🪩 Shapeshifting optics could image exoplanets directly

Plus: Ant intelligence may guide robotics, Pentagon ‘Replicator’ drones, Putin wants Russian LLMs Future NASA telescopes may warp and flex special “deformable mirrors” to finally reveal Earth-like worlds lurking in other solar systems. The mirrors will act like adaptive corrective lenses, with surfaces that react to counter tiny flaws that would otherwise scatter incoming light. The glare from stars close to exoplanets effectively blocks any direct imaging of alien worlds. Instead, scientists rely on indirect methods and spectroscopy. But deformable mirrors offer a smart workaround, reshaping the reflective face until it's possible to screen out the stellar blaze. Early testing starts in 2027 aboard the Roman mission, a pathfinder seeking to image never-seen-before worlds. It’s exciting to imagine the alien worlds that could snap into focus once we have the optical capability to observe them directly. Learn more about the technology and the timeline in today’s [Must Read](. 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Must Read [Space telescopes with deformable mirrors may directly image exoplanets]( NASA believes sophisticated space telescopes equipped with deformable mirrors may finally enable direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets. By flexing their surface, these mirrors can eliminate distortions down to the scale of atoms. This extreme precision helps remove starlight glare that obscures dim planets. Deformable Mirror Technology will be tested aboard NASA’s upcoming [Roman mission]( a pathfinder platform for future observatories seeking signs of alien life. Direct imaging of exoplanets is extremely challenging due to the overwhelming brightness difference between planets and host stars. Coronagraphs block starlight but require ultra-precise stability in the telescopes’ optics. Deformable mirrors can actively correct tiny imperfections and fluctuations, dramatically improving coronagraph efficiency to reveal only planetary light. Deformable mirror demonstrations in space will enable larger future observatories capable of spectroscopic analysis of exoplanet atmospheres. Click below to learn more about how the system will work. [[Read More]( [Culture]( [🤖 Putin calls for AI that reflects Russian culture]( In a speech, President Putin said foreign AI models like ChatGPT often ignore or “cancel” aspects of Russian culture. He announced Russia will approve a new AI development strategy and boost supercomputers to reduce dependence on the West. Putin stated domestic language models trained on Russia-specific data are needed rather than “biased” Western systems. He acknowledged AI’s risks but said banning it isn't an option. Learn more about Russia’s pivot toward localization in pursuing AI progress. [[Read More]( [Military]( [🛩️ Pentagon to select first disposable drones for ‘Replicator’ swarms]( A Pentagon spokesperson said the Department of Defense (DoD) will choose the first drone candidates for its “Replicator” mass production program by mid-December. The goal is large-scale inexpensive drones to counter China. The selected systems likely already receive DoD funding for acceleration. While details are classified for security reasons, existing small UAVs may be preferred. Learn more about the US military mobilizing drones en masse. [[Read More]( [Science]( [🐜 Army ants' bridge-building skill may inspire robotic swarms]( Researchers study how army ants collectively construct living bridges over gaps, guided by efficient group decision-making rather than hierarchy. Isabella Muratore believes programming robot teams based on ant colony logic could enable dynamic problem-solving. As robotics researchers pursue real-world functionality, insect social structures offer prototypes for resilience. Learn how tiny ant brains are driving bio-inspired engineering. [[Read More]( job alert In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: [jobs.interestingengineering.com]( [Senior Systems Engineer - Digital Engineering/MBSE]( at SciTec Boulder(US) [Software Engineer L5 - Ads Platform Engineering]( at Netflix Los Gatos(US) [Senior Surveillance Systems Engineer]( at The MITRE Corporation McLean(US) [Senior Software Engineer - Frontend]( at ST Engineering iDirect Herndon(US) [Avionics Mechanical Engineer]( at ENSCO, Inc. Endicott(US) [Software Engineer- Digital Engineering]( at SAIC San Diego(US) [Experienced Data Engineer - Data Engineering]( at Plaid San Francisco(US) [Engineering/ Systems Engineer I-II]( at TRISTAR Crane(US) [Manager, Web Solution Engineering & Operations]( at Universal Orlando Resort Orlando(US) QUESTION OF THE DAY Do you think direct viewing of exoplanets will reveal anything interesting? [Yes, entire new living worlds]( [Lots of boring dead planets]( [The glow of alien cities at night]( [Maybe, but image quality will be poor]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS We asked you when artificial intelligence will truly understand the meaning of language. 38 percent expect this within five years, but 20 percent say that AI will never grasp language in the way humans do. 38% Within five years, maybe 30% They already do! 20% AI never truly will 12% Not for decades “This technology will also be critical to enable a future flagship mission after Roman [...] provisionally called the ‘Habitable Worlds Observatory’ (HWO)” NASA blog post on deformable mirror optics AMAZON AMAZERS [Fitbit Versa 4 Smartwatch]( [$149.95]( [Pressure Relief Seat]( [$52.00]( [Echo 4th Gen with Light Bulb]( [$54.99]( [ASUS Gaming Headset]( [$167.99]( AND ANOTHER THING - [Alberta Glacier serves as a test bed for NASA’s futuristic robotic snake]( - [DeltaHawk’s advanced aircraft piston engine goes green with hydrogen fuel]( - [8 alternative spaceflight concepts that could take us to the stars]( - [When will AI be flying a plane full of passengers?]( [premium] - [This new e-mobility concept fills the gap between e-bikes and EVs]( - [What caused dinosaurs’ demise? 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