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u up? This spaceship might be...
"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding." - Leonardo da Vinci
Nate Huskey
March 18, 2024
SPACE
VOYAGER 1 WANTS TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN
IMAGE CREDIT: NASA/JPL CALTECH
Voyager 1 might not be lost after all.
After NASA scientists ‘poked‘ Voyager 1 with a troubleshooting command, the spacecraft responded with a readable message for first time in months.
WHY IT MATTERS?
NASA scientists recently feared that they had permanently lost contact with Voyager 1
This message provides hope that communication can be restored with humanity’s oldest spacecraft.
GO DEEPER: Read more here
CLIMATE
THE BALLOONS FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
Many companies are searching for the best method of storing clean energy - but no clear winner has emerged. Enter Energy Dome.
An Italian start-up, Energy Dome is using massive balloons as a battery for storing clean energy - a novel idea that might be the solution to the storage problem.
WHY IT MATTERS?
Storing renewable energy is super expensive - solving the storage problem is key to fixing climate change
These balloons could dramatically reduce the cost of storing renewable energy.
GO DEEPER: Read more here
NEW DISCOVERY
SLEEP APNEA BREAKTHROUGH!
A nasal spray reduced the severity of sleep apnea in 70% of cases during its first clinical trial.
The drug is still in the very-early stages of testing - but this is a very promising first step!
WHY IT MATTERS?
Sleep apnea affects ~39 million Americans
CPAP machines - the best currrent treatment for sleep apnea - are large, annoying and expensive.
This nasal spray could dramatically lower costs and expand access to sleep apnea treatment
GO DEEPER: Read more here
QUICK HITS:
Scientists recently discovered the oldest fossilized-forest in human history, made up of the first trees to ever grow on Earth. Read more here
Suno recently launched a ChatGPT-esque tool for creating music. Try it here
A Jewish family’s famous artwork was stolen by Nazis during WW2. Their descendents are still waiting to have it returned to them. Read why here
BOOK REC: Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives, by Siddarth Kara.
Batteries are extremely expensive, and this shocking exposé reveals the cobalt needed to build them is often mined by children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.