In last week, several intriguing developments have emerged in the fields of space exploration, UFO sightings, and neurotechnology. From a remarkable barbell-shaped UFO witnessed by a U.S. Department of Defense contractor to the latest results from Neuralink’s brain-computer interface, these advancements have captured the attention of both the scientific community and the general public. Moreover, NASA’s plans for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) promise to revolutionize our understanding of potentially habitable planets beyond our solar system.
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One of the most striking stories comes from southwestern Ontario, Canada, where a U.S. Department of Defense contractor and two others reported seeing a giant glowing UFO on August 28, 2013. The witness described the object as being half the length of a football field, approximately 170 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 20 feet tall, with a mesmerizing indigo blue glow. UFO researcher Robert Powell conducted an extensive investigation into the sighting, visiting the contractor’s lab and analyzing video footage captured by the witness. Although the witness attempted to film the UFO using a Motorola cell phone and a Sony HD camera, both devices malfunctioned, a common occurrence in UFO sightings.
In another fascinating account, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Andre James shared his own UFO sighting during a team flight in November 2023. James and his teammates witnessed strange lights in the sky while on a plane, with a large white object changing size and moving in a circular pattern, accompanied by a second smaller light. The sighting lasted an impressive 20 minutes and was observed by everyone on board the aircraft.
Moving from the skies to the human brain, Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company, recently revealed the results of its first human implant recipient. Noland Arbaugh, a 30-year-old Arizona resident paralyzed below the neck, received the N1 implant in January 2023. The device allowed him to control a computer, browse the internet, send messages, and even play video games using attempted or imagined movements of his paralyzed limbs. Despite experiencing a setback after a month, with 85% of the implant’s threads retracting, Noland’a remains optimistic about the technology’s potential to assist others with disabilities.
In another groundbreaking development, Swedish scientists at FindSpark have created the world’s first living computer made from human brain tissue. The machine consists of 16 organoids, or clumps of brain cells grown in a lab, which act as circuits by sending and receiving signals through their neurons. This living computer uses over a million times less energy than current digital processors, making it a potential solution for the increasing energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centers. The technology has garnered significant interest from universities and investors, with potential applications in cloud computing and understanding the human brain to develop treatments for diseases.
Looking to the future, NASA is developing the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), a large space telescope designed to directly image Earth-like planets around sun-like stars and study their atmospheres for signs of life. Based on current exoplanet research, it is estimated that one in every five stars may have an Earth-like planet orbiting it. The HWO will search for chemical signatures such as oxygen and methane, which could indicate the presence of life similar to that found on Earth. NASA has awarded contracts totaling $17.5 million for technology development, with work scheduled to begin in late summer 2024.
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