Watch "Breakthrough: Voyager 1 “Phones Home” After 40+ Years Using Backup Transmitter" on YouTube

This is a good, short synopsis of the voyager mission. And the piece about the backup transmitter cycling on and sending a message back to earth is really cool! https://youtu.be/jn-rJyZQBjM?si=5pAsuByYSNI4FLIX

What the actual fuck?

The orange menace made a very serious threat to an individual. A citizen he would represent.  Essentially saying she should be killed because he doesn't like her. 

I gotta agree with Kamala here. This should be the end of his campaign. He's not fit to serve. Period. 

How anyone. Any. One. Can vote for him is so far beyond me…

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/2024-election-updates-trump-violent-rhetoric-attack-war/?id=115388990

Here’s to hoping that THIS is the lasting image we have of the trumpster fire

In a garbage truck wearing an orange vest is really a summation of who this dope is. 

And later when he went to a rally and wore the vest throughout (as Colbert said "like a 6 year old who won't take off his Halloween costume") and then danced to the song YMCA by the village people. 

Especially since he has had multiple cease and desists about using that song. AND the song is somewhat of a gay anthem. 

It's kind of perfect. 

Carbon capture

A team of scientists at UC Berkley have come with a solid chemical compound that can be used in capturing Carbon. They describe it as a cross between a filter and a sponge and a mere 8 ounces can be as effective as a tree, and like a tree, the substance can be reused.

https://archive.is/JPmvj#selection-2823.130-2823.161

Its safe and non-toxic...and well, I look forward to hearing more about it as the y ramp up production and testing.

Another budding young scientist

A young man by the name of Sirish Subash questioned whether washing fruits and vegetables actually did any good removing pesticides.  And to answer that question, he engineered a solution!

What he created was a hand-held AI system that can detect residual pesticides, based on light reflected, which is invisible to the naked eye. (And by the way, washing does NOT remove all pesticides)

And for his effort, he was recognized as "America's Top Young Scientist" and given a $25,000 prize.  

https://news.3m.com/14-year-old-named-Americas-Top-Young-Scientist-for-inventing-an-AI-based-handheld-pesticide-detector

To be fair, the other nominees were no slouches either, and you can read about their entries in the link above.

Two high schoolers and the Pythagorean proof

Back in May, there was a story about a couple of high schoolers who - mostly for fun - put their heads together to mathematically prove the Pythagorean Theorem - something that mathematicians had to that point, had been unable to do.  

Their solution involved trigonometry, and at the time they wanted to see what else they could come up.  Well, what they came up with were 9 MORE solutions to the problem!

https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/mathematics/high-school-students-who-came-up-with-impossible-proof-of-pythagorean-theorem-discover-9-more-solutions-to-the-problem

They used their innate curiosity and ... Critical thinking for the win! 

NY is well on its way to reducing its carbon footprint

In 2019, NY state announced an ambitious plan to move toward solar power.  And recently, the state of NY announced they reached a milestone; they are producing 6 Gigawatts of power.

https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2024-Announcements/2024-10-17-Governor-Hochul-Announces-New-York-State-Has-Achieved-Major-Solar-Milestone 

That amount of power can serve 1,000 homes for a year.

And the plan is to expand from there.  What a great start, and a terrific accomplishment.