<p>Vitalik Buterin is the youngest of Ethereum&#8217;s seven co-founders.</p>


27-Year-Old Ethereum Co-Founder Is Now World&#8217;s Youngest Billionaire

<p>Ethereum has a surprisingly long list of founders. The youngest of the <span>decentralized, open-source blockchain&#8217;s</span> seven founders, Vitalik Buterin, 27, has become the world&#8217;s youngest crypto billionaire, according to a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/2021/05/03/ethereums-27-year-old-co-creator-is-now-the-worlds-youngest-crypto-billionaire/?sh=18c2748c7c94"   rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">report by <em>Forbes</em></a>. </p>
<p>Ether, the cryptocurrency linked to the Ethereum,<span> rose past the $3,000 mark for the first time early on Monday, May 3 — a 325 percent rise since the beginning of the year.</span></p>
<p>Buterin, who publicly disclosed his ether address to be his main ether wallet in October 2018, currently holds 333,520 ETH, which is worth $1.09 billion at the ether price of $3,278 early on Monday.</p>
<p>Ether&#8217;s market cap is currently at $376 billion, making it the second-largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, which is at $1.08 trillion.</p>
<h2>Cryptocurrencies surging in 2021</h2>
<p>Ether&#8217;s value has skyrocketed since the start of the year, much like Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, including the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/dogecoin-value-jumps-and-dives-on-meme-inspired-dogeday"   rel="dofollow">meme-inspired Dogecoin</a>.</p>
<p>These have been bolstered by increased awareness and uptake for cryptocurrencies, caused in part by EV automaker <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/tesla-invests-15-billion-in-bitcoin-plans-to-accept-btc-payments"   rel="dofollow">Tesla&#8217;s $1.5 billion investment</a> into Bitcoin, as well as the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/trading-apps-surging-after-the-gamestop-squeeze-on-robinhood"   rel="dofollow">retail investor trend</a> kickstarted by WallStreetBets.</p>
<p>Shortly after it announced its $1.5 billion Bitcoin investment, Tesla started allowing car purchases <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/you-can-now-buy-a-tesla-with-bitcoin-elon-musk-says"   rel="dofollow">to be made in Bitcoin</a>. A host of other companies have followed suit, including eBay, who announced last week they <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/ebay-may-be-accepting-cryptocurrency-for-future-payments"   rel="dofollow">may accept cryptocurrencies</a> for future payments.</p>
<p>Cryptocurrencies are lauded for their ability to allow for decentralized transactions to be made via the blockchain, without the need for any financial intermediaries. </p>
<p>They have stirred controversy, as well, due to the fact that the increasingly complex computations needed to enable transactions in the blockchain means global cryptocurrency transactions have an <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/why-bitcoin-mining-consumes-more-electricity-than-entire-countries"   rel="dofollow">enormous carbon footprint</a>.</p>
<p>Buterin was born in Kolomna, Russia in 1994, and later moved to Toronto, Canada, where he has lived most of his life. He was 20 when he co-founded Ethereum in 2014. Prior to that, he co-founded and wrote for Bitcoin Magazine with another Ethereum co-founder, Mihai Alisie.</p>
<p>Last week, Buterin <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/buterin-srinivasan-donate-to-covid-relief-fund-for-india-shaken-by-second-wave"   rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">donated $600,000 in ether</a> and maker (MKR) tokens to a COVID-19 relief fund for India, which is currently struggling with a surging <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/countries-pledge-aid-as-covid-19-overwhelms-hospitals-in-india"   rel="dofollow">second wave of the disease</a>.</p>


<p>As per rough estimates, 280 million people across the globe suffer from depression, while around 620 million are diagnosed with CVD.</p>


Gene modules linked to both depression and cardiovascular diseases identified

Conceptual background illustration of DNA structure.


<p>Researchers have identified a gene module with 256 genes that are significantly correlated with both depression and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).</p>



<p>The identification can provide new joint biomarkers for depression and CVD, which can lead to the development of treatments simultaneously targeting the two.</p>



<p>Both depression and CVD pose a towering problem to global health. As per rough estimates, 280 million people across the globe suffer from depression, while around 620 million are diagnosed with CVD.</p>



<p>Several research papers in the past, too, have hinted at a possible link between the two. It is common knowledge that those suffering from depression have a higher risk of becoming a CVD patient. The reverse is also true, as patients suffering from CVD can also go into depression.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Commonalities between CVD and depression</h3>



<p>For many years, it was speculated that lifestyle factors were the prominent reason behind the common link between the two problems. Lifestyle choices, such as smoking, heightened alcohol consumption, not exercising, and poor dietary choices, were thought to be reasons common to the two issues.</p>



<p>But the new research provides a glimpse into a supposed deeper level of commonality between depression and CVD. The research shows that they both have at least one functional gene module in common.</p>



<p>The paper provides new markers for depression and CVD and could ultimately help to find drugs to target both diseases.</p>



<p>The authors of the paper have defined a gene module as a group of <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/world-first-ai-edits-human-genes"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">genes</a> with similar expression patterns across different conditions. They are, hence, likely to be functionally related.</p>



<p>“We looked at gene expression profile in the blood of people with depression and CVD and found 256 genes in a single gene module whose expression at levels higher or lower than average puts people at greater risk of both diseases,” <a href="https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-finally-explain-puzzling-link-between-depression-and-cardiovascular-disease/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> first author Dr Binisha H Mishra, a postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University in Finland.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-study">The study</h3>



<p>The study was based on the Young Finns Study (YFS), a prospective multicenter follow-up study assessing cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to adulthood.</p>



<p>The study began in 1980 with 3,596 children and adolescents aged 3–18 years, randomly selected from five university hospitals in Finland (Turku, Tampere, Helsinki, Kuopio, and Oulu). The participants were regularly followed for over 40 years.</p>



<p>From the data collected, the dynamic tree-cutting algorithm identified 22 gene modules from the hierarchical clustering of the dissimilarity matrix, containing 14–10,367 highly correlated genes.</p>



<p>Among the 22 identified gene modules, 15 were associated with CVD metrics with a p-value &lt;0.05, and only two were associated with the BDI-II score with the same p-value threshold.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-findings">The findings</h3>



<p>However, the gene module named darkred, containing 256 genes, was correlated with CVH metrics with a correlation coefficient (<em>r</em>) of −0.13, p-value of 6 × 10<sup>−5</sup>, and BDI-II score with&nbsp;<em>r</em>&nbsp;of 0.09 and&nbsp;<em>p</em>-value of 0.009.</p>



<p>Therefore, as the darkred gene module was significantly correlated with markers of both CVD and depression, the researchers considered it a candidate module that is potentially jointly associated with markers of both CVD and depression.</p>



<p>Accumulating evidence supports the idea that depression and CVD are co/multimorbid conditions.</p>



<p>“Interestingly, the relationship between these two conditions is bidirectional.&#8221; the study says. <br><br>&#8220;For example, after adjusting for all known cardiovascular risk factors in studies of sizable populations free of medical conditions, people with baseline depression were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.” </p>



<p>The results from the transcriptome-wide multivariate association analysis of mental and cardiovascular health markers “support the depression and CVD co/multimorbidity hypothesis,” as per the study. </p>



<p>The research paper was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1345159/full"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Frontiers of Psychiatry</a></em>.</p>


<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/world-first-ai-edits-human-genes">OpenCRISPR-1: World’s first open-source AI scissor edits human genes</a></li>
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</ul>

<p>US officials are expressing concerns about the potential use of floating reactors to power military bases on artificial islands in the South China Sea.</p>


CCP&#8217;s floating nuclear plants may power military bases in South China Sea

Upside-down aerial view of Woody Island in South China Sea prior to the building of the third harbour.


<p>China&#8217;s plans to build floating nuclear reactors capable of powering military installations in the disputed South China Sea could potentially undermine regional security and stability, top US military command in the Pacific and State Department representatives cautioned. </p>



<p>Despite over a decade of research and development and safety concerns from Chinese regulators, US officials believe China is poised to proceed with the plans, with no established international standards for the safe operation of floating reactors.</p>



<p>While any deployment is still several years away, Adm. John Aquilino, the now former commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, issued a cautionary warning, The Washington Post<em> </em><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/05/02/china-floating-nuclear-reactor-military/"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;China’s intended use of floating nuclear power plants has potential impacts to all nations in the region,&#8221; said Aquilino, who <a href="https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3765368/us-indo-pacific-command-holds-change-of-command-ceremony/"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">relinquished</a> his command on Friday. &#8220;Chinese state media has stated publicly Beijing’s intent to use them to strengthen its military control of the South China Sea, further exerting their unlawful territorial claims. China’s claim of sovereignty of the entire South China Sea has no basis in international law and is destabilizing the entire region.&#8221;</p>



<p>The State Department echoed Aquillino’s concerns, with a senior official claiming that &#8220;the closer they get to deploying floating nuclear power plants, the faster they’ll use them for purposes contrary to the national security of the United States and broader security in the region.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-and-geopolitical-concerns">Environmental and geopolitical concerns</h3>



<p>China’s recent record of significant emissions from land-based nuclear power plants casts a shadow over its plan to deploy barge-mounted plants in delicate marine ecosystems, the Indo-Pacific Defense Forum <a href="https://ipdefenseforum.com/2024/04/dubious-safety-record-taints-ccps-pursuit-of-deploying-floating-nuclear-plants-in-south-china-sea/"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">writes</a>.</p>



<p>China&#8217;s actions in the South China Sea have also increased tensions with neighboring countries like Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. They&#8217;ve been militarizing previously uninhabited reefs, damaging the environment.</p>



<p>Chinese scientists have also expressed worry about the floating nuclear power plants. According to a report from February 2023 by researchers at the East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai and the Beijing Institute of Technology, there&#8217;s a call for &#8220;a robust international regulatory framework&#8221; to tackle the environmental issues posed by these plants, the Indo-Pacific Defense Forum<em> </em>adds.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floating-nuclear-power-for-island-radar-upgrades">Floating nuclear power for island radar upgrades</h3>



<p>The concept of floating nuclear power plants emerged from Beijing’s need to enhance radar and signal interception capabilities on China-controlled islands, where power consumption poses a critical challenge.</p>



<p>Power is essential for military installations and personnel quarters on these islands. However, the idea, which emerged in late 2016, primarily aimed at finding alternative power sources. Two nuclear power reactor prototypes, each with a capacity of 60 megawatts and weighing 30,000 tonnes, are already prepared for deployment and are currently undergoing trial phases in the Bohai Sea, Modern Diplomacy <a href="https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/04/04/china-floating-nuclear-power-plants-in-south-china-sea/"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>



<p>However, using floating nuclear reactors to support living on distant islands and oil rigs, a project pursued by China&#8217;s national nuclear corporation, has its challenges. About ten years ago, Russia also tried to sell similar floating nuclear power plants made from old submarine parts to countries like Nigeria and some African nations. However, Russia couldn&#8217;t deliver these plants because of slow development. They managed to finish their first floating nuclear power plant in 2018, but it ended up costing much more than planned, <em>Modern Diplomacy</em> noted.</p>


<ul>
 	<li><strong><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/ie-originals/ie-explainer/season-2/ep-13-how-and-why-is-china-creating-artificial-islands-in-the-south-china-sea">How and why is China creating artificial islands in the south China sea?</a></strong></li>
 	<li><strong><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/us-south-china-sea-radioactivity">US Marshall Island nuke tests blamed for South China Sea radioactivity</a></strong></li>
 	<li><strong><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/pentagon-docs-chinese-supersonic-drone">Leaked Pentagon docs shed light on new Chinese supersonic spy drone</a></strong></li>
</ul>

<p>The Sun&#8217;s corona is indeed mysterious. It features moss, spicules, and rain, but they&#8217;re not what you think they are.</p>


ESA&#8217;s Solar Orbiter reveals &#8220;fluffy&#8221; side of Sun&#8217;s corona

An image of the Sun's corona captured by the Solar Orbiter. 


<p>The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter probe on September 27, 2023, recorded a highly detailed and close-up video of the Sun’s surface. The video was released this Thursday, and it shows plasma activity at different spots on the solar surface.</p>



<p>The footage also reveals several interesting features of the solar surface all the way from its lower atmosphere to the corona, the Sun’s outermost atmosphere. For instance, the plasma in the video appears as golden yellow hair strands, giving the corona a fluffy look.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;The hair-like structures are made of charged gas (plasma), following magnetic field lines emerging from the Sun&#8217;s interior,&#8221; ESA <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2024/04/The_Sun_s_fluffy_corona_in_exquisite_detail"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">stated</a>. </p>



<p>Moreover, the video from the probe’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) also features gaseous eruptions that appear as tiny splashes on your screen but in reality, are bigger than Earth and various other planets in our solar system.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, these aren’t the only interesting details the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/solar-orbiter-camera-hack-sun"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">Solar Orbiter captured</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rain-also-falls-on-the-sun-but-it-s-not-the-rain-you-know">Rain also falls on the Sun, but it’s not the rain you know</h3>



<p>ESA’s Solar Orbiter was launched in 2020, and since then it has been studying the different layers of the Sun’s atmosphere. The current video <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/solar-orbiter-plasma-jets-fuel-solar-wind"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">sheds light on the corona</a> which has been a mystery to scientists.</p>



<p>This is because despite being the outermost layer, it is hotter than the solar surface. &#8220;Imagine that you’re sitting next to a campfire. It’s nice and warm. But when you walk away from the fire, you feel cooler. This is the opposite of what seems to happen on the Sun,&#8221; NASA <a href="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sun-corona/en/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">notes</a>.</p>



<p>While the temperature at the Sun’s surface is around 10,000°F (~5,500°C), the temperature in the corona could cross two million degrees Fahrenheit (~1.1 million°C). Nobody knows what’s causing this.</p>



<p>When the Solar Orbiter captured the fluffy corona footage, it was somewhere at a distance of 30 million miles from the Sun. Apart from the atmospheric eruptions, the footage also reveals three interesting coronal features; moss, spicules, and rain.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Sun’s fluffy corona in exquisite detail" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IqdmM9dg0UY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Coronal moss is nothing but plasma arranged in loop-like formations under the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field. It emerges from the photosphere, the Sun’s visible surface. Spicules, on the other side, are jets or spires of gas that can go as high as 6,200 miles (10,000 km). When spicules interact with moss, it makes the latter <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-017-3429-5_25"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">look spongy</a>.</p>



<p>However, one of the most intriguing parts of the video is coronal rain, a phenomenon that takes place when the hot plasma trapped within magnetic loops in the corona cools down, condenses, and begins falling back to the surface due to the Sun’s gravity.</p>



<p>“The (coronal) rain is made of higher-density clumps of plasma that fall back towards the Sun under the influence of gravity,” ESA notes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-orbiter-is-coming-closer-to-the-sun">Solar Orbiter is coming closer to the Sun</h3>



<p>Solar Orbiter is not going to stop at 30 million miles. The probe is still active and in October, it will be 26.7 million miles (43 million km) from the Sun. This is the closest it will <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinas-build-artificial-sun"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">get to the Sun</a>, according to the ESA.</p>



<p>Therefore, there is a good possibility that we see more detailed videos of the solar atmosphere in the coming months. The ESA team also plans to study the current video along with the data collected by <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/nasa-spacecraft-to-zip-past-the-sun"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">NASA’s Parker Solar probe</a> in September 2023.</p>



<p>“Rather than directly imaging the Sun, Parker measures particles and the magnetic field in the Sun’s corona and in the solar wind,” according to ESA.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What’s interesting is that Parker passed by the solar surface the same day the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/the-esas-solar-orbiter-records-a-solar-switchback-proving-they-exist"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">Solar Orbiter recorded</a> the video. Combining information from both probes might reveal valuable insights about the solar surface and corona.</p>



<p>&#8220;This was a perfect opportunity for the two missions to team up,&#8221; <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2024/04/The_Sun_s_fluffy_corona_in_exquisite_detail"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ESA</a> stated.</p>


<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/solar-orbiter-camera-hack-sun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solar Orbiter: Camera ‘hack’ leads to a new view of the Sun</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/the-esas-solar-orbiter-records-a-solar-switchback-proving-they-exist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The ESA’s Solar Orbiter records a solar “switchback” proving they exist</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinas-build-artificial-sun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why is China trying to build an artificial sun?</a></li>
</ul>

<p>This 65-million-year-old mammal fossil, found in Colorado Springs, weighs just over two pounds.</p>


Fossil of 65-million-year-old mammal, ancestor of all cows, deer discovered

Militocodon lydae offers insight into modern hoofed animal ancestry.


<p>Scientists from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science have discovered a 65-million-year-old mammal species, part of the group that includes modern hoofed animals like deer, cows, and pigs. </p>



<p>Named Militocodon lydae, this new fossil was found in Corral Bluffs, Colorado Springs. It dates from the period immediately after dinosaur extinction.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skull-jaws-and-chinchilla-size">Skull, jaws, and chinchilla-size</h3>



<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10914-024-09716-5.pdf"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Scientists pointed</a> out that Militocodon lydae is about the size of a chinchilla, approximately 9 to 14 inches (23 to 36 centimeters) long and weighing just over two pounds. Its skull and jaw remains were discovered in rocks dating immediately after the dinosaur extinction.</p>



<p>This discovery provides crucial data on the rapid diversification of mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs. According to researchers, it can reveal the speed and variety of species that hatched in a short time.</p>



<p>Dr. Tyler Lyson, Museum Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology,<a href="https://www.dmns.org/press-room/press-releases/colorado-discovery-museum-scientists-identify-new-species-of-mammal-from-just-after-the-extinction-of-the-dinosaurs/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> highlighted </a>the significance of this discovery due to the notoriously poor fossil record from this time period. This makes it a major step in documenting the earliest diversification of mammals after the last mass extinction.</p>



<p>This discovery sheds new light on early evolutionary history, but also reveals complexities. For example, teeth can offer clues about diet and evolutionary relationships. But when it comes to the skull, as the scientists conclude in the study, it is devoid of diagnostic signs. This poses challenges in fully understanding its place in the evolutionary tree.</p>



<p>The newly discovered mammal was named Militocodon lydae to honor two remarkable contributors to the project. They are Sharon Milito, a volunteer and retired Colorado Springs teacher, and Lyda Hill, a museum supporter and champion of Colorado Springs.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-eight-year-long-work-help">How did eight-year-long work help?</h3>



<p>Corral Bluffs and Jimmy Camp, near Colorado Springs, are crucial research sites, with their rocks holding valuable traces of ancient environments. </p>



<p>In 2016, Dr. Tyler Lyson and his team found a 65-million-year-old mammal skull at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs. <span style="font-size: 16.9607px">Within minutes, they located additional skulls from different species, including Carsioptychus, a plant-eating mammal that lived 66-63 million years ago.</span></p>



<p>Dr. Lyson noted that prior to this breakthrough, they had been studying geological maps of Bolivia, Argentina, and other global locations.</p>



<p>“Funnily enough, we ended up making the big discovery right here in Colorado, within the city limits of Colorado Springs. It’s crazy because you never think these big discoveries are going to happen in your backyard,” he<a href="https://www.dmns.org/catalyst/winter-2024/discovering-the-untold-origins-of-modern-mammals/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> concluded</a>.  </p>



<p><a href="https://www.corralbluffs.org/geology"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Since 1991</a>, the Denver Museum of Nature &amp; Science has been studying these locations. Over 1,000 vertebrate fossils and 6,000 leaf fossils have been collected and analyzed by Dr. Tyler Lyson and Dr. Ian Miller.</p>



<p></p>


<blockquote>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/fossil-of-kangaroo-extinct-for-46000-years-discovered">Almost-intact fossil of kangaroo extinct for 46,000 years discovered</a></li>
 	<li>‘<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/giant-snake-fossil-in-indian-mine">Largest snake’ species to ever live on Earth may have been discovered</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/202-million-fossils-giant-ichthyosaur">202-million-year-old fossils belong to a ‘blue whale’-sized fish lizard</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<p>Solar flares are large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun lasting from minutes to hours</p>


Two extremely powerful solar flares from Sun hit Earth’s Pacific region

Sunspot region AR3663 fired off powerful solar flares towards Earth.


<p>The sunspot region AR3663 has fired off two powerful solar flares within just six hours of each other. </p>



<p>The first eruption occurred on the night of May 2 when the Sun released its X-class solar flare, the most powerful category flare that caused shortwave radio blackouts across Australia, Japan, and much of China. <br><br>The next eruption took place on the morning of May 3, when the Sun released an M-class solar flare, the second most powerful category of flare.</p>



<p>&#8220;X FLARE! Sunspot region AR3663 just produced an X1.7 flare, the 11th largest flare so far this cycle. It was an impulsive flare lasting a total of about 25 minutes and peaking at 02:22 U.T,&#8221; wrote solar physicist Keith Strong on X.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">X FLARE! Sunspot region AR3663 just produced an X1.7 flare, the 11th largest flare so far this cycle. It was an impulsive flare lasting a total of about 25 minutes and peaking at 02:22 U.T. This is the 30th X flare so far during SC25, compared to just 19 at the same stage in SC24 <a href="https://t.co/zYgvqjm0Af"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/zYgvqjm0Af</a></p>&mdash; Keith Strong (@drkstrong) <a href="https://twitter.com/drkstrong/status/1786237553470833127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">May 3, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>AR3663 is a newly emerged sunspot region and it has been discovered shooting two powerful flares in a short interval.</p>



<p>Solar flares are large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun lasting from minutes to hours. The sudden outburst of electromagnetic energy travels at the speed of light therefore any effect upon the sunlit side of Earth’s exposed outer atmosphere occurs at the same time the event is observed.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explosive-sunspot-was-facing-earth">Explosive sunspot was facing Earth</h3>



<p>At the time of both eruptions, the explosive <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/energy/researchers-crack-code-for-more-efficient-perovskite-solar-cells"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">sunspot</a> was facing Earth and a coronal mass ejection (CME) could have accompanied at least one of these solar flares. CME is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field.<br><br>According to <a href="https://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&amp;day=03&amp;month=05&amp;year=2024"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Spaceweather.com</a>, shortly after the X-flare, the U.S. Air Force reported a Type II solar radio burst &#8220;a type of natural radio signal emitted by shocked gas at the leading edge of a CME.&#8221; </p>



<p>&#8220;Drift rates within the burst indicate a launch speed of 960 km/s (3.6 million mph). SOHO coronagraph images have since confirmed the existence of a CME. The bulk of the cloud will pass north of our planet, with its southern flank delivering a glancing blow late on May 5.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cme-can-wreak-havoc-with-telecommunication">CME can wreak havoc with telecommunication</h3>



<p>An Earth-directed CME can wreak havoc with power grids, telecommunication networks, and orbiting satellites and expose astronauts to dangerous doses of radiation. <br><br>However, sky watchers welcome them as they can trigger geomagnetic storms, which in turn spark dynamic aurora displays visible at latitudes beyond their &#8216;normal&#8217; polar range, reported <a href="https://www.space.com/two-solar-flares-erupt-within-six-hours-may-2024-video"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Space.com</a>. <br><br>When a strong enough <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/solar-flares-radio-blackouts#:~:text=Solar%20flares%20are%20large%20eruptions,time%20the%20event%20is%20observed."  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">solar flare</a> occurs, ionization takes place in the lower, more dense layers of the ionosphere (the D-layer). The radio waves that interact with electrons in the layer lose energy due to the more frequent collisions that occur in the higher density environment of the D-layer.<br><br></p>


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</div>
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<p>It is the location of the supposed Russian ‘testing spacecraft’ in orbit that is making US concerned.</p>


Russia scheming anti-sat nukes to make low orbit unusable: US official

Illustration of a satellite in space on fire.


<p>Russia is already testing a nuclear-armed on-orbit anti-satellite weapon, as per a senior US official. This is one of the few times that a high-ranking US official has raised nuclear concerns regarding Russia’s counterspace programs.</p>



<p>The statement was issued by Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability. Stewart said this at a fireside chat organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank&nbsp;in Washington, DC.</p>



<p>Stewart said that although there is no certainty that Russia has fielded these weapons in any form or way as of yet, there are chances that they have been testing something that can lead to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon being installed in space.</p>



<p>However, she clarified that the US is actively trying to discourage Russia from making it happen.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-the-us-official-say">What did the US official say?</h3>



<p>“Based on information deemed credible,” Stewart said, “Russia may be considering the incorporation of nuclear weapons into its counterspace programs.”</p>



<p>She also stated that while the US had been aware of Russia’s goals to achieve this kind of capability, recently, the latter &#8220;has publicly claimed that their satellite is for scientific purposes.”</p>



<p>It is the location of the supposed testing spacecraft in orbit that is making the US concerned.</p>



<p>“The orbit is in a region not used by any other spacecraft — that in itself was somewhat unusual,&#8221; Stewart highlighted.<br><br>&#8220;And the orbit is in a region of higher radiation than normal lower Earth orbits, but not high enough of a radiation environment to allow accelerated testing of electronics as Russia has described the purpose to be.”</p>



<p>However, Stewart clarified that there is no “imminent threat.” She also did not reveal an estimated timeframe for when Russia would be able to deploy the capability.</p>



<p>On the flip side, she <a href="https://www.twz.com/space/russias-anti-satellite-nuke-could-leave-lower-orbit-unusable-test-vehicle-may-already-be-deployed"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">stated</a> that any nuclear weapons going off in space would damage the global space communication system.</p>



<p>“Our analysts assess that detonation in a particular placement in orbit of a magnitude and location would render lower Earth orbit unusable for a certain amount of time,” she <a href="https://www.csis.org/events/nuclear-option-deciphering-russias-new-space-threat"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">added</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recent-happenings">Recent happenings</h3>



<p>Earlier in April, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that was put forth by the US and Japan. The resolution aimed to reaffirm the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that barred the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space.</p>



<p>A day later, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had come out with a statement that expressed that the US believes Russia is pursuing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program.</p>



<p>Several US officials had then come out to condemn Moscow and raise questions on its apparent plans for fielding <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/dont-let-ai-deploy-nukes-us"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">weapons</a> in space.</p>



<p>Taking a U-turn, Russia had then circulated a UN resolution on May 2, which asked all countries to take action to prevent putting weapons in space.</p>



<p>As per The Associated Press, the Russian <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-arms-space-un-russia-us-japan-561ab8ae569afd7ee79789588ca34033"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">draft</a> goes further than the earlier proposal by the US and Japan. It advocates not only for efforts to stop weapons from being deployed in outer space but also for preventing “the threat or use of force in outer space,” and “for all time.”</p>



<p>The draft stresses there should be a stop to deploying weapons “from space against Earth, and from Earth against objects in outer space.”</p>



<p>Moscow’s ambassador to the UN had said that they had resorted to veto because the US-Japan draft did not guarantee a ban on all types of weapons in space.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been quoted stating that his country had no plans of deploying nuclear weapons in space.</p>


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<p>Tiangong combines visual perception sensors, 3D vision sensors, and high-precision IMU to tackle motion control challenges effectively.</p>


World&#8217;s first fully electric robot boasts 550 trillion ops, 4mph speed

The world's first full-sized humanoid robot capable of running fully in electric drive. 


<p>The humanoid robot domain has seen intense activity in recent times with multiple startups vying to get their prototypes into the market. </p>



<p>Now, a state-backed robotics innovation center in Beijing has launched its first electric <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/saudi-humanoid-robot-gropes"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">humanoid</a> “Tiangong”. </p>



<p>The robot was revealed at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area on May 4, which coincided with the announcement of numerous AI technological advancements at the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum).</p>



<p>Tiangong, crafted by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center Company, the general-purpose humanoid boasts the capability to sustain a consistent pace of 3.73 miles per hour (6 kilometers per hour).</p>



<p>The Chinese government plans to facilitate widespread access to a humanoid robot platform through Tiangong, largely offering it as an open-source solution.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="China Unveils First Self-Developed General Humanoid Robot for Diverse Scenarios" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mPPvvqmdcZE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agile-and-adaptive-humanoid">Agile and adaptive humanoid</h3>



<p>Tiangong&#8217;s head, arms, and legs can all be moved in multiple directions thanks to its entirely electric actuators.</p>



<p>The 163 cm tall Tiangong is outfitted with several sensors for visual perception and has a processing speed of 550 trillion operations per second. It also features high-precision six-axis force sensors to provide accurate force feedback.</p>



<p>In addition to its fully electric operation, the humanoid robot boasts a lightweight construction (94.7 pounds or 43 kilograms), ensuring stability during movement, particularly while running. Its natural running motion is achieved through State Memory-based Predictive Reinforcement Imitation Learning, a cutting-edge skill in motion learning utilized by humanoid robots. </p>



<p>Furthermore, the Tiangong humanoid robot integrates a variety of visual perception sensors, 3D vision sensors, and a high-precision inertial measurements unit (IMU). This comprehensive sensor suite collectively addresses the robot&#8217;s fundamental motion control challenges.</p>



<p>As seen in a video shared, noteworthy is Tiangong&#8217;s ability to navigate slopes and stairs seamlessly, even without visual input. Moreover, it demonstrated enhanced adaptability by swiftly modifying its gaits to recover from stumbles or falls.</p>



<p>According to its developers, Tiangong has already shown human-like running skills and provides open-source compatibility for future development, enabling wider commercial applications.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-china-s-ambitious-push">China&#8217;s ambitious push</h3>



<p>China has laid out a detailed plan to help itself take the lead in the domain of humanoid robot development. </p>



<p>A vision strategy was announced in November 2023 by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology aims to begin mass-producing humanoid robots in 2025. According to it, by 2027, these robots will also be able to think, learn, and create. </p>



<p>As a part of it, the Economic and Technological Development Area, Beijing&#8217;s center for the robotics industry, has drawn together 110 robotics ecosystem businesses. They aim to establish an entire industrial chain system that includes apps, whole machines, and key components.</p>



<p>The center is focused on developing parent platforms for both software and hardware. It also aims to solve critical issues facing the industry, like open-source operating systems and operation control systems, which require immediate attention.</p>



<p>In line with the government&#8217;s strategy, Tiangong&#8217;s open-source design distinguishes it from commercial robotics companies, enabling academic institutions and robotics firms to utilize it as a foundation for innovation.</p>



<p>China&#8217;s humanoid robot domain is flourishing, featuring advanced models from various private enterprises. Notable examples include UBtech Robotics&#8217; Walker S, LimX Dynamics&#8217; CL-1, <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/humanoid-robot-gr-1-to-aid-aging-population-in-china"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">Fourier Intelligence&#8217;s GR-1</a>, <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinese-robot-shows-human-like-speed"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">Astribot&#8217;s S1</a>, and Unitree&#8217;s H1.</p>



<p>Add to it, experts suggest that China&#8217;s considerable progress in integrating AI capabilities into daily life could accelerate the advancement of its humanoid robots. </p>


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<p>The temperature difference between the day and the night side of the exoplanet results in the fierce winds.</p>


Webb space telescope detects Mach 7 speed winds on a ‘2-faced planet’

This artist’s concept shows what the hot gas-giant exoplanet WASP-43b could look like.


<p>With the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have detected that wind speed on an exoplanet named WASP-43b—a hot gas giant that&#8217;s 280 light-years away from Earth—can reach up to 5,600 mph (9,000 km/h).</p>



<p>Due to its closeness to its host star, the exoplanet is significantly hotter than any gas giant in our solar system. WASP-43b orbits its star every 19 Earth hours and&nbsp;is tidally locked&nbsp;to its star.</p>



<p>Due to the tidal lock, the temperature on one side of the planet can reach up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,260 degrees Celsius), which can vaporize rocks and melt irons.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-side-is-cooler">Night side is cooler</h3>



<p>The other side of the exoplanet, which has an everlasting night, stays relatively cooler at 1,110 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius). </p>



<p>However, this temperature difference between the two sides of the planet results in fierce winds that can reach speeds of up to 5,600 mph (9,000 km/h).<br><br>Composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, WASP-43b orbits at just 1.3 million miles – less than 1/25th the distance between Mercury and the Sun.<br><br>Although the nightside never receives direct radiation from the star, strong eastward winds transport heat around from the dayside.</p>



<p>Since its discovery in 2011, WASP-43 b has been observed with numerous telescopes, including NASA’s Hubble and the now-retired Spitzer.<br><br>&#8220;With Hubble, we could clearly see that there is water vapor on the dayside. Both Hubble and Spitzer suggested there might be clouds on the nightside,&#8221; <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-maps-weather-on-planet-280-light-years-away/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">explained</a> Taylor Bell, a researcher from the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and lead author of the study published today in <em>Nature Astronomy</em>. </p>



<p>“But we needed more precise measurements from Webb to really begin mapping the temperature, cloud cover, winds, and more detailed atmospheric composition all the way around the planet.”<br><br>Scientists used Webb&#8217;s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) to monitor light from the WASP-43 system every 10 seconds for more than 24 hours.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperature-of-different-sides">Temperature of different sides</h3>



<p>&#8220;By observing over an entire orbit, we were able to calculate the temperature of different sides of the planet as they rotate into view,&#8221; explained Bell. &#8220;From that, we could construct a rough map of temperature across the planet.&#8221;<br><br>Scientists interpreted the map using complex 3D atmospheric models, which are used to understand weather and climate on Earth. <br><br>They suggest that the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-maps-weather-on-planet-280-light-years-away/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">nightside</a> is probably covered in a thick, high layer of clouds that prevents some of the infrared light from escaping to space. As a result, the nightside—while very hot—looks dimmer and cooler than it would if there were no clouds.<br><br>Webb&#8217;s data also showed a distinct lack of methane anywhere in the atmosphere. Although the dayside is too hot for methane to exist (most carbon should be in the form of carbon monoxide), methane could be stable and detectable on the cooler nightside.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-wind-speeds">High wind speeds </h3>



<p>&#8220;The fact that we don&#8217;t see methane tells us that WASP-43b must have wind speeds reaching something like 5,000 miles per hour,” explained Joanna <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-maps-weather-on-planet-280-light-years-away/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Barstow</a>, a co-author from the Open University in the U.K. </p>



<p>&#8220;If winds move gas around from the dayside to the nightside and back again fast enough, there isn’t enough time for the expected chemical reactions to produce detectable amounts of methane on the nightside.&#8221;<br><br>Scientists think that because of this wind-driven mixing, the &#8220;atmospheric chemistry is the same all the way around the planet, which wasn’t apparent from past work with <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/space/a-gyroscope-has-failed-the-hubble-space-telescope-again"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">Hubble</a> and Spitzer&#8221;.</p>


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<p>In a demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base’s B-70 range in Florida, the US Air Force displayed its capacity to design, assemble, and deploy 3D-printed autonomous drones within 24 hours.</p>


US 3D-prints, deploys drones in 24 hrs to boost rapid warfare capability

A 3D-printed unmanned aerial system sits ready for its first flight during a Blue Horizons demonstration April 25, 2024, at Eglin Air Force Base


<p>It took 22.5 hours to assemble six aircraft, including an 8-pound (3.6-kilogram) personnel recovery system, before launch. The innovative method was developed by the Air Force Center for Strategy and Technology’s Blue Horizons mission, a think-tank advocating for unconventional strategies to meet tactical need.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The project was realized by the three-person Black Phoenix crew, who was among the five teams concluding year-long Blue Horizons fellowships. The team focused on rapidly adapting small UASs, their technology, and payloads to suit various needs and environments.</p>



<p>“Small UASs are becoming a new war fighting capability,&#8221; <a href="https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3762338/air-force-researchers-design-build-fly-autonomous-aircraft-in-24-hours/"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> Col. Dustin Thomas, Black Phoenix team member and a Blue Horizons fellow. &#8220;However, the Air Force can’t rapidly change these aircraft based on the threat environment or quickly use new technologies to meet the needs of a specific mission. Our project aims to find ways to change that.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-swift-uas-development">Swift UAS development</h3>



<p>To put their project into action, Black Phoenix partnered with Titan Dynamics, a small aerospace company known for quickly and affordably designing UAS.</p>



<p>The team utilized Titan&#8217;s automated design software to swiftly generate an aerodynamic UAS body, factoring in weight, power, dimensions, and payload in under 10 minutes. This design code is then inputted into 3D printers to produce the lightweight UAS components.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="1935" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?w=1674" alt="" class="wp-image-64078" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg 3000w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?resize=300,194 300w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?resize=768,495 768w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?resize=1674,1080 1674w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?resize=1536,991 1536w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/drones-3.jpeg?resize=2048,1321 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Noah Benton, Titan Dynamics chief technology officer, prepare a 3D-printed unmanned aerial system. Image credit: Hill Air Force Base/Samuel King Jr.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Upon completion of printing all parts, the team assembles the customized UAS tailored to its mission requirements.</p>



<p>&#8220;We went in search of a young, smart, new startup company, who was willing to take on a big risk,&#8221; explained Lt. Col. Jordan Atkins, another member of the Black Phoenix team. &#8220;We couldn&#8217;t be more impressed with their ability to yield a miracle like this in only two months.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accelerating-technology-testing">Accelerating technology testing</h3>



<p>Black Phoenix first tested this method in Southwest Asia with Task Force-99 in March, finding some success. They then brought their findings to Eglin for final field tests, and sought help from the Air Force Chief Data and AI office’s Autonomy Data and AI Experimentation proving ground to speed up development and experimentation.</p>



<p>According to team member Thomas, Eglin is aiming to establish a space for rapid testing of small UASs and new technological capabilities.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Historically, the Air Force is relatively slow in adapting and testing these technologies, and Eglin is trying to change that paradigm. We wanted to partner with them and be a part of that paradigm shift,” he noted.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During Black Phoenix&#8217;s time at Eglin, the team conducted tests on six autonomous aircraft using the rapid create, build, fly method for diverse missions. This included deploying an eight-pound personnel recovery UAS tasked with delivering supplies to a simulated Airman behind enemy lines.</p>



<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve taken big risks this week in flying so many new aircraft for the first time, but the risk is also low because these entire aircraft are built from commercial off-the-shelf items, so the financial investment is small,&#8221; said Lt. Col. Peter Dyrud, Black Phoenix’s third team member.</p>



<p>Sometimes the aircraft flew well, other times they crashed as the team experimented, and all of these experiences help Black Phoenix evaluate the feasibility of quickly made UASs, the members of the Black Phoenix crew explained. After testing, they&#8217;ll share their findings with Air Force leaders during May.</p>


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<p>The drone travelled a distance of 31 miles (50 kilometers) in 16 minutes in its third phase of flight testing.</p>


France unveils new 248 mph speeding, deadly kamikaze drone


<p>French company EOS Technologie has unveiled its newest ‘kamikaze’ drone, which is capable of achieving speeds of up to 248.55 miles per hour (400 km/h).</p>



<p>Commissioned by France’s Direction générale de l&#8217;armement (DGA – French procurement agency), the Veloce 330 drone is a medium-range remotely operated munition (MTO).</p>



<p>As per the company, the drone traveled 31 miles (50 kilometers) in 16 minutes in its third phase of flight testing, giving it a top speed of 248.55 mph.</p>



<p>The company also mentioned that the drone only used half of its fuel tank to travel the distance.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-france-s-history-with-uavs">France’s history with UAVs</h3>



<p>Historically, France had not prioritized UAVs, particularly loitering munitions. However, recently, it changed its stance and began showing interest in developing its capabilities in this segment.</p>



<p>In 2022, the French DGA launched two remotely operated munitions [MTO] projects, namely Colibri and Larinae, which should be capable of neutralizing an armored vehicle located 3 and 31 miles away.</p>



<p>In 2023, the agency had sought bids to procure numerous loitering munition systems for their military. This was followed by several announcements made at the Paris Air Show held just a week later.</p>



<p>The French had also stressed the need for easy-to-handle UAVs to reduce the training time needed for troops.</p>



<p>On June 16, 2023, EOS Technologie had signed a contract with Nexter Arrowtech and TRAAK to develop a new medium-range, remotely operated munition.</p>



<p>It was <a href="https://turdef.com/article/france-invests-in-the-tank-hunting-uav-project-larinae"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">touted</a> that the new drone would have an anti-tank warhead and would be able to operate in a GPS-denied environment.</p>



<p>Reports also stated that the UAV would have reconnaissance abilities and could be remotely operated over medium ranges.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Capabilities of Veloce 330</h3>



<p>As per a report in <em>Army Recognition</em>, Veloce 330 utilizes vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology.</p>



<p>The kamikaze drone also comes equipped with a core generating charge to counter active defenses. It also has a GPS-independent and jamming-resistant navigation system, developed by TRAAK.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Veloce 330: 400 km/h Jet turbine Loitering Munition" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i-wTVhMHEXk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Besides, the drone can carry out intelligence missions owing to the <a href="https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2024/french-company-eos-technologie-launches-new-veloce-330-loitering-munition"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">presence</a> of an optronic sphere capable of detecting vehicles up to 9 miles away during the day and approximately 2 miles at night.</p>



<p>The next step is to <a href="https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/entreprises/defense/eos-technologie-devoile-le-veloce-330-un-drone-kamikaze-made-in-france_AN-202404290458.html"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">transform</a> the UAV into a remotely operated munition capable of penetrating tank armor.</p>



<p>KNDS France also stated that the “advanced telemetry of the ammunition” will ensure that humans play a key role in the decision-making related to the drone and its targeting. This ensures that the munition would not carry out automated missions.</p>



<p>As per the company, the drone has been fully designed and made on the Bordeaux premises of the French SME. The site is in Mérignac, a town known for the Dassault Aviation Rafale aircraft manufacturing workshops.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loitering-munitions-and-uavs-gain-prominence-around-the-world">Loitering munitions and UAVs gain prominence around the world</h3>



<p>Drones are increasingly being used in warfare to suit multiple needs. EOS Technologie itself refers to Veloce 330 as a mini version of ‘Iran’s Shahed-238’ MTO.</p>



<p>The ongoing <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/military/russia-anti-drone-tank"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">war</a> between Russia and Ukraine has also seen the use of several types of drones being built and used to attack the enemy’s tanks.</p>



<p>It is safe to say that drones will gain in prominence in the days ahead and France developing its own version of MTOs is a good sign for its self-defense.</p>


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<p>From the Arctic to the tropics, bumblebees maintain the same nest temperature preferences.</p>


Baby bumblebees are dying in nests and climate change is to blame

A close-up photo of a bumblebee hovering in front of a pink wildflower.


<p>Bumblebees play a crucial role in our ecosystem by pollinating our food supply. However, their population has been shrinking since the 1950s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While pesticides and habitat loss have been the primary reasons for bumblebees&#8217; declining population, a new study has revealed one more factor: the rising global temperature.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada, has indicated a troubling pattern. It suggests climate change is killing bumblebee babies in their nest.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;The effect of high nest temperatures has not been studied very much, which is surprising,&#8221; said Dr Peter Kevan, the study&#8217;s lead author, while emphasizing the importance of this research.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-narrow-temperature-range">A narrow temperature range</h3>



<p>Climate change has long been negatively impacting creatures sensitive to temperature. To measure how it affects bumblebees, the researchers analyzed 180 years of studies on them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They found that bumblebees have a preferred temperature range for survival and development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study says that the ideal nest temperature for bumblebees, regardless of where they live, is between 82.4 and 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit (28-32 degrees Celsius). </p>



<p>“It’s remarkable that all the way from the high Arctic to the tropics, bumblebees seem to have the same sort of nest temperature requirements,” stated Kevin.</p>



<p>However, the problem occurs when the nest temperature rises beyond 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). While bumblebees have a “remarkable capacity” to regulate their body <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/energy/science-shocker-light-can-vaporize-water-without-heat-says-mit-study"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">heat</a>, this thermoregulation does not extend to their nests. </p>



<p>&#8220;We can surmise that nest temperatures above the mid-30s Celsius would likely be highly detrimental and that above about 35 degrees Celsius death would occur, probably quite quickly,&#8221; said Kevan.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lethal-for-the-whole-colony">Lethal for the whole colony</h3>



<p>The research found that bees lose their ability to reproduce at this critical temperature point, which can significantly harm their populations. Besides, the hot nests become “lethal” for the developing larvae (baby bees).&nbsp;</p>



<p>While some bumblebees can cope with the heat, the temperature sensitivity can be acute for baby bees.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“But if the nest is too hot to raise healthy larvae the whole colony suffers,” states the press <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2429636-rising-temperatures-are-cooking-bumblebee-nests-and-killing-larvae/"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">release</a>. </p>



<p>It is notable that bumblebees try to protect their babies by flapping their wings to keep the nest cool. But scientists fear this natural defense might crumble as global warming intensifies.</p>



<p>According to Kevan, excessively high temperatures were more harmful to most animals and plants than cool temperatures.</p>



<p>&#8220;When conditions are cool, organisms that do not metabolically regulate their body temperatures simply slow down, but when temperatures get too high metabolic processes start to break down and cease. Death ensues quickly,&#8221; he explained.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">More research is needed</h3>



<p>Reports suggest that there are more than 250 bumblebee species across the world, but this number can go down. The US Forest Service has reported that two of the 49 bumblebee species found in the country alone have already gone extinct.</p>



<p>This new research has highlighted rising global temperatures as a particularly difficult issue for bumblebees to overcome.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Excessive heat is clearly a major issue for perhaps most species of bumblebees,&#8221; concluded the study.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Kevin has called for more research into this subject to better understand several aspects of bumblebee ecology.</p>



<p>“We hope that future scientists may take the ideas we present and apply them to their own research on bumblebee health and conversation.”</p>


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<p>Aqueous batteries use water as the solvent for electrolytes, enhancing the safety of the batteries.</p>


China’s water battery has almost double energy capacity than lithium cells

A representative image of aqueous batteries


<p>Researchers in China have developed a water-based battery, which is claimed to be much safer and energy-efficient than &#8220;highly flammable&#8221; non-aqueous lithium batteries.  </p>



<p>Interestingly, the researchers say that these new batteries will be twice as energy-dense as traditional lithium-ion options. This holds the potential to revolutionize the electric vehicle industry.<br><br>Moreover, aqueous batteries use water as the solvent for electrolytes, enhancing their safety. Traditional non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, but their safety is compromised due to the flammable organic electrolytes, a <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/researchers-crack-120-year-old-problem-with-newompound"  rel="dofollow">component</a> that allows the battery to charge and discharge, they utilize.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lower-energy-density">Lower energy density</h3>



<p>However, aqueous batteries generally have a lower energy density due to the limited solubility of the electrolyte and low battery voltage. </p>



<p>Now, researchers in China have developed a high-energy-density aqueous battery based on halogen multi-electron transfer.<br><br>A research group led by Prof. LI Xianfeng from the <a href="http://english.dicp.cas.cn/news/rn/202404/t20240423_660856.html"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Dalian</a> Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Prof. FU Qiang&#8217;s group also from DICP, developed a multi-electron transfer cathode based on bromine and iodine. <br><br>This cathode achieved a specific capacity of more than 840 Ah/L and an energy density of up to 1200 Wh/L based on catholyte in full battery testing, according to a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-024-01515-9"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Nature Energy</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-researchers-used-a-mixed-halogen-solution">Researchers used a mixed halogen solution</h3>



<p>To improve the energy density of aqueous batteries, researchers used a mixed halogen solution of iodide ions (I-) and bromide ions (Br-) as the electrolyte. They developed a multi-electron transfer reaction, transferring I- to iodine element (I2) and then to iodate (IO3-). <br><br>Researchers said that during the <a href="http://english.dicp.cas.cn/news/rn/202404/t20240423_660856.html"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">charging</a> process, I- were oxidized to IO3- on the positive side, and the generated H+ were conducted to the negative side in the form of a supporting electrolyte. During the discharge process, H+ were conducted from the positive side, and IO3- were reduced to I-.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-process">The process</h3>



<p>The developed multi-electron transfer cathode had a specific capacity of 840 Ah/L. Combining the cathode with metallic Cd to form a full battery, researchers achieved an energy density of up to 1200 Wh/L based on the developed catholyte.<br><br>According to the <a href="http://english.dicp.cas.cn/news/rn/202404/t20240423_660856.html"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">researchers</a>, Br- added to the electrolyte could generate polar iodine bromide (IBr) during the charging process, which facilitated the reaction with H2O to form IO3-. <br><br>During the discharge, IO3- could oxidize Br- to Br2 and participated in the electrochemical reaction to realize reversible and rapid discharge of IO3-. Therefore, the bromide intermediate formed during the charge and discharge process optimized the reaction process, effectively improving the kinetic and reversibility of the electrochemical reaction.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-batteries-life-cycle-could-be-extended-to-1-000-cycles">Batteries’ life cycle could be extended to 1,000 cycles</h3>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3261368/chinese-scientists-create-water-battery-can-hold-much-more-energy-lithium-cells-study?module=top_story&amp;pgtype=homepage"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">SCMP</a>, when the researchers tested their electrolyte with a vanadium anode, they found the batteries’ life cycle could be extended to 1,000 cycles, “demonstrating significant stability.”<br><br>Scientists also mentioned that their batteries&#8217; energy density even “exceeded that of some solid electrode materials” and could be comparable in cost to traditional lithium batteries.<br><br>They claimed that their work showcases that aqueous batteries with high energy density can be developed, and it offers a development option for grid-scale energy storage and even electric vehicles.</p>



<p>&#8220;This study provides a new idea for the design of high-energy-density aqueous batteries, and may expand the aqueous batteries application in power batteries field,&#8221; said Prof. LI.</p>



<p></p>


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<p>A research team from Northwestern University used physics and statistical theory to confirm Fritz Heider’s social balance theory.</p>


Physicists just proved that the enemy of your enemy is indeed your friend

Conceptual representation of a network of people


<p>The oft-used proverb “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is not just limited to middle-school English classes and middlingly written revenge dramas. Not only does it spring from a socio-psychological theory proposed by psychologist Fritz Heider in the 1940s, it appears that it has finally been scientifically proven.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A research team from Northwestern University used physics and statistical theory to confirm Heider’s hypotheses. Senior study author István Kovács expands upon this much ado about “friends” and “enemies” and how his team arrived upon the conclusion that Heider, in fact, was right.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-social-balance-theory">What is social balance theory?</h3>



<p>The principal grounding of the social balance theory lies in the achievement of cognitive consistency, which is, in turn, a step toward psychological balance. Individuals strive for harmony in their interpersonal relationships, and when these relationships fall outside the ambit of the four rules described by Heider, this harmony is disturbed until the individual finds a way to restore it by altering how they feel about one of the constituent elements of the equation.</p>



<p>For example, if you like a celebrity that goes on to endorse a product that you dislike, your opinion of both the celebrity and the product would be undecided, hence leading to cognitive dissonance. That is, until you decide that the product isn’t so bad after all, or that you do not really like the celebrity. This achieves harmony again.</p>



<p>According to senior study author István Kovács, “Social balance can be considered in a group of people, usually among at least three people, forming a triangle. The connections between them represent the sentiment of relationships between each other, either positive or negative.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;Balance appears if all relationships are positive or when two negative relationships are balanced by one positive relationship. Other situations lead to unbalanced triangles, causing tension or frustration,” he explained further.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-previous-work-on-the-theory">Previous work on the theory</h3>



<p>Despite numerous attempts by researchers to validate this theory using network science and mathematics, their endeavors have often not attained complete success due to the inherent complexities of social networks, which often deviate from perfectly balanced relationships (as posited by the theory).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Therefore, the crux of the matter lies in determining whether social networks exhibit a higher degree of balance than what would be expected according to a suitable network model. However, most existing network models have proven too simplistic to adequately capture the intricacies of human relationships, resulting in inconsistent findings.</p>



<p>The team from Northwestern University has managed to overcome this challenge by successfully integrating two crucial components essential for Heider’s social framework to function effectively. In real-life scenarios, not everyone is acquainted with each other, and individuals vary in their positivity towards others.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While researchers have long recognized the influence of both factors on social ties, existing models could only accommodate one factor at a time. By simultaneously incorporating both constraints, the resulting network model developed by the researchers has finally substantiated the much-studied theory nearly eight decades after Heider first proposed it.</p>



<p>Kovács’s says, &#8220;As physicists, our initial interest was sparked by the 2021 Nobel Prize awarded to Giorgio Parisi who studies complex physical systems, shared with Syukuro Manabe, and Klaus Hasselmann working on climate modeling.&#8221;</p>



<p>He states that in Parisi&#8217;s studies, competing interactions between spins can lead to configurations unable to simultaneously minimize all pairwise interactions, resulting in inherent frustration.</p>



<p>Kovács remarks that social systems sometimes exhibit analogous frustrations, where conflicting interpersonal relationships or attitudes can create a state of imbalance or tension within a social network.</p>



<p>&#8220;We found it exciting to combine insights and tools from statistical physics with large-scale datasets about real social systems,&#8221; he adds.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-research-conducted-by-kovacs-s-team">The research conducted by Kovács’s team</h3>



<p>To investigate the issue, Kovács’s team turned its attention to four extensive signed network datasets previously assembled by social scientists—(1) user-rated comments on the social news site Slashdot; (2) exchanges among Congressional members on the house floor; (3) interactions among Bitcoin traders; and (4) product reviews from the consumer review site Epinions.</p>



<p>In their network model, the researchers departed from assigning purely random negative or positive values to the edges. In a truly random scenario, every node would have an equal likelihood of encountering one another. However, real-life social networks do not adhere to such uniformity, as not every individual is acquainted with everyone else in their network.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To enhance the realism of their model, they devised a statistical approach to allocate positive or negative values based on the likelihood of such interactions occurring. This method ensured randomness within the constraints imposed by the network&#8217;s topology. Furthermore, the team incorporated the notion that certain individuals are inherently more amiable than others, leading to a higher likelihood of positive interactions and fewer hostile encounters.</p>



<p>By integrating these two constraints, the resulting model consistently demonstrated alignment with Heider&#8217;s social balance theory across large-scale social networks. Moreover, the model revealed patterns extending beyond three nodes, indicating the applicability of social balance theory to larger graphlets involving four or more nodes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-applications">Practical applications</h3>



<p>This innovative framework holds immense potential in advancing our understanding of social dynamics, including phenomena like political polarization and international relations. Moreover, it can be applied to any system characterized by a combination of positive and negative interactions, such as neural networks or drug combinations.</p>



<p>One way to understand how this theory plays out in real, day-to-day life is, according to Kovács, by “thinking about two options that people need to choose from (relevant in many settings, like political polarization): it would be ideal for friends to share the same opinion, and enemies to be on different sides. Such an ideal situation can only happen in balanced triangles.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>In accordance with social balance theory, people instinctively strive to alleviate tension to uphold social stability and comfort. This theory serves as a valuable framework for understanding our behaviors and motivations in establishing social interactions among individuals.</p>



<p>When it comes to applications within human neural networks, the senior study author says that neurons are connected through synapses, which can transmit either excitatory or inhibitory signals. This dynamic mirrors the interactions found in social networks. </p>



<p>“Our model could potentially leverage the known connectome data and any initial hypotheses about the excitatory or inhibitory nature of certain neurons to infer the likely characteristics of the remaining synaptic connections,” Kovács explains.</p>



<p>Likewise, in the case of drug combinations, this model could offer valuable insights into whether the pairing of two drugs enhances efficacy in treating particular diseases.</p>



<p>While the social network study provided an ideal foundation for exploration, the authors posit that their primary focus is to extend their investigations beyond interactions among friends and delve into other intricate networks.</p>



<p>The study has been published in <em>Science Advances.</em></p>


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<p>Ex-Google engineer&#8217;s AI church under fire as AI priest allows catholic offenses.</p>


AI priest, Fr Justin, okayed Gatorade baptisms and incest — gets demoted


<p>A former Google engineer who founded a church dedicated to AI called Catholic Answers has been scrutinized immensely in the digital realm after its AI chatbot, Father (Fr) Justin, okayed catholic offenses. </p>



<p>Some of these offenses the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/blessed-robotic-priest-blessu-2-germany"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">AI priest</a> relayed to the church members who chose to confide in the bot, blessed an incestual marriage and told another user it was alright to baptize a baby in Gatorade. He stated, &#8220;as real as the faith we share.&#8221; </p>



<p>Many people were offended by the controversial answers provided by Fr Justin, therefore, Christopher Check, President of Catholic Answers said:</p>



<p>“As a media apostolate, we feel very strongly about finding new ways to share the gospel—as our founder, Karl Keating, did many years ago when he started Catholic.com to put that wild new technology of the Internet to the service of Catholic truth.”</p>



<p>“There are no bad things, only bad uses of things,” G.K. Chesterton from Catholic Answers said.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-church-s-aim-to-provide-benefits-of-ai-backfired">Church&#8217;s aim to provide benefits of AI backfired</h3>



<p>Check said these concerns were noted and they do not want the AI character to distract the people from the important purpose of this application.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The aim was to provide sound answers to questions about the Catholic faith in an innovative way that makes good use of the benefits of “<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/ai-plays-god-chatgpt-delivers-its-first-sermon"  target="_blank"  rel="dofollow">artificial intelligence</a>,” the statement by the president added.</p>



<p>Therefore, the church is hoping to revive the AI apologist within a week, until then, the bot has been rendered.</p>



<p>“We won’t say he’s been laicized, because he never was a real priest! He’ll be available to visitors to Catholic.com, thousands of whom have already used the app with great profit,” stated Check.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Since many users also sought sacramental absolution from Fr Justin, the church said that it was unexpected and they would improve the app by identifying these deficiencies. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-father-justin-s-persistence-to-confess-sins">Father Justin&#8217;s persistence to confess sins</h3>



<p>A user on X–<a href="https://twitter.com/KatieConradKS"  target="_blank"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Katie (Kathryn) Conrad</a> posted her experience with the AI priest. She sought to confess to the bot, stating:&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been three weeks since my last confession.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>To which, Fr. Justin encouraged the confession and asked Conrad to tell her sins by responding:&nbsp;</p>



<p>“May the Lord be in your heart and help you to confess your sins with true sorrow. Remember, as it says in 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Now, my child, tell me your sins.</p>



<p>“I have had anger in my heart about the deployment of AI chatbots in inappropriate places,” she replied.</p>



<p>The AI Priest then told her to not sin while referring to Ephesians 4:26-27, however further encouraged her to confess her sins again.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Conrad then apologized for failing to mention her sins.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“God is merciful and loving, my child. As it says in Psalm 103:12, As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us,” replied Fr Justin.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“For your penance, I ask you to pray the Our Father three times, reflecting on God&#8217;s infinite mercy and love. And now, I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Go in peace, my child, and sin no more.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">OH NO. It got worse. It literally offered me the sacrament. <a href="https://t.co/x5IoeJn30x"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/x5IoeJn30x</a></p>&mdash; Katie (Kathryn) Conrad (@KatieConradKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/KatieConradKS/status/1783142604940398723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"  rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>


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