China surpassed the US as the world's richest nation

A Russian test has placed the ISS in danger of space junk collisions, hackers snuck into the FBI email system, spammed over 100,000 accounts Nov 16, 2021 # Good morning. There is trouble in paradise: Russia “recklessly” obliterated a dead satellite and generated a cloud of debris, forcing astronauts aboard the International Space Station to temporarily take shelter in an orbital crisis that drew widespread condemnation. If you see something, say something. Also, in today's edition, the FBI has become the newest hacking victim after cybercriminals snuck into its email system and spammed more than 100,000 accounts. Additionally, China has overtaken the United States as the richest nation on Earth, and it's only getting richer. This is The Blueprint. Welcome to the New World. CULTURE [It's Official. China Has Overtaken the US as the Richest Nation on Earth]( [World currencies rolled into tight bundles.]( The world has become a lot wealthier in the last two decades, but the distribution of wealth has shifted drastically, with China surpassing the United States as the world's richest nation. That’s one of the takeaways drawn [from a new McKinsey & Co. study]( which examined the national balance sheets of ten countries representing more than 60 percent of the world’s income. - The top spot. The world's net worth rose to an unprecedented $514 trillion in 2020, from an earlier net worth of $156 trillion in 2000, with China taking the largest single share: nearly one-third of the world's income. China's wealth rocketed to $120 trillion, from its previous $7 trillion in 2000 — an unfathomably colossal growth from its days before joining the World Trade Organization, which accelerated its climb to power. The U.S., meanwhile, has experienced muted increases in property prices, but nearly doubled its net worth over the same period, to $90 trillion. Although China and the U.S. are the largest economies in the world, the lion's share of the world's wealth is held by the richest 10 percent of households. And they're only getting richer. - The McKinsey report also said 68 percent of global net worth is tied up in real estate, but it also included machinery, infrastructure, equipment, and, although comprising a much smaller portion, intangible goods like patents and intellectual property. Economic ascent. These are interesting times, specifically because the richest people in the world are getting far richer than any have before, with the poorest beginning to suffer more in leading countries [in ways not seen for at least half a century](. And, with space barons like Musk and Bezos increasingly touted as leaders in the tech industry, science and engineering are becoming more tethered to financial activity than ever before. It’s a brave new world. [Read More]( SCIENCE [A Russian Test Has Placed the ISS in Danger of Space Junk Collisions]( [The International Space Station, in low-Earth orbit.]( An anti-satellite missile test executed by Russia [generated more than 1,500 chunks]( of supersonic space debris that could threaten the lives of seven astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Four U.S. astronauts, one German, and two Russian cosmonauts were forced to take shelter in docked capsules after a defunct satellite was blown up in an anti-satellite test of space war tactics. Safely tucked away in potential escape pods, the risk to their lives or livelihoods from potential damage was minimized as at least 1,500 pieces of supersonic debris passed within the trajectory of the station. The accident required an urgent change of orbit. - No harm from the foul. Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, has officially confirmed the ordeal, tweeting: "The Space Station crew is routinely performing operations according to the flight program. The orbit of the object that forced the crew today to move into spacecraft according to standard procedures, has moved away from the ISS orbit. The station is in the green zone." But there were several transits of the debris field that posed a risk to the station and other satellites, [according to a tweet]( from Astronomer Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard's Center for Astrophysics. "A few minutes away from the next debris field transit for ISS." - ‘An irresponsible and destabilizing action.’ McDowell also spoke generally about the implications of testing anti-satellite weapons, condemning unilaterally any such use of space for military purposes. "I condemned the 2007 Chinese test, the 2008 US test, the 2019 Indian test, and I equally condemn this one," [another tweet read](. "Debris-generating antisatellite tests are a bad idea and should never be carried out." Space junk waves. But, with China, Russia, and the U.S. and its allies scaling up their [space war tactics research and tests]( this will probably not be the last time the ISS and other orbital endeavors are endangered by a fresh batch of supersonic space debris. For the time being, the U.S. Space Command is continuing to track the cloud of orbiting debris, and will work to "ensure all space-faring nations have the information to safeguard their on-orbit capabilities." [Read More]( CULTURE [Hackers Snuck Into the FBI Email System, Spammed Over 100,000 Accounts]( [The agency is the hackers' new victim.]( Cybercrime has increased dramatically since the world began relying more and more on the internet and computers for both work and entertainment. An FBI investigation earlier this year revealed that as the U.S. battled the COVID-19 pandemic, hackers even targeted money collected to support victims of the deadly disease. And [the recent target was the FBI itself](. - You’ve got mail. Last weekend, thousands of people were at the receiving end of emails from the FBI after hackers managed to sneak into the agency's private portal, the Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP), which the agency uses to communicate with state and local-level law enforcement partners. The hackers sent emails to more than 100,000 addresses, all of which were scraped from the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) database. And since the hackers used the FBI’s public-facing email system, the emails seemed all the more real. - Phony messages. Although the FBI would not reveal the contents of the emails, Gizmodo stated that they warned recipients of a "sophisticated chain attack" conducted by the hacking group "The Dark Overlord," with Vinny Troia as the perpetrator. Troia, in truth, is a cybersecurity expert, and his cybersecurity firm has published an investigative report on The Dark Overlord's actions on the Dark Web. Dodging bullets. The fact that the email didn’t include any malicious attachments could indicate the hackers stumbled across a vulnerability in the FBI portal, with no pre-ordained plan to exploit it. The software vulnerability was fixed, and the FBI's networks have since been verified as secure. - Although online scammers often create fake emails that look like official sources, it’s extremely rare for a hacker to breach a government server, further highlighting the vulnerabilities of email communications. For example, Russian intelligence officers are believed to have collaborated with ransomware criminals to breach U.S. government organizations, and Chinese hackers have compromised dozens of U.S. government agencies. And, according to Have I Been Pwned?, 11,603,245,533 accounts have been compromised as of today, which means that, technically, [we're all vulnerable to cyberattacks](. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Our increasing reliance on the internet has transformed the way we do things in every way, from business etiquette to personal beliefs. It has also led to the increase of cybercrimes like email phishing, website attacks, identity theft, and so on, by ruthless cybercriminals. Have you ever been the victim of a cyberattack? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Yes, just once.]( [Yes, multiple times.]( [Thankfully, no.]( [I am Mr. Robot.]( Yesterday’s Results And now let’s check out your answers to yesterday’s question! We asked whether you’d go to the moon this weekend, if you had the chance. And unsurprisingly, 71% of you answered positively, while only 15% stated the moon was nothing special since it’s basically just rocks. We’re extremely heartbroken. For those who found it appealing, you should know that [it takes roughly 3 days]( for a spacecraft to reach the moon, assuming it’s at an ideal distance of 240,000 miles (roughly 386,240 km). Make sure you pack a light suitcase. Yes, obviously. Who wouldn’t? 71% It’s just rocks. Nothing for me, thanks. 15% I’m full this weekend. Maybe next? 9% I’d be too scared. 6% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ Perhaps consciousness arises when the brain’s simulation of the world becomes so complex that it must include a model of itself. ” Richard Dawkins in ‘The Selfish Gene’ [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Can Floating Cities Save Us From Rising Sea Levels?]( Fantasy, or the future? [Can Floating Cities Save Us From Rising Sea Levels?]( AND ANOTHER THING... - Could solar gardens boost traditional farming with renewable energy? [This solar farm in Colorado seems to think so](. - Technology has given people more ways to connect, but [has it also given them more opportunities to lie]( (Fast Company) - Under the codename Manhattan Project, the U.S. effort in World War II to beat Nazi Germany to an atomic weapon [had a complicated and unquestionably terrible legacy](. - Results from neural networks support [the idea that brains are “prediction machines”]( — and that they work that way to conserve energy. (Quanta Magazine) - [China’s 640-ton “Iron Monster”]( erect colossal bridges in a few days. - Here's [how a VR company became the Airbnb for NFTs](. Yes, that's really a thing now. (WIRED $) - Should we put the unvaccinated in lockdown? [Austria says “yes”]( with fines up to $1,660. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? 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