DARPA is exploring the potential of growing large-scale biological structures (500+ meters) in microgravity, leveraging recent advances in metabolic engineering and biological self-assembly. The initiative aims to revolutionize space infrastructure by enabling the biological manufacturing of structures like space elevator tethers, orbital debris nets, and space station components.
A developer documents their journey of building a custom ergonomic keyboard from scratch, including PCB design, aluminum enclosure machining, and custom keycap creation. The project involved learning hardware design, electronics, and various manufacturing processes, resulting in a successful low-profile keyboard with custom-designed components.
TSMC announced plans to invest over $100 billion in expanding its U.S. chip manufacturing operations, including three new chip plants, two packaging facilities, and an R&D center in Arizona. The significant expansion was announced jointly by TSMC CEO C.C. Wei and President Trump at the White House.
Firefly Aerospace plans to land their Blue Ghost lunar lander near Mare Crisium on March 2 at 3:34 a.m. EST. The mission carries NASA science payloads as part of the CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign for lunar exploration. Live coverage will begin at 2:20 a.m. EST on NASA+.
Scaling systems or projects by a factor of 100 requires complete rethinking of approaches and methodologies, illustrated through examples like bridge construction. Each order of magnitude increase presents unique challenges, but adding two zeros fundamentally disrupts all aspects of the problem domain and demands entirely new solutions.
Efabless, a technology company, has ceased operations temporarily due to financial difficulties and lack of funding, with no specified timeline for resumption.
Boris Spassky, former World Chess Champion who passed away recently, left an indelible mark on chess history through his remarkable career and gentlemanly demeanor. The article shares personal memories of friendship between the author and Spassky, highlighting their encounters from the late 1970s until his later years in Moscow. A new chess training software version 18 is introduced with enhanced capabilities including playing style analysis and access to billions of games.
Microsoft appears to be preparing to shut down Skype in May 2024, as revealed by hidden code in the latest Windows preview. The messaging platform, acquired by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in 2011, has struggled to maintain relevance against modern competitors like WhatsApp and Discord. Microsoft plans to transition remaining users to Teams, marking the end of Skype's 21-year run.
TigerBeetle rebuilt their documentation site from scratch, moving away from Docusaurus to achieve better performance, simplicity, and integration with their zero-dependency philosophy. The new implementation uses Zig and Pandoc, resulting in a 10x reduction in footprint while maintaining functionality and adding features like integrated search and offline capabilities.
A detailed guide explains how to create and view 3D photos using simple eye-crossing techniques without special equipment. The process leverages the brain's natural ability to construct 3D images from two slightly different perspectives, enabling anyone to capture and experience stereoscopic images. The guide emphasizes the artistic potential of 3D photography, particularly for capturing complex scenes like forests and caves.