Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Starlink Vs Tesla—A Tale Of Two Musks...

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Elon Musk has recently solidified his status as the wealthiest individual in history, with Tesla (TSLA) emerging as his dominant source of wealth. Tesla's market capitalization reached an astounding peak of nearly $1.5 trillion, underscoring its monumental growth. Meanwhile, SpaceX, another Musk-led venture, boasts a market valuation of $350 billion (of which Musk owns 40%). Analysts suggest that SpaceX could eventually surpass Tesla in value, highlighting its transformative potential in the aerospace and telecommunications industries. The story is even more compelling when viewed in the context of what Starlink and global internet can bring to SpaceX.

Tesla's stock performance has been both remarkable and volatile. From January 1 to April 22, 2024, Tesla stock was down 43%. However, between April 22 and December 17, 2024, the stock surged 238% from its lowest point. Following its peak in December, Tesla's value experienced a 21% decline by January 2, 2025, including a sharp 6% drop on that day alone.

This rollercoaster volatility prompts critical questions: At what point does a stock become overvalued? Did Tesla genuinely gain $800 billion (from $700 billion on October 23 to $1.5 trillion on December 17) in market capitalization due to intrinsic growth, or was this surge driven by speculative enthusiasm?

These dynamics raise an interesting possibility: Can investors favor Musk's vision yet prefer one stock over the other? Is it conceivable for Tesla to experience a downturn while SpaceX continues its upward trajectory?

The table below highlights funds with a Tesla weighting of 15% or more, showcasing their exposure and associated risks. Among these, the Baron Partners Fund (BPRTX) stands out with a staggering 44% of its total assets under management (AUM) invested in Tesla—more than double the weight of the next closest non-leveraged, non-international fund. Furthermore, this concentration also comes at a higher cost: the Baron Partners Fund charges the highest fees in the Tesla peer group, with an expense ratio of 2.25%.

Monday, January 6, 2025

Scientists Left Baffled After Discovering Asteroid-comet Hybrid That's Like Nothing Ever Seen...

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Scientists have made a shocking discovery about a rare object in our solar system likened to an asteroid-comet hybrid.

Astronomers from the University of Central Florida have made the space discovery using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

As they analysed near-infrared images, the scientists found something that is 'like nothing' the astronomy world has ever seen before.

The UCF Florida Space Institute (FSI) researchers found a Centaur and while it may be named after a mythical creature that is half-horse and half-man, in space terms, it describes an asteroid-comet hybrid.

These bodies are found between Jupiter and Neptune and though they behave like asteroids, they produce gas and dust like comets.

An asteroid can be described as a large chunk of rock from left over collisions from the early stages of our solar system, which are mostly located between Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt.

Centaurs are a combination of both, and one in particular has left researchers Dr Charles Schambeau and Scientist Noemí Pinilla-Alonso scratching their heads.

They're almost like time capsules containing information about the formation of our solar system, though something sets Chiron aside.

Space Science And Exploration In 2025: What To Know – DW – 01/02

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While not technically "marooned," given there are regular crew and supply voyages that could return them at a later date, the pair of astronauts were forced to stretch their stay on the ISS from two weeks to, now, a minimum of nine months.

The astronauts have since joined Crew-9, a mission from SpaceX launched to the ISS to carry the two astronauts back home .

Crew-9 was originally planned to return to earth in February, but NASA announced in December it will delay the Crew-10 launch, which is set to replace Crew-9.

Crew-10 is being delayed by a month, meaning the astronauts should return to Earth in March if there are no further delays.

2025 will be the year the European Space Agency ( ESA ) begins analyzing Earth's ecosystems from space.

The FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX) mission will provide global maps of plant health and stress. FLEX has a 3 1/2 year design lifetime from launch.

The satellite will include new instruments capable of measuring photosynthetic activity from space for the first time. The instrument, called FLORIS, will measure vegetation fluorescence to record photosynthesis on a mass scale to provide better understanding of how plant ecosystems affect the global carbon cycle.

A separate ESA mission launching in 2025 will also analyze Earth's forests. The Biomass mission will measure information about the state of our forests and how they are changing.

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Sunday, January 5, 2025

Dog Robots Can Trek Through Mud Using Moose-inspired Hooves

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Many quadrupedal robots can adeptly handle uneven or sloped terrain , but only if the ground beneath them is relatively stable. Factor in slippery or muddy surroundings and four-legged machines may quickly falter or fail completely. But one engineering team believes they found a solution in mimicking animals often found in boggy habitats. According to a study published in Bioinspiration ⁘ Biomimetics by researchers at Estonia's Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), dog bots could soon take their cues from giant moose .

"[M]ost robots cannot access a wide range of highly important terrestrial environments, including wetlands, bogs, coastal marshes, river estuaries and fields, which are abundant in nature," explained TalTech biorobotics professor and team lead, Maarja Kruusmaa, in an accompanying statement on January 2nd.

Ungulates (split-hooved animals like cattle and moose), however, are evolutionarily equipped to handle these often sticky situations. After conducting physical experiments observing actual moose feet, researchers found that cloven hooves are key to maneuvering through mud and similarly waterlogged terrain. This is due to the ability of split-hooves to both spread out and contract during each footfall. Each toe's exposed contact area increases and reduces as it steps into and out of muddy ground, thereby helping a moose to avoid sinking too far into the mire. But more important are the cloven hoof's suction properties.

"We found that the moose's hoof behaves similarly to a suction cup, like how you manage to stick your fingernail under its surface and break the suction force," said Simon Godon, a biorobotics doctoral candidate and study co-author.

Godon also likened mud's physical properties to wet bathroom tile as it sticks to your feet after stepping out of the shower. But unlike humans, a moose's shifting hooves better allow it to break that surface tension and avoid getting stuck in the muck.

Following their moose tests, researchers then designed silicone slippers for a quadrupedal robot. According to results from their lab analysis, the ungulate-inspired booties reduced sinkage depth by about 46 percent and lessened suction force by roughly the same amount. The accessories also lowered the machine's walking energy cost by as much as 70 percent.

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The Road Ahead For Distributed Solar In 2025

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According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar contributed 67% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid in the first six months 2024. Thanks to federal incentives, domestic solar manufacturing has grown four times over in recent years, putting the U.S. in a strong position to meet its solar deployment goals with locally-produced panels.

American leadership in solar technology will likely continue to play a key role. U.S. companies, like First Solar, are making significant investments in innovative solar technologies, particularly in thin-film photovoltaic modules. This focus on advancing solar technology provides the U.S. with a competitive edge, even as global competitors push for cost-cutting solutions. As solar systems evolve to integrate storage solutions and microgrid capabilities, American ingenuity may help offset price advantages from abroad.

Furthermore, in recent years, many traditionally conservative states have become leaders in solar and energy storage, fueling job creation and economic growth. For example, Texas installed 5.5 GW of solar capacity in the first half of 2024, nearly doubling Florida's 2.9 GW. This surge in solar adoption emphasizes the growing role of renewable energy in national energy security, particularly in the face of extreme weather events that strain the power grid.

With the growing adoption of solar, SEIA has predicted 39,000 new manufacturing jobs by 2033 resulting from federal policies, with many of these jobs landing in red states. Solar and storage systems in these regions will be crucial to support the grid against climate-related disasters.

While tariffs can incentivize domestic production, they also risk raising energy prices for consumers, particularly if applied widely. Empirical data shows that the burden of tariff-related price hikes often falls on consumers. As the cost of imported solar equipment increases, utilities — which are not designed to absorb higher costs — tend to pass these increases on to their customers, including residential, commercial and industrial users.

Friday, January 3, 2025

The Most-Anticipated Space Missions Of 2025

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Here are 10 current news headlines from around the world that mirror the categorization of "Anticipated Space Missions 2025" and express admiration for the advancements in space exploration: • NASA's Artemis Program Takes Drastic Leap: NASA's ambitious lunar exploration project has been making strides, with the upcoming launch of uncrewed Orion spacecraft marking a major milestone in the journey to the Moon.

• European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin Returns from Historic Journey: After a successful launch, the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin mission is set to swap its telescope cover to continue its groundbreaking astronomical survey of the sky.

• China's Tiantan-1 Space Station TZ-1 Ready for Launch: The Chinese space program is making strides... with the recent completion of the Tiantan-1 Space Station TZ-1 testing and certification for its upcoming mission to further expand Chinese space capabilities.

• India's Chandrayaan-3 Mission Propels New Era of Lunar Exploration: The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) lunar mission has captured the world's attention, as it prepares for its upcoming launch and promises a groundbreaking journey to the Moon's south-polar region.

• SpaceX's Starship Prototype Passes Key Tests, Set for Orbits: Private space company SpaceX has made significant advancements in its ambitious Starship project... with several successful test flights propelling the spacecraft towards completion of orbital tests.

• NASA's Artemis Program Names Its Candidate for First Woman to Walk on Moon: NASA's Artemis program has selected its first woman to be the first person to walk on the Moon, "marking a historic milestone for women in space exploration."

• European Space Agency's Comet Interceptor Mission Set for 2025 Launch: The European Space Agency's (ESA) Comet Interceptor mission is gaining momentum, with its Automated Transfer Orbit (ATO) orbit performances putting the spacecraft on track for its launch in 2025.

• NASA's Mars 2024 Sample Return Mission Enters Final Development Phase: NASA is racing against the clock to complete the Mars 2024 Sample Return mission, "with the agency's teams working tirelessly to prepare the historic sample collection process."

• China's Space Shuttle Launch to Conduct Robotic Sample Collection: China's space program continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, with the recent completion of a space shuttle's robotic sample collection system paving the way for its historic sample return mission.

• South Korea's Naro Space Center Marks Milestone in Lunar Exploration Program:

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Space fans take note: 2025 brings some potentially historic launches and amazing out-of-this-world science. The missions include a possible first-ever operational launch for Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, a new tool from NASA to study the origins of our universe, and a return to Earth for ISS astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

The year 2025 promises to be packed with space exploration, including robotic expeditions to the moon, a new observatory and a rendezvous with an asteroid.

Zoe Saldaña, Tilda Swinton and Mikey Madison also discuss baring it all onscreen, how they've never met each other ("It's quite strange"), and bonding over Moore's 'Ghost' past.

An empanada is a comforting handheld pie beloved across Latin America, and they're easy to make at home, especially if you try this expert shortcut.

This New Year's Day, NASA's Parker Solar Probe added to the festive cheer by sending home its first detailed telemetry data soon after its record-breaking closest-ever approach to the sun.

SpaceX launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of 2025 as it sent the Thuraya 4 communications satellite to orbit from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Friday (Jan. 3).

Scientists have identified the "mystery volcano" that erupted in 1831 and cooled Earth's climate. They have linked it to an island volcano in the northwest Pacific.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Elon Musk's SpaceX said on Friday its upcoming Starship test flight would include the rocket's first attempt to deploy payloads in space by releasing 10 model Starlink satellites, a key demonstration for Starship's potential in the satellite launch market. ⁘While in space, Starship will deploy 10 Starlink simulators, similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites as the first exercise of a satellite deploy mission,⁘ SpaceX said in a blog post on its website.

NASA Images Reveal Massive Building Project In China's Desert

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Headlines:

• "Scientists Discover Hidden Reef System off Indonesia's Coastline, Reefs Found to be Home to Diverse Marine ___." • "Study Reveals Growing Senegalese Population Could Reach 50 Million by 2030, Threatening Conservation Efforts." • "Failed nÄ›kdy California Wildfire Exposes Mysterious Ancient Cave Painting, Sparks Archaeological Debate." • " UN reports confirmed COVID-19 cases Rose by 34% Globally Last Week, Experts Warn of Continued Epidemic Spread." • "EU and Russia Uzbek Develop Framework Agreement on Transport, Envisioning Efficient Trade Routes." • "Renowned Climate Scientist Warns of Dire Predictions for Global Sea Levels, "Advocates for Immediate Action."" • "USA economy contracts Modal Boost as Major Renewable Energy Project Enters Development Phase." • "United Kingdom Experts Uncover Hidden London Tunnels Dating Back to Roman Era... Spark Strong National Interest."

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The Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, China, is undergoing a remarkable transformation, as documented in new images released by NASA on Monday.

The satellite images captured by the U.S. Geological Survey's Landsat satellites have revealed vast solar installations reshaping the desert landscape, part of China's ambitious effort to build a renewable energy powerhouse.

The project has been dubbed China's "solar great wall," with vast fields of photovoltaic panels now stretching across the dunes. Expected to be completed by 2030, the project will span 250 miles in length and 3 miles in width, with a maximum capacity of 100 gigawatts.

China's rapid expansion of solar power is a significant step in addressing global climate challenges. By June 2024, China accounted for 51 percent of the world's solar farm capacity, leading the globe in renewable energy generation, according to Global Energy Monitor's (GEM) Global Solar Power Tracker.

The Kubuqi project alone is expected to produce 180 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually by 2030, enough to power Beijing and beyond.

Beyond energy generation, the project has environmental and agricultural benefits. The solar panels slow desertification, reduce wind speeds and create shaded areas that preserve moisture. This makes it easier to grow grasses and crops, contributing to the greening of desert areas.

The solar farms are strategically placed in a sunlit, flat region south of the Yellow River, between Baotou and Bayannur.

Currently, about 5.4 gigawatts of capacity have been installed, and major installations, such as the Junma Solar Power Station, are already operational.

Junma, completed in 2019, resembles a galloping horse and holds a Guinness World Record for the largest image made from solar panels.

Thursday, January 2, 2025

The Most Exciting Space Missions Coming In 2025

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As an aerospace engineer , I'm excited for 2025, when space agencies worldwide are gearing up for even more ambitious goals. Here's a look at the most exciting missions planned for the coming year, which will expand humanity's horizons even further, from the Moon and Mars to asteroids and beyond:

NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services , or CLPS, initiative aims to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon using commercial landers. CLPS is what brought Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander to the Moon in February 2024, marking the first U.S. Moon landing since Apollo.

In 2025, NASA has several CLPS missions planned, including deliveries by companies Astrobotic , Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace .

These missions will carry a variety of scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to different lunar locations. The payloads will include experiments to study lunar geology, test new technologies for future human missions and gather data on the Moon's environment.

In February 2025, NASA plans to launch the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, or SPHEREx , observatory. This mission will survey the sky in near-infrared light , which is a type of light that is invisible to the naked eye but that special instruments can detect. Near-infrared light is useful for observing objects that are too cool or too distant to be seen in visible light .

SPHEREx will create a comprehensive map of the universe by surveying and collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies along with over 100 million stars in the Milky Way . Astronomers will use this data to answer big questions about the origins of galaxies and the distribution of water and organic molecules in stellar nurseries – where stars are born from gas and dust.

The European Space Agency, or ESA, plans to conduct an orbital test flight of its Space Rider uncrewed spaceplane in the third quarter of 2025. Space Rider is a reusable spacecraft designed to carry out various scientific experiments in low Earth orbit .

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A Big Telescope And Big Changes In Space Await In 2025

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Our species called this latest 366-day journey around the sun "2024" and packed into it a ton of astronomical and spaceflight excitement.

Can this revolution around the sun we name "2025" compare? We'll let you be the judge of how enthusiastic to get about the events you can expect on the launchpads and in the night sky.

For updates on these and other events, you can make regular visits to The Times Space and Astronomy calendar .

Through SpaceX, Elon Musk has dominated spaceflight around the planet in recent years. But the extraplanetary ambitions of the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos could present a challenge to Mr. Musk soon.

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Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Old Post That Claims Women Will Be Having More Sex With ROBOTS Than Men By 2025 Resurfaces Ahead O...

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Homepage - theJasmineBRAND

Ice Spice Shows Off Her Birthday Outfit — What's It Giving? Ice Spice turned 25 today and sis showed off her birthday dinner look! View this post on Instagram A post shared by the⁘

Ari Fletcher Vows To Give Up Vaping ⁘ Read More Books This Year We love a little self-improvement! Ari Fletcher says she's going to read more books this year and stop vaping for good! View⁘

Cardi B ⁘ Quavo Toast To Takeoff During NYE Celebration Cardi B and Quavo paid tribute to Takeoff with a toast on New Year's Eve! We love to see it. Rest in peace Takeoff. View⁘

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An unearthed article from 2016 has gone viral, claiming that by 2025, women will be having more sex with  robots  than people.

For anyone striking out with human romance, in just a matter of hours, a whole new demographic of partners will have opened up, according to the 2016 article.

The article - originally published by The Sun in 2016 - claimed robot sex will be more common than human intercourse by 2050, as predicted by futurologist Dr. Ian Pearson.

'A lot of people will still have reservations about sex with robots at first but gradually as they get used to them, as the AI (artificial intelligence) and mechanical behavior and their feel improves, and they start to become friends with strong emotional bonds, that squeamishness will gradually evaporate,' he said in the report, commissioned by Bondara i n 2015.

While the article had been circulating online all year, as the New Year approaches, people have been taking to social media to share their thoughts on the outlandish predictions. 

'IT'S HAPPENING,' cheered another, responding to a picture of an article about Kim Kardashian holding hands with a Tesla robot.

Dr. Pearson added that Robophilia - the name given to humans who fall in love with robots - could also be likely to happen.