🛩️ Russia stops Ukraine from stealing bomber, China gets brand new AI claimed to rival GPT-4 power, World’s deepest subsea cable installed at record-breaking 7,054 feet

Explore more of our exciting channels

Russian authorities have reported that they’ve prevented a Russian pilot from defecting to Ukraine with a Tupolev Tu-22M3s “Backfire” bomber. The pilot was allegedly approached to steal the strategic bomber with the promise of Italian citizenship and money.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has alleged that Ukrainian special services, in collaboration with “special services of NATO countries,” were behind the failed defection attempt. According to the FSB, they had attempted to persuade a pilot to “hijack” the bomber and take it to Ukraine. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

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

> Java Software Engineer 
> Principal Engineer

Reading Time: 4 mins

Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? Subscribe here.

MUST READ

🛩️ Top Gun fail: Russia thwarts theft of strategic military bomber by Ukraine

“Ukrainian intelligence intended to recruit a Russian military pilot for monetary compensation and the provision of Italian citizenship and persuade him to carry out a flight and land a missile carrier in Ukraine,” the FSB said in a press release.

The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s.

During the Cold War, the Tu-22M was used by the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) in a missile carrier strategic bombing role and by the Soviet Naval Aviation in a long-range maritime anti-shipping role.

🇨🇳 OpenAI ban: China gets brand new AI claimed to rival GPT-4 power

At last week’s World AI Conference in Shanghai, SenseTime, a leading Chinese AI firm, unveiled its latest model, SenseNova 5.5.

This advanced AI model reportedly showed off some impressive skills. It could identify and describe a stuffed toy puppy wearing a SenseTime cap. It also gave feedback on a drawing of a rabbit and instantly read and summarized a page of text.

SenseTime claims that SenseNova 5.5 is just as good as GPT-4, the top AI model from the Microsoft-backed U.S. company OpenAI.

🔥 Prysmian: World’s deepest subsea cable installed at record-breaking 7,054 feet

An Italian firm has completed an ultra-deep installation of subsea cable at a depth of 2,150 meters, a new record in this domain.

Sea trial testing for the 500kV High Voltage Direct Current Mass Impregnated (HVDC MI) cable, conducted by cable manufacturer and installation services provider Prysmian, was also successfully finished.

“This is an industry record breaking installation, as it is the first time an HVDC cable is laid at such a depth, setting new market standards,” said the firm in a statement.

Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. Subscribe here

HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> For the first time, researchers from Kobe University have observed the precise shape of ice at the interface between ice and liquid. (More)

> Experts have documented the “first local extinction” of plant species driven by rising sea levels in the United States—the Key Largo tree cactus has become a victim of rising sea levels. (More)

> A new study recently fine-tuned the precision measurements of what is known as the electroweak mixing angle, which tells us a lot—both about electroweak forces and about how the Higgs mechanism delineates mass among particles. (More)

ENERGY

> Engineers from the University of Texas in Austin, US, undertook a new study to devise a new approach to storing captured carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere. (More)

> Aiming to advance the development of next-generation battery technologies, South Korean battery cell manufacturer SK On is collaborating with fellow California-based firm Sakuu. (More)

> Although perovskites have attracted a lot of attention lately, anti-perovskites hold just as much potential as functional materials, exhibiting peculiar properties that could be exploited, including negative thermal expansion, ionic conductivity, and even superconductivity. (More)

INNOVATION

> Researchers in the Netherlands have shown that a subsurface water storage and capillary-based irrigation system can make artificial turf much cooler and safer to play on. (More)

> Researchers have engineered tiny, vehicle-like structures that can be propelled by microscopic algae. Similar to horse-drawn carriages or plows pulled by oxen, researchers have created microscopic machines propelled by tiny, energetic single-celled green algae. (More)

> Researchers are developing biodegradable bioplastics from food waste to give those materials a new—and useful—life. (More)

VIDEO

> The world’s most powerful MRI was recently unveiled in France. It delivers more than three times the magnetic imaging power of standard hospital MRIs. (More)

> In a groundbreaking development in medical technology, a new AI application is offering a voice to long-term non-vocal patients. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

In yesterday’s quiz, we asked you, Which is the correct top view of the given pyramid?

The answer is: C

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

FROM THE WEB

> Blackened trees, dead animals, and scorched earth—early wildfires have already devastated Brazil’s Pantanal, and local people worry they may lose the battle to save them

> A series of raids in Italy has exposed the contrast between the glamorous world of Milan’s catwalks and some of the realities of luxury goods production

> Scientists have issued a warning after finding worryingly high levels of fiberglass inside oysters and mussels

> A new, fast, blood-free test may help identify children missing immunity to tetanus and other essential vaccines

> Singapore approves 16 insect species as food ‘with immediate effect’

> Kenza Layli, a hijab-wearing AI creator and activist from Morocco won Miss AI, the world’s first AI beauty pageant