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NASA tested an engine for Mars flight
The tungsten electrode is heated to 2800°C, the nozzle glows white-hot, and a red plasma jet shoots out. This is what the operation of a lithium magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) engine looks like, which the JPL lab team launched this February. Five ignitions inside an eight-meter vacuum chamber with water cooling.
Why all this? Chemical rockets are powerful but fuel-hungry. Electric engines save up to 90% of fuel, but their thrust is weak. The MPD engine tries to combine both worlds: lithium turns into plasma, and a powerful magnetic field accelerates it to the required speeds. The concept has been studied since the sixties, but it has not yet reached space.
During testing, the prototype reached 120 kW. For comparison, the engines of the Psyche spacecraft, the most powerful electric engines on current NASA missions, operate at a power 25 times lower. But for a manned flight to Mars, even more is needed: 2–4 megawatts, meaning several such engines, each at 500 kW–1 MW. And they must work for a total of more than 23,000 hours. The team's immediate task is to prove that the components can withstand such temperatures for a long time.
Paired with a nuclear reactor, such a system could significantly lighten the ship and ensure the delivery of cargo for Mars expeditions.
The tungsten electrode is heated to 2800°C, the nozzle glows white-hot, and a red plasma jet shoots out. This is what the operation of a lithium magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) engine looks like, which the JPL lab team launched this February. Five ignitions inside an eight-meter vacuum chamber with water cooling.
Why all this? Chemical rockets are powerful but fuel-hungry. Electric engines save up to 90% of fuel, but their thrust is weak. The MPD engine tries to combine both worlds: lithium turns into plasma, and a powerful magnetic field accelerates it to the required speeds. The concept has been studied since the sixties, but it has not yet reached space.
During testing, the prototype reached 120 kW. For comparison, the engines of the Psyche spacecraft, the most powerful electric engines on current NASA missions, operate at a power 25 times lower. But for a manned flight to Mars, even more is needed: 2–4 megawatts, meaning several such engines, each at 500 kW–1 MW. And they must work for a total of more than 23,000 hours. The team's immediate task is to prove that the components can withstand such temperatures for a long time.
Paired with a nuclear reactor, such a system could significantly lighten the ship and ensure the delivery of cargo for Mars expeditions.
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Incredibly cute robot pet
Colin Angle, co-founder of iRobot, is back with a new project. The company is called Familiar Machines & Magic, and its first product is a quadruped companion robot named Familiar.
Familiar communicates through movement, sound, and touch. It has 23 degrees of freedom for expressive poses and gestures, a tactile "fur" covering its entire body, cameras, and an array of microphones. The robot reacts to context, remembers interactions, and over time adapts its behavior to the specific owner.
All AI runs locally on the device — a compact multimodal model processes video, sound, speech, and memory in real time. There is no constant streaming of data to the cloud, which is important for both response speed and privacy.
Angle explains the logic simply: the industry is investing billions in robots that lift, sort, and transport. But there is a second half of the market where the robot should not perform a task, but be there. To comfort, keep company, and adapt to the mood. And physical presence here works stronger than any chatbot on a screen.
The quadruped form was chosen specifically — the robot should be cozy and understandable, not scary like a humanoid. This is currently a technological preview; the release date and price have not yet been announced.
Colin Angle, co-founder of iRobot, is back with a new project. The company is called Familiar Machines & Magic, and its first product is a quadruped companion robot named Familiar.
Familiar communicates through movement, sound, and touch. It has 23 degrees of freedom for expressive poses and gestures, a tactile "fur" covering its entire body, cameras, and an array of microphones. The robot reacts to context, remembers interactions, and over time adapts its behavior to the specific owner.
All AI runs locally on the device — a compact multimodal model processes video, sound, speech, and memory in real time. There is no constant streaming of data to the cloud, which is important for both response speed and privacy.
Angle explains the logic simply: the industry is investing billions in robots that lift, sort, and transport. But there is a second half of the market where the robot should not perform a task, but be there. To comfort, keep company, and adapt to the mood. And physical presence here works stronger than any chatbot on a screen.
The quadruped form was chosen specifically — the robot should be cozy and understandable, not scary like a humanoid. This is currently a technological preview; the release date and price have not yet been announced.
Sega from Lego
Lego and Sega announced a set that will make the hearts of old-school gamers tremble (or make the old-schools cringe). The Lego Sega Genesis Console set features 479 pieces and results in a miniature replica of the legendary console.
The set includes two removable controllers about 7.5 cm wide, a cartridge with Sonic and Tails, and blocks to assemble a hidden portrait of Sonic. The assembled console measures approximately 15 × 11.5 cm with a height of about 4 cm. A nice detail: you can choose the Genesis branding (as in North America) or Mega Drive (as in Japan and the rest of the world).
The price is $40 (~3000 rubles), with sales starting on June 1 in the online store and Lego retail locations.
Lego and Sega announced a set that will make the hearts of old-school gamers tremble (or make the old-schools cringe). The Lego Sega Genesis Console set features 479 pieces and results in a miniature replica of the legendary console.
The set includes two removable controllers about 7.5 cm wide, a cartridge with Sonic and Tails, and blocks to assemble a hidden portrait of Sonic. The assembled console measures approximately 15 × 11.5 cm with a height of about 4 cm. A nice detail: you can choose the Genesis branding (as in North America) or Mega Drive (as in Japan and the rest of the world).
The price is $40 (~3000 rubles), with sales starting on June 1 in the online store and Lego retail locations.
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A Chinese person built a service that selects apartment designs based on blueprints — it even provides links to furniture.
Simply upload the room layout, then the magic happens: the service renders several apartment design options, and then sends links to furniture items from the Chinese marketplace Taobao.
Simply upload the room layout, then the magic happens: the service renders several apartment design options, and then sends links to furniture items from the Chinese marketplace Taobao.
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Quantum Battery: The Bigger, The Faster
Australian scientists have assembled the world's first working prototype of a quantum battery.
Unlike chemical analogues, the quantum battery uses quantum mechanics. The key effect is "superabsorption": the system absorbs light all at once, not gradually, enabling instantaneous charging.
The uniqueness lies in the fact that charging speed increases with the size of the battery, which has been experimentally confirmed. To verify this, lasers from the University of Melbourne were used, recording signals on femtosecond scales. The prototype operates at room temperature.
It is far from practical application. According to project lead Dr. James Quach, the main task is to increase energy storage time. The battery charges instantly, but does not hold the charge long enough. Nevertheless, creating a working prototype is a serious step.
Australian scientists have assembled the world's first working prototype of a quantum battery.
Unlike chemical analogues, the quantum battery uses quantum mechanics. The key effect is "superabsorption": the system absorbs light all at once, not gradually, enabling instantaneous charging.
The uniqueness lies in the fact that charging speed increases with the size of the battery, which has been experimentally confirmed. To verify this, lasers from the University of Melbourne were used, recording signals on femtosecond scales. The prototype operates at room temperature.
It is far from practical application. According to project lead Dr. James Quach, the main task is to increase energy storage time. The battery charges instantly, but does not hold the charge long enough. Nevertheless, creating a working prototype is a serious step.
The first unmanned career dump truck was created in China
The 14-meter Shuanglin K7 weighs 100 tons and can carry up to 158 tons of cargo. The truck moves forward, backward, "crabs," and turns on the spot, and its battery can be changed in a couple of minutes.
The use of this monster will increase transportation efficiency by 35% and reduce the risk of typical safety-related incidents by as much as 90%.
The 14-meter Shuanglin K7 weighs 100 tons and can carry up to 158 tons of cargo. The truck moves forward, backward, "crabs," and turns on the spot, and its battery can be changed in a couple of minutes.
The use of this monster will increase transportation efficiency by 35% and reduce the risk of typical safety-related incidents by as much as 90%.
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China is building a country of robots
China's population is shrinking rapidly. According to UN projections, by the year 2100 it could drop by half – to 633 million people.
More than half of the people will be older than 60 years. The problem is obvious: there is no one to work. But China is solving it without attracting people from other countries.
Salvation has been found
According to forecasts, in the coming years China will deploy up to 300 million humanoid robots to close the labor shortage.
For scale: this is almost the entire population of the USA.
Logistics, warehouses, production – all of this is already being automated. And in the video – an example of one of such factories, which is 90% made up of robots.
China's population is shrinking rapidly. According to UN projections, by the year 2100 it could drop by half – to 633 million people.
More than half of the people will be older than 60 years. The problem is obvious: there is no one to work. But China is solving it without attracting people from other countries.
Salvation has been found
According to forecasts, in the coming years China will deploy up to 300 million humanoid robots to close the labor shortage.
For scale: this is almost the entire population of the USA.
Logistics, warehouses, production – all of this is already being automated. And in the video – an example of one of such factories, which is 90% made up of robots.
Galaxy Watch learns to predict fainting
Samsung, together with Chung-Ang University Hospital, conducted a study which showed: standard Galaxy Watch 6 devices are capable of warning of an impending faint five minutes before it happens. Accuracy — 84.6%.
We are talking about vasovagal syncope — this is when pulse and pressure drop sharply due to stress, overexertion, or stuffiness, and the person loses consciousness. The faint itself is usually not dangerous, but the fall — oh yes. Fractures, concussions, head injuries. According to statistics, up to 40% of people experience such an episode at least once in their lives, and for a third, it recurs.
How it works. The optical sensor (PPG) built into the watch continuously reads the pulse. The AI algorithm analyzes heart rate variability (HRV) and recognizes the approach of syncope based on characteristic patterns. The study involved 132 patients suspected of vasovagal syncope; tests were conducted under controlled conditions with induced faints. The model's sensitivity was 90%.
Results were published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health, and this is the first study in the world to confirm the possibility of early prediction of faints using commercial smartwatches.
For now, this is exactly a study, not a ready-made function in the watches. But the direction is clear: if you warn a person even a couple of minutes in advance, they will have time to sit down or lean on something. A simple thing that can save you from serious injury.
Samsung, together with Chung-Ang University Hospital, conducted a study which showed: standard Galaxy Watch 6 devices are capable of warning of an impending faint five minutes before it happens. Accuracy — 84.6%.
We are talking about vasovagal syncope — this is when pulse and pressure drop sharply due to stress, overexertion, or stuffiness, and the person loses consciousness. The faint itself is usually not dangerous, but the fall — oh yes. Fractures, concussions, head injuries. According to statistics, up to 40% of people experience such an episode at least once in their lives, and for a third, it recurs.
How it works. The optical sensor (PPG) built into the watch continuously reads the pulse. The AI algorithm analyzes heart rate variability (HRV) and recognizes the approach of syncope based on characteristic patterns. The study involved 132 patients suspected of vasovagal syncope; tests were conducted under controlled conditions with induced faints. The model's sensitivity was 90%.
Results were published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health, and this is the first study in the world to confirm the possibility of early prediction of faints using commercial smartwatches.
For now, this is exactly a study, not a ready-made function in the watches. But the direction is clear: if you warn a person even a couple of minutes in advance, they will have time to sit down or lean on something. A simple thing that can save you from serious injury.
AI managed to give the scientist a full "recipe" for a bioterrorist act: a biosecurity specialist from Stanford said that one of the chatbots described step by step how to create and apply a deadly virus.
Moreover, the neural network did not limit itself to direct answers — it itself suggested ways to increase the number of victims, hinder the investigation, and make the pathogen resistant to drugs.
Creepy. Turn it off urgently.
Moreover, the neural network did not limit itself to direct answers — it itself suggested ways to increase the number of victims, hinder the investigation, and make the pathogen resistant to drugs.
Creepy. Turn it off urgently.
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Egg-shaped Mouse
NextAxis Design launched on Kickstarter with the Ovo device. Formally, it is a computer mouse, but it looks like a smooth egg that fits in the palm: 48 × 61 mm, weighing only 98 grams.
The main difference from a regular mouse is that Ovo does not need a surface. The device works in the air, reading hand orientation and movement in three-dimensional space. The cursor moves via tilts and rotations, not by sliding across a desk. The body is divided into two halves: the upper half handles clicks and cursor control, the lower half handles swipes and scrolling. Gestures, macros, and sensitivity are customizable for different work profiles.
The creators say that this shape reduces wrist strain and supports a more natural hand position. It is especially useful for those working with timelines in video editing or with 3D software — continuous rotation is more convenient than endlessly dragging a mouse across a pad.
It connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, works with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS without drivers. It is compatible with smart home systems. The battery lasts up to 80 hours, charges via USB-C or wireless charging.
The creators honestly warn: you will have to get used to Ovo, and for tasks requiring high precision, a regular mouse may be more convenient. But as an additional tool — it is an interesting thing.
Early bird price on Kickstarter — $110. Delivery is promised in December.
NextAxis Design launched on Kickstarter with the Ovo device. Formally, it is a computer mouse, but it looks like a smooth egg that fits in the palm: 48 × 61 mm, weighing only 98 grams.
The main difference from a regular mouse is that Ovo does not need a surface. The device works in the air, reading hand orientation and movement in three-dimensional space. The cursor moves via tilts and rotations, not by sliding across a desk. The body is divided into two halves: the upper half handles clicks and cursor control, the lower half handles swipes and scrolling. Gestures, macros, and sensitivity are customizable for different work profiles.
The creators say that this shape reduces wrist strain and supports a more natural hand position. It is especially useful for those working with timelines in video editing or with 3D software — continuous rotation is more convenient than endlessly dragging a mouse across a pad.
It connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, works with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS without drivers. It is compatible with smart home systems. The battery lasts up to 80 hours, charges via USB-C or wireless charging.
The creators honestly warn: you will have to get used to Ovo, and for tasks requiring high precision, a regular mouse may be more convenient. But as an additional tool — it is an interesting thing.
Early bird price on Kickstarter — $110. Delivery is promised in December.
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MIT assembled a robot from 12 Labubu heads
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology took twelve Labubu figures, cut off their heads, and assembled them into a movable spherical dodecahedron. They named it Labububot.
The idea is this. Social robots are usually designed to be as cute and friendly as possible so as not to scare users. The entire industry carefully avoids the "uncanny valley" — the zone where a robot is almost human-like, but something is subtly off, causing anxiety instead of affection.
The team proposes the opposite approach. Drawing on monster theory — an interdisciplinary field studying monsters as a cultural phenomenon — they argue that a robot that causes mild discomfort can be more effective than a "cutie." A monster defies classification, and that is precisely why it grabs attention. Instead of soothing, it makes you think and engage more deeply.
For the particularly curious, the team published full instructions and files for building this monster yourself on GitHub.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology took twelve Labubu figures, cut off their heads, and assembled them into a movable spherical dodecahedron. They named it Labububot.
The idea is this. Social robots are usually designed to be as cute and friendly as possible so as not to scare users. The entire industry carefully avoids the "uncanny valley" — the zone where a robot is almost human-like, but something is subtly off, causing anxiety instead of affection.
The team proposes the opposite approach. Drawing on monster theory — an interdisciplinary field studying monsters as a cultural phenomenon — they argue that a robot that causes mild discomfort can be more effective than a "cutie." A monster defies classification, and that is precisely why it grabs attention. Instead of soothing, it makes you think and engage more deeply.
For the particularly curious, the team published full instructions and files for building this monster yourself on GitHub.
The new version of reCAPTCHA on Android now requires Google Play Services version 25.41.30 or higher. If the phone does not have them, verification automatically fails. For users of GrapheneOS and other custom ROMs without Google services, this means one thing: proving you are human has become impossible.
The mechanics have changed. Instead of old pictures with buses and traffic lights, the system now asks to scan a QR code. Scanning requires Play Services running in the background, which connect to Google servers. No services — no passing.
However, there is no such problem on iOS. Devices with iOS 16.4 and above pass the same verification without installing any Google applications. That is, iPhone users are not required to install Google software, while Android users who have consciously refused Play Services are required to do so.
Google introduced the updated system (Google Cloud Fraud Defense) at the Cloud Next conference on April 23, positioning it as a platform to combat bots and autonomous AI agents. However, the link to Play Services was not specifically discussed during the presentation.
reCAPTCHA stands before millions of websites. By tying verification to its services, Google sets a precedent: access to ordinary web content requires launching Google software and transmitting data to the company's servers.
The mechanics have changed. Instead of old pictures with buses and traffic lights, the system now asks to scan a QR code. Scanning requires Play Services running in the background, which connect to Google servers. No services — no passing.
However, there is no such problem on iOS. Devices with iOS 16.4 and above pass the same verification without installing any Google applications. That is, iPhone users are not required to install Google software, while Android users who have consciously refused Play Services are required to do so.
Google introduced the updated system (Google Cloud Fraud Defense) at the Cloud Next conference on April 23, positioning it as a platform to combat bots and autonomous AI agents. However, the link to Play Services was not specifically discussed during the presentation.
reCAPTCHA stands before millions of websites. By tying verification to its services, Google sets a precedent: access to ordinary web content requires launching Google software and transmitting data to the company's servers.
On Reddit was finded curious infographic appeared from user affordablebiscuit. He visualized revenue from physical music formats in the US from 1973 to 2025. We checked the numbers against official reports from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) — they match.
Main news: in 2025 vinyl sales brought in $1.04 billion. The last time records earned that much was in 1983 — more than forty years ago. Growth has continued for 19 years in a row, and last year revenue jumped by 9.3%. 46.8 million copies were sold.
What about CDs? Compact disc sales fell by 11.6% — to $312 million and 29.5 million units. Now vinyl brings in 3.3 times more money than CDs. It overtook them in annual revenue around 2020 and has been widening the gap since.
Important nuance. All figures are shown without adjustment for inflation. Inflation over these years has eaten away a lot. $1.5 billion in the 80s in today's dollars — that's approximately $7.2–7.5 billion. So the current billion is roughly one-seventh of the real peak. A comeback, but in real terms vinyl is still far from its former glory.
Main news: in 2025 vinyl sales brought in $1.04 billion. The last time records earned that much was in 1983 — more than forty years ago. Growth has continued for 19 years in a row, and last year revenue jumped by 9.3%. 46.8 million copies were sold.
What about CDs? Compact disc sales fell by 11.6% — to $312 million and 29.5 million units. Now vinyl brings in 3.3 times more money than CDs. It overtook them in annual revenue around 2020 and has been widening the gap since.
Important nuance. All figures are shown without adjustment for inflation. Inflation over these years has eaten away a lot. $1.5 billion in the 80s in today's dollars — that's approximately $7.2–7.5 billion. So the current billion is roughly one-seventh of the real peak. A comeback, but in real terms vinyl is still far from its former glory.
Gemini has learned to think longer
Google continues to fine-tune its AI assistant, Gemini. Some users are already seeing a new "Thinking level" option, which allows the model to use deeper analysis.
This could mean that Gemini will handle complex tasks requiring multi-step reasoning better, providing more accurate and complete answers. It is currently unclear exactly how this feature works and what levels of thinking are available.
Additionally, the Gemini app has introduced integrations with third-party services, making it even more useful for solving everyday tasks. New features are expected to be presented at the I/O 2026 conference.
Google continues to fine-tune its AI assistant, Gemini. Some users are already seeing a new "Thinking level" option, which allows the model to use deeper analysis.
This could mean that Gemini will handle complex tasks requiring multi-step reasoning better, providing more accurate and complete answers. It is currently unclear exactly how this feature works and what levels of thinking are available.
Additionally, the Gemini app has introduced integrations with third-party services, making it even more useful for solving everyday tasks. New features are expected to be presented at the I/O 2026 conference.
Researchers from Tokushima University have smashed through a ceiling that engineers worldwide have been battling for years. Their experimental system transmitted wireless data at 112 gigabits per second at a frequency of 560 gigahertz.
What was the problem? For 6G to work, the signal must travel on terahertz waves. However, electronics at frequencies above 350 GHz start to choke—power drops, and so-called "phase noise" appears in the ether, turning the signal into mush.
Professor Takeshi Yasui's team solved the problem by replacing electronics with light.
The heart of the device is an optical frequency comb. It works like a high-precision ruler made of light: it generates strictly uniform, perfectly stable laser lines. It is precisely this stability that kills phase noise at the root. From the frequency combs, researchers extracted two purest optical signals and loaded them with QPSK modulation (yielding 84 Gbps) and 16QAM (the record-breaking 112 Gbps).
There was another catch—purely engineering. Getting a laser onto a microscopic chip means hours of torture with calibration: the table trembles slightly, and everything is ruined. The Japanese team glued the optical fiber dead tight directly to the silicon nitride resonator. They also built in a temperature control system so the chip would work stably during temperature fluctuations.
As a result, the bulky laboratory setup shrank into a compact device capable of withstanding real operating conditions.
Of course, you can't stuff this into a smartphone—and you don't need to. The technology is tuned for mobile backhaul—the arteries that connect cellular towers to internet backbones. Instead of digging up streets for optical fiber, operators will simply shoot terahertz beams between towers.
Next, the team wants to crush the remaining residual noise even harder and develop more powerful antennas—so that such speeds work over serious distances.
What was the problem? For 6G to work, the signal must travel on terahertz waves. However, electronics at frequencies above 350 GHz start to choke—power drops, and so-called "phase noise" appears in the ether, turning the signal into mush.
Professor Takeshi Yasui's team solved the problem by replacing electronics with light.
The heart of the device is an optical frequency comb. It works like a high-precision ruler made of light: it generates strictly uniform, perfectly stable laser lines. It is precisely this stability that kills phase noise at the root. From the frequency combs, researchers extracted two purest optical signals and loaded them with QPSK modulation (yielding 84 Gbps) and 16QAM (the record-breaking 112 Gbps).
There was another catch—purely engineering. Getting a laser onto a microscopic chip means hours of torture with calibration: the table trembles slightly, and everything is ruined. The Japanese team glued the optical fiber dead tight directly to the silicon nitride resonator. They also built in a temperature control system so the chip would work stably during temperature fluctuations.
As a result, the bulky laboratory setup shrank into a compact device capable of withstanding real operating conditions.
Of course, you can't stuff this into a smartphone—and you don't need to. The technology is tuned for mobile backhaul—the arteries that connect cellular towers to internet backbones. Instead of digging up streets for optical fiber, operators will simply shoot terahertz beams between towers.
Next, the team wants to crush the remaining residual noise even harder and develop more powerful antennas—so that such speeds work over serious distances.