Feed

Open sources, classified and cross-checked. 25+ stories.

All Conflict Military Politics Business Sci & Tech Cyber Disaster Health World

24h 3 days 7 days 30 days All·All regions North America South America Western Europe Eastern Europe Baltics Middle East North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia East Asia Oceania

SCI & TECH53m agoWATCH: SpaceX launch spawns "jellyfish" cloud in sky before sunriseFamilies along the East Coast woke up to a majestic sight in the sky during SpaceX’s launch to the ISS.ABC News

SCI & TECH6h agoMelania Trump’s student AI competition gets rebranded as SI Presidential ChallengeMelania Trump’s annual artificial intelligence (AI) competition for students is getting rebranded with President Trump’s preferred name of super intelligence (SI). The first lady appeared in a video to launch the 2027 Presidential Super Intelligence Challenge on Tuesday. “The largest initiative in America’s education began with one bold idea,” Trump said, “prepare America’s next generation…The Hill

SCI & TECH15h agoKupor: ‘Super Intelligence’ task force will press companies on AI safetyThe new White House task force will coordinate with law enforcement, assess AI risks and press companies to meet their safety commitments, the group’s vice chair said.Politico Tech

SCI & TECH15h agoSpaceX agrees to testify to NYC Council about AI safety after receiving subpoenaSpaceX has agreed to testify before the New York City Council as part of an investigation into AI safety risks.CNBC

SCI & TECH18h agoGM's Mary Barra reaffirms 2028 target for 'eyes-off, hands-off' techGM CEO Mary Barra has reiterated the company's goal to achieve "eyes-off, hands-off" technology by 2028. This reaffirms GM's commitment to advancing autonomous driving capabilities.Seeking Alpha Tech

SCI & TECH20h agoEpic reportedly delays Disney video game project as it mandates AI workflowsEpic Games has reportedly postponed a Disney video game project, with the delay attributed to a new mandate for incorporating AI workflows.Seeking Alpha Tech

SCI & TECH22h agoA chemist from the University of Michigan made gummy bears from a wind turbine blade and ate them, because the resin his team designed dissolves in an alkaline solution in potassium lactate suitable for human consumptionEl experimento establece una nueva forma de reciclaje de las palas de aerogeneradores.El secreto está en la composición del material utilizado.Clarín

SCI & TECH1d agoPredawn sonic booms possible as SpaceX ready for launch early TuesdayORLANDO, Fla. — SpaceX is set to launch a cargo mission to the International Space Station before dawn Tuesday that could bring a sonic boom to Central Florida. A Falcon 9 rocket on the CRS-35 mission topped with a crew…thebrunswicknews · united states of america

SCI & TECH1d agoIdaho Environmental Coalition announces STEAM focused 2027 Ecobots Challenge for Eastern Idaho 8th grade schoolsIDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Environmental Coalition announced that registration is now open for the 2027 Ecobots Challenge. This hands-on robotics competition invites eighth grade teams from Eastern Idaho to design, build and code robots that address real world environmental…postregister · united states of america

SCI & TECH1d agoW. Va. makes strong case for U.S. Space AcademyMountaineers are always … asking to be considered for major federal projects?journal_news · united states of america

SCI & TECH1d agoA small fish was filmed swallowing prey much larger than itselfIt is a black swallower that measures 15 centimeters and can swallow prey weighing up to ten times more than itself. The fish was filmed after swallowing its prey in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago at a depth of 1,259 meters.Clarín

SCI & TECH1d agoTesla to be probed by the NHTSA over speeding robotaxis in school zonesTesla is facing a probe by the NHTSA concerning speeding robotaxis operating in school zones. This investigation highlights safety and regulatory challenges associated with autonomous vehicle technology.Seeking Alpha Tech

SCI & TECH1d agoThe Real Footprint of Trump’s Data Center BoomWhat the sprawling buildout means for energy, water, and land.Foreign Policy

SCI & TECH1d agoThe Crews Harnessing A.I. to Fight WildfiresOur reporter, John Branch, joined a team installing cameras in the Sierra Nevada for detecting wildfires. Artificial intelligence is used to sift through images from the network, helping firefighters identify and respond to early to signs of wildfires.NYT US

SCI & TECH1d agoAnker SOLIX S5000 launched with a battery rated for 15 years of daily useAnker has launched the Solix S5000, a 5,024Wh LFP power station with 4,500W rated output and an 8,000W peak that the company says recharges fully in 99 minutes. It goes on sale in the US on October 27 at a launch price of $2,499.99, down from $3,599.99, and expands to 30kWh with additional batteries.notebookcheck · united states of america

SCI & TECH1d agoAnker launches SOLIX S5000 power station with a 5kWh battery that fully recharges in 99 minutesAnker has launched the SOLIX S5000, a 5,024Wh LFP power station with 4,500W rated output and an 8,000W peak that the company says recharges fully in 99 minutes. It goes on sale in the US on October 27 at a launch price of $2,499.99, down from $3,599.99, and expands to 30kWh with additional batteries.notebookcheck · united states of america

SCI & TECH2d agoThey drilled more than 4,400 meters underground in Utah and managed to pump water through rock at 400 degrees to a 33-megawatt power plantAn American company put into operation a geothermal power plant that produces energy. The project seeks to supply California with electricity 24 hours a day.Clarín

SCI & TECH2d agoA Florida nuclear power plant draws water from the Atlantic through pipes 457 meters offshore, and sea turtles travel through them into an almost 1.6-kilometer cooling canal; biologists thus recorded three patterns to improve their conservationFor 47 years, biologists recorded the phenomenon with turtles at a US nuclear plant.Clarín

SCI & TECH3d agoIt's official | Texas confirmed that air taxis will start operating from this dateUn programa de pruebas avanzará durante los próximos tres años.Clarín

SCI & TECH3d agoCommunity plants 2,000 trees to restore Little Spokane RiverSPOKANE, Wash. — Hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Waikiki Nature Preserve on Saturday to participate in a large-scale environmental restoration effort aimed at revitalizing the Little Spokane River.kxly · united states of america

SCI & TECH3d agoThe film made with artificial intelligence that will hit theaters and seek an OscarGods Don’t Give Gifts, a Fable production, will premiere in US theaters on December 4. The producers plan to submit it for Academy Awards in the Best Animated Feature category.Clarín

SCI & TECH3d agoAdam Savage Goes Inside ILM to See How the New Razor Crest Miniatures Were FilmedIn a recent Tested video, Adam Savage visits ILM to see how the completed Razor Crest models are being filmed for the production. The tour includes ILM’s upgraded motion-control stage, a custom miniature LED volume, compositing techniques, and an outdoor shoot at Skywalker Ranch where the larger Razor Crest gets photographed under real sunlight. There’s even an appearance from Jon Favreau, who clearly shares Savage’s enthusiasm for seeing an actual Star Wars spaceship sitting outside in the California sun. A major part of the video centers on John Knoll and the new motion-control rig he developed after working with a much simpler system in the past. Knoll wanted smoother track movement, additional degrees of freedom, and a proper crane, so he built exactly that. The new system uses standard Matthews camera dolly track, while much of the remaining hardware is custom-built from extruded aluminum and other components. One of Knoll’s biggest engineering priorities was eliminating backlash from the mechanisms so the camera and model movements could be repeated with extreme accuracy. That includes a large gear reduction between the stepper motor and sprocket, with multiple timing belts pulled tight enough to virtually eliminate backlash. Ball screws and tightly machined linkages help keep everything repeatable while still allowing the rig itself to flex slightly. That precision becomes especially important when you see what ILM is putting on the rig. The finished Razor Crest miniature is about four feet long and absolutely loaded with physical detail. It sits on a three-axis model mover capable of controlling roll, pitch, and yaw. The size and weight of the miniature meant Knoll couldn't simply reuse the smaller mover previously employed for a 24-inch model. His solution came from ILM history. Knoll remembered an old geared camera head that had once been displayed outside the company's PR office. The equipment was still sitting in storage, so it was pulled out and put back to work. Since the old pan-and-tilt head only provided two axes of movement, Knoll added another custom belt-driven mechanism to give the Razor Crest the movement needed for the shoot. It’s a great example of ILM combining modern digital filmmaking with hardware that has been hanging around the company for years. The process of deciding which shots should actually use the physical Razor Crest is equally interesting. Knoll went through the film and identified roughly 30 shots he wanted to attempt with miniatures. Not every spaceship shot automatically benefits from using a model. A fast-moving shot buried in motion blur might make more sense as CG. Knoll is interested in shots where audiences can really see the ship and where the physical miniature's handcrafted qualities can contribute something worthwhile to the final image. ILM can design those shots digitally before anything moves on the physical stage. A CG version of the motion-control rig can be created with animators limited to the same motorized axes available on the real hardware. That means they can design a shot while already accounting for the physical limitations of the camera and model movers, including possible collisions and clearance problems. One of the trickier parts of photographing the Razor Crest is its reflective metallic surface. For earlier miniature work on The Mandalorian, Knoll could concentrate largely on space shots, where lighting could be created with a primary light source and strategically placed bounce cards. Once the Razor Crest enters an atmospheric environment, things get much more complicated. Its reflective body picks up the sky, horizon, landscape, and surrounding light. ILM's answer is basically a miniature version of the LED volume technology associated with modern Star Wars production. The team built an approximately eight-foot-by-eight-foot-by-eight-foot, four-sided LED cube around the model. Environment artists create imagery that can be displayed across those LED surfaces, providing both illumination and reflections on the Razor Crest. Instead of trying to fake every reflection with conventional studio lights, the ship can reflect the environment it’s supposed to be flying through. That also gives the miniature some gorgeous subtle detail when photographed. Knoll explains that the LED volume can produce so much light that they sometimes have to turn it down, even while shooting at ISO 100 and F/22 with exposures around 1.3 seconds. The team also photographs different lighting elements separately for compositing. Running lights, sunlight and other passes can be captured individually, allowing artists to adjust their intensity and timing later. Knoll shows Savage an early composite where sunlight can effectively be brought on and off because it exists as its own image stream. The LED panels create another technical problem, though. Because each LED is a tiny illuminated point surrounded by a black matrix, the model can develop jagged edges when photographed directly against the panels. The solution is wonderfully practical. A black area is positioned on the LED wall directly behind the Razor Crest from the camera's perspective. Most of the volume can continue illuminating and reflecting across the model while the camera sees a clean black background immediately around its silhouette. Then the production heads outside. At Skywalker Ranch, the larger Razor Crest is photographed using actual sunlight, and this is where Favreau joins Savage to admire the finished miniature. Favreau points out how well the ship's physical metal treatment reacts to harsh natural light. The model uses foil and other physical surface treatments that create complicated specular highlights, reflections, hot spots and imperfections. Even the canopy contains tiny scratches that contribute to the image as the camera gets closer. CG remains a huge part of the filmmaking process, something Favreau readily acknowledges, but the physical model provides details generated naturally by real materials interacting with real light. Of course, shooting outside introduces one gigantic light source that ILM can't move: the sun. Knoll plans the outdoor photography around its position throughout the day. He uses sun-position calculations and time-of-day studies to determine the best orientation for the Razor Crest and the ideal shooting window for each planned shot. The miniature, camera track and individual camera positions are carefully arranged so multiple shots can be captured without constantly rebuilding or realigning everything. The crew spends the morning testing moves against the previs, then shoots each planned move as the sun reaches the required position. That turns the outdoor miniature shoot into a race against natural light. On the ILM stage, the crew can control practically everything. At Skywalker Ranch, they have to work with whatever nature gives them. For Savage, seeing a real Star Wars model sitting outside at the Ranch understandably brings out the kid in him. Favreau also takes a moment to praise Savage for digging into this side of filmmaking and recognizing the enormous amount of work craftspeople put into details audiences may never consciously notice. The whole Tested video is a fantastic look at what makes ILM's approach so much fun. This isn't practical effects fighting against CG or some attempt to prove one technique is better than another. It’s physical miniatures, digital previs, motion-control photography, LED environments and compositing all being used together to get the shot. Most importantly, ILM built a four-foot Razor Crest, put it on a giant motion-control rig, hauled it out into real sunlight, and filmed it like a proper Star Wars miniature. That’s just awesome.geektyrant · united states of america

SCI & TECH3d agoAI will make Americans dumber and poorerThe author argues that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence risks establishing a high-tech feudalism where a few mega-corporations exert unprecedented control over human cognition and social infrastructure.The Hill

Older →