Category Archives: Transhuman News

Prepare for lift-off with these out-of-this-world Lego space deals. Lego itself has a wide variety of space toys and sets available to buy so, to save you scouring the internet for a good deal, we've come up with a useful guide to help you pick the best deal.

With Black Friday fast approaching, we'll also be keeping an eye out for any spectacular Black Friday Lego space deals in the run up to the year's biggest sales event.

The Danish toy brick maker's sets range from replica rockets, to space shuttles, satellites and even a Mickey and Minnie Mouse rocket set - which is better suited for younger children. But it's not just Lego space sets that Lego are famous for, you can also check out our guide to the best Lego Star Wars sets and see our roundup of the best Lego Star Wars deals for them too.

In this guide, we've split up the different sets into categories to make it easier for you to find exactly what you want. The sets in this guide vary in price due to the number of pieces that make the model and their purpose, for example some of the $100 plus models are designed for display whereas some of the cheaper models will work much better as a toy.

Whatever it is you are looking for, we've got you covered with our Lego space deals guide that has a bit of something for everyone.

This section includes deals on some of the best sets Lego has to offer that were inspired by NASA. Although you could use these sets as toys, they are centerpiece items and would work better on display, due to the number of pieces and the difficulty to build.

Ranging from rockets and shuttles to the International Space Station, the NASA Lego sets section of this guide has a great variety of products for you to choose from.

It's not just NASA inspired kits that Lego make, they're also responsible for more general space sets and cool toys. These Lego space sets are cheaper than the Lego NASA ones and are better for playing with but don't necessarily have the display factor that the sets above have.

These sets are better suited for younger children but that doesn't limit the fun to just children, anyone can have fun while building or playing with them.

The rest is here:
Lego space deals: Stellar deals on spaceships, space stations, and NASA kits - Space.com

With World Space Week in full swing around the globe, Disney Plus is taking center stage with its fascinating new docuseries "Among the Stars" lighting the fuse on all six episodes starting today (Oct. 6).

Filmed over the course of two years right before the pandemic erupted, this behind-the-curtain journey starts out following veteran NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy as he slips on his spacesuit for a third and final flight to the International Space Station (ISS) to attempt a daring repair on a $2 billion piece of equipment called an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). As the rescue operation goes a bit sideways, this intriguing series transforms into a spotlight on the entire NASA ground team and their dedication to the mission objectives.

Overseeing many of the integral aspects of the AMS cooling unit replacement is MIT physicist Sam Ting, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist whose visionary project seeks to unlock the mysteries of the universe by recording subatomic particles called charged cosmic rays, which can provide evidence of dark matter mysterious, invisible stuff that makes up about 80% of the matter in the universe. In "Among The Stars," listening to him recall sitting by a pond as a boy with his grandmother, staring up at the heavens to wonder what's out there, is to share in his unbridled passion.

"It's a very comprehensive detector with seven elements that measure the charge, the mass, the velocity" of these subatomic particles, Ting, the AMS principal investigator, told Space.com. "Everything you know is measured. There are a total of 650 microprocessors and 300,000 channels. In ten years, we've measured 180 billion charged cosmic rays."

Related: Antimatter-hunting AMS experiment in space (photos)

His 7.5-ton space magnet was initially installed on the ISS in 2011 as the first precision particle physics detector operating in space. Led by MIT, the endeavor is an international effort relying on the support of 44 different institutions, including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and sponsored by NASA and the Department of Energy.

Space.com spoke with Ting on the eve of the series' premiere to learn more about his particle detecting machine, how he followed his curiosity as a career path, and what advice he'd offer aspiring scientists hoping to unlock secrets of the cosmos.

Space.com: What was the filming process like for you on "Among the Stars?"

Sam Ting: The cameras were not following me most of the time. I was mostly watching from the control room in Geneva, Switzerland while they were figuring out the repair work and still collecting data for the experiment. But I did attend all the important meetings and had people from NASA come to Switzerland to talk to me about what they're doing.

Space.com: In simple terms, can you explain how the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer operates?

Ting: There are two kinds of cosmic rays: those that don't carry a charge, like light waves and neutrinos, and then there are charged cosmic rays: electrons, positrons, protons and atomic nuclei. Because they carry a charge, they must have a mass. Because they have a mass they are absorbed within 100 kilometers [62 miles] of Earth's atmosphere. So you cannot measure the intrinsic property of charged cosmic rays on the ground.

To measure the property of charged cosmic rays in space you need to put a detector in space. Because you want to measure the charge, you need a magnet. Inside the magnet the positive particles go one way and the negative go the opposite way. Putting a magnet in space is not easy, and we figured out how to put a large magnet in space. It's the first of its kind and we decided to put the best instrument possible inside.

It's a very comprehensive detector with seven elements that measure the charge, the mass and the velocity. Everything you know is measured. There are a total of 650 microprocessors and 300,000 channels. So far, in 10 years, we've measured 180 billion charged cosmic rays. That's an enormous amount of signals, measured to an accuracy of 1%. The properties do not agree with the current theoretical models. What we have known about cosmic rays needs a major modification.

Space.com: What was the defining moment for you when choosing a career path?

Ting: I started at the University of Michigan in mechanical engineering. After one year, my advisor said that I was no mechanical engineer. Because at that time, there were no computers. You had to make drawings looking from the top, looking from the side, looking from the air. So my advisor said I should go into physics and skip the undergraduate courses and go take courses in graduate school. The advisor was Professor Robert White, a very well known engineer. And that's how I became a physicist.

Space.com: What keeps you inspired and motivated in your mind-expanding field?

Ting: Curiosity. To choose a topic and ask the right question is a very important element of a physicist. Often, my experiments will receive enormous amounts of objections from the scientific community. People think that it's too difficult and nobody can do it. Even more people think it's totally useless. Physics does not depend on votes. Public opinion is important, but not the most important. When you change public opinion with your end results, then you make a contribution to the field.

Space.com: What advice would you give to those wanting to study physics and astronomy?

Ting: From my own experience, I think everybody's ability is limited. In order to make a contribution you have to realize you need to concentrate on one thing only. If you try to do physics, you must know this is the most important thing for you. Other things are not important.

All six chapters of "Among the Stars" are now available for streaming on Disney Plus.

Today's best Disney+ deals

Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcomand on Facebook.

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A $2 billion particle detector stars in new Disney Plus docuseries 'Among the Stars': Q&A with principal investigator Sam Ting - Space.com

If youre looking for some of the best playgrounds in the area, theres 3 in Little Elm that are out of this world.

These are the three best playgrounds in Little Elm, Texas:

Since COVID-19 changed our lives upside down, my family and I have spent the last 18 months visiting a different playground every weekend. These 3 in Little Elm top our list of the best playgrounds in DFW. Not only are they each uniquely great playgrounds but they all make for great day trips because theres something else to do in each location.

Click here for our ultimate guide to the best playgrounds in and around Collin County.

Beard Park in Little Elm is super cute and a lot of fun for little ones. The entire playground is woodland themed, with adorable wood benches, log slides and my favorite: little woodland creatures hidden throughout so that you can go on an animal hunt.

The main structure is a tree with a tree house and two slides: one for big kids and one for little kids. Entry to the tree is on multiple levels, small children can toddler in and out on the ground, meanwhile theres also stairs, wooden stepping pillars and a rope bridge they can climb across.

Other features include a large music area, a picnic pavilion, a wooden kids only cabin, merry-go-round, as well as two additional woodland structures with slides and rope bridges.

Theres even a historic log cabin.

So, what else is there to do at Beard Park? Im glad you asked because the answer is a lot! Heres our top picks:

310 E. Eldorado Pkwy, Little Elm, TX 75068Suitable for all ages | Restrooms available on site.

The photographs of Space Station Playground probably tell you all you need to know about this one: its big, its fun, its really exciting and adventurous. Your kids will love it and will beg to come back time and again.

This unique playground isnt technically space-themed but something about this towering hexagonal structure led us to nickname it Space Station playground. Just look at the photos, dont you agree? Plus, its a nice easy name for your kids to remember and get excited about. After all, how can they not be excited about going to Space Station playground?

The playground itself is pretty simple. The base is slightly bouncy, a bit like a trampoline which your little astronauts can bounce along to reach the two pillars from which they can ascend into the main structure. Each of the pillars have a simple step ladder which is relatively high off the crowd. A nervous child may need spotting or a little extra encouragement to get them up the first few times. Its also large enough for an adult to climb up too, if you want.

Once inside the structure, it really does feel like a space ship or space station. On one side there are vertical obstacles from floor to ceiling which kids can imagine are laser beams. On the other side there are obstaclesalong the ground, creating a wobbly floor effect a little like a rope bridge.

At the top, you find the entryway to a big, long metallic slide.

From this description and the photos, youll probably have deducted that this playground is not ideal for younger children. We have a 3 year old and a 5 year old, our 5 year old loves it but our 3 year old isnt able to climb up alone. While every child is different, as a rule of thumb, this playground is probably better for children age 5 and over.

Nearby there are two small shaded picnic areas.

Space Station Playground is located within McCord Park, a huge city park which also has a dog park, fishing pond, disc golf, another playground and a really fantastic splash pad, complete with water slide.

Theres so much to do at McCord Park you can spend hours and hours here. Plus, right nearby is Detour Donuts, easily one of the best donut shops in the area.

1001 Witt Rd, Little Elm. (To find the Space Station, turn right along the trail and walk about 100 meters.)Suitable for age 5+ | Restrooms available at the parking lot next to the splash padwww.littleelm.org/955/McCord-Park

Zip-lines and numerous fun and unique climbing structures abound at Little Elm Park. The big attraction for this playground is its proximity to Little Elm Beach, which makes it a day trip destination.

When your kids have enough of the playground, you can extend the fun by walking to the beach to dig in the sand and, if its warm enough, play in the water.

In addition, almost immediately behind the playground, you can connect to the beautiful Johnny Broyles Nature Trail, a concrete hike and bike path that loops around the lakeshore and is mostly shaded.

701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm(Note that during the summer months there is a $10 fee for parking)Suitable for all ages; has restrooms (close to the beach).

Continue reading here:
The 3 best playgrounds in Little Elm are out of this world - Local Profile

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Russian crew arrives at space station to film first movie in orbit - Business Recorder

The Russian actress and director left on their journey to space on Tuesday to shoot the worlds first film in space. Actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko left for the International Space Station on Tuesday on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Also Read - This photo of the Earth is shot on an iPhone, looks ravishing

Roscosmos cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild and producer Klim Shipenko lifted aboard Russias Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4.55 a.m. EDT (2.25 p.m. Tuesday, India time). Also Read - NASA astronauts complete seven hour spacewalk to prep ISS for new solar panels

The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft made a fast-track, two-orbit journey to dock to the stations Rassvet module and docked at about 8.12 a.m. EDT (5.42 p.m. on Tuesday, India time). Also Read - NASA announces Boeing Starliner OFT-2 mission date for Commercial Crew Program

Contact confirmed, capture confirmed! The #SoyuzMS19 crewed spacecraft has docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station after just two orbits around the Earth! Welcome to the ISS, @Anton_Astrey, Klim and Yulia! Roscosmos- the Russian space agency posted on Twitter.

The launch marks the expansion of commercial space opportunities to include feature filmmaking, NASA said in a statement.

About two hours after docking, hatches between the Soyuz and the station will open. The trio aboard will then join Expedition 65 Commander Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov.

Peresild and Shipenko, who are making their first flights into space, will spend 12 days on the space station, filming segments for a movie titled Challenge under a commercial agreement between Roscosmos and Moscow-based media entities, NASA said.

Peresild and Shipenko will return to the Earth with Novitskiy on October 16 on the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft, which is currently docked at the space station, for a parachute-assisted landing on the Kazakh steppe.

Shkaplerov will remain aboard the station through next March, returning with Vande Hei and Dubrov on the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft.

(With inputs from IANS)

More here:
Russian Crew Arrives Space Station to Start Filming First Movie in Orbit - BGR India