Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours
Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once.
Start your FREE trial now
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
The U.S. Government Is Stuck With SpaceX. But Trump Can Still Hurt It.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk arrive for a test launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket on November 19, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. In the barrage of attacks that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk fired at each other Thursday, one stood out: Trump's threat to cancel federal contracts with companies owned by the world's richest man. The primary target: SpaceX, which has received at least $21 billion in government contracts, with about $13 billion still outstanding. Musk probably doesn't have much to fear. Legally, the Trump administration would likely enmire itself in lengthy legal disputes if it appeared to cancel contracts out of spite. Moreover, as the world's No. 1 launch provider and maker of low-Earth orbit satellites, SpaceX may have made itself indispensable. 'The [U.S. government] is simply too locked in to cut them off over a social media meltdown,' said Kimberly Siversen Burke, director of government affairs at the consultancy Quilty Space. Nonetheless, there are some types of contracts that could be vulnerable for cancellation, and ways the government could lessen its dependence on SpaceX going forward. The 134 rockets SpaceX launched last year accounted for 83% of all satellites put into orbit worldwide. With its reliable, partially reusable Falcon 9, the company has come to dominate U.S. national security launches. Its chief competitor, United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has struggled to keep up, with multiyear delays in developing its new Vulcan rocket. The U.S. government may have more options to carry its military satellites to space going forward. Vulcan is now operational and Blue Origin, the space company founded by Musk's billionaire rival Jeff Bezos, pulled off a successful first launch of its New Glenn rocket in January. In the latest round of contracts awarded by Space Force, SpaceX won 28 launches from 2027 through 2032, a little more than half, with ULA getting 19 and Blue Origin seven. But ULA and Blue Origin have their hands full scaling up, said Todd Harrison, a defense and space analyst with the American Enterprise Institute. 'There's no replacing SpaceX. You just do not have the capacity in our other launch options.' SpaceX has also become a major supplier of national security satellites. The National Reconnaissance Office is depending on SpaceX to build out a multibillion-dollar network of hundreds of spy satellites in low-Earth orbit based on the company's Starshield platform. For delivering cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA has also had to rely on SpaceX, as Boeing has struggled to fix defects in its Starliner spacecraft. But there are some relatively small-dollar SpaceX contracts that could be vulnerable, said Burke. The government could lower its exposure to SpaceX by looking for early phase development programs that don't have a contractor locked in yet. For example, SpaceX has won roughly $140 million in contracts on an Air Force program to test whether commercial satellite services can be integrated into tactical military communications, Burke said. Another way Trump could hurt Musk, as well as Ukraine, would be to cancel or reduce a $537 million contract to provide Starlink satellite communications services to the Ukrainian military. But rather than targeting existing contracts, where the administration could make a greater impact is by steering new business to others and reorienting its plans. The Commerce Department could backtrack on a revamp announced in March to a $42 billion program to expand rural broadband access that was expected to make Starlink eligible to compete for grants. Till now the program has only included telecom companies laying fiber-optic cables. Trump could also pull back from the support he promised in his inaugural address for Musk's ultimate ambition: to reach Mars. 'Where Trump can single handedly harm SpaceX in a significant way is redirecting the mission goals for NASA,' Harrison said. Given how mercurial Musk has proven to be, perhaps diversifying away from SpaceX isn't a bad idea. Burke worries, however, that the bad blood will undo years of work to convince the Pentagon and other national security agencies that they can rely on any commercial companies. 'Elon's antics are threatening to rewind the tape,' she said. MORE FROM FORBES
Forbes
25 minutes ago
- Forbes
How AI Is Helping Cancer Patients: Saving Lives And Money
Medical technology concept. Medical doctor. getty Cancer treatment is costly. The average cost of cancer care in the U.S. is around $150,000 per patient—more than four times the cost of treatment for other common health conditions, according to AARP. The American Cancer Society projected that In 2025, more than 2 million people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, with over 618,000 deaths projected. With these high costs, artificial intelligence (AI) is offering new solutions that are not only saving lives but also making cancer care more affordable. Early detection is one of the most effective ways to reduce cancer treatment costs. When cancer is caught in its earliest stages, treatments tend to be less aggressive and more affordable. At The Christ Hospital, AI has significantly improved lung cancer detection. 'Nearly 70% of lung cancer cases are now found at stage I or II, well above the national average of 46%,' said Seth Howard, executive vice president of research and development at Epic. 'In just six months, over 60 patients started treatment earlier, significantly improving their chances of survival.' By diagnosing cancer earlier, AI allows doctors to offer more cost-effective treatment options, which helps lower the financial burden on both patients and healthcare systems. ArteraAI is another example of how AI is transforming cancer care. Their AI technology is helping doctors determine which cancer treatments are best for their patients, preventing unnecessary therapies. 'AI is the most transformative tech we've had in a long time,' said Andre, founder of Artera. 'The impact AI has had on the healthcare system is as powerful as computers have had on the healthcare system. With the ArteraAI Prostate Test, we can personalize treatments, reducing unnecessary costs while improving outcomes.' The ArteraAI Prostate Test is fully reimbursed by Medicare under its established payment rate, meaning no out-of-pocket costs for eligible Medicare patients. This makes prostate cancer care more affordable and reduces financial strain during treatment. Surgery is often a key part of cancer treatment. Proprio, a company that has developed AI-powered surgical technology, provides surgeons with real-time data during operations, reducing the need for traditional imaging like CT scans and X-rays. This technology allows for faster surgeries, less strain on hospital staff, and quicker recovery times, which ultimately lowers the cost of care for patients. Another breakthrough demonstrating AI's transformative potential in cancer care is AION Biosystems' TempShield device. A recent study showed that TempShield, an AI-powered wearable thermometer for oncology patients, can reduce mortality rates by an astonishing 90% among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and inpatient hospital stays by 79%. This innovation addresses a crucial, yet often overlooked, fact: more than 50% of cancer deaths are preventable because they result from infections like pneumonia rather than cancer itself. If you spot a temperature spike (and hence an infection) early and treat it, you save lives. TempShield's continuous temperature monitoring provides clinicians with alerts up to 72 hours before symptoms of infection appear, enabling earlier intervention. 'The real danger in cancer care isn't just the disease—it's the complications we miss,' said Sam Barend, CEO of AION Biosystems. 'TempShield is a game-changer: small, simple, and affordable, and it's helping save lives by catching infections before symptoms appear—just like the blood glucose monitor did for diabetes.' AI is revolutionizing cancer care, not only improving outcomes but also making treatment more affordable. Early detection, personalized treatment, and more efficient surgeries all contribute to lowering the financial burden on patients while providing better care. With innovations like the ArteraAI Prostate Test and TempShield, AI is making cancer care smarter, more accessible, and more cost-effective for patients across the globe. As AI technologies continue to evolve, they will undoubtedly play an even greater role in both saving lives and reducing the financial strain of cancer treatment.
Bloomberg
30 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Musk, Trump Feud: The Week That Was
President Trump and Elon Musk have been publicly mud-slinging at each other. Now, the future of SpaceX's government contracts may be easing tensions. Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
