On June 23, 2025, a German startup, The Exploration Company (TEC), launched the Nyx capsule as part of the "Mission Possible" program, carrying the ashes of 166 people, with support from Texas-based Celestis, a space burial company.

The capsule completed two successful orbits around Earth before crashing into the Pacific Ocean due to a re-entry anomaly.

Celestis confirmed the ashes are unrecoverable, with CEO Charles M. Chafer emphasizing that while the technical milestones were notable, they cannot replace the personal significance for the families involved.

The incident has left the contents dispersed at sea, prompting ongoing investigations into the failure.

The establishment views this as a setback for the growing space burial industry, with TEC labeling it a "partial success" despite the crash, focusing on lessons for future missions.

#space #spacemission #spacecapsule #rocket #technews

 

They know when it’s unfair and they won’t stand for it. In a groundbreaking new study, bonobos one of our closest primate relatives refused to participate in tasks when they were given worse rewards than their partners. Unlike chimpanzees, their reaction wasn’t just disappointment in the human handing out the treats. Even when a machine gave out the unequal rewards, they still protested.

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Utrecht University tested the bonobos in two experiments. In both cases, the bonobos clearly recognized inequality and often withheld cooperation when faced with unfairness. This behavior is known as inequity aversion a trait long debated in animals and seen as crucial to the development of cooperation and fairness in human societies.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting: when the bonobo getting the better deal was a close social partner someone they had groomed more often the reaction to unfairness was significantly reduced. Just like humans, strong social bonds softened their sense of injustice.

This study adds compelling evidence that the roots of our own sense of fairness may stretch deep into our evolutionary past.

Bonobos don’t just expect fairness. They demand it.

#fairness #evolution #sciencenews

 

These are “Orb Weaver” spiders. They are large (about 1/2” to 3/4” body length), and they usually appear in late summer and early fall. Right about now, in other words. This is their time of year to build webs and find mates.

They are 99% HARMLESS TO HUMANS. THEIR VENOM IS NON-TOXIC TO US. THEY ARE DOCILE AND NON-AGGRESSIVE. THEY ALMOST NEVER, EVER EVEN BITE!!!!

I know they’re scary looking, but they are our allies, not enemies. They devour insect pests that plague us. Also, they're mostly active at night - they rest in their webs during the day.

 

So long as they continued to work and breed, their other activities were without importance. Left to themselves, like cattle turned loose upon the plains of Argentina, they had reverted to a style of life that appeared to be natural to them, a sort of ancestral pattern. Heavy physical work, the care of home and children, petty quarrels with neighbors, films, football, beer and above all, gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult.

~George Orwell, 1984.

 

Voyager 1 is out there living the ultimate road trip dream — it’s been on the move for nearly 48 years since it launched way back on September 5, 1977. Right now, it’s chilling about 22.3 light-hours from Earth, which translates to a jaw-dropping 24 billion kilometers (15 billion miles) away. And get this: it’s still zipping through space at a mind-blowing speed of around 61,000 km/h (38,000 mph). Talk about never hitting traffic!

If all stays on track, Voyager 1 will reach a wild new milestone around November 15, 2026, when it’ll be one full light-day away from Earth — roughly 25.9 billion kilometers (16 billion miles) out. That means even a beam of light, the Usain Bolt of the universe, would need a whole 24 hours just to catch up with it.

Pretty cool to think that this little spacecraft, which was built with ‘70s tech and has less computing power than a modern smartwatch, is still out there, rocketing into interstellar space and carrying that golden record mixtape for any curious aliens it might meet. Not bad for something older than the first Star Wars movie!