New York Law Would Ban Civilians From Weaponizing Robots

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Lawmakers in New York have proposed a new bill that would make it illegal to mount weapons to robots or drones . That is of course, unless the people operating those weaponized machines happen to work with law enforcement or the military. If passed, the Responsible Robotics Act would make New York the first state to ban weaponized robots for civilians, at a time when government spending on autonomous and semi-autonomous police technology is on the rise.

The bill specifically bans the sale, transfer, modification, operation, or equipping of robots or drones with mounted weapons. Prohibited weapons include firearms, stun guns, chemical agents, lasers, and explosives. These restrictions would apply to both remote-controlled machines and those that rely on sensors and AI to operate autonomously. The legislation also prohibits civilians from using a robot to physically restrain a person. Violators could face penalties ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.

New York officials discussed the proposal during a press conference in the state capital earlier this week. Spot, a quadruped robot from Boston Dynamics that is currently used by the New York City Police Department, paced around as officials spoke. Lawmakers said the bill was partly inspired by public backlash over social media videos showing robots and drones equipped with flamethrowers and other weapons .

"Mounting weapons to robots or drones that are remotely or autonomously operated, widely available to the public, and capable of navigating within locations where people live and work, raises new risks of harm and serious ethical issues," the bill's authors write. "The development and use of such weaponized robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that

Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn told Popular Science that while he sees the legislation as an "important step," he believes more must be done to combat the growing use of "robot surveillance" by police. STOP regularly publishes reports and statements criticizing law enforcement's expanding surveillance practices.

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Solar System Travel With Advanced Propulsion | NextBigFuture.Com

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If we achieve advanced nuclear, antimatter propulsion or other advance propulsion it would be possible to achieve near constant acceleration. This would enable travel times to Mars in the 3-8 day range depending upon where Mars was in its orbit relative to Earth. This would be with constant 0.33G acceleration and deceleration.

A Hohmann orbit is the maximum transit time / minimum deltaV mission. Weak spacecraft use this because they do not have a lot of deltaV. All current space probes use Hohmann because currently there ain't no such thing as a strong propulsion system.

A torchship is a spacecraft with more than 300 km/s total delta V and an acceleration greater than 0.01 g.

Performance:
Exhaust velocity: Approximately 20–60 km/s, depending on the design (e.g., specific impulse of ~6,000 seconds yields ~59 km/s).

Thrust: Extremely high due to the explosive force, enabling accelerations well above 0.01 g (potentially up to 1 g or more, though typically lower for crew comfort).

Delta V: For interplanetary missions (e.g., Mars in 125 days), delta V is in the tens of km/s, but interstellar designs (e.g., Freeman Dyson's analysis) suggest velocities up to 10% of light speed (30,000 km/s). With a mass ratio of ~160, a delta V of 300 km/s is feasible, though it requires significant propellant.

Fit for Torchship: Meets both criteria handily, supporting Brachistochrone trajectories (continuous acceleration to midpoint, then deceleration).

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High Ranking US Officials Break Their Silence On UFOs: “An 80-year Cover-up Of The Existence Of...

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is one of the high-ranking officials interviewed for the programme: " We've had repeated instances of something operating in the airspace over restricted nuclear facilities, and it's not ours. And we don't know whose it is. That alone deserves inquiry, deserves attention, deserves focus", he admits.

"This is the biggest disinformation campaign in the history of the U.S. government ", says Dan Farah, the director and producer. "Clearly, the facts around this topic have been covered up for 80 years and kept from the public, and every single high-level, credible person I interviewed did not think that was right. They knew that was the case, and they did not think it was acceptable."

"It's people who have direct knowledge of the topic as a result of working for the U.S. government, sharing what they can lawfully disclose about what they know... Every single one of them has classified knowledge that they could never share, but they're breaking their silence on what they lawfully can disclose", he adds.

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Federal Cuts Threaten UI⁘s Space Sciences Research

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A University of Iowa professor says funding cuts to the National Science Foundation -will- be felt on the Iowa City campus.

UI space physicist Allison Jaynes says the campus has traditionally attracted top talent from around the world, and without funding for research, the university won't be able to lure those researchers.

Jaynes says some of her own students are talking about leaving the country because they don't see a future here. She says it seems like there's a war on science and academia.

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Astronaut Reveals Extreme Measures She Had To Take Before Controversial 2,300mph Blue Origin Fligh...

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Emily Callandrelli, the astronaut who becomes the 100th woman to go to space, revealed the extreme measures she had to take before making the historic flight.

The aerospace engineer was one of six people on-board Blue Origin 's ninth human test flight last November, launching 62 miles away from Earth at a hair-raising 2,300mph in a New Shepard spacecraft.

But, when the Jeff Bezos -owned company shared footage of Calandrelli during the mission, her milestone was marred by sexists online who instead made demeaning comments about women in space.

Blue Origin was forced to delete the post , but Calandrelli has since uploaded the footage to YouTube , as part of a 16-minute long vlog detailing her incredible feat.

Titled 'My Blue Origin Flight to Space,' Calandrelli shares details from the run-up to the big day, to the height of the flight and the moment she lands back on Earth.

In the vlog, she shared details of the measures she and the other astronauts had to take to prepare for their once-in-a-lifetime journey.

On the first day of training before the launch, from Launch Site One in West Texas, they visited a mock-up of the New Shepard capsule for a very important reason.

Not only did it give the astronauts a 'feel' for being in the spacecraft, Calandrelli says in the video, but it also meant they could get their seats custom-fitted.

Four Small Planets Found Orbiting The Closest Single Star To Earth - Earth.Com

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Barnard's Star has long been a focus of interest for people who study worlds beyond our solar system. It sits about six light-years from Earth and is known for its quick motion across our sky.

For years, astronomers have wondered whether it might harbor planets that could help us understand how planetary systems form.

Now, they seem to have gotten their wish. Recent observations suggest there may be four miniature planets orbiting Barnard's Star.

Each is calculated to be just 20 to 30% the mass of Earth and completes one full trip around the star in only a few days.

These findings have caught many people's attention because they point to greater precision in detecting smaller, more elusive planets.

"It's a really exciting find ⁘ Barnard's Star is our cosmic neighbor, and yet we know so little about it," said Ritvik Basant, Ph.D. student at the University of Chicago and first author on the study. "It's signaling a breakthrough with the precision of these new instruments from previous generations."

Barnard's Star first came to light in 1916, thanks to astronomer E. E. Barnard at Yerkes Observatory . Ever since, scientists have been keeping an eye on it.

They nicknamed it a "great white whale" because people have often claimed to see planets there, only to be disappointed later. This time, the work is featured in The Astrophysical Journal Letters , dated March 11.

Observers used to rely on less sensitive equipment, which sometimes produced conflicting signals. That is one reason the star became such a legend among planet hunters, who occasionally thought they had proof but eventually realized their results were inconclusive.

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Having Robots Run Warehouses When Crisis Hits

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The Covid-19 pandemic exposed a harsh reality—global supply chains and fulfillment systems were woefully unprepared for a truly unpredictable world. Empty shelves, delayed deliveries and frustrated customers became a universal experience.

Despite these failures, e-commerce has continued to grow. In 2025, it is estimated that 21% of all retail purchases will happen online , up from about 18% in 2021. This e-commerce explosion has created immense pressure on businesses, as consumers typically expect fast (often same-day) delivery of the products they purchase. Traditional logistics models, where humans locate, pick and pack items, struggle to keep up. In today's fast-paced, on-demand world, delays are becoming less acceptable.

In light of this challenge, more organizations are implementing robotics. Companies like Amazon, for example, have deployed over 750,000 AI-powered robots across their warehouses. These robots make it possible for Amazon to efficiently meet the increased customer demand. They make sure that orders are continuously fulfilled, but more importantly, they allow rapid scaling during peak periods like Black Friday or Christmas. That is nearly impossible to do with human labor alone, assuming the labor is even available.

Labor shortages represent a growing challenge for businesses, and the warehouse sector is no exception. Walmart, recognizing this issue, has heavily invested in automation . For example, they have included robotic forklifts and automated their distribution centers. They expect 65% of their stores will receive merchandise from high-tech distribution centers by the end of this year. The innovative solutions they have introduced handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human workers to focus on higher-value activities. This can help further lead to improvements in employee satisfaction, staff retention and working conditions in the warehouse.

Implementing automation in fulfillment requires a structured approach to maximize efficiency, scalability and cost-effectiveness. Before investing in automation, conduct an operational audit to pinpoint inefficiencies. A clear understanding of these challenges helps in selecting the right automation solutions. A flexible system that can easily scale up or down, for instance, can be particularly beneficial for businesses needing to handle peak periods without significant disruptions.

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Unknown Spiral Structure Found At The Edge Of Our Solar System - Earth.Com

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It is easy to think of our solar neighborhood as a tight little cluster of planets, but the reality is far more expansive. Beyond Neptune, a crowd of frozen bits and pieces lingers in the Kuiper Belt, yet that is only the start of our Sun's extended family.

Farther out ⁘ about 9.3 trillion miles away ⁘ sits the Oort Cloud, which some refer to as the outermost boundary of the Solar System.

This region is believed to hold countless icy objects that still feel the Sun's pull, no matter how faint. Many have viewed this area as a scattered collection, with most of its bodies quietly resting in near isolation.

However, according to a recent study, there is a surprising spiral pattern in the inner Oort Cloud that runs much deeper than a random sprinkling of frozen debris.

The Oort Cloud is usually divided into two zones. The outer part stretches in a spherical shell and starts at around 10,000 astronomical units from the Sun.

The inner Oort Cloud begins closer in ⁘ roughly 1,000 astronomical units out ⁘ and forms what was once considered a disc-shaped region.

Scientists have long believed that the outer shell experiences more disruptions from passing stars, while the inner zone is held together by the Sun's gravity.

Some of the comets that swing through the inner Solar System , including long-period comets, can be traced to these distant reaches.

Its outer boundary marks a sort of transition point where the Sun's Hill sphere merges with the Milky Way 's gravitational influence. Astronomical models show that the outer Oort Cloud is only loosely connected to the Sun.

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Adelaide Airport's New Space Technology Hyper Factory Revealed

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Space minerals explorer and satellite maker Fleet Space Technologies has revealed plans for its global headquarters and hyper factory at the Adelaide Airport. 

According to Fleet Space Technologies, the state-of-the-art facility would enable the organisation to accelerate production of its space mineral exploration technologies. 

The new global headquarters would comprise advanced manufacturing and data centre technologies, which would enable greater production capacity for the company's patented smart sensors and hundreds of satellites annually.

Fleet Space Technologies chief executive Flavia Tata Nardini said the supercomputer would put South Australia at the forefront of global AI innovation in its bid to discover energy transition minerals.

"What began as a bold vision 10 years ago when we founded Fleet Space has grown into a global force transforming the future of exploration on Earth and beyond."

Mercury Will Be At Its Brightest In The Night Sky On Friday — Before It Disappears - Masslive.Com

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When the sun sets on Friday, stargazers are about to have their best chance at seeing Mercury shine in the night sky in 2025.

Visible to the naked eye, Mercury should be seen in the western sky at twilight, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac . The first planet in the solar system is expected to be at its greatest distance from the sun, 18 degrees east of the sun and at a magnitude of –0.4.

A celestial object's stellar magnitude describes how bright that object looks in the night sky, with the brightest stars being seen at a magnitude of 1, EarthSky reported. Objects with a negative magnitude appear much brighter without the need for a telescope, according to NASA .

While Mercury will be farther from the sunset's glare, it will fade over the coming days until around March 12, when its magnitude increases as it approaches Venus, its nearest planetary neighbor and the brightest planet in the night sky. Space.com wrote.

By mid-month, Mercury will vanish further and will pass between the sun and Earth on March 23 in what astronomers call an inferior conjunction, according to EarthSky .

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Lauren Sanchez Shares First Video Of Space Mission Crew

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Olivia Bellusci is a Newsweek writer based in New York. Her focus is reporting on entertainment news. She has in depth knowledge of the pop culture landscape. Olivia joined Newsweek in 2024. She is a graduate of Pace University. You can get in touch with Olivia by emailing o.bellusci@newsweek.com. You can find her on Instagram @OliviaBellusci. Languages: English.

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Jeff Bezos' fiance⁘, Lauren Sanchez, is sharing footage from her first call with the all-female crew with whom she will launch into space.

The 55-year-old is part of the first all-women space crew on one of her billionaire fianc⁘'s Blue Origin rockets. The other five women include pop star Katy Perry, CBS Morning's mainstay Gayle King , aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

Sanchez, a licensed pilot herself, posted an Instagram reel on Friday, March 7, showcasing the first video call between the women.

"I'm getting introduced to the entire team that we have put together. I really believe that all of these women are storytellers," Sanchez told the camera before logging into the meeting. "They're gonna come back and be able to share that story and also inspire a new generation of explorers."

Once she joined the call, Sanchez told the women, "I just kind of want everyone to take a deep breath and soak this all in for a second. Today, you guys, we're a crew!"

King, 70, expressed some reservations about their future flight, asking, "Is anyone else nervous? Or am I the only nervous Nelly?" The 40-year-old "Roar" singer chimed in, "I'll be a little nervous, but I'll be looking at y'all."

"We're all gonna come back with this profound love of Earth, and we're gonna be able to share that with the world and hopefully touch everyone in a small way that they'll wanna help save the planet," she told her fellow crew.

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