China's Mars rover forced into safe mode 💤

Plus: US Air Force's newest stealth bomber May 25, 2022 [View in browser]( Winter can be unpleasant, no matter your latitude in the solar system. For many of us on Earth, it’s endless gray skies, puddles of water, and red noses. Now imagine winter on Mars, without the tender envelope of a proper atmosphere. Few know the perils of the Martian winter better than robots on its surface. And sadly, we may not hear from China's Zhurong for a while, since the Mars rover has gone into safe mode following frigid temperatures and debilitating dust storms. There’s no place like home? Before we reveal the tricks Zhurong has up its sleeve to survive the winter, watch today’s video to see a 150-ton hydraulic press break down gloriously while trying to crush a stack of books. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Watch a 150-ton hydraulic press break down while crushing a stack of books]( The smaller the books, the greater the explosion. [Watch a 150-ton hydraulic press break down while crushing a stack of books]( SCIENCE [China's Mars rover was just forced to enter safe mode]( [China's Zhurong rover, on Mars.]( Hold on tight. China's Mars rover, the Zhurong, [was put into safe mode]( amid a severe dust storm. Crucially, this could put China's crown jewel of Martian exploration out of action until the end of 2022. - China's Zhurong initially landed on Mars in May 2021, and it's since sent video and audio recordings of Utopia Planitia, a colossal lava plain stretching across the planet's surface. But that region has entered winter, when the environment is unforgiving — even when there's no dust storm in sight. Knocked out. Of course, this sort of thing happens all the time. In 2018, a major dust storm [brought NASA's Opportunity rover mission to a close](. Zhurong won't see the same fate, since its safe mode is more like a precautionary step, rather than a last resort for survival. Until Zhurong comes back to life, the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter will go on, analyzing the Red Planet's atmosphere and seeking signs of clear Martian air. [Read More]( INNOVATION [US Air Force's newest stealth bomber to take its first flight in 2023]( [B-21, courtesy of Northrop Grumman.]( The Air Force Magazine [reported that the U.S. Air Force]( has pushed back the first flight test for its newest stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, by another six months. This means that the aircraft will remain grounded in 2022. Be informed. The B-21 is a dual-capable fighter aircraft. It can carry conventional and nuclear munitions on its missions. As a Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), the aircraft is expected to have a heavy payload capacity. - The aircraft's capabilities are mainly under the wraps, but we have a few artist's renditions to give us an idea of what the aircraft will look like. It does look a lot like the B-2 stealth bomber, which it will eventually replace. The B-21 [will still roll out in 2022]( since the production-representative aircraft will move out of Northrop Grumman's Palmdale plant for engine testing. Needless to say, we need to wait out a few more months for the first flight. [Read More]( CULTURE [Turns out, Meta isn't building its own metaverse at all]( [Meta.]( In a twist to the tale about Facebook's big leap toward building the metaverse, the company's President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, [has said that it does not want to build]( its own metaverse at all. - In a 31-minute Medium post, Clegg explains the many benefits of the metaverse and how Meta cannot be the main provider of this digital space. Change of heart. The company wants the digital world to be a more open and interoperable space built by not one or two tech giants but by a mix of public and private initiatives. It does seem strange that the company that jumped the gun and spent billions of dollars on the metaverse in one quarter of 2021, now suddenly wants to talk about a more inclusive and open framework. It’s likely the impact of [tens of billions spent on the metaverse]( with little to show that’s bringing the venture to new limelight. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Facebook caused a frenzy by changing its name to Meta in a bid to pursue opportunities in the metaverse. Do you think that Meta has made the right decision by not building its own metaverse? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [No, this is a lost opportunity for Meta.]( [Yes, it wouldn’t make sense anyway.]( [Well, if Meta is doing it, it's probably because it's the profitable choice.]( [It’s all too meta for me.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked whether you think students are encouraged enough to pursue careers in STEM fields. And 36 percent of you think we need a better support system. Sadly, no. We need a better support system. 36% We need an alternative to pricey universities. 28% Yes, we are on the right track! 22% It’s never enough! Governments can do a better job. 14% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ The biologist passes, the frog remains. ” Jean Rostand in “Inquiétudes d’un biologiste” (1967) AND ANOTHER THING... - A novel advanced glass technology [tints when an electric charge is applied]( and is coming to your home. - ​​Hypnosis is emerging as a powerful medical treatment for pain, anxiety, PTSD, and a range of other conditions. [Can it shake off its reputation]( as a stage magician's trick? (BBC) - A new low-cost gel film [can pull drinking water from arid desert air](. - Plants gratify our need for beauty and nourishment but also speak to a more ambiguous desire — to alter human consciousness. Hear what Michael Pollan has to say [about growing psychoactive plants](. (Financial Times $) - Samsung will invest a whopping [$360 billion in semiconductors]( over the next five years. - Here’s how [the unsustainable growth of the container ship industry]( led to the supply chain crisis. (The American Prospect) - Does the Cambrian explosion, which famously set the stage for strange and exotic creatures, seem weird? [Check out the Ediacaran](. 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]