Meet Cygnus, the Swan, a high-flying constellation that looks like its namesake and has a rich mythological history.
The post Meet the Cygnus, the High-Flying Swan appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
My love of all things Zelda is no secret to my colleagues, friends, and family. In fact, when The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (OoT) remake was first announced, our Global Editor-in-Chief, Marc McLaren, immediately messaged me to ask if I intended to take time off to play it (I do).
When the 40th anniversary of the franchise rolled around earlier this year, I was a little blue to see little-to-no news of a new game or remake, but my long-read ode to the lasting impact of Link's adventures through Hyrule at least gave me a distraction. Now, however, with months to go until I finally make my grand return to the Kokiri forest, my hype has reached new heights.
To pass the time, I plan to spend my money on, you guessed it, even more Zelda merchandise and Switch 2 accessories to accommodate my upcoming increase in playtime. In the current Amazon Prime Day deals, there's a wide selection of cases, storage, merchandise, and more to shop; I've included some of the best below, as well as the essential gear my gaming station will be decked with come OoT's release later this year. Not everything I've linked below is on sale, so look for the percentage-off badge if you're only looking for good deals.
US deal
UK deal
If you're not caught up on the latest and greatest Switch generation Zelda games, you've got plenty of time ahead of the Ocarina of Time's remake releasing to pour some hours into adventure.
From Lego sets to card games and novelty toys, there's a lot of great Zelda merch out there. I own a lot (really, an embarassing amount) of the below merchandise already; join me in my submission to capitalism's whim.
Toyota will not move forward with the Lexus LF-ZC. While the flagship EV has been canceled, the next-gen technology that it was set to use, including new batteries, a dedicated platform, and gigacasting, is ready. A company executive confirmed that a successor is in the works.
As the World Cup fever grows around stars like Messi and Ronaldo, Shanghai hosts a unique penalty shootout featuring humanoid robots.
At MWC Shanghai 2026, humanoid robots are stepping up to the spot in the Humanoid Robot Football Penalties Challenge, testing the limits of robotics,
AI, machine vision, and real-time motion control.
According to Chinese media outlets, the event showcases how embodied AI performs under pressure, highlighting next-generation autonomous technology through football-inspired challenges.
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Hyundai Motor recently launched a football-themed campaign featuring Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot.
On its opening day at MWC Shanghai 2026 on June 24, the spotlight quickly shifted from keynote speeches to a live demonstration of embodied AI in action: the Humanoid Robot Football Penalties Challenge.
Held within the Mobile AI Innovation Frontiers Zone at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the event is designed as a controlled stress test for real-time autonomous decision-making, where humanoid robots must read the goal, judge angles, and execute penalty kicks without pre-programmed sequences, external control, or resets, reported CGTN.
While official details of the participating humanoid robots remain limited, videos circulating online suggest models from Booster Robotics and Unitree Robotics taking part in the challenge.
In the penalties challenge itself, participating humanoids are evaluated on perception accuracy, balance control, motion planning, and adaptive response under game-like pressure. Each robot must independently interpret ball position and goalkeeper movement before committing to a strike, making split-second corrections based on sensor feedback.
The format escalates through semi-finals and a final scheduled for June 25, intensifying constraints to simulate high-pressure competitive conditions. By turning a universally understood sports moment—the penalty kick—into a robotics benchmark, the showcase highlights how far embodied AI has progressed toward coordinated, human-like physical intelligence in unpredictable environments.
In a recent football demonstration by Boston Dynamics, an Atlas robot is shown standing before a large display screen, closely tracking player movements, body positioning, and in-game reactions across football footage. After each clip ends, Atlas moves into a practice zone where it immediately attempts to reproduce the actions it has just observed, effectively linking visual perception with physical execution in real time.
The footage highlights a series of football-inspired motions. In one sequence, the robot shifts its weight, swings a leg forward, and smoothly guides a ball across the floor with controlled contact. It then progresses through rapid training drills focused on balance, coordination, and timing. As the session continues, Atlas’s movements appear increasingly fluid, suggesting the system is being evaluated not only for strength but also for agility, reflex response, and adaptive motor control.
Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions. After completing a drill, it raises its arms in celebration, mirroring a footballer’s goal celebration. In another instance, it drops to one knee and pauses, recreating an injury response seen in match footage it had just observed.
Hyundai Motor Company, parent of Boston Dynamics, described the demonstration as Atlas’s first exposure to football under its “School of Football” initiative. The company has also indicated potential plans to showcase Atlas and the quadruped robot Spot at the FIFA World Cup, though their exact roles remain undisclosed.
O Governo brasileiro anunciou, na última terça-feira (23), uma nova fase do Programa Nacional Celular Seguro. A nova etapa mira o combate ao mercado ilegal de aparelhos e o fortalecimento de mecanismos voltados à recuperação dos dispositivos com o objetivo de tornar o roubo e a revenda menos lucrativos para os criminosos e interceptadores. Em outras palavras, o Governo quer deixar os celulares "menos roubáveis".
Esse próximo passo da iniciativa foi marcado pela assinatura, por parte do presidente Lula, do decreto que consolida o programa como uma política pública permanente. A medida também instituiu o Banco Nacional de Celulares com Restrição (BNCR).
O BNCR será gerido pela Secretaria Nacional de Segurança Pública (Senasp/MJSP) e, inicialmente, contará com mais de 2,9 milhões de aparelhos que podem ser recuperados pelas vítimas.
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A plataforma reunirá informações sobre aparelhos roubados, furtados ou extraviados em todo o território nacional. Esses dados terão origem tanto no Programa Celular Seguro quanto em outras bases de dados, como:
“A partir desse decreto, muita coisa vai mudar na atuação do Governo Federal e dos governos estaduais. Também acho que muita coisa vai mudar nas pessoas que ousarem roubar um celular daqui para frente”, ressaltou Lula.
Uma das principais novidades do Celular Seguro é o Modo Recuperação, que não bloqueia o aparelho imediatamente, mantendo o IMEI ativo para monitoramento nacional. Assim, quando uma nova linha telefônica for habilitada, o sistema identificará o uso do celular e iniciará o processo de recuperação do aparelho.
Outra inovação diz respeito à criação de uma ferramenta pública de consulta, que dará aos cidadãos a possibilidade de verificar se um aparelho possui algum registro de restrição antes de adquiri-lo.
Essa verificação poderá ser feita por meio do aplicativo ou do portal do Celular Seguro. A consulta exigirá o número do IMEI e exibirá ao usuário um dos dois resultados possíveis: "Sem Restrição" ou "Com Restrição".
“A gente está dando um mecanismo para evitar que as pessoas comprem um celular roubado. Além disso, quem já comprou, vamos notificar, avisando que elas estão de posse de um celular, porque é uma questão de cidadania”, pontuou Francisco Lucas Costa Veloso, secretário nacional de Segurança Pública.
E você já se perguntou para onde vão os celulares roubados? Confira o destino dos aparelhos e veja dicas para evitar prejúizos maiores.
Leia a matéria no Canaltech.
I know we're all buzzed about the imminent opening of pre-orders for GTA VI. But for me, that ties for most exciting gaming news this month, after Nintendo announced The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is also dropping later on this year. So if you're as into Zelda games as I am and have a decent chunk of cash spare, I'd absolutely recommend you pick up a Nintendo Switch 2 this Prime Day.
As an ardent fan, The Legend of Zelda series lives absolutely rent-free in my head. I cut my teeth on the sublime pixel art of A Link to the Past on the SNES, donned many mantles in Majora's Mask, and banished the gloom in Twilight Princess. But it's almost certainly Ocarina of Time that made the biggest impression on me at the time, thanks to its epic time-hopping story and, at the time, groundbreaking 3D visuals.
So even though I've played the game to completion an almost shameful number of times, you better believe that I'll be picking up the remake on day one of its release. If you're similarly set on reliving one of the greatest games of all time but don't yet have a Nintendo Switch 2, I have one piece of advice for you: grab your console now.
While epic Prime Day discounts are pretty thin on the ground, there's still a good reason to pick one up now. Thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, Nintendo has already revealed that price rises are coming to the Switch 2. It's been confirmed that, come September, the price US buyers will pay is increasing from $449 to $499 — and while the exact price rise hitting the UK market is yet to be revealed, expectations are that it will be in roughly the same ballpark as in the US.
With its larger, gorgeously vivid 1080p display, silky smooth performance and more sturdy build, the Switch 2 feels every bit the upgrade over its predecessor. And while you can't currently get it for much of a discount, with the price increasing by $50 in September, this may well be the best deal you'll get for a long while.
UK price: now £369.95 at Amazon (was: £385.00)View Deal
I'll admit I didn't upgrade from my Switch right away, in a large part because of the lack of killer exclusives available for Nintendo's new console in the first few months after its release. But when I finally did, I could absolutely see why we awarded it 4.5 stars in our Nintendo Switch 2 review.
Not only is its screen flat out gorgeous, packing plenty of brightness and vibrant colors, but it's silky smooth, hitting highs of 120Hz for compatible games. And performance is impressive — even a much more demanding title like the recent Indiana Jones and The Great Circle port feels great, despite being locked at 30fps rather than the 60fps (or above) hit by other platforms. That's an impressive feat for a handheld console this compact.
And the roster of games available for the Switch 2 has expanded massively since release. Donkey Kong Bananza feels like the exact breath of fresh air the series needed, adding a fun new gimmick in its landscape-smashing shenanigans, while I've genuinely been hoping to see a Metroid Prime 4 for almost two decades now. But it's Pokémon Pokopia that has most thoroughly hijacked my brain's dopamine system, allowing me to pour countless hours into building mansions and amusements for my 'mons.
However, if I hadn't already upgraded, there's no doubt that The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time remake would have pushed me over the top. Getting to relive my nostalgia-soaked memories of one of the greatest adventures of all time with a fresh new coat of paint is a compelling hook indeed. And for any fan dead set on experiencing it, I'd honestly recommend you getting your Switch 2 ordered now before you have to fork out for that extra markup.
If you're still dead set on holding out for a bargain price, keep an eye on our widget below or check out our Amazon Prime Day live blog if you're in the US or our Amazon Prime Day deals roundup in the UK.
DEEP Robotics has demonstrated its new wheeled-legged robot in action, designed to handle challenging industrial operations across complex terrain.
M20S introduces significant improvements over M20 in payload capacity, mobility, durability, and endurance, positioning it as a new benchmark for industry-grade wheeled-legged robots.
Built for all-terrain performance, the Lynx M20S is designed to support a wide range of inspection, logistics, and field operations where reliability and adaptability are critical.
Recently, Deep Robotics unveiled new footage of its DR02 humanoid traversing rough terrain, climbing stairs, and carrying equipment, which is built for industrial and hazardous-environment operations.
LYNX M20 is a wheeled-legged robot designed for industrial operations in challenging terrain and hazardous environments. The company describes it as the world’s first wheeled-legged robot built specifically for demanding field applications, including power inspection, emergency response, logistics, and scientific exploration.
In this newly released demonstration video, DEEP showcases the capabilities of its Lynx M20S wheeled-legged robot in some of the world’s most demanding environments. The footage follows the robot traversing rugged mountain terrain, crossing icy rivers up to 31.5 inches (80 centimeters) deep, and operating in temperatures as low as -22°F (-30°C).
The Lynx M20S is also shown climbing steep 45-degree slopes and navigating rocky, uneven landscapes that would challenge conventional mobile robots. At elevations reaching nearly 17,000 feet (5,177 meters), the robot maintains stability and mobility while carrying out its mission in harsh outdoor conditions. The video highlights the platform’s combination of wheeled speed and legged agility, enabling it to tackle obstacles, extreme weather, and difficult terrain.
According to DEEP, the Lynx M20S, designed for industrial inspections, emergency response, and field operations, demonstrates how advanced robotic mobility can extend autonomous operations into environments that are often inaccessible or hazardous for human workers.
M20S, weighing 77 pounds (35 kilograms), combines the speed of wheeled mobility with the adaptability of legged locomotion. It can navigate narrow spaces with as little as 50 cm of clearance, climb stairs up to 25 cm high, overcome obstacles up to 80 cm high, and handle slopes up to 45 degrees. The platform is designed to operate across rugged mountain trails, muddy wetlands, tunnels, pipelines, and disaster-stricken areas.
The M20 can carry a payload of 33 pounds (15 kilograms) and support a maximum load of 110 pounds (50 kilograms). It offers up to three hours of operation or 9 miles (15 kilometers) of travel on a single charge when unloaded, while carrying a 33-pound (15-kilogram) payload reduces endurance to 2.5 hours and 7.4 miles (12 kilometers). The robot can reach a laboratory-tested top speed of 5 m/s and an operating speed of 2 m/s.
For perception and navigation, the robot is equipped with dual 96-line LiDAR sensors providing a 360-degree by 90-degree field of view, along with wide-angle cameras and omnidirectional obstacle avoidance capabilities. Built for harsh environments, the platform carries an IP66 protection rating and can operate in temperatures ranging from -4°F (-20°C) to 131°F (55°C). Additional features include hot-swappable batteries, bidirectional lighting, OTA updates, and modular expansion options.
To improve operational endurance, DEEP increased the Lynx M20S’s single-charge runtime by 17 percent to 67 percent and added dual hot-swappable batteries. The upgrades help offset the high power demands of wheeled-legged locomotion and support longer, uninterrupted missions.
The head of the European Space Agency has issued a wakeup call to decision makers amid partners cancelling missions and geopolitical changes affecting the space sector, calling for Europeans to be pilots rather than passengers.
In a LinkedIn post published last month, European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Josef Aschbacher stated that recent decisions taken by the United States to pause the lunar Gateway station and cancel the Mars Sample Return mission campaign — both major projects with deep ESA commitments — have revealed how dependent the agency is on outside actions.
"Europe has become too exposed to decisions beyond its control," Aschbacher wrote, before laying out the challenge the continent faces. "The choice before Europe is clear: Do we pilot, or are we merely passengers?"
The situation for ESA and its 23 member states is complex, requiring Europe to both develop agency and autonomy while balancing this with fruitful collaboration, Aschbacher noted.
"The current environment demands both diversified international partnerships and strengthened autonomous capabilities," he wrote. "Only under these conditions can Europe decide when to act independently and when to cooperate globally, protecting our investments and our industrial base amid geopolitical uncertainty."
With trust in the U.S. as a reliable partner taking a hit, collaboration with other space actors such as Japan, South Korea and Australia could grow, while Europe also pursues its own capabilities.
Human spaceflight is one area Aschbacher is keen to push Europe forward, describing it as a necessity rather than a luxury, and one needed to secure ESA's freedom to unlock the "scientific, economic, strategic and geopolitical benefits of space and to inspire a new generation to shape Europe's future."
The question is not new — it has long been debated by European policy makers and the space sector — but recent events and Aschbacher's comments have brought the issue to the fore. And there is clear support and grounds for greater European autonomy in space.
"The disruption brought by the Trump administration has made this question more pressing," said Marco Aliberti, associate manager and lead on international engagement at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) in Vienna, an independent think tank that advises European space policymakers. "There is a realization in Europe that so far we have not been pursuing autonomy."
Europe, Aliberti argued, has built genuine technical capacity, including the ability to build and operate world-class space systems, but, at the same time, has consistently failed to secure the political autonomy to decide how and with whom those capabilities are deployed.
"Participation without agency is yet another form of dependency dressed up as ambition," he said. In other words, Europe has built the capacity to execute in space, but not the autonomy to decide its own agenda.
Aliberti pointed out that this is not the first time Europe has needed to move to acquire greater autonomy. The birth of Europe's Ariane rocket in the 1970s was a response to an asymmetric relationship. The United States refused to launch the Franco-German Symphonie communications satellite unless Europe agreed to forgo commercial use, with the aim of protecting American dominance in commercial communications. European governments concluded they had no choice but to build their own launch capability.
Aliberti went on to point out that history could, potentially, repeat itself, this time in the lunar realm, as a European partner dependent on U.S. transportation could face unacceptable conditions. "The U.S. may tell us: I will continue bringing you to the lunar surface, provided that you do not engage in commercial activity," he said. "We do not see the risks that being a passenger entails."
And investment in space can bring huge payoffs. For example, NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services contracts in the 2000s gave early funding to SpaceX, enabling the development of the company's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, and ultimately, the rise of its Starlink broadband megaconstellation.
"It was the billions that NASA gave to SpaceX that enabled the birth and growth of SpaceX," Aliberti stated. "Let's not neglect the impact that space exploration investment has across other parts of the ecosystem."
ESA's DG has signaled the need for action and its urgency, although he admitted it will take years to build autonomous capability. "If not now, then when? If not ESA, then who?" Aschbacher asked.
What comes next is unclear. Institutionally, Aschbacher sees opportunities in a convergence of key meetings and milestones, including an ESA Council in mid-June, a ministerial focused specifically on exploration scheduled for December, and the crucial once-every-three-years ESA Ministerial Council in 2028. At the same time, the European Union, with a growing interest in space separate to ESA, is drafting its Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034.
Aliberti warned that, if ESA cannot act promptly, its member states could move to act alone to address shorter-term needs. He cited the recent development of the French government reaching an agreement to send a pair of its astronauts on missions with U.S. space station firm Vast.
As confidence in the partnership with the U.S. government erodes, individual European nations may look to explore bilateral arrangements with commercial American providers, meaning less interest in investing into joint European efforts. The window for collective European action is open, but perhaps not for long.
"If we take decisions by the Ministerial Council in 2028, we will be able to play a role and be pilots in 10 years," Aliberti says. "If not, it may become too late."
It’s been a big month for Orange EV – the all electric terminal truck brand followed news of its record-setting 600-unit order with not one but two major milestone announcements: 2,000 yard hostlers delivered to customers, and 33 million electric miles driven!
O Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) decidiu invalidar leis de três localidades que exigiam licenciamento ambiental específico para a instalação de antenas de celular no Brasil. A decisão foi tomada por unanimidade e com o intuito de facilitar a expansão da infraestrutura de telecomunicações do país.
No âmbito técnico, o novo entendimento do STF abrange a instalação das chamadas Estações Rádio-Base (ERBs) e demais infraestruturas relacionadas ao setor.
A nova medida surge como resultado do julgamento de três ações propostas pela Associação Nacional de Operadoras Celulares (Acel). Esses processos questionavam as normas relacionadas às antenas de telefonia móvel vigentes no estado do Maranhão e nos municípios de Foz do Iguaçu (PR) e Petrolina (PE).
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A relatora das ações foi a ministra Cármen Lúcia, que, em seu voto, ressaltou que a regulamentação e a fiscalização dos serviços de telecomunicações são de responsabilidade da União. Logo, órgãos locais não podem criar exigências que contrariem a legislação federal do setor.
No caso do julgamento da Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade (ADI) 7887, o tribunal declarou a inconstitucionalidade das Portarias nº 109/2018 e nº 278/2023 da Secretaria de Estado do Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais do Maranhão (Sema-MA).
Também foi julgada inconstitucional a Resolução nº 43 do Conselho Estadual do Meio Ambiente (Consema). Na prática, essas portarias e a resolução não podem ser aplicadas para exigir licenciamento, autorização ou registro ambiental estadual para a instalação e operação das ERBs.
No que diz respeito ao município de Foz do Iguaçu, o STF julgou a Arguição de Descumprimento de Preceito Fundamental (ADPF) 1.274, declarando inconstitucional a Lei nº 2.666/2002. No caso de Petrolina, a ADPF analisada foi a 1.275, resultando na invalidação da Lei nº 2.782/2016.
Enquanto a cidade pernambucana de Petrolina teve sua lei invalidade, Olinda deve apliar a cobertura de das redes 4G e 5G no seu Sítio Histórico com a ajuda de antenas "camufladas" instaladas por operadora.
Leia a matéria no Canaltech.
Solar panels are overheating amid soaring temperatures, leading to gas power stations across the UK being ordered to fire up production to make up the shortfall.
The post Solar Panels Overheat as Gas Power Stations Ordered to Fire Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Nature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10810-2
Role of methanesulfonic acid in atmospheric particle nucleation and growthNature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10568-7
Reply to: On the robustness of topological gap detection via transportNature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10767-2
Addendum: Transmission of MPXV from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeysNature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10704-3
Global high-resolution mapping shows widespread seagrass loss and degradation since 2019, with most meadows outside protected areas, highlighting urgent conservation and climate-policy needs.Nature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10681-7
A versatile platform of miniaturized Fourier-optics-based diffractive elements enables multifunctional pixels that fully control and sense the amplitude, phase and polarization of optical wavefronts for advanced photonic applications.Nature, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10625-1
Genetic sequencing of multiple late Neanderthals living less than 52,500 years ago provides an overview of genetic diversity and demonstrates that even low-coverage nuclear genome data can increase resolution of within-Neanderthal diversity.
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