Melting Through Europa
Europa, the large icy moon of Jupiter, is one of the more interesting worlds in the solar system because scientists believe that an ocean of liquid water–which could harbor life–may exist beneath the moon’s icy crust. Reaching any ocean, though, will require drilling through perhaps tens of kilometers of ice, a challenge here on Earth, let alone on a distant world. The BBC reports that a German team had developed a prototype for a system that could work there: a probe with an electrically-heated tip could slowly melt its way through the ice to reach the ocean below. During a test in Antarctica, the prototype made it to a depth of 220 meters in 75 hours.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.