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The New Space Race: NASA, Artemis, and the Race to the Moon

The New Space Race: NASA, Artemis, and the Race to the Moon

Ever wonder why the new space race feels so different? Morgan Brennan chats with Jared Isaacman from NASA about Artemis and the push to return humans to the moon. It’s not just about exploration anymore — it's a fast-moving game of speed, cost, and innovation. According to Isaacman, NASA’s shifting gears, leaning heavily on public-private partnerships and commercial space companies, which is a big change from the old NASA of yesteryear. The goal? Move faster, cut costs, and rebuild core capabilities. Brennan from the a16z podcast highlights how this new landscape demands sharper industry signals and a more focused strategy. As Isaacman explains, NASA wants to keep up in what he calls a 'new space race,' and that means being more agile and competitive. So, what does this mean for the future? It’s clear — whoever adapts quickest in this high-stakes environment will lead the next chapter of space exploration. And the question is, are we ready for it? ((slower)) That’s the real challenge — staying ahead in this rapidly evolving race.

You Can’t Fake Belonging

You Can’t Fake Belonging

Here’s a surprising truth: when people don’t feel like they belong, they start to lose themselves. Mike Fisher highlights how belonging isn’t just a warm fuzzy — it's a core human drive, as vital as food or safety. Studies, like those cited by Fisher, show that social connectedness protects veterans from PTSD and boosts overall wellbeing. And in workplaces, nearly half of employees feel isolated, which isn’t just uncomfortable — it hits the bottom line. Research from BetterUp shows that high belonging can increase performance by over 50%, slash turnover risk by half, and save millions. The real kicker? Managers are the key to building that sense of belonging. Trust, care, and genuine connection from a manager can make all the difference, while neglect or indifference can tear it down. Fisher suggests that every small interaction — whether praise or neglect — is shaping someone’s sense of identity and belonging. If leaders get this right, they’re not just creating a better culture — they’re actually protecting people’s sense of self.

Fish food for thought

Method for stress-testing cloud computing algorithms helps avoid network failures

Method for stress-testing cloud computing algorithms helps avoid network failures

Imagine a network engineer racing against time to prevent a cloud outage — knowing exactly where their algorithm might fail before it hits real traffic. That’s what MIT researchers, including Adam Zewe reporting for MIT News, have made easier with a new tool called MetaEase. Instead of rewriting complex math or running endless simulations, engineers now just plug in their source code. MetaEase uses smart techniques like symbolic execution to spot decision points in the code and then guides a search to find worst-case scenarios — those rare but catastrophic traffic spikes or unusual patterns. According to Pantea Karimi from MIT, this method often finds bigger failure gaps faster than traditional testing, catching issues before they become outages. And get this — it's adaptable to different algorithms, even AI code, and doesn’t require engineers to become math wizards. As Adam Zewe notes, this progress could be a game-changer, helping companies save money and boost reliability. The big takeaway? More robust, safer systems, built on smarter testing — and that shift might become a new standard in network resilience.

Microsoft Earnings, Apple Earnings

Microsoft Earnings, Apple Earnings

Microsoft's latest earnings reveal a bold shift — it's moving toward an agentic business model that puts AI and automation at its core. This isn’t just about new features; it's a fundamental rethink of how they operate, aiming for more autonomous decision-making and agility. According to Ben Thompson in TechCrunch, this new approach could redefine how tech giants compete, especially as Microsoft invests heavily in AI-powered tools across its cloud and enterprise divisions. Meanwhile, Apple faces a different challenge: supply chain shortages in memory and chips are putting pressure on their production. Yet, despite these hurdles, the Mac lineup is seeing a boost from AI integration, making devices smarter and more appealing. As Thompson notes, Apple’s strategy is now caught between managing constraints and leveraging AI to stay ahead in hardware innovation. So, what does this mean for the future? If Microsoft’s shift pays off, the winners will be those who master adaptable, autonomous systems — while Apple’s ability to innovate amid shortages could define their next chapter.

Feed: » stratechery by ben thompson

More than just an SUV? Rivian is working on more R2 variants.

More than just an SUV? Rivian is working on more R2 variants.

Here's something that might surprise you — Rivian isn’t just sticking with its big SUVs and trucks. According to Jonathan M. Gitlin from Ars Technica, Rivian's CEO RJ Scaringe hints at even more R2 variants in the pipeline, like an R2X. Now, here’s where it gets interesting — these models might come with different configurations, possibly including a smaller, more affordable version and even custom tech like in-house lidar sensors, in collaboration with a Chinese partner. The initial R2s are already being built in Illinois, but the big push is at Rivian’s new plant in Georgia, opening in 2028, funded partly by a massive $4.5 billion loan from the Department of Energy. So what does this mean for you? Rivian’s aiming to expand its lineup well beyond just a few models. If this pattern holds, next-gen EV options for more affordable prices will be a huge game-changer in the market and could shake up what we expect from electric SUVs.

Ars Asks: Share your shell and show us your tricked-out terminals!

Ars Asks: Share your shell and show us your tricked-out terminals!

Here's something that might surprise you — despite all the shiny GUIs, many professionals swear by their command lines. Lee Hutchinson from Ars notes that he spends more time in terminal windows now than he ever imagined back in the '90s. Why? Because the command line is still the best way to get precise, complex tasks done quickly. Hutchinson points out that mouse-driven interfaces, with their endless right-click menus, often reduce what you can tell your computer to just pointing and grunting. But with a terminal, you're speaking directly — using words that tell the system exactly what to do. And get this — tech enthusiasts are now customizing their shells with tricks, themes, and workflows that make their setups uniquely theirs. As Hutchinson highlights, this isn't just nostalgia; it's about efficiency and control. If this pattern holds, the future belongs to those who master their terminals — because in the end, a well-tricked-out shell isn’t just pretty, it's powerful.

The Real Reason Your Bad Habits Keep Winning

The Real Reason Your Bad Habits Keep Winning

Ever wonder why your bad habits seem to stick around, no matter how much you try to kick them? Well, here’s the truth — according to My First Million and backed by data from Technology, it's all about the subconscious mind. The thing is, habits aren’t just about willpower; they’re wired into your brain’s deep layers. My First Million explains that your brain prefers familiar routines because they use less energy — so your bad habits, even if you hate them, keep winning because they’re easier to fall back into. And get this — research shows that simply trying to replace a bad habit with a good one often fails, because the brain isn’t motivated by logic, but by comfort. So, what does this really mean? If you want to change, you’ve got to rewire those neural pathways, not just muscle through willpower. The real question isn’t whether habits will fight back, but who figures out how to outsmart their own brain before these habits become unstoppable.

Infants are bleeding out after parents decline vitamin K shots given at birth

Imagine holding a newborn, healthy and full of life, then just weeks later watching them bleed and struggle to breathe. That’s what’s happening when parents decline the vitamin K shot at birth. According to Duaa Eldeib from ProPublica, these babies often seem fine — pass their screenings, hit their two-week checkups — until suddenly, their tiny bodies start bleeding internally or develop dangerous clots. What’s shocking is that this isn’t rare anymore; some hospitals are seeing a rise in these tragic cases. The vitamin K shot is a simple, proven way to prevent this chaos — yet, parents are skipping it, often fueled by misinformation or fears. As Eldeib reports, doctors are doing everything they can — airway tubes, blood transfusions, even brain surgery — but some of these babies don’t make it. So here’s the thing — this isn’t just about a shot. It’s about protecting the most vulnerable from avoidable harm. The trend is subtle now, but it’s a warning sign of what could become a much bigger crisis if we ignore it.

Here's what has to happen if NASA wants to land on the Moon every month

Here's what has to happen if NASA wants to land on the Moon every month

Imagine NASA aiming to land on the Moon every month — sounds ambitious, right? But here’s the real challenge: they need a complete overhaul of how they buy and manage lunar landers. According to Stephen Clark at Ars Technica, three out of the last four US Moon landings have failed, mainly because of supply chain hiccups and poor oversight. To hit that monthly cadence over the next two and a half years, NASA has to fix these issues fast. They’re also juggling separate contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin for crewed landers — those are for future Artemis missions — while robotic payloads will scout, mine, and test new tech for a lunar base. So, what does this mean? It’s not just about landing again and again; it’s about creating a reliable, sustainable system that can handle the Moon’s unpredictability. That shift is subtle now, but it’s exactly the kind of change that sets the tone for the next phase of lunar exploration.

Google's Gemma 4 AI models get 3x speed boost by predicting future tokens

Google's Gemma 4 AI models get 3x speed boost by predicting future tokens

Ever wonder how AI models get faster without new hardware? Well, Google’s Gemma 4 just made a giant leap — thanks to something called speculative decoding. According to Ryan Whitwam writing in Technology, these models predict future tokens to speed up generation, cutting processing time by up to three times. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Google’s new Multi-Token Prediction technique lets Gemma guess what’s coming next, making it much quicker on local hardware. This is especially big because, as Whitwam points out, Gemma’s built to run on Google’s custom TPUs, but now with MTP, it can work faster even on consumer GPUs. Plus, with the license change to Apache 2.0, Google is making it easier for developers to tinker with the tech themselves. So, what does this mean for you? Faster, more private AI on your own device — no cloud needed. But here’s the thing — hardware limitations still matter. The real question is, who will harness this breakthrough before it becomes the new standard?

Anthropic's Claude Managed Agents can now "dream," sort of

Anthropic's Claude Managed Agents can now "dream," sort of

Imagine an AI that doesn’t just process info in the moment but actually 'dreams' — reviewing recent events to pick out what's worth remembering. That’s exactly what Anthropic's new feature for Claude Managed Agents is doing. Samuel Axon reports that during Anthropic’s Code with Claude conference, they introduced 'dreaming' — a process where the AI reviews its recent sessions, curates important memories, and stores them to inform future tasks. This isn’t just fancy tech talk; it’s a game-changer for long, complex projects where context gets lost over time. Unlike typical chat models that try to squish conversations into limited windows, dreaming helps these agents keep the big picture intact. According to Axon, this scheduled memory review is still in research preview, but it hints at a future where AIs can better understand and build on past experiences. So, get ready — this kind of 'dreaming' might just be the next step toward truly smarter, more persistent AI assistants.

FDA vaccine studies censored by Trump admin after finding benefits of shots

FDA vaccine studies censored by Trump admin after finding benefits of shots

Here's something that should give you pause — despite promises of transparency, the Trump-era FDA and CDC actively suppressed studies that showed vaccines are safe and effective. According to Beth Mole reporting in Technology, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the FDA blocked publication of research demonstrating the benefits of COVID-19 and shingles vaccines. Now, here's where it gets interesting — two studies accepted for publication by FDA scientists were later pulled back on orders from unnamed officials, even though their conclusions clearly stated that the vaccines' benefits outweigh the risks. Beth Mole points out that this isn’t just about secrecy; it’s about silencing evidence that could influence public trust. This pattern isn't isolated — The Washington Post revealed that the CDC also shelved a vetted study showing that COVID vaccines sharply reduce hospital visits among healthy adults. So what does this mean for you? It’s a reminder to question what’s being hidden, especially when scientific facts clash with political agendas — and the implications ripple far beyond just vaccine debates.