GoKawiil
Tech News
An international team of scientists conducting a periodic assessment of Earth's systems found that seven of nine defined 'planetary boundaries' have been crossed, according to the report. These boundaries cover areas such as climate, biodiversity and freshwater that researchers consider critical to maintaining a stable environment for human life.
ESET researchers report that the Chinese-linked espionage group FamousSparrow shifted in mid-2025 to focus exclusively on government targets in Central and South America, replacing its older SparrowDoor malware with a newly built implant called SparroWocky. The group, loosely tied to Earth Estries and Salt Typhoon, appears to be zeroing in on agencies overseeing Chinese investments now under scrutiny from the Trump administration.
Researchers at Ege University modeled how the young Sun's evolution would change if it had absorbed a super-Earth-sized planet, and found the scenario helps resolve mismatches between standard solar models and real observations, including the Sun's depleted lithium and internal sound-speed profile. The team also found such a planet could pass through the Sun's outer layers while losing little mass, implying a lasting internal chemical signature.
A team of researchers, publishing in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, used stellar modeling software to suggest the young Sun may have engulfed a rocky planet several times Earth's mass. They argue this ingested super-Earth could explain persistent mismatches between standard solar models and actual observations of the Sun's interior, including its unusually low lithium levels.
Odin Space is selling adhesive vibration sensor strips that satellites can use to detect and measure debris impacts, addressing the mystery behind many small-satellite failures. Meanwhile, Atlanta-area company Atomic-6 is working on lighter alternative shielding to replace or improve upon traditional aluminum panels and Whipple shields used to protect spacecraft from high-speed debris strikes.
The UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution with 164 votes in favor, urging governments, schools and tech firms to adopt the Equal Earth projection or other equal-area maps when accurate size comparisons matter. The US was the sole country to vote against it, calling the measure a 'radical ideological project.' Despite the vote, major navigation apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps are expected to keep using Mercator-based projections, which remain practical for plotting travel routes.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf told The Athletic he's a self-described conspiracy theorist who believes a hidden civilization exists beneath Earth's crust, accessible only through Antarctica. He credited quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a longtime conspiracy proponent, as an inspiration, and questioned why tourists can't freely visit Antarctica or why world leaders supposedly hold secret gatherings there. A University of Florida microbiologist quoted in the piece dismissed the claims, noting Antarctic tourism is common and no such secret leader meetings occur.
On September 4, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to phase out the 16th-century Mercator map projection in favor of the Equal Earth projection, which more accurately represents the relative sizes of continents and countries. The Mercator map, created by Gerardus Mercator in 1569, has long been criticized for exaggerating the size of Northern Hemisphere landmasses like Canada and Russia while shrinking equatorial regions such as Africa.
Planet Labs, which runs the world's largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites, has been named No. 4 on Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators 2026 list. The company generates over 3 terabytes of high-resolution imagery daily, used by governments, researchers and media to track environmental and security threats. Its recognition stems from an in-house approach called 'Agile Aerospace,' used to build satellite systems including Pelican and Owl.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution urging governments, schools and tech firms to adopt equal-area map projections like Equal Earth instead of the Mercator projection, which distorts continents' relative sizes. The measure passed 164-1, with only the United States opposed and six countries abstaining; it does not ban Mercator maps but recommends alternatives where accurate size comparisons matter.
Isar Aerospace, a German startup founded in 2018 by three Technical University of Munich students, launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Spaceport in Arctic Norway on Saturday. The two-stage, 92-foot rocket reached low-Earth orbit about seven minutes after liftoff, marking the first fully commercial European launch vehicle to do so. CEO Daniel Metzler called it a milestone giving Europe independent access to space.
Earth Garden is a web tool that lets users spin a 3D globe and hear real-world ambient sounds tied to specific locations, from ocean waves near Atlantic islands to crickets in Tanzania and rainfall in Manhattan. The audio clips are sourced from Freesound, and the site can auto-rotate the globe, blending in new recordings as it moves, with an option to layer ambient drone sounds over the top.