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Russia jams Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites in Ukraine, world's 'most sustainable' protein, scientists create lethal Ebola-like virus to study eye disorders

Plus: Star Wars-inspired technology that extracts water from thin air goes global

Russia has been disrupting Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine. This move could impact the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

This incident first came to light when the soldiers lost access to the web right before the Russian troops had pushed across the Ukrainian northern border this month.

Owing to this restriction, Ukrainians cannot share information about the attack, which happened as a moment of surprise. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Software Engineer
> Senior Software Engineer

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MUST READ

🛰️ Russia jams Elon Musk’s Starlink sats in Ukraine for the first time

Russia has been deploying stronger electronic weapons and is aiming to degrade Starlink’s internet service in Ukraine. When things were normal soldiers would use the internet to communicate with one another.

With this new action from Russia, Ukraine’s ability to communicate, gather intelligence, and conduct drone strikes would be severely compromised. The Ukrainian soldiers revealed to the media house that jamming of the services had tied their hands, leaving them with no way to share intel about incoming or ongoing Russian maneuvers or attacks.

The jamming first happened in the northern front line of Ukraine, as that area would often coincide with Russian advances. If the jamming continues then it could “mark a tactical shift in the conflict”. This highlights Ukraine’s increased dependence on Starlink.

🧪 Finland makes world’s ‘most sustainable’ protein from air and electricity

A company in Finland is planning to introduce its innovative, sustainable food protein produced using air and electricity, to the world.

Named Solein, the protein is fundamentally made up of minute single-celled organisms. Unlike traditional yeast, which depends on sugar as its feedstock, Solein uses gases—specifically hydrogen and carbon dioxide. These elements are plentiful but often underutilized resources.

The product could help decrease the need for livestock farming, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

🦠 Chinese scientists create 90% lethal Ebola-like virus to study eye disorders

Chinese scientists have genetically modified a virus that imitates Ebola infection. This virus has caused severe eye ulcers and ultimately wiped out an entire group of hamsters.

Researchers are hopeful that this study will aid in the research of Ebola-related eye disorders.

In this study, vesicular stomatitis, typically found in livestock, was harboring the Ebola virus. When they gave it to the hamsters, the entire group died after the ulcers in their eyes worsened.

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HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> A new study analyzed the African turquoise killifish, a species that exhibits an extreme survival mechanism called diapause—a state of suspended animation that allows the killifish’s embryos to survive harsh conditions. (More)

> The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Solar Orbiter has brought scientists closer to decoding slow solar winds’ mysterious origin. (More)

> Aardwolves — the "weird cousin" of the hyena world that has peg teeth and only eats insects — are an evolutionary mystery, stemming from a ghost lineage that scientists haven't been able to figure out. (More)

ENERGY

> Water hyacinths and lucky bamboo generated an electrical rhythm which could be harnessed as an eco-friendly energy source, as per a new study. (More)

> A new reactor design converts CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane fuel, offering a promising approach to combating climate change. (More)

> Studies conducted to reduce battery costs in electric vehicle production have led to a breakthrough in cathode technology, which could slash lithium-ion battery costs by 20%. (More)

INNOVATION

> Inspired by Star Wars, entrepreneurs across the globe are deploying systems that can extract clean water from thin air, even in areas with little humidity. (More)

> Swiss technology firm Final Spark has successfully launched Neuroplatform, the world’s first bioprocessing platform where human brain organoids (lab-grown miniaturized versions of organs) perform computational tasks instead of silicon chips. (More)

> An innovative telescope design has proven successful for daytime skywatching, opening new doors for uninterrupted observation of the cosmos. (More)

VIDEO

> IVAAIU City is a collective aiming to smooth robot-human relationships. It’s demonstrating a robot air quality monitor at VivaTech 2024 in Paris. (More)

> A new website has turned the space trash in our orbit into star signs. But beyond the fun of that angle, there are serious questions over the growth of space trash. (More)

> Airbus has unveiled the Racer, an innovative hybrid concept that blends helicopter flexibility with the speed of an airplane. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, Can you solve for the missing number?

The answer is: The sum of numbers in each circle is 30, since the sum of total numbers in green circle will be equal to 30, ?+11+5=30, ?=14

Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

FROM THE WEB

> A “citizen science project” has found 262 possible Bronze age barrows and three Roman roads, among other discoveries

> Search and rescue teams are struggling to access a mountainside in Papua New Guinea where more than 2,000 people are feared dead after a massive landslide

> More than 300 million children a year are victims of online sexual abuse and exploitation, according to an estimate of the global scale of the crisis

> Archaeologists have unearthed lost camps of Chile’s elephant hunters in the Tagua Tagua Lake region of the country

> Exercise can slow or even prevent cognitive decline in mice, with a "profound and selective effect" on certain types of brain cell, a study shows

> China’s latest artificial intelligence chatbot is trained on President Xi Jinping’s political ideology

Additional Reads


⚙️ Mechanical:Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering.

🛩️ Aerospace: The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more.

🧑🏻‍🔧 Engineer Pros: The latest in engineering news, career updates, and insider knowledge.

🧠 AI Logs: Insights into the intricacies and developments within the realm of artificial intelligence.

🎬 IE Originals:Weekly round-up of our best science, tech & engineering videos.

🟩 Sustainability: Uncover green innovations and the latest trends shaping a sustainable future for the tech industry.

Electrical: From AI to smart grids, our newsletter energizes you on emerging tech.

🎓 IE Academy: Master your field and take your career to the next level with IE Academy


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