Women may be immune to brain damage from cosmic rays, study finds

All things considered, outer space is a pretty terrifying place. It’s utterly silent, unfathomably vast, and it experiences weather extremes that make Earth’s seem mild in comparison.

And then there’s the radiation. We’re pretty much protected from hazardous levels galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) by our planet’s magnetic field but, just past low orbit, high-energy protons and charged particles can cause serious health and cognition problems.

But new NASA-funded research out of the University of California, San Fransisco and Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York suggests that not everyone’s brain is impacted by cosmic rays. In fact, the brains of female astronauts may be completely immune. In a paper published earlier this month in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the researchers showed that female mice are immune to the cognitive damage that results from simulated space radiation. The study may pave the way toward treating this hazardous consequence of space travel.

“These results demonstrate that female mice are protected from the deleterious consequences of deep space exposure,” Susanna Rosi, a neuroscientist at UCSF and one of the study’s lead authors, told Digital Trends. “More in detail, we found that male mice develop a large range of cognitive deficits that are not present in females after exposure to galactic cosmic ray simulation.”

These cognitive deficits included changes in sociability, social memory, anxiety-like behaviors, and memory.

“When we look carefully in the brain we found fundamental differences between male and female,” Rosi said. Only male brains had an increase in inflammatory cells and a loss of neural synapses. “These results are compelling because they show fundamental sex differences.”

GCRs are not an immediate concern for today’s astronauts. The International Space Station is still within low-Earth orbit and no human has made it beyond the planet’s magnetic field since the Apollo missions. But with the way the new space race is shaping up, we may soon be headed back to the moon and Mars, where protection from cosmic rays is a top priority.

Rosi and her lab, including postdoctoral researcher and first author of the study, Karen Krukowski, have put forward the hypothesis that inflammatory cells called microglia account for the disparity between female and male mice by protecting female but not male brains. However, it’s unclear if or why this is the case.

The researchers note that this is just the beginning of what is likely to be a long investigation into safety measures for future space missions. They will continue to test more complex combinations of simulated space radiation and research ways to modify microglia to potentially treat these cognitive deficits.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Get your Sagan on with 60 awe-inspiring photos of the final frontier
• NASA wants help coming up with ways to get rid of astronauts’ space trash
• NASA (again) delays launch of the world’s most powerful telescope
• The world’s biggest plane now has some rockets to launch
• Mars is as near to Earth as it’s been in 15 years, so Hubble took some photos

Tim Cook Donates Almost $5M Worth of Apple Shares to Charity

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently donated 23,215 shares of Apple stock to charity, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released today. At the stock’s current closing price of $215.04, Cook’s donation is worth close to $5 million.

The SEC filing does not disclose the charity that Cook donated the shares to, as executives are not required to divulge that information.

In the past, Cook has said that he plans to give away all his wealth. In a 2015 Fortune interview, for example, Cook said that he had already begun donating money quietly, but that he had plans to develop a “systematic approach to philanthropy.”

Following the charitable donation, Cook continues to own 878,425 shares of Apple stock, worth almost $189 million.

Tag: Tim Cook
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Forget nausea and sweating — a side effect of this drug is lucid dreaming

As drug side effects go, letting people control their dreams is certainly a whole lot better than nausea, constipation, or any of the usual things you might associate with the secondary effects of medication. That’s exactly what researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been exploring — by looking at an Alzheimer’s drug that turns out to also trigger lucid dreaming.

The drug in question is called galantamine and is normally used for the treatment of cognitive decline in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, along with assorted other memory impairments. But it transpires that it can also be paired with cognitive training techniques to promote lucid dreaming. This refers to dreams during which the dreamer knows that they are dreaming and can exhibit some measure of control. This is because galantamine can trigger rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the sleep phase during which dreams are most likely to take place.

The researchers in the study found that more than 40 percent of individuals could have a lucid dream in a single nap. This was the case even when the individuals had never had a lucid dream before in their entire lives.

“While more studies are needed, this finding has the potential to open lucid dreaming up to a wider population,” Benjamin Baird, a researcher on the project, told Digital Trends. “As lucid dreams spontaneously occur very infrequently for most people, what has been sought for a long time is a way to make lucid dreams more accessible, which would open this up as a new domain for exploration for all. Additionally, one of the major limiting factors for scientific research on lucid dreams has been their infrequency, so we hope that this could help to facilitate scientific research on lucid dreaming and consciousness in general.”

Going forward, Baird said that one future direction for the research will involve measuring the changes which occur in the brain with galantamine, in order to learn about how this effect occurs. “By comparing lucid to non-lucid dreams we might be able to achieve some new insights into the neurological underpinnings of the unique form of self-awareness possessed by humans,” he said.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal PLoS One.

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• Here’s a real version of that endlessly spinning top from ‘Inception’

This heavily discounted headset offers virtual reality at a realistic price

Smartphones, video games, and TV shows are all an excellent way of escaping reality, but sometimes they just aren’t enough. That’s where virtual reality comes in.  Whether you’re playing a game, watching a video, or just working in your own digital workspace, VR is an exciting and fully immersive experience.  If you’ve been thinking about diving into the world of VR, you can pick up the Lenovo Explorer VR headset for just $100 on Newegg. That’s $250 of savings that won’t last long.

If you’re a gamer, VR is definitely an avenue you’ll want to go down at some point. The Lenovo Explorer is compatible with a whole host of AAA games, including Minecraft, Arizona Sunshine, and Skyworld. Getting immersed in the action is as easy as putting the headset on and diving right in, though you”ll have to check to make sure your PC is compatible before you do. You can also enjoy access to more than 20,000 Microsoft apps, including Netflix and virtual tours.

Though a lot of the hype surrounding VR is centered around fun and entertainment, there is also a much more practical application — a virtual workspace. Unlike some headsets such as the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift, which are designed primarily for gaming, the Lenovo Explorer offers a myriad of different options. If you have Windows 10, you can create a virtual home to organize your apps, games, and holograms. This also works as a virtual desktop of sorts, allowing you to create a fully immersive workspace. Though this technology is still in it’s early stages, the implications of being able to interact with the world around you in a way that is unique to you is one of those experiences everyone could benefit from. Though admittedly you’re going to look pretty silly to anyone who doesn’t see what you see.

While there are many different reasons to buy the Lenovo Explorer VR headset, perhaps the most compelling is the price. With this awesome discount from Newegg, you can experience virtual reality for just $100.

$100 | Newegg

Looking for more great stuff? Find VR headset deals and more on our curated deals page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter for regular updates.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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This tempered glass screen protector for the Note 9 is worth it

Under the Dome, is Life.

It is time, the wait is over. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has just been unpacked, but if you missed the live stream in New York you don’t need to be left out. The phone officially goes on sale in two weeks, so once you get yours, you need to decide what protection is best for you. Well, Whitestone has the answer, and it is DOME GLASS. Whitestone Dome Glass is a specialized brand for the entire high-end market of cellular bezel-less devices, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

In today’s world, everyone wants smartphones that are thinner and lighter, but still want to watch videos and play games on the biggest possible screens. Therefore, edge phones and bezel-less phones are leading the way. They make use of limited screen size and maximize it to its fullest extent. The Note 9 is no different. It has increased the screen size to 6.4 inches (up from 6.3″) and slimmed the screen bezel.

With the larger screen and slimmer bezel, it is that much more important to protect every inch. Whitestone provides the first true “full-screen adhesive” tempered glass screen protector for curved bezel-less phones. They do this by using their patented LOCA technology which stands for ‘Liquid Optical Clear Adhesive’. LOCA is a liquid glass which evenly disperses over the entire screen, including repairing existing scratches and scuffs and sets to create a watertight edge to edge protection. Their revolutionary liquid glass adhesive forms around the curved screen to create a single, solid layer of anti-shatter glass. Thus, giving you (and your new Note 9) complete security.

Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Glass
Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Case

Now, Whitestone Dome Glass is not cheap, but nor should it be. It was created for high-end model smartphones. Whitestone is the only tempered glass screen protector recognized by SMAPP (Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program) and as such is the best option for your Note 9. The other plastic or urethane protectors have no true protection, are vulnerable to scratches, and even can reduce transparency. Also, most other well-known brands of tempered glass protectors only cover the flat side of your device and falsely advertises themselves as a full-cover tempered glass. They attempt to trick you by using a black cover adhesive along the side to hide lifts, or they cover the areas between glass and screen with dots which makes the device prone to touchscreen errors. But that’s not the case with Dome Glass. Get your Note 9 the security it deserves. Why invest in the top of the line phone and settle for second-rate protection?

Why invest in the top of the line phone and settle for second-rate protection? Get your Note 9 the security it deserves.

The one major difficulty with this screen protector is because it really works so well, you only get one shot at putting it on, so you need to do it right. It’s not hard, but you can’t rush through it. Quality is reflected through commitment, so make sure you have enough time and patience to get an undeniably perfect result.

To prevent errors and air bubbles, an install frame and UV curing light are included. If you just want to throw on a screen protector in a minute before you walk out the door, then this is not the one for you. But, if you follow the simple installation steps, you will get the best shielding available. For help with installation, here is a link to some of their reviews and tutorial videos that show you step-by-step how to do a proper installation.

On top of the comprehensive 3D glass curved surface protection and liquid dispersion technology, it also provides protection against Blue Light. As more and more people are so reliant on their cell phone, it has become even more important to identify the harmful side effects. One of the negative effects of smartphones is the emitting of shorter wavelengths called Blue Light. Studies suggest that, over time, exposure to blue light (especially at night), can cause insomnia or even more serious long-term damage to your eyes. Whitestone Dome Glass decreases the strength of blue light by up to 25%, protecting you and your smart device!

Dome Glass, which is already a top seller on Amazon Worldwide and AT&T and is touted as one of the best-tempered glass protectors by NTT Docomo (the largest cellular provider in Japan) has the maximum strength and scratch resistance rating of 9H (hardness measurement) provides full touch and total edge to edge coverage without any gaps or bubbles and does not fade or fog with extended use.

To top it all off, every Whitestone Dome Glass product comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty which means that if your Dome Glass is damaged or worn, you could request a replacement through Whitestone’s webpage. Also, for a limited time, our very own Android Central readers can use the code ANDROIDCENTRAL to save 30% off Whitestone Dome Glass for their Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Just click here to order today and for their web page and more information on these screen protectors visit whitestonedome.com. Whitestone Dome Glass protector is #1 in protecting your entire screen and is an essential accessory for any new Note 9 owner. So, with the Samsung Galaxy being unpacked today, it is only right to get it the protection it deserves.

Don’t forget to use coupon code THRIFT30 to save 30% off the Note 9 Dome Glass 2 pack and Note 9 Dome Case on Amazon for a limited time!

Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Glass
Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Case

Win a Galaxy Note 9, Dome Glass 2 pack, and Clear Case! [U.S. Only]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has just been unpacked, and the phone officially goes on sale in two weeks, but we wanted to give you a chance to WIN one along with some cool accessories from Whitestone to keep it safe.

Whitestone’s Dome Glass, which is already a top seller and is touted as one of the best-tempered glass protectors by the largest cellular provider in Japan, has the maximum strength and scratch resistance rating of 9H (hardness measurement), provides full touch and total edge to edge coverage without any gaps or bubbles, and does not fade or fog with extended use.

Created from Samsung’s original blueprints, the Whitestone Levitation case exhibits precise cutouts that align perfectly with your Note 9. This durable, shock absorbing clear case provides the ultimate protection for the best smartphone. And with only 1 mm between you and your phone, this clear case is light and not bulky; it’ll feel like your device is completely bare. You will definitely want to check out these products to protect your new Note 9!

For a limited time, Android Central readers can score 30% off these accessories on Amazon with coupon code THRIFT30!

Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Glass
Use Coupon code THRIFT30 for 30% off Note 9 Dome Case

Enter to win a Galaxy Note 9 and more!

THE PRIZE: One Android Central reader will receive Galaxy Note 9, a 2 pack of Dome Glass, and a Clear Case. An additional 10 runners-up will receive a Dome Glass 2 pack and a Clear Case.

THE GIVEAWAY: Use the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. Please note that this giveaway is available in the U.S. only.

The giveaway is open through August 22, 2018, and the winner will be announced right here shortly after the closing date. Good luck!

Win a Galaxy Note 9, Dome Glass 2 pack, and Clear Case from Whitestone and Android Central!

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Verizon Throttled California Fire Department’s Data Speeds During Wildfire Response [Updated]

Verizon recently throttled the data used by a Santa Clara, California fire department that was in the midst of fighting wildfires, reports Ars Technica. Verizon’s actions were outlined this week in an addendum to a brief filed by 22 state attorneys challenging the recent repeal of net neutrality rules.

According to Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden, the fire department paid Verizon for “unlimited” data, but its data speeds were heavily throttled while it was combating the still-ongoing Mendocino Complex Fire until the department shelled out more money for an upgraded unlimited plan.

Verizon’s data throttling policies affected “OES 5262,” a fire vehicle with a Verizon SIM card that is responsible for acting as a “command and control resource” for “the rapid deployment and organization of thousands of personnel and hundreds of fire engines, aircraft, and bulldozers.” Data speeds were reduced to 1/200, interfering with the vehicle’s ability to “function effectively.”

Santa Clara Fire communicated with Verizon via email about the throttling and requested that it be “immediately lifted for public safety purposes,” but Verizon staff demanded the fire department update to a new plan before service could be restored.

Verizon representatives confirmed the throttling, but, rather than restoring us to an essential data transfer speed, they indicated that County Fire would have to switch to a new data plan at more than twice the cost, and they would only remove throttling after we contacted the Department that handles billing and switched to the new data plan.

As Ars Technica points out, even when net neutrality rules were in effect, major carriers imposed throttling during times of network congestion. The fire department claims, however, that it was throttled at all times (not just at peak congestion) once the vehicle’s 25GB data limit was exceeded.

Net neutrality rules also allowed for Internet users to file complaints for unjust or unreasonable prices and practices, but the complaint option has been eliminated, giving Santa Clara no options for contacting the FCC over Verizon’s practices.

Bowden said that Verizon’s throttling had a “significant impact” on the fire department’s ability to provide emergency services. The Mendocino fire was also not the only time Verizon’s throttling limited fire services, with other incidents occurring in December and June.

According to Bowden, the Santa Clara Fire Department believes that Verizon is going to continue to use catastrophic events to force public agencies into higher-cost data plans.

In light of our experience, County Fire believes it is likely that Verizon will continue to use the exigent nature of public safety emergencies and catastrophic events to coerce public agencies into higher cost plans ultimately paying significantly more for mission critical service-even if that means risking harm to public safety during negotiations.

After a long series of emails (PDF) with Verizon, the Santa Clara Fire Department was ultimately required to purchase a data plan that costs $99.99 per month for the first 20GB of data usage and $8 of data per gigabyte afterwards to avoid throttling during emergencies.

Update: Verizon provided the following statement to The Verge:

This situation has nothing to do with net neutrality or the current proceeding in court. We made a mistake in how we communicated with our customer about the terms of its plan. Like all customers, fire departments choose service plans that are best for them. The customer purchased a government contract plan for a high-speed wireless data allotment at a set monthly cost. Under this plan, users get an unlimited amount of data, but speeds are reduced when they exceed their allotment until the next billing cycle.

Regardless of the plan emergency responders choose, we have a practice to remove data speed restrictions when contacted in emergency situations. We have done that many times, including for emergency personnel responding to these tragic fires. In this situation, we should have lifted the speed restriction when our customer reached out to us. This was a customer support mistake. We are reviewing the situation and will fix any issues going forward.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: net neutrality, Verizon
Discuss this article in our forums

Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 review

Samsung is most well known for their flagship phones such as the Note 9 and Galaxy S9. However, they also make many other phones including more affordable entry-level phones. The Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 loaned to us courtesy of AT&T are prime examples of that.

While known by two different names these two phones are one and the same. They share the exact same design and specs, only differing in two areas which I’ll touch on at the end of the review.

Design

There is nothing extraordinary about the design of the Samsung J3 2018 or Galaxy Express Prime 3. That’s not surprising for an entry-level phone in this price range. The front features a 5-inch 720p LCD display with vivid colors and is bright enough to be viewed outdoors. Overall the display looks good and is proof that a low-resolution display doesn’t mean it is low quality.

Similar to previous generations of Samsung phones they both include a home button flanked by two capacitive buttons for navigation. Unsurprisingly, there is no fingerprint scanner in the home button nor is there one anywhere else on these phones.

In contrast, the absence of an ambient light sensor is quite shocking. Without an ambient light sensor, the display will not change brightness on its own. Instead, you are forced to manually adjust it with the slider. In 2018 an ambient light sensor should be standard on all phones and not a premium feature.

Another frustration is the absence of lights for the capacitive buttons making it more difficult to use in dimly lit or dark rooms. Especially since Samsung reverses the order of the recent apps and back buttons from stock Android.

Both phones have a plastic build and feel solid in the hand with a removable back. Stored away behind this back panel is the nano-SIM slot, microSD card slot, and removable battery. With only 16GB of storage, it’s a good thing the microSD card slot supports cards up to 400GB. I was constantly getting warning messages about being out of space, 16GB doesn’t go that far these days.

One design element often overlooked is the placement of the speaker. I’m happy to say the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 placed it on the right side instead of the bottom. Now sound won’t be easily muffled by your hand in landscape mode.

Holding the phones was easier and more comfortable without having to worry about covering a bottom firing speaker. Another positive is the inclusion of the headphone jack, thankfully Samsung is one manufacturer who hasn’t nixed it. Although in general, most entry-level phones have not removed the headphone jack.

Speaking of legacy ports, the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 still use the outdated micro USB standard. In a mobile world that where most phones have moved to the USB-C standard, this is quite disappointing. For users who have not made the switch to USB-C and don’t want to invest in new cables, this will be a positive, however.

Software

The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are running Android 8.0.0 Oreo out of the box along with Samsung’s typical thick skin overlay. Samsung phones have always made changes to the UI and added features to provide their own Android experience. Despite the lower end hardware they still do a good job of providing many of the same features you’d find on Samsung flagships.

For example, you have access to the theme store, secure folder, dual messenger, shortcuts for the camera, and one-handed mode, options in game mode to block notifications, and more. However, I ran into an annoying issue that prevents you from syncing your Gboard personal dictionary because of secure folder. I was also dissatisfied to see that night mode is missing from the display options.

Performance

Believe me when I say the lag is real on this phone. That shouldn’t be surprising considering they are both powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 7570 quad-core 1.4GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. These are far from flagship phone specs and it definitely shows when trying to multitask or play games.

Loading of most smaller apps isn’t that bad, it really only becomes frustrating when opening games. What makes it even worse is due to the paltry sum of RAM, you’ll often have to wait for the games or apps to reload if you switch apps.

Camera

The rear camera on the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 is an 8MP shooter with a respectable f/1.9 aperture and a 5MP f/2.2 camera on the front. Even with a f/1.9 aperture, the rear camera is still not great for low light images.

Without optical image stabilization photos have a higher probability of coming out blurry. Also, regardless of how steady your hands might be, there will still be a significant amount of noise in low light images.

Photos in daylight are better but still not fantastic because of a lack of dynamic range. While the J3 2018 and Express Prime 3 provide an HDR mode it still doesn’t balance out the exposure that well.

The HDR photos often leave you with halos around objects. Not to mention the patience you’ll need while it takes a few seconds for the HDR photos to process. Overall, it’ll work for snapshots but don’t expect anything too breathtaking from these cameras.

Low Light

Low Light

On the bright side, the camera does offer some useful shooting modes besides HDR such as pro, panorama, night, and sports. The front-facing camera also includes a selfie mode with beauty filters and a wide selfie mode.

The results of the front-facing camera are more disappointing than the rear camera because of the lower megapixel count and larger aperture. Your face is never quite clear and the background can look even worse.

Battery

Battery life is one area where the Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 shine. I was easily able to get 5 hours screen on time with plenty of juice leftover in a day. While with more light to medium usage I was able to go two full days before needing to charge. Another added benefit comes from the replaceable battery making it easy to swap if you’ll be away from the charger.

Conclusion

Unlike Samsung’s flagship phones the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 aren’t built to impress. They are best suited for those who are only looking for a basic phone to text or make phone calls. That doesn’t mean they are only limited to those uses. The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are plenty capable of playing games and doing more.

However, the experience will be subpar and I wouldn’t recommend them for multitaskers, gamers, or those who expect more from their phone. While both of these phones are essentially the same the only area they differ in is availability and price.

The Samsung J3 2018 is for postpaid customers on AT&T and will set you back $210. At that price, it’s not exactly a bargain. If you’re willing to shop around or wait you could find far more capable phones for a similar price. Ones that include extras like an ambient light sensor, a fingerprint scanner, or more.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Express Prime 3 is available for prepaid customers starting at $130. This is a much more reasonable price for the phone you are getting. There still might be better deals out there, but for $130 I feel you’re getting what you paid for.

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Instagram’s test of Recommended Posts is designed to not interrupt your feed

Instagram

Instagram wants to use algorithms to pad your feed — on Monday, August 20, Instagram announced a test for recommended posts. The potential feature suggests posts based on who you follow as well as the different photos and videos that you tap that heart icon on.

Unlike recommended posts on Facebook, however, Instagram isn’t slipping the recommended posts in mid-feed. Instead, the suggestions come after you have already seen the latest posts from your current network. Once you see that new message that says you’re all caught up, you will see recommended posts or can tap to view the old posts instead. The recommended posts look similar to the typical feed photo, except for the “Recommended for You” label, along with a blue icon to start following that user.

“Our goal is to make Feed the best place to share and connect with the people and interests that matter most to you,” Instagram shared in a blog post. “Now with recommended posts, you can see even more of what’s being shared by our community.”

The test also isn’t the first time Instagram has tried out recommended posts.

Without a share button, finding new users to follow on Instagram differs from networks like Facebook and Twitter, where a share or retweet adds posts from users that you don’t already follow into the feed. Adding recommended posts to the feed could make it easier for users to find new accounts to follow based on what they have already liked on Instagram.

On the flipside, the Recommended Posts could make Instagram feel more like its parent company Facebook. Some users also may not want to see posts from outside their network — though placing the suggestions behind all the posts from followed users should help appease those that want more control over what they see in the feed.

The Recommended Posts comes after a handful of changes for the visually focused social network. Earlier this year, the network launched that “you’re all caught up” icon. The network also improved algorithms to prioritize newer posts. While the feed has factored in when the image or video was shared since moving away from the chronological feed, Instagram is now giving time and date more weight.

The Recommended Posts is just a test — Instagram says some users will begin to see the feature over the next few days. The company says it will consider user feedback and hope to roll the feature out to more users over the next few weeks.

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ICARUS project aims to track migration of 100,000 animals — from space

Imagine you were able to track the movement of animals all over the planet using thousands of tiny smart transmitters, with the data being crunched and collated on the International Space Station, before being disseminated to scientists back on Earth. For any researchers who have had to capture individual animals, tag them, and then later recapture them to retrieve the data, it sounds almost impossibly futuristic — but it’s just about here.

Part of the long-running International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space (ICARUS) project, the 16-years-in-the-making initiative seeks to deploy a range of sensors that will allow for real-time biodiversity monitoring on a truly global scale. These sensors include a GPS module, accelerometer, magnetometer, and temperature, pressure, and humidity chips. They also boast solar panels and on-board batteries, and can be attached to just about any creature out there. And because miniaturization is continuing, by 2025 the team hopes they will be small enough to be unobtrusively attached to desert locusts.

“The system offers a dramatic change in the global reach, cost, and weight of GPS tags that allow us to document animal movements and migrations,” Walter Jetz, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale and key team member, told Digital Trends. “Up to now, global-scale GPS tracking has been limited to tags that were an order of magnitude heavier, restricting it to only the largest 10 percent or so of birds or mammals. Once the system is fully up and running, we will be able to study much more of biodiversity, and do so much more cost effectively.”

Researchers at Max Planck and the Max Planck-Yale Center, which have led the project, have several projects in mind for the sensors. However, the technology will also be open to individual researchers hoping to take advantage of the astonishing breakthrough.

“Some of the most important insights, such as global change imprints on animal distributions, may only arise after years of work,” Jetz continued. “But we expect new discoveries – think previously unknown migration routes or migration hotspots — to happen very quickly, perhaps already in the first year or two.”

The cutting-edge animal-tracking system was installed on the International Space Station earlier this month. Pre-order of the first sensors is possible now, with the initial deliveries planned for early 2019. By next year, the plan is to have 1,000 transmitters in the field, with that number eventually growing to 100,000.

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