This year, we kicked things off by telling you how deadly and difficult space is to explore. It can kill you with radiation, giant flying space rocks, and regular old time. And those are just a few of its weapons. But while space is a pretty dangerous place, it's also incredibly inspirational. If you take science fiction as your model--which we often do--people are at their best when faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

A number of high-profile missions lifted off, others reached their destinations after long journeys through deep space, and a few, sadly, crashed and burned. Some of the most exciting spaceflight action of 2016 involved rockets coming down rather than going up. California-based company SpaceX managed to land the first stage of five different Falcon 9 rockets during operational orbital launches this year; one of the boosters touched down back at the launch pad, whereas the other four landed on robotic "drone ships" stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. And the Washington-based company Blue Origin launched and landed the same suborbital New Shepard rocket four times this year, finally retiring the booster after a successful October test flight . Both SpaceX and Blue Origin -- which are headed by billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, respectively -- aim to develop fully reusable rockets as a way to slash the cost of spaceflight and open up the heavens to exploration.

It's Wednesday and we're talking about an Amazon Echo speaker that's involved in a murder case, artificial intelligence making smarter game opponents (and Samsung phones, oh, and a giant robot that you can get inside and pilot. My christmas presents suddenly don't look so hot. In the first such case we've heard of, police requested audio data from Amazon. The recordings they sought could have been captured by an Echo speaker, for use in a first-degree murder. While Amazon apparently declined the request, it raises more questions about the presence and potential complications of always-listening virtual assistants.

METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) International has announced plans to start sending signals into space for extra terrestrials starting in 2018 'If we want to start an exchange over the course of many generations, we want to learn and share information,' said president of METI Douglas Vakoch Scientists are now working on the best way to say'hello' Some are against the plan, including Stephen Hawking'If aliens visit us, the outcome could be much like when Columbus landed in America,' Hawking has said in the past'If we want to start an exchange over the course of many generations, we want to learn and share information,' said president of METI Douglas Vakoch Scientists are now working on the best way to say'hello' 'If aliens visit us, the outcome could be much like when Columbus landed in America,' Hawking has said in the past'It's an impressive piece, but I'm no Indiana Jones': Mary... Uproar after Pennsylvania professor calls for'white... Is Putin trying to unlock the secret to eternal life? 'It's an impressive piece, but I'm no Indiana Jones': Mary... Uproar after Pennsylvania professor calls for'white... Is Putin trying to unlock the secret to eternal life? 'If we want to start an exchange over the course of many generations, we want to learn and share information,' said president of METI Douglas Vakoch Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with... The Texas border lake where Mexican cartels'are killing... George Michael's £100m fortune'will go to his Godchildren':... It's my quinceañera and I'll cry if I want to!

Are these the cheesiest album covers EVER? Hilarious... How to drop those extra Christmas pounds by New Year: The... Fit to flabby in a WEEK: Chloe Madeley shares a rare ab-free... Are these the cheesiest album covers EVER? Hilarious... How to drop those extra Christmas pounds by New Year: The... Fit to flabby in a WEEK: Chloe Madeley shares a rare ab-free... A law-based query ponders whether a punishment of death for parking on double yellow lines is a'just and effective law' Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with...

App that says you're too drunk to drive: Scientists develop a virtual breathalyser that can fit to smartwatches and phones Most Americans believe the new year will be... 'Last ever GBBO, I'm crying': Emotional viewers mourn the... Most Americans believe the new year will be... 'Last ever GBBO, I'm crying': Emotional viewers mourn the... Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with... The Texas border lake where Mexican cartels'are killing... George Michael's £100m fortune'will go to his Godchildren':... It's my quinceañera and I'll cry if I want to! SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

How my penguin pal turned a shy schoolboy into a swimming... Can¿t someone warm it up a bit? How my penguin pal turned a shy schoolboy into a swimming... Can¿t someone warm it up a bit? Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with... The Texas border lake where Mexican cartels'are killing... George Michael's £100m fortune'will go to his Godchildren':... It's my quinceañera and I'll cry if I want to!

Can YOU find your name in this puzzle? The puzzle shows a word search and asks users to find your name Apparently only 8% of people can in the puzzle that's been shared globally It is the latest in a long line of puzzles to sweep social media Apparently only 8% of people can in the puzzle that's been shared globally The latest puzzle to sweep the web asks people to find'your name' in it and apparently only 8 per cent of people can - but all is not what it seems Are you CLEVER enough to answer Oxford University's entry... Vegan blogger Freelee the Banana Girl posts ANOTHER... Are you CLEVER enough to answer Oxford University's entry... Vegan blogger Freelee the Banana Girl posts ANOTHER... If you look closely, you'll see the two words'your name' written three times within the puzzle. Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with...

Why you've been pouring ketchup the WRONG way: Scientist reveals the perfect technique to get every last drop out of the bottle Depending on how you pour your tomato sauce, you have been doing it wrong Melbourne scientist Dr Anthony Stickland has got tips for the perfect pour Dr Stickland is an expert in liquids and solids and how they flow He's found the perfect sauce flow speed and angle to pour from the bottle He's found the perfect sauce flow speed and angle to pour from the bottle You may have been pouring your tomato sauce wrong your whole life without knowing it. Perhaps it's a surprise that there's a correct technique - avoiding sauce explosions - for doing so but regardless, Melbourne scientist Dr Anthony Stickland has found out what it is. Melbourne University senior engineering lecturer - an expert in liquids and solids and how they flow - has revealed it's as easy as getting the right angle and flow speed, according to the Herald Sun. Vegan blogger Freelee the Banana Girl who credited her toned... 'Alcoholic' Iranian could be granted refugee status in... Vegan blogger Freelee the Banana Girl who credited her toned... 'Alcoholic' Iranian could be granted refugee status in... Dr Stickland's technique works for both plastic squeeze bottles and glass sauce bottles Fox Valley Mall forced to close as huge brawl breaks out Chaos as people rush out of NJ mall after reports of gunshots Grizzly bear attacks TV woman who recklessly tries to stroke it Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Mayhem outside Fox Valley Mall as police make several arrests Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track CAT ATTACK: Pet pounces on man as he opens Christmas present Self-driving car predicts horrific crash and slams on breaks Just beautiful! Tears of joy? Emotional moment boy learns his mum is pregnant Partygoers allegedly arrested at a'mixed' party in Jeddah Hero dog saves his injured'girlfriend' on deadly railway track SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from'gunfire' and... Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher dies aged 60 four days after... 'Step Up' actress, 46, who vanished on her way to Christmas... Carrie Fisher'relapsed' before European tour that ended in... 'How could they let him drink and smoke himself to death?'... 'He became a recluse because he couldn't bear people to see... Bikini-clad Ivanka Trump and shirtless husband Jared enjoy a... Health curse of the middle aged: 80% are now'overweight,... How Carrie Fisher's brutal wit and very public battles with...

A teary-eyed Mala Sharma felt vindicated as she stood outside a school for impoverished children in India. A student had snatched the Adobe Systems executive's iPad and had a go with the company's simplest video editing program. He nailed it, creating a quick video that Sharma said amused his teacher and peers. For years, Adobe has been the dominant provider of expensive editing tools to professional content producers. But the recent experience in India with her company's newer, consumer-oriented app showed Sharma firsthand the value of expanding efforts to make tools approachable to anyone.