Latest news with #Martian
Tom's Guide
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I got fed up with regular Bluetooth speakers, so I'm using one shaped like a sci-fi Martian robot instead — here's why you should too
If you were to stack all the best Bluetooth speakers together in one big pile, you'd very quickly realise that they all look very similar. Some are tubes of different colors, some are boxes with handles, and some are supposed to look like amplifiers from classic rock brands. If you're anything like me, that can mean things feel a little boring. Well, along came Gravastar and this ridiculous thing. It's the Mars Pro, a mono Bluetooth speaker which is designed to look like a robot war machine thing from, I presume, Mars, and I love every single thing about it. I think you might too., Despite its bizarre styling, the Gravastar Mars Pro is actually a really good Bluetooth speaker. Its mono sound is powerful, and if you get two, you can connect them together for extra stereo sound. It's not the cheapest, but those looks have to count for something, right? I'd hesitate to call it a work of art, but the Gravastar Mars Pro brings the fun unlike just about any other Bluetooth speaker. It's a weird ball thing on mechanical legs, covered with bits and greeblies likes something from a budget sci-fi film in the 90s. Is it up everyone's street? Almost certainly not. I can't imagine there are millions of people clamoring for a Martian walker from War of the Worlds that plays Britney at top volume, but there are some. And I am one. Those legs are articulated to some degree, so you can kind of pose the speaker. For the most part, it's going to be fairly static, though. It's a statement piece, something that draws the eye of visitors and makes them ask, "What on earth is that thing in the corner of your room, and why does its eye thing follow me around the room — please turn it around." Everything is topped off by those RGB lights. I'd say this is the first time I've seen a Bluetooth speaker where I've appreciated the lights. Generally, they feel a bit like a gimmick — they're never going to actually power a party. Here they're an accent to increase the Sci-Fi looks, and I'm a massive fan. My mom was not — one look at the speaker and she asked me to put it back in the box. And, like every person who is still 13 years old at heart, I simply moved it closer. It's also built like a tank. There's metal in them there legs, and the whole thing feels reassuringly hefty. It goes some way to justifying that slightly loftier price. "Oooh, stereo this, stereo that..." I'm guilty of it — if it's not at least two channels, I don't want to know. Except I found that when listening to the Gravastar Mars Pro, I didn't really care. It sounds excellent, not just for a weird Bluetooth speaker with a single audio channel, but for a Bluetooth speaker in general. That "plays audio out of the front, glowing eye" thing does mean that the audio is fairly directional. You have to be sitting in front of the speaker for it to sound its best, but given you're unlikely to make it face the wall (unless your guest demands it), you're generally going to be in the cone of sonic influence. And when you are, you're in for a bit of a treat. I'd never call it 'HiFi' — it's not, and it's not intended to be. But it is big, loud, and very much in charge. There's some decent detail to proceedings, good mid-range representation, and then some fairly powerful bass that we're fed through the passive bass radiator on the back. Fit for an Autopsy's The Sea of Tragic Beasts brings the slam, and the little bass radiator on the back of the Mars Pro gets moving. That characteristic sub-tone from the band is very well represented, shaking the table the speaker sits on. The drums are impactful and full, while the crunchy guitar distortion shows plenty of edge to keep things heavy. The cymbals can get a little lost amongst the rest of the din, but for a small speaker, things are very tasty indeed. Loads of fun. Given it's style, there's no way you can't try out The Eve of the War from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War of the Worlds. Those string swells are deep and wide, giving plenty of presense. The synth line is well seperated from the rest of the ensemble, while the shaker cuts through. Richard Burton's dulcet tones rumble, as the Martians launch their way to Earth. I presume they look something like this speaker. What lots of speaker manufacturers forget is that audio is supposed to be fun. Making everything into austere grey boxes or colored tubes that look like every other waterproof speaker around isn't fun. Making your speaker look like a three-legged death machine that's going to melt down your mom to feed the alien war machine is fun. And that's something that Gravastar seem to have gotten so right with the Mars Pro. It sounds good yes, and it's very well made, but it's the sense of fun that the speaker exudes that sets it apart from just about everything else. I spent a good hour posing various different action figures with the speaker before I'd even started listening to music — and I think that speaks volumes.
Mint
12 hours ago
- Science
- Mint
Mushroom on Mars? Blog post claims to spot a sign of life on red planet
A decade-old image from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has resurfaced online, reigniting speculation about the possibility of life on the Red Planet. The photograph, originally taken on September 19, 2013, recently caught the attention of UFO enthusiast Scott Waring, who claims it features an object resembling a mushroom. Waring, a self-proclaimed UFO hunter known for his blog on extraterrestrial phenomena, said he discovered the unusual formation while reviewing archived Mars images on NASA's website. Highlighting a small protrusion near the centre-bottom of the image, he suggested it closely resembles a mushroom with a curved stem and wrinkled cap, similar to those found on Earth. His claims have since gone viral on social media, fuelling renewed debate over the existence of alien life. The image was captured by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a camera attached to the rover's robotic arm that provides high-resolution images of Martian rocks and soil. In a blog post, Waring criticised NASA for allegedly ignoring the object. 'NASA should have poked it, bumped it, knocked it over, or cut it open using their onboard tools—or even used their laser to investigate,' he wrote. However, scientific experts have been quick to refute the claim. Dr Gareth Dorrian, a planetary scientist at the University of Birmingham, told the Daily Mail that the object is more likely a naturally occurring rock formation. According to him, what appears to be a mushroom is probably a disc-shaped rock that may have been exposed over time as wind eroded the surrounding sand and dust. While the object may not provide definitive evidence of life, the resurfaced image has revived public curiosity around one of space science's biggest unanswered questions: Is there—or was there ever—life on Mars? NASA's Curiosity rover, which has been operating on the Martian surface since 2012, has found promising clues over the years. It has detected organic molecules in Martian rocks and methane in the atmosphere, both considered potential indicators of microbial life. Yet, no conclusive evidence has emerged so far. With multiple international missions planned in the coming years, including Mars sample-return projects, scientists continue to explore the Red Planet's past and present habitability. The viral mushroom-like rock may not offer the answers, but it's a reminder of just how invested humanity remains in unlocking Mars' many mysteries.
NDTV
16 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
"Mushroom" On Mars: Is This A Sign Of Life On Red Planet?
An old image captured by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has resurfaced, intriguing people because of a peculiar object seen in it. The image was taken on September 19, 2013, but the fresh detail was recently spotted by Scott Waring, self-proclaimed UFO hunter. Highlighting a portion in the photo, Waring said he "found a mushroom". The details were soon picked up by social media users who also pointed out that a formation in the picture resembles a toadstool or a mushroom. From aliens to UFOs, people have a number of conspiracy theories, but the image has reignited the same old question: Is there life on Mars? According to NASA, Curiosity took that image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), which is located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. Waring, in his blog post, claimed that he was looking through the NASA site and found a mushroom at the bottom centre of the photo. "I'm not sure how or why NASA could overlook such a NASA's mission it to find life on other planets and moons," he added. He argued that the object has a curved bottom part of a stem, the same as those on Earth. The top is round, uneven and wrinkled. "NASA should have poked it, bumped it, knocked it over, cut it open with their tools on Curiosity rover or at least use that million dollar laser they burn rocks and dirt with in many photos," Waring wrote. Unlike Waring, another scientist has taken a different approach. Dr Gareth Dorrian, a planetary physicist from the University of Birmingham, said that the object is not a living organism, but looks like a flat, disc-shaped rock. "My best guess would be they were not originally in that position, but like two rocks lying in the desert, one just below the surface and the other on the surface above it. Over time the wind could gradually blow the sand and dust away, and the top one would gradually settle onto the bottom one," Daily Mail quoted Dr Dorrian as saying. Is there life on Mars? The question of life on Mars is a complex one. While there's currently no definitive evidence of life on the Red Planet, scientists continue to explore the possibility. The Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars since 2012, discovering evidence of past water on Mars and studying the planet's geology. NASA's Curiosity Rover has found organic molecules, which are building blocks of life, in Martian rocks. Methane has also been detected in the Martian atmosphere, which could be a sign of microbial life. So far, there is no definitive evidence of life on Mars, however, ongoing and future missions will continue to explore the Red Planet's habitability and potential for life.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Mars orbiter captures 1st-ever pic of volcano above clouds: It's twice as tall as Mauna Loa
A NASA spacecraft that has been circling Mars for more than two decades recently spotted something it never has before in well over 100,000 orbits of the Red Planet. On a morning horizon in May, the Odyssey spacecraft caught a stunning glimpse of one of the planet's largest volcanoes peeking out above a canopy of clouds. Known as Arsia Mons, the volcano dwarfs Earth's tallest volcanoes. Odyssey snapped some photos of the volcano in May, which NASA released in June in a blog post. Scientists at the U.S. space agency say the images provide far more than just a striking never-before-seen view of the Martian geography. In fact, studying the features detailed in Odyssey's photos could help NASA prepare for future crewed missions to Mars by better understanding the planet's weather and atmosphere. Here's a look at what Odyssey captured and what to know about the volcano, Arsia Mons. The new panorama captured by the Odyssey orbiter shows one of Mars' tallest volcanoes poking through clouds just before dawn. The image marks the first time a Martian volcano can be seen on the planet's horizon, offering what NASA says is a view akin to what astronauts on the International Space Station have of Earth. Odyssey's camera, called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS,) is built to study the Martian surface. The THEMIS camera is equipped to view Mars in both visible and infrared light, the second of which allows scientists to identify subsurface areas that contain water ice. Such a resource would be an invaluable source of not only water, but a means to produce oxygen and fuel for crewed spacecraft when the first astronauts land on Mars. Odyssey rotated 90 degrees while orbiting Mars so that its camera had the correct angle to capture the shot, which, by revealing the horizon, allows scientists to observe seasonal changes on the Red Planet. Understandin the planet's weather, including its dust storms, could also help the space agency plan for future human spaceflights, according to NASA. The volcano Odyssey spotted is known as Arsia Mons, which is one of three on Mars forming the Tharsis Montes, or Tharsis Mountains. While clouds composed of carbon dioxide are common on Mars, the Martian mountain range is instead often surrounded by water ice clouds, especially in the morning, NASA says. Odyssey's latest horizon image, captured May 2, indicates that Arsia Mons stands 12 miles high. That's roughly twice as tall as Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, which rises six miles above the seafloor. The southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes, Arsia Mons is also the cloudiest of the three. The clouds, which form when air expands as it blows up the sides of the mountain and rapidly cools, are especially thick when Mars is farthest from the sun. The band of clouds that forms across the planet's equator at this time of year, called the aphelion cloud belt, is on prominent display in Odyssey's new panorama. 'We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds," Jonathon Hill, a researcher at Arizona State University who is the operations lead for THEMIS, said in a statement. "And it didn't disappoint.' Launched in 2001, Odyssey is the longest-running mission orbiting any planet besides Earth. The orbiter is also one of two spacecrafts orbiting Mars under threat of being axed under President Donald Trump's budget proposal for NASA. Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Odyssey completed its primary science mission from February 2002 through August 2004. Since then, the orbiter has set out to study Martian clouds, fog and frost while mapping the surface to pave the way for future crewed landings. The newest panorama, NASA said, represents the kind of science the orbiter began pursuing in 2023, when it captured the first of its now four high-altitude images of the Martian horizon. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mars orbiter gets 1st-ever glimpse of volcano above clouds: See photo
USA Today
2 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
Mars orbiter captures 1st-ever pic of volcano above clouds: It's twice as tall as Mauna Loa
Mars orbiter captures 1st-ever pic of volcano above clouds: It's twice as tall as Mauna Loa Known as Arsia Mons, the volcano on Mars dwarfs Earth's tallest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii. A NASA spacecraft that has been circling Mars for more than two decades recently spotted something it never has before in well over 100,000 orbits of the Red Planet. On a morning horizon in May, the Odyssey spacecraft caught a stunning glimpse of one of the planet's largest volcanoes peeking out above a canopy of clouds. Known as Arsia Mons, the volcano dwarfs Earth's tallest volcanoes. Odyssey snapped some photos of the volcano in May, which NASA released in June in a blog post. Scientists at the U.S. space agency say the images provide far more than just a striking never-before-seen view of the Martian geography. In fact, studying the features detailed in Odyssey's photos could help NASA prepare for future crewed missions to Mars by better understanding the planet's weather and atmosphere. Here's a look at what Odyssey captured and what to know about the volcano, Arsia Mons. Mars orbiter spots volcano peeking above clouds The new panorama captured by the Odyssey orbiter shows one of Mars' tallest volcanoes poking through clouds just before dawn. The image marks the first time a Martian volcano can be seen on the planet's horizon, offering what NASA says is a view akin to what astronauts on the International Space Station have of Earth. Odyssey's camera, called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS,) is built to study the Martian surface. The THEMIS camera is equipped to view Mars in both visible and infrared light, the second of which allows scientists to identify subsurface areas that contain water ice. Such a resource would be an invaluable source of not only water, but a means to produce oxygen and fuel for crewed spacecraft when the first astronauts land on Mars. Odyssey rotated 90 degrees while orbiting Mars so that its camera had the correct angle to capture the shot, which, by revealing the horizon, allows scientists to observe seasonal changes on the Red Planet. Understandin the planet's weather, including its dust storms, could also help the space agency plan for future human spaceflights, according to NASA. What is Arsia Mons volcano? The volcano Odyssey spotted is known as Arsia Mons, which is one of three on Mars forming the Tharsis Montes, or Tharsis Mountains. While clouds composed of carbon dioxide are common on Mars, the Martian mountain range is instead often surrounded by water ice clouds, especially in the morning, NASA says. Odyssey's latest horizon image, captured May 2, indicates that Arsia Mons stands 12 miles high. That's roughly twice as tall as Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, which rises six miles above the seafloor. The southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes, Arsia Mons is also the cloudiest of the three. The clouds, which form when air expands as it blows up the sides of the mountain and rapidly cools, are especially thick when Mars is farthest from the sun. The band of clouds that forms across the planet's equator at this time of year, called the aphelion cloud belt, is on prominent display in Odyssey's new panorama. 'We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds," Jonathon Hill, a researcher at Arizona State University who is the operations lead for THEMIS, said in a statement. "And it didn't disappoint.' What is the Martian Odyssey orbiter? Launched in 2001, Odyssey is the longest-running mission orbiting any planet besides Earth. The orbiter is also one of two spacecrafts orbiting Mars under threat of being axed under President Donald Trump's budget proposal for NASA. Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Odyssey completed its primary science mission from February 2002 through August 2004. Since then, the orbiter has set out to study Martian clouds, fog and frost while mapping the surface to pave the way for future crewed landings. The newest panorama, NASA said, represents the kind of science the orbiter began pursuing in 2023, when it captured the first of its now four high-altitude images of the Martian horizon. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
