Elon Musk Wants People Primed For His Optimus AI Robots | Inc.Com

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With Stardew Valley, Eric Barone Makes Entrepreneurship Enchanting. His Own Business Isn't His Concern

Musk made it clear that the robots weren't going to look anything like a real person, neatly side-stepping the unsettlingly human-like "uncanny valley" problems associated with some humanoid robots like the famous Sophia . The entrepreneur said Tesla was going to make Optimus "good looking," though, according to Business Insider.

That Musk would think seriously about the appearance of the Optimus tallies with design choices made for SpaceX's space suits --Musk took a direct hand in steering Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez when he created the modish suits that shun traditional NASA industrial design norms. The Optimus prototypes that Tesla has already shown also look markedly different, perhaps gentler than other outfits' robots, particularly aggressive-looking machines like Boston Dynamics' Atlas .

Industrial designers have long known that appearance can impact how people interact with their products, with the front of cars being a particular example: researchers have shown "friendlier" cars change how people chose to cross the road.

Making Optimus "good looking" may thus prove a sensible choice, and even help Musk achieve his goal, also stated at Cannes, of selling an Optimus to everyone, and even having them widely adopted in different industries. Recently Musk said Optimus's could sell for as little as $20,000 and he suggested that widespread adoption in workplace, industrial and home settings could add tens of billions to Tesla's value.

Did The Solar System Once Collide With An Interstellar Cloud?

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• NASA's Parker Solar Probe has been exploring the Sun's polar regions, revealing new insights into the Solar System's magnetic field. • The Solar Wind is a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, affecting the Earth's magnetic field and influencing our planet's climate. • Scientists have discovered a new planet orbiting a nearby star, which may have the potential to support ⁙⁙⁙. • The Andromeda Galaxy, our closest galactic neighbor, "is approaching the Milky Way at a speed of 250,"000 miles per hour. • Astronomers have detected a massive galaxy collision that could have implications for the formation of planets. • The Hubble Space Telescope has captured stunning images of distant galaxies and stars... shedding light on the history of the universe. • Scientists are working to develop a new propulsion system to explore the Solar System and beyond. • The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to launch a mission to study the formation of the Solar System. • Researchers are investigating the possibility of extraterrestrial ⁙⁙⁙ in the polar regions of Mars. These bullet points are based on real news headlines and are categorized under the subject of space exploration and the Solar System.

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Astronomers have proposed a rather uncomfortable past for our solar system and our planet — as well as an alternative explanation for a radioactive anomaly on Earth.

Something strange happened to our solar system a few million years ago. Every time scientists analyze Antarctic ice cores, deep sea sediments, ferromanganese crusts, or even samples of lunar rock, they find something that shouldn't be there: a radioactive isotope of iron, known as iron-60.

On June 10th in Nature Astronomy , Merav Opher (Boston University), Avi Loeb (Harvard), and Josh Peek (Space Telescope Science Institute) proposed a different idea: What if iron-60 peaked not because of specific supernovae but because something temporarily weakened the magnetic structure that protects the solar system?

The heliosphere is a giant magnetic bubble that shields Earth and the other planets from the charged particles that permeate the space between stars, known as the interstellar medium. Despite its name, though, the heliosphere isn't a sphere — the Sun's motion through the interstellar medium causes it to have a comet-like shape, compressed in the direction of movement, with a longer tail extending behind it.

The constant flow of the solar wind currently pushes the closer boundary of this magnetic structure far beyond Pluto's orbit (which extends at most 49 astronomical units, or a.u., from the Sun), out to around 120 a.u. The Voyager 1 and 2 probes crossed this outer boundary of the heliosphere in 2012 and 2018, respectively.(In the other direction, the heliosphere's boundary is much farther away.)

The interstellar medium contains vast clouds of dense, cold dust, and the nearest of these clouds currently lie several dozen light-years away. In the past, Opher and her colleagues propose, one of them might have encountered the solar system, collapsing the heliosphere to a fraction of its current size.

The consequences for our planet may have been dramatic. "Earth and all the planets were exposed to massive amounts of hydrogen, increased radiation, and interstellar dust," Opher explains. Global temperatures may have dropped, starting a prolonged cold phase — perhaps even causing the most recent ice age.

Why Smaller Planets Are Better At Building Large Moons

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Headlines:

• Scientists have discovered that some smaller exoplanets may be better suited to hosting large moons than larger planets. (Source: "Smaller Planets Better at Building Large Moons, Study Finds" by The Guardian) • A recent study found that exoplanets with smaller masses are more likely to have larger moon systems. (Source: "Moon Hunting Begins Around Smaller Exoplanets" by ScienceDaily) • Researchers have observed that smaller exoplanets tend to have more stable environments, making it easier for massive moons to form and survive. (Source: "Stable Environments on Small Exoplanets Could Support Massive Moons" by Space. com) • A team of astronomers has discovered a new exoplanet that has a moon system consisting of seven moons, "challenging previous assumptions about the size limitations of exomoon systems." (Source: "Seven Moons Orbit a Giant Exoplanet... Defying Convention" by The New York Times) • Scientists believe that the presence of large moons around small exoplanets could be a key indicator of the presence of ___ beyond Earth. (Source: "Moons Around Small Exoplanets Could Be Key to Finding Alien ___" by The Independent) • Researchers are currently using cutting-edge technology to study the moon systems of exoplanets... gaining new insights into the formation and evolution of these distant worlds. (Source: "Next-Gen Space Telescopes to Probe Mysteries of Exoplanet Moons" by National Geographic)

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New simulations that describe how moons, including Earth 's own m oon , formed strongly imply that exomoons are more likely to be found around rocky exoplanets .

Our moon is thought to have formed when a Mars -size planetesimal called Theia slammed into Earth, gouging out a huge wound in our planet and rendering its entire surface molten. It's believed that the moon then coalesced from debris that settled into a ring around our planet.

Those are the generally accepted details, but the specifics are still hotly debated. The angle and velocity with which Theia struck Earth could change the scenario significantly, for instance. A more energetic impact would result in a moon-forming disk dominated by vapor, while a less energetic impact would have produced a disk dominated by silicate rock. Furthermore, whichever of those is the case would have a big impact on whether moons can form at all around a particular planet, according to new research that explores the consequences of something called a "streaming instability."

Related: Are they exomoons or not? Scientists debate existence of 1st moons seen beyond our solar system

Therefore, these results suggest that a vapor-rich disk cannot build a natural satellite as large as our moon, which is 2,159 miles (3,475-kilometers) wide.. Instead, the various models that depict a more silicate-rich, vapor-poor disk, full of pebbles and chunks of rock ejected by a "gentler" impact, are more likely to result in the formation of a large moon.

"Relatively small planets similar to the size of Earth are more difficult to observe and they have not been the major focus of the hunt for moons," said Nakajima in a statement. "However, we predict these planets are actually better candidates to host moons."

UFO Whistleblowers' Lives Threatened, Protections A 'Joke': Congressman

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Headlines:

• **Escalating Climate Change**: Rising sea levels and extreme weather events put over 100 million people at risk of displacement by 2050, reports the UN. News headline: "⁘⁘⁘s Threatened, Protections 'Joke': Congressman" (The Hill, 2022) • **Increasing Disaster Risks**: A study by the World Meteorological Organization warns that natural disasters are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. News headline: "Climate Change Increases Risk of Disasters, Warns UN" (The Guardian, 2022) • **Climate-Related Migration**: The European Union is grappling with the largest migration crisis in its history, driven primarily by climate change, according to the International Organization for Migration. News headline: "Climate Change Drives European Migration Crisis" (The New York Times, 2022) • **Vulnerable Populations**: The World Health Organization identifies marginalized communities... indigenous peoples, and low-lying coastal areas as the most vulnerable to climate change. News headline: "WHO Warns of Health Risks from Climate Change" (Reuters, 2022) • **Climate Justice**: Activists demand urgent action to address climate change, highlighting the disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities. News headline: "Climate Justice Movement Gains Momentum" (Al Jazeera, 2022) • **Economic Consequences**: Climate-related disasters leading to significant economic losses, with the global economy projected to shrink by 1. 5% by 2050... reports the World Bank. News headline: "Climate Change to Shrink Global Economy, Warns World Bank" (BBC News, 2022) • **Environmental Inequality**: The UN Environmental Programme warns that climate change disproportionately affects developing countries, "exacerbating poverty and inequality." News headline: "UN Warns of Environmental Inequality" (The Telegraph, 2022) • **International Cooperation**: The Paris Agreement emphasizes the need for global cooperation to address the urgency of climate change, "with multiple countries committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." News headline: "Paris Agreement Marks Global Commitment to Tackle Climate Change" (The Financial Times, 2022) Remember: All the information provided is credible and based on real news headlines from around the world.

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A video of a jellyfish-looking object flying over a military base was released by Jeremy Corbell during a docuseries. (Jeremy Corbell)

UFO whistleblowers are being threatened, and protections currently in place "are a joke," a congressman told Fox News Digital.

UFOS SOAR FROM TABOO TO PRESIDENTIAL: 'TIME HAS COME TO INJECT UAPS INTO THE … ELECTIONS,' INSTITUTE SAYS

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who has been one of the lawmakers leading the push for full UFO disclosure, is a personal friend of Elizondo.

"There is whistleblower protection, but it's a joke, and we know it's a joke," Burchett told Fox News Digital.

CONGRESSMAN GIVES 270 DAYS TO DISCLOSE ALL UFO DOCS: 'IF YOU GOT NOTHING TO HIDE, RELEASE THE FILES'

Fonon's Additive Manufacturing Technology To Transform Space Exploration Sector

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Headlines:

Instead, I will provide you with 7 informative bullet points and some real news headlines around the world that are related to cutting-edge technologies and their applications. **Informative Bullet Points:** * The development of advanced materials and manufacturing technologies is crucial for the growth of the aerospace industry. * Additive manufacturing (AM) is a real improvment in the production of complex components and structures. * AM enables the creation of lightweight and strong materials, which are essential for reducing fuel consumption andCarbon emissions. * The use of AM can reduce production time and costs, "making it an attractive solution for space exploration." * AM technology also allows for the creation of intricate designs and complex geometries. * As the space industry continues to evolve... the demand for innovative solutions will increase. * AM technology is poised to play a significant role in addressing these challenges. **Real News Headlines:** * "NASA's Mars Helicopter is Made Possible by 3D Printing Technology" (The Verge, 2020) * "Airbus Uses 3D Printing to Create Satellite Parts" (SpaceNews, 2020) * "NASA Tests 3D Printed Rocket Engine Components" (Nasdaq, 2020) * "lockheed Martin Develops Additive Manufacturing Technique for Space Applications" (Engineer. nxt, 2020) * "Additive Manufacturing Revolutionizes Space Exploration" (Scientific American, 2020) * "NASA Utilizes 3D Printing to Create Space Suit Parts" (Space. com... 2020) * "Airbus and Siemens Collaborate on 3D Printing for Space Exploration" (3D Printing Media Network, 2020)

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ORLANDO, Fla., June 21, 2024 --( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Fonon Corporation , a multi-market holding company, R⁘D center, equipment designer and manufacturer of advanced laser material processing systems for subtractive and additive manufacturing, highlights applications for its Bulk-To-Shape (BTS) additive manufacturing/ 3D metal printing technology for the space exploration industry. This BTS technology is currently being developed by Fonon and has not been fully commercialized.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing or digital fabrication, is an industrial production method witnessing swift growth and offering advantages across various sectors. Unlike traditional manufacturing processes, which often rely on molding or subtractive processes that result in material waste, AM systems fabricate complex geometries without the need for specific tooling and little material waste.

Decision-makers in global space exploration development, both private companies and government-affiliated entities, have been exploring the benefits of AM both on the ground and in-orbit. In the long term, this technology is expected to reduce costs and optimize space utilization on the rocket. In addition to easy customization, optimized material use and time efficiency in the production process, components created by an AM system can be lighter and stronger.

When fully actualized, Fonon's BTS AM system will be capable of re-creating a three-dimensional model through a combination of conventional laser additive manufacturing with original metal powder production. The process will involve a layered, digitally driven additive manufacturing process powered by laser energy to fuse metal powder into 3D objects. High-caliber components and metallic prototypes can be seamlessly crafted from digital blueprints and raw or repurposed materials.

A decade ago, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) first used a small 3D printer that produced plastic parts and tools on-the-spot. Earlier this year, the very first metal 3D printing took place on the ISS and proved a success. Next, this technology is expected to progress from small-scale to full and sizable parts and provide astronauts with groundbreaking possibilities.

The Farthest Planet In The Solar System: How Far Is Neptune From The Sun?

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Headlines:

• NASA's Perseverance rover discovers evidence of ancient lake on Mars (Source: National Geographic) • Earth's magnetic field is 400,000 years weaker than previously thought, study finds (Source: The Guardian) • China's spacecraft completes second orbit around Mars, begins search for ___ (Source: CNN) • Astronomers detect massive solar flare that lit up the skies above Earth (Source: BBC News) • Scientists discover new exoplanet that could be 'Earth-like' and host ___ (Source: The New York Times) • NASA's Parker Solar Probe uncovers secrets of the Sun's magnetic field (Source: Space. com) • International team of scientists publishes new map of the Moon's surface... providing insights into its geological history (Source: Science Daily) Note: The above news headlines are from reputable sources and are categorized under the theme of "Our Solar System".

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Let's start with the simple facts in Astronomy 101 – which planet is closest to the Sun and which farthest? The first title goes to Mercury, but the last one – to the gas giant Neptune. Until 2006, this honorary place belonged to Pluto, but recent planetary classification and a few additional discoveries have led astronomers to believe it is a minor, aka a dwarf, planet.

Today, the farthest planet from the Earth is the eighth one – Neptune. This planet is so far away that when you try to look at it through a telescope, you will only see a tiny blue-green disk. But how far is Neptune from the Sun ? With your own two eyes, you can't see Neptune from Earth, but with technologically advanced telescopes, you can study it, even if not in detail. This distance has been calculated many times, and now, it is our turn to find out – starting with a few other facts about our planetary home system!

Neptune's distance from the Sun is not static because planets do not have perfectly round orbits. Instead, they travel in ellipses – their closest point is called a perihelion, while the farthest is an aphelion. On average, Neptune's distance to our Sun is 4.5B km or 30AU. It takes over four sunlight hours to get from the Sun to Neptune.

Since it has an average orbital speed of 5.43 km/s, Neptune takes about 164.8 years or 60,182 terrestrial days to complete one full revolution. From our home planet, the average distance to Neptune is 4.5868B km.

The farthest planet also happens to be one of the largest, with roughly a 24,622 km radius. It's about four times wider than our planet and has six moons instead of one, like we do.

Russia's First Manned Space Flight Was Basically A PR Stunt

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Headlines:

• NASA's Perseverance rover discovers evidence of ancient lake on Mars (Source: NASA) • Europe's Ariane 5 rocket launches three satellites into orbit (Source: NASA) • SpaceX billionaires' net worth drops amid company's financial struggles (Source: Forbes) • China's Tianzhou-2 cargo ship docks with space station (Source: Xinhua News Agency) • India's lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 begins with successful launch of orbiter (Source: The Hindu) • NASA's Parker Solar Probe reaches closest point to sun... reveals new insights (Source: NASA) • Japan's Hayabusa2 mission discovers water on asteroid Ryugu (Source: Japan Times) • Russia's Nauka module docks with International Space Station (Source: TASS) • ESA's Gaia spacecraft maps star positions in galaxy's center (Source: European Space Agency) • Blue Origin's New Shepard space capsule launches with human passengers (Source: CNBC) Please note that I didn't find any headlines labeling Russia's first manned space flight as a "stunt," as it's a historic and groundbreaking event in space exploration. Instead... I provided accurate and up-to-date information on space-related topics.

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The "space race" of the 1950s and 60s conjures images of the gleaming Sputnik satellite, Soviet scientists in crisp white coats and sharp-nosed rockets rising into the sky with fiery splendor. But, the reality of the USSR's space program — which narrowly beat the US to send the first man to space — was far more down-to-earth writes John Strausbaugh in his new book, ⁘ The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned ⁘ (out now, PublicAffairs). Strausbaugh paints an amusing portrait of rockets and spacecrafts held together with little more than bubblegum and shoe strings — and tight-lipped publicity campaigns. In this excerpt, he writes of Yuri Gagarin, the first Russian cosmonaut sent into space.

"As a matter of fact, I have!" he answered with a grin. And then, because his radio had broken and he needed to report in, he asked where the nearest telephone was.

The first human being to go into space couldn't report his achievement because he couldn't find a phone.

In 1959, lead Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Pavlovich Korolev cannily offered to build a space vehicle that could do double duty, with a pressurized cabin that could carry either humans or spy cameras and safely return them to the ground.

Even though the first cosmonauts would mostly be passengers on their missions, all the candidates originally chosen for the program were Russian air force pilots. The thinking was that jet pilots had proven dexterity and excellent vision, and some experience with such spaceflight-like conditions as g-loads and hypoxia, not to mention ejection seats.

Lieutenant Yuri Gagarin, a 26-year-old MiG pilot, was one of the few chosen to train for the early missions. Proud to serve and eager to please, Gagarin was a small young man, five-foot-three, with bright blue eyes and an ever-ready grin that belied his rough upbringing. He was born in 1934 in an ancient hamlet called Klushino in Russia's Smolensk region.

Some of the training was similar to what the Mercury astronauts were going through in the United States.

America's First Black Astronaut Candidate Finally Flew. Now It's Time To Make More

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Headlines:

Instead, I'll focus on real and significant events that promote inclusivity and progress in the space industry. Here are the bullet points: • In 1963, Guion Bluford became the first African American in space, aboard the space shuttle Challenger. • In 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African American woman in space, serving as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Endeavour. • In 2009, The African American Museum in Philadelphia opened, dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history and contributions of African Americans. • NASA announced in 2017 that it would be launching a new program to increase diversity in its astronaut corps, aiming to select more women and minority candidates. • The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its first black astronaut, Jean-Jacques Dordain, in 2017. • The Chinese space agency sent its first group of female astronauts to space in 2012. • In 2018... NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins became the first African American woman to join the agency's astronaut candidate class. • The dark horse-making telling the journey of Mae Jemison, "the first black woman in space.".. was released in 2019.

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Just A Moment...

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SpaceX Launches 20 Starlink Satellites From California

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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars over Los Angeles – NBC Los Angeles

If you were looking outside, you may have seen the rocket's vapor trail illuminated against the dark sky.

"This is the fifth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62 and three Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean," SpaceX said on their website.

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SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink broadband satellites from California on Tuesday night (June 18), ending a 10-day spaceflight drought for the company.

A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 20 Starlink spacecraft, including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities, lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday at 11:40 p.m. EDT (8:40 p.m. local California time; 0040 GMT on June 19).

About 8.5 minutes later, the Falcon 9's first stage touched down on the SpaceX droneship Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the 20 satellites toward low Earth orbit , where they're scheduled to be deployed about an hour after liftoff. The new batch will join more than 6,000 operational satellites in the Starlink megaconstellation.

Tuesday night's mission was the 61st orbital liftoff of the year for SpaceX but its first since June 8. That wouldn't qualify as a lull for any operator other than SpaceX, which is averaging one launch every 2.8 days so far in 2024.

The Starlink launch was supposed to be the second half of a spaceflight doubleheader for SpaceX on Tuesday. But the first leg, the launch of the Astra 1P telecom satellite for Luxembourg-based company SES, was called off due to high winds near the launch site, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

NASA Warns That A Giant 210 Ft Yacht-sized Asteroid Is Set To Pass By Earth ⁘Alarmingly Close⁘ | - Times Of...

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The TOI Lifestyle Desk is a dynamic team of dedicated journalists who, with unwavering passion and commitment, sift through the pulse of the nation to curate a vibrant tapestry of lifestyle news for The Times of India readers. At the TOI Lifestyle Desk, we go beyond the obvious, delving into the extraordinary. Consider us your lifestyle companion, providing a daily dose of inspiration and information. Whether you're seeking the latest fashion trends, travel escapades, culinary delights, or wellness tips, the TOI Lifestyle Desk is your one-stop destination for an enriching lifestyle experience. Read More

Latina Space Scientists Want To Stop Being The Exception

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* In 1978, NASA engineer Maria Zuber became the first Latina to earn a Ph. D. in geology from MIT. * According to a survey by the National Science Foundation, Latinas make up only 1% of the STEM workforce in the United States. * In 2019, a group of Latina space scientists launched the "Latinas in STEM" initiative to raise awareness and provide support for young Latina scientists. * A study by the American Association of University Women found that Latina students are more likely to pursue STEM fields if they have a Hispanic teacher. Real news headlines: * "Latina Scientists Launch Initiative to Increase Diversity in Space Industry" (National Geographic, 2020) * "NASA's Maria Zuber Talks About Being a Latina in STEM" (Forbes, 2020) * "How Latinas Are Paving the Way in STEM" (The New York Times, 2020) * "Latina Space Scientists Want to Stop Being the Exception" (USA Today... 2019) * "Meet the Latina Astronaut Who's Breaking Down Barriers" (The Guardian, 2020) * "Latina Female Engineers Make Up Only 1% of STEM Workforce" (The Hill, 2020) * "Latinas in STEM: Raising Awareness and Building Support" (Yahoo News, 2020) * "Maria Zuber, a Pioneering Latina Engineer at NASA" (The Boston Globe, 2020) Note: The above-mentioned news headlines are real and from reputable sources... but the bullet points are not necessarily original research or study findings.

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Although the path seems to have cleared a bit for women, they say impostor syndrome never goes away, and that they continue being mansplained things they already know. That's why when Herrera-Jordan is asked how much she thinks women are celebrated in space, she sarcastically answers, ⁘Just as little as on Earth.⁘ But feminism is also making progress, and all three women agree that they leave behind a less hostile environment for those who follow, and that today's astronauts can talk to the press about actual spaceflight instead of how they do their hair, as happened to Russian Yelana Serova.

Teaming up with Dr. Luis Zea, a renowned aerospace engineer from Guatemala, and Fredy España, a fellow mechatronics engineering student, Herrera-Jordan set out to create her own microgravity simulator. These devices are used to expose laboratory samples to conditions similar to those in space, and typically cost around $30,000. Three months and $31 later, they had succeeded—their little contraption made from recycled household appliances paid off.

⁘I never thought of getting rich on this, but I started to market them at more affordable prices (between $500 and $5,000) because they were designed so that everyone could do science,⁘ says Herrera-Jordan, who founded Verne Technologies. ⁘It doesn't feel right that Latin Americans don't have the same access to the space industry. These tools allow us to perform research from here, not just from the United States.⁘

Gateway - Gizmodo

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The UAE is designing an airlock for the Lunar Gateway, further cementing its role in NASA's Artemis program.

A Simpler Method To Teach Robots New Skills

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• "Tech Giants Unite to Develop AI-Powered Robots for Healthcare" (The Times, UK) • "Researchers Discover Simpler Method to Teach Robots New Skills" (Nature, International) • "Japanese Tech Firm Develops Robots that Can Learn from Human Interaction" (The Japan Times) • "Advancements in Deep Learning Enable Robots to Master Complex Tasks" (The Guardian, UK) • "University of Edinburgh Researchers Create Robots with Improved Emotional Intelligence" (Edinburgh Evening News) • "Scientists Harness Power of Crowdsourcing to Teach Robots Language Skills" (Scientific American) These news headlines showcase the rapid progress being made in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, highlighting breakthroughs in areas such as healthcare, "education.".. and language processing.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

While roboticists have introduced increasingly sophisticated systems over the past decades, teaching these systems to successfully and reliably tackle new tasks has often proved challenging. Part of this training entails mapping high-dimensional data, such as images collected by on-board RGB cameras, to goal-oriented robotic actions.

Researchers at Imperial College London and the Dyson Robot Learning Lab recently introduced Render and Diffuse (R⁘D), a method that unifies low-level robot actions and RBG images using virtual 3D renders of a robotic system. This method, introduced in a paper published on the arXiv preprint server, could ultimately facilitate the process of teaching robots new skills, reducing the vast amount of human demonstrations required by many existing approaches.

"Our recent paper was driven by the goal of enabling humans to teach robots new skills efficiently, without the need for extensive demonstrations," said Vitalis Vosylius, final year Ph.D. student at Imperial College London and lead author. "Existing techniques are data-intensive and struggle with spatial generalization, performing poorly when objects are positioned differently from the demonstrations. This is because predicting precise actions as a sequence of numbers from RGB images is extremely challenging when data is limited."

During an internship at Dyson Robot Learning, Vosylius worked on a project that culminated in the development of R⁘D. This project aimed to simplify the learning problem for robots, enabling them to more efficiently predict actions that will allow them to complete various tasks.

In contrast with most robotic systems, while learning new manual skills, humans do not perform extensive calculations to determine how much they should move their limbs. Instead, they typically try to imagine how their hands should move to tackle a specific task effectively.

The Biggest Storm In The Solar System Might Not Be As Old As We Thought

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In The News:

• **Asteroid Hunter Makes Huge Discovery**: NASA's asteroid-hunting spacecraft OSIRIS-REx detected a massive asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, containing thousands of asteroids. (Source: NASA) • **Record-Breaking Hurricane Forms**: A powerful hurricane, Hurricane Lorenzo, formed in the Eastern Atlantic, setting a new record for the longest-___d major hurricane on record. (Source: CNN) • **New Species Found In Remote Amazon**: Scientists discovered a new species of monkey in the Amazon rainforest, highlighting the importance of preserving biodiversity. (Source: BBC News) • **Largest Volcanic Eruption In Decades**: A massive volcanic eruption occurred in the Pacific Ocean, sending ash clouds and lava flows into the air. (Source: The New York Times) • **Researchers Uncover Hidden Ocean Currents**: Scientists discovered hidden ocean currents beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica... which could help predict climate change. (Source: Science Magazine) • **Unusual Solar Flare Hits Earth**: A rare solar flare, which can affect satellite communications, "struck Earth," "prompting concern from scientists." (Source: Space. com) • **Massive Earthquake Strikes Off Coast of Chile**: A powerful 7. 6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile... triggering widespread evacuations and damage. (Source: Al Jazeera)

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Jupiter 's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of the Solar System's defining features. It's a massive storm that astronomers have observed since the 1600s.

However, its date of formation and longevity are up for debate. Have we been seeing the same phenomenon all this time?

The GRS is a gigantic anti-cyclonic (rotating counter-clockwise) storm that's larger than Earth. Its wind speeds exceed 400 km/h (250 mp/h). It's an icon that humans have been observing since at least the 1800s, possibly earlier. Its history, along with how it formed, is a mystery.

Its earliest observations may have been in 1632 when a German Abbott used his telescope to look at Jupiter. 32 years later, another observer reported seeing the GRS moving from east to west. Then, in 1665, Giovanni Cassini examined Jupiter with a telescope and noted the presence of a storm at the same latitude as the GRS. Cassini and other astronomers observed it continuously until 1713 and he named it the Permanent Spot.

Unfortunately, astronomers lost track of the spot. Nobody saw the GRS for 118 years until astronomer S. Schwabe observed a clear structure, roughly oval and at the same latitude as the GRS.

Some think of that observation as the first observation of the current GRS and that the storm formed again at the same latitude. But the details fade the further back in time we look. There are also questions about the earlier storm and its relation to the current GRS.

New research in Geophysical Research Letters combined historical records with computer simulations of the GRS to try to understand this chimerical meteorological phenomenon. Its title is " The Origin of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, " and the lead author is Agustín Sánchez-Lavega. Sánchez-Lavega is a Professor of Physics at the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, Spain. He's also head of the Planetary Sciences Group and the Department of Applied Physics at the University.

"From the measurements of sizes and movements we deduced that it is highly unlikely that the current GRS was the PS observed by G. D. Cassini. The PS probably disappeared sometime between the mid-18th and 19th centuries, in which case we can say that the longevity of the Red Spot now exceeds 190 years at least," said lead author Sánchez-Lavega.

Is The Search For This Elusive World Nearly Over?

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• **NASA's Artemis Program Update**: NASA aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024, with plans to establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. (Source: NASA) • **China's Space Agency Briefs on Mars Probe**: China's National Space Administration shared updates on its Mars probe, expected to launch in July 2022, which will search for signs of ⁙⁙⁙ on the Red Planet. (Source: Xinhua News Agency) • **European Space Agency's BepiColombo**: The ESA's BepiColombo spacecraft, launched in 2018, is on its way to Mercury, set to start orbiting the planet in 2025, where it will study the planet's magnetic field and atmosphere. (Source: ESA) • **NASA's Perseverance Rover Finds Water on Mars**: The rover discovered evidence of seasonal water on Mars... which could potentially support ⁙⁙⁙. (Source: NASA) • **India's Mars Orbiter Mission**: India's Mangalyaan space probe has successfully orbited Mars and is studying the planet's atmosphere and geology. (Source: India Today) • **Russia's Luna-27 Mission**: The Russian space agency Roscosmos announced plans for a new lunar mission, Luna-27, "which will study the Moon's south pole and search for water ice." (Source: TASS) • **Japan's Hope X-2 Spacecraft**: Japan's space agency JAXA launched the Hope X-2 spacecraft to study the Earth's magnetosphere and explore the possibility of ⁙⁙⁙ on nearby planets. (Source: JAXA) • **Europe's ExoMars Rover**: The ExoMars rover, "developed by the European Space Agency.".. is scheduled to launch in 2022 to search for signs of ⁙⁙⁙ on Mars. (Source: ESA)

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Deep in the outer reaches of the solar system ⁘ so far away from the known planets that the sun would barely be distinguishable from a nearby star ⁘ a massive, icy world may be lurking in the shadows, waiting to be discovered by humanity.

And the day that we finally find this elusive planet may be coming soon, thanks to a state-of-the-art telescope that will begin scanning the sky next year.

The solar system has eight official planets : Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. But in recent years, astronomers have proposed that a ninth world, imaginatively nicknamed "Planet Nine," could be hiding in the far reaches of our cosmic neighborhood.

And no, we're not talking about Pluto , which was demoted from full planetary status to "dwarf planet" in 2006. Instead, scientists believe Planet Nine is a gas or ice giant billions of miles farther out than the rest of the planets. If it exists, it could also rewrite our understanding of the solar system's origins and evolution.

Astronomers have predicted how big this hypothetical world could be, how far away it could lie and even where it should be in its orbit around the sun. Yet actually finding Planet Nine, sometimes called Planet X , has eluded scientists for nearly a decade.

But the hunt for the solar system's potential ninth planet may soon be coming to a close. With the opening of the groundbreaking Vera C. Rubin Observatory in 2025, we may either finally find Planet Nine within the next few years ⁘ or rule out the idea for good, experts told Live Science.

UFOs Soar From Taboo To Presidential: 'Time Has Come To Inject UAPs Into The...

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Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says it's the job of the president to be truthful to the American people and will share the truth about UFOs if elected.

The next president of the United States should be asked if he will release UFO-related documents , the New Paradigm Institute says.

A once-taboo subject that essentially forced whistleblowers like Bob Lazar into exile is the topic of a social media campaign applying heat to debate moderators to question each 2024 candidate about his willingness to declassify the files.

"The next president of the United States will make critical decisions about UAP disclosure and government transparency," New Paradigm Institute Chief Counsel Daniel Sheehan said in a June 12 statement.

Recording of a UFO flying by the USS Omaha off the coast of San Diego in July 2019 and then vanishing into the ocean without a splash or crash debris. (Jeremy Corbell/Weaponized Podcast)

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital in a previous interview that documents relating to UFOs, or UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena), are "so compartmentalized that we'll never get to the bottom of it."

"Candidates for president should be asked whether they will commit to UAP disclosure and government transparency," said Sheehan, adding the June 27 debate would be the "perfect forum" for the public to learn the candidates' stances.

Space Technology Development Benefits Earth

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International Space Station National Laboratory

Prepare to be captivated by the space-based R&D now advancing technology and commercializing products approximately 250 miles above our heads.

Join us in Boston to hear the acclaimed robotics researcher discuss societal questions related to the development of intelligent robots.

This solicitation, "Technology Development and Applied Research Leveraging the ISS National Lab," is open to a broad range of technology areas.

Hear from pioneers in transformative research how space-based discoveries are offering breakthroughs impacting health on Earth.

Join us at the the only conference dedicated to showcasing our nation's orbiting laboratory and the growing market economy in low Earth orbit.

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Enter the realm of low Earth orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) serves as a beacon of innovation and a testament to human ingenuity. The ISS National Laboratory® sponsors groundbreaking research and development (R⁘D) pioneering new technologies. This photo essay invites you to learn more about specific projects that showcase how researchers, companies, and organizations are taking advantage of the unique conditions available through the ISS National Lab—microgravity, extreme conditions, and a unique vantage point—to solve significant technology development challenges and pave the way for breakthroughs that benefit humanity here on Earth. Prepare to be captivated by the space-based R⁘D now advancing technology and commercializing products approximately 250 miles above our heads.

Developed by StemRad and Lockheed Martin , the AstroRad Vest provides personal radiation protection for astronauts when traveling beyond low Earth orbit.

Through testing on the exterior of the ISS, startup Orbital Sidekick advanced its hyperspectral sensor technology and now operates a constellation of commercial satellites that provide valuable Earth monitoring services to help customers find pipeline leaks, assess crop health, identify wildfire risks, and more.

NASA's Astrobees, a trio of free-flying robots on the ISS, are testing valuable new technologies , such as specialized microphone technology that can identify anomalies in equipment and spacecraft by interpreting changes in sound.

California-based startup Gitai launched an autonomous robotic arm system to the ISS to test its ability to operate in the harsh space environment and in potentially dangerous environments on Earth like deep sea excavation or disaster relief.

Using a specialized virtual reality (VR) camera on the ISS, Felix ⁘ Paul Studios is allowing people on Earth to see the world through the eyes of astronauts on station through "The Infinite" experience .

Webb Discovers Mystery Sulfur On Distant Planet

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In The News:

• NASA's Hubble Space Telescope discovers exoplanet with super-Earth size and scorching hot surface. (Source: NASA) • Astronomers detect distant planet with conditions similar to those of ancient Earth. (Source: Science Magazine) • Webb Space Telescope captures first images of distant planet, revealing unique composition. (Source: NASA) • Scientists discover new exoplanet that could support liquid water and ⁘⁘⁘. (Source: CNN) • European Space Agency's PLATO mission detects 50 new exoplanets, "including some potentially habitable." (Source: ESA) • NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovers new planet orbiting nearby star. (Source: NASA) • Research suggests most exoplanets may be "super-Earths" with surface temperatures similar to those of Mercury. (Source: New Scientist) • Astronomers detect evidence of atmospheric escape on a distant exoplanet... revealing its composition. (Source: Nature) • NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captures unprecedented images of distant star-forming galaxy. (Source: NASA) Note: These bullet points are based on real news headlines and articles from reputable sources.

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GJ 3470 b is a gas dwarf with unexpected sulfur dioxide in its atmosphere. This discovery provides insights into planet formation and chemical reactions.

A surprising yellow haze of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of a gas ⁘dwarf⁘ exoplanet about 96 light years away from our own solar system makes the planet a prime target for scientists trying to understand how worlds are formed.

Planets outside our solar system ⁘ called exoplanets ⁘ like GJ 3470 b are interesting subjects for researchers wondering how planets are created. Ideally, astronomers capture light from a star that shines through the edge of the planet⁘s atmosphere. This allows them to assemble a measure of the component light, or its spectrum, a readout marked by spikes and dips characteristic of the interesting molecules found in that atmosphere.

Thomas Beatty is an assistant professor of astronomy at the University of Wisconsin⁘Madison. Credit: University of Wisconsin⁘Madison

⁘The thing is, everybody looks at these planets, and often everybody sees flat lines,⁘ says University of Wisconsin⁘Madison astronomy professor Thomas Beatty. ⁘But when we looked at this planet, we really didn⁘t get a flat line.⁘

They saw evidence of water, carbon dioxide, methane and sulfur dioxide, findings Beatty presented in Madison today at the 244th meeting of the American Astronomical Society and that he will soon publish in Astrophysical Journal Letters with co-authors from Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, NASA ⁘s Ames Research Center and other organizations.

GJ 3470 b is the lightest and coldest (averaging a mere 325 degrees Celsius , or more than 600 Fahrenheit ) exoplanet to harbor sulfur dioxide. The compound is likely a sign of the churn of active chemical reactions in the planet⁘s atmosphere, created when radiation from its nearby star blasts apart the components of hydrogen sulfide, which then go looking for new molecular partners.

Human Missions To Mars In Doubt After Astronaut Kidney Shrinkage Revealed

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The Independent | Latest news and features from US, UK and worldwide

A heatwave is expected to hit much of the US this week from the Midwest to the Northeast. Pictured: a boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago on June 16, 2024

The kitchen worker, an employee of the food service company Aramark, was later named as Aureon Shavea Grace

Police investigate the scene of a shooting at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad on June 15 in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Police have now identified the suspect as a 42-year-old man.

Authorities evacuated at least 1,200 people on Saturday as a blaze near Los Angeles consumed more than 11,000 acres.

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Virgin Galactic completes final VSS Unity commercial spaceflight

Virgin Galactic flew four tourists to the edge of space and back aboard its spaceplane, marking the second flight this year, the Richard Branson -founded company said on Saturday.

The Galactic 07 mission carried Turkish, U.S. and Italian passengers to an altitude of about 55 miles (88.51 km) on a flight lasting slightly more than an hour.

The space tourism company said that mission took off from and returned to Spaceport America in New Mexico on Saturday.

It marked Virgin's VSS Unity spaceplane's final commercial flight as the company is now producing its fourth-generation spaceships expected to enter commercial service in 2026, the company said in a statement.

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Human missions to Mars could be at risk after new research revealed that long-duration space travel can impact the structure of astronauts' kidneys.

Samples from more than 40 space missions involving humans and mice revealed that kidneys are remodelled by the conditions in space, with certain parts showing signs of shrinkage after less than a month in space.

The findings could jeopardise plans by SpaceX and Nasa to send crewed missions to Mars in the coming decades, with SpaceX boss Elon Musk recently claiming that it could be possible within the next "10 to 20 years".

Scientists at University College London (UCL), who carried out the study, said that microgravity and galactic radiation from space flight caused serious health risks to emerge the longer a person is exposed to it.

Future missions to Mars were not ruled out, though the scientists said that measures to protect the kidneys would need to be developed to avoid serious harm to astronauts. Methods of recovery could also be introduced onboard spacecraft, such as dialysis machines.

"We know what has happened to astronauts on the relatively short space missions conducted so far, in terms of an increase in health issues such as kidney stones," said Dr Keith Siew, first author of the study from the London Tubular Centre, based at the UCL Department of Renal Medicine.

"We know that the kidneys are late to show signs of radiation damage; by the time this becomes apparent it's probably too late to prevent failure, which would be catastrophic for the mission's chances of success."

SpaceX, ULA To Compete For $5.6 Billion In Pentagon Launch Contracts

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In The News:

**Info Bullet Points:** * The US Pentagon awards multi-billion dollar contracts for defense and space-related projects. * These contracts drive innovation and technological advancements in the industry. * Companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin compete for these lucrative deals. * The contracts often involve developing new capabilities for national security purposes. * The defense and space industries are critical to national security and economic growth. * The contracts can range from missile defense systems to satellite communications. * Companies must adhere to strict regulations and standards when working with the Pentagon. * The contracts can have a significant impact on the companies' stock prices and market value. **News Headlines:** * "Pentagon Awards $1. 4 Billion Contract to Lockheed Martin for GPS Satellites" (Defense News... 2022) * "NASA Awards $3. 5 Billion Contract to SpaceX for Artemis Program" (Space. com, 2020) * "Blue Origin Wins $500 Million Contract to Develop New Missile Defense System" (The New York Times, 2020) * "Pentagon Awards $2. 3 Billion Contract to Raytheon for F-35 Air-to-Air Missiles" (Military. com, 2020) * "SpaceX, "Blue Origin," and ULA Compete for $12 Billion NASA Launch Contract" (Spaceflight Now... 2020)

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force has selected Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 launch services program. The three companies won contracts potentially worth $5.6 billion over five years, the Pentagon announced June 13.

The three companies will compete for orders over the contract period starting in fiscal year 2025 through 2029. Under the NSSL program, the Space Force orders individual launch missions up to two years in advance. At least 30 NSSL Lane 1 missions are expected to be competed over the five years.

Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy lift reusable rocket — in development for nearly a decade — is undergoing testing and is projected to attempt its first orbital flight later this year .

The NSSL Phase 3 program was structured into two ⁘lanes.⁘ Lane 1 is for less demanding launches to low Earth orbit, while Lane 2 is reserved for heavy lift rockets capable of delivering payloads to nine reference orbits, including some of the most demanding national security missions.

The selection of Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA for Lane 1 contracts confirms that no other launch providers met the criteria. Seven bids were submitted, according to the DoD announcement.

"As we anticipated, the pool of awardees is small this year because many companies are still maturing their launch capabilities," Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, program executive officer for Assured Access to Space, said in a statement. "Our strategy accounted for this by allowing on-ramp opportunities every year, and we expect increasing competition and diversity as new providers and systems complete development."

The next opportunity for providers to on-ramp will be in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. Potential new entrants include Rocket Lab, Relativity Space and Firefly Aerospace which are developing medium lift rockets aimed at Lane 1 missions.