The spacecraft bound for a $700-quintillion asteroid

Plus: Astronomers will send a signal to a star system hoping to find aliens Apr 14, 2022 [View in browser]( As you read this, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are putting the final touches on the van-sized Psyche spacecraft, which will journey to the asteroid Psyche 16. The minerals contained in the asteroid are estimated to be worth $700 quintillion. I did the math, and that's enough to give everyone on the Earth more than $90 billion! But the logic is simple — precious metals cannot remain precious if they hit the market in such large quantities. Either way, it's impossible not to feel that the future will look a lot different. But, before you get close and personal with the Psyche spacecraft, today’s video will show you how to build a miniature refrigerator out of common household items. It’s easier than you think. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s feel the gold rush. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Here's how to build a miniature refrigerator with basic materials]( This little fridge works like a charm. [Here's how to build a miniature refrigerator with basic materials]( SCIENCE [NASA debuts the spacecraft bound for the $700-quintillion Psyche 16 asteroid]( [Psyche.]( NASA [has showcased its Psyche spacecraft]( for protective smock-wearing members of the media to see before engineers make the final adjustments and it’s sent to Florida for liftoff. - The spacecraft will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, before making a roughly three-year trip to Psyche 16, an asteroid that could be a target for future space mining missions. In early 2026, the spacecraft will reach and start to orbit the large asteroid. Gold rush. [Psyche 16 is estimated to contain]( roughly 22 billion billion pounds of heavy metals, but follow-up studies have cast doubt on this estimate. NASA's Psyche mission will launch on August 1. In addition to investigating Psyche 16's estimated wealth, the mission also aims to study its composition, to aid scientists in their quest to understand how planets develop, since the asteroid may contain planetesimal metal, one of the building blocks of planets including Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Venus. Needless to say, exciting discoveries await. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Alphabet, Meta, and other Big Tech firms launch a new carbon removal initiative]( [Carbon capture and storage.]( Major tech companies have joined hands to tackle climate change constructively. - In a project called Frontier, Alphabet, McKinsey, Meta, Shopify, and Stripe [have put forward a $925-million]( advance market commitment — marking a significant investment — to encourage and speed the development of technologies that can pull carbon dioxide from the air. Roadmap. Frontier would purchase permanent carbon removal from companies creating such solutions over the next nine years, starting in 2022. The initiative would also make it more affordable to the companies who are seeking to purchase captured carbon to make up for some of the planet-heating pollution they produce. Such an assurance can send a steady signal to researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors that there is a growing market for these technologies. More importantly, Frontier stresses that the aim is to help create a net [new carbon removal supply]( rather than competing over current strategies. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Astronomers will send a signal to a star system hoping to find aliens. Again?]( [An alien planetary system.]( The astronomers at Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) [have announced that]( the periodic table and music from a festival highlighting climate change are among the messages that will be sent to a nearby star system called TRAPPIST-1, which is roughly 39 light-years away from the Earth. - The star system consists of seven planets, at least three of which are in the Goldilocks zone, an area around a star where liquid water is most likely to be found and can potentially support life. To ensure that the message is received in its entirety, it will be sent out in four different phases, on the same frequency. To help potential listeners establish that the signal is truly artificial, it will begin with a series of bursts that are not found in naturally occurring radio waves. Mark your calendar. If intelligent life in the TRAPPIST-1 star system [receives and responds to the message]( then we could receive a reply roughly 80 years from now. So if the thought of aliens knowing about your existence bothers you, you probably won't be around long enough to confirm it. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Imagine: we have a real shot at contacting aliens and learning about their advanced technologies. But we don’t know if they'll like it, or strike back. Would you like to send a message? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Yes! That’s history book material.]( [No. It sounds too dangerous.]( [Only if we can share their reply with humanity.]( [Can I just send an away team?]( Yesterday’s Results We asked which materials science topic piques your interest the most. For the majority of you, sustainable materials triumph. Sustainable materials. It’s the most important. 45% Nanotechnology. Make it work. 33% Additive manufacturing. The possibilities are endless. 13% 2D materials. They'll change everything. 9% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true. ” James Branch Cabell in “The Silver Stallion” (1926) AND ANOTHER THING... - The Hubble Space Telescope [has identified a growing supermassive black hole]( in the very early universe, marking the first direct observation of a black hole growing into a monstrous supermassive black hole. - Scientists [have unraveled how the Tonga eruption]( caused worldwide tsunamis. (Quanta Magazine) - California's people [are opposing the release]( of an army of genetically engineered mosquitoes. - Today’s oceans are a tumult of engine roar, artificial sonar, and seismic blasts that make it impossible for marine creatures to hunt or communicate. We could make it stop, [so why don’t we]( (The Guardian) - SpaceX CEO Elon Musk [saved $143 million]( by not disclosing his Twitter stake on time, a lawsuit claims. - [A sunbeam split in two has become]( physics’ most elegant experiment, shedding light on the underlying nature of reality. (Aeon) - There's a real estate boom in the metaverse. [Here are its top five virtual deals](. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? [Subscribe]( [About Us]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe [here.]( © Copyright 2021 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]