That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what is going on on on this planet of expertise.

What’s subsequent for NASA’s big moon rocket?

NASA’s enormous lunar rocket, the House Launch System (SLS), could be in bother. As rival launchers like SpaceX’s Starship collect tempo, some are questioning the necessity for the US nationwide house company to have its personal mega rocket in any respect—one thing that might develop into a spotlight of the incoming Trump administration, during which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is about to play a key position.

SLS has been in growth for greater than a decade. The rocket is large, and about 15% extra highly effective than the Saturn V rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon within the Nineteen Sixties and 70s. Additionally it is costly, costing an estimated $4.1 billion per launch.

It was designed with a transparent goal—returning astronauts to the moon’s floor. And whereas it appears probably the rocket will at the least launch Artemis II subsequent September, past that its future is much less sure. Learn the complete story.

—Jonathan O’Callaghan

This piece is a part of MIT Know-how Overview’s What’s Subsequent collection, trying throughout industries, tendencies, and applied sciences to present you a primary have a look at the longer term. You’ll be able to learn the remainder of them right here.

This startup is getting nearer to bringing next-generation nuclear to the grid

This can be a busy time of yr for all of us, and that’s definitely true within the superior nuclear trade.

MIT Know-how Overview launched our record of 15 Local weather Tech Corporations to Watch lower than two months in the past. Since then, awardee Kairos Energy has had three large bulletins about its progress towards constructing next-generation nuclear reactors. 

Every of those bits of reports represents an fascinating side of the method. So let’s dig into the bulletins and what they imply for the place nuclear expertise goes. Learn the complete story.

—Casey Crownhart

This story is from The Spark, our weekly publication supplying you with the within monitor on all issues local weather and vitality. Join to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.

1 A Chinese language ship could have sabotaged important knowledge cables
By dragging its enormous anchor alongside the Baltic seabed for over 100 miles. (WSJ $)+ Swedish authorities are investigating the majority provider. (FT $)

2 The FTC is probing Microsoft
It’s a wide-ranging antitrust investigation into its cloud computing, AI and safety arms. (NYT $)+ The FTC has been making ready for this for a full yr. (WP $)
+ It’s notable it’s been signed off within the Biden administration’s dying days. (The Info $)
+ In the meantime, Google is hoping to have its current antitrust ruling thrown out. (Bloomberg $)

3 RFK’s ‘Make America Wholesome Once more’ motion is in bother
Simply days into the mission, cracks are already starting to indicate. (FT $)
+ The MAGA coverage agenda is extraordinarily skeptical of precise scientific proof. (NYT $)+ America’s opioid disaster most likely performed a job in Trump’s reelection. (New Yorker $)

4 TikTok is obstructing magnificence filters for youngsters
However the restrictions aren’t precisely tough to bypass. (The Guardian)
+ Filters will probably be required to specify the character of the tweaks they make, too. (The Verge)
+ The struggle for “Instagram face.” (MIT Know-how Overview)

5 Who’s making use of to affix Elon Musk’s DOGE?
Everybody from college students to tech CEOs, apparently. (Forbes $)
+ The division is extremely prone to conflict with the US authorities’s finances workplace. (WSJ $)

6 Interpol has arrested 1,000 potential cyber criminals throughout Africa
They’re suspected of extorting victims utilizing ransomware, phishing schemes and scams. (WP $)

7 Right here’s all of the tariffs China’s tech trade is going through
It’s not simply the US that’s rising its restrictions. (Remainder of World)+ Buckle up: China is prone to face even better chip restrictions from subsequent week. (Wired $)
+ How Trump’s tariffs might drive up the price of batteries, EVs, and extra. (MIT Know-how Overview)

8 Mark Zuckerberg has been hobnobbing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Which is fascinating contemplating that Trump has threatened him with life imprisonment. (The Info $)
+ Zuckerberg has been on a appeal offensive to restore their relationship for nearly two years. (NYT $)
+ However the President-elect has a historical past of holding grudges. (NY Magazine $)

9 Distributed computing is the following large factor
We are able to obtain extra after we work collectively, in any case. (Quanta Journal)

10 How these huge Macy’s Thanksgiving parade balloons keep afloat 🎈
The better the mass, the better the burden. (Wired $)

Quote of the day

“The principle recommendation I’ve to present is keep true to your self and hit publish.”

—TikToker Leah Halton dispenses some sage recommendation after profitable an award for video of the yr at Australia’s TikTok awards, the Guardian stories.

The large story

A day within the lifetime of a Chinese language robotaxi driver

July 2022

When Liu Yang began his present job, he discovered it arduous to return to driving his personal automotive: “I instinctively went for the passenger seat. Or once I was driving, I might anticipate the automotive to brake by itself,” says the 33-year-old Beijing native, who joined the Chinese language tech big Baidu in January 2021 as a robotaxi driver.

Liu is likely one of the lots of of security operators employed by Baidu, “driving” 5 days per week in Shougang Park. However regardless of having solely labored for the corporate for 19 months, he already has to consider his subsequent profession transfer, as his job will probably be eradicated inside a couple of years. Learn the complete story.

—Zeyi Yang

We are able to nonetheless have good issues

A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

+ For those who’ve ever admired the unbelievable Co Rentmeester image of Michael Jordan leaping by way of the air, right here’s the story behind the enduring picture.
+ For those who look to the skies in Alaska, you would possibly simply see a Thanksgiving turkey being thrown out of a airplane.
+ Speaking of Thanksgiving, if you wish to prepare dinner the last word turkey, look no additional.
+ Transfer over, the recent artists are coming.