💧 US's $8.4-billion find, Mars's hidden water, Tesla or Wile E Coyote?

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For years, the United States has depended on imports of rare earth elements, the critical materials found in everything from smartphones to renewable energy technologies.

But in a surprising twist, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin have discovered that a massive domestic supply has been sitting right under our noses all along.

Trapped within the country’s coal ash deposits lies a staggering $8.4 billion worth of these essential elements, a finding that could significantly reduce dependence on imports and reshape America’s approach to sourcing critical minerals. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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MUST-READ

💰 Buried fortune: US finds $8.4 billion in rare earths sitting in coal ash landfills

Coal ash, the powdery byproduct left after burning coal for fuel, has long been considered an industrial waste product. However, scientists have now identified coal ash as an abundant and accessible source of rare earth elements. These elements are crucial in manufacturing batteries, solar panels, and high-performance magnets.

“This really exemplifies the ‘trash to treasure’ mantra,” said Bridget Scanlon, co-lead author of the study and a research professor at UT Austin’s Bureau of Economic Geology.

“We’re basically trying to close the cycle and use waste and recover resources in the waste, while at the same time reducing environmental impacts.”

💧 New evidence suggests Mars holds hidden water reserves 7 miles underground

New seismic evidence hints at liquid water deep beneath Mars’ surface, strengthening the case for the planet’s ability to support life.

Researchers Ikuo Katayama of Hiroshima University and Yuya Akamatsu of the Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics in Japan have found new evidence supporting the presence of liquid water deep inside Mars.

Based on seismic wave velocities detected during marsquakes, scientists in 2024 proposed that Mars’ subsurface contains liquid water between 7.1 and 12.4 miles (11.5 and 20 km) down.

🚘 Video: Tesla smashes through Wile E Coyote-style fake wall in autopilot test vs LiDAR 

Tesla Autopilot drove into a Looney Tunes, Wile E. Coyote-style fake road wall in the middle of the road. This was the outcome of a camera versus LiDAR test for autonomous driving by Youtuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober.

In this video, Rober puts a Tesla Model Y on Autopilot against a vehicle using a LiDAR (Light detection and ranging) system in different tests.

Alongside other discoveries, the video, in the end, proved that LiDAR sensors didn’t care what was painted on the wall; they only cared that it was a wall. Cameras, on the other hand, were easily tricked.

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