Technologies

Space Cities Inside Asteroids Could Actually Work, Scientists Say

The plan «on the edge of science and science fiction» involves an asteroid, an expandable mesh bag and a whole lot of audacity.

Good news, Earthlings. We have more to look forward to than just the drab landscape of the moon or the inhospitable surface of Mars when it comes to far-flung future human civilizations off this rock. We might one day be living la vida asteroid.

Yes, space-faring piles of rocky rubble (like famous asteroid Bennu) could be home sweet home. A group of scientists at the University of Rochester in New York worked out a plan for turning asteroids into spinning space cities with artificial gravity. The researchers published a «wildly theoretical» study in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences earlier this year.

«Our paper lives on the edge of science and science fiction,» said co-author Adam Frank in a University of Rochester statement last week. Frank is a professor of physics and astronomy at the school.

The basic concept behind the asteroid city builds on an idea called the O’Neill cylinder, a rotating space colony design proposed by physicist Gerard O’Neill in the 1970s. The rotation creates artificial gravity. Think of something along the lines of the cylindrical Cooper Station in the movie Interstellar. It’s a fascinating idea, but it would be difficult and expensive to transport enough material into space to make a large-scale O’Neill cylinder.

This is where things get wilder. The Rochester research team proposes a way to turn a rock pile of an asteroid into a cylinder by surrounding it with a thin, high-strength mesh bag made from carbon nanofibers. It would have an accordion-like design.

«A cylindrical containment bag constructed from carbon nanotubes would be extremely light relative to the mass of the asteroid rubble and the habitat, yet strong enough to hold everything together,» said study co-author Peter Miklavcic, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering.

Spinning an asteroid would cause its rubble to break apart, expanding the bag and creating a layer of rock against it. That layer would provide radiation shielding for a colony inside the cylinder while the continued spin would create artificial gravity.

It sounds far-fetched, but Frank said the technologies and engineering behind the asteroid city technically obey the laws of physics. «Based on our calculations, a 300-meter-diameter asteroid just a few football fields across could be expanded into a cylindrical space habitat with about 22 square miles of living area,» Frank said. «That’s roughly the size of Manhattan.»

Of course, bagging and spinning an asteroid wouldn’t be simple. The researchers suggest using solar-powered rubble cannons to get the spin going. There’s also the matter of constructing a human-safe colony on the interior, but we can leave those challenges for the future.

Sci-fi writers have long envisioned life on asteroids. The paper provides a new way of thinking through that possibility in a way that could protect human occupants and make them feel more at home. It’s a good companion piece to another recent space thought experiment that offered up a plan for building a «forest bubble» on Mars.

My imagination is now taking me from my cozy quarters inside an asteroid to a vacation destination in a Martian nature reserve. This may not be relegated to the realm of sci-fi forever. «Space cities might seem like a fantasy now,» Frank said, «but history shows that a century or so of technological progress can make impossible things possible.»

Technologies

WWDC 2025 Set for June 9. What to Expect From iOS 19 and How to Watch

The tech giant has published the lineup for its summer software event, including details of how to stream the keynote.

Apple has revealed the lineup for this year’s WWDC, its annual developer conference, which is scheduled to take place from June 9 to June 13, with a mix of online and in-person sessions. The company has scheduled a special event for the first day at Apple Park, where it will stream its keynote and platforms state of the union address.

The June 9 keynote is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. PT, and will detail «groundbreaking updates coming to Apple platforms,» according to a press release. During the keynote, we expect to see the company announce its plans for iOS 19 and other software updates across iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

The platforms state of the union will take place on the same day at 1 p.m. PT, offering «a deeper dive into the new tools that will further empower Apple developers, including advances across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS.»

You can watch both events online via apple.com, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel.

As always, iOS 19 likely won’t arrive later in the year (probably after the annual September iPhone event), but WWDC will provide us with our first glimpse of Apple’s plans for our devices. In the meantime, check out our iOS 19 wish list of features that CNET staff hope will be coming with this next big software update.

What is WWDC?

WWDC is a conference for the developers who create the apps we use across our Apple devices, from our iPhones to our MacBooks, to learn about new tools and features they can take advantage of that year. However, the event also garners significant attention from beyond the developer community, since it tells us all we need to know about what to expect from the next generation of software updates that will come to our devices.

The online event is free to attend for all developers, and anyone who is curious can tune into Apple’s keynote. But those who want to attend the June 9 event at Apple Park in person need to apply online. In the days following, students and developers will attend sessions where they can engage more deeply with the changes to Apple’s platforms, which will allow them to ensure their apps are fully compatible with and that they take advantage of those changes.

«We’re excited to mark another incredible year of WWDC with our global developer community,» said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations. «We can’t wait to share the latest tools and technologies that will empower developers and help them continue to innovate.»

What to Expect at WWDC 2025

If rumors are to be believed, Apple’s operating systems are set for a dramatic design overhaul this year. According to Bloomberg, iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and MacOS 16 will all feature new icons and menus, which will also change how our devices and controlled and navigated. The aim is reportedly to create a more cohesive style across platforms that will be reminiscent of VisionOS, the operating system designed for the company’s mixed-reality headset.

But that’s not all — Apple will likely use WWDC to outline the progress its made in the field of AI. «I’m looking forward to seeing more details about Apple Intelligence and the new features that will become available,» said Francisco Jeronimo, VP of devices at IDC. «This is critical for Apple, as Google Gemini and the Android vendors have taken significant steps forward with their AI offerings.»

Last year at WWDC 2024, Apple announced iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence — as well as updates to Siri that have yet to materialize.

Technologies

This Belkin Wireless Phone Charger Is Just $15, but Time’s Running Out to Get Yours

Wireless chargers are handy to have around. This one is now 67% off at Woot.

Sure, you can plug your phone into a cable when it comes time to top it off, but that’s so boring and kind of old school. Instead, why not treat yourself to a new wireless charger and power that phone in style? You might be surprised how inexpensive the switch to wireless charging is, especially if you take advantage of this deal. Right now, Woot will sell you a Belkin Qi-certified charger for just $15, and you’ll even get a power adapter in the box. That’s more than you can say about your phone these days.

This wireless charger comes in a stand form so you can use your phone’s screen and watch content even while it’s charging. It has a stylish black finish, so it’ll look right at home whether on your desk or table beside your bed.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

In terms of specs, the charger is Qi-certified, so it is rated for 15 watts of charging power, while the adapter is rated for 24 watts. That means that you’ll charge at the maximum speed allowed by the Qi standard when using a compatible phone.

It’s worth keeping in mind that this deal isn’t going to hang around for long, though. Woot says it will end in just a few days, and it could end sooner if stocks run dry.

Why this deal matters

Wireless chargers are a quick and easy way to get some juice into your phone while still having access to its display. But the best part is the fact that you won’t have to go fishing for your cable down the back of the nearest piece of furniture anymore. Can you really put a price on that?

If you could, we reckon it’d be much more than the $15 needed to get one of these wireless chargers, that’s for sure.