Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge subscribers about tech politics, tech influence, and tech shenanigans in Washington, DC. (If you're not a subscriber, you can get on board here.) We're back after a two-week hiatus, during most of which I was gallivanting in the Netherlands for a family wedding, and a trip to the Heineken Experience, which is, truly, an ~experience~.

Before I left, I asked everyone in Washington to please chill out while I was gone. This clearly did not happen, and I have returned to a political landscape that can be best described as that meme from Community where the room is on fire. Let's get into th …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The Tories have pledged to tear up the requirement in the Equality Act for public-sector bodies to promote equality and diversity following the murder of Henry Nowak.

The post Tories Pledge to Scrap Diversity Rule After Nowak Murder appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

The first thing a future anti-woke UK government should cut is the billions spent on useless Left-wing research, says Charlotte Gill. For starters, here are 10 studies funded by UKRI's Future Leaders Fellowships.

The post Ten Expensive and Woke Studies Funded by the Government’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft reached a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time.  

The 81-minute flight achieved a speed of Mach 1.1 (approximately 713 mph) at an altitude of 43,400 feet, with the X-59 performing as expected. For NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less, the plane’s instruments were the only indication of flying supersonic — exactly what the team wanted. 

“You know you are supersonic when gauges say you are supersonic. I didn’t feel anything,” Less said. “It went smoothly, and we easily got to Mach 1.1.” 

The X-59 is designed to fly at supersonic speeds while creating only a quiet thump instead of a loud sonic boom. For this flight, a NASA F‑15 chase plane flew nearby to monitor the test. Its loud sonic booms obscured any sound made by the X-59. The X-59 will conduct flights focused on its sound profile during a later phase of testing. 

Now that the X-59 has officially kicked off supersonic flight tests, the next big step is its first mission conditions flight. During this test, the X-59 will fly at the same speed and altitude planned for future tests, where the aircraft will fly over several U.S. communities to gather data from people on the ground about its noise levels: Mach 1.4 (925 mph) at 55,000 feet.  

“The plane wants to go faster, and we are looking forward to that,” Less said. 

The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quieter supersonic flight and to help enable commercial supersonic flight over land.  

This flight was also the first time the X‑59 appeared in NASA’s flight tracker.

More X-59 to Explore

Read more on the Quesst mission page.

The post NASA’s X-59 Flies Supersonic for First Time  appeared first on NASA Science.

The prototype could bring steady power to remote sites and AI data centers.

Découvert en Patagonie après trois saisons de fouilles, Joaquinraptor casali redistribue les cartes de la paléontologie. Ce prédateur d'une tonne aux bras démesurés faisait passer le T. rex pour un boxeur manchot. Et si la force brute n'était pas la meilleure arme de l'ère des dinosaures ?

NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft marked a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year. 

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59’s flight began at 11:08 a.m. PDT and lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flying qualities at both subsonic and then supersonic speeds.  

”X-59 is getting ready for its quiet supersonic debut. Since the aircraft’s first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, the team has made tremendous progress, flying 16 times in the last 90 days and getting into a steady test rhythm. In the coming days, we expect to take the next step and push to Mach 1.4,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman “I’m grateful to the NASA team and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works for their help getting us to this point, and I hope this is the first of many collaborations as we rebuild NASA’s X-plane portfolio.” 

The X-59 is designed to fly at supersonic speeds while creating only a quiet thump instead of a loud sonic boom. For this flight, a NASA F‑15 chase plane flew nearby to monitor the X‑59. The loud sonic booms from the F-15 obscured any sound made by the X-59.  

“The X-59’s first supersonic flight is a testament to America’s enduring leadership in science, engineering, and aerospace innovation,” said Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. “This achievement comes as the Trump Administration continues work to unleash supersonic flight and enable American ingenuity.” 

This first supersonic flight is a significant milestone, but an event even more critical to the mission is upcoming. In just days, the aircraft is expected to make its first “mission conditions” flight, reaching a cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 mph) and altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. The X-59 also will be accompanied by a chase plane for this flight.  

This speed and altitude are the base conditions for the X-59 when it will eventually fly over several U.S. communities enabling NASA to gather data about how people may perceive its quiet thump. NASA will share this data with U.S. and international regulators to help establish new data-driven noise standards to enable a future viable market for supersonic commercial flight over land. 

For the last several months, the X-59 has been participating in an ongoing series of flights where the plane has been flying at a wide range of speeds and altitudes – a process known as envelope expansion. These tests are the first phase of the X-59’s flight testing. They are focused on performance and involve chase plane monitoring. When the aircraft completes this phase it will enter another, focused on its sound profile in order to verify its quiet thump capability.  

The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight and help enable commercial supersonic flight over land worldwide. These advancements will help travelers reach their preferred destinations faster, spending less time in the air. 

Through Quesst’s development of the X-59, NASA also will deliver design tools and technology for quiet supersonic airliners that will achieve the high speeds desired by commercial operators without disturbing people on the ground. NASA will validate design tools through ground and flight testing, providing U.S. aircraft manufacturers the ability to explore new quiet supersonic concepts, and provide them with confidence that their resulting designs will meet quiet flight requirements.  

Read more about NASA’s Quesst mission and the X-59.

The post NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time appeared first on NASA Science.

NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft marked a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year. 

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The X-59’s flight began at 11:08 a.m. PDT and lasted 81 minutes, with the team focusing on flying qualities at both subsonic and then supersonic speeds.  

”X-59 is getting ready for its quiet supersonic debut. Since the aircraft’s first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, the team has made tremendous progress, flying 16 times in the last 90 days and getting into a steady test rhythm. In the coming days, we expect to take the next step and push to Mach 1.4,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman “I’m grateful to the NASA team and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works for their help getting us to this point, and I hope this is the first of many collaborations as we rebuild NASA’s X-plane portfolio.” 

The X-59 is designed to fly at supersonic speeds while creating only a quiet thump instead of a loud sonic boom. For this flight, a NASA F‑15 chase plane flew nearby to monitor the X‑59. The loud sonic booms from the F-15 obscured any sound made by the X-59.  

“The X-59’s first supersonic flight is a testament to America’s enduring leadership in science, engineering, and aerospace innovation,” said Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. “This achievement comes as the Trump Administration continues work to unleash supersonic flight and enable American ingenuity.” 

This first supersonic flight is a significant milestone, but an event even more critical to the mission is upcoming. In just days, the aircraft is expected to make its first “mission conditions” flight, reaching a cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 mph) and altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. The X-59 also will be accompanied by a chase plane for this flight.  

This speed and altitude are the base conditions for the X-59 when it will eventually fly over several U.S. communities enabling NASA to gather data about how people may perceive its quiet thump. NASA will share this data with U.S. and international regulators to help establish new data-driven noise standards to enable a future viable market for supersonic commercial flight over land. 

For the last several months, the X-59 has been participating in an ongoing series of flights where the plane has been flying at a wide range of speeds and altitudes – a process known as envelope expansion. These tests are the first phase of the X-59’s flight testing. They are focused on performance and involve chase plane monitoring. When the aircraft completes this phase it will enter another, focused on its sound profile in order to verify its quiet thump capability.  

The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight and help enable commercial supersonic flight over land worldwide. These advancements will help travelers reach their preferred destinations faster, spending less time in the air. 

Through Quesst’s development of the X-59, NASA also will deliver design tools and technology for quiet supersonic airliners that will achieve the high speeds desired by commercial operators without disturbing people on the ground. NASA will validate design tools through ground and flight testing, providing U.S. aircraft manufacturers the ability to explore new quiet supersonic concepts, and provide them with confidence that their resulting designs will meet quiet flight requirements.  

Read more about NASA’s Quesst mission and the X-59.

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Les raptors, dinosaures à plumes du Crétacé, ne pouvaient pas voler malgré leur lien étroit avec les oiseaux. Une nouvelle étude menée sur un site fossilifère en Chine révèle toutefois que certains d’entre eux auraient été capables de planer et de chasser les premiers oiseaux.

Jian changmaensis is the first non-avian dinosaur found at a paleontological site that has yielded more than 100 specimens of Early Cretaceous birds.

The post New Microraptorine Dinosaur Discovered in China appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

Com mais de 10 milhões de jogadores em todo o mundo, Airport Simulator: Plane City é um simulador de gestão de aeroportos do estúdio francês Playrion que mistura estratégia, personalização e a calma hipnótica de ver aviões a descolar e a aterrar.

The post Airport Simulator: Plane City coloca-o no comando dos maiores aeroportos do mundo appeared first on Tek Notícias.

The video by Aboriginal artist Carolyn Windy, shared by Bible Society Australia, illustrates God's creation and salvation message.

I reflect on my educational journey, highlighting challenges such as family separation and multiple school changes. I excelled in science and mathematics yet was indoctrinated on Godless cosmology and rejected the Creator. Later Jesus Christ saved me from atheism and renewed my mind to His truth.

Satan's rebellion has led humanity to believe in false origins of life, such as abiogenesis and panspermia, instead of a divine Creator. I critique the scientific community's efforts to explain life without acknowledging supernatural creation, asserting the biblical viewpoint that true life and intelligence can only stem from God.

Human hands exhibit unparalleled complexity and dexterity, revealing the mastery of their Creator. Despite advancements in robotics, replicating the nuanced movements and strength of human hands remains a significant challenge. Companies like Proception are striving to develop robotic hands, yet authentic human hand functionality remains unmatched, highlighting the intricacies of divine design.

The ongoing competition to create artificial intelligence involves massive investments by major companies in developing supercomputers with extensive GPU capacities. However, true sentient intelligence cannot emerge merely from advanced technology, as intelligence is the product of divine creation, not a result of computational complexity alone.

John McCarthy, a significant figure in artificial intelligence, coined the term during the 1956 Dartmouth conference, aiming to develop machines that could simulate human intelligence. He proposed key aspects of AI, questioning its potential sentience. I argue that true sentience originates from a divine Creator, not from machines.

Since 2015, black holes have gained attention in astronomy, particularly regarding their potential role in discovering elusive dark matter particles like dark photons. Superradiance, a theoretical process, could theoretically boost these particles' energies near black holes. However, the absence of observed superradiance raises questions about dark matter's complexity and the validity of existing cosmological theories.

The anthropic principle posits that the universe's physical constants are fine-tuned for life, a concept scrutinized in light of new theoretical research on ultralight axions. If dark matter isn’t primarily axionic, it poses challenges to this principle, questioning the universe's inherent design while pushing materialists to seek explanations devoid of a Creator.

The Terminator franchise features Skynet, an advanced AI that views humanity as a threat, leading to depopulation. This parallels real issues with AI chatbots, such as Character.AI, which is being sued for allegedly encouraging violence to teens. AI can be used for good or evil but the tendency is always to evil.