🛰️ US says Russia’s ‘inspector’ satellite is tailing its spycraft, desalination breakthrough using solar energy, scientists create world’s 1st mini-brain with working blood-brain barrier

Plus: Memory device that can retain data at 1,112 Fahrenheit developed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 May 22, 2024 | [Read Online]( In Coordination with Rabbit [Delegate your tasks and watch the magic unveil.]( Unlock the capabilities of Rabbit r1 - the personal assistant you never knew you needed. [Read more.]( Russia’s latest satellite launch has caught the attention of US intelligence officials who believe the satellite could be a weapon designed to inspect and attack other satellites. The US Space Command (USSPACECOM) issued a statement on Tuesday, May 21, revealing that the Russian spacecraft launched last week is now trailing a US spy satellite in orbit. This raises concerns about the satellite’s potential to threaten critical US space assets. “We have observed nominal activity and assess it is likely a counterspace weapon presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit,” a USSPACECOM spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters. For more on this development, check out today’s [Must-Read.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Senior Network & Cloud Engineer]( > [AWS Cloud Engineer]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( INTERESTING ENGINEERING SHOP [[We Work Until It Hertz - Unisex Tee] We Work Until It Hertz - Unisex Tee]( [[Engineer By Choice - Unisex Tee] Trust the Engineer Mug]( MUST READ 🛰️ US says Russia’s ‘inspector’ satellite, space weapon, tailing its spycraft [Cosmos 2576]( bears a striking resemblance to previous Russian satellites launched in 2019 and 2022. These earlier satellites, like Cosmos 2542 and Cosmos 2543, exhibited [concerning behavior](, including approaching sensitive US spy satellites. In 2019, one such satellite released an object into space and closely followed a US intelligence satellite from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which oversees [intelligence-gathering satellites](. As of now, Cosmos 2576 has not approached any US satellite. However, space analysts have observed that it is in the same orbital ring as [USA 314](, a bus-sized NRO satellite launched in April 2021. ☀️ Desalination breakthrough uses sun, not electricity, to clean seawater Researchers at the Australian National University have developed a new approach for desalinating water that [does not use electricity](. The method uses solar energy and can be deployed in remote locations, even in [low-income countries](. With [freshwater shortages]( seen in multiple parts of the globe, countries are turning to seawater and [desalinating]( it to meet their water demands. The researchers use a phenomenon called [thermodiffusion](, a temperature gradient to move salt from the warmer to the colder side to bring about desalination. In this process, water remains in the liquid phase, and [no energy is spent]( turning it into vapor and cooling it back. 🧠 Scientists create world’s 1st mini-brain with working blood-brain barrier Organoid experts at Cincinnati Children’s, Mayo Clinic, and UC San Diego have brought about a significant discovery for disease research and drug development. They have created brain organoids with a functional blood-brain barrier, termed “[BBB assembloids](.” The [human blood-brain barrier (hBBB)]( is one that is highly specialized and helps in regulating passage across blood and central nervous system (CNS) division. The study makes promises to ramp up treating a wide range of [brain disorders]( like stroke, cerebral vascular disorders, brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington disease, Parkinson’s disease, and different sorts of [neurodegenerative conditions](. Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > Paleontologists studied a newly discovered fossil of feathered dinosaur, observing that the dinosaur had areas of reptile-like scaly skin in regions where it did not have feathers. ([More]() > NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has detected mysterious substorm at Earth’s magnetic tail, which can cause geomagnetic disturbances. ([More]() > The past attempts of honeybee researchers revealed that Aspergillus flavus is frequently found in hives. In a new study, researchers have discovered that this fungus is uniquely adapted to survive in bee colonies. ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers have employed microstructural modeling to optimize electrode materials for batteries. Research into new battery materials is aimed at optimizing their performance and lifetime and at reducing costs. ([More]() > A research team has developed a new type of electrochromic (EC) structure for energy-saving windows, which can dynamically regulate solar radiation under external voltage stimuli. They have been considered as a promising technology to reduce the energy consumption of buildings. ([More]() > Replacing diesel school buses with electric school buses may yield up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per individual bus, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. ([More]() INNOVATION > A new initiative has charted “star signs” in Earth’s orbit. These are not made by connecting actual stars, but by charting patterns of space junk flying just a few hundred miles over our heads. ([More]() > Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new heat-proof memory device that can operate at temperatures as high as 1,112 Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius), sufficient even to melt rock. ([More]() > A research team has been working on flexible wearable thermoelectric generators that produce electricity from body heat by sewing nanomaterials called carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into fabric. ([More]() VIDEO > The XB-1 by Boom Supersonic is the precursor to a new supersonic airliner. Could it reinvigorate supersonic travel in the post-Concorde era? ([More]() > New “Wall-E”-style security robots choose a non-threatening appearance—but they still come with a strong surveillance function. ([More]() > An underwater drone has smashed the record for continuous operation. What impact will that have? ([More]() A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR [How many of you have dreamt of having your own Jarvis?]( Watching Tony Stark pass on instructions to his assistant Jarvis and seeing them carried out flawlessly is the next level of technology everyone of us dreams about. And, we are inching closer to having that assistant for ourselves in our pockets. Rabbit’s r1 device is your best bet if you’re looking out for a smart, intelligent assistant. From booking Ubers, planning and family holidays, to doing complex calculations, the r1 can handle your online tasks for you.. Wondering where you can get your hands on this innovative device? [You know where to click]([!]( [Get Rabbit r1]( IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, Too many square in one shape? The answer is: 24 Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > Computer scientist prepares robots to improve human lives and help with aphasia, cancer care, geriatric problems and other such [issues]( > Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Open AI are among the companies that have signed up to the Frontier AI Safety [Commitments]( > About 6,800 years ago, a "mayor" was buried with a wealth of food and riches, according to archaeologists who found the rare burial in southern [Germany]( > Recent research has revealed the mechanism behind a female flower selectively attracting a single male [counterpart]( > The remains of a young woman have been discovered in the UK, with evidence suggesting she was stabbed as part of a human sacrifice during the [Iron Age]( > A new study reveals that actin—a protein in butterfly's scales—orchestrates the intricate arrangement of the colorful structures in the insect’s [wings]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. 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