A black hole proved Einstein right (again) 😏

Plus: AI powered an autonomous cargo ship for 500 miles May 17, 2022 [View in browser]( Last week, scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team revealed the first image ever seen of our galaxy's supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, tucked away in the tumultuous core of our Milky Way. But discoveries on this scale can trigger side effects in the wider body of scientific theory, like dominoes. And as the image flooded the internet, scientists deduced that it also proves one of Einstein's predictions that such an image would scale only with the mass of the black hole (unlike planets or stars, for example). Speaking of incidents of great scale, remember the Suez Canal ordeal? We do, and so does the YouTube channel Spark, which explains in a video how engineers widened the canal for bigger ships to get through. Good morning. I’m Mert, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Here's how engineers widened the Suez Canal to accommodate larger ships]( They doubled the width and deepened its main waterway. [Here's how engineers widened the Suez Canal to accommodate larger ships]( SCIENCE [The new supermassive black hole image just validated a key prediction of Einstein]( [Several images of Sgr A.]( One of the leading scientists behind the first image of our galaxy's supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, Dimitrios Psaltis from the University of Arizona, has now revealed how the new image [proved one of Einstein's predictions]( from his theory of gravity. - The new data proves that the image of a black hole scales only with its mass. Since a black hole naturally collapses to a size proportional to its mass, a black hole 1,000 times smaller would necessarily look different because its mass would be less. Demystified. This is due to nature's law of scale, which dictates that when two entities are vastly different in size, they look different from one another. Black holes, however, scale while looking very much the same, unlike planets — which can vary in size while having comparably little mass. So comparing the two images confirms Einstein's theory that black holes appear to be the only objects that only answer to one law of nature: gravity. With [two black holes of different sizes]( captured, scientists will continue to image and even take videos of black holes to gain a better understanding of the cosmic giants and reveal more about their mysterious nature. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Artificial intelligence powered an autonomous cargo ship for an entire 500 miles]( [The Orca AI system at work.]( As it completed its nearly 500-mile journey from Tokyo Bay to Ise Bay, Suzaka, a 749-gross-ton vessel, [became the world's first commercial cargo ship]( to navigate itself using only artificial intelligence. - This was made possible via maritime navigational software developed by Orca AI. Last year, Orca AI [collaborated with shipping company]( NYK Line and installed its Automatic Ship Target Recognition System on Suzaka as part of a research trial. The data collected during the ship's previous voyages was used to train the AI. The voyage. Suzaka completed its journey in 40 hours, and during this time, the navigational software onboard the cargo ship made 107 collision avoidance maneuvers and avoided 400 to 500 vessels. This is the first commercial autonomous voyage in history, and it shows how, as the world moves toward transportation automation, vessels at sea won’t be left behind. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Today's giant farm vehicles threaten 20 percent of the world's cropland]( [A combine harvests grain.]( In 1958, a combine carrying a full load of freshly harvested crops might weigh 8,800 pounds. Today, a fully loaded combine can clock in at 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg). - But this drastic increase in farm vehicle weight isn't necessarily bad. It’s a testament to modern farmers’ ability to grow far more food than ever before. But there's still reason to worry that equipment manufacturers have begun pushing the envelope too far. Under pressure. In a new study, [researchers found that]( farm equipment has grown so large that its heft can damage the soil lying more than 20 inches (0.5 m) below the surface. And ironically, the use of highly efficient tractors and harvesters may stifle progress toward increasing food production, due to the unintended risk of soil compaction. But there’s a straightforward solution to the problem: Researchers say chronic soil compaction could be avoided if [future agricultural vehicles are designed]( with inherent soil mechanical limits. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Today’s farm vehicles are heavier than most dinosaurs. What do you think about humanity’s obsession with building bigger and bigger structures? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [It’s a testament to our brilliance and commitment.]( [Gotta do what you gotta do!]( [It’s overcompensation. Think about it.]( [I don’t think we have an obsession (denial).]( Yesterday’s Results We asked how you feel about the rising status of space tourism. More than 30 percent of you feel detached and disinterested while 29 percent hope it’ll be cheaper one day. Disinterested. It’s just for show. 32% Hopeful. One day, it’ll be cheap. 29% Thrilled! The possibilities are endless. 22% Angry. It’s only for 1% of the world’s population. 16% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand. ” Martin Fowler in “Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code” AND ANOTHER THING... - Apple Car rumors are once again [backed up by Apple’s new VR patent]( Say goodbye to motion sickness while having fun! - [Will the FDA change how it vets drugs]( following the Alzheimer's debacle? (Nature) - The metaverse [could contribute $3 trillion to the global economy]( within the next decade. - The space shuttle’s main engine was mothballed with the program in 2011. Now NASA believes it’s [the future of interplanetary travel](. (Popular Mechanics) - Geologists have found [remnants of tiny life forms inside a rock salt]( that could open up new ways of understanding life on Earth and beyond. - Did cats really [disappear from North America for 7 million years?]( Were they looking for balls of yarn? We have questions. (Live Science) - Planned obsolescence [is not only bad for your wallet](. It also affects the environment. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir, Brad Bergan and Mert Erdemir 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 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]