Blue Origin’s New Glenn Explosion A valve issue in one of Blue Origin’s seven BE-4 engines triggered the massive explosion that destroyed the company’s New Glenn rocket on its Florida launchpad in May, according to Chief Executive Dave Limp. Limp shared the findings on Wednesday, saying the investigation had traced the problem to the main oxygen valve on a single BE-4 engine. Hardware recovered from the site and subsequent inspections confirmed the cause. “The anomaly originated at the main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, which was later confirmed by hardware recovery and inspections,” Limp wrote on X.…
Author: Arushi Pandey
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TikTok Settles Three Youth Addiction Lawsuits Ahead of California Trial TikTok has agreed to settle three lawsuits brought by young people who alleged that social media companies designed their platforms to be addictive and harmed their mental health, according to a lawyer representing the plaintiffs. The settlement terms remain confidential and are subject to the completion of written settlement agreements, plaintiffs’ lawyer Joseph VanZandt said on Monday. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bellwether Cases Reach Settlement The three lawsuits were among thousands of similar cases consolidated before the Los Angeles Superior Court in California. They…
Mars Rover Discovers Honeycomb-Like Fields on the Red Planet NASA scientists have been surprised by newly released images from the Curiosity Mars rover showing vast stretches of Martian terrain covered in honeycomb-like patterns. Although Curiosity has previously observed similar geological formations, known as polygonal fractures, the latest images reveal these features across a much larger area than ever before. The photographs, captured in June and highlighted by NASA this week, provide scientists with a broader view of the unusual landscape. Vast Polygonal Formations Spotted According to NASA, the polygonal shapes extend in every direction as far as the rover can…
ISRO Launches Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon 2026 for Student Innovators The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the third edition of the Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon (BAH) 2026, inviting students from across India to develop innovative solutions for challenges in space technology and climate science. Organised in collaboration with innovation platform Hack2skill, the national hackathon aims to encourage young innovators to contribute ideas that support India’s growing space technology ecosystem. Participants will work on problem statements covering areas such as artificial intelligence, satellite data analysis, planetary exploration and climate research. Eligibility and Team Requirements The hackathon is open exclusively to undergraduate,…
US Cyber Agency Warns of Rising Water System Cyberattacks The U.S. government’s civilian cyber defence agency has warned of a sharp rise in cyberattacks targeting technology used to operate water and wastewater systems. Officials have urged operators to remove internet-connected control systems as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of further intrusions. The warning follows reports that more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota were targeted in a coordinated cyberattack on July 26 and 27, according to the state’s information technology agency. The FBI said late on Thursday that water and wastewater utility companies in at least seven…
IIT Madras to Host AI Workshop on Climate and Energy Systems Applications The AI4NetZero Team at the EnERG Lab, IIT Madras, will host a three-day hands-on workshop titled “AI in Action: Climate and Energy Systems Applications” from August 7 to August 9, 2026. The programme will focus on the practical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Data Science in climate research, energy systems and renewable power technologies. The workshop is designed for students, researchers and industry professionals who want to understand how AI can help address challenges related to climate change, energy transition and sustainable development. Through…
SpaceX Launches Satellite Servicing Mission with 10-Foot Robotic Arms SpaceX has launched a pioneering satellite servicing mission designed to extend the operational lives of ageing spacecraft in geostationary orbit. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 21 at 5:15 pm EDT (July 22, 2:45 am IST), carrying Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) and three Mission Extension Pods (MEPs). Operated by SpaceLogistics, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, the MRV-MEP mission marks the first deployment of the company’s satellite life-extension pods. The mission aims to demonstrate a new approach to in-orbit servicing…
Shield AI And Thunder Tiger Partnership Advances Taiwan Maritime Autonomy Shield AI announced on 13 May 2026 in Taipei that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Thunder Tiger Corp. to integrate its Hivemind autonomy software across the Taiwanese company’s unmanned systems portfolio, beginning with unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The first milestone will see Hivemind serve as the AI pilot aboard a Thunder Tiger USV, with a live demonstration planned for the summer. The agreement highlights Taiwan’s growing focus on autonomous, distributed maritime defence capabilities. According to Shield AI, the partnership aims to support AI-enabled unmanned systems, cross-domain teaming,…
Malaysia Faces Growing Scrutiny as Data Centre Boom Raises Resource Concerns Malaysia’s rapid rise as Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data centre hub is attracting increasing scrutiny as concerns over electricity, water and environmental sustainability reshape the industry’s expansion across emerging Asia. After overtaking Singapore in data centre growth, Malaysia is witnessing growing public debate over the impact of large-scale facilities on local communities. Protests in Johor, the centre of the country’s data centre boom, marked the first demonstrations of their kind, while discussions in Selangor have become increasingly politicised. “Two years ago, it was just about building capacity,” said Cheam Tat…
Robotic Cotton Toppers Transform Farming in Xinjiang July is a crucial period for cotton topping in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Across the region’s cotton fields, farmers are working against the seasonal timetable by deploying fleets of robotic cotton toppers. These machines are replacing traditional manual labour with digital, precision-based farming methods. In a cotton field in Aral city, a robotic cotton topper moved steadily along rows of crops. The machine features 108 mechanical arms that rise and fall quickly to remove the terminal buds of cotton plants with high accuracy. Meanwhile, operators can monitor its real-time performance and…