All posts tagged: origin

SpaceX, Blue Origin may get quicker launch OK with fewer environmental rules

SpaceX, Blue Origin may get quicker launch OK with fewer environmental rules

Published by Sam Flores

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) and Mission Extension Pods (MEPs) launches from Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on July 21, 2026. Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty Images The Trump administration on Tuesday said it was moving to waive what it called “unnecessary environmental laws and regulations” to speed up the approval process for commercial space rocket launches and reentries. The proposed rule by the Federal Aviation Administration would be a boon for Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, as well as other rocket launch companies. The FAA’s rule would allow the agency to waive requirements imposed on certain commercial space licenses and permits under 13 laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, parts of both the Clean Water and Clean Air acts, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “Requirements that are needed to protect public health and safety, property, national security, or U.S. foreign policy interests would not be …

Brazil Uses Forensic Science to Trace Gold’s Origin and Tackle Illegal Mining in the Amazon

Brazil Uses Forensic Science to Trace Gold’s Origin and Tackle Illegal Mining in the Amazon

Published by Sam Flores

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil is using forensic science to tackle illegal gold mining in the Amazon, a top threat to the rainforest, Indigenous groups and other communities there that has accelerated deforestation and driven mercury contamination to dangerous levels. The work takes place at the National Institute of Criminalistics in Brasilia, the country’s capital, where federal police have set up a “gold lab” that collects and analyses samples from across the country. The objective is to determine if a newly acquired sample — gold seized in a police raid, for example — comes from a protected area, meaning it has been illegally mined. It’s called “gold fingerprinting” — tracing the origin of gold samples with high precision. Tracing gold is like looking at a person’s DNA, experts say At the lab, sparkling gold flakes are kept in tiny, coin-shaped vessels, but the most valuable thing about them is the data they hold. Each speck is unique because while it forms in nature, inside a rock or a riverbed, the gold deposits absorb particles from …

Differences in human and great ape laughter reveal clues to the origin of speech

Differences in human and great ape laughter reveal clues to the origin of speech

Published by skeptic

Humans are not the only animals that communicate. Birds sing to attract mates, dolphins use signature whistles that identify individuals, and many primates produce complex vocalisations that help them coordinate their social lives. By studying these communication systems, researchers can reconstruct some of the evolutionary steps that eventually led to one of our defining traits: language. Language doesn’t just mean making sounds – it requires an extraordinary ability to control them. Human speech demands precise coordination between breathing, the vocal folds across the larynx, and our tongue, lips and jaw. Humans’ closest living relatives – chimpanzees and bonobos – possess vocal tracts that are more similar to ours than scientists once believed. Yet they do not seem to have the same fine voluntary control over the structures – starting with our lips and tongue – that allow us to produce rapid sequences of speech and such diverse sounds. This raises an intriguing question: when did our ancient ancestors begin to acquire this remarkable vocal control? One possible clue comes from an unexpected source: laughter. The …

Zach Cregger on ‘Crazy’ ‘Weapons’ Prequel Movie About Gladys’ Origin

Zach Cregger on ‘Crazy’ ‘Weapons’ Prequel Movie About Gladys’ Origin

Published by Daniella Wilson

Zach Cregger is ready to work his magic with the prequel to Weapons that will focus on breakout character Gladys. During Collider’s Directors on Directing panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, the filmmaker shared a status update on the planned feature follow-up to his 2025 horror hit that won Amy Madigan the best supporting actress Oscar for her role as Aunt Gladys. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Cregger and Zach Shields are penning the script for the project that is in development at New Line Cinema with the working title Gladys. “First of all, I’m really excited about the Gladys movie, and I loved working with Amy,” Cregger told the crowd. “I loved that character. For the movie Weapons, it really made a lot of sense not to dive into her backstory because the device of Weapons was to keep her very mysterious.” He added, “However, there’s an amazing story to be told about where Gladys comes from and how she became what we know her as. It’s got a lot of twists …

Markdown is everywhere now, and its origin story is stranger than you think

Markdown is everywhere now, and its origin story is stranger than you think

Published by skeptic

Despite how simple it seems, Markdown is one of the most talked-about languages these days. This lightweight markup language has seen a rise in popularity, especially after AI tools like Claude became popular. Though Markdown isn’t the only lightweight markup language available today, it enjoys a special status that other options don’t. However, despite the success Markdown has enjoyed, it has had a strange history, including a near-controversial origin story. Here’s a quick look at how Markdown went from a small project to a pillar of the AI world as we know it. It should also help you understand why many AI models are, in effect, fixated on this decades-old markup language. Related I found the markdown editor that finally makes writing enjoyable again The markdown editor that won me over. Markdown had two authors, but one rarely gets mentioned. Gruber got the byline, though Swartz wrote a lot of the code. Credit: Daring Fireball/John Gruber John Gruber is credited with inventing Markdown, but this narrative isn’t without controversy. Aaron Swartz, the computer programmer/Internet hacktivist, also …

“Live deliberately”: The origin of America’s first philosophy

“Live deliberately”: The origin of America’s first philosophy

Published by Jenni Sidey

My dad called it a “Spanish omelette.” In reality, it was an excuse to clean out the fridge. Anything not-quite-rotting was his to use. Throw it in. To be fair, they were mostly delicious, but a generous flood of ketchup can hide a lot of things. Every Saturday morning, as he whisked up our eggs, my dad would listen to Any Questions?, a weekly BBC Radio 4 panel show where host Jonathan Dimbleby asked politicians, business leaders, and the occasional celebrity questions from the audience: “In light of the recent intervention in Iraq, do the panel think we need to double down or withdraw our commitment to NATO?” So little changes. As Dimbleby tried to referee the point-scoring and playground screeching, my dad would invariably chime in. “Oh, he’s a bloody arsehole,” he’d grumble. Stir the onions. “The last government tried that and look how it turned out!” In go the crusty green olives. “Yeah, but of course she would say that, wouldn’t she?!” A garnish of wilted rocket. As much as we might hate …

Bezos’ Blue Origin Seeks Billion In First-Ever Outside Funding Round

Bezos’ Blue Origin Seeks $10 Billion In First-Ever Outside Funding Round

Published by Jenni Sidey

Fresh off Elon Musk’s SpaceX IPO, it appears that, for the first time, Blue Origin is preparing to raise outside capital in a deal that would value Jeff Bezos’ rocket company at about $130 billion. Andrew Ross Sorkin, financial columnist for The New York Times and a co-anchor of CNBC’s Squawk Box, wrote in a DealBook report, “I’ve got a scoop on Blue Origin closing in on a big fund-raising round, which is expected to value Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company at about $130 billion.” “It would be the first time that outside investors buy a piece of Blue Origin in its 25-year history,” Sorkin said. Blue Origin is seeking $10 billion in a new funding round, with Coatue Management expected to lead with a $4 billion commitment. Bezos is preparing to contribute $2 billion, while the remaining $4 billion is expected to come from outside investors. The fundraising would give Blue Origin a $130 billion valuation as it ramps up spending and tries to narrow the gap with SpaceX – yet that gap remains massive …

I tried Brave’s new stripped down Origin browser, and now it’s my top Chromium-based pick

I tried Brave’s new stripped down Origin browser, and now it’s my top Chromium-based pick

Published by skeptic

Jack Wallen/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Brave Origin is a stripped-down version of the browser. Brave Origin is available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. MacOS and Windows users pay $59.99, while Linux users get it for free. Brave is often seen at the top of lists highlighting browser security and privacy, thanks to Brave Shields, tracker protection, HTTPS everywhere integration, malicious script blocking, private browsing via Tor, and device-wide VPN/firewall. With Chrome killing ad blockers, the heightened security of Brave is even more important. Although I really love the idea of heightened security, I’m not in love with all of the bells and whistles that come with the browser. There’s the rewards program, the crypto wallet, and the VPN, all of which are there, just sitting idly, waiting for your curiosity to get piqued. Those features can take up space and resources and also clutter up the UI. Also: I’ve used nearly every browser out there, and these are my top 4 (spoiler: Chrome is out) Now, Brave …

Blue Origin still doesn’t know why its New Glenn rocket blew up last month

Blue Origin still doesn’t know why its New Glenn rocket blew up last month

Published by skeptic

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin is doubling down on using its New Glenn mega-rocket again this year after last month’s explosion. But the company still doesn’t know why that explosion happened in the first place. In his most detailed public statement about the explosion yet, CEO Dave Limp wrote on Blue Origin’s website on Tuesday that his company is still trying to “identify and correct the root cause” of the explosion. “Early analysis points to the aft section of the first stage” of the rocket, Limp wrote, saying the company is pulling on “extensive data from multiple camera angles and sensors.” After spending more than a decade to slowly and deliberately develop New Glenn, Blue Origin had been moving quickly with the new rocket. Its first launch was in January 2025, and New Glenn was preparing to fly for the fourth time when it exploded during testing on May 28 this year. (Nobody was hurt in the explosion.) Blue Origin wants to return the rocket to flight as quickly as it can because the …

Origin PC Millennium Desktop Review: A Smart Build but Not the Perfect Configuration

Origin PC Millennium Desktop Review: A Smart Build but Not the Perfect Configuration

Published by skeptic

Pros Exceptional 1080p performance Good upgradeability Convenient air filtration Clean aesthetic and cable management Cons Premium pricing Needs a lot of space Included storage is just so-so The Origin PC Millennium makes some curious choices, but its strong foundation and customization options let you make smarter ones. The giant gaming desktop starts at $3,139, but as our test unit was configured, it’s not a very smart buy against RTX 5080-powered machines like the Starforge Explorer III Pro or Lenovo Legion Tower 7 Gen 10. It’s also dramatically more expensive than the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 10 without providing much extra performance.  Make no mistake, it’s a strong machine, but spending close to $4,000 for decent 1080p gaming, lagging 4K performance is probably not a compelling choice. Still, there’s room to improve here with different options. That may not get the Millennium deep enough into value territory to compete against the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 10, but the Origin is a solid, well-built (if massive) PC that should be a lot easier to upgrade …