A space ethicist highlights the overlooked ethical considerations of space expansion, questioning who will work in space and under what conditions, especially in light of predictions that human labor in orbit may become more cost-effective than robotics. This discussion prompts a deeper examination of the societal implications and potential inequalities arising from the burgeoning space industry.
AI app hosting platform Runpod, born from a Reddit post and a cryptocurrency mining venture, has achieved a $120 million annual revenue run rate in just four years. The company's success, fueled by early bootstrapping, strategic investments, and key angel investors like Hugging Face's co-founder, highlights the growing demand for accessible and scalable AI infrastructure solutions.
The US is calling for de-escalation as Syrian troops advance into Kurdish-held territory, specifically between Aleppo and Tabqa, following SDF withdrawals. This movement impacts control over key strategic locations, including oilfields and the Tabqa dam, and stems from stalled negotiations regarding the SDF's integration into the Syrian state. The US military is urging Syrian forces to halt offensive actions in the region to prevent further conflict.
Recent court decisions have overturned the Trump administration's halt on three major East Coast offshore wind projects, totaling 6 gigawatts, due to unsubstantiated national security concerns. This legal victory accelerates the deployment of renewable energy, potentially spurring advancements in radar technology to mitigate turbine interference and bolstering the U.S. grid with clean power. The projects include Revolution Wind, Empire Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind.
ClickHouse, a database provider specializing in high-volume data processing for AI, has secured $400 million in funding, boosting its valuation to $15 billion and signaling intensified competition with Snowflake and Databricks. This investment will fuel the company's cloud services, which boast impressive ARR growth, and support its recent acquisition of Langfuse, enhancing its AI agent performance tracking capabilities.
Despite an internet shutdown by the Iranian government, approximately 50,000 clandestine Starlink terminals are providing vital connectivity to the Iranian populace. This satellite internet access offers a crucial window into the ongoing conflict and enables communication amidst government crackdowns and economic instability, highlighting the increasing importance of satellite technology in circumventing censorship and maintaining information flow in crisis situations.
Oshen has developed the C-Star, a durable autonomous micro-robot capable of withstanding extreme ocean conditions, including Category 5 hurricanes, to gather critical oceanic data. This innovative technology addresses a significant gap in ocean data collection, offering potential for improved weather forecasting and oceanographic research, and marks a leap forward in autonomous marine robotics. The company's founding was driven by the need for better data to improve the success rate of autonomous sailing robots in the Microtransat Challenge.
A space ethicist highlights the overlooked ethical considerations of space expansion, questioning who will work in space and under what conditions, especially in light of predictions that human labor in orbit may become more cost-effective than robotics. This raises concerns about equitable access and potential exploitation as the space industry develops, prompting a need for proactive ethical frameworks.
Despite an internet shutdown by the Iranian government, approximately 50,000 clandestine Starlink terminals are enabling Iranians to maintain vital communication links with the outside world. This satellite-based internet access provides a crucial window into the ongoing conflict and underscores the importance of secure, independent communication networks in regions facing censorship and unrest. The terminals are helping Iranians circumvent government restrictions amid protests sparked by economic hardship and anti-government sentiment.
According to Similarweb data, Meta's Threads has surpassed X in daily mobile active users, reaching 141.5 million compared to X's 125 million as of January 7, 2026, driven by cross-promotion and feature rollouts. While X maintains dominance on the web, Threads' mobile growth signals a shift in user engagement, potentially influenced by X's controversies surrounding its Grok AI and deepfake image generation, which has led to investigations and a boost for alternative platforms like Bluesky.
A proposed California wealth tax targeting voting shares, not just equity, is causing concern among Silicon Valley founders who fear massive tax bills even at early funding stages. While proponents argue for deferral options and valuation flexibility, critics worry about the potential impact on innovation and the attractiveness of California for startups. The debate centers on how to fairly tax wealth concentrated in voting power without stifling entrepreneurial growth.
The U.S. is calling for de-escalation as Syrian government forces advance into Kurdish-controlled areas near the Euphrates River, prompting clashes over strategic locations. This follows a partial SDF retreat and stalled merger talks with the Syrian state, raising concerns about regional stability and control of key resources like oilfields. The Syrian army claims to have entered the strategic town of Tabqa, though the SDF denies this.
Oshen has developed the C-Star, a durable autonomous robot capable of withstanding extreme ocean conditions, including Category 5 hurricanes, to gather critical oceanic data. This innovative technology addresses a significant gap in ocean data collection, offering potential for improved weather forecasting, climate modeling, and maritime safety, and marks a leap forward in autonomous marine robotics. The company's founding was driven by the need for better data to improve the success rate of autonomous micro-robots in the ocean.
Despite industry efforts to move car sales online, recent surveys indicate that the vast majority of consumers still prefer the traditional in-person experience. While nearly a third of buyers initially consider online transactions, only a small fraction complete the purchase digitally, highlighting the importance of physical inspection and test driving in the car-buying process.
A proposed California wealth tax targeting voting shares, not just equity, is causing concern among Silicon Valley founders who fear massive tax bills even if their companies are not yet liquid. While proponents argue for deferral options and alternative valuations, critics worry about the potential impact on innovation and company growth, potentially driving founders to relocate. The debate centers on how to fairly tax wealth tied to voting power in high-growth tech companies.
Iran's internet blackout has spurred a surge of online disinformation from various actors, including bots spreading misleading content on social media platforms like X and Instagram. These inauthentic accounts promote conflicting narratives, often supporting either the opposition or the Iranian government's claims of foreign interference, ultimately disorienting the public and obscuring the truth. Researchers are tracking these coordinated campaigns, highlighting the challenges of verifying information and identifying the actors behind them in a politically charged environment.
Recent court decisions have overturned the Trump administration's halt on three major East Coast offshore wind projects, totaling 6 gigawatts, paving the way for their continued development. This ruling is a win for the offshore wind industry, which can now resume construction on projects like Revolution Wind and Empire Wind, and highlights the importance of addressing radar interference concerns through strategic siting and technological upgrades to ensure grid reliability. These projects signal a significant step forward in renewable energy deployment despite previous political headwinds.
External hard drives offer a solution for expanding storage and backing up data, with numerous options available for various needs like gaming, video editing, and general storage. Recent updates include new product additions and replacements, reflecting advancements in drive technology and market availability, ensuring users have access to the latest and most efficient storage solutions.
NASA's Artemis II mission, slated to launch atop the Space Launch System rocket, is preparing for its rollout to the launchpad, marking a significant milestone in the program's goal of sending humans back to the Moon's vicinity for the first time since 1972. The mission will see four astronauts travel around the far side of the Moon, achieving record-breaking speeds and distance from Earth before a high-velocity reentry. This mission paves the way for future lunar landings and deep space exploration.
ClickHouse, a database provider specializing in large-scale data processing for AI, has secured $400 million in funding, boosting its valuation to $15 billion and signaling intensified competition with Snowflake and Databricks. The company's open-source database and managed cloud services, experiencing rapid revenue growth, are further strengthened by its acquisition of Langfuse, enhancing its AI agent performance tracking capabilities.
