4 killed in fatal highway crash involving illegal immigrant who drove wrong while drunk in Oklahoma; may face deportation

4 killed in fatal highway crash involving illegal immigrant who drove wrong while drunk in Oklahoma; may face deportation

An illegal immigrant has been accused of killing four young people after driving while intoxicated (DUI) on an Oklahoma highway.Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Michael Rosario-Cruz. He was released from the hospital and booked into the Canadian County Jail on multiple charges, including four counts of second-degree murder, DUI causing serious injury, driving while impaired, carrying a firearm while intoxicated and transporting an open container.The crash happened early Friday morning on Interstate 40 in Canadian County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Rosario-Cruz was reportedly driving westbound in the eastbound lanes when he collided with another vehicle. Due to the collision, the car caught fire and all four occupants died.The victims were identified as Kiersey Hickson, 20, Quincy Jones, 19, and Haleigh Salazar, 18, and Brad Palmer.Rosario-Cruz is the subject of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention request, meaning ICE has asked to be notified prior to any release so that deportation proceedings can begin. His nationality and when he entered the United States have not been confirmed.“Driving without a license is a reckless, life-altering decision,” the Highway Patrol said in a social media post announcing the charges.It added: “The loss of these young lives will have a lasting impact on countless family members, friends and communities.”The victims were remembered at a recent vigil held at El Reno High School, where three of them graduated. Nancy Salsman, a retired teacher, said she taught second grade to three of the victims.“You just make that connection that never goes away,” he told News 9.He added, “They’re always your kids. And when something like this happens we come together.”

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Sanjay Mehrotra, who was rebuffed thrice for US visa, joins Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai in the trillion-dollar club

Sanjay Mehrotra, who was rebuffed thrice for US visa, joins Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai in the trillion-dollar club

TOI correspondent from Washington: In the summer of 1976, the Kanpur-born teenage engineering student at BITS Pilani stood in the lobby of the US Embassy in New Delhi after being denied a student visa for the third time. His father, who had come with him, refused to go. She had seen the photo of the consular officer in the lobby, learned that he had gone out for lunch, and decided that she would wait to ask him why her son was being denied a visa even though admission to three universities was confirmed and all the documents were in order. Persistence worked. Half a century later, that student, Sanjay Mehrotra, is CEO of Micron Technology, the memory-chip giant that on Tuesday eclipsed the $1 trillion market capitalization that fueled Wall Street’s AI frenzy and joined the top 10 U.S. companies by valuation, surpassing more well-known giants like Walmart, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase. It’s one of Silicon Valley’s most incredible stories: A guy repeatedly shunned by America became the manager of one of America’s most strategically important technology companies in the MAGA era. He is not alone. Mehrotra’s rise also completes an extraordinary desi tableau at the top of corporate America. The world’s three most valuable technology companies – Microsoft, Alphabet and Micron, with market caps exceeding trillions – are now run by Indian-origin executives who arrived in America as middle-class strugglers with nothing but engineering talent, parental sacrifice and a quiet fire in the belly. Satya Nadella Grew up in Hyderabad as the son of a civil servant. Sundar Pichai He was brought up in a modest apartment in Chennai where the family once shared a rotary telephone. Mehrotra also came from a middle-class family in Kanpur that did not even have a phone. During his formative years in America calls to his parents were always via “PP” – “neighbor’s phone” – calling a neighbor who had a landline, who called his parents. Amazingly, their collective rise is now reshaping both Silicon Valley and the political debate over globalization in Donald Trump’s MAGA-backed America.Unlike Pichai and Nadella, who already inherited major software empires, Mehrotra’s achievement has been more industrial and arguably more difficult. Memory chips are cyclical, highly capital-intensive, and historically dominated by Asian giants like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. When Mehrotra became CEO of Micron in 2017, the company was worth about $20 billion. Today, Micron has reached the trillion-dollar mark amid an AI-driven explosion in demand for high-bandwidth memory chips that power data centers. Wall Street’s sudden fascination with Micron — driving the stock up 180 percent in 2026, including a 75 percent rise in May alone — reflects a terrible realization: AI may run on Nvidia processors, but it remembers via Micron memory. Micron’s rally has been so intense in recent days that President Trump personally praised the company as “one of the most popular stocks” after hosting Mehrotra at the White House, amid allegations of insider trading after allegations surfaced that Trump owned a stake of between $50,000 and $100,000 in Micron stock. Trump later took Mehrotra on his trip to China as part of a high-profile business delegation — a remarkable embrace from a president whose political movement has often attacked globalization and immigration.That tension now defines the Indian-American CEO moment in modern America that goes beyond the tech trio. MAGA activists and economic nationalists are accusing Indian-led technology companies of outsourcing jobs, favoring Indian engineers in hiring, and maintaining divided loyalties between the United States and India. In recent days, IBM’s Arvind Krishna – another Trump favorite – has come under fire from right-wing activists angry over the company’s huge Indian workforce. Similar allegations have been leveled against Microsoft’s Nadella and Google’s Pichai from time to time. Yet the same White House that is against globalization also relentlessly oppresses these executives because they now control companies central to America’s technological supremacy against China. Few industries illustrate that paradox more clearly than memory chips where Micron has invested extensively in India following ventures in Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, China and Malaysia. As part of India’s $2.75 billion effort to enter the global semiconductor supply chain, the company is investing over $800 million of its capital to build an ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) facility in Sanand, Gujarat. The Sanand facility is rapidly hiring engineers, automation specialists, manufacturing experts and quality technicians for its 500,000-square-foot cleanroom space, one of the largest single-floor assembly and test cleanrooms anywhere in the world, as India races to transform itself from a software-services back office to a hardware manufacturing hub.For Mehrotra it’s more personal. Unlike many Silicon Valley executives who maintain only formal ties with India, he has repeatedly viewed Micron’s India expansion as a strategic long-term investment in engineering talent and manufacturing depth. Symbolism matters: The student who was once denied entry to the US is now helping define America’s semiotic relationship with India.Still, the parallels with Nadella and Pichai are striking. Under Nadella, Microsoft’s market value has increased 10-fold – from about $300 billion in 2014 to more than $3 trillion today, largely through cloud computing and AI. Pichai, who became CEO in 2019, has seen 4x growth — from $1 billion to a $4 trillion-plus club that has only one other member, Nvidia. This is while navigating antitrust battles, AI disruption, and political scrutiny over search dominance. All three men have some management qualities in common: low-key demeanor, engineering passion, incrementalism over theatrics, and an aversion to Silicon Valley celebrity culture. None resemble the flamboyant founder ideal popularized by other tech giants like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He is a smooth operator, not a showman. In an industry once dominated by charismatic dropouts – Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison – corporate America has quietly shifted toward tech immigrant executives with deep managerial discipline.That change is not accidental. The AI ​​age is rewarding operational complexity, supply-chain coordination, and geopolitical balancing rather than pure product charisma. Mehrotra presents that change well. He co-founded SanDisk before leading Micron into one of the most important moments in semiconductor history. Today, memory chips are at the center of the AI ​​arms race between the United States and China. Micron’s fortunes are now tied not just to consumer electronics but to national security, data centers and global power politics.The irony is rich. A young Indian student once struggled to convince America that he was entitled to enter the country. Today, Washington views it as essential to maintaining America’s technological dominance. And somewhere in the story lies a larger truth about modern America: Even in an age of MAGA nativism and skepticism about globalization, some of the companies at the heart of American power are increasingly run by Indian immigrants, who have come after denied visas, middle-class anxieties, and parents willing to wait endlessly in embassy lobbies for a second chance.

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Quote of the Day by Plato: “Good men pay the price of indifference to public affairs…” | world News

Quote of the Day by Plato:

Some quotes survive because they seem wise. Others survive because they cause a small moment of discomfort. They stay in people’s minds because they touch something that feels real even after the world around them has changed. This line related to Plato falls in the same second category. This doesn’t seem gentle or reassuring. It almost feels like a warning uttered centuries ago that has somehow managed to remain relevant.People often imagine that ancient philosophers were merely talking about ideas stuck in another era. They depict old cities, stone buildings and conversations that seem far from ordinary life. Yet every now and then an old saying comes up and sounds unexpectedly modern. This is what makes this quote interesting. Even after thousands of years, it still raises the same questions in people’s minds.What happens when civilized people stop paying attention?This question sounds more familiar than many would like to admit.Today life is moving forward rapidly. Calendars fill up with work. Personal responsibilities increase. There is news every minute and opinions come out from all sides. After some time many people get tired of doing all this. Some people stop following public discussions because everything seems repetitive. Some people decide that they will focus solely on personal matters. Others quietly tell themselves that the bigger issues are those of leaders and governments rather than ordinary people.Plato’s quote seems to challenge that thinking.It doesn’t do it loudly. It simply suggests that walking away completely can produce consequences of its own.

Today’s Quote by Plato

“The price that good people have to pay for their indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by bad people.”

What is the meaning behind this statement of Plato?

At first glance this quote seems political. On closer inspection it seems that it is talking about responsibility in a broader sense.Plato does not suggest that everyone should be deeply involved in political debate every day. The message feels more connected to awareness and participation. Communities, societies and institutions function because people are connected to what is happening around them. They ask questions, make decisions, and pay attention to the events that shape their lives.The quote becomes interesting because of where Plato focuses his attention. He starts with the “good guys” instead of the “bad guys.” That detail changes the meaning of the entire sentence.The warning is not focused on the sudden appearance of bad people. The concern seems to be about civilized people becoming isolated or indifferent.Many people think that avoiding difficult issues creates distance from them. He believes that getting away makes life simpler and more peaceful. Sometimes that feeling is probably understandable. Public discussions can be frustrating and emotionally draining.Plato seems to suggest that complete indifference has a price.Vacant spaces rarely remain vacant for very long. If thoughtful people decide not to participate, other people eventually move into those spaces. The outcome may not always reflect the values ​​of those who walked away.This idea seems uncomfortable because it shifts the focus back to personal responsibility.

Plato’s own experiences may have shaped these ideas

Plato lived in ancient Greece during a time filled with political instability and social change. His thinking did not emerge from a peaceful world untouched by conflict. He witnessed events that reportedly left a deep impression on him.One of the most important moments involved his teacher, Socrates. Socrates was sentenced to death by Athens after being accused of influencing young people and questioning accepted beliefs.Imagine that someone you admire is standing in front of a system that suddenly turns against them.Such experiences rarely disappear from a person’s mind.For Plato, questions of justice, leadership, and responsibility became deeply personal. Later, these ideas would appear again and again throughout his work. He discovered how societies function and what causes them to weaken.It appears that he was interested in more than just political systems. Human behavior often became his subject.Perhaps that’s why many of his comments still seem surprisingly fresh.

There’s something strangely normal about depression

Most people do not consider indifference to be dangerous.Someone may decide that they no longer want to follow certain discussions because they feel tired. Another person may believe that their opinion doesn’t really matter. Another person may believe that someone else will eventually deal with the problem.Neither of these options seems dramatic.This is what makes them interesting.Depression usually comes quietly. It rarely announces itself. People don’t suddenly wake up and decide to stop caring about big issues altogether. This often happens gradually. Attention goes somewhere else. Daily life becomes busy. Personal concerns take priority.Days pass.Weeks pass.Months pass.Small choices repeated over a long period of time sometimes produce results that no one originally expected.A person assumes that their voice changes nothing.Then many people start thinking like this.

Why does this old quote still ring close? modern life

It’s a bit strange to read words written thousands of years ago and recognize modern behavior within them.Today’s world provides people with endless information. News updates appear instantly. Opinion spreads on social media within seconds. The discussion continues throughout the day without stopping.Yet, many individuals feel isolated despite having access to more information than ever before.Some people become overwhelmed by the constant headlines. Some people feel emotionally exhausted from endless arguments. Others stop paying attention simply because it seems easy.That reaction is understandable.Yet Plato’s quote raises an uneasy possibility. Whether people notice or not, public events continue to shape society. Decisions keep being taken. Systems keep changing.Ignoring something does not always prevent its impact from reaching people later.The same thing could happen below the quote.

The message can go beyond politics

Many people interpret this quote in ways that go beyond governments and public systems.Unhealthy situations sometimes develop in workplaces because no one wants to speak up first. Communities sometimes struggle because individuals assume that someone else will take responsibility. Family and friendships may experience similar patterns.A person notices inappropriate behavior but remains silent because it feels uncomfortable to engage in it.Someone sees a problem and assumes that someone else will eventually intervene.Someone sees the warning signs but decides it’s easier not to get involved.Later, people sometimes look back and wonder how situations became so complicated.The answer sometimes seems simple.The issue was not just what happened.The issue was what could not be done.

Other famous quotes from Plato

  • “Wise people speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”
  • “The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
  • “Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.”
  • “Courage is knowing what not to be afraid of.”
  • “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

What Plato understood about silence still matters today

Plato’s quote does not demand endless debate or constant engagement on every issue that exists. The message seems to be more subtle than that.People often assume that avoiding difficult topics means avoiding their consequences. Plato challenged that notion. They suggest that complete indifference can shape outcomes even when individuals believe they are remaining neutral.Perhaps this explains why these words keep appearing again and again from generation to generation.The world changes fast. Technology changes rapidly. On the other hand, human habits sometimes move very slowly.And perhaps this is why this quote still sounds strange today. Sometimes silence can shape events as much as action.

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UK farmer shot dead: Britain’s award-winning young farmer shot dead in field; Man charged after two-year investigation

Britain's award-winning young farmer shot dead in field; Man charged after two-year investigation

A 37-year-old man has been charged over the fatal shooting of an award-winning young farmer in Derbyshire, more than two years after the incident shocked the local farming community in Britain.According to a BBC report, the body of 23-year-old Charles Kinston was found in a field off Brizlincote Lane in Broughby, near Swadlincote, on January 29, 2024. Police said officers were called to the scene at around 6.30am GMT, where Kinston was pronounced dead a short time later.

The accused was charged with murder

Derbyshire Police confirmed that Joseph Simpkins, 37, of Brizlincote Lane, Broughby, has been charged with murder, possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate and possession of prohibited ammunition.Simpkins has been released on bail and is due to appear before South Derbyshire Magistrates Court on June 15, officials said.

Young farmer honored for innovation

Kinston was widely known in the agricultural world for his creativity and engineering skills. Farmers Weekly magazine previously described him as a “brilliant amateur inventor”.In 2020, he won third place in the publication’s invention competition after modifying a Land Rover Discovery into an off-road milk float designed for calf feeding.

The farming community mourned his death

Following his death in February 2024, the Leicestershire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs described Kinston as a “much-loved, kind and generous character”.A spokesman said he had been involved with the Netherseal Young Farmers Club for more than 12 years and was known for his cheerful personality.“He was a much-loved, kind and generous character who knew how to make everyone laugh,” the spokesperson said at the time. He also said it would be “difficult” to recoup their losses.

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NASA tests thruster powerful enough for manned mission to Mars

NASA tests thruster powerful enough for manned mission to Mars

A technology that could lead to crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently tested NASA‘S Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The result was a milestone that engineers and space scientists have been working toward for decades, and it brings the possibility of humans setting foot on Mars meaningfully closer to reality. For years, the central obstacle to crewed deep space travel has been not ambition or money but physics, in particular, the brutal mathematics of how much fuel a chemical rocket must carry to carry a crewed spacecraft hundreds of millions of kilometers into space. What JPL displayed in February 2026 shows that the gap is finally beginning to close. The test didn’t make a Mars mission imminent, but it did make it plausible in a way that even cautious engineers are finding it difficult to dismiss.

NASAMars thruster test sets a new US power record for manned missions

On February 24, 2026, NASA put its new magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster to the test in a special water-cooled vacuum chamber at JPL’s Electric Propulsion Lab. During testing, engineers fired the thruster five times and observed that the tungsten electrode in the center of the thruster was burning rapidly, causing temperatures to exceed 2,800 degrees Celsius. The tests successfully set a new record in the United States of 120 kilowatts of power, which is estimated to be 25 times more than the thrusters aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, which is currently on its way to asteroid 16 Psyche and includes the most powerful electric thrusters ever flown by NASA. That comparison matters. Psyche represents the current frontier that NASA has managed to impose on operational space flight. The fact that this new thruster dwarfs it in the test chamber is a sign of how significant the leaps forward could be, not just incrementally, but in terms of which classes of missions suddenly become conceivable.

What makes this thruster different from anything NASA has flown before

Why this test is important helps us understand what electric propulsion really is and why it is considered the most likely route to efficiently get humans to Mars.Electric propulsion is nothing new at NASA. The agency is already flying solar electric thrusters on missions like Manas. Those systems use electricity to accelerate propellant and can cut propellant use by up to 90 percent compared to traditional chemical rockets. The tradeoff is that thrusting chemical rockets produce a powerful thrust. Electric propulsion, in contrast, builds momentum slowly and steadily, making it not suitable for launches, but exceptionally suitable for long stretches of deep space travel where steady acceleration over weeks and months translates into truly impressive final speeds.Unlike conventional electric thrusters, which use electric fields to accelerate ions, MPD engines use both electric currents and magnetic fields to generate thrust, enabling significantly higher power operation. That difference is what allows lithium-powered MPD thrusters to operate at power levels that surpass current ion drives. The lithium metal vapor propellant, which burns at extreme temperatures inside the chamber, is central to this advantage, as it allows the system to handle power inputs that would destroy conventional thruster designs. The concept behind MPD thrusters is not new, dating back to research efforts in the 1960s, but it has taken decades of incremental progress to turn the principle into a viable propulsion system. What JPL has now demonstrated is that engineering has finally caught up with physics.

The numbers behind the Mars mission

The February test was a proof of concept rather than a finished product, and NASA has been clear about that. according to NASA JPLThe team aims to reach power levels between 500 kW and 1 MW per thruster in the coming years. Because the hardware operates at such high temperatures, proving the components can withstand the heat over many hours of testing will be a significant challenge.The scale that a crewed Mars mission would actually require puts that challenge into sharp relief. As Phys.org reportFuture manned missions to Mars would require 2 to 4 megawatts of power, include multiple thrusters and require more than 23,000 hours of continuous operation, approximately 958 days or 2.6 years. That is not a fast race. It is a sustained endurance test of the operation of hardware in one of the most hostile environments imaginable, at temperatures that would destroy most materials and in a vacuum where there is no possibility of repair in flight.The 120 kW result from February is therefore a first step rather than a finished answer. But it is a first step that has validated the basic approach, confirmed that the design can operate stably at record power levels, and generated data that will directly inform the next series of tests. From an engineering perspective, a successful proof-of-concept test does exactly that.

The prototype thruster is enclosed in JPL's Condensable Metal Propellant (COMET) vacuum facility, a unique national asset designed to safely test thrusters using metal-vapor propellants as part of a potential megawatt-class electric propulsion system.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Why getting to Mars faster really matters

There is a tendency to present rapid Mars transit as a matter of convenience or ambition. In fact, it is a medical and operational necessity. Each additional day a crew spends in deep space increases their cumulative exposure to cosmic radiation, an exposure that current shielding technology can only partially reduce. Muscle degradation in microgravity, psychological stress from isolation, and the complex possibility of mechanical failure all scale directly with mission duration.Electric propulsion is designed for steady acceleration rather than explosive lift power. After a week in space, a spacecraft using this system would race across the solar system at speeds of more than 400,000 kilometers per hour. That kind of velocity, sustained during a Mars transit, compresses travel time in a way that chemical rockets can’t match without increasing the fuel load, making it impractical to launch the mission in the first place.

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Hidden deep inside the Pacific Ocean: This newly discovered coral glows green when disturbed by deep-sea robots.

Hidden inside the Pacific Ocean: This newly discovered coral glows green when disturbed by deep-sea robots

Several hundred meters below the surface, the limestone caves around Minamidito Island are mostly untouched by sunlight, currents, and regular marine surveys. The landscape is narrow, uneven, and difficult to navigate even with modern submarines. During one of the deeper exploratory dives last year, a remotely operated vehicle passed close to a colony of precious corals and disturbed a group of small yellow animals attached to its surface. For a moment, they emitted a green glow.The light disappeared almost immediately. It was not bright enough to illuminate the cave or be visible from a distance, but it was enough to disrupt the regular pace of the survey. The organisms had not been previously cataloged, and the brief response sparked a closer investigation that later identified an entirely new coral-associated species with a rare form of bioluminescence.

Rare glowing coral species found 385 meters beneath the Pacific Ocean

The expedition took place in May 2024 as part of a deep-sea cave survey led by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, known as JAMSTEC, BioScience reports. The researchers were using a robotic vehicle to inspect submerged limestone formations near Minamidato Island, a remote Pacific island east of Okinawa.While maneuvering through the cave system, the vehicle’s manipulator arm collided with coral colonies belonging to the genus Pleurocorallium. Attached to those corals were small yellow polyps, which the team did not expect to find in that setting.Response came immediately after contact. The green light flickered from the creatures’ tent area for only a moment and then disappeared again. This response appeared to be localized and short-lived rather than continuous, which immediately distinguished it from many known glowing marine animals that exhibit steady or repeated light displays. The video captured during the dive later became the focus of analysis.

Scientists trace this glowing creature to the Zoantharia genus

Detailed testing placed the organism within the Zoantharia, a group that includes animals such as sea anemones and colonial corals. This species is now named Corallizoanthus aureus, the second part of the name referring to its distinctive golden-yellow appearance.Its anatomy differs from that of its closest known relatives in several ways. The tentacle count is slightly higher, the muscles around the oral disc are arranged differently, and the body coloration is unusually bright for an animal living in such a dim environment.The species also appears to be highly selective about where it lives. Each observed specimen was directly attached to precious coral colonies, suggesting that it survives as an epibiont, an organism that grows without harming any other living animal. Back on the research vessel, scientists attempted to understand the source of the green glow. Measurements showed that the emitted light reached approximately 515 nanometers, placing it within the green portion of the visible spectrum.The brightness was not constant. It appears only after the tissue is physically disturbed or exposed to a chemical stimulus. Undisturbed samples remained in the dark. Many marine organisms display fluorescent colors in blue light, but fluorescence depends on absorbing external light and re-emitting it. The behavior of the new species was different. Light originated from animals only. The team also ruled out luminous bacteria living in coral tissue. Instead, evidence points to an intrinsic biochemical response that has already been recorded in jellyfish and other marine invertebrates.Scientists suspect that the process involves coelenterazine, a molecule widely used in marine bioluminescence. In the presence of oxygen and an enzyme called luciferase, the compound releases visible light through a chemical reaction occurring inside the animal’s tissues.

Scientists suspect the flash may help the creature avoid predators

The function of the glow remains uncertain. In cave environments where visibility is already limited, sudden brightness may seem counterintuitive. Yet bioluminescence in deep-sea ecosystems often serves purposes that are indirect rather than communicative.One possibility being considered is the so-called burglar-alarm effect, an old ecological idea first proposed decades ago. Under this theory, a small organism emits light when attacked or disturbed to attract a larger predator that might threaten anyone trying to eat it. In open ocean species, these reactions can spread rapidly. A fish bites a small animal, the small animal flashes, and the light attracts the attention of an even larger predator nearby. Whether that chain of events operates within confined cave systems is still unknown.

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23,000-year-old footprints in New Mexico change what scientists previously believed about the first Americans World News

23,000-year-old footprints in New Mexico change scientists' perception of the first Americans

For much of the twentieth century, the story of how humans arrived in North America felt settled. They came from Siberia, crossed a land bridge called Beringia, moved south as the ice sheets retreated, and gave rise to the Clovis culture about 13,000 years ago, the earliest widely accepted evidence of human presence on the continent. It was a well-organized, well-secured consensus. Then, in 2019, archaeologists digging in the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park in New Mexico uncovered something from the ground that couldn’t be unanimously absorbed: a set of fossilized human footprints so old that they were buried in the soil during the peak of the last ice age, when the land bridge that those same humans were still waiting to cross had not yet opened.

How scientists determined the date of the footprints and why there was controversy over it

The original 2021 study, published in the journal Science, dates the footprints using radiocarbon analysis of seeds of an aquatic plant called Rupiah cirrhosa, found in sediment layers just above and below the tracks. The results placed the footprints, dated to 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, within the Coldest and most extreme phase of the last ice age, the Last Glacial Maximum, when vast ice sheets covered much of the Northern Hemisphere.The dates were immediately disputed. Critics argued that seeds of aquatic plants are unreliable radiocarbon markers because they can absorb ancient dissolved carbon from groundwater, a phenomenon known as the reservoir effect, which can make materials appear older than they actually are. The debate was so abstract as to cast real doubt on what was otherwise an historical discovery.

How did the White Sands footprints survive for 23,000 years?

White Sands National Park is located in the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico, a landscape today defined by fine white gypsum dunes, one of the most striking geological features in North America. Beneath those dunes lies a different world altogether: the dry bed of an ancient lake called Otero Lake, which existed during the last ice age when the area’s climate was wetter and cooler than today. It was along the muddy shoreline of that lost lake where the footprints were made and preserved.The track was excavated by a team from Bournemouth University in collaboration with the US National Park Service. They were found buried in several layers of sediment, pressed into ancient lakeshore soil and left there by people who walked, stood and moved along the shoreline thousands of years ago. Many of the tracks were made by children and teenagers, a detail that has left researchers quietly extraordinary, with young people preserving evidence about their lives in a landscape that no longer exists.

How independent studies finally settled the debate

The controversy prompted researchers to return to the site with completely different dating methods. A study published in Science in 2023, led by Jeff Pigati of the US Geological Survey, dated pollen grains and quartz crystals from the same sediment layers using two different techniques: optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating of the pollen. Both methods returned dates of 20,000 to 23,000 years ago, which were statistically indistinguishable from the original seed-based results.

What do the footprints mean for the Clovis I theory

The implications of the long-standing Clovis First model are significant and irreversible. The Clovis culture, named after a site near Clovis, New Mexico, where distinctive stone tools were found in the 1930s, was long thought to represent the earliest known human presence in North America, about 13,000 years ago. The footprints at White Sands are at least 8,000 years older than we thought.What is even more surprising is what time means in geographical terms. During the Last Glacial Maximum, the two primary corridors through which humans migrated to the Americas, the ice-free corridor east of the Rocky Mountains and the coastal route along the Pacific, were either blocked by ice sheets or were not yet accessible. If humans were already in New Mexico 23,000 years ago, they would have arrived before those routes closed, which suggests either a much earlier migration than any current models, or an alternative route across the continent that has not yet been identified.

What was roaming around White Sands 23,000 years ago

Footprints do not exist alone. The sediments at White Sands also contain traces of animals that shared the lakeshore with these early humans: mammoths, giant ground sloths, and ancient camels, all of which are now extinct. The picture that emerges is of a functioning Ice Age ecosystem: a lake surrounded by grass and wetlands, populated by megafauna, presumably hunted by the humans who lived with them.Vance Holliday, who has been working at White Sands since 2012, said it is “absolutely clear” that humans made these tracks. The question was never really whether the footprints were human. This was when. After four years of scientific debate, three independent dating methods, and three separate studies arriving at a single answer, at last, the question appears to be settled.

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AI-guided cruise missiles: ‘Special mission warhead’: North Korea tests AI-guided cruise missiles, ballistic rockets near South Korea |

'Special mission warhead': North Korea tests AI-guided cruise missiles, ballistic rockets near South Korea

north korea A mix of tactical ballistic missiles, artillery rockets and AI-guided precision cruise missiles designed for modern warfare were tested on Wednesday, according to state news agency KCNA.The tests came a day after South Korea’s military said it had detected the launch of multiple projectiles, including a ballistic missile. The projectile reportedly traveled about 80 kilometers before landing in the Yellow Sea.KCNA said the launches were conducted to assess the power of “special mission warheads” mounted on tactical ballistic missiles, the reliability of long-range multiple-launch artillery rockets and the accuracy of AI-guided tactical cruise missiles.According to state agency, North Korean leader kim jong un Said, “The tests specifically confirmed the combat readiness of the cruise missiles that will be deployed in artillery units near the border with South Korea, which are equipped with precise navigation and AI-guided control that can attack targets at a distance of 100 km (62 miles).”He said, “It is an essential condition for our military operations that it must have such destructive power as to make it theoretically impossible for any encountering force to survive except by luck.”Analysts said the latest tests signal Pyongyang’s intention to strengthen its precision-strike capabilities below the nuclear threshold.“With the latest launch, Pyongyang is signaling that it intends to deploy such a weapon system in the event of war,” said Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. “It unleashes precise, long-range, self-propelled conventional firepower that is capable of striking the South even below nuclear range,” he said.According to Hong, North Korea’s claims probably refer to an upgraded version of an existing digital guidance system integrated with automatic target identification technology. The weapon system reportedly combines tactical cruise missiles, guided multiple-launch rocket systems and tactical ballistic missiles into a single precision-strike complex.According to Reuters, North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and artillery rockets since late 2023, which Moscow is believed to have used in the war in Ukraine. Analysts believe battlefield use of those weapons has provided Pyongyang with valuable operational data to improve its missile arsenal.In April, Pyongyang conducted its eighth weapons test of the year to “verify the characteristics and power of a cluster bomb warhead,” state media reported at the time.

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Billionaire wars: Jeff Bezos steals $230 million moon deal from Elon Musk as NASA selects Blue Origin for first of three unmanned lunar missions

Billionaire wars: Jeff Bezos steals $230 million moon deal from Elon Musk as NASA selects Blue Origin for first of three unmanned lunar missions

The rivalry between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk has officially reached the moon. NASA announced Tuesday that it has chosen Bezos’ Blue Origin to perform the first in a planned series of three unmanned lunar missions aimed at preparing for a future moon base, awarding the company a contract worth about $230 million. The mission, which is not expected to take place before autumn 2026, will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon cargo lander to transport scientific payloads and test technologies near the moon’s south pole. While SpaceX is deeply involved in NASA’s Artemis program, the decision marks a symbolic victory for Bezos in the increasingly intense billionaire battle shaping the future of space exploration.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin takes center stage in NASA’s moon base ambitions

For years, NASA’s idea of ​​creating a long-term human presence on the Moon existed mostly as an ambition tied to the Artemis program. Tuesday’s announcement showed the agency is now moving into the practical phase.NASA Administrator and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman said the first three unmanned missions will help test landers, rovers, cargo systems and survival technologies needed to support astronauts on the lunar surface in the future. More than a dozen additional missions are expected later as the agency works toward building an operational moon base sometime in the next decade.The first mission will target the Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge region near the moon’s south pole, an area scientists believe may contain water ice. NASA considers the area important because future explorers could potentially use the ice for drinking water, oxygen production, and rocket fuel.

Why did Blue Origin beat SpaceX on first mission?

Blue Origin’s selection is a big moment for Bezos, whose company has spent years trying to establish itself as a serious rival to Musk’s SpaceX.Although SpaceX dominates commercial launches and remains central to NASA’s future crewed Moon landings through its Starship Human Landing System, Blue Origin has consistently focused on lunar cargo systems and infrastructure. NASA said Blue Origin’s mission will help demonstrate key technologies such as autonomous landing systems and cryogenic fuel handling.The decision also reflects NASA’s growing strategy to encourage competition among private companies rather than relying on a single contractor. By involving both Blue Origin and SpaceX in lunar exploration, the agency hopes to accelerate innovation while reducing the risks associated with delays or technical setbacks.That competition has become increasingly personal. Bezos and Musk have spent years publicly criticizing each other’s vision for space flight while competing for government contracts, engineering talent and influence within the industry.

The moon is becoming the next great space battlefield

Behind the billionaire rivalry is a much larger geopolitical race. NASA is under pressure to accelerate lunar exploration as China continues to expand its own moon program and plans a future lunar research station.Earlier this year the Artemis II mission, which sent astronauts around the moon for the first time since 1972, reignited global interest in deep space exploration. NASA now hopes that its growing partnerships with private companies can help establish a permanent human presence on the Moon before rival countries do so.For Bezos and Musk, the stakes extend far beyond a contract. The company that helps create the systems that allow humans to live and work on the Moon could shape the future of the global space economy for decades.

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China is planning a massive offshore renewable energy plant with 1,000 turbines and millions of solar panels. world News

China is planning a massive offshore renewable energy plant with 1,000 turbines and millions of solar panels

In the largest renewable energy plan ever proposed by any country, China plans to develop the most extensive clean energy plants off its shores. From reports about this plan, it appears that China aims to develop 1,000 wind turbines with millions of solar panels, which will be built on an area located about 4,300 miles from mainland China. The initiative comes after China’s increasing focus on renewable energy, offshore solar power systems, wind power generation and long-distance electric power transmission. Given the fact that China is currently the leader in the production of solar panels and large-scale renewable energy projects, it seems that this renewable energy plant could revolutionize international energy cooperation.

How China is taking its renewable energy experience abroad

However, China’s efforts toward clean energy have extended beyond its borders. Over the past ten years, Beijing has made substantial investments in solar farms, offshore wind power and hybrid energy systems in other parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.This can be understood from the example of its achievements at the domestic level. In December 2025, China commissioned the world’s largest solar power station in Xinjiang province, consisting of more than 5.26 million solar panels and generating billions of kilowatt-hours of energy per year.According to PV Magazine International, the construction of the Midong solar project involved extensive infrastructure, such as transportation and distribution of electricity over large distances.This type of experience gained over the last ten years is currently being implemented abroad. According to the plan, the new mega project will include both large wind power plants and solar power sources, which will enable continuous power generation regardless of weather conditions.

Why is China investing in huge wind and solar projects?

The move toward renewable energy in China has been largely driven by energy security and economic planning considerations. President Xi Jinping has already announced that China plans to significantly increase its wind and solar power production as part of its emissions reduction strategy. Projects using renewable energy sources will help reduce China’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. This will give China the power to exercise better control over global infrastructure development.According to industry experts, the feasibility of combining wind turbines, solar panels and batteries has improved significantly in the last decade, due to lower costs. As a result, China has a distinct competitive advantage when it comes to building such projects on a large scale. China produces most of the world’s solar panels and wind turbine parts.In an analysis by World Economic ForumIt was reported that China is leading the world in investment in renewable energy, accounting for the largest growth of global clean energy.

offshore solar and long distance power transmission Industries are changing

Another unique aspect of renewable energy development in China is the sheer scale on which the technology is deployed. In late 2025, China will launch the world’s first gigawatt-scale offshore solar farm in Shandong province, officials said.The project was engineered by China Energy Investment CorporationCombining offshore solar farms with energy storage and marine engineering capabilities. According to officials, the plant was capable of producing about 1.78 billion kilowatt-hours annually. According to a spokesperson for the group, in 2026, it will focus on stabilizing coal supplies and upgrading coal-fired power plants, with relevant investments accounting for about 30 percent of the total.On another front, China continues to develop ultra-high voltage transmission lines capable of transmitting power several thousand miles with low losses. This technology will be important for renewable energy development in locations far from urban centers that require electricity.

A glimpse of the future of global energy

If the overseas renewable energy facility goes ahead on a large scale, it will certainly qualify as one of the major infrastructure initiatives in the renewable energy era. Building a project with 1,000 turbines and millions of photovoltaic panels would be much more than a giant source of electrical energy; This will be a testament to the international nature of renewable energy sources.In the Chinese context, the project involves much more than just generating power. Instead, it would mean that China is dedicated to becoming a leader in the worldwide transition to renewable energy.

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