Tag Archives: navigation

New Horizons Images Enable First Test of Interstellar Navigation

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Illustration of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft navigating the outer solar system.

Joe Olmsted/STScI

After departing from our solar system, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft finds itself considerably distant from Earth, causing the stars of the Milky Way to appear in notably different positions compared to our terrestrial views. Astronomers are harnessing this altered perspective to determine the location of galaxy probes, marking the first instance of intergalactic navigation.

Launched in 2006, New Horizons initially observed Pluto before continuing beyond, traversing the Kuiper Belt—an immensely expansive region of rocky debris and dust billions of miles from the Sun. Currently, the spacecraft is hurtling through space at tens of thousands of kilometers per hour.

When gazing at the night sky from Earth, stars seem widely spread apart, so unless equipped with a strong telescope, their positions appear constant from various locations. In contrast, the New Horizons perspective reveals a significant shift in star positions due to the parallax effect. This phenomenon was demonstrated in 2020 when the probe captured images of two nearby stars, Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359.

Now, Todd Lauer from the U.S. National Institute of Light Change Astronomy in Arizona and his team have utilized this effect to gain a new perspective. They accomplished this by comparing images of Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359 taken by the probe with measurements from the Gaia Space Telescope.

“There’s a three-dimensional map of the galaxies around us, allowing you to see your position,” says Lauer. “Using your own camera on a spacecraft offers incredible accuracy.”

To determine the spacecraft’s location, Lauer and his team analyzed the star positions detected by the New Horizons camera, tracing their lines back to the closest intersection point. They then referenced the precise locations of both stars from the Gaia star map to ascertain this point’s relation to the solar system.

This two-frame animation illustrates the changing position of Proxima Centauri as observed from Earth and New Horizons.

Nearly every spacecraft utilizes NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) to determine its position within a margin of tens of meters through a network of radio transmitters on Earth. In contrast, the parallax method provides a less precise estimation, determining New Horizons’ location within a 6,000-kilometer sphere, roughly half the distance from Earth to the Sun.

“We don’t aim to replace the Deep Space Network; this is merely a proof-of-concept demonstration,” Lauer notes. Yet, advancements in cameras and equipment could enhance accuracy by up to 100 times.

Employing this technique for interstellar navigation could yield superior location accuracy compared to the DSN. This not only facilitates the spacecraft’s journey further from Earth but also provides more reliable location tracking, enabling autonomous operations without relying on radio signals from the solar system. Massimiliano Vasile from Strathclyde University in the UK emphasizes this potential.

“When we venture to real stars, we’re talking about light-years,” Vasile explains. “The signal from the Deep Space Network must traverse all the way there, moving at light speed, taking years to reach its destination.”

However, Vasile points out that no agency currently has a mission aimed at deeper exploration of interstellar space, limiting the immediate utility of this technique.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The bat that walked backward developed a unique navigation technique

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Larger mousetail bats crape backwards

Sahar Hajyahia et al. 2025

Orienting yourself in the darkness of a cave seems like a difficult task. However, some bats may have an ingenious solution: use tails.

Larger mouse tail bat (Rhinopoma Microphyllum) Live in groups within small caves that are difficult to fly, so they move deeper by hanging from the cave walls and raw to the rear. They manipulate this way in many situations, depending on the appearance of the predator, or when they want to find a better location in the cave.

Biologists have wondered whether these bats might use their unusually long tails as “sensors” to navigate through the cave. Yossi Yovel Tel Aviv University in Israel and his colleagues designed two experiments to test bat tails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7ku1o9zajk

In the first experiment, researchers recreated a setup that mimics the interior of a cave, creating a maze with obstacles that resemble the uneven, rocky terrain where bats encounter nature. The team measured how long it took the bat to climb the wall, then raw backwards, first naturally and then anaesthetized the tail to measure how smooth it was.

The bat moved its tail back and forth, feeling the obstacles and went through the maze. However, when researchers anesthetized the bat’s tail, the flying mammals navigated the maze without making it smoother and sailed about 10% slower. But they still do that and suggest that they use other body parts to feel the disorder. “When you walk back you can still feel it in your body and feet,” Jubel says. “It’s clear they can do that, but they’ve reduced performance significantly.”

In the second experiment, the researchers designed a Y-shaped maze that presents two corridors with different raised textures that bats can feel. They used the difference in textures of the two corridors to teach bats that one corridor brought rewards, while the other was not. The texture difference was subtle, but one corridor had lattices every 1.5 centimeters and every 1 cm, but the animals were able to distinguish them.

Other bat species have long tails, but researchers say this is the only known thing to use this unique strategy to find its way in the dark. “I don’t think this is common for long-tailed bats,” Jubel says. But “we really don’t know until we test other bats.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Surviving 24 Hours without GPS Navigation on Your Smartphone

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Research from Harvard University published in the British Medical Journal shows that taxi and ambulance drivers have a lower risk of dying from Alzheimer’s disease compared to other workers.

This is likely because navigation and spatial memory, which are affected by Alzheimer’s, are related to the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is first affected by the disease. Both taxi and ambulance drivers, however, have a lower life expectancy, with averages of 68 and 64 years respectively, and Alzheimer’s typically affects individuals over 65.

Despite the convenience of GPS, there is an argument against it as it may impact memory and spatial skills, leading to a “use it or lose it” situation. Studies have shown that reliance on GPS, such as Google Maps, can affect our ability to navigate without it.

Surviving without GPS for 24 hours can be challenging, requiring individuals to rely on traditional navigation methods. The author shares a personal experience of getting lost while trying to find a bar without GPS, highlighting the reliance on technology for navigation.

The author reflects on the importance of traditional navigation tools like maps and the need to maintain spatial awareness. Despite advancements in technology, like GPS, the author acknowledges the value of traditional navigation methods.

Navigating without GPS can be a daunting task, especially in areas with complex layouts and limited landmarks. The author shares the struggle of finding a location without GPS and the sense of accomplishment when finally reaching the destination.

Central London, with its mix of landmarks and modern developments, poses unique challenges for navigation. Even with technology, such as GPS, finding specific locations can be difficult due to unconventional addressing methods.

Despite the challenges of navigating without GPS, the author finds satisfaction in finally reaching their destination, emphasizing the importance of traditional navigation skills.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Discover abandoned navigation aids that guided planes in the past

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VOR NVS is located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey in Spain

Ignacio Evangelista

These isolated structures were once vital pillars of aviation navigation, but are little known today due to their remote location. Ignacio Evangelista’s The stunning shot highlights these beacons, known as VORs (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Stations), and the role they play in charting routes in the skies for aircraft.

VOR CMA

Ignacio Evangelista

VORs are essentially giant antennas that send out radio signals from remote locations to help planes locate and stay on course by flying from VOR to VOR. You can think of the signals as “breadcrumbs,” Evangelista says. The separation is necessary to avoid broadcast interference between VORs.

Stations like the ones mentioned here are disappearing as they are increasingly being replaced by satellite-based GPS, but while GPS is a more accurate means of navigation, VORs provide a backup during events like solar storms and GPS interference that could wreak havoc without them, Evangelista said.

Vol Brai

Ignacio Evangelista

Their locations are public, so anyone can find the remaining VORs simply by using a GPS — “an interesting technical gyre,” in Evangelista’s words — which prompted him to document some of the more photogenic stations before they disappear forever.

Seen from above, the first two stations are in Spain: VOR NVS, located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey, 50km from Madrid, VOR CMA, 1.5km from the village of Calamocha, and the last one, VOR BRY, located on the edge of the French village of Bray-sur-Seine.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient Canoe Uncovers Early Advances in Navigation Technology

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More than 7,000 years ago, Neolithic people used technologically sophisticated boats to navigate the Mediterranean Sea, according to a new study.

The 7,300-year-old canoe Marmotta 1 is on display at the Museum of Civilization in Rome. It is a huge dugout canoe made from an oak trunk, approximately 10.43 meters long, 1.15 meters wide at the stern, and 0.85 meters wide at the bow. Depending on the part of the canoe, the height is 65 to 44 cm. Image credit: Gibaja other., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299765.

Many of Europe's most important civilizations were born along the Mediterranean coast.

The Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Carthaginians took advantage of the virtually enclosed sea to move quickly between islands along the coast.

At various times in history, the Mediterranean Sea has been a space of travel and a means of communication.

However, one of the major migration phenomena in history occurred during the Neolithic period, when rural societies began to spread around Europe and North Africa.

The beginning of the Neolithic period is recorded in the Near East around 10,000 BC, but communities from that region gradually occupied the entire Mediterranean Sea around 7500-7000 BC, reaching the coast of Portugal around 5400 BC.

In a new study, Dr. Juan Guibaja and colleagues from Spain's National Research Council dug out a tree from La Marmotta, a Neolithic lakeside village near Rome, Italy, between 5700 and 5100 BC. Five dugout canoes that were built were investigated.

Analysis revealed that the canoe was constructed from four types of wood, which is unusual for similar sites, and incorporated advanced construction techniques such as lateral reinforcement.

Three T-shaped wooden objects are also associated with one canoe, each with a series of holes that may have been used to secure ropes tied to sails or other nautical elements. there is.

These features, together with previous reconstruction experiments, indicate that these are seaworthy vessels, a conclusion supported by the presence of stone tools associated with nearby islands.

“These canoes are exceptional examples of prehistoric vessels, and their construction required a well-organized and specialized workforce, as well as a detailed understanding of structural design and wood properties,” the researchers said. said.

“The similarities between these canoes and modern navigation technology support the idea that many major advances in sailing took place during the early Neolithic period.”

“Direct dating of a Neolithic canoe discovered at La Marmotta reveals it to be the oldest in the Mediterranean and provides valuable insight into Neolithic navigation,” the study said. they added.

“Our research reveals the remarkable technological sophistication of early agricultural and pastoral communities, highlighting their woodworking skills and complex shipbuilding.”

of study Published in an online journal PLoS ONE.

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JF Gibaha other. 2024. The first Neolithic ship in the Mediterranean: the settlement of La Marmotta (Anguillara Sabazia, Lazio, Italy). PLoS ONE 19 (3): e0299765; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299765

Source: www.sci.news

Men outperform women in navigation skills, but it’s not due to evolutionary factors

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If men were encouraged to play outside as children, they may have better navigation skills than women

Colin Hawkins/Getty Images/Image Source

In fact, men tend to have a better sense of direction than women, but this is probably due to differences in upbringing rather than improved navigational skills being an evolutionary trait.

In previous research, Men slightly outperform women on spatial navigation tasks. Some researchers believe this is due to evolution, since in prehistoric times it was common for men to travel long distances to hunt, while women often stayed close to home. It suggests that it is. This may have resulted in selection pressure on men to develop advanced navigation skills.

But if that were the case, she says, those genes would be passed on to female offspring, as long as they're not on the Y chromosome. Justin Rose At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “The really obvious alternative is culture,” he says. “It plays a huge role in what men and women experience.”

For example, boys may be encouraged to play outside more than girls, which may help hone their navigation skills, he says.

To investigate this idea, Rose and his colleagues collected data from 21 species of animals, including humans. This data includes information about their spatial navigation skills and how far they travel on average from home.

If natural selection were at work, we would expect males and females that traveled farther from home to have better navigational abilities, and this is consistent across species.

Instead, the researchers found that males of all species are slightly better at navigating than females, although in some species, such as the rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) and the little devil poison dart frog (Uofaga Silvatica), females had a wider home range.

This finding suggests that differences in navigation between men and women may be cultural. It could also be a side effect of biological differences between males and females, as well as between male and female animals. For example, hormonal differences “can affect all kinds of traits,” Rose says. As long as those traits don't prevent reproduction, “evolution doesn't matter,” he says.

In previous spatial navigation research, There were no differences in these skills between men and women from similar backgrounds.

“The authors show in a very comprehensive way that sex differences in spatial ability are likely acquired, for example through culture.” Antoine Cutolo At the French National Center for Scientific Research. “Spatial skills are much like other cognitive skills: the more you use them, the better you become at them.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New AI-powered search updates, enhanced navigation interface, and more introduced by Google Maps

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Google is adding a number of new updates to Maps. These include several AI-powered features designed to make it easier for users to search, explore their surroundings, and reach their destinations. The company is rolling out updates to its navigation interface that will make it easier to find specific items nearby or find inspiration for things to do, provide EV drivers with more information about chargers, and expand the features announced in 2018 to more cities and more.

The tech giant is updating its in-map search to make it easier to find specific things nearby. Searching for things like “animal latte art” will show you the photo results you’re looking for. The results you see are based on AI and advanced image recognition models analyzing the photos you share on Google Maps. By showing you these images, Google wants to make it easier for you to find new spots that have exactly what you’re looking for. In this scenario, if you find a cute animal latte art image that you like, you can click on it to see details of the coffee shop that offers that image and be directed to that cafe.

Image credits: Google

This new way to search in Maps is rolling out this week in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US. Google plans to expand its service to more countries in the future.

If you have free time and aren’t sure what you’re looking for, you’ll soon see more organized search results for things near you. For example, if you’re in Tokyo and don’t know what to do, search for “things to do” and you’ll get suggestions for places like “anime,” “cherry blossoms,” and “art exhibitions.” You can tap a location to go to it or save it for later. The update is designed to help you discover activities and dining options and will roll out globally on Android and iOS in the coming weeks.

Image credits: Google

Google also announced that its Maps navigation interface will soon reflect your surroundings more accurately. For example, when you’re driving downtown, you’ll see more realistic buildings and better orient yourself. In addition to color updates on the map, you now see improved lane details when driving on highways. This is useful when you need to quickly cross multiple lanes to get to the exit. These updates will begin rolling out in the coming months in 12 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

US drivers will start checking to see if there are HOV lanes on their routes. And in Europe, he’s expanding Google’s AI-powered speed limit information to 20 countries. Both of these features will begin rolling out to Android, iOS, and cars with Google built-ins in the coming months.

Image credits: Google

In addition, EV drivers using Android and iOS can see on the map whether a charger is compatible with their vehicle and whether available chargers are fast, medium, or slow. You will now be able to see additional information about charging stations. You can also see when the charger was last used, so you can be sure it’s working properly and avoid using a broken charger.

As part of today’s announcement, Google shared that it will be expanding some of its current AI-powered features to more cities. Immersive View for Routes, which lets you preview your journey by car or on foot, is expanding to Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo, and Venice (on Android and iOS).

Google is also bringing Lens in Maps, formerly known as Search with Live View, to more than 50 new cities, including Austin, Las Vegas, Rome, Sao Paulo, and Taipei. This feature uses AI and augmented reality to help you understand your surroundings, and when you lift your phone, you can find information about nearby ATMs, transit stations, restaurants, etc.

Source: techcrunch.com