Moon landing, IVF rulings, and a cheese extinction.

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Big Stories

First private spacecraft lands on the moon

Intuitive Machines made history by becoming the first company to land a private spacecraft on the moon.

• The spacecraft, launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, traveled over 621,000 miles before entering lunar orbit. It will explore the moon's south pole region and is equipped with NASA science experiments crucial for future Artemis missions.

• Communication issues between equipment on Earth and the spacecraft caused a delay in confirming the successful landing of the Nova-C lunar lander, nicknamed "Odysseus." But it arrived safely, and the US is back on the moon for the first time in 50 years.

• Intuitive Machines has planned two more lunar missions, while other private space companies also have missions scheduled. All of these are part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

Alabama lawmakers move to protect IVF treatment

Alabama's Supreme Court's recent ruling classifying frozen embryos as "children" has disrupted in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments in the state.

• IVF is a medical procedure where an egg is fertilized by sperm in a test tube or outside the body. The ruling has led to a halt in IVF treatments in several fertility clinics across Alabama, as they await legislative clarity to resume operations without legal risks.

• State Senator Tim Melson — who is also a doctor — plans to introduce a bill that protects IVF procedures. The bill would clarify that embryos are not legally viable unless implanted in a uterus.

• The ruling has drawn national attention, with President Biden and Vice President Harris linking it to broader debates on reproductive rights. Alabama Democrats proposed their own bill that makes it clear that an embryo outside the womb isn’t considered a human child.

Leaked documents show Chinese hacking scheme focused on harassing dissidents

Over 500 technical documents were anonymously posted online last week that revealed a Chinese technology company's hacking operations, targets, and marketing materials for the Chinese government.

• The leaked documents highlight the company's focus on surveilling and harassing dissidents critical of the Chinese government, including on global social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The victims include people from at least 14 governments, academic institutions, and organizations like NATO.

• Cybersecurity experts, including those from Google's Mandiant and Sentinel Labs, have analyzed the leak and believe it’s authentic. Outside sources rarely get insight into Chinese cyber espionage operations.

• The leaked documents shed light on the competitive marketplace for hacking operations in China. The materials claim that the Chinese technology company can break into devices manufactured by companies like Apple and Microsoft. These claims haven’t been verified.

Little Stories

• A new survey by Pew Research Center found that 71% of teachers feel they don’t have enough influence over the curriculum in public schools in their area. Additionally, 58% believe their state government exerts too much control over educational content. They also said that heated debates surrounding topics such as race, sexual orientation, and gender identity are negatively impacting teachers' ability to teach effectively. (More)

• Reddit, the popular online forum, has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Despite initial plans in 2021, market conditions delayed the listing. Reddit will be one of the largest social media companies to go public since Snap and Pinterest in 2017. (More)

• Scientists from The University of Queensland discovered an anaconda species in the depths of the Amazon in Ecuador. The species was found with help from the indigenous Huaorani people during the filming of "Pole to Pole with Will Smith.” One of the female anacondas they encountered was 20.8 feet long.  (More)

• New York Judge Arthur Engoron denied a request from former President Trump's attorneys to delay the enforcement of a $355 million fine imposed on him in a civil fraud trial related to his business practices. Trump and his co-defendants have 30 days from the entry of judgment to post bond and appeal the ruling. (More)

• Vice Media CEO Bruce Dixon announced plans to lay off "several hundred positions". The move follows a turbulent bankruptcy buyout last year, which involved job cuts, department consolidations, and the cancellation of news shows. Additionally, Vice will be shutting down its digital operations, including its website. (More)

Extra Credit

Portugal has the best beach in the world.

Stop putting your wet iPhone in rice, Apple warns.

Are your fears of saying “no” overblown?

A French cheese is on the verge of extinction.