Scientists in Japan and the US have made a big achievement in smart computing after developing the first silicon-based spintronic probabilistic bit in the world, or p-bit.

The device was designed by a joint research team from Japan’s Tohoku University and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is the world’s first spintronic p-bit fabricated on a silicon chip with conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes.

The researchers announced that they had experimentally verified the operation of the p-bit, the base unit of probabilistic computing. Probabilistic computing is a field of computer science and AI that focuses on the study and implementation of probabilistic algorithms, models, and methods for computation.

“The achievement provides a pathway toward large-scale spintronic p-computers for applications such as AI and machine learning,” the researchers pointed out.

Smarter AI hardware

Conventional computers process data using bits that exist in one of two states: 0 or 1. This binary system forms the foundation of modern technologies, including smartphones, supercomputers, data centers, AI, and virtually every digital device in use today. However, it struggles with searching through enormous numbers of possible solutions.

In contrast, probabilistic computers use p-bits, which are electronic elements that fluctuate randomly between 0 and 1. They utilize physical randomness, to explore many possible states and make them attractive for tasks involving AI, machine learning and optimization.

Spintronics, a technology that processes and stores information by manipulating the intrinsic quantum spin of an electron, has meanwhile emerged as one of the most promising technologies for building p-computers. Spintronic devices exploit the magnetic properties of electrons.

“Among several candidate technologies, spintronics is considered especially promising because nanoscale magnetic devices can naturally generate probabilistic behavior through magnetic fluctuations,” the researchers stressed.

Built on a silicon chip

The study was led by Ju-Young Yoon, PhD, a researcher at Tohoku University’s lab for nanoelectronics and spintronics. The team integrated spintronic devices right onto a silicon chip by combining semiconductor and spintronics manufacturing techniques in both Japan and the US.

To fabricate transistors and lower interconnect layers, the team used the 130-nm (130-nanometer) CMOS process provided by SkyWater Technology, a Minnesota-based semiconductor firm. They then integrated superparamagnetic nanodevices and upper electrodes using spintronic device fabrication facilities at the university.

The resulting chip successfully demonstrated the two key characteristics required for p-bit operation. First, the team observed stochastic fluctuations in the output voltage over time, and confirmed that the device could naturally switch between different states.

They also proved that the average output could be controlled through an applied input voltage, allowing the probabilistic behavior to be tuned. The scientists said this is the first experimental demonstration of a spintronic p-bit monolithically integrated on a silicon chip using semiconductor integrated circuit processes.

The findings could enable larger spintronic p-computers. “By further advancing device and circuit technologies and increasing the number of integrated p-bits, the researchers expect spintronic p-computers to move closer to large-scale practical implementation,” the university concluded in a press release.

The study has been published in the journal IEEE Electron Device Letters.

💾

Microsoft is laying the groundwork for what it believes will be the next era of computing, unveiling a new software platform designed specifically for AI-powered devices that rely on intelligent agents rather than traditional applications.

At its Build 2026 developer conference, the company introduced Project Solara, an operating system built for a new class of agent-first hardware. Instead of launching apps and navigating menus, users interact directly with AI assistants that can access information, understand context, and perform tasks across connected services.

Microsoft argues that AI agents will become the primary interface for future devices, and Project Solara is intended to provide the foundation for that transition.

AI beyond traditional apps

Unlike Microsoft’s Windows platform, Project Solara is built on Android and optimized for dedicated AI hardware. The company describes it as a flexible environment capable of supporting continuous, agent-driven experiences across multiple device categories.

To demonstrate the concept, Microsoft showcased two prototype devices that serve as reference designs for hardware partners.

The first is a desktop smart display resembling a compact home assistant screen. The device uses facial recognition for authentication and provides access to AI agents that can surface information from Microsoft 365 services. Users can review calendar schedules, access documents, and interact with workplace data through voice commands and touch controls.

Microsoft also highlighted the possibility of agents carrying out actions on a user’s behalf, reducing the need to manually navigate software interfaces.

Reference devices unveiled

The second prototype takes a different approach. Designed as a wearable badge, the device combines a touchscreen, camera, and fingerprint scanner in a compact form factor intended for mobile use.

With a single button press, users can activate an AI agent and capture information in real time. During demonstrations, Microsoft showed the badge recording conversations and generating instant transcriptions. The onboard camera also allows the agent to analyze a user’s surroundings and respond using visual context.

Microsoft does not plan to commercialize either device. Instead, the company hopes hardware manufacturers will use the concepts as starting points for their own products built on the Solara platform.

Several organizations, including AccuWeather, Best Buy, CVS Health, and Target, are expected to participate in early pilot programs involving Solara-based hardware.

New Scout assistant

Alongside Project Solara, Microsoft introduced Scout, a new AI assistant designed to bring persistent agent capabilities into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Built on the OpenClaw framework, Scout functions as an always-available digital assistant that develops an ongoing relationship with its user. Each instance can be given a custom name and personalized through continuous feedback, allowing it to adapt its behavior and preferred working style over time.

Scout operates primarily in the cloud but can work across desktop environments and web browsers. The assistant can connect with calendars, email inboxes, and other productivity tools while helping users manage schedules, organize meetings, and automate routine tasks.

Microsoft plans to offer Scout through its Frontier program. Access will require a GitHub Copilot subscription.

Together, Project Solara and Scout offer a glimpse into Microsoft’s vision of a future where AI agents become the primary gateway to digital experiences, replacing many of the app-centric workflows that define computing today.

💾

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft, developed under the agency’s Quesst mission in partnership with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, is preparing for its most demanding test phase to date: flying over populated communities to measure how residents perceive its sonic signature on the ground.

The results are intended to give regulators concrete data on whether current rules banning overland supersonic commercial flight in the United States should be revised.

Built around acoustics, not speed

The X-59 is not a speed demonstrator. Its design objective is acoustic shaping — specifically, suppressing the conventional sonic boom into what engineers describe as a “sonic thump,” a quieter pressure wave that the aircraft’s geometry is engineered to produce.

The airframe is roughly 99 feet long with a needle-like nose section that accounts for about a third of its total length. That elongated forebody distributes the pressure gradients that normally coalesce into a sharp N-wave shockwave, the defining cause of the loud double-boom heard on the ground during supersonic flight.

The aircraft is designed to cruise at approximately Mach 1.4 at 55,000 feet, generating a ground-level noise signature targeting around 75 Perceived Level decibels (PLdB) — roughly equivalent to the sound of a car door closing, according to NASA’s published mission parameters. For reference, a conventional supersonic aircraft produces a boom in the range of 105 to 110 PLdB.

How the test profile changes

Flight envelope expansion at Edwards Air Force Base was the first hurdle. Pilots had to validate structural performance, engine behavior, and handling qualities before the program could progress to acoustic validation — measuring actual boom signatures using microphones and ground sensors beneath the flight path. That phase established the baseline acoustic data from controlled conditions.

The community overflight phase introduces a fundamentally different variable: human perception. NASA will conduct flights over select U.S. cities, collecting responses from residents through surveys.

The agency is looking not just for decibel readings but for psychoacoustic data — how disruptive or acceptable people find the sound in a real residential context, factoring in background noise, time of day, and subjective annoyance thresholds.

This methodology draws on earlier NASA work with the F-18 at reduced-boom conditions, but the X-59 is the first purpose-built low-boom demonstrator to undergo this protocol at scale.

Regulatory stakes behind flight data

The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits civil supersonic flight over land in the United States under rules that have remained largely unchanged since the early 1970s. Those regulations were written in direct response to community complaints during supersonic transport trials, before any engineering framework existed for low-boom design.

NASA’s position is that the X-59 data set, once compiled and submitted, could give the FAA the empirical basis to draft new noise-based standards rather than a blanket speed prohibition.

That process will take time. Even if the community overflights yield favorable responses, rulemaking at the FAA involves public comment periods, technical review, and coordination with international bodies such as ICAO, whose standards govern transoceanic routes.

Commercial operators including Boom Supersonic are watching the outcome closely, since any regulatory shift would directly affect the viability of overland routes for next-generation supersonic transports.

Technical risks in overflight phase

Community overflights carry logistical complexity that controlled test range flights do not. Atmospheric variability — wind gradients, temperature inversions, and humidity — can refract shockwaves in ways that alter the ground-level signature even when the aircraft performs nominally.

NASA’s acoustic modeling accounts for these factors, but real-world dispersion can produce outlier measurements that complicate the statistical picture regulators need.

Phison says its new memory extension technology can run a 26-billion-parameter language model on a PC with just 16 GB of RAM, potentially allowing more advanced smart software to operate locally without relying heavily on cloud infrastructure.

The company unveiled the technology, called aiDAPTIV, at Computex 2026 in Taipei as part of a collaboration with Intel. The system combines Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Phison’s storage-based memory extension platform to support larger models and longer-running workloads on consumer PCs.

As smart applications become more capable, they increasingly require more memory to handle larger models, maintain session history, and execute multi-step tasks. Many current PCs lack enough DRAM to run these workloads efficiently, forcing users to depend on cloud-based services.

Phison says aiDAPTIV addresses this limitation by extending working memory beyond traditional DRAM and into high-performance NAND flash storage. The technology uses what the company calls Pascari aiDAPTIV Cache Memory to make additional memory resources available to local workloads.

Breaking memory limits

According to Phison, internal testing showed that a 26-billion-parameter model could run on a system equipped with 16 GB of DRAM when aiDAPTIV was enabled. The same workload required 32 GB of DRAM without the technology under identical test conditions.

The company said the platform also supports runtime features such as KV cache reuse, which helps retain information from previous interactions and reduces the need to repeatedly process the same data.

The collaboration with Intel is focused on enabling aiDAPTIV on Intel AI PC platforms powered by Core Ultra processors. The companies are also working on support for Intel’s OpenVINO toolkit and evaluating optimized workloads for future performance demonstrations.

“AI PCs are evolving into platforms for more sophisticated local AI workloads, including agentic applications and larger MoE models that place increasing demands on memory capacity and responsiveness,” said KS Pua, CEO and Founder at Phison Electronics.

“Through our collaboration with Intel, aiDAPTIV helps expand the necessary memory available to AI workloads on Intel AI PC platforms, allowing OEMs, developers and end users to run more capable AI applications locally while maintaining privacy and infrastructure efficiency.”

Local models expand

At Computex, the companies demonstrated a local chat interface running a mixture-of-experts model that would normally exceed the available system memory. Phison also showcased a hybrid large-language-model routing system built on OpenClaw, an open-source agent framework.

The demonstration allowed larger models to run locally while using cloud-based resources only when more complex requests required additional processing.

Intel said memory remains one of the primary barriers to running advanced models on client hardware.

“More users and businesses want to run AI locally — faster, more private and without the cost of sending everything to the cloud,” said Jim Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Computing at Intel.

“Our collaboration with Phison enables Intel AI PC platforms to support larger local AI workloads with simpler memory configurations, so customers can turn their own data into useful applications and real business value at a lower total cost.”

The announcement was made at Computex 2026 in Taipei.

Finland is preparing to clear one of the final regulatory hurdles for what is expected to become the world’s first permanent deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel, a project that could shape how countries manage nuclear waste for generations.

The Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) is scheduled to issue its final assessment of the Onkalo repository by the end of June, a decision that would pave the way for an operating license and bring the long-awaited facility significantly closer to accepting radioactive waste.

Located near the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in Eurajoki, southwestern Finland, the repository has been carved 430 meters (about 1,400 feet) into 1.9-billion-year-old bedrock. If approved, it would become the first operational deep geological repository designed for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel.

The project has attracted global attention because most countries with nuclear power programs still store spent fuel in temporary facilities while debating long-term disposal solutions.

“We hope we can start operations either at the end of this year or, most probably, at the beginning of next year,” Philippe Bordarier, chief executive of nuclear operator Teollisuuden Voima (TVO), told AFP.

A repository designed to last 100,000 years

Known as Onkalo, which translates to “cave” in Finnish, the facility is being developed by nuclear waste management company Posiva. Construction began in 2004, and the total cost is now estimated at around €1 billion ($1.16 billion).

The repository is designed to eventually store up to 6,500 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel generated by Finland’s five operating reactors. The waste will first be sealed inside corrosion-resistant copper canisters before being lowered into disposal holes drilled directly into the bedrock. Each canister will then be surrounded by bentonite clay, which acts as an additional protective barrier against water infiltration and radioactive release.

Once disposal tunnels are filled, they will be sealed with reinforced concrete structures. According to Posiva, the facility is designed to safely isolate radioactive material for at least 100,000 years.

The concept is based on the KBS-3 multi-barrier disposal method, originally developed in Sweden and widely regarded as one of the most advanced approaches to long-term nuclear waste storage.

Why the June decision matters

While the repository has been under development for decades, the upcoming STUK assessment represents the key regulatory milestone that could finally move the project from testing to operation.

According to Finland’s nuclear regulator, the review process has involved extensive evaluations of long-term safety, engineered barriers, operational procedures, and the performance of bentonite clay systems intended to prevent the spread of radioactive materials. STUK’s statement is now due by the end of June after several extensions to the review process.

Posiva has already completed major commissioning activities, including demonstrations of its fuel encapsulation plant and extensive operational testing using non-radioactive dummy fuel assemblies. The company describes itself as being on a “countdown” toward industrial-scale disposal operations.

A model the rest of the world is watching

The significance of Onkalo extends well beyond Finland. Countries including Sweden, France, Canada, the United States, and others have spent decades exploring deep geological repositories as the preferred solution for managing highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel. However, none has yet opened a commercial facility for permanent disposal.

Supporters argue that deep geological storage offers the safest known long-term solution because it combines engineered barriers with stable geological formations that can remain unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years.

Critics, including environmental groups, argue that no repository can be guaranteed safe over such immense timescales and that uncertainties remain regarding future geological changes and container corrosion.

For now, Finland appears poised to become the first nation to move from theory to reality. If STUK delivers a positive assessment this month and the operating license follows, Onkalo could begin receiving spent nuclear fuel as early as late 2026 or early 2027, marking a historic milestone in the global effort to solve one of nuclear energy’s most persistent challenges.

Unsual mating rituals are emerging in modern times. In a bizarre wild twist, a female great bowerbird can be won over by a pair of handcuffs, discarded medicine jars, or a neon football mouthguard.

A new study shows that urban male bowerbirds are ditching otherwise natural decorations and turning to a wild assortment of human trash to woo mates.

Researchers from the University of Exeter compared birds in Townsville City to their rural counterparts in Queensland, Australia.

It was discovered that urban displays featured much more vivid reds and duller greens than their rural counterparts

“Our study demonstrates that availability of human items – often glass and plastic – is affecting the behavior of bowerbirds,” said Dr Laura Kelley from the University of Exeter. 

“We don’t yet know whether this has any negative or positive impact on them, but it’s a reminder of how human activity is changing the natural world in unanticipated ways,” Kelley said.   

City birds ditch nature

Male bowerbirds do not help raise young. Their only goal is to attract a mate. To do this, these avians build a special tunnel of twigs called a bower and surround it with a courtyard of colorful objects. When a female visits, the male throws objects into her line of sight while flaunting his colorful plumage.

In the wild, this means typically collecting berries, seeds, leaves, and other such natural items. In the city? It means raiding the local stadium.

“Bowers are built exclusively to attract a mate, and males choose decorations that contrast against their own plumage and the bower itself,” said Caitlin Evans from the Center for Ecology and Conservation at Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

“Our findings show that bowerbirds in a city use a wide range of items scavenged from humans. Glass, plastic, and wire were common choices, but we also found items including a pair of handcuffs, medicine jars at bowers near a hospital, and fluorescent mouth guards from a site near an Australian Rules football ground,” Evans added. 

Overachiever bird

Urban bowerbirds are prolific collectors, hoarding an average of 90 items per bower — with one overachiever amassing more than 300. In comparison, the average was a modest 20 items for rural males. 

The researchers also evaluated the bowers through the eyes of the female birds. Bowerbirds have incredible vision, and their eyes are much more sensitive to color than human eyes.

Interestingly, the birds’ choice of décor also reflects their surroundings. While rural birds rely on green leaves, seeds, and occasional green glass, city birds heavily favor synthetic, high-contrast materials, making green glass and red wire their top two decorations.

To test how deep this preference runs, the team set up a swap experiment. They offered both city and country birds a mix of natural and human-made items. The choice was unanimous.

Both groups overwhelmingly chose the human-made plastic and glass. Even the rural birds were willing to raid farm garages and trash bins to upgrade their collections.

However, the study did not directly measure female preference. The intense enthusiasm city males for hoarding these human objects likley suggests that the females find them attractive.

Whether this helps the birds win more dates or accidentally introduces environmental risks is a question scientists are still trying to solve

The study was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science on June 2.

💾

The US has recently launched a new battery production line, which is expected to help researchers develop safer and cheaper energy storage technologies for the electric grid.

The new line is housed at the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL), a 93,000-square-foot research facility. It is run by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington State.

According to PNNL, the newly commissioned production line features a total of 16 pieces of equipment inside a 1,400-square-foot laboratory. It is reportedly the first prismatic battery cell production line at a US national laboratory.

Researchers at PNNL pointed out that it will allow them to manufacture, test, and validate advanced battery designs at an industrially relevant scale. “This helps our researchers bridge the gap between science and industry,” Adam Jivelekas, GSL operations manager, said.

A new grid storage hub

The line will produce prismatic battery cells. These are rectangular and larger than cylindrical cells, and shaped like a nine-volt battery (9V). As a result, they contain more energy per cell. Developed with a heavier metal casing, they are less prone to overheating, which makes them increasingly popular for storing energy on the electric grid.

Mark Weller, PhD, a PNNL materials scientist and the principal investigator of the project, explained that metal transfers heat more efficiently than most materials. This allows these batteries to cool more easily. “If you have better heat transport, if the cells are more mechanically uniform, if they’re packed more efficiently, all those things can translate to not just higher safety, but lower cost,” he added.

In addition, their rectangular shape means they can be stacked neatly together. This reduces wasted space compared to cylindrical alternatives. Efficient packing helps boost energy density at the pack level.

As per Jivelekas, the facility will help speed up the transition from battery research to production. “We can help external researchers or industry partners test and validate their prismatic cell designs,” he pointed out.

Start of operations

PNNL noted that the facility is located inside a specialized dry laboratory, where humidity levels are kept lower than those found in some of the driest places on the planet. Maintaining these conditions is critical, as trace levels of moisture can degrade the sensitive battery components.

The facility wrapped up testing earlier this year. The scientists are now preparing validation projects intended to demonstrate its capabilities. Well emphasized that the real test is proving it can be used to consistently manufacture high-quality prismatic cells.

“Making a coin cell takes a few milligrams of material; making a prismatic cell takes at least a kilogram,” he elaborated in a press release. “When you scale up like that, you can’t assume that a chemistry that worked well in a coin cell will work just as well in a prismatic cell.”

To demonstrate the approach, the research team will produce and evaluate two promising battery chemistries to use in prismatic cells. These include sodium-ion and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP).

Following production, the researchers will submit these two prismatic cell types to a number of tests to evaluate their performance and safety. “With this capability, we can do the research and development and pilot-scale testing that is difficult for companies to justify and help facilitate a smoother handoff to get advanced battery concepts to market,” Weller concluded.

💾

Brazil has launched what is being described as the world’s first engine designed to run almost entirely on ethanol for large-scale thermal power generation, a project that could open a new pathway for using one of the country’s most abundant biofuels beyond transportation.

The milestone was marked at the Suape II power plant in Pernambuco, where energy company Suape Energia and Finnish technology firm Wärtsilä have completed the implementation phase of the Ethanol Project and are preparing for operational testing under real-world conditions. The initiative aims to demonstrate whether ethanol can serve as a viable fuel for dispatchable electricity generation while helping reduce emissions from the power sector.

While ethanol has been widely used in cars and trucks for decades, particularly in Brazil, it has rarely been deployed as a primary fuel for utility-scale electricity production. Supporters of the project believe that it could change if the technology proves technically and economically competitive.

Turning sugarcane into electricity

According to Suape Energia and Wärtsilä, the project uses a modified Wärtsilä 32M engine capable of operating on ethanol derived primarily from Brazilian sugarcane. The demonstration will involve thousands of hours of testing over the coming years, providing data on performance, reliability, emissions, and economics.

Brazil is uniquely positioned to test the concept. The country is the world’s largest producer and user of sugarcane ethanol and has spent decades building infrastructure for ethanol production, storage, and transportation. However, most of that fuel has traditionally been consumed in the transportation sector.

“Brazil is a world leader in ethanol production, but its potential use in electricity generation has up to now been overlooked,” Suape Energia technical director José Faustino Cândido said in comments previously released by Wärtsilä.

The project’s developers hope to show that ethanol can provide a source of dispatchable power, electricity that can be generated on demand, at a time when many countries are seeking ways to complement intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Why is ethanol power attracting attention

One of the biggest challenges facing modern power grids is balancing reliability with decarbonization. Solar panels only generate electricity when the sun shines, while wind turbines depend on weather conditions. Battery storage can help bridge some gaps, but long-duration energy storage remains expensive in many markets.

This has led utilities and policymakers to explore low-carbon fuels that can be stored and used whenever electricity demand rises. According to the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Emissions scenario, global bioenergy generation is expected to expand significantly by 2030 as countries seek additional tools to reduce emissions while maintaining grid reliability. 

Wärtsilä has argued that biofuels such as ethanol could help fill that role because they are transportable, storable, and compatible with existing engine-based power generation technologies.

The company also notes that ethanol offers a potential advantage in countries such as Brazil, where large-scale production infrastructure already exists, and supply chains are well established.

A test case for Brazil’s energy transition

The project now enters its most important phase: proving the technology outside the laboratory. According to Suape Energia, the focus will shift toward validating power generation performance, demonstrating economic viability, and determining whether ethanol can become a practical option for future electricity systems.

Industry participants also see broader implications for Brazil’s sugarcane sector. If ethanol-powered electricity generation becomes commercially viable, it could create an additional market for one of the country’s most important agricultural products while strengthening domestic energy security.

Whether ethanol ultimately becomes a major power-generation fuel remains uncertain. However, the Pernambuco project represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to move ethanol beyond transportation and into the electricity sector.

Google is seeking permission from US regulators to release up to 32 million sterilized mosquitoes across California and Florida as part of an effort to reduce populations of disease-carrying insects responsible for spreading illnesses such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and malaria.

According to a notice in the Federal Register, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing the company’s request for an experimental use permit that would allow the release of up to 16 million mosquitoes annually over a two-year period.

The agency is expected to make a decision after a public comment period that runs through June 5.

The initiative is part of Google’s Debug program, which combines technology, data science, and biological control methods to target mosquito populations without relying on traditional pesticides.

Bacteria-based approach to mosquito control

The program focuses on releasing male mosquitoes that carry a naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia. Male mosquitoes do not bite humans and cannot transmit diseases.

When Wolbachia-infected males mate with wild female mosquitoes, the eggs produced fail to hatch, preventing future generations from emerging. Over time, repeated releases can significantly reduce local mosquito populations.

Google explained the mechanism behind the approach in a blog post, stating: “the population gets smaller with each generation.”

The strategy targets Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species responsible for transmitting the majority of dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya cases worldwide.

The company argues that existing mosquito-control methods have limitations. Chemical pesticides can become less effective over time as insects develop resistance, while identifying and eliminating all breeding sites can be challenging, especially in urban environments.

Technology and AI drive mosquito production

While releasing sterilized insects may sound like an unconventional project for a technology company, Google’s involvement stems from years of research through the Debug initiative.

The program was originally developed under Verily Health, Alphabet’s health and life sciences division that began as a “moonshot” project within Google X. Earlier this year, Google fully acquired Debug from Verily, bringing the mosquito-control effort directly under the company’s umbrella.

Engineers and scientists involved in the project are using automation, sensors, and data analytics to scale mosquito production. One of the key challenges is separating male mosquitoes from females before release.

To address this, the team employs AI-powered computer vision systems capable of identifying and sorting the insects with high precision.

Google says the technology helps ensure only males are released and that deployments occur “in the right place and in the right numbers”.

The company has also developed automated rearing systems designed to handle the delicate insects on a large scale.

Building on a decades-old scientific technique

Although Google’s use of technology is modern, the underlying concept is not new.

The company’s approach is based on the sterile insect technique, a scientific method that has been used for decades to control agricultural pests and disease-carrying insects. Researchers have increasingly adopted Wolbachia-based mosquito sterilization programs in recent years.

For now, the fate of the project rests with regulators as the EPA completes its review and gathers public feedback on the proposed mosquito releases.

Global shipping is facing a huge fuel crisis. Massive cargo ships, bulk carriers, and tankers generate roughly 90 percent of the maritime sector’s carbon emissions. True zero-emission alternatives like hydrogen, ammonia, or pure electrification are still years away from scaling.

Faced with tightening climate regulations, shipowners are turning to the world’s oldest propulsion method: the wind.

Today’s commercial fleets are deploying towering, high-tech aerodynamic structures known as Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS). These include spinning rotor sails that harness the Magnus effect, vertical wing sails, and advanced suction sails that use internal fans to pull air across their surfaces.

The adoption curve is steep. In 2020, only nine major ships utilized these modern sails. Today, that number has jumped to 64, with dozens more currently being retrofitted.

However, a major problem has emerged. In theory, these sails should slash fuel bills. In practice, the real-world results are maddeningly inconsistent, with fuel savings fluctuating wildly between 2 percent and 25 percent.

To uncover the reason, researchers at the European research institute SINTEF launched the reSail project. Their findings suggest the shipping industry relies on oversimplified wind models that fail to capture real-world ocean conditions.

“We’ ve looked more realistically at the wind conditions, and they deviate significantly from wind theory,” said Yannick Jooss, a SINTEF researcher. 

“If you just use the standard wind profile as is often done today, your measurements will be inaccurate. Simplified assumptions and simulations are not good enough, because they do not take into account the complexity and variation in the wind,” noted Jooss.

Optimizing modern ship sails

According to project lead Jooss, relying on these oversimplified simulations leads to inaccurate data. Rather, maximizing emission reductions requires precise, real-world knowledge of wind behavior and sail placement, along with automated adjustments to optimize overall ship operations.

The primary complication is structural. When a 22-meter-tall rigid sail is bolted onto a massive metal hull, the ship itself alters the environment. The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.

To map this invisible chaos, the reSail team outfitted the Bow Olympus — a chemical tanker operated by Odfjell — with high-frequency LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems. With this technique, the team successfully tracked highly accurate wind speeds and angles relative to a moving ship.

To do this, researchers fired laser beams into the atmosphere and used the Doppler effect to track the light as it bounced off airborne dust particles.

Fuel savings on large ships

The data gathered from the Bow Olympus is shifting the research into a lab-optimization phase focused on three key areas. 

The team aims to optimize ship operations holistically by using wind tunnels at NTNU to identify the aerodynamic sweet spot for sail placement, developing predictive systems to automatically adjust sails before wind gusts hit, and integrating real-time wind forecasting into navigation computers. 

“Our goal is to make it more attractive to use modern sails on ships, and thus contribute to the necessary emissions reduction from the maritime sector,” added Jooss.

Regulations such as FuelEU Maritime require an 80% reduction in shipping emissions by 2050. If the reSail project succeeds in closing the gap between theory and reality, it could push fuel savings securely past the 25 percent mark.

💾

A computer vision and robotics enthusiast has developed an AI-powered laser system capable of detecting, tracking, and eliminating mosquitoes using custom-trained deep learning models and precision targeting hardware.

Steven Cheng recently unveiled the project online, describing it as the “ultimate mosquito killer.”

The prototype combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, industrial robotics, and laser technology to automatically identify mosquitoes and direct a laser toward them while incorporating safety mechanisms designed to prevent accidental firing near humans or flammable materials.

The project took approximately four months to complete and required the creation of a custom mosquito image dataset for model training.

AI model trained to recognize mosquitoes

The system’s detection capabilities are based on a deep learning model trained using thousands of mosquito images collected by Cheng.

To build the dataset, Cheng used a DSLR camera paired with a high-magnification zoom lens to photograph mosquitoes and generate training data for the computer vision model.

“A side effect of ‘welcoming’ mosquitoes in for photographs at this stage of the project was “countless mosquito bites all over my body,” Cheng said.

After collecting and annotating the images, he trained a deep learning model to recognize mosquitoes in real time. The training process required significant computing resources.

The task “really put my graphics card through its paces,” he said. However, Cheng noted that the detection performance of the final model was “quite good.”

The trained model enables the system to distinguish mosquitoes from other objects before initiating the targeting sequence.

Laser mounted on an industrial-grade tracking platform

Once mosquito detection was achieved, Cheng integrated a laser-based elimination mechanism into the system.

According to the project details, the laser was calibrated to “instantly turn mosquitoes into roasted ones.” The laser assembly was mounted on a high-precision industrial rotary stage and a gimbal capable of rapidly adjusting its position to follow moving targets.

The targeting system receives location data from the AI model and continuously updates the laser’s position to maintain alignment with detected mosquitoes.

The combination of computer vision and robotic tracking allows the system to identify and engage mosquitoes automatically without human intervention.

The project demonstrates how advances in artificial intelligence and machine vision can be combined with precision motion-control systems to automate highly specific tasks.

Safety features prevent accidental firing

To address safety concerns associated with operating a laser indoors, Cheng added a secondary wide-angle camera to monitor the surrounding environment.

The additional camera is used to detect humans and flammable materials that may be present within the laser’s potential firing path. According to Cheng, the system continuously evaluates whether there is any overlap between the target mosquito and detected objects.

If a person or flammable material is identified within the engagement area, the system prevents the laser from firing.

The safety features were introduced following simulation testing conducted during development.

Cheng reported that the prototype performed as intended during testing and stated that all the mosquitoes in his residence were “successfully eliminated” after a night’s effort.

While the project remains a personal prototype, it highlights the growing accessibility of AI, computer vision, and robotics technologies, enabling individuals to develop increasingly sophisticated automated systems outside traditional research and industrial environments.

The U.S. Navy has officially confirmed the identity of a World War II submarine wreck discovered off the coast of Japan, solving a decades-old mystery surrounding the fate of USS Herring (SS-233), a vessel lost with all 83 crew members during combat operations in 1944.

The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) announced that the wreck site, located near Matsuwa Island in the Kurile Islands chain, has been positively identified as USS Herring. The confirmation comes exactly 82 years after the submarine was lost on June 1, 1944, during its final wartime patrol.

Resting more than 300 feet (91 meters) below the surface, the submarine remains largely intact and sits upright on the seafloor. Investigators found visible battle damage around the conning tower and evidence of grounding at the bow, both of which closely match historical accounts of the vessel’s final engagement.

New analysis confirms long-suspected identity

According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the identification was made using data collected by the Russian Geographic Society during expeditions conducted in 2017 and 2022. The information was subsequently analyzed by two American volunteer researchers and a Japanese researcher, whose findings enabled the Navy to formally confirm the wreck’s identity.

The wreck was first discovered in 2017 during a joint expedition by the Russian Geographic Society and the Russian military. Researchers at the time suspected it was USS Herring because of its location and general appearance, but a definitive identification had not yet been established.

A follow-up expedition returned to the site in 2022 to document the wreck and honor the crew. During that mission, participants placed a commemorative plaque at the site.

The submarine lies near Matsuwa Island, an isolated volcanic island located in the central Kurile chain between Japan and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. During World War II, the Japanese heavily fortified the island and operated an air base there.

The submarine’s final battle

USS Herring was a Gato-class submarine launched in January 1942 and commissioned in May of the same year. Throughout the war, it conducted eight combat patrols across both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

By May 1944, Herring had departed Midway Atoll for its eighth and final patrol.

According to Navy records, the submarine sank two Japanese cargo vessels near Matsuwa Island before meeting with USS Barb on May 31 to coordinate patrol areas. It was the last confirmed contact with American forces.

In the early hours of June 1, Herring attacked again, sinking two additional Japanese cargo ships anchored near the island. Historical Japanese records indicate that shore batteries subsequently spotted the submarine after it apparently grounded while maneuvering near the coastline. Coastal artillery batteries opened fire and reportedly scored two direct hits on the submarine’s conning tower as it attempted to withdraw into fog cover.

The newly confirmed wreck appears to support that account. Researchers found damage consistent with artillery impacts near the conning tower as well as evidence that the vessel had run aground before sinking.

Meanwhile, sailors aboard USS Barb reported hearing distant explosions and depth-charge detonations during the same period, believing they may have been associated with an attack on Herring. The submarine never returned from patrol and was officially presumed lost after failing to report back to Midway in July 1944.

A protected war grave

USS Herring is credited with sinking seven enemy vessels during its wartime service and received multiple campaign awards, including the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

Today, the wreck is protected under U.S. law as a sunken military craft and remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy. Navy officials emphasized that the site represents the final resting place of 83 sailors who lost their lives during the war and should be treated as a war grave.

While non-intrusive research activities such as remote sensing and documentation are permitted, any action that could disturb the wreck requires authorization from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

More than eight decades after USS Herring disappeared beneath the Pacific, the confirmation of its location provides a clearer picture of the submarine’s final moments while ensuring that the crew’s sacrifice is permanently documented in the historical record.

Vietnamese technology company VinDynamics has unveiled its first humanoid robot, Dyno, marking the country’s entry into the global humanoid robotics arena.

The intelligent robot made its international debut at the ongoing ICRA 2026 in Vienna and Computex Taipei 2026.

Designed as a versatile assistant for modern environments, Dyno combines advanced AI with a sophisticated sensing system to operate in dynamic settings.

According to the firm, the humanoid is intended for security and surveillance tasks in urban and commercial spaces while also being developed as a household assistant.

Vietnam’s humanoid leap

Dyno is an intelligent humanoid robot built to combine advanced artificial intelligence, environmental perception, and dexterous manipulation in a single platform.

Designed for operation in complex real-world environments, Dyno integrates a sophisticated AI system with a highly responsive sensor suite that enables autonomous navigation, situational awareness, and human-robot interaction.

Though detailed specifications are not out, the humanoid is being developed for applications ranging from security and surveillance in urban spaces, campuses, and service complexes to domestic assistance tasks requiring precise object handling. Its flexible arm architecture and advanced manipulation system allow it to perform a variety of interactions in dynamic environments, according to a statement by the firm.

A major demonstration at the ongoing ICRA 2026 and Computex 2026 highlights Dyno’s capabilities as an autonomous robotic guide. During pilot deployments at Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, the robot operated in challenging outdoor conditions, utilizing multilingual speech capabilities, natural language interaction, and real-time environmental awareness to engage with visitors and respond to questions.

According to VinDynamics, the deployment demonstrated the platform’s ability to function reliably in unpredictable service environments while maintaining continuous interaction with people.

Building better humanoids

Alongside Dyno, VinDynamics is showcasing a range of technologies that form the building blocks of its humanoid robotics platform. These include a high-performance actuator joint, a human-like robotic hand, and a dedicated AI training dataset designed to help robots learn and perform more effectively in real-world environments.

One of the key components is the VDM 80 actuator joint, a compact but powerful motor that acts as the robot’s muscles. Weighing less than one kilogram, it delivers high torque and precise movement while operating on a standard 48V power supply. The actuator supports industrial communication standards such as CAN FD, RS485, and EtherCAT, making it easy to integrate into robotic and automation systems. It can reach speeds of up to 235 rpm and is designed for long-term reliability, with an expected operational life of more than 10,000 hours.

VinDynamics is also presenting a robotic hand built to closely replicate the movement of a human hand. Featuring 11 moving joints and six actively controlled degrees of freedom, the hand can perform smooth and precise motions while handling a variety of objects. Integrated force sensors help improve grip control and accuracy, allowing the hand to carry out delicate tasks with consistent performance.

According to VinDynamics, when combined with the company’s AI training platform, these technologies provide the foundation for future humanoid robots capable of operating safely and efficiently in real-world settings.

💾

A team of scientists from Cambridge has developed a robot that can help unravel the mystery of how early vertebrates evolved the ability to walk on land hundreds of millions of years ago.

The fish-like robot can also help demystify how some species of fish can walk on land today. The team relied on computer models, the observations of fish found in nature, and their own creation to come up with a basic theory.

The team has found that a wide range of unrelated fish species have independently evolved the same basic walking gait, which essentially mimics a swimming motion on land, according to a statement.

Solving an evolutionary question with modern tech

The simple walking pattern adopted by fish, which the Cambridge researchers call an ‘undulating tripod gait’, can appear to be quite clumsy and involves too much flopping. But the team says it is one of life’s most ancient solutions to a problem: how to escape predators or move from one habitat to another, without specialized limbs.

The method is actually quite simple: fish can propel themselves forward with their tails while using their front fins and head for support. This feat has been observed in a wide variety of species – ranging from the African lungfish to armored catfish.

The ability to move around in an extra mode can be seen as an evolutionary benefit, allowing them to survive and expand their territory.

The team says that there have been efforts in the past to study walking fish, but they have been focused on a single species. They add that this is the first time that “unifying locomotive principles across multiple species have been identified.”

“If you’ve got the ability to walk on land and your predator doesn’t, then you can escape, and hopefully the predator moves on,” said lead author Dr Michael Ishida, from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “You’ve also got the ability to move from one shallow-water environment to another, like tide pools, for example.”

This example of convergent evolution – where multiple species evolve similar abilities independently – can also help them understand how the first vertebrates made the transition from living in water to surviving on land.

The scientists first created a computer model based on the movement of grey bichir – which is native to Africa – and other walking fish species. The model revealed similar modes of locomotion across several species.

“We kept seeing this recurring kind of walking motion, although it’s very primitive,” said Ishida, an engineer in Professor Fumiya Iida’s lab at Cambridge. “A number of different fish, spread out across the evolutionary tree and not closely related to each other, all do it. It’s such a simple movement and can recur from a very basic starting point.”

Ishida added that a swimming fish uses its body to propel itself through the water, “so if you take that, put it on land, give it some ability to shuffle its front fins, that’s exactly what it’s doing.”

Robot fish and computer modeling

The team then designed a physical robot fish to test their results and found that the most efficient movement closely matched the bichir’s movements and the results from the computer model.

“We tried all kinds of different gaits on the robot, and every other gait we tried was slower,” said Ishida. “Any time we changed how the body bended, or what sequence it was bended in, it was worse. It was surprising that the optimal walking pattern in the simulation and robot matched what the real fish actually do.”

The team plans to test the model on fossil fish such as Tiktaalik, an important fossil link in the transition from water to land. A combination of computer modeling and robotics could help determine how the ancient species first walked on land.

The findings have been reported in the journal Nature Communications.

While SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers work against the clock to prepare their respective spacecraft for the first moon landing since 1972, scores of scientists are addressing the myriad technological challenges future space explorers will face on long-duration missions to the moon and beyond.

One team of scientists has just demonstrated a water-free approach to cleaning laundry in space. The researchers demonstrated a cold-plasma technology that could sanitize astronaut clothing and habitats on future lunar and Martian bases without water.

Keeping clean in space

On the International Space Station (ISS), crews use dry vacuuming devices and chemical surface wipes to clean their clothes. Neither is particularly effective.

This means the ISS crew also have to resort to another method: They wear garments for extended periods, finally discarding them when they are too dirty. This practice is unsustainable for long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars, where resupply missions will be limited.

Water is also a precious resource in space, making traditional washing impractical. The team behind the new water-free solution was led by Gabe Xu of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, in collaboration with NASA microbiologist Chelsi Cassilly. They developed a compact device that generates a pencil-thin jet of cold plasma to kill bacteria on fabrics.

They presented their proof-of-concept device at the Astrobiology Science Conference last month. The device uses high-voltage electricity to ionize a mixture of helium, air, and water vapor. When aimed at fabrics, the plasma generates reactive oxygen species such as ozone. These penetrate fabric fibers and destroy microbes through oxidative stress.

Unlike hot plasma or arc welding, this cold plasma operates at room temperature and poses no risk to fabrics or human skin.

In laboratory tests, the team trained their plasma jet on samples of Staphylococcus caprae, a skin bacterium previously detected on the ISS. They found that their device reduced bacterial spore colonies on cotton samples from approximately 250,000 per milliliter to about 60,000 per milliliter.

Ultimately, the technique killed the bacteria more effectively than existing methods used on the ISS. According to the researchers, their method might not remove noticeable stains, but it will kill the bacteria that could make astronauts sick.

In an interview with LiveScience, Xu explained that “there are microbes that are UV resistant, but as far as we can tell from our experiments, there is nothing that is oxidative-stress resistant – if you eat poison, it kills you.”

Enabling healthy habitats for future space explorers

The current prototype cleans only a small area at a time, roughly the width of a pencil.

The researchers aim to develop scaled-up versions, including a plasma chamber resembling a washing machine and a combined plasma jet-vacuum system for surfaces. These tools could also be used to sterilize spacesuits, tools, and soft furnishings in habitats.

As NASA looks to extend humanity’s footprint into space, microbial control will be critical for crew health and survivability. Small populations living in compact habitats will be especially vulnerable to bacteria and illness. While vacuuming removes dust, it fails to eliminate biological contaminants effectively, making the new system particularly valuable.

Though it shows great promise, further testing is needed to confirm efficacy against a broader range of microbes, as well as its long-term impact on fabric durability.

If successful, plasma-based sanitation could help support a permanent human presence beyond Earth. It would help to minimize resource consumption and contamination risks while enabling astronauts to explore the unknown.

Taiwan’s indigenous submarine prototype, the Hai Kun, has completed another key round of sea trials as the vessel moves closer to entering naval service. The submarine departed from the Port of Kaohsiung for its latest testing mission, marking its 15th sea trial and ninth submerged navigation test.

The latest trial comes after a scheduled sea test on Friday was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Developed under Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Submarine program, the Hai Kun is considered a major step in the island’s efforts to modernize its naval capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign-built platforms.

Shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan, has faced mounting pressure after missing its original delivery deadline in November last year due to what it described as testing delays.

However, the company indicated earlier this year that it hoped to deliver the submarine to the Navy in the coming months.

Final testing phase underway

Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Wellington Koo, said testing would continue in accordance with established procedures, emphasizing that safety and quality remain the top priorities throughout the evaluation process. Military expert Chi Tung-yun noted that the trials are designed to gather critical performance data under controlled conditions.

He revealed that testing requires the collection of key performance parameters, and minimizing environmental variables helps ensure greater accuracy in the data obtained.

According to Chi, the 2,500-ton submarine still faces several demanding assessments before it can be formally handed over. These include seaworthiness evaluations, deep-diving exercises, and overnight operational tests designed to validate the submarine’s performance under realistic operating conditions.

If the remaining trials are completed successfully, the vessel could be delivered to Taiwan’s navy sometime between next month and September, according to Chi.

The Hai Kun is expected to become the first operational submarine built entirely under Taiwan’s domestic submarine program, a project aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to defend its surrounding waters.

MK 48 torpedoes set to boost undersea deterrence

A major element of Taiwan’s submarine modernization effort is the planned arrival of US-made MK 48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavyweight torpedoes.

The Navy is scheduled to receive 28 MK 48 Mod 6 warshot torpedoes over the next two years, while training variants have already been delivered.

The weapon is the primary heavyweight torpedo used by the US Navy and offers greater speed, range, and guidance capabilities than the German-made SUT torpedoes currently in Taiwanese service.

According to publicly available specifications, the MK 48 Mod 6 weighs more than 1.6 tonnes, carries a roughly 650-pound(295 kg) high-explosive warhead, can travel at speeds of up to 55 knots (101.9 kph), and has a range exceeding 23.6 miles (38 km).

Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology president Lee Shih-chiang told lawmakers that the upgraded Hai Lung has already completed qualification testing using both SUT and MK 48 training torpedoes.

With the Hai Kun nearing delivery, the modernization of the Chien Lung-class submarines nearing completion, and advanced torpedoes scheduled to arrive next year, Taiwan’s navy is steadily expanding its undersea warfare capabilities and strengthening its maritime deterrence posture.

Big Carl, the world’s largest crane, lifted a 551-ton reactor pressure vessel (RPV) into place at Hinkley Point C in southwest England during construction of Unit 2 of the nuclear reactor. The lifting and installation operation took two days to complete and has already outpaced the construction of Unit 1, which began a year earlier. 

Even though nuclear energy is making a comeback in nations seeking to balance energy demand with carbon emissions, the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station has been in the works for over two decades.  The UK government had plans to expand nuclear power stations at the site way back in 1981. 

However, opposition to these plans delayed any major activity on the ground till the the late 2000s. French energy major EDF then partnered with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) in July 2016, with the project expected to be completed by 2025. Delays due to the COVID pandemic and Brexit have pushed the project completion to 2030, as engineers work on innovative ways to meet the deadline. 

Big Carl

On Thursday, 27th May, engineers began lifting the 500-tonne reactor pressure vessel (RPV) with the world’s largest land-based crane. Called Big Carl, the crane is a Sarens SGC-250, which can soar over 800 feet (250 m) high while lifting up to 5,000 tonnes. 

The RPV manufactured by Framatome’s Saint Marcel factory in France was shipped to the site in January this year. Deploying Big Carl, the engineers lifted the 42-foot (13 m) RPV inside the reactor building, where it was rotated to a vertical position by a large internal polar crane and then lowered onto a support ring. 

The operation lasted two days and involved clearances as little as 1.5 inches (40 mm) on either side. While Units 1 and 2 at Hinkley Point C are identical, engineers used a large temporary overhead lifting system to install the RPV for Unit 1. Deploying Big Carl on this occasion saved space, time, and money for the project.

Faster than Unit-1

Engineers at Hinkley Point C are using their first-hand experience from Unit 1 installations to speed up construction of Unit 2. Although construction for Unit 1 began in December 2018 and for Unit 2 in December 2019, Unit 2 is being built at up to 30 percent the speed of Unit 1. 

For instance, the Unit-2 reactor building now has three heat exchangers installed, whereas Unit-1 has none. The RPV is designed to generate steam and heat for the world’s largest turbines, which will eventually power six million homes. 

“This marks a tremendous achievement by the entire team and one that has taken months of planning and close coordination between the 10 main contractors involved,” said Simon Parsons, Hinkley Point C’s delivery director, in a statement. 

“We’ve also seen strong innovation to achieve not just a ‘cut and paste’ from the first reactor’s installation, but using our experience to save time, money and disruption to the site.”

The innovations at Hinkley Point C will also be used during the construction phase at Sizewell C, another nuclear power plant being built with EDF. Both Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C will feature EDF’s 3rd-generation 1,630-MW pressurized water reactors. 

💾

Spain has made significant progress in updating its air combat fleet. The first Eurofighter from the Halcon I program has left Airbus’ facility in Getafe, near Madrid. Airbus Defense and Space said on Monday that the jet is ready for engine testing and its first flight, bringing the Spanish Air Force closer to using its most advanced Eurofighter Typhoon yet.

This rollout marks the first jet from a 20-aircraft order Spain signed in June 2022. It is also the first Tranche 4 Eurofighter for Spain. Deliveries are set to start in 2026, but the Spanish Air Force Chief of Staff, General Francisco Braco Carbó, said the first three jets should join the fleet this year. The aircraft is capable of reaching a top speed of Mach 2.0, equivalent to roughly 1,550 mph (2,495 km/h).

Since 2003, Airbus’ Getafe site, about 9 miles (15 kilometers) south of Madrid, has built, tested, and delivered every Eurofighter for Spain.

New radar and missile systems boost combat capability

The Halcon I jets bring in new technology not seen on Spain’s earlier Eurofighters. The main upgrade is the E-Scan radar, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system that replaces the older, mechanically rotating radar.

Unlike older radars, the AESA system uses many transmit-receive modules to electronically steer the radar beam, with no moving parts. This lets the fighter track several targets at once, quickly switch between air and ground missions, and lowers the chance of being detected by enemy electronic warfare.

The radar can also conduct electronic attacks against enemy sensors, giving the aircraft roles beyond traditional fighter missions.

Spain’s new jets will carry the Meteor missile, a ramjet-powered air-to-air weapon with a range of over 62 miles (100 kilometers). This missile can engage targets much farther away than the older AMRAAM used on previous Eurofighters. The jets will also have the Brimstone III precision missile for ground attacks.

The first #Eurofighter HALCON I for the @EjercitoAire has rolled out at our Getafe facilities in Madrid! Everything is ready for the first engine run and the maiden flight.

The 20 HALCON aircraft will be equipped with E-Scan (Electronically Scanned) radar, with… pic.twitter.com/dOdwK0UEiA

— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) June 1, 2026

Replacing aging Hornets in a strategic region

The Halcon I jets will replace Spain’s aging F-18 Hornets at Gando Air Base in the Canary Islands. The islands are about 62 miles (100 kilometers) from northwest Africa and are one of NATO’s most important spots in the eastern Atlantic.

Jets at Gando monitor the airspace around the Canary Islands, guard the approaches to the Strait of Gibraltar, and watch over important Atlantic sea routes. Their location also puts them close to possible security issues from North Africa.

With the current Hornets nearing retirement, Spain’s military chose the new Eurofighters to keep strong air defense and quick response in the region.

Spain expands its long-term Eurofighter investment

Madrid has boosted its commitment to the Eurofighter program beyond the first Halcon I order. In December 2024, Spain signed a second deal for 25 more jets under the Halcon II program.

With both orders, Spain has bought 45 Eurofighters since 2022. When all are delivered, the Spanish Air Force should have a fleet of 115 Eurofighters.

Halcon II jets will have the same advanced E-Scan radar, Meteor missile support, and better connectivity as the Halcon I aircraft. Both types will keep replacing F-18s in Spain’s Eurofighter units.

The Tranche 4 version also brings better cockpit displays, improved electronic warfare, and works with both current and future Eurofighter weapons. It is powered by two Eurojet EJ200 engines, each making about 20,230 pounds (90 kilonewtons) of thrust with afterburner.

These engines give the Typhoon a key advantage: supercruise. The jet can fly at supersonic speeds without afterburners, saving fuel and extending its range. Few modern fighters have this feature, and the old F-18s cannot match it.

Chinese robotics firm Pudu has unveiled a next-generation industrial semi-humanoid robot designed for manufacturing and factory environments.

The D7 robot combines industrial-grade hardware with embodied AI, powered by the company’s PuduFM 1.0 foundation model.

Unlike conventional industrial robots that follow fixed programs and predefined workflows, the PUDU D7 can understand tasks, learn from experience, and adapt its actions in real-world settings.

The Shenzhen-based company says the platform is designed to improve factory automation by enabling intelligent decision-making, continuous learning, and greater operational flexibility across a wide range of industrial applications.

In 2024, Pudu unveiled Pudu D7, its first semi-humanoid robot, combining an omnidirectional chassis, robotic arms, and a human-like upper body.

Adaptive warehouse worker

D7 is a semi-humanoid robot designed to evolve through real-world experience rather than relying solely on pre-programmed capabilities.

At the core of the system is an end-to-end data collection architecture that captures and processes operational data across a wide range of industrial workflows. Through low-latency transmission and synchronized data processing, the platform creates a continuous feedback loop that supports ongoing model training and performance optimization.

Powered by the PuduFM 1.0 AI foundation model, the robot learns from real-world operations, gradually improving its understanding of industrial procedures, spatial relationships, and manufacturing processes. Unlike traditional robots whose capabilities remain fixed after deployment, D7 continuously enhances its performance through every task it performs.

According to a statement by the firm, D7 is designed to improve efficiency in warehouses, factories, and logistics environments. Equipped with dual robotic arms, the robot can autonomously perform tasks such as material handling, shelf picking, inventory replenishment, and internal transportation. It supports payloads of up to 30 pounds (14 kilograms) and can operate at heights of up to 6.5 feet (2 meters), allowing it to interact effectively with high-rack storage systems.

Its force-control technology enables careful handling of both heavy and delicate items, reducing the risk of damage during transport. The robot can also push carts and move materials across facilities. By integrating navigation, approach planning, grasping, and manipulation into a unified action framework, PUDU D7 eliminates the traditional separation between movement and operation, enabling more efficient execution of complex, multi-step tasks.

Smarter industrial intelligence

For applications requiring fine control, such as assembly, dispensing, and precision handling, D7 incorporates advanced tactile sensors that provide real-time force and pressure feedback. The system delivers millimeter-level force-control accuracy, automatically adjusting applied force according to task requirements and material characteristics. This enables stable, consistent operation while minimizing the risk of component damage.

To operate safely in dynamic industrial settings, the robot is equipped with dual front-and-rear LiDAR systems and a comprehensive perception suite. These technologies allow it to continuously monitor its surroundings, detect obstacles, adapt to route changes, and navigate safely through busy factory environments with minimal infrastructure modifications.

PUDU D7 supports fully autonomous battery swapping, allowing it to independently replace and recharge batteries without human intervention. This capability minimizes downtime and enables continuous 24/7 operation, improving equipment utilization and productivity.

According to the firm, looking ahead, PuduAgent, its embodied AI agent platform, extends this vision by enabling robots to interpret user goals, break down complex workflows, coordinate navigation and manipulation tasks, and collaborate with multiple robots across different locations. Together, these technologies represent a shift from task-based automation toward autonomous systems capable of decision-making, long-term planning, and intelligent collaboration in industrial environments

💾

More than four years after a serious collision in the South China Sea, the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Connecticut is preparing to return to active service. The U.S. Navy expects the Seawolf-class sub to be back in action by September, following major repairs that started after its 2021 accident.

However, even as the submarine heads back to sea, the Navy has already set a retirement target of 2031, according to the May 2026 US Navy Shipbuilding Plan.

USS Connecticut (SSN-22) was launched in Groton, Connecticut, on September 1, 1997, and entered service in December 1998. It was the second of just three Seawolf-class submarines built by General Dynamics Electric Boat.

Built during a changing era

The Seawolf program started during the Cold War, with plans to build 29 submarines to counter advanced Soviet threats. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, those plans changed quickly. The Navy canceled most of the vessels under the program and switched to the less expensive Virginia-class submarines, which are still being built today.

Congress allowed a small number of Seawolf submarines to be built to keep U.S. submarine shipyards running during the transition. Even though only a few were built, the Seawolf class became known for its speed, stealth, and combat power. 

Collision that nearly ended in disaster

The submarine’s most serious incident occurred in October 2021 during a classified mission in the South China Sea. USS Connecticut struck an underwater seamount, forcing an emergency ascent and injuring 11 sailors.

A Navy investigation later found that the crew ran into several technical problems while trying to surface. The equipment that makes high-pressure air failed, and a backup trim pump overheated and briefly caught fire before it was put out.

The submarine eventually reached Guam and later headed to the U.S. West Coast. Investigators found additional damage, including a missing bow dome and rocks stuck in the ballast tanks.

The report concluded that the accident was preventable and resulted from failures in navigation planning and risk management. The submarine’s commanding officer was relieved of duty.

Years of repairs in dry dock

Since December 2021, USS Connecticut has remained at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington. The repair effort required a newly manufactured bow dome, a process that took more than three years.

The submarine’s long time out of service shows how hard it is to maintain these specialized vessels. Even though its nuclear engine was not damaged, fixing the submarine required a lot of structural repairs.

The Seawolf-class submarine is one of the Navy’s most advanced, weighing over 9,100 tons underwater and carrying a strong mix of torpedoes and other weapons.

Future submarines may borrow from Seawolf

The Navy plans to retire USS Connecticut in 2031, but some officials think that date might change since the submarine was out of service for years during repairs. Meanwhile, the Navy is working on its next-generation attack submarine, called SSN(X). The new design will be made to work with unmanned systems and advanced weapons.

Experts believe the qualities that made Seawolf famous remain highly relevant even today. As China grows its navy and autonomous technology becomes more important, many of the features first used in the Seawolf class could shape the next generation of American submarines.