NASA spacecraft to return sample from asteroid that could strike Earth in 2182

Plus: Neuralink looking for brain implant volunteers, black holes are fast eaters, military airships return? A menacing asteroid the size of the Empire State Building has caught NASA's eye, and the agency has a bold plan to knock it off course if needed. As soon as September 24, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will initiate the return of the samples it scooped up from asteroid Bennu's surface back to Earth, a first for the agency. Most crucially, studying Bennu's composition from the sample could reveal how to deflect or destroy the space rock if it threatens Earth in 2182. We have the full story on what's at stake in today's [Must Read](. Job alert: [Senior Server Design Integration Engineer making $287,500 a year!]( Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. What else has hit the headlines today? VIDEO OF THE DAY [Is Nikola Tesla Overrated?]( How does China’s J-20 jet pose a threat to U.S. Air Superiority? 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Must Read [🪨 NASA aims to destroy an Empire State Building-sized asteroid]( NASA is on a quest to deflect Bennu, a massive asteroid with a small chance of impacting Earth in 2182. Bennu measures around a third of a mile wide, enough to cause untold devastation if it comes our way. To understand how to divert it, NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to snatch samples from its surface. This daring [first-ever asteroid sample grab]( may provide insights to deflect Bennu if needed. The samples represent an unprecedented opportunity to study our solar system's origins. Most crucially, analyzing Bennu's composition can reveal how to deflect it from a path that could cause serious harm here on Earth. At least we have 159 years to work out a solution if it comes to that. Click below to learn more about the threat posed by Bennu. [[Read More]( [Innovation]( 🧠Neuralink to recruit people with paralysis for first human trials Neuralink, Elon Musk's neurotechnology company, announced it has received approval to start recruiting paralyzed volunteers for its first human trials testing an implanted brain-computer interface. The PRIME study will evaluate the safety of Neuralink's N1 implant and robotic implantation system, while assessing the device's ability to enable quadriplegic patients to control computers with their thoughts. Neuralink ultimately aims to create seamless brain-machine connections to treat neurological conditions and enhance human capacities. [[Read More]( [Military]( 🎈 Airlander 10 airship may yet find a military home, thanks to BAE British Aerospace (BAE) will explore using Hybrid Air Vehicles' Airlander 10 airship for defense purposes like intelligence gathering and logistics. Originally developed for the US Air Force but canceled, the ultra-low emissions Airlander 10 combines features of blimps and airplanes to efficiently carry over 10 tons. BAE sees potential in the aircraft's range, capacity, and sustainability, and the new collaboration aims to develop Airlander variants tailored for military needs. [[Read More]( [Science]( ⚫️ Black holes scarf up matter at dizzying speeds, says study New 3D models reveal black holes gobble up surrounding matter much quicker than previously thought. The simulations show the disk of matter spinning into the black hole tearing into two parts that spin and dissipate energy through shocks. This drives faster feeding, unlike older theories that predict slower disk expansion. The researchers think these mechanisms can explain why quasars, powered by material falling into black holes, flare up brightly. [[Read More]( QUESTION OF THE DAY When do you think we will be capable of dealing with a significant threat from an asteroid? [We have the technology now]( [Within 25 years]( [Some time this century]( [Never, it will surprise us]( “Pristine material from asteroid Bennu will help shed light on the formation of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago and perhaps even on how life on Earth began.” Nicola Fox, an associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate THE UNIQUE BOUTIQUE [Flameless Electric Candle]( [$31.99]( [H&C Bartender Kit]( [$89.99]( [Small Infinity Mirror Light]( [$119.99]( [Royal Selangor Funnel]( [$100.75]( AND ANOTHER THING - [Google's AI microscope ARM to detect cancer cells in seconds]( - [Can you improve on the ISS? 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