This Week in Tech and Science: March 23, 2016

Google Maps adds stickers, a record-breaking astronaut, Apple’s newest iPhone and more.

On the Radar

Reads and New Gear

A 50-Foot Underwater Explorer

Exploring the bottom of the ocean — where tons of pounds of water pressure exerts its force on everything — is best left to the unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV), like the recently unveiled Boeing Echo Voyager. This vessel can spend six months alone at sea, has a 7,500-mile range (from San Francisco to Hong Kong) and runs on a hybrid rechargeable power system. Wired has the story.

Instagram Implements A New Algorithm, Brands Suffer

People miss about 70 percent of the posts in their Instagram feed, according to Kevin Systrom, Instagram’s co-founder and CEO. That’s why they’re switching to an algorithm-based news feed, like Facebook. Unfortunately, this may have negative implications for small businesses dependent on the app for marketing.

Google Maps Adds Stickers

For Android users, Google Maps was updated so that you can customize your home and work addresses with stickers. A tad childish? Yes. But the update included a few other tweaks that should save you time and energy.

A Record Breaking Astronaut

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, along with two other astronauts from the Russian space agency Roscosmos, successfully launched into space on Friday, March 18, and connected with the International Space Station. They will “continue the several hundred experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science.” During the six-month mission, Williams will break the American record for cumulative days (534) spent in space.

Apple’s “Big” Unveil

On Monday at 1:00 pm EST, Apple unveiled their Spring 2016 line of products. While a new iOS update and environmental and health initiatives are worth knowing about, it was their new iPad Pro and iPhone that garnered most of the headlines. We covered the live-streaming event.

Reviews and Buying Guides

Advice from the Crew

7 Monitors to Improve Your Daily View

Open your eyes to the wide-screen beauty of a full-width monitor. Read the Story

Review: The New Fujifilm X-Pro 2

It took 5 years but Fuji has finally updated their flagship rangefinder-syle camera. Lucky for all, it was worth the wait. Read the Story

An Argument for the ‘Worst Audio Product Ever’

The Sony HX500 is aimed to shake stigma of “worst audio product ever” that’s attached to USB turntables. Will it succeed? Read the Story

Noteworthy Reads

Stories from Around the Web

The first jet airplane built and flown in the United States was the Bell Aircraft Corporation’s P-59 Airacomet. From there, jet airplanes have a surprising and complex history. Popular Science reviews Steve Pace’s “The Big Book of X-Bombers and X-Fighters” and showcases some incredible photography in the process.

Over the weekend, five bald eagles mysteriously died in Delaware. This comes a month after 13 bald eagles were discovered dead just 30 miles away, in Maryland. None of the deaths were from natural causes. National Geographic investigates why.

The darkest shade of black isn’t a pigment. No, it’s a material called Vantablack. NYMag.com looks at the science behind what makes the material so black.

Looking Ahead

What We’re Testing Now

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