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The next generation of Xbox consoles might not actually play the games themselves. According to Thurott.com and The Verge, Microsoft is planning a two-part console for its next generation. One of these consoles will be for local hardware, the other will be an online-only device that streams games from the cloud.Thurott’s source calls the online-only device the “Scarlett Cloud,” The Verge says it is being built under the codename “XCloud.” Regardless of the name, the device will be intended to compliment the streaming platform that Microsoft is building that will work across Xboxes, PCs, and phones....

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 famously destroyed the city of Pompeii by burying it in volcanic ash. However, Pompeii was far from the only victim. Nearly half a dozen towns were destroyed by the volcano, and a group of archaeologists have made a discovery that reveals how the inhabitants of one of those other towns perished. According to the research, many of the citizens of nearby Herculaneum died because the volcano’s intense heat made their heads explode....

Scientists have discovered a new plutonium compound they’re calling Pu(V). The scientists found the compound by accident when they were attempting to study nuclear safety.It’s unclear yet as to what the compound can do in practical terms, but the team is optimistic it could play a role in more effective nuclear waste storage.Scientists have discovered a new solid and stable plutonium compound that could have uses in nuclear waste storage. Using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the team —led by a cohort from the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) in Germany— was looking for new ways to hinder nuclear meltdowns, reduce nuclear accidents, and lessen any fallout from such events....

An Oregon company has developed a way to purify water using nothing more than the power of the sun. The company, Focal Technologies, uses a solar focusing lens to heat a sample of water and break down contaminants such as E. coli and Salmonella.The system, called Ray, uses a large lens that focuses sunlight on a small container. The lens heats the water in the container and also provides a sterilizing dose of UV radiation....

Plumbing can be one of the hardest projects you tackle in your home. Although a water leak could be just an annoyance, a gas leak is a serious danger and one that needs addressing immediately. These are the five biggest plumbing mistakes along with the best ways to avoid these common pitfalls.Mistake 1: Mismatching Threaded FittingsYou go to install a new gas range or gas dryer and mismatch iron pipe threads and flare compression threads....

A lot of the talk about the militarization of space these days comes from people who have zero real-life military experience working with satellites. We recently had the welcome opportunity to speak to several frontline military space operators during a trip to Petersen Air Force Base in Colorado, home to U.S. Space Command, and Schriever AFB. The day included a joint interview with three members of the 2nd Operations Squadron, which operates the Global Position System constellation around the clock....

As agreed upon by scientists and representatives from around 60 countries last year, the world’s measuring systems are shifting away from using physical standards. Among the most prominent of these is the international prototype kilogram known as Le Grand K, a small metal cylinder protected underneath Paris that has defined weights and measurements since 1889.The change is meant to remove the risk of relying on physical items. Even microscopic changes, from air pressure to the metal that has defined a kilogram, could have large implications....

Imagine triangles spinning around a shower curtain rod inside a beer keg—that is an elemental description of the screaming Wankel rotary engine. This powerplant is beloved by gearheads the world over because of its simple design with a minimum of moving parts, the way it runs smooth from low RPM to high, and the huge amounts of power that come from its tiny displacement. However, the iconic triangular-rotor Wankel is rev-limited by the way its triangular rotors mount eccentrically to its crankshaft, meaning the engine is limited to about 9,000 rpm because the crankshaft would bend if it spun faster....

The U.S. Air Force finally has a deal for new helicopters that will patrol and protect America’s land-based nuclear weapons. In a surprise, U.S. defense giant Boeing and European defense contractor Leonardo landed the deal to build and deliver up to 84 MH-139 helicopters. Last month we reported on the competition to replace the Air Force’s aging fleet of UH-1N “Huey” helicopters that currently do the job. Air Force security troops use the helicopters to move quick-reaction forces that respond to security threats against the 400 U....

BAGHDAD, July 1 — I’m so relaxed in a friendly, professional morning briefing with staff from private contractor the Washington Co. and 10 of its Iraqi employees. Then the mortar explodes. It feels closer this time, maybe within a quarter mi. or so.The boom shatters the conference’s relaxed mood, but only two of us—a hulking man with a blonde crew cut and me—jump out of our seats. We are truly ready to flee....

Here in the United States, the diesel is a workhorse. Most diesel engines in America are relegated to commercial use (think duallies and semis). For years, though, Americans have been largely missing out on diesel power in passenger cars.A change is under way. We love our trucks and SUVs, and now, thanks to advances in diesel-engine technology and consumer demand, car manufacturers have begun rolling out a slew of diesel options unimaginable in years past....

The U.S. Marines want a new small arms round that can bring down people with a powerful electric shock. The new round would fire from pistols, shotguns, and grenade launchers and incapacitate them rather than kill them. Stunner rounds would be particularly useful to Marines guarding embassies in foreign countries, or dealing with crowds while evacuating Americans from hostile countries. It must be able to incapacitate for a minimum of 30 seconds, and ideally three minutes....

There are currently 50 Senators—49 Democrats and Republican Susan Collins of Maine—who have said they will vote to preserve net neutrality, standing opposed to the FCC’s much maligned decision to repeal the open internet protections last month. Thanks to the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows the Senate to overturn a regulatory body’s decision within 60 days, it will only take one more vote for the Senate to stoke the dying embers of the net neutrality fight....

London has its own particular charms, and hazards. This Wednesday afternoon, a police officer knocked on the door and politely suggested that I leave the house, as they believed there might be a bomb next door. It was not a terrorist bomb, but what the authorities believed to be a device left over from World War II that my neighbor had unearthed in his backyard.My first reaction was disbelief. Not because a 75-year-old bomb turned up—it happens here—but because the German “blitz” on London in 1940-41 was concentrated several miles away....

Media Platforms Design TeamA religious organization in the African nation of Ghana has built its own armored car. Designed for military duties including peacekeeping, the Katanka Armored Car is, well, odd. The Katanka is the brainchild of Kwadwo Safo, also known as African Star. Safo is a Christian minister in Ghana and the owner of the Katanka group of companies. Safo is also the inventor of the Katantka sport utility vehicles....

The much-anticipated August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse is around the corner, and the more informed you are the more likely you are to have an incredible viewing experience. This is the last time a total solar eclipse will cross the United States for a number of years, so you want to know what to expect and how to see it.A new episode of Smarter Every Day breaks down every phase of the phenomenon, considered perhaps the most incredible natural spectacle seen by humanity....

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has instructed the U.S. Navy to cut orders of its troubled Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) from 52 to 40, and directed that the money go toward other programs. The LCS program has suffered from repeated delays in fielding equipment to make the ships fully functional.Originally meant to be a smaller, scrappier surface combatant for fighting near-shore environments, the Littoral Combat Ship morphed into two different ships in the 2,800-3,000 ton class—one made by Lockheed Martin and the other by Australian shipmaker Austal....

This afternoon at 4:43 PM EST SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will be taking its first trip up to the ISS since the one that went a little awry last June. And on its way back down—assuming everything up to that point has been AOK—the Falcon 9 rocket will attempt a fifth landing on a sea-borne barge. Packed in with the 7,000 pounds of supplies the Dragon will be bringing to the ISS is an inflatable 565 cubic-foot space module prototype that will stay attached to the space station for two years in order to test the long-term viability of inflatable living spaces like these....

View full post on YoutubeGloves that let a person crawl up flat, sheer surfaces like Spider-Man does now exist. Skeptical? Watch Elliot Hawkes, a mechanical engineer at Stanford who led the team that pioneered this breakthrough, test them out.“To work, the surface you’re climbing needs to be relatively smooth; like glass, varnished wood, polished stone, or metal,” Hawkes says, “but you can attach and detach with very little effort, and to make [the gloves] stick all you have to do is hang your weight....

Clean Your ToiletOut of toilet cleaner? The phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola can take care of buildup. Pour a 12-ounce can of Coke in the bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. Scrub the sides of your toilet with a brush, then flush for a sparkle on par with what you might expect after using an expensive cleaner. Finally, decide how you feel about the fact that your favorite beverage can defeat bathroom stains....