The Japan Times - Technology

Smiles, thumbs ups and a safe return for 'stranded' NASA astronauts

Home at last: After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, a pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on Tuesday, concluding a mission that gripped global attention and became a political flashpoint.

'Stranded' NASA astronauts back on Earth after splashdown

Home at last: After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, a pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on Tuesday, concluding a mission that gripped global attention and became a political flashpoint.

'Stranded' ISS astronauts less than an hour from splashdown

A pair of NASA astronauts unexpectedly stuck in space for more than nine months are less than an hour from splashing down off the Florida coast, closing out a mission that has captured the world's attention.

Ghostly lunar sunsets shot by private lander

A private US lander has captured eerie high-definition images of a lunar sunset, which NASA hopes will help unravel the mystery of a strange haze first observed on the Moon in the 1960s.

Nvidia showcases new tech at AI 'Super Bowl'

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang on Tuesday showcased cutting-edge chips for artificial intelligence and new applications for the technology, shrugging off talk of China's DeepSeek disrupting the market and dangers from US President Donald Trump's trade wars.

Homebound: 'Stranded' ISS astronauts now hours from splashdown

A pair of NASA astronauts unexpectedly stuck in space for more than nine months were hours away from returning to Earth on Tuesday, closing out a mission that has captured the world's attention.

Historic fantasy 'Assassin's Creed' sparks bitter battles

The "Assassin's Creed" series of video games is adored for painstaking historic accuracy, but also sparks controversy with heavy use of artistic license -- most recently with a black samurai in the latest instalment, "Shadows".

Ivory Coast's epochal prehistoric finds pass unseen

In the streets of Anyama, children play and braziers smoke on corners. There is little to show that the ground of this everyday Ivory Coast neighbourhood conceals seminal prehistoric treasures.

Astronauts finally head home after unexpected nine-month ISS stay

A pair of astronauts stranded in space for more than nine months were finally headed home Tuesday after their capsule undocked from the International Space Station.

What happens to the human body in deep space?

Bone and muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, vision impairment -- these are just a few of the challenges space travelers face on long-duration missions, even before considering the psychological toll of isolation.

Nvidia showcases AI chips as it shrugs off DeepSeek

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang is expected to showcase cutting-edge chips for artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing on Tuesday, shrugging off talk of China's DeepSeek disrupting the market.

Legalizing magic mushrooms under Trump? Psychedelic fans remain skeptical

Dressed in a floral shawl, Benji Dezaval carefully places hallucinogenic mushrooms on the tongues of the faithful of his Colorado "psychedelic church," as if they were communion wafers.

European star-gazing agency says Chile green power plant will ruin its view

Europe's ESO astrophysics agency said Monday that a giant green energy project billed for Chile's Atacama desert -- home to the world's darkest skies -- will spoil its view of the stars and threaten its science mission.

Astronauts finally to return after unexpected 9-month ISS stay

After more than nine months aboard the International Space Station, a pair of astronauts are finally set to depart for Earth early Tuesday, ending a prolonged mission that has captivated global attention.

Webb telescope directly observes exoplanet CO2 for first time

The James Webb Space Telescope has directly observed the key chemical of carbon dioxide in planets outside of our solar system for the first time, scientists announced Monday.

'Dark oxygen': a deep-sea discovery that has split scientists

Could lumpy metallic rocks in the deepest, darkest reaches of the ocean be making oxygen in the absence of sunlight?

Stranded US astronauts to return to Earth on Tuesday: NASA

A pair of US astronauts stuck for more than nine months on the International Space Station will be returned to Earth on Tuesday evening, NASA said.

SpaceX Crew Dragon docks with ISS to reach stranded astronauts

A pair of astronauts stranded for more than nine months on the International Space Station were a step closer to returning home Sunday after a replacement crew docked with the orbital outpost.

China's Baidu releases new AI model to compete with DeepSeek

Chinese internet search giant Baidu released a new artificial intelligence reasoning model Sunday and made its AI chatbot services free to consumers as ferocious competition grips the sector.

SpaceX Crew Dragon opens hatch with ISS to reach stranded astronauts: live TV

SpaceX Crew Dragon docked with the International Space Station (ISS) Sunday and opened a hatch to reach astronauts that have been stranded for more than nine months.

Musk says Starship to depart for Mars at end of 2026

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Saturday its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard, adding that human landings could follow "as soon as 2029."

Crew launch to ISS paves way for 'stranded' astronauts' return

After more than nine months in space, two stranded astronauts will soon be a step closer to coming home thanks to a crew swap mission to the International Space Station now set to launch on Friday.

Just looking at images of nature can relieve pain, study finds

Simply looking at nature -- or even just digital pictures of it -- can relieve pain, according to new research which scanned the brains of people receiving electrical shocks.

Stargazers marvel at 'Blood Moon', rare total lunar eclipse

Stargazers across a swathe of the world marvelled at a dramatic red "Blood Moon" during a rare total lunar eclipse in the early hours of Friday morning.

From oil spills to new species: how tech reveals the ocean

The ocean covers nearly three-quarters of our planet but scientists say we have barely scratched the surface of what lives in our seas.

Former sex worker records Tokyo's red-light history

It's late morning and steam is rising from water tanks atop the colourful but opaque-windowed "soapland" sex parlours in a historic Tokyo red-light district.

Renowned US health research hub Johns Hopkins to slash 2,000 jobs

Prestigious US university Johns Hopkins said Thursday it will lay off more than 2,000 employees around the world in the aftermath of the Trump administration's massive reduction in foreign aid funds.

Ex-NOAA chief: Trump firings put lives, jobs, and science in jeopardy

As the Trump administration prepares for its next wave of federal layoffs, the former head of a key US climate agency spoke with AFP about its role in public safety, scientific research, and protecting the American economy.

Diet puts Greenland Inuit at risk from 'forever chemicals': study

Scientists warned on Thursday that the long-term health of Inuit hunters in eastern Greenland was under threat, due to so-called "forever chemicals" in the atmosphere and their diet of polar bear and seal meat.

'Blood Moon' rising: Rare total lunar eclipse tonight

A "Blood Moon" will bathe a large swathe of the world in red light overnight Thursday during a rare total lunar eclipse.

Asteroid probe snaps rare pics of Martian moon

On the way to investigate the scene of a historic asteroid collision, a European spacecraft swung by Mars and captured rare images of the red planet's mysterious small moon Deimos, the European Space Agency said Thursday.

Less mapped than the Moon: quest to reveal the seabed

It covers nearly three-quarters of our planet but the ocean floor is less mapped than the Moon, an astonishing fact driving a global push to build the clearest-ever picture of the seabed.

The Japan Times - Technology (English)

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