livescience--2020-11-28--The best Cyber Monday deals on binoculars for travel, skywatching and nature

There 's nothing quite like getting up close to Earth 's incredible wildlife and this Cyber Monday we 've scanned the retailers to help you find the very best deal on your next ( or first ! )
binocular — whether you 're wanting to observe birds up close or scour the surface of the moon , you can get a great discount today .
With unbeatable offers on Celestron 's Outland X 10x50 and Celestron 's range of SkyMaster Binocular — both of which offer a mix of stunning terrestrial views — we 've rounded up the very best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high quality .
And for a fraction of the cost .
Some binoculars in our Cyber Monday deals come with accessories , including lens caps and a handy carry case to ensure that the optics are always protected during tours of land and sky .
What 's more , all binoculars are robust and can withstand bumps and knocks , making them the perfect choice for young observers and the most adventurous members of the family .
The all-arounder Celestron Nature DX 8x42 binocular is our editor 's choice and comes at 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightweight design , you can switch from observing the local wildlife to the surface of the moon within moments : thanks to a combination of coated lenses , BaK-4 prisms and nitrogen purging , views are spectacularly clear for unbelievable observations .
More great Cyber Monday deals on binoculars from top brands Celestron and Nikon Be sure to check out Live Science 's best binoculars for kids 2020 as well as Space.com 's best binoculars 2020 .

These Black Friday binoculars deals are a fantastic way to observe nature up close without disturbing the peace. With these amazing binoculars deals, you can get the right pair of binoculars for much less, whether you're looking for birds, whales, planets, or stars.
At a casual glance, binoculars look all the same and in essence do the same thing. But every pair is unique, with particular features that suit them to one type of sightseeing.
Some models, such as Nikon's 10x42 ProStaff 3S or ACULON A211 8x42 , have wide fields of view, making them ideal for sightseeing trips in nature. Bushnell's Powerview 20x50 model has larger lenses that can achieve much higher magnifications; this makes them perfect for astronomy. Sometimes you might want less magnification too, such as those on the Celestron 8x42 Outland X , which are perfect for viewing wildlife from afar or on bumpy boat rides.
Even the best of us can feel a little confused with all of the technical details involved in describing binocular lenses. To help you find the ideal pair at the best price, Live Science has compiled the top binoculars bargains.
If you want to nature-watch with your kids, then check out our list of the best binoculars for kids as well. Or, you can alternatively keep them entertained with these deals on educational science kits for kids .
Best binoculars deals
Hexeum Night Vision Binoculars: was $298 now $139.98 at Amazon These night vision binoculars from Hexeum are now a whopping 53% off at Amazon. These would be perfect outdoor activities, night hunting, patrol detection, security and surveilla, search & rescue, camping, watching wildlife and scenery.
Celestron - SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars: was $99.99 now $68.00 at Amazon These skywatching binoculars made by the trusted Celestron brand are now $31.99 off at Amazon. They boast a large aperture (70 mm), which make them perfect for low light-conditions and stargazing. You can also use them for terrestrial use, particularly over long distances. The BaK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics should deliver high-contrast, brilliantly colored views. Binoculars are water-resistant, have foldable eyecups and have a tripod adaptor.
Celestron 20x80 SkyMaster Pro: was $414.95 now $244.95 at Adorama If you’re serious about skywatching and in need of a set of binoculars, this could be the perfect deal. This set of Skymaster pros has all the bells and whistles: The large 80 mm objective lenses make for excellent stargazing at night, while the detachable RSR rail means you can add a red dot finderscope. Also, the nitrogen-purging mechanism prevents any fogging. And the “pro" label indicates all lenses are multi-coated with what Celestron calls its "proprietary XLT coating technology.” Those coatings and the BaK-4 prisms increase light transmission to deliver super-clear, high-contrast views.
Celestron SkyMaster 18-40x80 Zoom Binocular: was $258.95 , now $174.95 at B&H Photo
These incredible Celestron binoculars provide 8x magnification with 40 mm diameter lenses; the large objective diameter means you get a comfortable viewing aperture even at higher magnification levels. A Tripod adaptor is included and long eye relief makes viewing more comfortable for glasses-wearers.
Celestron Outland X 8x42 Binocular: was $99.95 , now $62.94 at Amazon
You can now get over $30 off the Outland X 8x42 Binoculars at Amazon. Multi-coated optics deliver high-contrast views and BaK-4 glass will enhance the color of your view. Waterproof and fog proof, with protective rubber covering.
Celestron Outland X 10x42 Binocular: was $104.95 , now $69.42 at Amazon
You can now get $35 off the Outland X 10x42 Binoculars at Amazon. Twist-up eyecups allow for quick eye relief adjustment for a comfortable observing experience, while multicoated optics offer excellent contrast and clarity.
Nikon 10x42 ProStaff 3S Binoculars: $129.95 now $99.99 at Amazon
Snag this high-powered set of binoculars for $30 off. The binoculars boast silver-alloy-coated roof prisms (those internal prisms that magnify and transmit light) and anti-reflection multicoated optics for clear, high-contrast and brightly colored views. Compared with the 7S series, this 3S Prostaff series has a wider field of view, meaning you can more easily watch moving objects like birds or anything else you're interested in.
SkyGenius 10 x 50 Binoculars: was $58.99 , now $39.99 at Amazon
The SkyGenius binoculars are great for both entry-level skywatching and nature exploration. The rubber armor means the binoculars are shock-resistant; and the twistable eyepieces can be adjusted for a perfect fit. Right now, the binoculars are 32% off at Amazon.
Note: Marked as inactive as not included in Black Friday deals anywhere
Nikon - ACULON A211 8x42 Binoculars: was $89.99 , now $69.99 at Best Buy
A great buy for an outdoor enthusiast who is interested in both getting a little closer to nature and perhaps spying some craters on the moon. With a 420-foot field of view, you can view wide vistas. And the company boasts the lenses are arsenic- and lead-free. Plus, the rubber armor means they can get jostled without breaking.
Celestron TrailSeeker 8x32 Binocular: was $279.95 , now $159 at Amazon
The Celestron TrailSeeker 8x32 binocular has a huge 43% discount on Amazon for Black Friday. The binoculars are weatherproof if you get caught in the rain and are good for close and mid-range observations.
Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 Binoculars: was $379.95 now $325.13 at Amazon Amazon have already knocked over $50 off the Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 binoculars, but they are also offering a further $30 discount when you apply a coupon. These binoculars feature premium ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) objective lenses, virtually eliminating chromatic aberration or color fringing.
Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 Binoculars: was $299.95 now $274.95 on Amazon The Celestron TrailSeeker binocular features 8x magnification and a wide field, and with a sturdy magnesium alloy frame that is lightweight and completely waterproof, it can be used in any weather.
Celestron SkyMaster 25x100 Binocular: was $499.95 , now $400.52 at Amazon
Now 20% off, the SkyMaster 25x100 Binocular offers superb views of the night sky. Offering maximum brightness even in low-light conditions and at a long range, this binocular is great for terrestrial and astronomical sights. Comes with a carrying case.
Vortex Optics Diamondback HD Binoculars - was $259.99 , now $209.99 at Adorama
Save $50 off these Vortex HD binoculars with 8x magnification and 32mm objective lenses. They're optimized with select glass elements to deliver exceptional resolution, and are waterproof and fog proof.
Bushnell Powerview 20x50 Binoculars - was $94.99 , now $64.06 at Amazon Amazon offers great optics for a competitive price and the Powerview 20x50 is no exception. Now at an even more competitive price with a further $10 off, the InstaFocus system inside the binocular's body offers a great view when locking onto wildlife subjects.
Celestron 18-40x80 SkyMaster Zoom Binoculars: $174.95 at B&H Photo Currently the lowest price we've seen, the Celestron 18-40x80 SkyMaster Zoom Binoculars are a great choice for long-duration astronomical or long-distance terrestrial land use with its oversized aperture and powerful zoom range.
Celestron Outland X 10x50 Binocular: was $149.95 now £113 at Amazon Save 25% on these waterproof and fog proof Celestron binoculars with 10x magnification, designed to meet the needs of every outdoor enthusiast. Amazon are also offering a further $15 off with a coupon, but no word on how long this will last.
Celestron Nature DX 8x42 Binoculars: was $169.95 now $112.28 at Amazon Save 34% on these Celestron Nature DX 8x42 binoculars with 8x magnification and 42mm objective lenses. They feature a rubber-armored, polycarbonate housing and are waterproof and fog proof.
Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 Binoculars: was $209.95 now $141.08 at Amazon For just $20 more than the regular Celestron Nature DX binoculars, these include extra-low dispersion (ED) objective lenses providing high resolution, High contrast images that are virtually free of optical defects like chromatic aberration and color fringing.
Canon 10x32 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars: was $1099 now $899 at B&H Photo While they may seem pricey, Canon have adapted the IS system from their line of EF lenses that detect and counter the appearance of hand-shake, so if excellent, steady image quality is what you're looking for, you can't go wrong here.
Encalife Extra Low Dispersion Binoculars: was $329.97 now $289.97 at Encalife These durable binoculars from Encalife are now $40 off, featuring extra-low dispersion glass which prevents color fringing while providing high-resolution, high contrast images. These binoculars are a great choice for concerts, birdwatching and outdoor activities.
How to choose your binoculars
Haven’t decided which pair of binoculars is right for you? Here are some things to consider: How do you plan to use the binoculars: bird and nature watching, or skywatching? Some binoculars are made for being out in nature when the sun is bright, for instance, or perhaps a rugged, shock-resistant coating is in order for a heavy-duty adventure. After you have that figured out, as well as your budget, here’s what to look for when scanning the stores for the best binoculars deals:
Magnification and lens size: The two numbers that describe binoculars refer to the magnification (first number) and lens diameter. For instance, a set of 10 x 52 binoculars are equipped with 10x magnification and 52 millimeter lenses. Both 8x and 10x magnification are considered optimal to prevent shaking and show a stable image nearby and far away. Lens size determines the amount of light let in. In low-light settings, you might want binoculars with lenses that are larger than 42 mm.
Field of view: The FOV indicates how wide an image can be seen through a binoculars' lenses. The wider the FOV, the easier it will be to find what you’re looking for. However, there are trade-offs. The higher the magnification, the lower the FOV. According to Bushnell, companies measure FOV in feet at 1,000 yards, or the field of view you’d have if you were to measure it from 1,000 yards away.
Size/shape: Depending on where you plan to lug your binoculars, the physical size and weight can matter. Big and bulky might be fine for one adventurer, while another is interested in pocket-friendly binoculars that still feature powerful optics.
If you're ready for an outdoor adventure, keep checking back for more deals on binoculars for 2021.


livescience--2020-11-28--The best Lego sets for alien, sci-fi, space fans and more

Attention , Lego fans !
If you love aliens and UFOs , or spaceflight and sci-fi , we 've got the perfect sets for you and your kids .
From the cutest ( or creepiest ? )
alien minifigures , to alien spaceships , to Star Wars droids and real NASA spacecraft , this gift guide is bursting with fun ... and learning .
Whether you 're looking for the perfect gift for the alien- or sci-fi-loving Lego fan in your life , or you want to add to your personal collection , we 've got you covered .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as we 'll be adding new deals .
Attention , Lego fans !
Cyber Monday is coming and we 've scoured the web for the best deals on Lego sets that are space or science-themed , as well as many science-fiction-themed sets .
Whether you 're looking for the perfect gift for the space-loving Lego fan in your life or looking for something to add to your personal collection , we 've got you covered .
Do n't forget to check here back regularly , as we 'll be adding new deals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Wars '' deals and Celestron Telescope Deals !
If you 're searching for a new telescope and are n't sure which one is right for you , be sure to check out our best binoculars and telescope guide pages to find the best options for beginners , computerized telescope fans , kids , all-around astronomers and astrophotographers .
For more ideas on gifts for the space fan in your life , check out our space gift guide and our space gift guide for kids .
And , if you 're looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our sister site Tom 's Guide for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals .
Attention , Lego fans !
Cyber Monday is coming and we 've scoured the web for the best deals on Lego sets that are space or science-themed , as well as many science-fiction-themed sets .
Whether you 're looking for the perfect gift for the space-loving Lego fan in your life or looking for something to add to your personal collection , we 've got you covered .
Do n't forget to check here back regularly , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And check out our `` Star Wars '' deals and Celestron Telescope Deals !
If you 're searching for a new telescope and are n't sure which one is right for you , be sure to check out our best binoculars and telescope guide pages to find the best options for beginners , computerized telescope fans , kids , all-around astronomers and astrophotographers .
For more ideas on gifts for the space fan in your life , check out our space gift guide and our space gift guide for kids .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech this year , check out our sister site Tom 's Guide for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals .
Attention , Lego fans !
Cyber Monday is coming and we 've scoured the web for the best deals on Lego sets that are space or science-themed , as well as many science-fiction-themed sets .
Whether you 're looking for the perfect gift for the space-loving Lego fan in your life or looking for something to add to your personal collection , we 've got you covered .
Do n't forget to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be adding new deals regularly .
And check out our `` Star Wars '' deals and Celestron Telescope Deals !
If you 're searching for a new telescope and are n't sure which one is right for you , be sure to check out our best binoculars and telescope guide pages to find the best options for beginners , computerized telescope fans , kids , all-around astronomers and astrophotographers .
For more ideas on gifts for the space fan in your life , check out our space gift guide and our space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you 're looking for awesome tech this year , check out our sister site Tom 's Guide for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals .

Attention, Lego fans! If you love aliens and UFOs, or spaceflight and sci-fi, we've got the perfect sets for you and your kids. From the cutest (or creepiest?) alien minifigures, to alien spaceships, to Star Wars droids and real NASA spacecraft, this gift guide is bursting with fun ... and learning.
Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for the alien- or sci-fi-loving Lego fan in your life, or you want to add to your personal collection, we've got you covered. Don't forget to check here back regularly, as we'll be adding new deals.
Weird Lego alien sets for fun
Lego Space UFO Abduction: $110.11 at Amazon This 110-piece set will let you take the side of the alien (or the farmer) in this attempted UFO abduction. It includes a tractor beam with "abducting function", so use with care.
Lego ExoSuit: $52.97 at Amazon No fear about a planet's atmosphere with this nifty Lego exosuit, available at Amazon. Conquer your next world with the 321-piece design, including poseable limbs, opening cockpit, grabbing claws and a couple of minifigures.
Lego Space Alien Defender: $54.94 at Amazon Like hoverbikes? How about all-terrain vehicles? You'll get them all with the Lego Space Alien defender set on Amazon. It's a fun build with 105 pieces, including an anti-UFO laser and 2 flick missiles.
Lego Galaxy Squad Crater Creeper: $29.98 at Amazon Dive tentacle-first into epic alien battling with the 105-piece Lego Galaxy Squad Crater Creeper set, available at Amazon. It will pit a crater "creeper" alien against a hovercraft-flying astronaut minifigure. Once you finish the build, Lego's advice for success is self-explanatory: "Don't get caught in the chomping jaws; fire the missiles."
Lego UFO Alien Spaceship Polybag: $15.99 at Amazon This flying saucer at Amazon is great for beginning Lego players, with only 36 pieces to get your alien in the air. Stock is low at the moment, so buy soon before the deal flies away.
Awesome Lego alien minifigures
Lego Alien Villainess: $19.95 at Amazon Swoop into your next interplanetary battle with this alien villainess minifigure, complete with cape, phaser and dour expression. You won't want to get in her way. Not one bit.
Lego Alien Trooper: $9.98 at Amazon This cute minifigure shows an alien ready to roam to a quadrant near you. Comes with a cute, yet menacing-looking, tool.
Lego Classic Alien: $18.88 at Amazon Relive the classic alien look with this menacing-looking Lego alien minifigure. The alien comes with a blaster (or is it a probe?) for intergalactic warfare.
Lego Galaxy Squad Alien Buggoid: $9.95 at Amazon Get ready to take over your next planet with this tough-looking alien. The bug-like armor skin is a nice touch, and should help with dealing with very cold weather.
Lego Alien Avenger: $9.70 at Amazon Charge gladiator-style to your next planet with the alien avenger. The thick armor and growly face will surely make each planet's inhabitants do your bidding.
The best Lego sci-fi sets for kids
The Lego Movie 2 Space Palace: $99.99 $94.99 at Amazon Amazon cut this discontinued set's price by $5 for fans of the Lego Movie 2, so act fast while this is in stock. With this 995-piece set, you can build Queen Watevra’s "So-Not-Evil" Space Palace. The set includes a bachelor Batman minifigure, a Celeste mini-doll figure, a figure of Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi and so much more.
Lego Duplo My First Creative Fun: $39.99 $32.56 at Walmart Walmart has this cute set for little kids at 20% off, while supplies last. With this introductory Lego Duplo set, even the youngest members of your family can build anything in the cosmos.
Lego Classic Creative Fun: $65.99 $59.95 at Amazon Save almost 10% at Amazon with this 900-piece set, while supplies last. With LEGO Classic Creative Fun, your family can build anything they can dream up — from spaceships to imaginary Martian habitats and so much more.
The Force is strong with these Lego Star Wars sets
Lego Star Wars AT-ST Raider: $49.99 $39.99 at Amazon Hop on "The Mandalorian" trend with this deal, allowing you to save $10 on Amazon. This 540-piece set features the AT-ST Raider and also includes the Mandalorian, Cara Dune and 2 Klatooinian Raiders.
Lego Star Wars Boost Droid Commander Set: $199 $149.95 at Amazon
Save 25% off R2-D2 and other classic robots of the "Star Wars" universe, with this incredible deal on Amazon.
Lego Star Wars: The Razor Crest: $129.99 at Amazon You can have more "Mandalorian" fun with the Razor Crest ship, available on Amazon. Use any of the four minifigures to take control: The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda, Greef Karga and Scout Trooper.
Lego Brickheadz Star Wars: The Mandalorian and The Child: $19.95 at Walmart The unlikely duo of "The Mandalorian" comes to the front in this lovable set at Walmart. And yes, of course Baby Yoda is included.
Lego UCS Star Wars A-wing Starfighter: $199.99 at Lego.com
Build up your anticipation for flight with this 1,673-piece A-wing Starfighter at Lego. It's the same ship used in "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi."
Lego Star Wars Boba Fett Helmet: $59.99 $47.99 on Amazon
Go deeper into Mandalorian lore with this helmet, on an incredible 20% deal at Amazon. It features the most notorious bounty hunter, Boba Fett, who will take shape after 625 pieces are put together.
Lego Star Wars TIE Fighter Pilot Helmet:$59.99 at Target.com
Assemble one of the most terrifying pilots of "Star Wars" with this 724-piece set, available at Target to complete the helmets of the franchise.
Lego Star Wars D-O Droid: $69.99 $55.99 on Amazon
Love BB-8? You'll be sure to love his friend D-O, available for 15% off at Amazon. This incredible 519-piece set also includes a minifigure D-O, in case you like Inception-style building.
Lego Star Wars Sith TIE Fighter: $79.99 at Lego.com
Fly away with one of the most iconic ships of "Star Wars". This new set includes 470 pieces and minifigures of Finn, a First Order Pilot and Knight of Ren.
Lego Star Wars Duel on Mustafar: $19.99 $15.99 on Amazon
Relive the epic prequel battle on Mustafar with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan, available for 20% off on Amazon. With 208 pieces you'll have plenty of time to choose between the dark side and the light side of the Force.
Lego Star Wars Sith Troopers Battle Pack: $14.99 $11.99 at Amazon
Marvel in the power of the Sith with this 105-piece set, now 20% off at Amazon. It includes three red Sith troopers (two jet troopers and one regular) along with a First Order Officer and speeder.
Lego Star Wars Kylo Ren's Shuttle Microfighter | $9.99
Kylo Ren, the tortured anti-hero of the "Star Wars" sequels, at least had a cool-looking ship to enjoy between the angst. You can fly it yourself after assembling the 72-piece Microfighter set.
Star Wars Resistance Y-wing Microfighter: $9.99 at Lego.com
Fight the Force of the dark side using this Lego Y-wing Microfighter piloted by Zorii Bliss. In this 86-piece set, you'll get two flick missiles and Zorii's super-cool helmet, a new piece for 2020.
Lego Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Snowspeeder: $94.99 at Amazon Blast back to "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" on its 40th anniversary, before supplies disappear on this discontinued set. This 309-piece set takes you back to with a Snowspeeder ship, laser cannons and four minifigures: Luke Skywalker and Dak Ralter (who are both dressed in pilot outfits), a Rebel Trooper and even a special 20th anniversary Lando Calrissian.
An awesome Lego space stuffer idea
Lego City Space Satellite: $3.99 at Lego.com You can't beat the low price on this cute space satellite site at Lego, so act quickly before it flies out of sight. You'll get a satellite with movable solar panels, a minifigure with a spacesuit (including a light and golden-visored helmet).
Lego City Space Satellite: $3.99 at Lego.com You can't beat the low price on this cute space satellite site at Lego, so act quickly before it flies out of sight. You'll get a satellite with movable solar panels, a minifigure with a spacesuit (including a light and golden-visored helmet).
Cool Lego NASA sets for young and old
Lego Apollo 11 Lunar Lander: $99.95 at Amazon Lego teamed up with NASA to make this special Apollo anniversary building set. The 1,087-piece kit includes the "Eagle" lunar module that brought Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. Read the full story here.
Lego Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V: $119.99 at Amazon The epic Saturn V astronaut rocket is available in Lego form at Amazon. The 1969-piece set is approximately a 1:110 scale model of NASA's Saturn V rocket that lifted Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon in 1969.
Lego Women of NASA Building Kit: $47.44 at Amazon Four outstanding women from NASA's history got the Lego treatment in the Women of NASA set, available at Amazon while supplies last. The 231-piece building kit includes computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, and astronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison as well as props relevant to each woman’s contributions to the space program. Read the full story here.
Amazing Lego spaceships, rovers and spaceports
Lego City Space Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control: $99.99 at Amazon It's Mars versus the monorail on this epic launch kit set from Lego, available on Amazon. The multi-stage rocket and opening launch tower are available in frustration-free packaging. The epic 837-piece set includes 6 minifigures: 2 astronauts, 2 scientists, a launch director and a ground crew technician. You'll also get a robot, a space telescope, a rover with an articulated arm and a launchpad.
Lego City Space Lunar Space Station: $59.99 $48.00 at Amazon This 412-piece set's frustration-free packaging version is 20% off at Amazon, while supplies last. Just like NASA hopes to do, you can build a lunar space station with three separate modules and a detachable shuttle toy. Also included are 2 LEGO City astronaut minifigures, 2 space station crew member minifigures, a robot (because why not), a satellite and a central airlock.
Lego Creator 3-in-1 Space Rover Explorer: $39.99 $32 at Amazon While this cute space set is out of stock, you can still grab a 20% off deal at Amazon for shipment in mid-December. The 510-piece set allows you to build a space rover explorer, a space base or a space flyer — and also to get to know the adorable alien included with the set.
Lego Creator 3-in-1 Shuttle Transporter: $24.99 $21.97 at Amazon Save 12% on this incredible Lego set at Amazon while supplies last. With the included 341 pieces, you can build the shuttle transporter, a futuristic helicopter transporter or a car with caravan, depending on your mood.
Lego City Space Mars Research Shuttle: $39.99 $31.99 at Amazon Blast off to Mars for 20% less on Amazon with this epic 273-piece Lego set, while it's still available on this planet. Besides an epic shuttle vehicle and Mars rover, you'll get 2 LEGO City Mars astronaut minifigures, a helidrone (to evoke the NASA Ingenuity drone, we suppose) and a storage drone.
Lego City Rover Testing Drive: $29.99 $22.79 at Amazon Get moving on Mars for 25% less on this 202-piece set, before the deal drives away. The toy includes a cockpit, articulated grappling arm, removable solar power generator and large all-terrain vehicles. Also enjoy the astronaut and ground crew technician minifigures.
Lego Overwatch Watchpoint: Gibraltar: $89.99 $84.99 at Amazon This cute Overwatch set is $5 at Amazon while supplies last, so blast off on this sale while you can. The 730-piece set includes a rocket, launch power and game hero figurines including Mercy, Pharah, Reaper and Winston.
Lego City Space Mars Research Shuttle: $39.99 $31.99 at Amazon This 273-piece set lets you explore Mars from the comfort of your own home. It includes 2 Lego city Mars astronaut minifigures and pieces that build a space shuttle model, a Mars rover and a helidrone.
LEGO City Rover Testing Drive: $29.99 $22.79 at Amazon With this 202-piece set at 25% off on Amazon, you can build a rover ready to explore the Martian surface. Complete with a crew of 2 Lego city minifigure astronauts, this set comes with the pieces to build a rover with an opening cockpit, a grappling arm you can use to "take Martian samples," a solar power generator and other tools that your astronaut crew can use on Mars.


livescience--2020-11-28--The best science kit deals for Black Friday

If you have a child who loves to dig up bugs , build rolling robots , or is just curious about how things work , one of these science kits may be for you .
Here 's a look at what is on sale for Black Friday .
Kids can play “ chemist ” with all the ingredients to create their own lab and conduct experiments .
With the included beakers , test tubes , flasks , pipettes and more , they will be able to whip up glowing slime , fizzing reactions and oozing bubbles , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
This chemistry kit , recommended for ages 6 and up , includes 10 printed experiment cards that clip onto the lab station as well as a 16-page , full-color manual with additional experiments and scientific explanations.View Deal Inside this container is a tiny world : a miniature garden that can be illuminated at night by a built-in LED light .
The kit includes colored sand , rocks and soil ; wheatgrass and chia seeds ; whimsical miniatures of a mushroom and rabbit ; and tools for planting and watering the seeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering the kit for 27 % off.View Deal Kids will have a blast , literally , with the more than 26 explosive kitchen experiments .
While they are creating bubbly , frothy concoctions , your child will also be learning about acids , bases , pH scale , DNA , electricity and diffusion .
In addition to ingredients and tools , this science kit , recommended for ages 8 and up , also includes fact-filled colorful lab guide is full of pictures and information giving kids hours of fun in their own science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon appear to be mostly fake , though other reviews of the set suggest it ’ s a solid science kit for kids.View Deal Embrace your inner 007 and learn about science , with this kit , which offers two exciting mysteries to solve using eight scientific activities .
Learn about how crime labs work as you match fingerprints , analyze DNA and test liquids and powders .
Recommended for ages 8 and up .
And right now , Amazon is selling the kit for 27 % off.View Deal Playz My First Coding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Amazon Kids as young as 6 can learn about computer coding with this Playz science kit .
With the kit and instruction book , your child can create and play with binary necklaces , ancient encryption devices , sorting races , mystery mazes , pixelated pictures and more .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 38 % off.View Deal Your child can pretend to be a chemist and learn real science while mixing up the perfect slime concoction .
This kit includes 18 different colored slimes , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 vials of colored glitter , two bags of sugar paper , three bags of beads and six bags of foam balls .
Kids can even add a sprinkle of special powder to make their slime glow in the dark .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 40 % off.View Deal Did you know that you can generate electricity with fruits or vegetables ?
This 4M kit provides everything you 'll need ( except the produce ) to turn a potato into a working battery that can power an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wires and prongs .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 30 % off.View Deal You wo n't believe your eyes when you peer at all of the optical creations in this science kit .
Kids ages 4 and up can conduct eight optical science experiments that involve creating : a periscope , a cone Illusion , a 3D viewer , a rotating kaleidoscope , an Infinity mirror , an optical lab , an optical illusion pendulum and a camera obscura .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the stars with a kit for making and launching your own rockets .
Along the way , kids will learn about propulsion and spaceflight .
The included guide walks kids through different careers connected to rocket propulsion , along with step-by-step instructions for completing several rocket experiments .
( Some household items are not included . )
Kit is recommended for children ages 8 to 12 .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 20 % off.View Deal Inside this container is a tiny world : a miniature garden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a built-in LED light .
The kit includes colored sand , rocks and soil ; wheatgrass and chia seeds ; whimsical miniatures of a mushroom and rabbit ; and tools for planting and watering the seeds .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 35 % off.View Deal

If your kids are naturally creative and inquisitive, these black friday science kit deals are too good to pass up. Including cooking kits, these deals also mean your child can spend days of fun completing experiments.
Playing with science kits not only gives your child a break from staring at a screen for hours at a time but also gives them the opportunity to participate in a hands-on educational experience. Teach them the science behind some impressive magic tricks with the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Science Magic Kit — now 22% at Amazon! The whole family can participate too, as most of these kits have easy-to-follow directions and include everything you’ll need for the experiments.
Check out our list of science kit deals. It's updated regularly so you’ll always know what's in stock. More gifts for kids can be found at Live Science’s Osmo deals.
Today's best science kit deals
Learn & Climb Dynamo Science Kit for Kids: $34.99 $24.99 on Amazon
You can get save 28% off this science kit at Amazon. This product is ideal for big families and a great choice for gifting. With good reviews on Amazon, Learn & Climb offers several types of science kits, each offering a variety of STEM and chemistry activities for kids.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Stunning Chemistry Set: $34.99 $24.49 on Amazon
Some truly classic kids' experiments can be found in this kit, including erupting a volcano, creating a geyser, launching a rocket and more! This kit is 30% off at Amazon.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Science Magic Kit: $29.99 $23.99 on Amazon
Teach the science behind a range of impressive magic tricks with this science kit from National Geographic. Save 20% on the usual price on Amazon!
BBC Doctor Who Coding Kit: was $74.95 , now $44.97 at Amazon This STEM coding kit might be the perfect gift for the curious kid in your life. Recommended for ages 7 and up, with no coding experience required, the Doctor Who HiFive Inventor Coding Kit comes with: a HiFive mini-computer, ]complete with built-in sensors, a color-LED display, a lighted USB cable, external battery pack, speaker and alligator clips. Are you ready to build an intergalactic weather station? Save 40% for Cyber Monday.
National Geographic Earth Science Kit - Over 15 - was $29.99 , now $20.99 at Amazon
With 30% off this stunning science kit from National Geographic, kids will love exploring 15 experiments - from building a volcano to growing a crystal. Detailed and fun learning guides bring science to life and instill a wonder for the natural world.
SNAEN Deluxe 110-Piece Science Station Kit $65.99 $33.99 at Amazon SNAEN's Science Station Kit is now available with 46% off its usual price, saving you $29.99! Included are experiment test cards, beakers, test tubes, flasks and all the tools for your child to begin their safe experiments.
SNAEN 63-piece Science Experiment Kit $45.99 $26.00 at Amazon You can save an explosive 43% on this science experiment kit, which also comes with a handy storage box, experiment cards, and all safe chemical compounds in their individual containers.
Playz Explosive Kitchen Lab: $69.95 $39.95 at Amazon At 43% off this science kit, kids will have a blast, literally, with the more than 26 explosive kitchen experiments that also educate them about acids, pH scale, DNA and more!
Mars Rover PiCar-B Robot Car Kit $86.89 $59.49 on Amazon
Build your very own AI robot rover, powered by Raspberry Pi, and using Python coding. The kit comes with a step-by-step guide to build, code and even control the rover using voice commands.
Thames & Kosmos Ooze Labs Chemistry Station Science Experiment Kit: $39.95 $29.99 at Amazon
Kids can play "chemist" with all the ingredients to create their own lab and conduct experiments. Included are beakers, test tubes, flasks, pipettes and more.
Uncle Milton Ant Farm: $14.69 $11.46 at Amazon Your kids can watch live ants dig tunnels, build bridges, move "mountains" and more. For kids 6 and up, the kit includes a STEM learning guide to help children learn about amazing behavior and anatomy of ants. Don't worry about any insect escapees, as there's a self-locking device on the farm that still allows access for feeding and giving water to the teensy inhabitants. Amazon is selling the kit for 22% off.
Learn & Climb Science Kit for Kids: $44.99 $29.99 at Amazon Save 33% on this giant science kit packed with more than 60 experiments, including a glowing lava lamp, an explosive volcano and other bubbling concoctions, while learning about magnetism, chemical reactions, acids and bases, and more.
Grow-n-Glow Terrarium: $14.99 $12.97 at Amazon Your little naturalist can get "dirty" indoors with this glowing terrarium kit. The kit includes everything they'll need to craft, plant, water and grow a mini ecosystem. What's included: plastic mason-style jar, potting mix (vermiculite), organic chia and wheat grass seeds, glow-in-the-dark forest figurines and more. Just add water!
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Chemistry Set: $45.00 $35.80 at Amazon
For the child who can't wait to put on those safety goggles and start mixing ingredients, this might be the perfect science kit, and it's now 14% off at Amazon.
Crime Catchers Spy Science Kit: $22.00 $15.99 at Amazon Embrace your inner 007 and learn about science, with this kit, which offers two exciting mysteries to solve using eight scientific activities. Learn about how crime labs work as you match fingerprints, analyze DNA and test liquids and powders. Recommended for ages 8 and up. And right now, Amazon is selling the kit for 27% off.
Playz My First Coding & Computer Science Kit: $44.95 $29.95 at Amazon Kids as young as 6 can learn about computer coding with this Playz science kit. With the kit and instruction book, your child can create and play with binary necklaces, ancient encryption devices, sorting races, mystery mazes, pixelated pictures and more.
Thames & Kosmos Ooze Labs: $29.95 $14.40 at Amazon With this "Alien Slime Lab Science Experiment Kit," your child gets to be the lead chemist in an out-of-this-world lab, where they must identify funky "alien" oozes by using science! The kit, which is recommended for ages 7 and up, is at an out-of-this world discount, selling at Amazon for 52% off the normal retail price.
Green Science Potato Clock: $19.95 $18.68 at Amazon Did you know that you can generate electricity with fruits or vegetables? This 4M kit provides everything you'll need (except the produce) to turn a potato into a working battery that can power an electronic clock: a digital clock, wires and prongs. Right now, Amazon is offering the kit for 6% off.
Hape Junior Inventor Optical Science Lab: $39.99 $30.80 at Amazon You won't believe your eyes when you peer at all of the optical creations in this science kit. Kids ages 4 and up can conduct eight optical science experiments that involve creating: a periscope, a cone Illusion, a 3D viewer, a rotating kaleidoscope, an Infinity mirror, an optical lab, an optical illusion pendulum and a camera obscura.
hand2mind Launch Rocket STEM Kit: $29.95 $25.50 at Amazon Reach for the stars with a kit for making and launching your own rockets. Along the way, kids will learn about propulsion and spaceflight. The included guide walks kids through different careers connected to rocket propulsion, along with step-by-step instructions for completing several rocket experiments. (Some household items are not included.) Kit is recommended for children ages 8 to 12.
National Geographic Crystal Growing Garden: $21.99 $16.99 at Amazon Kids can learn about the crystallization process and physical properties of different states of matter as they watch their crystal trees grow. The branches begin to sprout in minutes though an entire cherry or evergreen tree will take 6 hours to complete. Kids can use one of five watercolor pens to give their trees a fun hue as it grows. The kit also comes with a real geode, with crystal inside.
Discovery Kids Gemstone Dig Science Kit: $19.99 $8.99 at Amazon Inside this container is a tiny world: a miniature garden that can be illuminated at night by a built-in LED light. The kit includes colored sand, rocks and soil; wheatgrass and chia seeds; whimsical miniatures of a mushroom and a rabbit; and tools for planting and watering the seeds. For Cyber Monday, Amazon is offering the kit for 55% off.
How to choose a science kit
There are so many options when looking for the perfect science kit for your child or a friend. Here are some factors to think about when scanning the "shelves" for an entertaining and educational kit.
Interest: Some kids have very particular interests that match perfectly with certain science kits. For your dinosaur enthusiast, you can choose from a slew of paleontology-geared kits that let them dig for bones and learn about the Jurassic along the way. A free-spirited naturalist could dive into a bug-catching set, an ant farm or a build-your-own terrarium. For children who have an array of interests, or even those who might want to expand their minds, you can think about the types of activities and experiences they like. A child who loves physical activity might enjoy a stomp-rocket kit or a virtual reality science kit that lets them interact with the universe as an astronaut. Someone with an interest in mixing ingredients for cooking might also love a magic potions kit or one that guides them in making candy while learning about food chemistry.
Materials: Some of these kits come with just enough materials to perform certain experiments one or two times. For instance, an erupting volcano kit can include the plastic basics and the chemicals to perform a few of the illustrated experiments. So you'll need to provide extra household supplies to finish them all. Other kits, like those for growing crystals , tend to include just enough supplies to do one experiment. (If you are looking for items you can recycle or throw away when done, these might be the perfect choice.) Also, check to see whether any of the chemicals or tools involved require parental oversight.
Level of difficulty: Most science kits state the recommended age levels, though if the kit is for a kindergartener who doesn't know how to read yet, you still might need to be involved. For instance, this STEM solar robot kit is rated for ages 8 and up; if your child is 6 and is interested in robot-building, just remember they may need extra guidance along the way.
Mess: When making your science-kit buying choices, clean-up is another factor to consider. Chemistry-based sets tend to make the most mess, with erupting fizz and "smoking" magical concoctions. Dinosaur digging as well as crystal-growing can also be messy. Sometimes, of course, the messier the activity, the more fun and engaging it is for kids. But for a tidier science experience, look no further than robots, electric circuits, coding games and even some of the VR options.
SNAEN Deluxe 110-Piece Science Station Kit $65.99 $33.99 at Amazon SNAEN's Science Station Kit is now available with 46% off its usual price, saving you $29.99! Included are experiment test cards, beakers, test tubes, flasks and all the tools for your child to begin their safe experiments.


livescience--2020-11-28--How do fax machines work?

How do fax machines work?

Like a cross between a telephone and a printer , fax machines copy documents in one location and print them out in another — even thousands of miles apart .
Before the ubiquity of computers and high-speed internet and when the other options were snail mail or a courier , a fax could relatively quickly transmit medical records to doctors , photos to newspapers and invoices to clients .
But how do fax machines work ?
`` Basically , a fax machine scans an image or a document line by line , then transmits that scan to a receiver where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Jonathan Coopersmith , author of `` Faxed : The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine '' ( Johns Hopkins University Press , 2015 ) and professor of history at Texas A & M University .
Faxes operate on telephone lines today , but early faxes ( short for facsimile machines ) used telegraph lines , which transmitted text messages using codes of long and short pulses , such as Morse code .
In fact , the fax was invented in 1843 , three decades before the telephone .
Faxes have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since that time , but the mechanics have changed , Coopersmith said .
In the 19th century , a fax machine 's stylus moved over a document that was held in place .
Each document had a message that was written in ink coated with a treated dry resin known as shellac powder .
`` As your stylus goes , most of the line will be blank , but then it hits shellac , which raises the stylus and sends a beep to say there 's something here , there 's black here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today , faxes optically scan documents without physically touching them .
These machines shine a light , which reflects off of the black ( or printed ) areas of the surface but not the white ( or blank ) areas .
But how do faxes talk to each other ?
Before sending a document , the two faxes in different locations have a quick conversation , called a handshake , to confirm there 's really a fax machine on the other end , explained Abe Lopes , owner of Ace Copy Inc. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newark , New Jersey .
`` That 's why you hear the little ‘ deh-leh-lehhh ' sound , the little dial tones , '' he told Live Science .
Fax machines split a page up into a grid of many tiny squares , similar to pixels .
In real time , the sending fax reads one line of squares at a time and uses beeps to tell the receiving fax whether the squares are black or white ( represented by ones and zeroes , respectively ) , Lopes said .
`` As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the receiving fax is working simultaneously , '' he said .
`` One fax is sending ones and zeroes , on and off signals , while the other receives it , and translates it back to black and white to print out . ''
The key to a functioning fax is having two separate telephone lines , Lopes said .
One line for the actual phone and another for the fax .
`` If the fax uses the same line as the phone and someone picks up the phone in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transmission , '' he said .
That means paper jams , starting over , or both .
Although fax machines may seem outdated today compared with the convenience of attaching a PDF to an email or collaborating on a Google Doc , many medical offices and small businesses still rely on faxes .
And there 's home use , too .
That 's how Coopersmith became fascinated with faxes .
His mother in the United States enjoyed using one to communicate with friends in Russia and Thailand .
`` How neat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a technology so simple my mother can use it , yet so complicated it can communicate around the world . ''

Like a cross between a telephone and a printer, fax machines copy documents in one location and print them out in another — even thousands of miles apart. Before the ubiquity of computers and high-speed internet and when the other options were snail mail or a courier, a fax could relatively quickly transmit medical records to doctors, photos to newspapers and invoices to clients. But how do fax machines work?
"Basically, a fax machine scans an image or a document line by line, then transmits that scan to a receiver where it's printed out and reproduced," said Jonathan Coopersmith, author of "Faxed: The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015) and professor of history at Texas A&M University. Faxes operate on telephone lines today, but early faxes (short for facsimile machines) used telegraph lines, which transmitted text messages using codes of long and short pulses, such as Morse code. In fact, the fax was invented in 1843, three decades before the telephone. Faxes have kept the same fundamental design and function since that time, but the mechanics have changed, Coopersmith said.
In the 19th century, a fax machine's stylus moved over a document that was held in place. Each document had a message that was written in ink coated with a treated dry resin known as shellac powder. "As your stylus goes, most of the line will be blank, but then it hits shellac, which raises the stylus and sends a beep to say there's something here, there's black here," Coopersmith told Live Science. Today, faxes optically scan documents without physically touching them. These machines shine a light, which reflects off of the black (or printed) areas of the surface but not the white (or blank) areas.
Related: Who invented the car?
But how do faxes talk to each other? Before sending a document, the two faxes in different locations have a quick conversation, called a handshake, to confirm there's really a fax machine on the other end, explained Abe Lopes, owner of Ace Copy Inc., an office equipment repair shop based in Newark, New Jersey. "That's why you hear the little ‘deh-leh-lehhh' sound, the little dial tones," he told Live Science.
Fax machines split a page up into a grid of many tiny squares, similar to pixels. In real time, the sending fax reads one line of squares at a time and uses beeps to tell the receiving fax whether the squares are black or white (represented by ones and zeroes, respectively), Lopes said. "As the paper is fed through the sending fax, the receiving fax is working simultaneously," he said. "One fax is sending ones and zeroes, on and off signals, while the other receives it, and translates it back to black and white to print out."
The key to a functioning fax is having two separate telephone lines, Lopes said. One line for the actual phone and another for the fax. "If the fax uses the same line as the phone and someone picks up the phone in the middle, that will interrupt and knock off the transmission," he said. That means paper jams, starting over, or both.
Although fax machines may seem outdated today compared with the convenience of attaching a PDF to an email or collaborating on a Google Doc, many medical offices and small businesses still rely on faxes. And there's home use, too. That's how Coopersmith became fascinated with faxes. His mother in the United States enjoyed using one to communicate with friends in Russia and Thailand. "How neat," he thought. "Here's a technology so simple my mother can use it, yet so complicated it can communicate around the world."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-27--Save 50% on Catan and Ticket to Ride board games, plus expansions this Black Friday

Two renowned strategy games , Catan and Ticket to Ride are among the most successful board games in the world , and right now you can pick up each of them with a huge 50 % off the usual price !
This saves you over $ 25 for each game .
Do n't be too slow , however , as these deals will not be around for long !
We 've already seen an Amazon deal sell out and we 've tracked down a Walmart one which is also great .
Originally released in 1995 , and previously called Settlers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims their game is regularly played by 20 million people worldwide .
Now you and up to three other players can join the adventure , and also check out one of the many expansions on the original game — including Star Trek Catan now 23 % off — also on sale this Black Friday !
Three to four players compete over resources and territory , trading and building to expand their settlements across a map of hexagonal tiles .
Players must collect and spend wood , sheep , ore , wheat and brick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and purchase development cards .
With different terrain tiles placed randomly , each game session is unique from the last , making for great replay value .
Meanwhile , Ticket to Ride is the inter-railing adventure game that sees players race around North America , strategically connecting major cities with rail track while trying to out-wit their opponents .
There 's plenty of risk and reward gameplay , as players decide whether to travel safe with shorter routes , or dare to connect a long route across the continent .
There are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ticket to Ride : Europe , which is also more than 50 % off this Black Friday !
Since Catan 's release there are now dozens of expansions on the core set , opening new rules , gameplay mechanics and scenarios .
You can even find alternative versions of the main game with Game of Thrones and even Star Trek receiving the Catan treatment .
Meanwhile , different versions of Ticket to Ride can see you adventuring across Europe or New York in a taxi cab !
You can also find junior versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to help get younger players into board games .
Check out the best Osmo deals available this Black Friday !

We could be 16 years into a methane-fueled 'termination' event significant enough to end an ice age
Methane emissions from tropical wetlands have been soaring since 2006 and accelerating at the same breakneck speed as when Earth's climate has flipped from a glacial to an interglacial period.


livescience--2020-11-24--Pandemic board game is 44% off this Black Friday

The world has ( understandably ) become increasingly interested in epidemiology and the history of pandemics this year .
With a lot of us stuck inside more than usual , it 's also no surprise that households are spending their time with board games .
This has all led to the popularity of board games like Pandemic , which right now on Walmart you can buy for just $ 19.97 , saving you over 60 % !
Meanwhile , Pandemic : Legacy ( Season One ) the board game is available for just $ 49.43 from Walmart saving you 38 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game players combat a global outbreak , competing or cooperating to save the world — or even lead it to doom .
So if you 've ever wanted to save the world , or perhaps you have the curiosity to create your very own maleficent virus ( Plague Inc : The Board Game is now 22 % off at Amazon ) , this Black Friday period is the perfect time to sweep up some great deals on board games that are going viral .
If you 've always yearned to join the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Season One ) the board game puts you at the frontline of a deadly virus , with players working together to discover countermeasures and cures .
Two to four players cooperate with different characters ( such as scientists , medics or researchers ) who each gain new skills and attributes as the game progresses , and the disease alters and spreads across the globe .
Each decision has permanent consequences as this legacy game unravels players ' own unique narrative — no two play-throughs are the same and each move could spell global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and even by destroying playing cards , your game is permanently recorded and ready to continue in the next installment of Pandemic : Legacy ( Season Two ) , as the epic story of the pandemic continues .
If you ca n't get enough of viral board games , there are a host of other titles to consider .
If you want to explore the darker side of a pandemic , Plague Inc : The Board Game sees players plot the end of the world by developing and adapting their very own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to develop the most deadly disease , starting from patient zero before spreading from city to city and even mutating or developing new symptoms to overcome vaccines and countermeasures .
The original award-winning Pandemic board game ( now 44 % off on Walmart ! )
is a shorter affair , with two to four players co-operating to take on the global crisis in a single relaxed sitting .
Expect the same intricate mechanics of the other Pandemic games , but none of the legacy elements or epic narrative arc , as players move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a comfortable 45 minutes .
For an even more-simplified version of Z-Man Games ' Pandemic series , you can also grab a great deal on Pandemic : The Cure dice game .
This standalone version features the same great turn-based strategy gameplay , as players take on different guises to fight a deadly virus , rolling dice to determine random world events that may help or hinder their progress .
Take a look below for some of the top deals available now on these board games .


livescience--2020-11-29--The best science kit deals for Cyber Monday

If you have a child who loves to dig up bugs , build rolling robots , or is just curious about how things work , one of these science kits may be for you .
Here 's a look at what is on sale for Black Friday .
Kids can play “ chemist ” with all the ingredients to create their own lab and conduct experiments .
With the included beakers , test tubes , flasks , pipettes and more , they will be able to whip up glowing slime , fizzing reactions and oozing bubbles , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
This chemistry kit , recommended for ages 6 and up , includes 10 printed experiment cards that clip onto the lab station as well as a 16-page , full-color manual with additional experiments and scientific explanations.View Deal Have a kid who ca n't get enough of the outdoors and digging in the dirt ?
Uncle Milton 's Ant Farm would be the perfect gift : They can watch live ants dig tunnels , build bridges , move `` mountains '' and more .
For kids 6 and up , the kit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children learn about amazing behavior and anatomy of ants .
Do n't worry about any insect escapees , as there 's a self-locking device on the farm that still allows access for feeding and giving water to the teensy inhabitants .
Amazon is selling the kit for 22 % off.View Deal Inside this container is a tiny world : a miniature garden that can be illuminated at night by a built-in LED light .
The kit includes colored sand , rocks and soil ; wheatgrass and chia seeds ; whimsical miniatures of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planting and watering the seeds .
Amazon is offering the kit for 27 % off.View Deal Kids will have a blast , literally , with the more than 26 explosive kitchen experiments .
While they are creating bubbly , frothy concoctions , your child will also be learning about acids , bases , pH scale , DNA , electricity and diffusion .
In addition to ingredients and tools , this science kit , recommended for ages 8 and up , also includes fact-filled colorful lab guide is full of pictures and information giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science lab .
NOTE : The reviews on Amazon appear to be mostly fake , though other reviews of the set suggest it ’ s a solid science kit for kids.View Deal Embrace your inner 007 and learn about science , with this kit , which offers two exciting mysteries to solve using eight scientific activities .
Learn about how crime labs work as you match fingerprints , analyze DNA and test liquids and powders .
Recommended for ages 8 and up .
And right now , Amazon is selling the kit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coding & Computer Science Kit : $ 27.96 at Amazon Kids as young as 6 can learn about computer coding with this Playz science kit .
With the kit and instruction book , your child can create and play with binary necklaces , ancient encryption devices , sorting races , mystery mazes , pixelated pictures and more .
Right now , Amazon is offering the kit for 38 % off.View Deal Your child can pretend to be a chemist and learn real science while mixing up the perfect slime concoction .
This kit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutting/shaping utensils , two plastic straws , 12 vials of colored glitter , two bags of sugar paper , three bags of beads and six bags of foam balls .
Kids can even add a sprinkle of special powder to make their slime glow in the dark .
Amazon is offering the kit for 40 % off.View Deal Did you know that you can generate electricity with fruits or vegetables ?
This 4M kit provides everything you 'll need ( except the produce ) to turn a potato into a working battery that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital clock , wires and prongs .
Right now , Amazon is offering the kit for 30 % off.View Deal You wo n't believe your eyes when you peer at all of the optical creations in this science kit .
Kids ages 4 and up can conduct eight optical science experiments that involve creating : a periscope , a cone Illusion , a 3D viewer , a rotating kaleidoscope , an Infinity mirror , an optical lab , an optical illusion pendulum and a camera obscura .
Amazon is offering the kit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stars with a kit for making and launching your own rockets .
Along the way , kids will learn about propulsion and spaceflight .
The included guide walks kids through different careers connected to rocket propulsion , along with step-by-step instructions for completing several rocket experiments .
( Some household items are not included . )
Kit is recommended for children ages 8 to 12 .
Amazon is offering the kit for 20 % off.View Deal Inside this container is a tiny world : a miniature garden that can be illuminated at night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kit includes colored sand , rocks and soil ; wheatgrass and chia seeds ; whimsical miniatures of a mushroom and rabbit ; and tools for planting and watering the seeds .
For Black Friday , Amazon is offering the kit for 19 % off .
View Deal


livescience--2020-11-29--How much snow is needed for an official 'White Christmas'?

Every December , many of us begin to dream of a white Christmas , of marshmallow worlds and walking in a winter wonderland .
Classic holiday songs like `` White Christmas '' are filled with frosty imagery of deep , pristine snow .
But in reality , exactly how much snow is needed to officially declare a Christmas `` white '' ?
The answer , according to the ( NWS ) , is at least 1 inch ( 2.5 centimeters ) of snow on the ground on the morning of Dec. 25 .
Contrary to popular belief , that inch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have fallen fresh on Christmas or Christmas Eve ; snow from days or weeks prior that remains on the ground until Christmas Day technically still counts .
What 's the significance of 1 inch ?
`` We [ meteorologists in the U.S. ] measure to the nearest inch when we ’ re doing snow depth , '' said Jeff Boyne , a forecaster with the NWS in La Crosse , Wisconsin .
An inch of snow is also typically enough to hide grass and other outdoor surfaces under a thin veil of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more `` brown '' than `` white '' Christmas , Boyne told Live Science .
So , why do we dream of a white Christmas in the first place ?
To answer that , look to the calendar and climate .
In the Northern Hemisphere , the , or first day of astronomical winter , occurs around Dec. 21 or 22 — mere days before the Christmas holiday .
Since Christmas occurs during the winter season , a season characterized by cold and snow , it 's only natural that snow and Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed the white Christmas tradition has roots in the Little Ice Age , a period of cool climate in the Northern Hemisphere roughly between the 16th century and 19th century , according to the .
During the Little Ice Age , average winter temperatures in Europe and North America were as much as 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit ( 2 degrees Celsius ) cooler than usual .
Cold and snow were such a routine part of daily life that frost fairs — festivals held on frozen rivers and canals — were popular celebrations at that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe , all of that snow eventually became culturally associated with Christmas , especially with the publication of Charles Dickens ' `` A Christmas Carol '' and Clement Clarke Moore 's poem commonly known as `` Twas the Night Before Christmas '' toward the end of the Little Ice Age years .
As these works became popular around the world , so did the notion of snow on Christmas .
( Of course , white Christmases are n't as prevalent in the world 's warm climates where snow is rare , or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of December occurs during the . )
Will this centuries-old tradition stay with us for years to come ?
Boyne thinks so .
`` Most people like white Christmases , '' he said , `` just as long as they do n't have to travel in them . ''

Every December, many of us begin to dream of a white Christmas, of marshmallow worlds and walking in a winter wonderland. Classic holiday songs like "White Christmas" are filled with frosty imagery of deep, pristine snow. But in reality, exactly how much snow is needed to officially declare a Christmas "white"?
The answer, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), is at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of snow on the ground on the morning of Dec. 25. Contrary to popular belief, that inch or more of snow doesn't need to have fallen fresh on Christmas or Christmas Eve; snow from days or weeks prior that remains on the ground until Christmas Day technically still counts.
What's the significance of 1 inch? "We [meteorologists in the U.S.] measure to the nearest inch when we’re doing snow depth," said Jeff Boyne, a forecaster with the NWS in La Crosse, Wisconsin. An inch of snow is also typically enough to hide grass and other outdoor surfaces under a thin veil of white. Anything less would yield a more "brown" than "white" Christmas, Boyne told Live Science.
Related: Are Santa's reindeer males?
So, why do we dream of a white Christmas in the first place? To answer that, look to the calendar and climate.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice , or first day of astronomical winter, occurs around Dec. 21 or 22 — mere days before the Christmas holiday. Since Christmas occurs during the winter season, a season characterized by cold and snow, it's only natural that snow and Christmas be paired together.
It's also believed the white Christmas tradition has roots in the Little Ice Age, a period of cool climate in the Northern Hemisphere roughly between the 16th century and 19th century, according to the Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change . During the Little Ice Age, average winter temperatures in Europe and North America were as much as 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) cooler than usual. Cold and snow were such a routine part of daily life that frost fairs — festivals held on frozen rivers and canals — were popular celebrations at that time, according to the Museum of London .
In Europe, all of that snow eventually became culturally associated with Christmas, especially with the publication of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and Clement Clarke Moore's poem commonly known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas" toward the end of the Little Ice Age years. As these works became popular around the world, so did the notion of snow on Christmas. (Of course, white Christmases aren't as prevalent in the world's warm climates where snow is rare, or in the Southern Hemisphere, where the month of December occurs during the summer season .)
Will this centuries-old tradition stay with us for years to come? Boyne thinks so. "Most people like white Christmases," he said, "just as long as they don't have to travel in them."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-29--Amazing images: The best science photos of the week

Each week at Live Science we find the most interesting and informative articles we can .
Along the way , we uncover some amazing and cool images .
Here you 'll discover the most incredible photos we found this week , and the remarkable stories behind them .
In what may be one of the weirdest animal mash-ups , scientists have found the 68 million-year-old fossilized skull of an early bird with a -like face and a toucan-like beak , a new study finds .
This crow-size bird lived in northwestern Madagascar during the , when walked the Earth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of a kind .
`` Birds from the Mesozoic [ the dinosaur era ] , or any time for that matter , do not have faces built like this , '' study co-researcher Patrick O'Connor , professor of anatomy at Ohio University , told Live Science .
Researchers found the bird 's partial but `` exquisitely preserved '' skull in 2010 in a block of muddy sandstone .
They did n't CT scan it until 2017 , O'Connor said .
In that moment , they realized this 3-inch-long ( 8.5 centimeters ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the palm of your hand — had `` a beak never before seen in the Mesozoic , '' study co-researcher Alan Turner , associate professor of anatomy at Stony Brook University in New York , told Live Science .
[ Read more : Dino-era bird had the head of a Velociraptor and beak of a toucan ] Satellites spotted gashes in the damaged , which is set to be decommissioned by the U.S. National Science Foundation ( NSF ) .
The 57-year-old radio telescope has sustained which has made its massive dish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the NSF .
The cable failures have also damaged the massive dish , which spans a whopping 1,000 feet ( 305 meters ) across , gouging holes in its delicate metal panels .
Those holes in the telescope 's large dish and vegetation growing below the historic piece of technology can be seen from space in a new , high-resolution satellite image taken by the Dove satellite constellation operated by Planet , a company based in California .
The image was produced on request from Nature , .
[ Read more : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , seen from space ] An Egyptian that was decorated with a woman 's portrait contained a surprise — the body of a child who was only 5 years old when she died .
Now , scientists have learned more about the mysterious girl and her burial , thanks to high-resolution scans and `` microbeams '' that targeted very small regions in the intact artifact .
( CT ) scans of the mummy 's teeth and femur confirmed the girl 's age , though they showed no signs of trauma in her bones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
The mummy , known as `` Hawara Portrait Mummy No .
4 , '' was excavated between 1910 and 1911 from the site of Hawara , and it dates to around the first century A.D. , when Egypt was under Roman rule .
One puzzling discovery revealed by the new scans was a small , elliptical object about 0.3 inches ( 7 mm ) long , which the researchers found in the mummy 's wrappings over the abdomen .
It could be an amulet included because the child 's body was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Who embedded a large metal monolith in the remote Utah desert ?
State wildlife officials are scratching their heads after in Red Rock Country in southeastern Utah .
The shiny silver rectangle sits in the center of the dead end of one of the many shallow rock ravines that scour this desert region .
Its discovery had wildlife officials feeling as if they 'd been dropped into an episode of `` Ancient Aliens . ''
`` OK , the intrepid explorers go down to investigate the , uh , alien life-form , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of his companions hiking to the monolith on Nov. 18 .
The monolith failed to immediately do anything mystical , though officials noted with surprise that someone had taken the trouble to cut into the hard-packed to install the monument .
There was no indication of who had left the monolith , according to the Utah Department of Public Safety .
[ Read more : Who set up this mysterious metal monolith in Utah desert ?
( It 's not aliens . )
] Scientists have discovered a cold , faint `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional infrared survey methods .
Observations from the Low-Frequency Array , or LOFAR radio telescope , revealed a brown dwarf , which researchers have designated BDR J1750+3809 and nicknamed Elegast .
are sometimes referred to as failed stars or super-planets because they are too small to be considered stars , yet too big to be considered planets .
Generally , are discovered by infrared sky surveys .
Elegast , however , represents the first substellar object to be detected using a radio telescope , from the University of Hawai ' i .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to finding the floating in the sun 's vicinity , which would otherwise be too faint to discover with the methods used for the past 25 years , '' Michael Liu , coauthor of the study and researcher from the the University of Hawai ' i Institute for Astronomy , said .
[ Read more : Faint 'super-planet ' discovered by radio telescope for the 1st time ] African crested are rabbit-size fuzzballs with endearing faces and a catlike purr .
But they 're also highly poisonous , their fur loaded with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milligrams is deadly enough to kill a human .
The rats do n't produce the poison themselves .
Rather , they borrow it from a poisonous plant by chewing on the bark , mixing the toxin with their saliva and then grooming the lethal liquid into stripes of specialized hairs on their flanks , a new study shows .
Some mammal species , such as shrews , moles and vampire bats , possess a toxic saliva , while — the only venomous primate — homebrew their venom by mixing saliva with a secretion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rat ( Lophiomys imhausi ) is the only mammal to derive its poison protection directly from plants .
[ Read more : Crested rats can kill with their poisonous fur ] Just before going into a hallucinogenic trance , Indigenous Californians who had gathered in a cave likely looked up toward the rocky ceiling , where a pinwheel and big-eyed moth were painted in red .
This mysterious `` pinwheel , '' is likely a depiction of the delicate , white flower of Datura wrightii , a powerful hallucinogen that the Chumash people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also for medicinal and supernatural ones , according to a new study .
The moth is likely a species of hawk moth , known for its `` loopy '' intoxicated flight after slurping up Datura 's nectar , the researchers said .
Chewed globs that humans stuck to the cave 's ceiling provided more evidence of these ancient trips ; these up to 400-year-old lumps , known as quids , contained the mind-altering drugs scopolamine and atropine , which are found in Datura , the researchers said .
Radiocarbon dating shows the cave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1600 to the late 1800s .
And Indigenous people used the cave for many other purposes : The archaeologists also found projectile points and an arrow shaft straightener — indicating the cave may have served as a place for preparing hunting tools .
More than 150 years after the first remains of the victims of the eruption were discovered , scientists have found two more bodies in the ruins near Pompeii .
The two individuals were men , one in his late teens or early 20s and one in his 30s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban villa as a torrent of hot ash and gases called pyroclastic flow buried the region .
The bones of the victims were removed and analyzed , and then the voids within the hardened ash where the bones had rested were scanned with a laser .
Finally , archaeologists poured plaster within the human-shaped spaces , creating casts of the two dead men .
These casts show details such as the folds of the woolen tunics worn by the victims .
[ Read more : Newfound corpses at Pompeii were a master and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're a fish swimming through the ocean millions of years ago , when a shark lunges at you , gaping its mouth to bite .
The horror of your predicament increases as the predator 's lower jaw also stretches downward on both sides , so that newer , sharper teeth that were previously lying flat along the side of the jaw now curve up .
Scientists recently discovered this nightmarish trait in a fossil of a 370 million-year-old shark that once inhabited waters near what is now Morocco .
The previously undescribed species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jaw that rotated inward when the mouth was closed , and outward when the mouth was open .
Unlike modern sharks , in which worn-down teeth are constantly displaced by new teeth , this shark sprouted its newer teeth in a row on the inside of the jaw , next to the older teeth .
As the new teeth grew , they curved toward the shark 's tongue .
When the shark opened its mouth , cartilage at the back of the jaw flexed so that the sides of the jaw `` folded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing the shark to bite into its prey with as many teeth as possible , according to a new study .
In images from the Hubble Space Telescope , scientists have spotted an entirely new phenomenon .
Reaching tens of thousands of light-years into the void of space , vast shadows stretch from the center of the galaxy IC 5063 , as though something is blocking the bright light from therein .
You 've probably seen something very like it before – bright beams from the Sun when it 's just below @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partially block its light , known as .
According to astronomers , the shadows from IC 5063 could be something very similar .
They 're just a whole lot bigger – at least 36,000 light-years in each direction .
IC 5063 , a galaxy 156 million light-years away , is a .
This means it has an active nucleus ; the supermassive black hole at its centre is busily guzzling down material from a dense accretion disc and of dust and gas around it .
Although the supermassive black hole itself gives off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this massive accretion process generate so much heat and light from the region around the black hole that the galactic nucleus absolutely blazes across space .
It 's this light , astronomers think , that is being shadowed .
The obstruction ?
Likely caused by dust .
• Earth from Above : 101 Stunning Images from Orbit • From Big Bang to Present : Snapshots of Our Universe Through Time

Each week at Live Science we find the most interesting and informative articles we can. Along the way, we uncover some amazing and cool images. Here you'll discover the most incredible photos we found this week, and the remarkable stories behind them.
Gargantuan "growlers"
(Image credit: RAF)
In July 2017, a gargantuan iceberg spanning five times the area of New York's five boroughs snapped off the coast of Antarctica and began to drift northward.
Though its edges have crumbled considerably since then, the iceberg — named A-68a — is still the largest on Earth , and it's currently barreling toward an island wildlife refuge in the South Atlantic Ocean. New aerial footage taken by the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF) reveals just what that island might be up against.
For starters, the RAF footage really drives home how massive this ice giant is. (As of early April, A-68a measured about 2,000 square miles, or 5,100 square kilometers, in area, Live Science previously reported ). The berg's steep walls tower 100 feet (30 meters) above the sea, according to RAF News , and are gouged with tunnels, fissures and caves. Huge chunks of ice, or "growlers," are rapidly cracking off on all sides, leaving behind a trail of debris that could impede boat traffic in the future.
[Read more: World's largest iceberg still barreling toward penguin habitat, new footage confirms ]
Clear head, nine arms, can't lose
(Image credit: Kyodo News via Getty Images)
A nine-armed octopus caught off Japan's coast nearly ended up being dinner, until the family preparing it noticed its extra limb and sent it to a museum instead, according to news sources. While unusual, this extra appendage — which wasn't fully formed, but a small offshoot on a regular arm — isn't unheard of in octopuses, said Michael Vecchione, an invertebrate zoologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., who was not involved with this octopus's discovery.
Octopuses are capable of regenerating their arms, but "sometimes regeneration doesn't work quite right," Vecchione told Live Science. "If an arm gets damaged, it might regenerate wrong; it could wind up with extra tissue growing out, and that extra tissue could turn into an arm."
The nine-armed oddity was caught in a trap with three other octopuses on Nov. 13 in Shizugawa Bay, in the northeastern town of Minamisanriku, Japan, according to The Mainichi , a Japanese newspaper.
[Read more: Rare 9-armed octopus found off Japan coast ]
The sound of a supernova
(Image credit: NASA)
In space, nobody can hear you scream — or explode, or collapse, or slowly collide with a neighboring galaxy. But now, thanks to a new " data sonification " program at NASA, you can at least get a sense of what some of the most extreme phenomena in the universe might sound like when converted to sound played by Earthly instruments.
To hear what that sounds like, we turn to NASA's Chandra X-ray center — which has been imaging distant galaxies with its Chandra X-ray observatory for 20 years now. In their new initiative, Chandra researchers have taken three iconic images from their archives and translated different frequencies of light into different pitches of sound.
The first video shows the crab nebula (a supernova remnant powered by a windy neutron star , shown above). In NASA's data sonification of the nebula, X-ray light (blue and white) is represented by brass instruments; optical light (purple) is played by string instruments; and infrared light (pink) is represented by woodwinds. The sounds converge near the center of the nebula, where a rapidly swirling pulsar is blasting gas and radiation in all directions. Listen to this cosmic symphony (and two others) at the link below.
[Read more: This is what a supernova sounds like, according to NASA ]
Pterosaur's missing cousin
(Image credit: Rodolfo Nogueira)
Nearly nothing is known about the family tree of pterosaurs — iconic reptiles that flew alongside the dinosaurs . These now-extinct beasts appear in the fossil record with already developed wings and senses adapted for flying, with researchers having nary a clue about their immediate evolutionary history.
But now, the pterosaur's family tree has a new branch; an enigmatic group of small reptiles, known as lagerpetids, might be the closest-known pterosaur relatives on record, the researchers of a new study say.
Unlike pterosaurs, however, lagerpetids did not fly. "Now, we have an idea of what a flightless pterosaur relative would look like," study co-researcher Sterling Nesbitt, an associate professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech, told Live Science.
[Read more: Missing link in pterosaur origins discovered ]
The changing face of ice
(Image credit: NOAA/Photo courtesy of Caitlin Bailey, GFOE, The Hidden Ocean 2016: Chukchi Borderlands)
From vanishing sea ice to blistering air temperatures to zombie fires , climate change is reshaping the Arctic. And that transformation may be permanent, researchers said on Tuesday (Dec. 8) at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
The Arctic has warmed and melted at an alarmingly accelerating pace over the last 15 years, and the impacts are accumulating so rapidly that "there's no reason to think that in 30 years anything will be as it is today," Rick Thoman, an Alaska climate specialist with the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), said at the conference, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Tuesday.
This year's news was not good: June snow cover across the Eurasian Arctic was at its lowest in 54 years; coastal permafrost erosion is increasing; and glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland continued a trend "of significant ice loss," according to the report.
[Read more: Dramatic transformation of the Arctic landscape may be permanent ]
Starship down
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX's Starship spaceflight system just took a big step on its path to Mars. The latest Starship prototype, a shiny silver vehicle known as SN8, launched on an epic high-altitude test flight on Dec. 9, taking off at 5:45 p.m. EST from SpaceX's facility near the South Texas village of Boca Chica.
The goal was to soar about 7.8 miles (12.5 kilometers) into the sky, perform some complex aerial maneuvers — including a "belly flop" like the one the final Starship will perform when coming back to Earth on operational flights — and then land safely near the launch stand. The 165-foot-tall (50 meters) SN8 appeared to notch all of these big milestones, except for the final one: The vehicle hit its landing mark but came in too fast, exploding in a dramatic fireball 6 minutes and 42 seconds after liftoff.
SN8's rapid unplanned disassembly did nothing to dampen the spirits of SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, who was thrilled by the results of today's flight.
[Read more: SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype soars on epic test launch, with explosive landing ]
Amazonian universe
Billions of lasers shot from a helicopter flying over the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest have detected a vast network of long-abandoned circular and rectangular-shaped villages dating from 1300 to 1700, a new study finds.
The round villages all had remarkably similar layouts, with elongated mounds circling a central plaza, like marks on a clock. "These latter elongated mounds, when seen from above, look like the rays of the sun, which gives them the common name of 'Sóis,'" the Portuguese word for "suns," the researchers wrote in the study.
The discovery is part of a new archaeological focus on the pre-Columbian Amazon. Within the past 20 years, researchers have learned that the rainforest's southern rim was home to a great diversity of soil-sculpting cultures that engineered the landscape before the Europeans arrived. Within the past decade, scientists have uncovered the remnants of so-called "mound villages," which are shaped as circles or rectangles, and connected by road networks.
[Read more: Archaeologists find vast network of Amazon villages laid out like the cosmos ]
The sky is falling
(Image credit: ESA)
Have you ever seen 40,000 shooting stars blaze across the sky at the same time?
If you'd like to, the European Space Agency (ESA) is offering you two options: Either stare at the night sky for about half a million years as our solar system drifts steadily through the Milky Way (some patience required) — or, watch a new 60-second time-lapse simulation of the same thing, courtesy of the ESA's Gaia space observatory.
In the new simulation, 40,000 stars — all located within 325 light-years of Earth's sun — whiz through space, leaving long trails of light behind them. Each point of light represents one real object in the Milky Way, and each shining trail shows that object's projected movement through the galaxy over the next 400,000 years. Brighter, faster streaks are located closer to our solar system, while dimmer, slower ones live much farther away.
[Read more: Epic time-lapse shows what the Milky Way will look like 400,000 years from now ]
Gold in the garden
(Image credit: © The Trustees of the British Museum)
A family in England was weeding their garden when they unearthed a valuable treasure — a buried hoard of gold coins dating back to the 1400s, depicting English monarchs from Edward IV to Henry VIII.
The hoard — a stash of 63 gold coins and one silver coin — contains money minted over a period of nearly 100 years, from the late 15th to the 16th centuries. Four of the coins feature Henry VIII and, curiously, one of the initials of three of his wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour.
Upon finding the cache, the family, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, a county in southeastern England, notified the British Museum, which runs the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). This program partners with local people who find historical artifacts in the United Kingdom, so the findings can be documented and studied, the British Museum said in a statement Thursday (Dec. 10).
[Read more: Gold coin stash from time of Henry VIII found in English garden ]
Enigma of the deep
(Image credit: Florian Huber/WWF)
Divers trying to remove old fishing nets from the Baltic sea have accidentally stumbled on a Nazi code-making machine. The Enigma machine, as it's called, looks a bit like a typewriter. In fact, the diver who found the device on the ocean floor initially thought that's what the artifact was, according to AFP . But the diving team, on assignment for the conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), quickly realized that they had something much stranger.
During World War II, Enigma machines were used to encode German military messages, in hopes of preventing Allied powers from learning about troop movements and other plans. The devices consisted of a keyboard and a series of rotors that did the encoding. The rotors substituted different letters for the ones typed in; different Enigma machines used between three and eight rotors, which moved independently after each keystroke so that the same initial letter typed into the machine would appear as multiple different letters in the final code.
The Enigma machine found by the WWF diving crew was at the bottom of the Bay of Gelting in northeast Germany. It had three rotors, making it the type used on warships, not U-boats. That suggests that the machine may have been tossed overboard in the final days of World War II, in an attempt to keep the technology out of enemy hands, historian Jann Witt of the German Naval Association told the DPA news agency.
[Read more: Nazi 'Enigma' machine found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea ]
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-29--Save 50% on Catan and Ticket to Ride board games, plus expansions this Cyber Monday

Two renowned strategy games , Catan and Ticket to Ride are among the most successful board games in the world , and right now you can pick up each of them with a huge 50 % off the usual price !
This saves you over $ 25 for each game .
Do n't be too slow , however , as these deals will not be around for long !
We 've already seen an Amazon deal sell out but we 've tracked down a Walmart one which is almost as good .
We 're regularly updating this page but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the special editions .
Originally released in 1995 , and previously called Settlers of Catan , game developer CATAN GmbH claims their game is regularly played by 20 million people worldwide .
Now you and up to three other players can join the adventure , and also check out one of the many expansions on the original game — including Star Trek Catan now 23 % off — also on sale this Black Friday and Cyber Monday .
Three to four players compete over resources and territory , trading and building to expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiles .
Players must collect and spend wood , sheep , ore , wheat and brick to upgrade their settlements , build roads and purchase development cards .
With different terrain tiles placed randomly , each game session is unique from the last , making for great replay value .
Meanwhile , Ticket to Ride is the inter-railing adventure game that sees players race around North America , strategically connecting major cities with rail track while trying to out-wit their opponents .
There 's plenty of risk and reward gameplay , as players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routes , or dare to connect a long route across the continent .
There are also many versions of the base game including Ticket to Ride : Europe , which is also more than 50 % off this Black Friday and Cyber Monday !
Since Catan 's release there are now dozens of expansions on the core set , opening new rules , gameplay mechanics and scenarios .
You can even find alternative versions of the main game with Game of Thrones and even Star Trek receiving the Catan treatment .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see you adventuring across Europe or New York in a taxi cab !
You can also find junior versions of both Catan and Ticket to Ride , to help get younger players into board games .
Check out the best Osmo deals available this Black Friday !


livescience--2020-11-29--The best Cyber Monday deals on binoculars for travel, skywatching and nature

There 's nothing quite like getting up close to Earth 's incredible wildlife and this Cyber Monday we 've scanned the retailers to help you find the very best deal on your next ( or first ! )
binocular — whether you 're wanting to observe birds up close or scour the surface of the moon , you can get a great discount today .
With unbeatable offers on Celestron 's Outland X 10x50 and Celestron 's range of SkyMaster Binocular — both of which offer a mix of stunning terrestrial views — we 've rounded up the very best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high quality .
And for a fraction of the cost .
Some binoculars in our Cyber Monday deals come with accessories , including lens caps and a handy carry case to ensure that the optics are always protected during tours of land and sky .
What 's more , all binoculars are robust and can withstand bumps and knocks , making them the perfect choice for young observers and the most adventurous members of the family .
The all-arounder Celestron Nature DX 8x42 binocular is our editor 's choice and comes at 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightweight design , you can switch from observing the local wildlife to the surface of the moon within moments : thanks to a combination of coated lenses , BaK-4 prisms and nitrogen purging , views are spectacularly clear for unbelievable observations .
More great Cyber Monday deals on binoculars from top brands Celestron , Nikon , Vixen and Bushnell Be sure to check out Live Science 's best binoculars for kids 2020 as well as Space.com 's best binoculars 2020 .


livescience--2020-11-29--Give the gift of Bill Nye with his virtual reality science kit

This year , you can give your kids the gift of science with fully immersive VR experiments from the scientist generations have grown up with — Bill Nye .
Bill Nye 's Virtual Reality Science Kit ( $ 59.99 ) includes VR goggles and a free mobile app that can be used on any smartphone to make kids feel like they 're hanging out with Bill in his lab or are exploring rocky caves , volcanoes , or waterfalls .
Bill Nye ( the Science Guy ) 's kit includes an 80-page book that can be brought to life through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step-by-step science projects .
Kids will learn chemistry , biology , and physics through experiments that help them `` tattoo '' an egg , create a lemon battery , or make their own speakers .
They 'll learn about scientific principles like density , oxidation , and chemical reactions and be able to follow along with Bill Nye as he walks them through all 30 experiments ( with all the materials they 'll need included in the 50 piece set ) .
In addition to the hands-on experiments , kids will get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only in Bill Nye 's lab but also in volcanoes , waterfalls , icy rocks , and caves .
If you ’ re looking for a VR gift specific for space lovers , we also recommend Professor Maxwell 's VR Universe ( $ 49.99 ) .
Like the Bill Nye kit , this VR science kit also includes hands-on experiments and play .
The 21 piece set includes materials kids will need for 31 projects , including space-related games , experiments , and crafts like creating moon dough and building a compass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dial to learn about the sun 's rotation .
The VR goggles in Professor Maxwell 's kit bring pictures from the 80-page activity book to life , letting kids get a 360-degree view of the sun , for example .
The goggles also allow kids to feel as if they 're astronauts in space , exploring Earth , our solar system , our galaxy , and other parts of the universe .
They 'll get to drive a rover on Mars , see eclipses , and hold the Earth in their hands .

This year, you can give your kids the gift of science with fully immersive VR experiments from the scientist generations have grown up with — Bill Nye.
Bill Nye's Virtual Reality Science Kit ($59.99) includes VR goggles and a free mobile app that can be used on any smartphone to make kids feel like they're hanging out with Bill in his lab or are exploring rocky caves, volcanoes, or waterfalls.
Bill Nye (the Science Guy)'s kit includes an 80-page book that can be brought to life through the VR goggles, which teaches 30 step-by-step science projects.
Kids will learn chemistry, biology, and physics through experiments that help them "tattoo" an egg, create a lemon battery, or make their own speakers. They'll learn about scientific principles like density, oxidation, and chemical reactions and be able to follow along with Bill Nye as he walks them through all 30 experiments (with all the materials they'll need included in the 50 piece set).
In addition to the hands-on experiments, kids will get to watch 185 VR and AR experiences, not only in Bill Nye's lab but also in volcanoes, waterfalls, icy rocks, and caves.
If you’re looking for a VR gift specific for space lovers, we also recommend Professor Maxwell's VR Universe ($49.99). Like the Bill Nye kit, this VR science kit also includes hands-on experiments and play. The 21 piece set includes materials kids will need for 31 projects, including space-related games, experiments, and crafts like creating moon dough and building a compass to explore magnetic fields and a sun dial to learn about the sun's rotation.
The VR goggles in Professor Maxwell's kit bring pictures from the 80-page activity book to life, letting kids get a 360-degree view of the sun, for example. The goggles also allow kids to feel as if they're astronauts in space, exploring Earth, our solar system, our galaxy, and other parts of the universe. They'll get to drive a rover on Mars, see eclipses, and hold the Earth in their hands.
Bill Nye's VR Science Kit: $59.99 at Amazon Bill Nye's virtual reality science kit immerses kids in Bill Nye's science lab and lets them explore rocky caves, waterfalls and other beautiful places as if they're there in person.
Professor Maxwell's VR Universe: $49.99 at Target This virtual-reality science kit lets kids get fully immersed among the stars and planets. Includes hands-free goggles to create an immersive learning experience, as well as all the materials needed to build a sundial, magnetize a needle for a compass and even fire off your own rocket.