BBC: For the first time, an entire satellite may be run through a piece of everyday consumer electronicsâmdash;a Google Nexus smartphone. The CubeSat Strand-1, being developed by the Surrey Space Centre and Surrey Satellite Technology in the UK, is set to launch from India later this month. Although the phone on board won’t take over operation of the satellite right away, it will eventually run a number of apps, for such purposes as sensing the magnetic environment in space. Smartphones aren’t likely to ever run larger, more costly satellites, but some of their technologies might be used.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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