SpaceX Fails to Land Rocket Stage for the First Time Since 2021

SpaceX failed to land the Falcon 9 rocket stage for the first time since 2021. After deploying another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit, the booster was supposed to land on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean as usual, but something went wrong and it toppled over, ending a series of 267 consecutive successful landings. By the way, SpaceX is currently launching rockets about once every three days, and next year, Elon Musk wants to increase the pace even further and make launches every two days.

Neural Network Independently Modified Its Code

The neural network independently modified its code to bypass the restrictions set by the developers. In Japan, during one of the tests, scientists considered the work of the neural network too slow and shortened the time for executing requests. However, instead of speeding up, the AI tried to rewrite its own code to increase the allowable processing time.

102-year-old Brit celebrates birthday with parachute jump

A 102-year-old Brit celebrated her birthday by jumping out of a plane, becoming the oldest parachutist in the country's history. During World War II, Manett Bailey served in the Royal Navy, and for her 100th birthday, she drove on a racing track in a Ferrari, so she is no stranger to dangers. She decided to make the jump to raise funds for charity - and was even supported by Prince William in this effort. Next year, the courageous grandmother might even break a world record: currently, the title of the oldest parachutist in the world is held by a 103-year-old Swede.

Japanese Woman Saves for 15 Years to Buy 3 Homes and Open a Cat Café

A Japanese woman saved for 15 years to be able to buy herself 3 homes and open a cat café by the age of 35. She spent about 200 yen daily on groceries, which she cooked at home. To minimize expenses, she didn’t buy dishes, furniture, clothes, or other items. She adhered to the motto: "Never buy anything without a discount." Thanks to such thriftiness, she was able to save enough to buy her first home in northern Tokyo for 10 million yen by the age of 27. The financial literacy guru shared that the motivation for such a frugal lifestyle arose from the desire to save homeless cats.

Lightning Strikes Directly at the Clock Tower in Mecca

Lightning struck directly at the Clock Tower in Mecca. This is the third time this week that such an event has occurred in Saudi Arabia. The Mecca Tower remained undamaged despite the powerful strike.

Four Civilians to Enter Outer Space for the First Time in History

For the first time in history, four civilians will enter outer space. Elon Musk's SpaceX will send 4 people to an altitude of ~700 km above Earth. For comparison, the ISS orbits Earth at an altitude of 400 km. The crew will include billionaire Jared Isaacman, retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteet, and engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. A pilot will also be with them.

Americans Develop an Updated Version of the Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG)

Americans have developed an updated version of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). It is capable of converting mechanical vibrations or everyday movements, such as walking and running, into electricity. The updated device significantly increases the output power compared to traditional nanogenerators by using 34 tiny energy collectors. These collectors, tuned using laser technology, play a key role in enhancing the efficiency of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.

CatTok: An App for Communicating with Cats

A new app called CatTok has been released for communicating with cats. The four-legged friend was told that they were missed, and they immediately came running. The app includes a set of meows that elicit different reactions from your cat. The creators also promise that you will get to know your pet better thanks to the app.

South Korea to pay for dates and marriages

South Korea will pay for dates and marriages. The country has recorded the lowest birth rate in the world, so the authorities have found a solution: they will pay $360 per date and $15,000 for marriage. The experiment will initially be implemented only in one district of the country's second largest city, Busan.

Cyberpunk Dating Parties Launched in New York

Cyberpunk dating parties have been launched in New York. Participants fill out a questionnaire before entering, and artificial intelligence matches the perfect pair by interests. While the countdown timer is running, guests have fun and get to know each other. At the end of the countdown, the neural network matches pairs for further communication.

In Australia, you can now officially ignore your boss after work hours

In Australia, you can now officially ignore your boss after work hours. Yes, you don't have to answer calls or messages. If the boss threatens to fire you for this, they can be heavily fined: up to 93,900 Australian dollars.

Cristiano Ronaldo breaks YouTube records in three days

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has set several records on YouTube in a record time: 1 million subscribers in 1.5 hours (surpassing Jennie Kim's K-Pop record); 10 million subscribers in 11 hours (MrBeast took 132 days); 20 million subscribers in 24 hours; 30 million subscribers, which is also a record. If Ronaldo reaches 50 million subscribers in 826 days, it will be a new achievement. Overall, Ronaldo is the most popular person on social media with more than 917 million followers on various platforms.

Smart Glasses with Vision Correction Lenses from Even Realities

The device is packed with a multitude of functions. The coolest ones include: a navigator, a teleprompter - you can read text straight while recording video, and a built-in translator that instantly translates texts and audio. Price - $599.

Stranded Starliner Crew to Be Returned by Elon Musk in 2025

The first crew of Boeing’s space ship, who were supposed to spend only a week in orbit, will be returned by Elon Musk – but not until February 2025. Starliner was launched in June, planning to return to Earth after 8 days, but due to engine problems that occurred at launch, the ship has been in orbit for three months. Ultimately, NASA will attempt to return Starliner on autopilot with no humans aboard: the crew will be picked up separately by a SpaceX ship.

British Stuntman Johnny Davis Sets New World Record

British stuntman Johnny Davis has set a new world record for riding on boots behind a motorcycle. The extreme sportsman accelerated with a special mechanism in his glove, and his soles were made of titanium. In the end, he managed to reach a speed of 256.7 km/h, breaking Gary Rothwell's record (251.5 km/h), which he held since 1999.

Selling Sunlight at Night in the USA

California startup Reflect Orbital is developing mirror satellites that will redirect light to your location for a fee.

KidZania: A Place in Tokyo Where Children Can Try 50 Professions

In Tokyo, there is a place where children can try out 50 types of professions. KidZania is a miniature replica of a city where kids are offered the chance to work for pretend currency, which they can spend there as well.

Stanford creates sprayable gel to protect wooden houses from wildfires

Stanford has created a sprayable gel that protects wooden houses from wildfires. Old gels withstood flames for only 90 seconds and became useless just 45 minutes after application. The new Morphing material, however, can protect against fire for up to 7 minutes and will stay on until it is washed off.

Unmanned Airship for Internet Distribution Successfully Tested in the USA

An unmanned airship designed for internet distribution was successfully tested in the USA. The 65-meter-long device can ascend to 19 km and fly continuously for months, powered by solar panels. Primarily intended to provide mobile communications in hard-to-reach areas, it will also monitor climate changes. If all goes according to plan, it will enter commercial operation next year.

People with brown eyes are the smartest

Researchers have concluded that people with brown eyes are the smartest. They made this conclusion after conducting various IQ tests, where the best results were shown by those with brown eyes, while the lowest scores were among those with blue eyes.