New Atlas

Space Audio available

Israel's Beresheet Moon landing mission ends in failure

David Szondy April 11, 2019

Israel's first attempt to land a spacecraft on the Moon has ended in failure. At about 7:23 pm Israel time, interrupted communications and an engine malfunction aboard the unmanned Beresheet lander resulted in the craft crashing into the lunar surface.

Image returned by Beresheet during its landing attempt approach

Space Audio available

First ever private lunar mission enters orbit around the Moon

Nick Lavars April 4, 2019

A historic mission to the Moon is approaching its crescendo, with the Israeli-built Beresheet lander today entering orbit around our largest satellite and preparing to close in on its surface.

Render of the Beresheet lander on the Moon's surface

Space Audio available

First private moon mission lifts off aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket

David Szondy February 21, 2019

Space history was made again today as the first private mission to the Moon lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. At 8:45 pm EST, Israel's Beresheet lunar lander was lofted into space atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it begins its two-month voyage.

Science

Oldest-known beer is a 13,000-year-old vintage

Michael Irving September 13, 2018

Beer is generally thought to be about 7,000 years old, but now archaeologists have found clues that could date beer-making to almost twice that age, meaning it predates agriculture and represents the oldest record of man-made alcohol.

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of beer-brewing dating back around 13,000 years – making it the oldest ...

Military

Israel unveils Merkava Mk 4 Barak smart tank

David Szondy July 21, 2018

The Israeli Defence Force brings artificial intelligence to armored combat with the latest variant of its main battle tank. The Merkava Mk 4 Barak is billed as the first tank to have an advanced AI and sensor system that takes over many routine tasks.

The Merkava Mark 4 Barak includes an artificial intelligence system

Space

Israeli group announces plans for February 2019 Moon landing

David Szondy July 10, 2018

Israel has put in its bid to be the fourth nation to reach the Moon and the first privately-funded mission to do so. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the nonprofit SpaceIL today outlined plans to send up an unmanned spacecraft that will make a lunar landing on February 13, 2019.

The SpaceIL lander at a press conference announcing the landing date

Science

Oldest human fossil found outside Africa rewrites migration timeline

Michael Irving January 28, 2018

The origin story for modern humans basically goes that Homo Sapiens first arose several hundred thousand years ago in Ethiopia, before migrating out of Africa about 100,000 years ago. Now, a jawbone discovered in a cave in Israel pushes back the date of our African exodus by at least 50,000 years.

A section of jawbone discovered in Israel appears to be the earliest modern human fossil ever ...

Science

Archaeologists uncover first Dead Sea Scrolls cave in 60 years

Michael Irving February 8, 2017

The Dead Sea Scrolls are among the most important historical texts ever discovered, and for decades archeologists have been searching for more. Now, for the first time in 60 years, a new cave has been excavated that once contained more Dead Sea Scrolls. Sadly, looters got there first.

Archaeologists have discovered a 12th cave that once contained unknown Dead Sea Scrolls

Science

When a king means business: Archaeologists find stone toilet that desecrated massive shrine

Lisa-Ann Lee September 29, 2016

Archaeological evidence proves that the Bible wasn't making stuff up: Hezekiah meant business when he said he was cracking down on pagans.

Archaeologists unearthing a stone toilet from a gate shrine at Tel Lachish, Israel

Drones

Airobotics battery-swapping platform keeps drones flying around the clock

Nick Lavars June 22, 2016

Drones invariably require human intervention in one way or another as they can't carry on forever on their own. Or can they? An Israeli startup has developed an end-to-end autonomous system for 24/7 drone flight that uses a robotic arm to swap out flat batteries and get the aircraft back in the air.

The centerpiece of the Airobotics system is the Airbase, a base station that serves as a ...