Weekend Takeaway: Reaching for the stars

11 Jan 2019

Shadow of a woman using a telescope to gaze into a glittering night sky background.

Image: © allexxandarx/Stock.adobe.com

Weekend sci-tech reading including humankind’s desire to be among the stars, Intel’s plans for Ireland and autotech invented in Sligo.

After 30 years chipping away, is Intel to create thousands of new Irish jobs?

Intel workers in white clean room suits at a wafer fabrication facility.

Fab workers. Image: Intel

There are indications that a major construction project is about to begin in Leixlip.

Astronomers left stunned by ancient quasar as bright as 600trn suns

An artist's impression of the distant quasar, with blue coloured matter being pulled into a supermassive black hole.

An artist’s impression of how J043947.08+163415.7, a very distant quasar powered by a supermassive black hole, may look close up. Image: ESA/Hubble, NASA, M Kornmesser

The Hubble Space Telescope couldn’t miss the glare from a powerful quasar found in deep space, and astronomers don’t think they’ll see another one like it.

Repeating, mysterious fast radio burst in deep space is truly strange

Lens flare against a black background representing a fast radio burst.

Image: © sanee/Stock.adobe.com

Astronomers are more than a little excited with the second ever detection of a repeating fast radio burst in deep space.

Rotating black holes may serve as gentle portals for hyperspace travel

A supermassive black hole's event horizon highlighted in blue against the blackness of space.

Image: © Tyler Hulett/Stock.adobe.com

Dr Gaurav Khanna writes that science fiction concepts such as hyperspace travel through black holes may not be so impossible after all.

Latest SpaceX Starship looks straight from the 1950s

Close-up of fiery orange flames being emitted by a SpaceX rocket booster.

SpaceX rocket booster during take-off as part of November 2018’s Es’hail-2 mission. Image: SpaceX

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has shown the world the first suborbital test Starship craft as it works towards an even bigger orbital version.

Major breakthrough could help fix one of nuclear fusion’s greatest dangers

Shot from inside a silver steel, doughnut shaped tokamak nuclear fusion experimental reactor.

Image: © Evgen3d/Stock.adobe.com

Keeping a lid on nuclear fusion’s enormous power may be one step closer following the discovery of a new radio frequency process.

Future of work: Is lifelong learning really that simple?

A blonde, middle-aged woman speaking at an future of work event in front of a screen. She is discussing lifelong learning.

Mary Mitchell O’Connor, TD. Image: Jason Clarke Photography

With the future of work upon us, is Ireland’s education sector prepared for the challenges that will come with providing lifelong learning? Jenny Darmody investigates.

Global internet gap is also a gender issue

Woman holding a tablet computer in a field at sunset.

Global digital divide to continue as women in poorer countries are being left out of the mobile and internet revolution.

7 top onboarding tips when hiring a new engineer

A woman shaking hands with a man and smiling. They are starting a very positive onboarding process.

The onboarding process is important when hiring and retaining talent. Here, New Relic engineer Rachel Klein gives her top tips based on her own onboarding experience.