Virgin Galactic may beat SpaceX in one crucial category

First woman ever is cured of HIV using novel stem cell transplant, China to test the latest version of the world's largest amphibious aircraft Feb 16, 2022 [View in browser]( Together with [OuterNative]( Virgin Galactic announced this week that 1,000 tickets for joyrides to the edge of space on its spacecraft are officially for sale. Does anyone have $450,000 laying around? Asking for a friend! The ticket price is officially the cheapest seat beyond the atmosphere, which means Virgin Galactic may beat SpaceX and Blue Origin in the mass-market space race. Before we board Virgin’s aircraft and go weightless, we have an important question: Will A.I. eventually replace humans? In our latest video, we offer a few possible answers. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor here at IE, wishing you a spectacular hump day. This is The Blueprint. Stay with us. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [AI and humans: Will the technology end up replacing us?]( AI has managed to beat humans on certain fronts. Should we be worried? [AI and humans: Will the technology end up replacing us?]( INNOVATION [Virgin Galactic may beat SpaceX and Blue Origin in one crucial category]( [Virgin Galactic.]( Virgin Galactic is taking its space tourism ambitions to the next level, announcing that [1,000 tickets for trips aboard its space-touching aircraft]( are back up for sale. - The trip lasts 90 minutes and features "several minutes of out-of-seat weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth". The price point for the brief trips to the edge of space is $450,000 each. Space tourism is here. But before prospective astronauts can claim their ticket to the threshold between us and the great beyond, they will have to make a $150,000 deposit, paying the remaining $300,000 before stepping aboard. We wish there were economy class tickets. The six-figure sum isn't exactly pocket change, but it's the cheapest seat beyond the atmosphere. This may push the Richard Branson-owned company, which can be seen as the third-place firm behind SpaceX and Blue Origin when it comes to hype, [into the pole position]( in the private space race. [Read More]( HEALTH [First woman ever is cured of HIV using novel stem cell transplant]( [An illustration of the HIV virus.]( A leukemia patient in the United States [has become the first woman]( and third person to date to be cured of HIV using a novel transplant method involving umbilical cord blood from a donor. - The woman, who is middle-aged and of mixed race, was diagnosed with HIV in 2013, and leukemia in 2017. She received umbilical cord blood from a donor who was a partial match to treat her myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer that starts in blood-forming cells in the bone marrow, in addition to HIV. Break in the case. The transplant of the stem cells with a rare genetic mutation that blocks HIV invasion was successful: Today, she has been in remission and free of the virus for 14 months, without the need for HIV treatments. The scientists believe that this [cutting-edge stem cell transplant]( method will expand the pool of people who could receive similar treatment to several dozen annually. [Read More]( SPONSORED [A Jacket That Transforms Into A Bag. Have You Ever Seen Anything Like That?]( [Jackbag]( Yes, you read that right! A jacket and a bag might be two entirely different products, but the OuterNative Jackbag is here to bridge that gap. As its name suggests, the JackBag can be used as a jacket or as a bag depending on your needs. The OuterNative JackBag is available in two different colors - Midnight Black and Silver HiVis; and two variants - the JackBag Xtreme and JackBag Lite. It’s made of odor-free, heat-trapping, and quick-drying OuternativeX fabric material that can protect you from strong wind, dust, insects, and downpours. Both variants have a total of 14 multi-pockets with a load distribution system that allows you to fit everything without being uncomfortable. Both can also be transformed into a 35L backpack, so you can carry everything, hands-free. The JackBag Xtreme has an added feature of 5 removable motorcycle racing-grade material padding that will keep your back, shoulders, and elbows safe during accidents. On the other hand, the Silver HiVis will make you visible to other motorists even in low-light conditions. Whether you're heading to work, hiking, biking, or just out on the town, the Outernative Jackbag is sure to [keep you safe, stylish, and comfortable]( INNOVATION [China to test the latest version of the world's largest amphibious aircraft]( [A screengrab of the AG600 during a previous test.]( China [is set to test the latest prototype]( of its amphibious aircraft, the AG600, that will increase its maritime coverage to the entire South China Sea. - The design combines a boat underneath the massive aircraft that lets it land on water. While it’s not a combat-ready aircraft, it can carry personnel and equipment to far-flung places in the region. Hell or high water. It's about the size of a Boeing 737 and can transport up to 50 passengers at speeds of 310 mph (500 km/h), with a flight time of up to 12 hours. China also wants to use it as a firefighting tool, since the boat-shaped underside allows it to ski on water and collect roughly 13 tons of water in just 20 seconds. When the testing phase is completed, the AG600 will be the biggest amphibious aircraft in the world, leaving in its trail the Japanese US-2 and Russian BE-200 amphibious aircraft. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS While an amphibious aircraft is nothing out of the ordinary, there are many more unusual airplanes out there that can charm you with outlandish designs. Which unusual aircraft do you find most appealing? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [An aircraft that’s basically a boat with detachable wings.]( [One personal flying saucer, please.]( [An aircraft that fits inside another plane. Like a Russian nesting doll.]( [A plane that's just one wing. Flying pancake!]( Yesterday’s Results We asked how you think water came to be on Earth. The majority of you believe it formed along with the Earth, rather than being carried there by an asteroid or comet. It formed along with the Earth. 66% It must have been brought by a comet or an asteroid. 21% It was the aliens… “2001: A Space Odyssey” anyone? 8% Didn’t it come from the solar nebula? 6% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ People often overestimate what will happen in the next two years and underestimate what will happen in ten. ” Bill Gates in "Road Ahead" (1996) AND ANOTHER THING... - Elon Musk, the world's richest person, [donated more than $5 billion of Tesla stock]( to an unnamed charity over ten days in November 2021. - The number of romance-related frauds reported to the FTC [rose nearly 70 percent in 2021]( and the total amount lost jumped to $547 million. (Wall Street Journal) - Russian tanks might be stuck in the mud near Ukraine. [Here's what we know](. - Figure skaters are performing feats of athletic prowess that were once unimaginable. Let’s look at [the biomechanics of jumps like the quadruple Axel]( and the body's limitations. (Scientific American) - Did you know Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon, [is also called "singing moon"]( - Intel has agreed to [acquire chipmaker Tower Semiconductor]( for roughly $5.4 billion, bolstering its ability to make specialty processors like radio frequency communication chips. (CNET) - [A 7.5-ft (2-m) mushroom canoe]( demonstrates the powerful versatility of mycelium, a material that can help "overcome the symptoms of climate change". [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. [ [Referral Program Terms and Conditions]( Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? 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