Research conducted on Anopheles mosquitoes, native to Tanzania, shows promising results in malaria control.
James Gathany/CDC via AP/Alamy
A genetic technology known as gene drive has the potential to aid in malaria prevention by transferring genes to wild mosquitoes that inhibit parasite transmission. Recent tests in a Tanzanian lab have indicated that one specific gene drive could be effective if released within the country.
“This technology is poised to be transformative,” states George Christofides from Imperial College London.
Typically, a portion of an organism’s DNA is passed to only half of its offspring due to the halving of DNA in eggs or sperm. By enhancing this inheritance rate using gene drives, small segments of DNA can proliferate swiftly within a population, even if they do not confer any evolutionary advantages.
Many natural gene drives function through various means, potentially even in some human communities. In 2013, scientists engineered an artificial gene drive utilizing CRISPR gene-editing technology, allowing DNA segments to be copied from one chromosome to another.
The objective is to disseminate DNA segments that impede malaria transmission, but the question remains: which segments? Christofides revealed in 2022 that the development of malaria parasites in mosquitoes could be notably curtailed by two small proteins, one derived from honeybees and another from Xenopus. The genes linked to these anti-malarial proteins correspond with those that produce enzymes aiding in blood digestion, so the proteins are synthesized post-blood meal, secreted into the intestine.
However, these tests used lab strains of mosquitoes and malaria pathogens collected decades ago, leaving uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of this method in contemporary Africa.
Currently, Christofides and Dixon Rwetoihera from the Ifakara Health Research Institute in Tanzania have updated local data. The Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, derived from this strategy, produced gene drive components that were maintained separately to prevent spreading, all within a secure setting.
Initial tests revealed significant suppression of malaria parasites collected from infected children, alongside successful gene replication for anti-malarial proteins. “We can now confidently assert this technology has field application potential,” states Christofides.
The forthcoming phase involves releasing mosquitoes that create anti-malarial proteins onto islands in Lake Victoria and monitoring their behavior in a natural setting. Rwetoijela notes that the team is conducting risk assessments and engaging local communities. “Thus far, political and public backing has been robust.”
The expectation is that gene drives will significantly contribute to the eradication of malaria in endemic regions. A. gambiae is the only species responsible for malaria transmission, and “gene drives could change the course,” claims Christofides.
Multiple organizations are also exploring gene drives for malaria control, alongside various strategies aimed at managing other pest populations.
Genetically modified mosquitoes have already been deployed in certain countries to manage wild mosquito numbers, but these strategies generally depend on continuously releasing high quantities of insects.
If you’ve been active on TikTok lately, you might be familiar with the concept of bird inspection. In this test, one partner casually mentions something, like observing a bird outside, to gauge if the other is engaged. An enthusiastic response signals a positive connection; lack of interest might indicate underlying issues. It’s amusing, relatable, and resonates with many. This viral phenomenon reflects something intrinsic to relationships, as psychologists recognize the significance behind it.
For years, relationship scholars have maintained that love is found in these small interactions. We refer to these daily connections as “bids”: sharing a laugh, narrating a story, or simply saying, “Look at that!” Psychologist John Gottman conducted classic studies with newlyweds, revealing that partners strive for the low bid for connection. Other longitudinal research indicates that couples with more assertive responses during disagreements are more likely to remain stable and satisfied in the long term.
Additional studies highlight that responses in everyday moments significantly affect relationship health. For instance, research on newlyweds has shown that couples exhibit heightened playfulness and enthusiasm during brief dinner interactions, showcasing more humor and affection during discussions of conflicts. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that partners perceived as sensitive and affirming tend to become more physically affectionate over time, fostering intimacy through minor everyday gestures.
Ultimately, these small expressions of gratitude function as the adhesive in relationships. The bird test cleverly encapsulates a fundamental truth: small gestures of acknowledgment are significant. While each may feel inconsequential in isolation, their cumulative effect builds positive momentum, sustaining satisfaction and resilience in relationships.
However, isolating specific moments, especially those showcased on social media, can oversimplify relationship evaluations. The bird test transforms intricate dynamics into simple pass/fail moments, potentially leading to unnecessary worries and misplaced confidence. Partners might miss bids for reasons unrelated to commitment—perhaps they are fatigued, under stress, or simply disengaged. Misinterpreting fleeting moments as definitive judgments can lead to harmful conclusions: “They ignored the bird! Do they even love me?” Even worse, it can become a manipulation tool: “You didn’t respond. You aren’t attentive to me.” One-off reactions on an arbitrary day should not define the essence of a relationship.
The pressing question is why such “testing” has gained traction. In addition to bird inspections, we’ve witnessed a rise in activities like the orange peel theory—”Will your partner peel an orange without prompting?”—and the moon phase test, which claims to measure romantic compatibility based on birthdays and lunar cycles.
One reason for this trend may stem from the fluctuating landscape of dating. Dating apps provide an overwhelming array of potential partners, but research indicates that excessive options can make commitment feel riskier and less secure. This uncertainty impacts the formation of relationships, introducing ambiguity in expectations and leaving partners guessing about their feelings. A quick bird test offers immediate feedback—a fleeting visual cue followed by a simple answer.
Another factor is that, despite relationship science gaining popularity, its complexity has been lost. Nuanced insights from extensive observational studies are reduced to simple TikTok phrases: “Did they notice the bird?” At the same time, social media prioritizes highly emotional content, whether heartwarming or heart-wrenching snippets caught on camera. This attention economy encourages individuals to transform genuine relationships into public trials. In this context, viral tests flourish, providing dramatic, recordable moments of validation that can be shared and scrutinized.
So, what should couples take away from this trend? Bird testing, while playful, underscores the importance of responsiveness when a partner reaches out, even in minor ways, as the backbone of a healthy relationship. If this phenomenon inspires more curiosity, attention, and appreciation, then it can be viewed as a positive development. However, instead of asking, “Did my partner succeed in this test?” a more beneficial inquiry would be, “What patterns have emerged in our relationship? Are they consistently present? Do they feel acknowledged and valued?” Love is not defined by one solitary act, bird, or orange, but by the countless small moments when partners choose to be there for each other behind the scenes.
Despite everything, I must admit that for the sake of research, I may just have my husband partake in the bird test tonight. Wishing him the best of luck!
Emily Impett is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and director of the Institute for Human Relations and Happiness at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her research explores sacrifice, sexuality in long-term relationships, and changes within relationships.
I didn’t think too much when I asked my partner to repeat what they said. But I found myself doing it again and again. Eventually, my audiologist confirmed that I had moderate high-frequency hearing loss due to years spent near loud noises in a war zone. I needed hearing aids. The options she presented were around $7,000.
The price tag had a greater impact on me than the diagnosis itself. In the U.S., hearing aids generally lack insurance coverage, requiring out-of-pocket payment. I found a feasible alternative at Costco, where I bought the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s for $1,600. It took a month for me to adapt to the digital adjustments, but I finally restored my ability to hear normally.
Now, there’s another possibility: Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, priced at $249. They cater to 28.8 million Americans who require hearing aids but avoid them due to cost, stigma, or sheer obstinacy. The FDA gave the green light for its predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2, as an over-the-counter hearing aid in September 2024, and the new version is reported to provide even more fidelity. A friend gifted me a pair for my birthday, offering the ideal chance to evaluate their performance in everyday situations.
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Photo: Provided by Amazon $249 on Amazon
$249 at Walmart
Nearly 50 million Americans see that only 16% of adults between 20 and 69 with some hearing loss have ever used hearing aids. The consequences can be severe: adults with hearing loss are 58% more likely to be unemployed and earn 25% less when they are. Untreated hearing loss is a major risk factor for dementia, as highlighted by the 2020 Lancet Commission.
The average American tends to wait 7 to 10 years from the onset of symptoms to seek assistance. Financial constraints are often the primary barrier to treatment, with traditional hearing aids running anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000. Stigma also plays a role—no one relishes the idea of appearing older.
Assessing Hearing Loss
Photo: Club Photo/Getty Images
Before utilizing AirPods as a hearing aid, you can complete a 10-minute self-test to pinpoint the specific areas of hearing loss or upload the results of a professional audiogram from an audiologist. I had just undergone such an exam 18 months prior and compared the lab results to what Apple could offer.
My clinical examination indicated typical noise-induced damage: mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss, particularly at higher frequencies where consonants are detected. iPhone tests conducted in my quiet home office matched this pattern but with less intensity. My average loss registered at 33-34 dBHL (decibel hearing level), compared to 35-45 dBHL from my audiologist.
“AirPods won’t match the precision of calibrated devices in a testing booth, but they’re surprisingly effective,” noted Dr. David Zappala, president of the American Academy of Audiology. “The improvements from prior models and other devices are distinct…A standard audiogram can have a variation of plus or minus 5 dB, so a 10 dB difference falls within expected fluctuations.”
After a day of comparing my professional audiogram to the profile generated by Apple, certain distinctions emerged. The iPhone settings dulled some sibilance; the “s” sound lost sharpness, and hard consonants like “k” and “d” were slightly punchy. Still, conversational clarity remained intact. My partner noticed no differences in the sound of my voice, regardless of the device I was using.
Do AirPods Really Compete with Hearing Aids?
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Sound quality: Jabras aim for “acoustic transparency,” enabling ambient sounds to blend seamlessly with enhanced audio, achieving a natural listening experience. They perform adequately in restaurant settings by distinguishing speech from background noise.
AirPods create what I refer to as “amplified reality.” The sound is bright and clear, yet retains a digital sheen that never completely subsides.
Battery life: No issues here. My Jabra lasts 24-30 hours on a single charge, while the AirPods last up to 10 hours. Although a quick 15-minute charge can extend usage by about 3 hours, it’s essential to consider your schedule regarding charging opportunities.
Occlusion effect: This effect results in a muffled sound when the ear canal is blocked, resonating within the skull and altering voice perception. Both devices seek to mitigate this issue, albeit in different ways.
Jabra design does not fully seal the ear, allowing external sounds to blend naturally with the amplified audio. On the other hand, AirPods close off the ear, requiring all incoming sounds, including one’s voice, to undergo digital processing, potentially making it sound overly loud.
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Social recognition: Jabra is nearly invisible, with a small clear wire extending into my ear from a discreet component behind my ear. My partner mentions that people need to be looking carefully to even notice them.
Conversely, AirPods are quite noticeable. Most people assume I’m listening to music, but there are instances when they hesitate to engage with me, thinking I could either be busy with music or on a call. Once I’ve clarified that I’m using them as a hearing aid, conversations flow as usual, often with surprise over AirPods’ capabilities.
Real-World Limitations
In noisy environments: At social gatherings and bars, Jabra effectively manages overlapping dialogues, while AirPods might unintentionally amplify the wrong audio or create confusion amid multiple conversations.
Music: It’s no surprise that AirPods outperform Jabras in music performance. AirPods leverage the same audiogram to enhance media streaming. Listening to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, each instrument stood out vividly; whereas Jabra rendered music resembling a small AM radio, which didn’t meet my expectations. But then again, that’s not their primary function.
Cost
My $1,600 Jabra package included three years of complimentary tune-ups, cleaning, and customer support. In contrast, AirPods ($249) lack any professional assistance. If you can’t adjust the amplification to match your specific hearing loss, you’re left with only Apple’s algorithms and some trial and error.
Who Should Buy What?
Photo: Christopher Allbritton/The Guardian
Consider AirPods Pro if:
You have mild to moderate hearing loss.
You need occasional situational support rather than all-day use.
You frequently use an iPhone or AirPods.
You want to test hearing aids before committing significant funds.
Stick with traditional hearing aids if:
You have moderate to severe hearing loss.
You need batteries that endure all day.
You can afford higher costs.
You want professional support.
If You’re Unsure, Give Them a Try
While AirPods Pro 3 aren’t flawless hearing aids, at $249, they serve as an excellent first choice for the 28 million Americans who haven’t sought treatment for hearing loss. They are accessible, budget-friendly, and help reduce stigma.
I primarily rely on my Jabra, a specialized device made for one purpose. However, I keep AirPods handy for music and calls, and occasionally, I prefer something that doesn’t sit deeply inside my ear canal. Sometimes, you can achieve 80% effectiveness for just 15% of the price.
If you think you could benefit, I encourage you to try them. You might catch a distant chat with your grandchild or a joke you missed at a dinner gathering.
“When I suggest them, I’m guiding people to opt for an easy first step,” Zappala states. “Try AirPods. There’s minimal risk in terms of money or time. Even if they fall short, you’ll still enjoy your music.”
President Donald Trump made this announcement prior to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to recommence nuclear weapons testing after a ban lasting decades. However, researchers from New Scientist contend that these tests bear no scientific relevance, are largely symbolic, pose a threat to global tranquility, and are likely to provoke public backlash in America. Ultimately, while the chances of these tests occurring seem slim, the announcement itself carries potential risks.
In a recent statement, President Trump revealed a new policy, stating in a post on Truth Social, “It’s in response to actions by other nations.” [sic] He further directed the War Department to initiate nuclear weapon tests on an equivalent basis, set to commence immediately.
The announcement lacked clarity, leaving experts puzzled as no other nation has conducted nuclear bomb tests recently. While Russia has experimented with nuclear underwater drones and nuclear-capable missiles, none of these actions involved actual nuclear detonations.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, indications have surfaced that several nations are preparing their historic nuclear testing sites, whether genuinely intending to test again or merely using it as a political display. Significant upgrades are underway at a Chinese testing site in Xinjiang, a Russian site in the Arctic, and a US site in Nevada.
However, restarting nuclear tests would contravene decades of effective yet uneasy bans. The Limited Test Ban Treaty, signed in 1963 by the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union, prohibits testing these weapons in the atmosphere, on water, or in space, yet allows for underground tests. Subsequently, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was drafted in 1996, effectively halting underground nuclear tests, albeit without formal ratification.
[Since the first Trinity explosion in 1945 in the United States, over 2000 tests have been conducted until the CTBT’s drafting. India and Pakistan conducted several nuclear tests in 1998, while North Korea remains the sole nation to have tested nuclear weapons in the 21st century, with its last test occurring in 2017. The United States has refrained from nuclear testing since 1992.]
Considering this context, many experts express skepticism towards President Trump’s remarks. There is speculation regarding a desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as the United States would be the first global superpower to restart nuclear testing.
John Preston, a researcher at the University of Essex, suggests the president’s declaration may merely be “Trump rhetoric,” lacking any genuine intention of conducting a nuclear test, though warns that even such statements can have perilous implications. Historically, the Soviet Union and Russia have aimed to exert pressure that compels their adversaries to de-escalate activities.
Preston notes that during the Cold War, nuclear powers invested considerable time and resources in bringing in diverse experts to thoroughly comprehend how nuclear testing and proliferation could heighten conflict. Recently, however, this issue has drawn less attention and has become increasingly secretive.
“I’m concerned that the escalation ladder may not be fully understood within the policy and nuclear strategy communities,” Preston commented. “Science has already grasped the effects of nuclear weapons; there’s nothing new to discover. Thus, these tests are strictly symbolic and could lead us into an escalation we no longer effectively understand.”
Indeed, the likelihood of generating significant scientific findings from such tests seems remote. Current nuclear testing relies on highly accurate physical simulations conducted via massive supercomputers. The two most powerful public supercomputers globally are operated by the US government and are utilized to affirm the effectiveness of the US nuclear deterrent without actual testing.
Christoph Laucht, a professor at Swansea University in the UK, asserts that restarting tests would signify a regressive step at a precarious juncture in history. The New START Treaty is set to lapse on February 4, 2026. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty puts the US and Russia in a situation where a formal nuclear treaty remains months away, with minimal prospects for a new agreement amidst the current tense global climate.
“There are genuine concerns that this could trigger a new form of nuclear arms race,” Laucht remarked. “We already possess a vast inventory of nuclear warheads, but we are reverting to a treaty environment reminiscent of the early Cold War, a time without arms limitation treaties.”
Laucht further warned that if one nation resumes testing, others may feel pressured to follow suit. Such testing could prompt protests from environmental activists, peace advocates, and communities near the Nevada test site, further straining an already divided United States.
Sarah Pozzi, a professor at the University of Michigan, argues that restarting nuclear testing would be illogical for the US. “Such actions would destabilize global affairs, incentivize other nations to resume their nuclear testing programs, and jeopardize decades of progress in nuclear arms control,” she stated. “Instead, the US should aspire to lead by example and bolster international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.”
Of course, there are various perspectives on the matter. In his typical style, President Trump has become fixated on cryptic, ambiguous social media posts that fail to convey the entire narrative.
Nick Ritchie, a researcher at the University of York in the UK, suggests that President Trump might merely be referring to testing nuclear delivery systems, such as missiles, rather than nuclear warheads themselves. Resuming warhead testing would likely necessitate years of planning, engineering, and political maneuvering beyond a single presidential term. However, if that is the case, it raises confusion because these delivery technologies are routinely tested alongside NATO allies.
“This is a quintessentially Trumpian method of discussing a variety of political matters, including potentially destabilizing and perilous issues like US nuclear weapons policy,” Ritchie observes. “While there remains a small chance of resuming actual testing preparations, I certainly have not seen any indications that this is on the horizon.”
Skeleton of a woman holding a baby in her left arm, interred in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Screnby, England
Dr Hugh Wilmot, University of Sheffield
Researchers are now investigating ancient pregnancy tests undertaken on women from centuries past.
For the first time, scientists have identified levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in remains of women from the 1st to the 19th century. Some of these women were entombed with their unborn children. This revelation indicates that historic bones and teeth can retain identifiable traces of specific sex hormones, which might aid in discerning which individuals at archaeological sites were pregnant or had recently given birth at the time of their demise, according to Amy Barlow from the University of Sheffield, UK.
“The physiological and emotional impacts of pregnancy, miscarriage, and childbirth carry profound significance for women, yet they remain largely unexplored in archaeological records,” she notes. “This technique could revolutionize how we comprehend the reproductive narratives of ancient populations. We’re genuinely excited about it.”
Establishing pregnancy in ancient individuals can be challenging, particularly if the fetus lacks a visible skeleton. Even second- and third-trimester fetuses may be overlooked due to their bones resembling those of the mother’s hands, often placed on the abdomen during burial.
Contemporary pregnancy tests evaluate hormone levels such as hCG in blood or urine. However, hCG degrades rapidly, leaving minimal evidence in the body.
In contrast, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone can persist in tissues for extended periods. Recent studies have demonstrated that these steroid hormones are also present in human blood, saliva, and hair. Samples from long-buried Egyptian mummies.
To explore the likelihood of identifying ancient pregnancies, Barlow and her team analyzed rib fragments and one neck bone from two men and seven women interred in four British cemeteries. They also examined teeth from another male.
Two of the women had fetal remains discovered within them, and another two were buried alongside their newborns. The gender of the others was established through DNA analysis.
The research team ground each sample into powder and employed chemical techniques to extract the steroid hormones. Laboratory tests subsequently identified the estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels in each of the 74 samples.
Estrogen was only found in four samples, without a discernible pattern. This may be due to its quicker breakdown compared to progesterone or testosterone, which may not accumulate as efficiently in tissues.
However, between the 11th and 14th centuries, heightened levels of progesterone were discovered in the spines of young women who died while carrying full-term fetuses. A later pregnant woman interred in the 18th or 19th century also exhibited elevated progesterone in her ribs. Moderate progesterone levels were noted in the dental plaque of two women buried with their infants during the 5th or 6th century.
Interestingly, no testosterone was detected in the bones or teeth of these four women. However, one woman who was buried with her premature infant had trace amounts of testosterone in her dental plaque. In contrast, three unrelated women from 8th- to 12th-century sites and Roman tombs showed testosterone in all layers of their ribs and teeth.
Low testosterone levels are known to play a crucial role in women’s health, so its discovery in these samples isn’t unexpected, Barlow states. “However, the absence of testosterone may indicate that she was recently or currently pregnant at the time of her death,” she adds.
“This intersection of archaeology and hormone science is exhilarating and unforeseen,” states Alexander Komninos from Imperial College London. “These methods will enhance our ability to detect pregnancy in human remains with greater precision, providing deeper insights into ancient pregnancies.”
Nevertheless, while the findings show promise, additional research is essential to clarify many aspects, according to Barlow. For instance, moderate progesterone levels were frequently found in the bones and inner teeth of men, but the reasoning behind this remains unclear, she comments. “Interpretation is quite cautious at this junction.”
Walking through Hadrian’s Wall and Rome’s innovations: England
Join this immersive walking tour along Hadrian’s Wall, one of Great Britain’s most iconic ancient structures and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
SpaceX Starship Rocket launches in its 10th flight test from Starbase, Texas, Launch Complex 1
UPI/Alamy
The SpaceX Starship, recognized as the most powerful rocket globally, has successfully completed a suborbital test flight following three previous launches that ended in catastrophic explosions.
SpaceX aims to develop a highly reusable and formidable launch vehicle. After several years, the Starship program is set to take over the deployment of Starlink satellites and play a pivotal role in NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions. Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, has stated that Starship is crucial for his ambition to colonize Mars.
The company embraces a fail-fast approach, more typical of Silicon Valley than the traditional methods prevalent in the aerospace industry. Despite aiming for rapid iterations, recent failures have raised concerns among observers.
Previous test flights (7, 8, and 9) ended in disaster with the upper stage either exploding or failing to land safely. The preparations for the 10th flight faced challenges when the upper stage detonated while holding propellant during ground tests.
This failure drew criticisms and led to doubts about SpaceX’s ability to achieve rapid reusability. Nevertheless, the test flight on August 10 from Starbase, Texas, was mainly successful, despite two previous cancellations.
The upper stage reached orbit and successfully deployed eight mock Starlink satellites to evaluate engine performance in a vacuum. Although an unexpected explosion damaged the engine area, the spacecraft completed its objectives, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The positioned camera-equipped buoy provided engineers critical insights into the craft’s operations.
The booster stage detached and performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
While SpaceX did not provide specific comments, they stated on their website that all “primary objectives were met” during the mission.
Patrick Harkness, from the University of Glasgow, remarked that the launch was “an incredible achievement that allowed them to approach high volumes of space at low-cost altitudes.”
Despite advancements, questions linger regarding whether the spacecraft will be ready in time for NASA’s Artemis III lunar landing, planned for 2027. SpaceX remains committed to sending the spacecraft to Mars in 2026, amid ongoing challenges.
Illustration of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft navigating the outer solar system.
Joe Olmsted/STScI
After departing from our solar system, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft finds itself considerably distant from Earth, causing the stars of the Milky Way to appear in notably different positions compared to our terrestrial views. Astronomers are harnessing this altered perspective to determine the location of galaxy probes, marking the first instance of intergalactic navigation.
Launched in 2006, New Horizons initially observed Pluto before continuing beyond, traversing the Kuiper Belt—an immensely expansive region of rocky debris and dust billions of miles from the Sun. Currently, the spacecraft is hurtling through space at tens of thousands of kilometers per hour.
When gazing at the night sky from Earth, stars seem widely spread apart, so unless equipped with a strong telescope, their positions appear constant from various locations. In contrast, the New Horizons perspective reveals a significant shift in star positions due to the parallax effect. This phenomenon was demonstrated in 2020 when the probe captured images of two nearby stars, Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359.
Now, Todd Lauer from the U.S. National Institute of Light Change Astronomy in Arizona and his team have utilized this effect to gain a new perspective. They accomplished this by comparing images of Proxima Centauri and Wolf 359 taken by the probe with measurements from the Gaia Space Telescope.
“There’s a three-dimensional map of the galaxies around us, allowing you to see your position,” says Lauer. “Using your own camera on a spacecraft offers incredible accuracy.”
To determine the spacecraft’s location, Lauer and his team analyzed the star positions detected by the New Horizons camera, tracing their lines back to the closest intersection point. They then referenced the precise locations of both stars from the Gaia star map to ascertain this point’s relation to the solar system.
This two-frame animation illustrates the changing position of Proxima Centauri as observed from Earth and New Horizons.
Nearly every spacecraft utilizes NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) to determine its position within a margin of tens of meters through a network of radio transmitters on Earth. In contrast, the parallax method provides a less precise estimation, determining New Horizons’ location within a 6,000-kilometer sphere, roughly half the distance from Earth to the Sun.
“We don’t aim to replace the Deep Space Network; this is merely a proof-of-concept demonstration,” Lauer notes. Yet, advancements in cameras and equipment could enhance accuracy by up to 100 times.
Employing this technique for interstellar navigation could yield superior location accuracy compared to the DSN. This not only facilitates the spacecraft’s journey further from Earth but also provides more reliable location tracking, enabling autonomous operations without relying on radio signals from the solar system. Massimiliano Vasile from Strathclyde University in the UK emphasizes this potential.
“When we venture to real stars, we’re talking about light-years,” Vasile explains. “The signal from the Deep Space Network must traverse all the way there, moving at light speed, taking years to reach its destination.”
However, Vasile points out that no agency currently has a mission aimed at deeper exploration of interstellar space, limiting the immediate utility of this technique.
Honda’s newest initiative is literally reaching new heights.
On Wednesday, the Japanese automaker revealed that it has successfully developed its own “experimental reusable rocket,” which has completed a landing. According to company representatives, the roughly 21-foot tall booster achieved an altitude of 890 feet before landing vertically.
These test flights indicate that the global landscape of space operations is expanding towards the commercial sector, moving beyond a handful of government agencies.
While Honda has not yet shared specific plans on how it aims to commercialize its rocket technology or the intended applications of its boosters, the initiative is part of Honda’s commitment to “sustainable transport.”
“We view rocket research as a substantial endeavor that leverages Honda’s technological capabilities,” stated Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s global CEO in a statement.
The test launch and landing occurred on Tuesday at a Honda facility located in Taika Town, Hokkaido Prefecture. The flight duration was 56.6 seconds, with the rocket landing within approximately 15 inches of the designated target area.
Honda aims to achieve a suborbital launch by 2029. This type of flight does not achieve a complete orbit around Earth, but reaches the edge of space at altitudes exceeding 65 miles.
Although Honda initially announced its foray into the space industry in 2021, details about ongoing projects or potential applications remain scarce. The company indicated that this endeavor builds on other Honda initiatives, including efforts related to automated driving systems.
“We are witnessing an exponential increase in data consumption, and the proliferation of satellites has raised expectations for utilizing data systems in space,” noted a company representative in a news release. “Considering this trend, the demand for satellite launch rockets is anticipated to rise significantly in the coming years.”
Reusable rockets are increasingly viewed as a method to enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of space launches. US company SpaceX continues to lead the industry with its reusable Falcon 9 rocket, while also developing a next-generation booster known as Starship, which is expected to be fully reusable.
SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on a crucial test flight this Tuesday, following two earlier unsuccessful attempts. Both previous launches ended in failure when the upper-stage vessels exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Caribbean, resulting in substantial debris.
The upcoming Non-White Crime Launch, marking Starship’s 9th Test Flight, is scheduled for liftoff from the Starbase facility in Texas, with a launch window opening at 7:30 PM.
Standing at 400 feet, this spacecraft represents the most powerful rocket ever created and comprises two main components: a first-stage booster known as Super Heavy and the upper-stage spaceship. The Megarocket is central to CEO Elon Musk’s ambitions for Mars exploration.
Following Tuesday’s test flight, Musk is anticipated to deliver a presentation from Texas titled “The Road to the Road Beyond the Lifespan.”
Musk has recently shifted his focus back to SpaceX and Tesla, having stepped back from his prominent presence in the Trump administration. Since the start of the current presidential term, he has overseen significant layoffs across the federal government as part of efficiency initiatives.
Future testing will be closely monitored following the two prior failures of Starship. This will be the first flight utilizing the Super Heavy booster from a previous mission, which successfully returned to Earth.
SpaceX aims for Starship to be a completely reusable system. In three previous test flights, the company successfully executed a spectacular “catch” maneuver, returning the Super Heavy booster to the launch tower’s robotic arm.
The Starship’s most recent flight in early March was cut short after mission control lost contact with the upper vehicle approximately nine minutes post-liftoff.
Footage from Florida and the Caribbean revealed a cloud of smoke, with debris scattered across the sky. The Florida airport issued a temporary ground stop due to “space-fired debris.”
In another test on January 16th, the upper-stage vehicle exploded over the Caribbean, with dust and debris falling on the Turks and Caicos islands; fortunately, local authorities reported no injuries or significant property damage.
The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into both incidents and confirmed last week that SpaceX must pause flights again, enlarging the hazard zone along the rocket’s path in accordance with updated safety protocols.
While previous flights had a hazard zone extending 885 nautical miles, Tuesday’s mission will see this area expand to 1,600 nautical miles, affecting the Florida Channel and covering both land and water at launch sites in South Texas, including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.
In this latest test flight, SpaceX plans to experiment with various “nominal scenarios” using the Super Heavy booster. Consequently, the first stage will not return to the launch site as part of the catch maneuver. According to the company.
Once in orbit, the upper-stage vehicle will attempt to deploy eight simulated Starlink satellites, which are designed to burn up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The mission control team will also aim to re-ignite one of the Raptor engines while in space.
Musk envisions using the spacecraft for future Mars missions, but SpaceX officials indicate that humans will likely complete hundreds of test runs before embarking on journeys with the next-generation rocket.
Seven years ago, Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg testified for the first time in Congress. After a two-week boot camp by lawyers, he answered questions at three consecutive Buck-to-Buck hearings in two days of baptism by fire to prepare him.
Zuckerberg, 40, has been practicing more since. He made eight appearances before Congress and testified at least twice in court. He defends his company, previously known as Facebook, on issues such as privacy, child safety, and the spread of disinformation.
As early as Monday, Zuckerberg will once again be in a hot seat. This time, as a marquee witness in a landmark federal committee lawsuit accusing Meta of breaking antitrust laws. Regulators sued the US District Court company in the District of Columbia over the acquisition Instagram And WhatsApp says it used “buying and boring strategies” to maintain its monopoly on social media.
Zuckerberg’s turn as a serial witness has become a powerful symbol of Washington’s growing frustration with the power Silicon Valley holds, spurring attempts to curb the tech industry. Under President Trump, the technology chief is welcoming with the administration in hopes of regulators taking softer hands, but his appointees have shown continued scrutiny.
At Capitol Hill, lawmakers have stepped down as Zuckerberg, accusing him of lying and are personally responsible for various social harms. Legal experts said previous tough questions could help him during the expected seven-hour testimony defending Meta in antitrust law.
“He seems to be more aware of the audience he’s talking about compared to his previous years,” said Adam Sterling, Associate Dean at Stanford Law School. “Whether it’s a deposit, a lawsuit, or in front of the Senate, he can actually create a message to that recipient.”
Meta and the FTC declined to comment.
It’s a far cry from Zuckerberg’s start in his Harvard dorm room 21 years ago. After building “Facebook,” he dropped out of school and moved to Silicon Valley to build a social network. His successes and failures were publicly scrutinized.
In 2021, he renamed his efforts to cut some of the company’s packages to Meta. He recently courted Trump. This month he visited the White House to try and persuade the president and his aides to settle the FTC lawsuit.
Government scrutiny and legal challenges did not inflict permanent damage on the company. Meta’s stock price has more than doubled since Zuckerberg first appeared in Congress.
Zuckerberg is likely to face tougher times in the stands in antitrust trials, legal experts said. Congressional hearings feature spectacular features by lawmakers, each limited to a few minutes. The FTC lawyers plan to bake Mr. Zuckerberg for hours. They also have a chunk of his emails and other communications and will ask him to defend documents that prove his company’s maliciousness.
“Trials are another beast as the other counsels are well prepared, ask better questions and keep focused on their cases,” said Nu Wexler, former policymaker for Meta and principal of Four Corners Public Relations.
In 2017, Zuckerberg testified in Dallas in a trial by video game company Zenimax Media about intellectual property theft claims. He also testified in 2023 during an FTC trial in San Jose, California to block the acquisition of Meta’s Virtual Reality Company.
Now, the FTC is asking Judge James E. Boasberg to convict Meta of antitrust violations, which is “exposed to more in danger,” said Katie Harbus, former public policy director for Meta and chief executive of consulting firm Anchor Change.
For the first half of Meta’s history, Zuckerberg has stepped away from the unscripted public appearance. In 2010, he groped through interviews at a technology conference and struggled to answer privacy questions as sweat beads ran through his face.
Most of his public witness experience came before Congress.
Zuckerberg faced a major backlash from Washington State Senators after the 2016 presidential election. Reports have emerged that Facebook has given political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica access to people’s social networking data without consent.
That led to Zuckerberg’s appearance at a packed hearing in Congress in April 2018. His lawyers guided him to calm down when interrupted and to postpone answering harsh questions.
“My team will be back to you,” he said multiple times during the hearings.
The following year, Zuckerberg was faced with questions from the House Financial Services Committee on the security and security of the plans of a cryptocurrency company called Libra.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, interrupted Zuckerberg about misinformation in political ads. He frowned at times, sometimes he struggled to find the answer.
California’s president Maxine Waters, who was then Democratic chairman of the committee, accused Zuckerberg of leading the company’s fate to users.
“You’re going to step into your competitors, women, people of color, even our democracy,” Waters said.
“I don’t think I’m an ideal messenger for this right now,” replied Zuckerberg. “We certainly have the work to do to build trust.”
Zuckerberg has been better with the next two appearances, said a legal expert and former employee, showing that he will control more Poland and his answers. He and the chiefs of Apple, Amazon, and Google were summoned in 2020 during the pandemic when the House Judiciary Committee was summoned for a hearing on the power of big technology. In 2021, Zuckerberg, who joined the CEOs of Twitter and Google, spoke to a House committee about disinformation.
Last year, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley requested at a child safety hearing that Zuckerberg would apologize to parents who lost their children due to bullying and other harms accused of refueling Instagram.
“I’m sorry for everything you’ve gone through,” Zuckerberg told parents in attendance. “No one should experience your family suffering.”
Holy said it is important to keep Meta and Zuckerberg accountable.
“This was my whole goal of enforcing a moment of truth,” Holy said in an interview. “But the truth is that he will continue to sail first and do so until there is a real outcome in Congress and in court next week.”
Hey, do you want to send it to your group chat? Likewise, are you sure about 1,000%?
Just check it. It was a strange week in the history of group chats, so it’s a seemingly intimate textual conversation that goes back and forth between friends, family and apparently national security officials.
On Monday, Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. I wrote it That he was accidentally added to group chat with encrypted messaging app signals. He announced plans for the attack on the base of Houthi in Yemen, followed when other national security officials came up with plans for the attack after the celebration emoji.
Just as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle condemned the security breaches, Americans were seen as perceived and distrustful with their own unruly group chat.
“It’s clearly a very relevant screw-in,” Goldberg said. Interview With Tim Miller of Bluwork on Tuesday. “We all texted the wrong people,” he added.
However, these careless texts do not contain high-stakes national security information that is usually shared outside of secure government channels.
The incident could be “the most shocking stupid group chat error in history,” said Tommy Beiotter, a liberal podcaster and former National Security Council spokesman. X’s Video. In the same post, he confessed that he was in an email thread that once mistakenly included singer Lyle Lovett in place of his colleague John Lovett. Approximately 30 emails had been sent before anyone noticed.
Group chat has quietly become a staple of modern communication since 2008, when Apple enabled text messaging with multiple recipients. Private group chats award a kind of juicy intimacy to a book club member, a neighbor’s mom, work friends, or a large family who exchanges hundreds of messages per day.
Feeds tend to be less self-conscious than posts on social media. In 2022, a guest essay from the New York Times declared the group chat “leave the last place online for real conversations.”
Even people with no security clearance are aware of what they share with the pleasant familiarity of group chats. Clayton Fletcher, 48, is part of the WhatsApp group, where he and about 35 other comedians roast each other and tackle new ingredients. He is wary high when a new phone number appears. It didn’t appear to happen when Goldberg was added to the signal chat.
“The wisdom of a comedian’s age is to know your audience,” Fletcher said. “In the modern world, I think it’s like knowing who’s in group chat.”
The intimacy of group chats is often elaborate when it spills into the public eye. In 2021, an anonymous leaker shared a group message from Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi Cruz, where she planned a trip to Cancun, but millions of members of the senators had no electricity. (Heidi Cruz clearly didn’t understand that group chats didn’t know loyalty,” Jezebel said. read. )
In 2023, the New York Times published a text between the Fox News hosts, which were completely different from the official statement on the 2020 election results. And last year, Daily Beast reported Former House member George Santos texted the humiliation to a group chat that includes members of a New York Republican delegation.
“Sorry, new phone, who’s diss?” Representative Andrew Garbarino I responded.
Our group chats may include people who extend to our professionals and personal lives and who have strong and loose social connections to which we have. It could make them a “minefield” for error, said LM Chilton, author of the upcoming thriller “Everyone in the Group Chat Dies.”
The signal group chat incident was colloquial and especially uncomfortable due to just the tone of Amon Friends (including emojis). And while it may be easy to blame the technology for violations, it was a mistake by national security adviser Michael Waltz to make it accessible to journalists to group chats.
“At the end of the day, it was an artificial mistake and it was with us from the dawn of time,” Chilton said.
New York writer Matt Buquere, 35, found a bit of a dark humor in the way that members of the Signal Group introduced themselves one by one.
Everyone has been added to a group chat where they do not belong to completely. However, he suggested not to stand out unless he was certain he could trust the rest of the group.
“If you have a lot of numbers you don’t know, you should limit group chat participation to thumbs up or ‘haha’ reactions. There’s nothing else,” he said.
Following a failed test flight in January, SpaceX set out for another launch attempt on Thursday hoping for a better outcome.
Unfortunately, the mission was cut short once again after losing contact with the upper-stage vehicle.
The Starship system, towering at 400 feet, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, for its eighth test flight at 6:30pm.
However, within eight minutes, similar to the January incident, some engines seemed to shut off. Live video footage showed the craft spinning before all communication was lost.
In the live webcast, SpaceX Communications manager Dan Huot announced, “I think it’s clear that we won’t continue with today’s mission.”
Shortly after the mishap, Florida airports issued ground stops due to the “space launch incident” in Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Miami International Airport.
Videos circulating online show explosions and potential debris in parts of Florida. One video posted by an X user shows what appears to be an overhead fireball in Boynton Beach, Florida.
SpaceX stated on X that the Starship suffered a collapse, described as a “rapid, unplanned demolition.”
The company is now analyzing data from the flight tests to determine the root cause of the incident.
Huot mentioned in the webcast that SpaceX will be monitoring potential debris and working closely with air traffic restrictions.
While accidents are not uncommon in the development of new rockets and spacecraft, this marks the second consecutive setback for SpaceX.
During the seventh test mission in January, a similar loss of communication occurred, eventually leading to an explosion over the Caribbean.
SpaceX Debris Courtesy Todd Martin
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. Despite clearing the spacecraft for Thursday’s test flight, investigations are ongoing.
The FAA, among other agencies, has faced budget and staffing cuts under the Trump administration, raising concerns about oversight in areas like commercial spaceflight.
SpaceX’s internal investigation revealed that a leaky propellant likely caused the explosion during the previous test flight.
SpaceX made upgrades to prevent similar incidents and enhance safety measures before the Thursday launch.
Despite the short-lived test flight, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone with the Super Heavy Booster returning successfully to the launch site and landing on the Tower’s robotic arm.
This marks the third successful “Catch” operation by SpaceX, a crucial step towards the goal of creating a fully reusable Starship system.
Starship, the most powerful rocket in development, consists of a first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship called Super Heavy.
SpaceX officials emphasize that many more test missions will likely be conducted before the Starship can transport humans.
The next-generation Megarocket, Starship, is expected to play a pivotal role in NASA’s moon missions and potentially future missions to Mars.
The rapid expansion is a result of inflammation, which serves a protective purpose.
Dr. Robert Schmerling, a rheumatologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, explained that inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or illness in an attempt to promote healing. More info on Inflammation.
Inflammation can be detrimental as it is linked to various chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and allergies. Experts believe that reducing chronic inflammation is crucial for healthy aging.
Dr. David Haffler, a neurologist and professor of immunobiology at Yale University School of Medicine, described inflammation as a necessary defense mechanism that helps the body fight infections.
Inflammation has been recognized for centuries, with ancient Roman writer Aurus Cornelius Cercus outlining its core characteristics. This process involves fluid, proteins, and white blood cells traveling to the site of injury, resulting in redness, swelling, heat, and pain to aid in recovery.
While acute inflammation is beneficial in the short term, chronic inflammation can have long-lasting negative effects on the body.
Causes of Chronic Inflammation
Factors like obesity, smoking, and dietary choices can contribute to chronic inflammation.
Dr. Thaddeus Stappenbeck, chair of inflammation and immunity at Cleveland Clinic, believes that the modern American diet is a major driver of chronic inflammation.
Consuming processed foods, trans fats, and sugary treats can increase inflammation levels in the body. Although trans fats have been banned by the FDA, a shift towards a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce inflammation.
“Sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and stress can also contribute to inflammation,” mentioned Schmerling.
Symptoms of Inflammation
Common signs include joint pain, fatigue, constipation, depression, and weight loss. Schmerling recommends regular exercise and a plant-based diet to lower inflammation levels.
Research indicates that following a Mediterranean-style diet can reduce inflammation markers in the body.
“Lifestyle changes can positively impact inflammation levels,” Schmerling added.
Impact of Chronic Inflammation on the Heart
According to the CDC, around 129 million Americans suffer from chronic illnesses, with the prevalence increasing every five years.
Experts suggest that chronic inflammation plays a significant role in the development of these conditions.
Prolonged inflammation can lead to heart disease, plaque buildup in blood vessels, and even neurodegenerative disorders.
Autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis are also associated with chronic inflammation.
Inflammation is a common feature in various diseases, highlighting the importance of addressing it early on.
Testing for Chronic Inflammation
Blood tests like erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein measure inflammation levels in the body. However, these tests may not always provide clear results.
False positives are possible, so symptoms should be considered alongside test results.
While some advocate for routine inflammation tests, experts like Schmerling and Stappenbeck advise against it for healthy individuals without symptoms.
There are more sensitive tests like HS-CRP that can detect small increases in inflammation levels, but their widespread use is still debated.
Monitoring inflammation levels can help identify individuals at risk of heart disease or stroke in a timely manner.
SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on its upcoming test flight on Monday, approximately six weeks after the top stage of the vehicle exploded over the Atlantic during its final test.
Following the incident on January 16th, SpaceX lost contact with Starship about eight minutes after the flight, leading to subsequent explosions that scattered debris and small fragments near Turks and Caicos. Local authorities confirmed no injuries occurred.
The US Federal Aviation Administration initiated an investigation after the accident and grounded the rocket during the probe. On Friday, the agency announced clearance for the spaceship to resume flights, although the investigation remains ongoing.
SpaceX’s own investigation identified the “attic” section as the source of the leak that caused propellant to escape, triggering a fire and shutting down most of the spacecraft’s engines in a controlled sequence.
Strips of the recent SpaceX launch dotted the sky on January 16th. Courtesy Todd Martin
Data transmission ceased over eight minutes into the test flight, resulting in the vehicle disintegrating three minutes later.
Subsequent to the incident, SpaceX implemented several hardware and operational modifications to Starship’s upper stage, without disclosing specific details of the upgrades.
The eighth test flight for Starship, originally planned for Friday, encountered brief delays without explanation.
The FAA green-lit the flight, amidst broader fiscal and personnel reductions targeting various federal agencies during the Trump administration’s tenure. Reuters reported that the Government Efficiency Bureau, spearheaded by SpaceX’s Elon Musk, engaged with the FAA, with SpaceX engineers assisting as specialized government personnel.
The existence of Doge personnel within the FAA’s commercial spaceflight division overseeing private companies like SpaceX remains undocumented, prompting some lawmakers and critics, including Senator Ed Markey, to voice reservations regarding potential conflicts of interest.
The planned Monday launch aims to deploy four mock Starlink satellites mid-flight, marking the first payload release by the vehicle.
Upon separation from the second stage, Starship’s first Hull King stage is slated to return to the launch pad, where SpaceX intends to “catch” it using extensive mechanical equipment at the rocket’s launch tower. This stage was successfully retrieved during the January flight, signaling partial testing success for the company.
The catch maneuver is pivotal in SpaceX’s ambition to establish Starship as a fully reusable rocket system.
If the launch proceeds as planned, the upper stage will soar for about an hour on Monday before splashing down in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.
Standing at 400 feet tall, the spacecraft constitutes the most potent rocket ever developed, comprising a super-heavy first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship.
Envisioned to play a crucial role in NASA’s moon missions, SpaceX has been selected by the agency to ferry astronauts during the Artemis III mission scheduled for 2027. Musk hinted at potential application for future Mars missions utilizing the spacecraft.
UK universities are being advised to thoroughly test all assessments following new research that shows almost all students are using generative artificial intelligence (GENAI) for their research projects.
A study of 1,000 students, both local and international, revealed a significant increase in the use of Genai over the past year. In a survey conducted in 2025, 53% admitted to using tools like CHATGPT, while a staggering 88% reported using such tools.
The percentage of students utilizing AI tools has risen from 66% in 2024 to 92% in 2025, leaving only 8% who do not use AI. A report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy and Kortext highlighted these findings.
Josh Freeman, the author of the report, emphasized the unprecedented shift in student behavior within a year and urged universities to pay attention to the impact of generative AI in academic settings.
Freeman stated, “There is an urgent need for all assessments to be reviewed to ensure they cannot be easily completed using AI. This calls for a bold retraining effort for staff to understand the power and potential of generative AI.”
Institutions are encouraged to share best practices and address potential issues related to the use of AI tools for learning enhancement rather than hindrance.
Students are using genai for various purposes such as explaining concepts, summarizing articles, and suggesting research ideas. However, 18% of students include AI-generated text directly in their work.
Many students use AI to save time and improve the quality of their work, but concerns about academic misconduct and biased outcomes deter some from using such tools.
Women and students from privileged backgrounds express more apprehension about AI use, while men and STEM students exhibit more enthusiasm. The digital disparity identified in 2024 seems to have widened, particularly in summarizing articles.
Despite concerns, most students believe universities are responding effectively to academic integrity issues related to AI. Training in AI skills is provided to a third of students, but there is ambiguity surrounding the use of AI in academic work.
Dr. Thomas Lancaster from Imperial College London emphasizes the importance of preparing students for the ethical use of AI in education and future careers to avoid a competitive disadvantage.
In response to these findings, a UK spokesperson highlighted the need for universities to equip students for a world influenced by AI while addressing the challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies. They stress the importance of upholding academic integrity and educating students about the consequences of fraud from the beginning.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — Blue Origin successfully launched a massive new rocket on its inaugural test flight on Thursday, sending a prototype satellite into orbit thousands of miles above Earth.
Named after the first American to orbit the Earth, the New Glenn rocket took off from Florida and lifted off from the same launch pad that was used for NASA’s Mariner and Pioneer spacecraft half a century ago.
Developed over many years with substantial funding from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the 98-meter-long rocket carried an experimental platform designed to transport the satellite and deploy it into a designated orbit.
With all seven main engines firing at liftoff, the rocket ascended through the early morning sky, exciting the crowds gathered along the nearby beach. Bezos was actively involved in the launch control, and employees of Blue Origin cheered as the spacecraft successfully reached orbit 13 minutes later, earning praise from SpaceX’s Elon Musk.
Although the first stage booster failed to land on the barge in the Atlantic Ocean, the company emphasized that a more significant milestone was achieved. Bezos had mentioned before the flight that attempting to land the booster on the first try was “a bit wild.”
“We did it!” exclaimed Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp about reaching orbit with a thumbs up. “Heading to splashdown and trying again on the landing.”
For this test mission, the satellite was designed to remain attached to the second stage while orbiting the Earth. The plan was to place the second stage in a stable orbit high above, following NASA guidelines to reduce space debris.
New Glenn is set to conduct more missions in the future, carrying spacecraft and eventually enabling astronauts to orbit the Earth and beyond, including to the moon.
Founded by Bezos 25 years ago, Blue Origin plans to launch a paid passenger service starting in 2021, aiming to explore the far reaches of the universe. Their suborbital flights from Texas will use a smaller rocket named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. The towering New Glenn, honoring John Glenn, stands five times taller.
Blue Origin has invested over $1 billion in the New Glenn launch site, refurbishing Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s historic Complex 36. The launch site is located 9 miles (14 kilometers) from the company’s control center and rocket factory near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center entrance.
The company plans to conduct six to eight New Glenn flights during this year, with the next one scheduled for the coming spring.
Bezos declined to disclose his personal investment in the program during a recent interview, emphasizing that Blue Origin does not see itself in direct competition with Musk’s SpaceX, which has long been a leader in rocket launches.
“There’s enough room for multiple winners,” Bezos stated, highlighting that this marks “the dawn of a new era in space exploration, where we collaborate as an industry to decrease the cost of space exploration and increase access to space.”
New Glenn joins the ranks of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, Europe’s enhanced Ariane 6, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and the Saturn V in enabling human spaceflight. It is the latest among several large new rockets launched in recent years, including SpaceX’s Starship.
Standing at approximately 400 feet (123 meters) tall, SpaceX’s Starship is the largest rocket to date. Musk mentioned a possible seventh test flight of the entire rocket from Texas later on Thursday, aiming to replicate the success of catching the returning booster with a giant mechanical arm in October.
NASA plans to utilize Starship for landing astronauts on the moon in the coming years as part of the Artemis program. Blue Origin’s lunar lander, named Blue Moon, will play a role in future moon missions as well.
As NASA transitions leadership, Administrator Bill Nelson has advocated for fostering competition in lunar landing capabilities, resembling the approach of contracting multiple companies for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. Nelson will be stepping down when the new administration takes office.
Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman has been nominated by the President to lead NASA, pending Senate confirmation. Isaacman, who has embarked on two privately funded SpaceX flights to orbit, will oversee the agency’s future endeavors in space exploration.
Initially planned to send twin spacecraft to Mars for NASA, New Glenn’s debut was postponed due to delays. Nonetheless, Blue Origin intends to continue testing the New Glenn rocket, with potential future missions in the pipeline. The two small spacecraft, dubbed Escapade, will orbit Mars to study its atmosphere and magnetic field.
SpaceX conducted the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday but lost contact with the rocket’s upper stage as it continued into space.
The company’s webcast revealed that Starship ceased transmitting data about nine minutes after liftoff.
“We have certainly lost the ship,” stated Kate Tice, SpaceX’s senior manager of quality systems engineering.
According to SpaceX’s statement on X.com, the ship disintegrated during its ascent burn, and the company will analyze the flight test data to determine the cause.
Following the loss of contact, social media users shared photos and videos depicting a fireball near the Caribbean islands. The trajectory of Starship’s launch indicated that the fireball was likely debris from the rocket re-entering the atmosphere.
Starship took off from SpaceX’s commercial Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas, around 5:30 p.m. ET, and the rocket’s “super heavy” booster successfully returned to the launch site. This marked the second successful booster catch during a flight, unlike the previous flight.
No crew members were on board the Starship flight, but Elon Musk intended to carry 10 “Starlink simulators” in the rocket’s payload bay to deploy satellite-like objects into space. This test is crucial for SpaceX to launch the next generation of larger and heavier Starlink satellites.
The Starlink simulator’s composition remains undisclosed, but it is likely a mass simulator commonly used in rocket development. Starship was scheduled to reach space, circle the Earth, and splash down in the Indian Ocean before losing contact.
SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of rocket technology with each Starship flight, aiming to assess features like thermal tiles and reentry trajectories.
Valued at $350 billion, Starship stands as the most powerful and tallest rocket to date, dominating the space industry with its numerous successful tests.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket system comprises the towering 403-foot Starship stacked atop the 232-foot superheavy booster, powered by the collective force of 33 Raptor engines generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust.
Starship utilizes liquid oxygen and liquid methane, requiring over 10 million pounds of propellant for launch. The current launch marked Ship 33, representing the enhanced “Block 2” version with significant upgrades.
This flight trial included a booster powered by a reused Raptor engine from its fifth test flight, contributing to SpaceX’s goal of creating a fully reusable system for cargo and crew missions beyond Earth.
Moreover, Starship plays a vital role in NASA’s plans for lunar exploration, with SpaceX awarded a contract as part of NASA’s Artemis program to utilize Starship as a manned lunar lander to return astronauts to the moon.
December 2024 Starship rocket preparing for seventh flight
space x
SpaceX's next Starship test flight will be its most ambitious yet, and for the first time will include a new “Block 2” version with a number of design updates.
What is a starship?
Starship is the most powerful rocket ever flown. SpaceX aims to develop the vehicle into a quickly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth, and launch another mission within hours.
It's a bit confusing, but Starship is the name given to both the entire spaceship, which consists of a super heavy booster and the ship it launches, as well as a single ship once separated from the booster.
SpaceX is rapidly iterating on both Super Heavy and Starship, taking a Silicon Valley approach to design that considers regular testing and dramatic failures simply part of the process. However, this will be the first test of the so-called Block 2 Starship upper stage.
What's new in Starship Block 2?
the company says on the website Starship's electronics have been “completely redesigned” and now include more than 30 cameras. It also has 25% more propellant, is 3.1 meters taller, and has repositioned front flaps.
Also included for the first time is an early version of the pin needed to be captured and reused in ground towers. However, SpaceX currently only has one tower that is used to capture boosters, so there will be no attempt to capture Starships for reuse this time. A second tower is under construction.
What does a test flight involve?
SpaceX expects the upper stage to reach space, complete a partial orbit around Earth, safely re-enter the atmosphere, and fall in a controlled manner into the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy's first stage must return to the launch site and be captured by the launch tower's mechazilla or “chopstick” arm. If successful, this will be the second capture.
The launch marks a milestone for SpaceX as it marks the first time Starship hardware will be reused. One of the Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines was previously used on Starship's fifth test flight. This was the only test to date in which the booster was safely returned, so it was the company's first opportunity to reuse something.
Another first is Starship's deployment of 10 fake Starlink satellites. These mock satellites are comparable in size and weight to the company's upcoming third-generation Internet Beam hardware and will test Starship's ability to safely launch payloads into orbit. Previous Starship flights have never carried a payload. Toy bananas carried on Flight 6.
A number of other smaller tests will be performed during the seventh flight to provide engineers with valuable data. For example, one of the Starship's Raptor engines was scheduled to be reignited in space, and some heat-resistant tiles were removed as a test. Several types of new thermal tiles are also being tested, including those with active cooling capabilities.
According to several NOTAMs (Notifications to Airmen – Warning Pilots of Unusual or Potentially Hazardous Activities) issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration, the launch slot given to the company is mid-January 10th. It starts at 4pm standard time (10pm UK time).
The launch period runs until January 16, giving the company some leeway in the event the launch is postponed due to technical issues or bad weather.
Like all Starship launches, Flight 7 will lift off from SpaceX's property in Boca Chica, Texas, and will be streamed live online.
What happened on previous Starship launches?
During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then lost control and self-destructed.
During the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight progressed further, gaining enough altitude to separate the booster and upper stage as planned. The booster stage ultimately exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.
The next flight was on June 6, when the upper stage reached an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flew at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.
In Test Flight 5, the superheavy booster dropped onto the launch pad and landed safely on SpaceX's launch tower, known as Mekazilla, supported by “chopsticks.”
During Test Flight 6, Starship reached an altitude of 228 kilometers and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. Super Heavy aborted its landing on the launch tower due to a communications failure and instead made a controlled water landing in the Gulf of Mexico.
DESI instrument observing the sky from the Nicholas U. Mayall telescope during a meteor shower
KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/R. Sparks
Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity has been proven correct on the largest scale ever. Analysis of millions of galaxies showed that the way they evolved and clustered over billions of years was consistent with his predictions.
Ever since Einstein proposed his theory of gravity more than a century ago, researchers have been trying to find scenarios in which the theory of gravity doesn't hold true. However, no such test had ever been performed at the level of the longest distances in the universe. Mustafa Ishak-Bushaki At the University of Texas at Dallas. He and his colleagues conducted the experiment using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopy Instrument (DESI) in Arizona.
The details of the structure of the universe and how it has changed over time provide a powerful test of how well we understand gravity. Because it was this force that shaped galaxies as they evolved from small fluctuations in the distribution of matter in the early universe.
DESI has so far collected data on how nearly 6 million galaxies have come together over the past 11 billion years. Ishak-Boushaki and his colleagues combined this with the results of several other large-scale surveys, including the cosmic microwave background radiation and supernova mapping. They then compared this to the predictions of a theory of gravity that encompasses both Einstein's ideas and more modern modified theories of gravity. They did not discover any deviations from Einstein's gravity. Ishak-Boushaki says that while there is some uncertainty in the measurements, there is still no strong evidence that theories that deviate from Einstein's can more accurately capture the state of the universe. .
Itamar Allari Professors at Brown University in Rhode Island say that although general relativity has been shown to hold up in very precise tests performed in the laboratory, it is important that it can be tested at all scales, including the entire universe. states. This eliminates the possibility that Einstein correctly predicted objects of one size but not others, he says.
The new analysis also provides hints about how dark energy, the mysterious force thought to be responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe, fits into theories of gravity. Nathalie Palanque-Dravuille At Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California. Einstein's early formulations of general relativity included a cosmological constant (a type of antigravity that plays the same role as dark energy), but earlier DESI results showed that dark energy is not constant. It suggested that. That may have changed as the universe aged, Palanque-Delabouille said.
“The fact that we see that we agree; [general relativity] And any deviation from this cosmological constant opens up a Pandora's box of what the data can actually tell us,” says Ishak Boushaki.
DESI will continue to collect data for several more years, eventually recording the locations and properties of 40 million galaxies, which the three scientists agree will support the theory of general relativity and dark energy. He said it would be clear how to combine them correctly. This new analysis used only one year of data from DESI, but in March 2025 the team plans to share findings from the instrument's first three years of observations.
Allari said these results could help pinpoint changes in the Hubble constant, a measure of the rate of expansion of the universe, narrow down the mass of elusive particles called neutrinos, and even search for new particles. He said he expects it to be significant in this important respect. Cosmic components such as “dark radiation”.
“This analysis will have implications not just for gravity, but for cosmology as a whole,” he says.
SpaceX is gearing up for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket. Elon Musk’s company follows a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to research and development, which resembles the culture of Silicon Valley more than the aerospace industry, with an acceleration in the pace of launches. It seems so.
When is the next flight?
SpaceX states on the website that Starship is scheduled to conduct its sixth test flight on November 19th, with launch slots opening at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). A live stream of the launch will be available. SpaceX’s X account on the social media platform also owned by Musk, can be viewed here at newscientist.com
It took SpaceX 18 months to complete Starship’s first five test flights, with the fifth happening in mid-October. With the launch of its sixth flight next week, it will be just over a month since the last flight, making it the fastest flight yet.
What will SpaceX attempt with Flight 6?
Flight 6 mirrors Flight 5 in many ways but with some significant differences.
The booster stage will once again try a “chopstick” landing, catching and securing the vehicle as it returns to the launch pad for a soft landing. This methodology aims to eventually enable boosters to be reused multiple times, significantly reducing the cost of launching payloads into orbit.
Starship during high altitude test flight
SpaceX
The upper stage will enter space, complete a partial orbit, re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, and splash-land in the Indian Ocean. In this flight, the upper stage will attempt to reignite one of the Raptor engines in space to gather valuable operational data. Also, new heat shield designs will be tested during atmospheric reentry.
One notable change in this flight is that the landing of the upper stage in the Indian Ocean will be filmed during the day as the launch occurs later in the day. This will provide detailed images as previous landings happened at night, limiting the visibility for engineers compared to daytime landings.
What occurred in previous Starship launches?
During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three out of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. This led to the rocket becoming uncontrollable and self-destructing.
In the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight proceeded further, with the booster and upper stage separating as planned. However, the booster stage exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024, was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.
The subsequent flight on June 6 saw the upper stage reach an altitude of over 200 kilometers and fly at speeds exceeding 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.
Test Flight 5 was the most ambitious yet, with Starship’s super-heavy booster touching down on the launch pad and being safely caught by “chopsticks” on SpaceX’s launch tower, known as Mechazilla. This innovative landing approach aims to secure and lower the booster for reuse.
SpaceX said on its website that it aims to conduct Starship's sixth test flight as early as November 18.
space x
SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. The company has a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to research and development that is more akin to the world of Silicon Valley than the aerospace industry, and the pace of launches appears to only be accelerating.
When is the next flight?
SpaceX says on the website The company said it aims to conduct Starship's sixth test flight as early as November 18. This claim is supported by the Federal Aviation Administration issuing a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). rocket launch warning SpaceX launch pad area in Boca Chica, Texas. The 30-minute launch slot opens at 4pm local time (10pm Japan time).
It took SpaceX 18 months to conduct Starship's first five test flights, with the fifth taking place in mid-October. When the airline launches its sixth flight next week, it will be just over a month since the last flight, making it the fastest flight ever.
What will SpaceX try with Flight 6?
In many ways, Flight 6 is a repeat of Flight 5, but with some key differences.
The booster stage will again attempt a “chopstick” landing, grabbing and securing the aircraft as it returns to the launch pad so it can be lowered to the ground. This approach is designed to ultimately allow boosters to be reused multiple times and significantly reduce the cost of putting payloads into orbit.
Starship during high altitude test flight
space x
The upper stage will reach space, complete a partial orbit, re-enter Earth's atmosphere and splash-land in the Indian Ocean. But this time, the upper stage will attempt to reignite one of the Raptor engines during its stay in space in order to gather valuable operational data. It also plans to test new heat shield designs during atmospheric reentry.
Another difference is that because the launch will take place later in the day, the landing of the upper stage in the Indian Ocean can be filmed during the day, allowing for more detailed shots. Previous missions had landed at night, so while the footage was cinematic and dramatic, it didn't provide engineers with as much insight as footage from daytime landings.
What happened during previous Starship launches?
During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then became uncontrollable and self-destructed.
During the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight progressed further and gained enough altitude to separate the booster and upper stage as planned. The booster stage ultimately exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.
The next flight was on June 6, when the upper stage reached an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flew at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.
Test Flight 5 was the most ambitious yet, with Starship's super-heavy booster dropping onto the launch pad and being safely caught by “chopsticks” on SpaceX's launch tower, known as Mechazilla. It is equipped with “chopsticks” that can be used to grab and fix a specific position on the aircraft and lower it to the ground.
When it comes to balancing on one foot, it may seem like a simple task, but it could actually indicate more than you think. Recent research suggests that struggles with balance could be a sign of accelerated aging in the body.
Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota have discovered that the ability to balance on one leg can reveal the rate of aging in the neuromuscular sensory system, particularly in older individuals.
This sensory system, comprised of nerves connecting muscles to the brain and spinal cord, plays a crucial role in facilitating movement. Its decline with age can lead to slower reflexes and movements.
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“Balancing on one leg involves various physiological components like leg strength, postural stability muscles, neuromuscular coordination, and sensory information, all of which tend to decrease with age,” explained Professor David Proctor, an aging and exercise expert at Pennsylvania State University in the US. This information was reported by BBC Science Focus.
Preventing or slowing down the decline in strength and balance as we age can significantly impact one’s ability to stay functionally independent in the long term.
The study involved 40 participants aged between 50 and 80, who were assessed on their ability to balance on one leg. Despite similar height, weight, and activity levels, age was the only differing factor among the participants.
Each participant performed four 30-second balances with eyes closed and eyes open for both legs. The researchers recorded the duration of balance maintained within each 30-second interval to evaluate the impact of age on balance.
The results indicated a direct correlation between age and trembling, with a 6.3% increase in tremors with eyes open and a 10.5% increase with eyes closed for every decade of age. Additionally, the time spent balancing decreased by 2.2 seconds per decade on the non-dominant leg and 1.7 seconds on the dominant leg.
This suggests that balance duration is a valid marker of aging and a potential indicator of fall risk in older adults.
Although balancing for 30 seconds may not require significant muscle strength, it heavily relies on good neuromuscular control, which diminishes with age, leading to increased sway and reduced balancing time.
Fortunately, research highlights the benefits of balance and aerobic exercises like swimming, running, and cycling in preventing age-related decline in balance and muscle control.
About our experts
Dr. David Proctor, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, USA, specializes in kinesiology, physiology, and medicine. His research has been featured in various scientific journals.
Low levels of certain compounds in your feces may be a sign of endometriosis, and supplementing with those compounds may also help control your symptoms.
Endometriosis, which affects about 200 million people worldwide, occurs when the tissue lining the uterus grows in other parts of the reproductive tract. There is no known cure, but once the condition is diagnosed, lesions can be removed periodically through surgery. However, it currently takes more than six years on average for endometriosis to be diagnosed, largely due to a lack of awareness and understanding.
Previous research suggests that the gut microbiome may play a role in this condition. To investigate further, ramakrishna konmagani and colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, collected stool samples from 18 women with endometriosis and 31 women without endometriosis. They investigated the bacteria in feces and the metabolome, the set of chemicals produced by gut bacteria.
They found that women with endometriosis had lower levels of the metabolite 4-hydroxyindole in their feces. This is likely due to changes in the gut microbiome.
Based on this finding, commercially available stool analysis could enable rapid screening of this widely “underdiagnosed, understudied, and underdiagnosed” condition, potentially leading to early and effective management. Konmagani said.
“Stool sampling is very easy and not as invasive as current diagnostic techniques such as laparoscopy.” [a kind of keyhole surgery]” he says.
To test whether 4-hydroxyindole had a protective effect, the research team gave additional 4-hydroxyindole to a group of mice that had tissue implanted in their abdomens to induce endometriosis. After 14 days of treatment, these mice did not have fewer lesions compared to control animals, but the lesions were significantly less severe and showed signs of significantly reduced pain.
Further experiments showed that administering 4-hydroxyindole to mice with established endometriosis significantly improved the lesions. The results were similar in mice transplanted with human endometriosis lesions, suggesting that the treatment may be equally effective in humans.
“We believe this is a very good treatment option because it is something that occurs naturally in the body and is not drugged or synthetic,” Konmaghani said. I say.
However, large-scale human studies will be needed to confirm whether 4-hydroxyindole can be used to diagnose endometriosis and whether the compound is effective as a treatment.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket before its first test flight in 2023
space x
SpaceX has been preparing Starship since August for its fifth test flight, which the company claims could launch as soon as this weekend.
What is a starship?
Starship is the most powerful rocket capable of flying. SpaceX aims to develop it into a quickly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth, and launch another mission within hours. The company takes a “fail-fast” approach to research and development more commonly seen in Silicon Valley than in the conservative world of space exploration.
What will the next test flight include?
The fifth test flight will likely be the first attempt to drop Starship’s super heavy booster (the rocket’s first stage) onto the launch pad. SpaceX’s launch tower, called Mechazilla, is equipped with a pair of “chopsticks” that can grab and hold the booster in a specific position and lower it to the ground.
When will the launch take place?
space x stated on the website The flight could take place as early as October 13, pending regulatory approval.
The U.S. Coast Guard appears to have given official weight to this claim. Warning to seafarers The rocket launch took place one day earlier, on October 12, from 7:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) to 8:10 a.m. near Boca Chica, Texas.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which must approve each launch before it launches, previously said Starship would not fly until November. public relations person said to san antonio express news Nothing has changed on October 3rd. “We are not issuing a launch permit for a launch within the next two weeks. In fact, no launch has taken place. Late November is still the target date,” they said.
However, the FAA also warned pilots that rocket launches could occur in the Boca Chica area between October 13 and 19. Neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor the FAA responded. new scientist Ask for explanation.
One possibility is that SpaceX is announcing the launch date to pressure the FAA for approval. The other thing is that we are considering releasing it without approval. that's what it did in the pastsent an early prototype of Starship to high-altitude testing in 2020 without permission. SpaceX was contacted by: new scientist We contacted them for more information, but received no response.
Why does it take so long for the FAA to approve test flights?
This is a question SpaceX has been asking for some time. in long blog post The paper, published in September, complained that Starship for test flight No. 5 had been ready since last month and was awaiting launch.
“Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analysis and cooperating with reasonable safeguards to protect both the public and the environment, we are faced with a variety of “The approval process has been derailed multiple times due to unforeseen issues,” the post said.
But the FAA won’t work on the timescale SpaceX is requesting. The company requires SpaceX to conduct an investigation after each launch, suggest remedies for failure and adhere to strict licensing requirements before any subsequent attempts. Essentially, this tension stems from the friction of fast-paced, startup-like businesses with conservative, risk-averse government agencies.
The FAA previously stated that SpaceX Analysis not done properly The effects of a sonic boom caused by a launch. that it has polluted the environment It features a water flooding system designed to counter Starship’s powerful rocket exhaust. And we couldn’t get all the proper permits. In response, SpaceX founder Elon Musk threatened to sue the FAA.
What happened on previous Starship launches?
During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the first stage’s 33 engines failed to ignite. Several more planes subsequently failed in flight. The rocket then went out of control and activated its self-destruct function.
Test Flight 2 on November 18, 2023, made further progress and gained enough altitude for the first and second stages to separate as planned. However, as the first stage decelerated and rotated to begin the landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage progressed smoothly to an altitude of about 149 kilometers (149 kilometers), passing through the Kármán line, considered the beginning of the universe. However, before orbiting or returning to Earth, it stopped transmitting data and was destroyed by a failsafe function.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful, as it reached space, conducted fuel transfer tests, and flew farther and faster than ever before. However, the aircraft lost attitude control during flight and failed to make a planned soft landing.
Test Flight 4 on June 6 of this year was the most successful to date, with Starship reaching orbit at an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flying at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea. As the Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, there was a dramatic scene in which the sheer heat of one of its control fins burned off due to extreme temperatures, but the company says it has fixed this problem with a new heat-resistant tile design. There is.
Biomarkers in blood may indicate certain medical conditions
Evgeny Sarov/Alamy
Researchers have linked eight genetic markers to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which may one day be able to diagnose the disease with a blood test.
Patients with ALS, the most common motor neuron disease, suffer from problems walking, speaking, swallowing and breathing that worsen over time and ultimately lead to death. There is no cure, but treatments such as physical therapy can help reduce the impact of these symptoms.
Doctors typically diagnose ALS using an assessment of symptoms, tests that measure electrical activity of the nerves and brain scans. A lack of awareness about ALS means doctors have to track how a patient’s symptoms progress over time before making a diagnosis, which delays treatment, doctors say. Sandra Banack At Brain Chemistry Labs, a research institute in Wyoming.
To diagnose the disease earlier, Banach and his colleagues have been analyzing blood samples from small groups of ALS patients and non-patients, and have found eight genetic markers that appear to be present at different levels in the two groups.
To test this, the team looked at blood samples from 119 people with ALS and 150 people without ALS from a biobank called the National ALS Biorepository and found that the same eight markers remained different between the two groups. These markers are related to neuronal survival, brain inflammation, memory and learning, Banak says.
The researchers then trained a machine learning model to distinguish between people with and without ALS based on the marker levels of 214 participants, and when they subsequently tested it on the remaining 55 participants, found that it correctly identified 96 percent of ALS cases and 97 percent of non-ALS cases.
“This is a wonderful thing.” Ahmad Al Khlifat “The test is excellent at distinguishing between people with ALS and those without,” said researchers from King’s College London.
The researchers estimate that the test will cost less than $150 and hope to have it available within two years, Banach said. But it needs to be tested in different groups of people first. If the team partners with the right diagnostic labs, Banach said, the test could be available within a year.
isEvangelion was released 10 years ago, an eternity in the world of video games. It's also one of the most compelling games of the decade, and sometimes it's not. On the surface, it's a gorgeous online progressive rock space shooter made by Bungie, the creators of the Xbox classic Halo. Gather up with some friends, deploy somewhere in the shimmering landscapes of a future solar system, and shoot people, aliens, and robots to earn better loot.
None of this is unprecedented, and maybe that's the point. You could say that Destiny's touchstones are Halo with its gunplay, World of Warcraft with its persistent online space, and (admittedly, this is a bit odd) the immortal British retailer Marks & Spencer. This last point is especially true because Destiny is a game of fluctuating destiny that seems to fascinate everyone involved in video games, whether they actually play Destiny or not. Just as many in the UK secretly know if M&S is currently trending up or down (there is no middle ground), everyone in the games industry knows if Destiny is doing well or not. Is it doing better than it has in many years? Or is it in a state of decline that is not comparable to where it was two, five, or seven years ago? Destiny is always an uneasy conversation topic for us.
Amazingly, this has been the case from the very beginning. in front The beginning. Fate met with great misfortune. Revealed as a company Long before it was announced as a fictional universe, the game was announced as SKUs and Q1 financial forecasts, not as a fun gunfighting world dreamed up by the best combat designers in the industry. When the first game finally arrived, it was seen as a beautiful epicenter of action surrounded by something that felt somewhat hastily produced. It was an early star where dust and gas hadn't yet fully solidified. Sure, if you had the right shotgun, you'd go into battle and the whole world would sing with you, but the story and lore were scattered across the game's surface as a series of trading cards, as if Homer had unleashed the Iliad on a collection of beer mugs and hidden them across various battlefields.
A great action game… Destiny was shown on a curved screen at E3 in Los Angeles in June 2014. Photo: Michael Nelson/EPA
But here's the thing: people just couldn't stop playing Destiny. From the start, nights spent online with friends couldn't have been more fun: join in, blow up stuff, win stuff, and compare your gains. Leveling up felt like something meaningful here. New loot had real personality. Set pieces unfolded beneath skyboxes so vast and intense they reminded us that, spaceships aside, Bungie's soul has always been deeply romantic.
Part of the game's enduring appeal is a series of striking images: the funereal hulk of the Traveler, an artificial moon, floating in the sky above the world's last city. Claw-like eruptions of Martian rock illuminated by sunlight turned into a barium haze through the airborne dust. But from the beginning, Bungie's games also seeped into the real world: players could view their builds outside the game, millions of raid-party WhatsApp groups sprung up overnight, and websites and YouTube channels were devoted to everything from leveling tips to reconstructing the story of a Frankenstein-style soap opera.
So for the last decade, playing Destiny has meant arguing about the game, getting annoyed and uninstalling it, then reinstalling it and spending the night engrossed in the game again. The existence of conspiracy theories means that the game means something to people. Caves with easy loot The in-game economy nearly collapsed within the first few months. Was this a bug or an intentional design flaw? Raid area with cheese spots A place where players can dish out massive amounts of damage without putting themselves in danger. Is this the sign of an unstable map, or a sign of a savvy developer generating a different kind of buzz?
Inevitably, people were nostalgic for even the Grimoire lore cards by the time Destiny 2 came out in 2017. Since then, there have been ups and downs. Death of a major character Everyone was talking about it The price of the expansion is the samePeople get tired of the drudgery, they think the raids are unfair, they understandably complain about the store, but they also understandably buy Destiny: The Official Cookbook. Complicating things is the fact that Destiny has been steeped in nostalgia from the get-go. Another final point of connection to M&S is that Destiny is an institution.
Few would argue that Destiny is a great action game, and always has been. At its heart is a core of charismatic gunplay, and what radiates outwards from there is an evocative and unforgettable twist of sci-fi, combined with Bungie's long-standing talent for sad, flashy naming conventions. This is the studio that brought us Halo levels “Pillar of Autumn” and “Silent Cartographer.” It's no wonder that the game “Destiny Weapon Name or Roxy Music Deep Cut?” remains a reliable drinking game. (It goes both ways; it's easy to imagine Bungie releasing Sentimental Fool and Mother of Pearl SMGs.)
Striking image…Destiny 2. Photo: Activision
Still, there are fluctuations. The latest expansion was hailed as one of the best in a while, but player numbers haven't increased significantly since then. Over time, Bungie has gone from questions about the cost of cosmetics to serious allegations about its internal culture; the studio has changed owners and recently suffered layoffs. Last week, Destiny 2 Steam player numbers hit all-time low.
Still, we talk about the games that are always in the news (Includes bungeeannounced that it would be publishing a developer blog tonight discussing the future of the game. Many of us still feel nostalgia for a game that was born out of nostalgia. And these two things create a powerful allure. I remember when I first played Destiny 2, long after everyone I knew had cooled off from their obsession with the game. I found a game that kept me entertained for a few minutes, but those minutes could easily turn into hours. I also found a world that felt as if it was covered in blue plaques that told of a painter from long ago who once vacationed here.
After all, Destiny as a game benefits greatly from its dialogue fallbacks. For example, when I first met Devrim Kay, Destiny's gentlemanly sniper, in person, I knew so much about him I could have been his biographer. I felt like I was in the presence of a celebrity, even though he was just another quest giver.
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Climbers cling to dizzying rock faces, toes digging in, knuckles white, limbs trembling with extreme tension. In this perilous moment, they have a few options: move quickly to regain their balance, rest for a few seconds, or simply let go and hope the belay can support their weight as they succumb to the massif.
Cairn, the new “survival climbing game” from French studio The Game Bakers, is full of dangerous, panic-inducing moments like this. There’s no visible stamina bar, meaning players must derive all their information from the state of their controllable climber, Aava. When under extreme stress, Aava’s breathing becomes intense and rapid and shallow, and her body begins to tremble. “We want you to focus on her posture and the railing in front of her,” says creative director Emeric Thoa.
Beneath this naturalistic presentation lies a huge amount of mathematical calculation. Using only the left analog stick, you control all of Aava’s body and limbs, and lock in handholds and footholds with the press of a button. The system calculates the stress on Aava’s limbs and core in real time, which determines the most physically realistic next movement for Aava. “Limbs are chosen automatically by the system; it predicts which arms and legs will move smoothly and easily,” Thoa explains. “The challenge for the player is to keep Aava balanced.”
This kind of dynamic scrambling is a far cry from Assassin’s Creed’s automated parkour, which has you clinging to stone walls with the pull of a trigger, or the navigation puzzles of recent climbing hit Jusant, which have you clinging to mineral outcrops on a predetermined path up a mountain. Cairn makes even the most dizzying activities even more complex by combining a freeform control system with a meticulously designed mountain, whose intersecting routes even Thoa and his colleagues don’t fully understand.
“It’s 2024, and there are words like ‘procedural’ and ‘AI,’ but we designed this mountain and built it completely by hand, placing every rock and crevice and handhold,” Thoa says. “It’s really hard work, and very iterative. I’m really grateful to our level design team.”
What sights and emotions await the player and Arva on their journey? Tore remains tight-lipped, saying only that he and the studio consulted with renowned mountaineer Elizabeth Revol, who spoke of “the intense freedom you feel when you push yourself past your limits at the top of the Earth.” Another detail that stayed in the game’s creator’s mind was that upon reaching the highest, thinnest mountain air, Revol experienced an almost delirious euphoria, “crying, screaming, going into a kind of strange trance.”
Cairn arrives with multiple game modes: the story sees Aava take on a gruelling, multi-day climb of a single mountain, and there’s an Expedition mode with additional mountains and challenges. Those willing to forgo the safety of the rope can also climb “free solo.” “This is where the real fun begins,” declares Toa, with a devilish glower, who, unlike Joussant, “will definitely die” in Cairn.
So what’s the Dark Souls of climbing games? Probably. But as Thoa stresses, “this isn’t a rage game.” Rather, he says, Cairn aims to convey “what climbing and alpinism is really about.” “You try, you fall, you try again, you fall, and then when you manage to get up, it’s very satisfying.”
SpaceX’s Starship, the largest rocket ever, successfully completed its fourth test flight, with the first and second stages completing their missions as planned and each landing in different oceans.
Following liftoff from the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas, at 7:50 a.m. local time, one of the 33 Raptor engines on Super Heavy’s first stage failed to ignite. Despite this, the rocket continued into space and the two stages separated cleanly.
Super Heavy splashed down on schedule about seven minutes after liftoff, close to the launch site in the Gulf of Mexico. After plummeting to Earth from an altitude of more than 100 kilometers, the booster’s engines ignited normally and it slowed from more than 4,000 kilometers per hour to hover just a few meters above the sea surface, but then the live feed cut out and it plunged into the ocean.
Meanwhile, Starship reached an orbit at an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and traveled at a speed of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. During its descent to Earth, about 60 kilometers above the surface, SpaceX’s livestream footage showed visible damage to one of its four control fins and what appeared to be a cracked camera lens. As it reached the Indian Ocean, it appeared to hover before plummeting into the water.
This fourth test flight focused on returning Starship from orbit after it had reached space for the first time in the previous test. SpaceX opted to perform a “soft splashdown” at sea, as landing on land is currently considered too risky. Instead, the craft would use its engines to slow its descent, align itself as if it were landing on a base, and then gently splash down on the water.
Eventually, the hope is that spacecraft will be able to be refurbished and reused by returning to land from space, as SpaceX already does with its Falcon 9 rocket.
Today’s launch marks the company’s fourth Starship launch and includes software and hardware upgrades, as well as changes to launch procedures based on lessons learned from previous tests. In the first test in April of last year, the first and second stages exploded before separating, and in another test in November, the second upper stage reached space but stopped transmitting data and self-destructed, and the first stage exploded shortly after separation.
SpaceX’s third Starship test flight on March 14 was at least partially successful, reaching space, conducting a fuel transfer test, and flying farther and faster than ever before, but the spacecraft lost control during the flight and failed to make a planned soft landing.
The Alameda, California City Council decided not to permit ongoing controversial experiments related to technology that aims to brighten clouds. The project involves spraying saltwater onto a former aircraft carrier’s deck at the city’s pier to test devices that can create and measure aerosol plumes. This research could lead to marine cloud brightening, a form of climate intervention aimed at making clouds more reflective to send heat back into space and help mitigate global warming. Despite the potential long-term benefits, the council unanimously voted against continuing the experiments.
This decision placed city officials in the midst of a national debate about geoengineering and whether testing such technology should be allowed. The council’s vote does not reject the science or the concept of geoengineering but rather criticizes the lack of transparency, safety vetting, and misguided approach of the researchers. The researchers from the University of Washington had already begun the experiment on the USS Hornet in Alameda without proper public disclosure. The experiments aimed to study the effects of increasing water droplets in clouds to make them more reflective to sunlight, which could help reduce global warming.
The council’s concerns focused on potential health risks to the community surrounding the experiment site, lack of regulatory measures, and insufficient transparency from the project leaders. Despite claims of safety from the researchers, city leaders stopped the experiments, prompting a discussion on the risks and benefits of geoengineering.
While project organizers expressed disappointment with the council’s decision, outside environmental groups warned about the broader implications of geoengineering, fearing unintended consequences that could impact global climate efforts. The debate highlights the challenges of advancing geoengineering research in the face of skepticism and concerns about the potential risks associated with altering natural systems.
Some snakes seem to respond differently to their scent when it changes, suggesting that they have some form of self-awareness.
A small number of animals, including roosters, horses, and cleaner fish, have shown signs of self-awareness in the so-called mirror test. This includes applying paint to areas of the body that cannot be seen without a mirror, such as the forehead. If an animal touches a mark when it looks in the mirror, it suggests that it knows it is its own reflection and not another individual’s image.
“But snakes and most reptiles interact with the world primarily through smell,” he says. gnome miller At Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. So he and his colleagues tried an alternative, odor-based version of the mirror test.
Team members collected scents from 36 Eastern Garter Snakes (Thamnophis certalis) and 18 ball pythons (python) Wipe along the skin with a cotton pad.
Next, each snake was exposed to five scents. My snake, my snake with a little olive oil, his one with just olive oil, another snake of the same species, and his one with another snake with a little olive oil.
The garter snakes responded to their own modified scent by clicking their tongues more often and for longer periods of time compared to other scents.
“The only time they click their tongues is when they’re interested in something or when they’re researching something,” Miller said. This suggests that garter snakes can recognize that something about themselves doesn’t smell right. “They might be thinking, ‘Oh, this is weird, I shouldn’t smell like this.'”
Ball pythons, on the other hand, responded the same way to all odors. Garter snakes are much more social than ball pythons, Miller said, so social species may be more likely to be self-aware.
This discovery is the first evidence of potential self-awareness in snakes, Miller said. “There’s a misconception that snakes, and almost all reptiles, are dull, instinctive, non-cognitive animals, but that’s definitely not true.”
but, Johannes Brandl Researchers at the University of Salzburg in Austria question whether this should be interpreted as self-awareness. “This interpretation is only valid if a correlation with social behavior can be established,” he says. Otherwise, one could argue that some snake species are simply more inclined to participate in experiments.
Europe’s longest Hyperloop test line opening has once again sparked hopes for a future that combines maglev and vacuum tube transportation technologies.
Operators believe that this facility will demonstrate the feasibility of Hyperloop, paving the way for a high-speed tube network spanning 6,200 miles (10,000km) across the continent by 2050.
Currently, the testbed at the European Hyperloop Center in Veendam is a 420-meter-long bifurcated white pipe running alongside a track and road, not yet transporting people in the Netherlands.
The test pipe, constructed from 34 connected 2.5-meter-wide prefabricated steel cylinders, partially funded by the EU, falls short of the envisioned two-mile track for 2020 due to speed limitations. The goal is to achieve the required 620 mph (1,000 km/h) in the future.
Test track at the European Hyperloop Center in Veendam. Photo: Hollandse Hoogte/Rex/Shutterstock
The Vandeem pipe’s fork will be instrumental in testing “lane switching” during high-speed vehicle course changes, with initial tests conducted by Hard Hyperloop in the Netherlands.
The center’s director, Sacha Lam, hailed this development as a pivotal moment, envisioning a pan-European network with infrastructure branching to various destinations like Paris and Berlin.
The concept of the Hyperloop was introduced by Elon Musk in 2013, proposing a line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. This innovative transportation method could revolutionize travel speed and efficiency.
Despite past setbacks, such as Hyperloop One’s bankruptcy, proponents like Sacha Lam see a bright future where a European Hyperloop network could become a reality within decades, offering a cleaner, quieter, and faster mode of transportation.
This innovative technology could help Europe catch up with pioneering developments in China, where a “low-vacuum pipeline magnetic levitation technology” test track was unveiled in 2022.
Feces can reveal the bacteria in your intestines, but we don’t yet know which ones are best.
STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/Science Photo Library/Alamy
The science of our gut microbiome is often portrayed as one of medicine’s hottest new areas, but some argue that this research is overhyped. The latest aspect of this field to gain traction is test kits that allow you to send in a stool sample to find out if your gut bacteria are impacting your health.
Analysis found that these kits made claims that were not supported by evidence and that their testing procedures were not rigorous enough. So should companies even be allowed to sell them?
Research into the microbiome began about 20 years ago, with advances in DNA sequencing allowing scientists to learn more about our bodies and the bacteria that live within them.
Doctors have long known that some infectious diseases are caused by an overgrowth of harmful pathogens. The innovative idea is that more subtle microbiome disturbances can lead to conditions normally thought to have nothing to do with our gut, such as obesity, cancer and depression. did.
Despite the hype, this field has yet to change the world of medicine. Fecal transplants (transferring one person’s stool to another’s to increase beneficial bacteria) have so far been approved for only one rare medical condition. It is a severe form of diarrhea that usually affects hospitalized patients taking strong antibiotics. Additionally, probiotic products that purport to deliver “good bacteria” to the gut have generally not yet been shown to be effective in randomized trials, the gold standard of medical evidence.
But that hasn’t stopped some companies from selling microbiome-related products directly to the public. In response, the US National Institutes of Health launched an investigation into the increased use of fecal test kits by the general public.
Diane Hoffman Researchers from the University of Maryland identified 31 companies around the world that offer direct-to-consumer microbiome analysis kits. Based on the results of these analyses, users may be provided with a comprehensive report on their gut health, for example in the form of a numerical score, or told that their gut bacteria are associated with certain medical conditions. there is.
The big problem, Hoffman says, is that the science behind fecal DNA analysis is not yet advanced enough to draw reliable conclusions. Previous research has shown that Giving the same sample to different laboratories can give different results. This may be due to differences in how samples are processed or the reference databases companies use to determine someone’s microbiome.
Companies typically do not provide details about how they conduct their analysis, considering it commercially sensitive. “They don’t have to provide any information,” Hoffman said.
A further problem is that even if we could accurately quantify how much of each bacterial species is in someone’s feces, there is still no debate among doctors about which bacteria are associated with specific medical conditions or gut health. There’s a lack of consensus, Hoffman said. “They don’t have the data they need to determine whether someone’s gut microbiome is healthy or unhealthy.”
Some of the companies selling these tests have conflicts of interest. The research team found that nearly half of manufacturers sell supplements and probiotic products that claim to improve gut health and recommend them to consumers based on test results.
The findings are not surprising. leslie hoyles He is co-author of a review on the field at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. natural microbiology Last year, it concluded that the country was susceptible to “hype and misinformation.” When it comes to fecal testing, “it varies so much from person to person that it’s meaningless,” she says. “We don’t know what a healthy microbiome is.”
It might be tempting to think that if people want to waste money on fecal test kits, they should be allowed to do so. However, many other types of direct-to-consumer medical tests, such as pregnancy tests and COVID-19 tests, are regulated by government agencies and require sufficient supporting evidence. It’s time for microbiome testing to meet the same standards, Hoffman says.
No one is arguing that microbiome research should be abandoned. Although there is great promise in this field, it is clear that it is still in its early stages. So for now, it may be wise to just continue flushing your stool down the toilet.
SpaceX is preparing for the third test flight of its Starship mega-rocket, a crucial step that could support NASA’s plans to send astronauts back to the moon and revolutionize the commercial spaceflight industry.
The launch is scheduled to take place from SpaceX’s Starbase Test Range in Boca Chica, Texas, around 8 a.m. ET, although the timing is subject to change. The company emphasizes that schedules are flexible and can be adjusted.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has granted SpaceX approval to proceed with the test flight after confirming that all safety, environmental, policy, and financial requirements have been met.
This upcoming launch marks the third test flight of the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket. The previous tests encountered challenges, with the first flight ending in an explosion shortly after liftoff in April. The second launch in November achieved significant milestones, but missed the intended contact with the spacecraft.
SpaceX aims to achieve several ambitious goals during the third test flight, building on lessons learned from previous attempts. These goals include igniting one of Starship’s Raptor engines in space, operating the vehicle’s payload door, transferring propellant between its tanks, and demonstrating controlled re-entry into the atmosphere followed by a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
These technology demonstrations are crucial for future missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
Starship is expected to have a significant role in NASA’s plans for lunar exploration. The spacecraft has been selected by the agency to transport astronauts to the moon’s surface as part of the Artemis III mission, set to launch in 2026.
Here is some encouraging environmental news that we all need to hear. Efforts to restore the natural world can yield positive results. A project spearheaded by British and Indonesian scientists has successfully rejuvenated damaged coral reefs in just four years.
Currently, most of the world’s coral reefs are in jeopardy, with some irreparably damaged. However, amidst the concerning reports about the state of our planet’s environment, this recent study provides a glimmer of hope.
Published in the journal Current Biology, the research showcases the capability to increase coral cover and restore essential ecosystem functions rapidly. You can view the paper here.
“The rapid recovery we witnessed was truly remarkable,” commented study author Dr. Ines Lang, a graduate of Exeter University. “We did not anticipate a full restoration of reef framework production within just four years.”
Coral reefs are crucial marine habitats that safeguard coastal regions from storms and erosion. The largest coral reef restoration project in the world is currently underway in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The initiative, known as the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Program, involves creating hexagonal “reef stars” (sand-coated steel structures) and affixing young corals to them. These structures are placed in coral reefs damaged by bakutsuri, an explosive fishing method that impairs coral growth. In these areas, coral recovery is impeded without human intervention.
The research team observed coral growth on the structures, with corals adding calcium carbonate to their frames. It was a crucial indicator for scientists to monitor whether reefs were growing or deteriorating based on their carbonate balance.
Within four years, the damaged reefs saw a three-fold increase in their carbonate budget, mirroring that of healthy reefs.
Researchers will continue monitoring the recovered reef’s response to stressors like ocean warming due to climate change. While restoration does not guarantee complete recovery, as restored coral reefs have yet to regain full diversity.
In fact, only one type of coral (branched corals) was transplanted, which are more vulnerable to bleaching. Researchers aim to introduce other coral species to enhance reef diversity.
Lange remarked, “There is no universal solution, but we hope this success story will inspire similar reef restoration projects worldwide.”
Labor is planning to require artificial intelligence companies to share the results of their road tests with authorities, replacing voluntary testing agreements with a statutory system. Peter Kyle, the shadow technology secretary, emphasized the need for greater transparency from tech companies, particularly in the wake of Brianna Gee’s murder.
Under Labor’s proposals, AI companies would be required to disclose their plans for developing AI systems and ensure safe testing under independent oversight. The testing agreement announced at the Global AI Safety Summit was supported by the EU and other countries, including the US, UK, Japan, France, and Germany.
During a visit to the United States, Kyle emphasized the importance of test results in providing independent scrutiny of cutting-edge AI technology. He stressed the need to ensure the safe development of technology that will have a significant impact on workplaces, societies, and cultures.
Tech companies that have agreed to test their models include Google, OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. Kyle also highlighted the role of the British AI Safety Association in independently scrutinizing AI development.
“We are moving from voluntary regulations to statutory regulations,” Mr Kyle told BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. We can find out what they’re testing for, so we know exactly what’s going on and where this technology is taking us.”
At the first Global AI Safety Summit in November, Rishi Sunak announced voluntary agreements with major AI companies such as Google and OpenAI. Under Labor’s proposals, AI companies would be required to disclose their plans for developing AI systems and ensure safe testing under independent oversight.
He added: “Some of this technology will have a profound impact on our workplaces, societies and cultures. And we need to ensure that its development occurs safely.”
Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images
SpaceX is preparing to launch its massive Starship rocket for the third time. However, the exact launch date will not be announced until the US government's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completes its investigation into why the previous launch (November 2023) failed to reach orbit.
The Starship rocket's first test launch in April 2023 went out of control due to some engine problems. These failures triggered an automatic flight termination system designed to safely detonate the rocket. It failed, and the rocket continued to tumble until it collapsed. It didn't reach space.
The accident damaged the launch pad and scattered debris over a vast area. SpaceX will begin second Starship test launch in November 2023 after launch facility repairs and updates are made and the FAA certifies that sufficient work has been done to prevent similar damage from occurring again did.
That didn't work either. Everything seemed fine for a few minutes. The rocket reaches space, but then its engine begins to fail and it explodes. Now SpaceX has to build a new rocket, and the FAA has to give it permission to fly.
“We expect that license to be issued in February. So it will be [flight] The third time will happen in February of this year,” SpaceX official Jessica Jensen said at a press conference on January 9th.
Ultimately, Starship is intended to transport astronauts to and from the moon. NASA has selected this rocket for the Artemis III and IV missions planned for 2026 and 2028. The massive rocket could carry astronauts to Mars as early as 2029, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said. But first, Starship must reach space without exploding or breaking apart, and its third flight will be an important test.
A breakthrough assay to detect acute myeloid leukemia (AML) through a KMT2A gene fusion promises to enhance diagnosis and treatment and represents a major advance in leukemia research.
The researchers Accuracy
Detecting specific molecular markers within leukemia cells has the potential to significantly improve the assessment of measurable residual disease. This advancement will enable better-informed treatment decisions and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
A new assay that detects unique molecular markers in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) could revolutionize how the disease is detected and treated, according to a recently published new report. Molecular Diagnostic Journal Published by Elsevier. This assay may improve the detection of AML due to factors such as: Kuomintang 2A Gene fusions can impact treatment decision-making, assessment of response to treatment, and long-term monitoring.
AML is a rare, aggressive blood cancer that is diagnosed in approximately 120,000 people worldwide each year. Detecting residual disease during treatment is essential to determine prognosis and guide treatment decisions.Currently, methods to detect measurable residual disease (MRD) during treatment of AML include bone marrow morphology, multiparameter flow cytometry (MPFC), and DNA Sequencing.
Morphological evaluation detects leukemic cells only with a detection limit of 5%. Although MPFC has a more sensitive detection limit of 0.01% to 0.001%, it is difficult to implement and interpret and is not standardized across laboratories. DNA sequencing approaches can identify leukemic cells by somatic mutation profiles, but are expensive and can be confounded by clonal hematopoiesis in nonleukemic blood cells.
Breakthrough progress in leukemia research
“We’ve seen a lot of research in this field,” explained lead researcher Dr. Grant A. Challen, of the Department of Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Normally absent in healthy cells. Other diseases such as chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) can already be tracked by standard BCR-ABL fusions, and sensitive detection of these fusions has revolutionized the way CML is treated. . For AML patients whose disease is caused by oncogenic fusions, the KMT2A fusion is a molecular marker that can be exploited for sensitive MRD detection. Therefore, we wanted to develop a platform for sensitive KMT2A fusion detection to improve detection and treatment methods for this disease. ”
Researchers have developed a new droplet digital PCR assay that allows for high sensitivity. Kuomintang 2A Fusion detection with the five most common fusion partners.At least 80 are known Kuomintang 2A There are fusion partners, but approximately 80% of fusions involve only 5 partners – AF9, AF6, AF4, Elleand English. They benchmarked the assay in human cell lines and patient samples and demonstrated sensitivity and specificity. Kuomintang 2A Fusion detection.
This assay detects these fusions by splitting cDNA molecules into microfluidic droplets and assaying them using primers and probes that generate a positive signal only when the fused transcript is present. Researchers were able to combine multiple primer/probe sets targeting different fusions into a pooled fusion detection reagent. they again, Kuomintang 2A Fusions in patient samples are known to be present Kuomintang 2A fusion.
Implications for AML treatment and future research
Dr. Challen said: This assay can be easily extended to include additional oncogenic fusions. This has potential implications for treatment decision-making and assessment of response to treatment. Knowing whether treatment is effective is critical to deciding when to escalate treatment or perform a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. ”
“This is a powerful new tool for highly sensitive KMT2A fusion detection and can be directly applied to disease detection in leukemia patients caused by these fusions. This fills a void in oncogenic fusion detection. , we offer several technical improvements. This assay is also highly scalable, and additional fusions can be easily added to the assay to expand coverage of other oncogenic fusions. We is improving blood cancer detection one drop at a time.”
Reference: “Droplet Digital PCR for Oncogenic KMT2A Fusion Detection” by Andrew L. Young, Hannah C. Davis, and Grant A. Challen, October 7, 2023. Molecular Diagnostic Journal. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2023.09.006
This research was funded by: National Institutes of Health and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
NASA and Sierra Space are making progress toward the company’s Dream Chaser spacecraft’s maiden flight to the International Space Station. The unmanned cargo spaceplane is scheduled to begin demonstration missions to orbital complexes in 2024 as part of NASA’s commercial resupply services. Credit: Sierra Space
NASA and Sierra Space are testing the Dream Chaser spacecraft at the Neil Armstrong Test Facility, with a focus on environmental simulation for future ISS missions. After testing, the spacecraft will head to Kennedy Space Center for launch in 2024.
NASA and Sierra Space are preparing for the maiden flight of their Dream Chaser spacecraft. international space station. Dream Chaser and its accompanying cargo module “Shooting Star” NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility It will fly in Sandusky, Ohio, for environmental testing, scheduled to begin in mid-December ahead of its first flight scheduled for early 2024.
State-of-the-art testing equipment
The Neil Armstrong Test Facility, part of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has multiple test facilities including the Space Environment Complex and the Space Propulsion Facility, both of which will be home to Dream Chaser. The complex includes a mechanical vibration facility that exposes test articles to the harsh conditions of launch.
During Armstrong’s stay, the Dream Chaser winged spacecraft will be stacked atop the Shooting Star cargo module on a vibration table, experiencing vibrations similar to those experienced during liftoff or atmospheric re-entry.
NASA and Sierra Space are making progress toward the company’s Dream Chaser spacecraft’s maiden flight to the International Space Station. The unmanned cargo spaceplane is scheduled to begin demonstration missions to orbital complexes in 2024 as part of NASA’s commercial resupply services. Credit: Sierra Space/Shay Saldana
Rigorous space simulation
After vibration testing, Dream Chaser will be moved to the propulsion facility for thermal vacuum testing. Dream Chaser is placed in a vacuum and exposed to low ambient pressure, low background temperature, and simulated dynamic solar heating, simulating the environment the spacecraft will encounter during its mission. This facility is the only facility capable of testing full-scale upper stage rockets and rocket engines under simulated space conditions and conducting high-temperature fires.
After testing at Armstrong, Dream Chaser will be transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for further launch preparations, and is currently scheduled to launch in the first half of 2024.
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