US firm plans 1,000-mile-range monster missile, Pokemon Go used for espionage on Belarus’ defense bases, New research debunks loneliness as primary cause for many ‘non-mental’ diseases

INTERESTING ENGINEERING SHOP

Lockheed Martin has unveiled its new extreme-range Joint-Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), the AGM-158 XR. It was showcased at this year’s Air, Space & Cyber 2024 in Washington. The new missile can travel further and pack more punch than its predecessors.

While it has been known to be in development for some time, this is the first time concrete details have been released to the public. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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

> Model-Based Systems Engineer (Joint and Service Center)
> Lead Software Engineer

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MUST-READ

🚀 US firm plans 1,000-mile-range monster missile with 1,000-pound payload power

For the uninitiated, the United States Air Force (USAF) widely uses Lockheed Martin’s JASSM series for deep-strike missions. There are also navalized variants called the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) for the U.S. Navy.

These missile systems are low detection by design and can be launched at long range from aircraft and ships. The first variant entered service in 2009 and is currently serving various foreign armed forces, including Australia, Finland, and Poland.

The AGM-158 XR can carry a 1,000-pound (454 kg) warhead and is said to have a range approaching Tomahawk missiles. If true, it can be launched as far away as 1,000 or more miles (1,600 km) from its intended target.

👾 Pokemon Go used for espionage on Belarus’ defense bases: Official

Video games are fun, and they are played by people of all ages. However, if the claims made by an official of Belarus’s defense ministry are to be believed, then Pokemon GO was also used by spies for espionage.

Alexander Ivanov, the department head of ideological work at Belarus’ defense ministry, made this claim while taking part in a talk show, “Po Suschestvu.” Ivanov said that the augmented reality (AR) game was showing Pokemon characters at an important air base for Belarus, which could have driven ordinary players and unwanted elements to the sites.

If the official's claims are to be believed, the spies could have accessed the important military installations using these civilians as cover and gotten away with key information. Or ordinary individuals might have posted photos and details about secret military bases without knowing that they were releasing key information.

🩺 New research debunks loneliness as primary cause for many ‘non-mental’ diseases

Loneliness—the subjective experience of social disconnection—is now widely regarded as a health risk factor. However, whether the associations between loneliness and multiple diseases are consistent with causal effects remains largely unexplored.

According to a recent study by a team of medical researchers, an analysis of patient data from various sources suggests that many diseases previously attributed to loneliness are more likely due to other causes.

In this study, researchers have discovered evidence suggesting that certain health issues previously linked to loneliness are more likely to have other underlying causes. The researchers thoroughly examined various biomedical databases in their investigation into the potential link between loneliness and non-mental health issues.

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