masterful, modern day fable for unsettling times.

Watch Mad Max: Fury Road on HBO Max

Sweeping outer space vistas combined with a gripping story of astronaut survival made Gravity the must-see movie of 2013 and it was amply rewarded when it came to Academy Awards time. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney portray shuttle crew members who must use their wits and training while attempting to save themselves and return to Earth after space debris destroys their craft.

Though perceived as slightly over-rated in the past decade, its jaw-dropping visuals from cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki remain inspiring and revelatory. Its detailed plot reinforces the irrefutable fact that outer space is a cold, unforgiving environment.

The original space opera that launched a $70 billion empire was a big winner on Oscar night in 1978, including a rare Special Achievement statue for engineer Ben Burtt who created sound effects for the droids, spaceships, blasters, and lightsabers.

It's a rousing space spectacle about an ambitious farm boy from the planet Tatooine and his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi going to save a princess from the clutches of the Empire and its evil overlord Darth Vader. Along the way, he enlists the help of a handsome smuggler and his walking carpet Wookie companion. Star Wars is a sci-fi icon that still feels amazingly fresh as we celebrate its 45th anniversary in May.

Watch Star Wars on Disney Plus

See more here:

10 most successful sci-fi movies at the Oscars - Space.com

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Simulation Games. You know they exist because there are justso many out there. No, really, there are a lot of them as our title for this list states quite clearly. But the reason there are so many is that many people get into them so they can try out things that they wont do in the real world, or to experience something they cant in reality. So with that, allow us to show you the 50 Best Simulation Games of All Time!

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Have you ever wanted to be a wrestler? Well, if you have but you couldnt do it for one reason or another, WWE 2k22 is a good simulation game to help you become what you dreamed of. Yes, the WWE 2K series hasnt always been good (or even meh at times), but this one is a decided improvement. The graphics are solid, the gameplay is tight enough, and there are plenty of modes to do.

Including a GM mode where youll try and manage your roster and put on the best show possible.

Plus, youll be able to create a character and have them fight against the current (and former) WWE superstars.

So give it a world and see if you can be a starthennowforever.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Its only fitting that we go from one fighting game to the other. This time though we rewind time a little bit and go to the hard-hitting UFC series. The UFC brand was very different back in 2017, and their title was very much an improvement over the previous game in the series.

With various overhauls in terms of graphics and gameplay, youll feel like a fighter as you enter the Octagon and try to fight as and against some of the best in the world.

Do you have what it takes to be the top of the UFC? Jump in the eight sides of steel and find out.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

When the Jurassic World movie came out and rocked the theaters (in the good way), it was only natural that there would be spinoffs of a sort to make an attempt to capture that good will and one of those methods was that of Jurassic World Evolution.

This was a game made to give you the chance to be what Jurassic Park/World was, a builder of a place where the dinosaurs could live.

Youll construct your zoo and then try and keep it both safe and contained as you start getting more and more dinosaurs in your care. Plus, the cast of the movie come in to offer guidance and help you in certain scenarios.

Its not as easy as it looks, and youll need to be sharp if youre going to keep the dinosaurs in their zones.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, macOS

The irony about simulation games is that they can be aboutwellanything. Prison Architect is a multi-pronged game if you will about prisons. On one hand, you can go and be a ruthless prison warden who aims to keep his prisoners locked up at all costs.

Or, you can flip the script and become a prisoner who is trying at all costs to get OUT of the prison. You can play this game either way and as such theres a lot to do. You can even make prisons for others to try and escape from, or, escape from their prisons that they upload online.

Think you can make the great escape?

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S

On the surface, Farming Simulator 22 doesnt sound like something youd want to play. Especially when you learn that trying to play it can be hard due to its lack of a tutorial. But, if you have patience, and you let the game explain itself to you in its own wayyoure going to find a rather deep experience.

Because as the name states, this is a game where you become a farmer. Youll have land and need to take care of it to grow crops, make profits, and expand your growth in order to keep things moving. Its not going to be easy, as any farmer can tell you in the real world. Youll need to manage your funds while also ensuring you have the best tools for the job so that you dont go broke.

But people really like this title, and theyre even turning it into an eSport! Yes, really!

Platforms: PC

We swear we didnt know this thing existed before we did this list. And nowwe cant look away

As we noted before, simulation games can be about anything. Including being a powerwasher whose job it is to power wash anything that is dirty in your neighborhood! Yep, thats the point of the game, youll go and have a relaxing experience as you go and clean things for money.

If you do well, you can post your scores online to see how you compare to otheruhpowerwashers.

Yeah, its weird, but apparently people REALLY like it, so who are we to judge?

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One

We told youthese simulator games can be anything. And Gas Station Simulator puts you in charge of your very own gas stationin the middle of a freaking desert. Yep.

But as you might have guessed, itll be up to you to not just run the station, but try and expand the business while also making sure you dont over exert yourself. Easier said than done. But running your own business isnt meant to be easy.

So keep your wits about you, your head strong, and see what you can do with your little gas station.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, SteamOS

Its only going to get worse and more random from here, we promise you that. PC Building Simulator is a title that focuses on you owning a business where you try and make PCs for people. Many people want gaming PCs, but there are others out there as well.

The irony of this game is that youre not just making random PCs, youre actually using real-world parts to try and make the best PCs out there. Including ones that are more style than substance, and vice-versa. You might actually get a better understand of the world of PC creation via this game.

Platforms: Android, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux

No, not just a truck simulator, American Truck Simulator, that says it all doesnt it?

Anyway, the game places you as a semi-truck driver. Which on its own doesnt sound like much, but, youll get to travel across beautiful landscapes across certain parts of the US like California, Arizona, and Nevada. All the while trying to make sure you get to your intended destination on time, which isnt always a guarantee.

And with various trucks you can go and drive, you might find this more engaging than you realize.

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox On

Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 is another in a long line of simulator titles that are actually a bit more in-depth than you may realize. Not the least of which is that you really will be put to the test of fixing cars. But not just fixing them, fixing the various parts of them, over 4000 parts are in this game across 72 cars.

That means youre going to have to get down and dirty in order to fix them right. And thats the point of the game right there. To learn more about cars and ensure that you can work on them properly without rummaging around hoping for things to work.

Think you got what it takes?

Platforms: macOS, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Xbox Series X and Series S

No, were not talking football as in the NFL, were talking European Football, or soccer to those of you from the US.

Regardless, Football Manager 2022 is the latest in a long line of simulation games for this sport where the goal is to not just play well on the field, but to manage your club off the pitch and ensure its up to snuff.

Your managerial skills will be put to the test here. Youll pick a club and run it from the ground it. Improve your team, your stadium, your business deals, and more, all in the name of making your club the best around. Whether that actually happens the way you want it to though? Thats up to you.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh operating systems, Classic Mac OS

There are many of you out there who have no doubt wanted to make video games in the past, but havent had the ability or the money to do so. Thus, Game Dev Tycoon might be your next best option because in it, youll be put into the 1980s and start your own game dev crew from the ground up. Make decisions about the games you make, and grow from there.

Technically, you yourself wont be making the games, but guiding them so that they can be successful. And if you are successful, you can get out of your garage and then get your own building, build up your team even further and become game dev legends!!!!

Doesnt that sound fun?

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Linux, Macintosh operating systems

In the early decades of the 1800s, the railway was considered one of the greatest inventions around as it connected one part of the US to the next. And now, via Railway Empire, youll get to be a part of that time period as you try and make your own railroad business go from just one of many, to the dominant party.

Youll need to not only build your railroads from east to west and north to south, but build them to close to railway station, maintenance outlets, factories that can use them for business purposes, and more! And youll even be able to make tourist attractions to ensure you can make money off of curious people.

There are many who are trying to outdo you though, so make your empire a grand one, else get crushed by your competition.

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 5

Whats that? You thought we were done with the train games? WRONG!!!

But while the last one was about building up your train empire, this one is about driving those various trains all over the modern world.

But its not just about admiring the beautiful trains in your care. Rather, its about making sure that you get to where you need to go on time, operating your trains efficiently, and so on.

So, do you think you can pilot these trains with the best of them? Hop in, experience the realism of it all, and find out!

Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC

Ohthis cant be good.

If youve ever wanted to tread on the dark side of things, heres your chance. In the Thief Simulator series, youll actually get to be a thief in a neighborhood full of people to steal from. But its not as easy as just breaking in, you have to study your targets, see if they are worth stealing from, and then do the deed.

Youll need to get in and out quickly, only grabbing what you can sell, then make sure your items are prepped so that they can be sold easily and for the most money.

And whatever you do, dont get caught. Be sneaky, or run away fast if you get spotted. Youre a thief, so act like one!

Platforms: Oculus Quest, PlayStation 4, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Microsoft Windows, Windows Mixed Reality

Bet you were hoping the odd ones were done, huh? Nope, we got another one for you with Job Simulator. But there are a few twists on this one.

Not the least of which is that its a more tongue-in-cheek title.

You see, in this game you dont play as a person, you play as a robot that has taken over the jobs of society and as a result, youll be doing some very not historically accurate takes on what humans used to do before the robots came.

This VR experience is meant to be silly, and it definitely comes off that way, so give it a shot!

Platforms: Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, iOS, macOS, Linux, Classic Mac OS

Depending on what televisions shows you watch, you might know about the various people who remodel houses and flip them for money. Well, now its your turn to do thatwithout actually doing that.

House Flipper puts you in the role of a handyman who wants to start flipping houses. First, youll need to start out by getting the money to buy your first property. Then, youll get your first home and start fixing it up. If you do well, youll buy the next one, and the one after that.

Youll need to be smart though. Use the right tools, make the house as best as possible without blowing your budget, and then revel in how good your work is.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows

We already showed you a truck simulator, but now were going to show you a truck simulatorfor off-road trucks.

Yes, youll be put behind the while of over 40 different trucks designed to make it in some of the harshest conditions out there in the world today. Were talking ice roads, going through torrential areas, mud-torn landscapes and more. Youll need to be a special kind of truck driver to make it to your destination and complete the various objects.

And if thats not enough for you, you can team up with others online or see what mods the community has made for hte game.

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Macintosh operating systems, Linux

Youve been enjoying these truck simulator games so much, why not throw another one into the mix?

Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one that has dared to be special by not just providing realism, but fun as you go about your trucking!

You are tasked with doing important delivery jobs with your truck. With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, youll find that this really is a fun experience as you virtually go all across Europe.

As you complete jobs youll be able to get new trucks, more trucks, and build up a fleet of trucks to do ever more jobs. So get to trucking!

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Microsoft Windows

War titles are very popular in regards to simulation games, and for War Thunder, theyve brought forth a massive PVP experience where youll load up in a plane, tank, or naval ship in order to wage war against one another.

There are over 2000 craft between land, sea, and air for you to go and choose from. Then, wage war against numerous players (with millions in the install base) thatll have you either reliving classic wars and battles or having certain missions that you can try to do that others will attempt to stop you from completing!

The game looks, sounds, and feels real, and with so many playing, youll always have a battle to do.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, Microsoft Windows, macOS

Hint: its not that accurate. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator puts you in the lead of the Wobblers, and has you going and putting them into battles. But what these battles are can be up to you. You can have them teaming up with elephants, or going up against tanks, having them team up against enemies, or just rush head-long into battle.

The game intentionally has a loose physics system t up the fun factor, and youll find plenty of ways to use your Wobblers across the campaign, creator mods, sandbox mode, and more.

Platform: Microsoft Windows

Lets keep the war games going, shall we?

This time we have DCS World, another free-to-play simulation game thatll have you journeying across many different periods of war in a free-to-roam experience that like other titles mentioned have plenty of vehicles for you to partake in.

The game will guide you as you start your journey, and help build you up until youre ready for the bigger and tougher missions, as well as ensuring youre ready for other players of your skill level.

Plus, the games engine was designed to ensure the world looks beautiful across all terrains and at any height. Add to that a mission editor and a large variety of vehicles and weapons and you suddenly have something very special indeed.

Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

Space Engineers is a title that prides itself on freedom and creativity. Because in this game, youll be in charge of building up spaceships, space stations, and more in order to expand and grow your species reach across the stars.

And with everything you explore comes the potential for new resources and growth. Whats more, everything you have can be both built, damaged, and destroyed. So youll need to be mindful of how you handle and use everything.

You can play the game across multiple modes, including one where you focus solely on building and construction, or, one where its all about survival.

Originally posted here:

50 Best Simulator Games Of All Time - Gameranx

White Desert's luxury Echo camp in Antartica opens in November this year | Source: White Desert

Surrounded by pristine white snow, Penguins and the stars for company and living in space-inspired sleeping pods the latest luxury glamping experience promises to be out-of-this-world.

It is in fact in Antarctica but staying so far down near the South Pole will have you feeling like youve left the planet.

This November luxury travel companyWhite Desertis launching a stylish eco-camp called Echo inspired by space tourism featuring six heated, cutting-edge bedroom sky pods.

Constructed from composite fibreglass featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, visitors will experience the frozen wilderness in all its dramatic glory.

As luxurious as it is adventurous, guests will arrive via a private Gulfstream jet and immediately be ushered to a private lounge and served a martini thats shaken with 10,000-year-old ice.

The following days are filled with adventurous activities including fat biking, skiing, skidooing, and 44 Arctic Truck driving, hiking, ice-climbing, mountaineering excursions and visiting a 28,000 strong Emperor Penguin colony.

Each space-inspired sky pod will comfortably house two guests and comes with luxury furnishings and space-age accessories including original photos taken from the International Space Station.

Aside from the pods, glampers will also have access to a list of common spaces including a central lounge area, dining room, and heated shower pods. A team of experienced chefs, hosts, and expert guides are also on hand to assist guests with their every need.

With a zero footprint in mind, Echo is designed as a versatile, temporary camp that can be disassembled after theglamping seasonends.

Prices start at approximately A$1.06 million for a group of 12 or A$88,000 per person. This includes the tour, return flights, and transfers from Cape Town to Antarctica, plus all-inclusive accommodation, fine dining and activities.

Theres also a longer trip available that includes a visit to the South pole costing about A$140,000 per guest.

Read the original here:

Space-Inspired Glamping in Antarctica is the Latest Luxury Adventure - The Market Herald