Science & Tech

JPL Spins Rotor Tips Beyond Mach 1 in Simulated Martian Air, Boosting Lift Prospects

JPL tested rotor tips at Mach 1.08 in a simulated Mars atmosphere, a milestone that could raise lift for future Mars helicopters by ~30%.

#nasa, #mars, #rotorcraft, #aerospace

CDC report details Washington state's fatal H5N5 avian flu case linked to backyard flock

CDC reports the first lab-confirmed human H5N5 infection — a fatal Washington case tied to a backyard flock. No evidence of person-to-person spread; risk low.

#health, #avianinfluenza, #h5n5, #cdc

AMD Says Sixth‑Gen EPYC 'Venice' on Track for Launch Later in 2026

AMD said on its Q1 2026 call that sixth‑gen EPYC 'Venice' (Zen 6, TSMC 2nm, up to 256 cores) remains on track to launch later in 2026.

$AMD, #amd, #epyc, #server, #processors, #tsmc

Preprint: Sparse parameter backdoors in image models can be computationally hard to detect

An arXiv preprint argues that tiny, noise-masked parameter changes can hide backdoors in pre-trained image classifiers, making tampering hard to detect.

#ai, #machinelearning, #cybersecurity, #modelsecurity

Study: Galaxy Watch6 biosignals predicted vasovagal fainting up to five minutes — not a device feature

South Korean hospital study found Galaxy Watch6 biosignals predicted vasovagal fainting up to five minutes in tilt‑table tests; Samsung says it's not a device feature.

#wearables, #samsung, #heart-health, #medical-research

JPL Prototype Lithium MPD Thruster Reaches 120 kW in Ground Test

A JPL prototype lithium-fed MPD electric thruster reached 120 kW in a Feb. 24 vacuum test — an early lab milestone toward higher‑power deep‑space propulsion.

#space, #jpl, #electricpropulsion, #mpd

KelpDAO to Move rsETH Bridging From LayerZero to Chainlink CCIP After April Exploit

KelpDAO will shift rsETH bridging from LayerZero to Chainlink CCIP after an April exploit that released 116,500 rsETH and prompted DeFi freezes.

#crypto, #defi, #bridges, #security

Preprint: DESI spectra identify 10,000+ candidate cold gas inflows into galaxies

An arXiv preprint using DESI DR2 spectra reports more than 10,000 candidate cold-gas inflows in z<0.6 galaxies, offering a large but preliminary sample.

#astronomy, #desi, #galaxies, #arxiv

NIST’s CAISI Signs Agreements With Google DeepMind, Microsoft and xAI to Expand U.S. Frontier-AI Testing

NIST’s CAISI struck pacts with Google DeepMind, Microsoft and xAI to expand U.S. frontier-AI testing, including pre-release, classified and reduced‑safeguard evaluations.

$GOOGL, $MSFT, #ai, #nist, #google, #microsoft, #xai

Xbox Game Pass May 2026 Wave 1: Forza Horizon 6, Subnautica 2 and several day-one releases announced

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Wave 1 for May 2026 adds Forza Horizon 6 and several day‑one releases, and lists five games leaving on May 15.

$MSFT, #xbox, #gamepass, #microsoft, #forzahorizon6, #gaming

ArXiv preprint proposes nuclear-spin laser method for >90% single-pass isotope enrichment

An unreviewed arXiv paper proposes using nuclear-spin–sensitive ultrafast lasers to achieve >90% single-pass isotope enrichment in simulations; no experiments yet.

#laser, #isotope, #separation, #nuclearphysics, #arxiv

Study: Possible Thin Atmosphere Detected Around Small Trans‑Neptunian Object 2002 XV93

A May 4 Nature Astronomy paper reports a tenuous atmosphere around plutino (612533) 2002 XV93 based on a single 2024 occultation; independent verification needed.

#transneptunian, #astronomy, #occultation, #pluto

Reanalysis finds no evidence of planetary‑mass primordial black holes in Andromeda data

Independent reanalysis finds 12 short events in Subaru observations of M31 are ordinary stellar variability, not planetary‑mass primordial black holes.

#darkmatter, #primordialblackholes, #astronomy, #andromeda

NRO Selects EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel for Expanded Commercial Earth‑Observation Program

The NRO on May 4 added EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel to its Commercial Solutions Opening, broadening access to electro‑optical, radar, RF and hyperspectral data.

#nro, #earth-observation, #commercial-space, #iceye

Hantavirus Suspected Aboard m/v Hondius Cruise Ship; One Lab-Confirmed Case, Five Suspected, Three Deaths

WHO coordinates response to suspected hantavirus outbreak on m/v Hondius off Cape Verde; one lab-confirmed case, five suspected, three deaths.

#hantavirus, #cruise-ship, #public-health, #who