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NASA is studying plans to bring Martian rocks back to Earth by the late 2020s. The plan is to work in conjunction with the Mars 2020 rover. Like Pathfinder and Curiosity before it, the 2020 rover will explore the Red Planet. But the 2020 bot will be the first step towards something never done before: bringing something from Mars back home.NASA says: [The 2020 rover] introduces a drill that can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils and set them aside in a ‘cache’ on the surface of Mars....

Scientists have discovered ancient microscopic dust grains from a meteorite, which were dated to around 7.5 billion years old. The grains are suspected to be pre-solar grains, which means they arose during the death of a distant star.The meteorite the grains were pulled from, the Murchison meteorite, is one of the most well-studied meteorites in the world. Earth formed alongside the rest of the solar system roughly 4.6 billion years ago....

An ecologist has discovered that pigs use tools to dig nests for their offspring.This is the first time we’ve witnessed that kind of behavior in pigs.So far, no pig uprisings. But we must be prepared.Pigs have demonstrated their ability to use tools in new footage recorded at the Ménagerie Zoo in Paris. The clip below shows a Visayan warty pig, an endangered species originally from the Philippines, using a stick to dig out a nest in preparation for birthing piglets this coming spring—something that’s never been recorded before:View full post on YoutubeNational Geographic reports that this “could signal a new cognitive skill previously unknown amid swine....

Welcome to PM/AM, Popular Mechanics’ morning briefing on the top science and tech stories for today.Media Platforms Design TeamHas the next-generation console war officially set its sights on China? Last month Microsoft announced that it would be bringing its console to China, who recently lifted its console ban in January. Not to be outdone, Sony announced this weekend that they have similar intentions to bring the PS4 to the country. Sony has yet to set a date for its console launch, but with the Xbox One aiming for a September release, the PS4 won’t be far behind....

Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers flew all the way from their home base in Russia to Venezuela, the first such flight in five years. The bombers, which are not carrying weapons, flew nonstop from their base near Saratov, Russia, to Caracas, Venezuela—a distance of more than seven thousand miles. The bombers will undertake military exercises with the Venezuelan military. According to the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces Blog, the two bombers are the Vasili Reshetnikov (No....

The Swedish Air Force has declared war on a new, homegrown enemy: forest fires. Sweden dispatched two Gripen fighters to bomb forest fires, snuffing out flames with blast waves. As weird as it sounds, it actually works, and you’ve probably done something like it yourself. Scientists describe the effect is described as similar to blowing out candles on a birthday cake.According to The Local-Sweden, a forest fire has been burning in central Sweden for nearly two weeks....

Much of the internet has spent the last 24 hours tweeting about Laurel vs. Yanny, and that includes the United States Air Force. But USAF flew right past the debate and into deep Twitter controversy with its take on the Laurel-Yanny auditory illusion.View full post on TwitterOn Thursday morning, the service’s official Twitter wrote: “The Taliban forces in Farah City #Afghanistan would much rather have heard #Yanny or #Laurel than the defeaning #BRRRT they got courtesy of our #A10....

Media Platforms Design TeamMICHIGAN U.P.Difficulty: Easy to moderateVehicle: Dirt bike/ATVLength: 106 miles; 4 days/3 nightsTwo-Wheeled Tour: Road warriors who think four wheels are two too many head to the dirt trails of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, testing their adventure biking chops while cruising from campground to campground. Bikers dismount for paddling at Pretty Lake Quiet Area; blast through old-growth forest to Tahquamenon Falls State Park; and take a ride to the Lake Superior shoreline....

The last three weeks has seen a surge in testing of American nuclear weapon systems, accompanied by carefully released photos on social media. The tests and pictures appear calculated to drive home one point: The Cold War may have ended 24 years ago, but America’s nuclear weapons still work. On October 21, a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in in Southern California. The missile, launched by crews from the 90th Missile Wing at F....

Remember the sci-fi movie Prometheus? In Ridley Scott’s 2012 addition to the Alien universe, human space explorers land on a hostile planet and then use a pair of floating drones to map out an alien complex. It’s pretty much the last smart thing they do. The U.S. military, faced with a very real future of fighting in “megacities” and underground facilities, is trying to develop something similar to help soldiers of the future navigate unknown terrain....

The drone revolution is finally upon us, and thankfully it’s a lot less frightening than most people anticipated. Instead of evil, intelligent robot drones rebelling against all of humankind, we have much friendlier, personal drones that can carry out an impressive number of functions.So if you’re looking to get into the drone game—and you happen to be a Star Wars fan—these collector’s edition Star Wars Propel Drones can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour while engaging in all-out dogfights with one another....

An assembly line can do a lot to boost efficiency, but what if the assembly line could do basically all the work itself. SoftWear Automation’s LOWRY, a sewing robot, does just that and has the potential to lead a charge of disruption throughout an entire industry.View full post on YoutubeFounded in 2015, SoftWear wants to “revolutionize the design, development and customization of apparel in the same way 3D printing has transformed the design, prototyping and production of durable goods,” according to then-CEO K....

A dartboard that moves to wherever you throw for a bullseye every time: it sounds like something one might find in a magical tavern in a Harry Potter novel. But it’s real, because what is better than magic? That’s right, engineering. Mark Rober, former NASA engineer turned YouTube mad scientist explains his creation:View full post on YoutubeWith six infrared cameras, the dartboard tracks the specially-built darts while canceling out the noise of the outside environment....

Virgin Galactic wants to send tourists to space, and its newly announced partnership with two of the biggest aerospace in companies in Italy might help it get on its way. According to The Verge, the company eventually wants to build a dedicated spaceport it Italy with its own resident spaceplane. The spaceplane would be available to paying customers who want to experience zero-gravity, or used to conduct experiments in a high-altitude, gravity-free environment....

The last time the United States drafted soldiers to fill the ranks of its military, it was 1973 and the Vietnam War was in its final stages. And yet registering with the Selective Service System remains a rite of passage for American men. Males between the ages of 18 and 25 must sign up or face the consequences.Now, even though America hasn’t held a draft in nearly 50 years, Selective Service is back in the news....

Airport tarmacs of the 1970s and ’80s were home to a menagerie of airliners, from humpbacked 747s and needle-nosed Concordes to T-tailed MD-80s. Today, much of that variety has vanished. Almost all medium and large jetliners fit into the same pattern: two engines, straight-tube fuselage, and a conventional tail. Where has all the imagination gone?It’s not that aeronautical engineers have run out of ideas. Instead, the demands for efficiency have driven designs to this narrow range of similarity....

Some tire stores insist on installing two new tires on the rear wheels of vehicles when the fronts are worn, and moving the old rear tires to the front–much to the dismay of many customers who want the new tires on the front. So, who’s right?Actually, I agree with the stores, as do the tire companies. Here’s why: In dry, clear weather it really doesn’t make much difference. But if the road is wet, the new, full-treaded tires are less likely to lose traction than the partly worn ones....

Between the death rattle of winter and St. Patrick’s Day, March is the month for stouts. Rich imperial stouts sooth away those final snow storms, and Guinness practically runs in the streets of any town feeling the teeniest bit Irish. While it’s an ideal cold-weather companion, the darkest of dark beer shouldn’t be doomed to languish exclusively during the dreariest time of year.“Stouts should be enjoyed summer, winter, spring, and fall,” says Bells Brewery director of operations John Mallett....

2017 was a fantastic year for aerospace, with the United States topping the world in rocket launches for the first time since 2003, new launch vehicles, new test flights, and one absolutely ridiculous aircraft. Spaceflight and aviation companies are set to outdo themselves in 2018, though. Here are the launches, first flights, flybys, and milestones coming in 2018. SpaceX Falcon Heavy SpaceXTo start the year, likely launching in late January or early February, is the debut of the much-anticipated Falcon Heavy....

Need a good New Year’s Resolution? Join the #PopMechChallenge and become a better builder.To kick off the new year, we’re throwing down the gauntlet and asking you to build with us all month long. Your mission: Build something awesome with 2x4s, and finish your project by the end of January.joshuaraineyphotographyYou can use the cheap, common lumber stock to make just about anything (and we mean anything). Cut ‘em into smaller sizes or use ‘em as is—it doesn’t matter....