🛫 The secret behind US's missing nuclear weapons, Reddit co-founder eyes TikTok US takeover, China's new spy drone

Throughout history, the idea of misplacing a nuclear weapon may sound like a plot twist in an espionage novel. The United States has experienced more than a handful of such incidents. Known as “Broken Arrows,” these events typically refer to any accidents involving nuclear weapons that do not pose an immediate risk of triggering a nuclear war.

For decades, details remained hidden behind top-secret clearances. However, unclassified records reveal that the U.S. military has had a surprising number of mishaps, with some bombs still unaccounted for to this day. Let's take a closer look at this Must Read

Reading Time: 4 mins

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

MUST-READ

🛫 Broken arrows: The hidden secret behind America’s missing nuclear weapons

The Department of Defense defines a “Broken Arrow” as any incident involving a U.S. nuclear weapon or warhead that results in accidental launching, firing, detonating, theft, or loss of the weapon. From 1950 to 1980, official sources cite 32 Broken Arrow incidents, but there may have been more, given the secrecy surrounding nuclear matters.

Not every Broken Arrow means a weapon has gone missing. Sometimes, it’s simply a malfunction at a storage facility, a misfire in a silo, or a plane accident that damages a warhead. However, in several cases, entire nuclear bombs or critical components of them were lost at sea or buried beyond recovery.

At the core of any nuclear bomb is its fission material, typically uranium or plutonium, which releases energy by splitting atoms when triggered. Many thermonuclear weapons also contain a “secondary” fusion component, which magnifies the destructive power by fusing atoms after the initial fission reaction.

⚡ Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian eyes TikTok US takeover, plans platform revamp

In a significant development in the ongoing discourse around TikTok’s future in the U.S., Alexis Ohanian, renowned technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist, has announced his role as a Strategic Advisor for The People’s Bid for TikTok.

This initiative is spearheaded by Frank McCourt, the founder of Project Liberty, and aims to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets from its parent company, ByteDance.

The bid is designed to respond to national security concerns surrounding the platform while enhancing the privacy of its 170 million American users.

🤖 China’s new spy drone with 310-mile radar range can track US stealth jets

China has deployed its most advanced long-range surveillance drone, the WZ-9 Divine Eagle, to the South China Sea.

This move significantly boosts China’s reconnaissance capabilities in the region. Satellite imagery confirmed the drone’s presence at Ledong Air Base on Hainan Island, a key strategic location.

The deployment of the WZ-9 represents a major challenge to the US air superiority, as the aircraft is specifically designed to track and counter stealth technology.

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

> Stanford figures out how to make rocks absorb carbon 1,000 times faster than nature (More)

> Sawdust superpower: Wood waste battery retains 60% capacity after 10,000 cycles (More)

> Kolmar Korea Develops World's First 'Hybrid Sunscreen' Combining Organic and Inorganic Ingredients. (More)

ENERGY

> London researchers explore volcanic brines and bacterial mining to extract copper with minimal ecological harm. (More)

> China turns liquor waste into battery power with 91.9% retention after 100 cycles. (More)

> The federal government will provide $500 million in funding and set "ambitious" targets to use locally-made steel and aluminum in renewable projects, including offshore wind. (More)

INNOVATION

> A research team led by scientists from UC Santa Barbara and TU Dresden has developed a material-like robot collective that behaves like a smart material, capable of changing shape and transitioning between fluid and solid states. (More)

> Huawei unveils 135% more efficient smart mining vehicle tested in Tibet. (More)

> The humanoid robot rental business is gaining steam in China as these complex artificial machines spark significant interest across industries and consumer markets. A quick search on major e-commerce and second-hand platforms reveals a growing number of vendors offering humanoid robot rentals, ranging from 2,500 yuan ($344) to 100,000 yuan per day. (More)

VIDEO

> Watch: UBTech achieves world’s first multi-humanoid robot coordination feat (More)

> The Zumwalt-class destroyer is the largest and most advanced U.S. Navy warship, featuring stealth technology, hypersonic missile capability, and a futuristic design. However, with a $9 billion price tag per ship, it is also one of the most expensive destroyers ever built. (More)

FROM THE WEB

> World’s First Beer FromAir: This Pilsner has Zero Groundwater

> China is working on an enormous aircraft carrier that rivals the biggest in the U.S. fleet, analysts say

> ACCIONA Creates World-First Surfboards Made From Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades

> Donald Trump to host crypto summit at White House on March 7

> Scientists cook up the perfect recipe to feed an energy future