NASA says Apollo astronauts altered Moon climate, study finds
April 15, 2026, 3:55 AM EDT. NASA researchers say Apollo-era experiments left a measurable thermal footprint on the Moon. Between 1969 and 1972, astronauts deployed buried probes to gauge subsurface temperatures. The regolith-a fine, insulating dust layer-was disturbed by walking, digging and equipment deployment, making the surface slightly darker and denser. Those changes improved solar absorption and heat transfer to depth. Over years, measurements show a gradual surface warming of about 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in the instrumented zones. The effect was local, not global. A reanalysis of archival data in the Journal of Geophysical Research concluded the Moon reflected less sunlight back to space, helping raise surface temperatures. The finding highlights how human activity leaves footprints even on airless bodies.
Huawei dominates 70% of foldables with Pura X, IDC data shows
April 15, 2026, 3:46 AM EDT. IDC data for March 2026 shows Huawei commanding about 70% of the foldables market, led by the Pura X. The device shipped more than 1.5 million units to stores, widening the gap to rivals. Huawei's pivot-from luxury to mass market-unites a large screen and a strong processor at a price mainstream buyers accept. In China, the company held 71.8% of the foldables market in 2025, aided by durability upgrades. The result places pressure on rivals like Samsung and Apple, as Huawei readies the Pura X Max to push design and features further and eyes global markets.
Artemis 3 plans hinge on SpaceX and Blue Origin landers amid delays
April 15, 2026, 3:31 AM EDT. NASA is pursuing a 2027 Artemis 3 crewed lunar landing, but a clear flight plan hinges on rival lunar landers still in development. The Orion capsule has passed its initial in-flight tests, but it cannot descend to the Moon. Boeing is assembling the core SLS stage while the mobile launch platform, used for Artemis 2, is slated to return to service. The timing of Artemis 3 remains uncertain, with no firm launch date or complete vehicle readiness. SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's lunar landers, contracted to deliver the landing system, have fallen behind, with prototype flights and orbital tests delayed after earlier failures. NASA officials say the focus is on steady progress toward a sustainable presence on the Moon.
ORGAPRED selects CYTOQUBE from Hamamatsu Photonics for personalized oncology research
April 15, 2026, 3:14 AM EDT. ORGAPRED, a France-based core facility that produces Patient-Derived Tumor Organoids (PDTOs), has chosen the CYTOQUBE high-throughput 3D imaging system from Hamamatsu Photonics France to bolster personalized oncology drug screening and therapeutic discovery. The platform enables rapid multi-color analysis of tumoroids, assessing viability and cell death across 384-well plates and beyond. Dr. Romane Florent, ORGAPRED's Research Engineer, said CYTOQUBE permits 3D analysis across entire plates in under 30 minutes, outperforming conventional confocal workflows. The collaboration, which began in 2021 and advanced through on-site evaluation in March 2025, culminated in a tender award in December 2025. The system's intuitive operation and automated tumoroid segmentation streamline data visualization and accelerate identification of effective therapies.
Apple's iPhone Fold could upend the foldable market, challenging Samsung
April 15, 2026, 2:50 AM EDT. Predictions say the iPhone Fold, also called the iPhone Ultra, could redefine the US foldable market. Analysts peg Apple with as much as 46% market share in the United States, even before the device is announced. Apple may not need to invent a concept or slash prices; the right name, ecosystem, and timing could win buyers. Samsung, which has led the segment for years, could be the first major victim as Apple enters. The reports point to a $2,000 price, a figure that would stretch into euros in Europe and test consumer willingness. If Apple nails the hinge and ecosystem, the conversation could shift away from Samsung. Rumors persist about rivals such as OPPO Find N6 offering alternative hinge innovations.
Google launches Windows desktop app with faster search and AI mode
April 15, 2026, 2:37 AM EDT. Google has released a Windows desktop app that brings Search to the PC with speed, organization and AI integration. The new app, available globally with initial English support, lets users search the web, local files, installed apps and Google Drive from a single, keyboard-accessible bar. After install, press Alt + Space to summon the search box anywhere. The app acts as a PC-wide hub, reducing window-switching between browsers and programs. It includes an AI mode that answers questions with generated responses and links for deeper reading, plus follow-up prompts for a more interactive experience. It also integrates Google Lens and screen-sharing, letting users select screen areas to search, translate text, or get quick explanations without leaving the current task.
Google launches Windows desktop app with faster search and AI mode
April 15, 2026, 2:36 AM EDT. Google has released a Windows desktop app that brings search to the PC with speed, organization and AI integration. The app is globally available with initial English support, letting users search the web, local files, installed apps, and Google Drive documents from a single bar. After installation, pressing Alt + Space opens the search box at any moment, turning the PC into a unified hub and reducing window-switching. The software includes an AI mode that answers questions with generated responses and links for further reading, plus follow-up queries for a more natural chat-like flow. It also integrates with Google Lens and screen sharing, enabling questions about on-screen images, text, or windows without leaving current work.
Android to add local PC backup via Quick Share to free up phone storage
April 15, 2026, 2:34 AM EDT. Android is testing a local backup feature that copies selected files from a smartphone to a computer without cloud storage. In Google Play Services beta v26.15.31, Android Authority found an auto backup option that transfers photos, videos and audio over a wireless link to a PC, with an automatic sync setting and a backup now button for manual transfers. A delete on the phone does not remove the PC copy, according to Digital Trends. Because the feature is integrated with Quick Share, it appears to operate without internet. Google has not officially released the feature, and details may change before launch. If implemented, users would have a free way to back up data locally instead of paying for cloud storage.
Trace elements in chalcopyrite could unlock cleaner, faster copper extraction
April 15, 2026, 1:49 AM EDT. Researchers from Monash University argue that chalcopyrite, the ore behind about 70% of global copper, hides microscopic defects and trace elements such as silver, gold and nickel that govern processing efficiency. In Nature Geoscience, the team shows these subtleties are not flaws but opportunities to improve low-temperature leaching and copper recovery from lower-grade ore. Silver, in particular, can destabilise the mineral surface and trigger a cycle that boosts extraction, potentially cutting energy use and chemical needs. The findings link geology to next-generation technologies, since chalcopyrite also underpins semiconductors used in solar cells and sensors. With copper demand rising for renewables, researchers call for cross-disciplinary innovation to rethink mineral processing in a low-carbon world.
Chalcopyrite could unlock cleaner copper extraction for the energy transition
April 15, 2026, 1:40 AM EDT. Researchers from Monash University's School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment say a common copper mineral, chalcopyrite, could become the gatekeeper of a cleaner, faster, more efficient copper supply. Despite 300 years of study, the mineral resists low-temperature leaching, slowing extraction from lower-grade ore. The trick lies in hidden chemistry: microscopic defects and trace elements-such as silver, gold and nickel-shape how the mineral reacts during processing. The team reports that trace amounts of silver can destabilize the surface and trigger a cycle that boosts copper recovery, potentially cutting energy and chemical use. Beyond mining, chalcopyrite underpins semiconductors used in solar cells and other clean technologies. Meeting future copper demand may hinge on smarter processing, not just new deposits.
Chalcopyrite could unlock cleaner copper production, study says
April 15, 2026, 1:28 AM EDT. New analysis in Nature Geoscience shows chalcopyrite, the ore powering roughly 70% of global copper, could become a lever for cleaner and faster extraction. Monash University researchers say the mineral's long-standing processing bottlenecks stem from hidden chemistry: microscopic defects and trace elements such as silver, gold, and nickel that govern how the ore behaves during processing. By studying how these traces destabilize the surface and trigger copper-recovery cycles, scientists argue extraction can be more energy-efficient and require fewer chemicals. The finding reframes chalcopyrite not as a stubborn obstacle but as a programmable material whose atomic structure informs smarter processing. Beyond mining, chalcopyrite also underpins a family of semiconductors used in solar cells and photodetectors, connecting geology to clean-tech innovations.
SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on Falcon 9
April 15, 2026, 1:11 AM EDT. SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying 25 Starlink satellites. Liftoff from SLC-4E is scheduled for 9:29:49 p.m. PDT (12:29:49 a.m. EDT / 04:29:49 UTC). The mission aims for an orbit of about 258 by 246 km at a 97-degree inclination. Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage starting about 30 minutes before liftoff. The booster, B1082, will mark its 21st flight after delivering 17 previous Starlink missions and flying other payloads including USSF-62 and OneWeb Launch 20. About eight minutes after liftoff, the first stage will land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific. The 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites will deploy about an hour into flight.
Kolkata's Science City debuts immersive Mars journey in fulldome film
April 15, 2026, 1:06 AM EDT. Science City in Kolkata unveiled a fulldome 3D film, One Step Beyond: A Journey to Mars, inviting audiences to a visceral ascent. The premiere was led by Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and joined by museum leaders from the National Council of Science Museums and Science City. Viewers described the launch as almost physical, with the dome projecting Moon craters and Martian terrain in striking detail that blurred the line between observer and voyage. The film traces humanity's arc from the Moon to Mars, turning space into something tangible in the theater. It blends science communication with cinema, provoking reflection on future exploration and the enduring dream of reaching the cosmos.
Riot Games and Discord launch native integration for League of Legends and VALORANT in beta
April 15, 2026, 12:50 AM EDT. Riot Games is rolling out a native Discord integration for its games, starting in beta today in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. The update links Riot and Discord accounts, letting players invite friends to in-game parties directly without switching windows. Discord's interface will show a player's current session and can launch League of Legends lobbies from shared invite links. Riot says the move aims to simplify team-building and deepen social connectivity across LoL and VALORANT, without delivering the voice-chat feature teased for LoL. A future migration will move existing connections into the new system, presenting in-game profiles as a stats card. Officials Pabro and Meddler described the feature as a new form of social communication with players who aren't friends.
Hackers leak Rockstar data; GTA 6 launch unaffected as GTA Online metrics emerge
April 15, 2026, 12:10 AM EDT. Hackers who breached Rockstar Games published the stolen files over the weekend, but the company said the breach would not derail its plans for GTA 6. The data released covered earnings and player counts for Red Dead Redemption Online and GTA Online, not any GTA 6 details. A post on GTA Forums shows GTA Online remains a global draw, with nearly 8.5 million weekly players. The PS4 version dominates with about 1.9 million active players, compared with around 1 million on Xbox One. On current-gen, PS5 houses 3.4 million versus 1.1 million on Xbox Series X/S. The PC version sits at roughly 900,000 weekly. The breach highlights GTA Online's revenue strength, estimated at over $8 million per week, likely shaping expectations for the next title.
