MIT’s Window-Sized Device Pulls Drinking Water From Thin Air, Even in the Desert

A while back, I found an article about a team of researchers that were looking at a lightweight graphene and calcium based concept for pulling water from the air. 

Well, here's another team that has been testing a hydrogel solution that essentially does the same thing. 

It's got a ways to go to scale, but they are already able to demonstrate it working. 

https://scitechdaily.com/mits-window-sized-device-pulls-drinking-water-from-thin-air-even-in-the-desert/

Landing on Titan a look back

The headline of the story is misleading. Yes, scientists aren't quite sure what is happening on the surface of Jupiter's moon. But that's not really what the story is about. 

This is more of a retrospective on landing on Titan, and what we learned about the atmosphere, the surface, and served as a leaning experience for the future. 

Image of Titan taken 20 years ago continues to surprise scientists - Earth.com https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-cassini-huygens-mission-captured-this-image-on-titan-20-years-ago/

Disney announces new details for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets

I am still skeptical of whether this will come to fruition, but the plan at the moment is to give the muppets a new home in the Rock N Rollercoaster, which until now has featured Aerosmith. The new ride will just replace that band with the Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. And have a few preshow scenes with familiar muppets. 

I happen to like the muppets, but here's another instance where they will be unavailable to me because I can't do rollercoasters. Thanks Disney. Not. 

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/attractions/2025/08/21/disney-announces-new-details-for-rock--n--roller-coaster-starring-the-muppets

The New Meta Ray-Bans Might Be Your Next Disneyland Tour Guide

An intriguing use of technology. But (a) I would assume Disney will try and monetize it, and (b) what of us that wear glasses? I guess I'll miss out on that tech. 

Aside: I am reminded of a scene from the first season of Star Trek: the next generation.  Geordi loses his visor (allowing him to see) and his adversary makes a comment to the effect of "you have no sight and your parents let you live?"… it feels kind of like that sleight every time I see new tech that excludes me. 

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/the-new-meta-ray-bans-might-be-your-next-disneyland-tour-guide/?pageview_type=RSS-yahoo-feed

My conflicted views on Disney

 I am still a fan of the theme parks.  Though, I have to admit that the way they've changed bothers me in some way - because its become somewhat of a playground for the wealthy.

But the company on the whole often rubs me wrong.  They are all about the bottom line, staying on top in entertainment (including sports), and currying favor poltically.

And then they made a decision to suspend (or is it fire?) Jimmy Kimmell from the show he hosts.  Which a certain orange menace cheered about.  

This should not be the accepted behavior of an entertainment company that has its hands in so many pots.  There is still freedom of speech, and Kimmell's show was still profitable.  But he made a political comment and that was the end.

Once again, here we are...

This whole story actually hurts…

The basic story is that a literature professor at Texas A&M was conducting a lecture about children's authors and in the context of the discussions used pronouns other than the two that the GOP seems to dwell on.

A student was incensed and a discussion ensued, that essentially was the student saying the law was broken in even discussing such matters.  The instructor politely offered for the student to leave if they were uncomfortable.  

And how do we know this?  Because "someone" in the class recorded it and posted it online.  To me, it feels an awful lot like a setup, but no matter.  There was additional fallout.

The student wound up calling the chair of the department and recording that conversation and posting it (not sure if that's a crime in Texas, but whatever).  The chair said nothing would happen, and wanted to move on.

She posted more to social media about how she was expelled from the classroom and how this was a violation of her rights (there was also some "I'm personally offended by the subject matter" thrown in there too - snowflake much?) 

But then various ideological political idiots in Texas inserted themselves and asked the president of the university to act.  The teacher in question and a few others were fired.  The chair was fired.  The curriculum came under scrutiny. 

And the president of the university was again called upon to do more... and since the attached was written, he, too, has been fired.

What have we become?

Like I said, this all felt like a setup.  And Texas can go fuck itself.

Gender-identity content in Texas A&M class leads to removals | The Texas Tribune https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/08/texas-am-video-professor-student-gender-identity-content/

A single college football matchup took place at two different stadiums this weekend

That's unique. And fun. 

  https://www.footballscoop.com/2025/09/15/division-iii-wabash-case-western-uniquevenue-change-small-college-football-jake-gilbert-crawfordsville-high-school