A man with end-stage renal disease, who earlier this year became the first human to receive a new kidney from a genetically modified pig, has died, according to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “The Mass General transplant team is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman,” the hospital stated on Saturday. “We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant.” Rick Slayman, 62, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, received the transplant in March during a four-hour surgery. At the time, the hospital described it as “a major milestone in the quest to provide more readily…
Author: Aditya Lenka
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant technological milestone with the successful 665-second hot testing of its liquid rocket engine on May 9, 2024. This engine, associated with the PS4 upper stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), was notably manufactured using advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. Traditionally, the PS4 engine is produced through a combination of conventional machining and welding techniques. Employed in the fourth stage of PSLV, the engine generates a thrust of 7.33 kN under vacuum conditions and plays a crucial role in the Reaction Control System (RCS) of the PSLV’s first stage.…
Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently sparked a conversation about gender pronouns and artificial intelligence. He argued that LinkedIn’s AI was imposing a “political ideology” on Indian users after one of his posts was removed for violating community guidelines. Aggarwal’s initial post, shared on X (formerly Twitter), criticized the use of gender pronouns, referring to it as a “pronoun illness.” He expressed concerns that adopting such practices might conflict with traditional Indian values, which he claims already respect everyone regardless of gender. LinkedIn removed Aggarwal’s comments, citing a breach of its professional community policies. In response, Aggarwal posted a screenshot of…
After 25 years adrift in space, an experimental satellite launched in 1974 has been rediscovered using tracking data from the U.S. Space Force. The Infra-Red Calibration Balloon (S73-7), a small satellite that was part of the United States Air Force’s Space Test Program, was initially launched as part of “The Hexagon System.” This system involved deploying S73-7 from the larger KH-9 Hexagon satellite once in space. Originally designed to inflate and serve as a calibration target for remote sensing equipment, S73-7 failed to deploy correctly and subsequently drifted into obscurity as space junk. It was rediscovered in April after decades…
Britain’s SaxaVord Spaceport is now closer to initiating satellite launches after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) granted it a range control licence. This development, announced on Thursday, places the Shetland Islands-based facility on the brink of its inaugural launch, expected later this year. This licence marks the second of three regulatory steps necessary before the spaceport can conduct its first rocket launch. The final requirement is a launch licence. In December, SaxaVord became the UK’s first fully licenced vertical launch spaceport, positioning it as a pivotal player in Western Europe’s aerospace sector. SaxaVord Spaceport, in collaboration with Germany’s Rocket Factory…
During a significant speech in Mexico City this Tuesday, NASA Chief Bill Nelson stressed the critical need for global cooperation in combating climate change and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Highlighting the severe impact of methane leaks on global warming, Nelson emphasized that while solutions are available, they demand urgent and expansive implementation. “Methane leaks, in particular, pose a daunting challenge due to their potent impact on global warming, far exceeding that of carbon dioxide in the short term,” Nelson said, advocating for international efforts to address these and other environmental issues collectively. He underscored the pivotal role that satellites play…
Astronomers affiliated with the European Space Agency have unveiled the discovery of the most substantial stellar black hole within our Milky Way galaxy, recorded to date. Detected through the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission, this celestial phenomenon, which has been named Gaia BH3, demonstrates an unusual ‘wobbling’ motion impacting its companion star. Additional validation from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope and other terrestrial observatories confirmed that Gaia BH3 possesses a mass approximately 33 times greater than our sun. Traditionally, stellar black holes in our galaxy have been identified with an average mass close to 10 solar masses. The…
Astronomers have uncovered the origins of a magnetic field around a massive star within the “Dragon’s Egg” nebula, providing key insights into the formation of such rare phenomena. The nebula, located about 3,700 light-years from Earth in the constellation Norma, is home to two massive stars involved in a cosmic drama of stellar proportions. The European Southern Observatory’s Chile-based team, led by Abigail Frost, observed that one of these stars possesses a magnetic field similar to that of our sun, while its companion does not. This distinction has puzzled scientists, especially since massive stars are not typically associated with nebulae.…
