NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore continue to stay in space beyond their planned return date. The pair have been stuck at the space station since June 2024, when they departed for what was intended to be a seven-day mission. A retrieval rocket was scheduled to take off yesterday (March 12). However, the launch never took place, with Elon Musk's company SpaceX announcing at the last moment that it had canceled its plans. The company reported a problem with the hydraulic system at the launch location. SpaceX clarified that the issue affected the launch tower rather than the spacecraft itself. The rescheduled launch is now set for Friday.
Elon Musk Tells Tesla and SpaceX Workers to Return to Office ... (Source: www.nytimes.com)
SpaceX will transport four additional astronauts to the International Space Station during Williams and Wilmore's retrieval: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov. In a statement about the delayed Crew-10 Mission posted on their website, SpaceX announced: "SpaceX and NASA are aiming for no earlier than Friday, March 14 for Falcon 9's launch of Dragon's 10th operational human spaceflight mission (Crew-10) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida."
The company added: "Launch is targeted for 7:03 p.m. ET, with a backup opportunity available on Saturday, March 15 at 6:41 p.m. ET. SpaceX's live webcast of this mission will begin about one hour and 20 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app."
The statement continued: "The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew NASA's Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions to and from the space station. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched the SES 03b mPOWER-e mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9's first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station."
Maybe Elon Musk Should Take SpaceX Public Instead? (Private ... (Source: seekingalpha.com)
While SpaceX will bring Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, they initially traveled to space in a Boeing Starliner capsule back in June. Their assignment was planned to last only a few days, but after the Boeing capsule experienced technical difficulties following their safe arrival at the ISS, it became unsafe for the vehicle to transport the two astronauts home.
More precisely, the Starliner experienced several helium propulsion system leaks and multiple maneuvering jets that failed to generate the expected thrust, according to CBS News. NASA then conducted testing for many weeks to assess if the capsule could safely transport Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. Though Boeing executives believed the Starliner could return the two astronauts safely, NASA disagreed with this assessment, resulting in their extended stay in space.
Scientists trapped in Antarctica for 10 months send urgent plea to be rescued after one 'threatened to kill colleague'
A collection of researchers who declare themselves 'confined' at a tiny research station in Antarctica have issued a desperate call for help after asserting that a team member 'made death threats' against one of them.The South African research team has remained at the extremely isolated Sanae IV station in Antarctica for the past 10 months, where severe weather makes entering or exiting the facility nearly impossible. The site is so remote that it requires approximately two weeks just to reach the facility, which sits atop a frigid cliff.
Scientist stuck in Antarctica for 10 months sends desperate ... (Source: www.uniladtech.com)
The researchers have been sent there to examine the climate, with their assignment projected to continue for at least another 10 months. However, last week, one team member sent an urgent email that quickly raised concerns.
The message, reviewed by South Africa Sunday Times, stated that a colleague had attacked them and was making threats to the whole group. It also claimed the 'menacing' team member had physically attacked another colleague.
Part of the letter stated: "Unfortunately, his conduct has worsened to an alarming degree. Specifically, he physically assaulted , which seriously violates personal safety and workplace standards. Additionally, he threatened to kill , generating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. I remain profoundly worried about my own safety, constantly questioning if I might be the next target."
The letter added: "His actions have become increasingly offensive, and I find it very difficult to feel secure around him. It is essential that prompt action is taken to guarantee my safety and the safety of all staff members."
Neither the writer of the letter nor the accused scientist has been identified.
This troubling email arrives as the team remains completely isolated from civilization, residing entirely within the base for protection from the bitter -23C temperatures and winds reaching up to 135mph.
Dion George, South Africa's environment minister, has promised to communicate with the team to "evaluate for myself" the circumstances but mentioned that such conditions can create "disorienting" feelings and cabin fever.
He explained: "There was a verbal disagreement between the team leader and this individual. Then it intensified and that person physically assaulted the leader. You can imagine the situation, they live in close proximity and people develop cabin fever. It can be very disorienting," reports The Times.
George also noted that scientists assigned to the base must undergo extensive psychological evaluations to determine if they are suitable for the physically and mentally demanding conditions, which he likened to outer space.
Trapped In Antarctica, Scientists Plead For Help, Accuse ... (Source: www.ndtv.com)
Alan Chambers, an experienced explorer who completed a 700-mile skiing journey to the South Pole, told the publication it is an "extremely isolated location" to inhabit.
"You have minimal contact with humans or animals, so when you stay in a camp or research facility, you remain with those same people for six months or possibly a year," he stated.
"From a psychological perspective, I believe everything becomes intensified. The landscape is completely white - lacking color, sound, and anything familiar, so all behaviors - including your own - are amplified, and minor issues transform into major concerns."
"The isolation of the continent greatly affects individual behavior. You must be content with yourself because in Arctic or Antarctic regions, you spend considerable time in your own thoughts. Therefore, a small disagreement with someone or something can escalate into a significant conflict."
Musk officially steps down from DOGE after wrapping work streamlining government
Elon Musk has started the exit process from his position as leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX announced on X Wednesday night that his time as a special government employee is ending, and he expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for the chance to reduce wasteful spending.
"The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk stated in his post.
The White House verified to FOX that Musk's statement is correct and departure procedures will start Wednesday night. Musk has represented DOGE publicly since Trump created the office through an executive order on January 20. DOGE has examined federal government agencies to find and stop government overspending, corruption and fraud.
Elon Musk says Trump's "big, beautiful bill" undermines work of DOGE team (Source: www.cbsnews.com)
Musk was hired as a "special government employee," a position Congress established in 1962 that allows the executive or legislative branch to recruit temporary employees for specific short-term projects. Special government employees can work for the federal government for "no more than 130 days in a 365-day period," according to the Office of Government Ethics data. Musk's 130-day period, which began on Inauguration Day, was set to end on May 30.
DOGE operates as a temporary cross-departmental organization created to reduce and improve the federal government. The group will disband on July 4, 2026, according to Trump's executive order.
Both Musk and Trump previously indicated that Musk's role was temporary and would conclude in spring. During an exclusive April interview with Musk and DOGE team members, Fox News' Bret Baier asked, "You, technically, are a special government employee and you're supposed to be 130 days. Are you going to continue past that or do you think that's what you're going to do?"
"I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that timeframe," Musk answered.
Trump suggested Musk's departure in remarks to reporters on March 31 when asked if he wanted Musk to stay in a government role longer than the set 130 days.
"I think he's amazing. But I also think he's got a big company to run," Trump said in March. "And so at some point he's going to be going back."
"I'd keep him as long as I can keep him," Trump stated. "He's a very talented guy. You know, I love very smart people. He's very smart. And he's done a good job," the president added.
Elon Musk's first 30 days: How DOGE is reshaping the federal ... (Source: abcnews.go.com)
Musk stated recently, "DOGE has discovered figures that are truly astonishing to everyone." During a Tesla earnings call on April 22, Musk announced his intention to reduce his involvement as DOGE's leader.
"I expect that starting likely in the coming month, May, my time dedicated to DOGE will decrease considerably," Musk explained during Tesla's earnings conference call. "I will need to maintain some involvement for, I believe, the rest of the president's term to ensure the waste and fraud we've stopped does not return forcefully, which it certainly will if given the opportunity. I think I'll continue to devote about one or two days weekly to government matters as long as the president wishes me to and as long as I remain helpful."
"But beginning next month," he continued, "I'll be giving much more of my time to Tesla now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is complete."
Throughout Musk's tenure with DOGE, Democrats and activist groups have organized protests against the tech billionaire and his businesses, including attempts to negatively impact Tesla stocks. While Musk has been the public representative of DOGE for months, he is not employed by the United States DOGE Service and does not answer to the acting DOGE chief, according to a March court document that provided additional insight into the office's internal structure.
"Elon Musk is not employed at USDS. I do not report to him, and he does not report to me. To my knowledge, he serves as a Senior Advisor to the White House," Amy Gleason, the acting administrator of DOGE, wrote in a declaration included in a court filing.
Gleason previously served at the United States Digital Service, established in 2014 by former President Barack Obama as a technology office within the Executive Office of the President. Trump signed an executive order in January that changed the office name to the United States DOGE Service, creating DOGE.
Although Musk has been the public face of DOGE, he "possesses no actual or formal power to make government decisions himself" and works as a senior advisor to the president, a White House official stated in a separate court document filed in February.
Musk became a strong supporter of Trump during the peak of the election cycle last summer, officially endorsing Trump after the first assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
Musk posted on X immediately after the assassination attempt, "I fully endorse President Trump and wish him a quick recovery," along with video showing Trump raising his fist and yelling "Fight, fight, fight!" after being wounded in the attack.
Musk conducted a comprehensive interview with Trump on X during the campaign. Throughout Musk's time as a special government employee, Trump has commended the tech entrepreneur for his efforts to improve government efficiency and reduce excessive spending, including during his first speech to a joint Congress session following his second inauguration.
"Thank you, Elon. He's working very hard. He didn't need this. He didn't need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe. They just don't want to admit that," Trump remarked in March during his address, joking that even Democrats were thankful for Musk's contributions at DOGE.
Scientists left shocked after discovering that sperm breaks one of the laws of physics
Experts have been amazed to discover that sperm appears to violate one of Isaac Newton's basic laws of motion. Most people possess basic knowledge about sperm - it resembles a tiny tadpole that swims until it encounters an egg. Yet, sperm can apparently contradict a physics principle that researchers have relied upon for centuries.
This remarkable finding came from Kenta Ishimoto, a mathematical scientist, working with fellow researchers at Kyoto University. The group examined the sperm's ability to overcome Newton's third law of motion, which states that "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Newton's principle indicates that opposing forces counteract each other. This effect appears when two identical marbles collide and subsequently transfer their energy and bounce apart. Sperm, however, operates differently.
Scientists left shocked after discovering that sperm breaks ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
The researchers discovered that sperm cells can drive themselves through thick fluids without creating the expected equal and opposite reaction or meeting typical resistance. Ishimoto and his team investigated these non-reciprocal interactions to understand the mechanism, analyzing experimental data on human sperm and also creating models of green algae (Chlamydomonas) movement.
Both organisms use flagella - the small tail section on sperm - to push cells forward, but while highly viscous liquids would normally disperse their energy, sperm flagella continue to thrust the cells ahead. The study revealed that sperm tails possess an "odd elasticity," allowing them to move without significant energy loss to surrounding fluid.
This property alone, however, did not fully clarify the propulsion generated by the wave-like flagella motion. To better explain this phenomenon, the scientists developed a new concept called "odd elastic modulus" to characterize the internal flagella mechanics. As flagella bend in response to liquid, they manage to avoid the equal and opposite reaction and preserve energy.
The research team noted: "From solvable simple models to biological flagellar waveforms for Chlamydomonas and sperm cells, we studied the odd-bending modulus to decipher the nonlocal, nonreciprocal inner interactions within the material."
Scientists left shocked after discovering that sperm breaks ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
They added: "Odd elasticity is not a generic term for activity in solids, but rather a well-defined physical mechanism that generates active forces in solids or in other systems in which a generalized elasticity can be defined without using an elastic potential."
The scientists suggested their discoveries could have practical applications by aiding the design of tiny, self-assembling robots that imitate living materials, or by enhancing our understanding of collective behavior principles.
Musk's Fertility Concerns Extend Beyond Public Statements
The recent scientific breakthrough holds great interest, but prepare yourself for a somewhat disturbing sperm-related detail. An unsettling fact many would prefer not to know is that the globe's wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, isn't merely a multi-billionaire but also appears to be an enthusiastic contributor of genetic material.
Elon Musk highlights declining global fertility rates with ... (Source: www.newindian.in)
Musk has previously utilized his Twitter platform to voice apprehension regarding birth rates, potentially viewing himself as part of the solution. He posted: "A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far."
In another tweet, he stated: "Many countries are already well below replacement rate, and the trend is that almost all will be. This is simply a fact, not a 'debunked theory.' 2.1 kids is replacement rate, and obviously the world as a whole will soon drop below that point."
A New York Times investigation revealed that the Tesla Chief Executive has allegedly offered his reproductive cells to several friends and acquaintances throughout the years. While this information might be something most would rather not contemplate, it certainly provides food for thought.
