Boeing’s 777X jetliner took to the skies this past weekend in front of thousands at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, at 10:09 a.m. local time for a successful three hour, 51 minute flight over Washington state before landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field. This new widebody aircraft will deliver 10 percent lower fuel use and emissions and 10 percent lower operating costs than the competition through advanced aerodynamics, thanks to the latest generation carbon-fiber composite wing and the most advanced commercial engine ever built, GE Aviation’s GE9X. Read more for two videos and additional information.
President Donald Trump’s officially unveiled the US military’s Space Force logo today, and social media was quick to point out that it looked eerily similar to an emblem from a famous science-fiction franchise, Star Trek. However, it’s been in use for quite some time, starting with the US Army Air Forces. Space Force is now the sixth branch of the military, joining the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard. Read more for a video and additional information.
As of today, the Doomsday Clock is now 100 seconds to midnight, or to be more specific, the closest symbolic point from an “apocalypse” since 1953. This decision was made on Thursday by The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which announced it at a press event from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Astrophysicist Robert Rosner, who is also on the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said the main concern is the undermining of the public’s ability to understand what’s true from what’s false. Read more for two videos and additional information.
The scenes above are not computer-generated, just a real Spanish town that has been engulfed in thick sea foam as a tidal surge along the Catalan coast swept at least two miles inland. Storm Gloria has pummeled the region with rain, snow and hail on Monday, leaving more than 200,000 people without power, leveling buildings, destroying rice paddies and triggering weather alerts in more than 30 provinces. Read more for a video compilation of the sea foam and additional information.
Photographer Caleb Holder was filming a multi-vehicle pileup in Texas on Friday when suddenly a second 18-wheeler jackknifed to avoid a red SUV that changed lanes in front of it. The truck then swerved off the road and rolled over on its side, hitting several vehicles as it slid into a ditch directly in front of Holder. Read more for two videos and additional information.
A fifth force of nature may have been discovered by scientists at the Institute for Nuclear Research at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Atomki). The team was closely monitoring how an excited helium atom emitted light as it decayed, and the particles ended up splitting at an unusual angle, 115 degrees, which couldn’t be explained by known physics. They called this new particle X17 because they calculated its mass at 17 megaelectronvolts. Read more for a video and additional information.
Emily Koford, a 20-year-old from Texas, almost slipped and fell at the Grand Canyon after accidentally stepping off a ledge. She was hiking at the Arizona attraction on Monday with her mom Erin when they went to a rock near the edge of the rim for a photo. Erin Koford was standing near the edge when Emily began backing up with the camera, still facing her mom, trying to get a full-body shot. Read more for a video showing what happened next.
The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit that aims to rid the oceans of harmful plastic founded by entrepreneur Boyan Slat, has unveiled “The Interceptor,” a new vessel that collects plastic from rivers, then deposits the waste into floating dumpsters. Put simply, it’s a catamaran that glides across rivers while channeling plastic toward a conveyor belt, which then gets deposited into attached dumpsters. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Spot a streaking fireball in the sky tonight? If so, then you’re probably witnessing the Taurids, or an annual meteor shower that is associated with the comet Encke. It’s actually two separate showers, with a Southern and a Northern component. The former originates from Comet Encke, while the latter is from the asteroid 2004 TG10. They are both named after their radiant point in the constellation Taurus. Since this phenomenon happens in late October and early November, they’re also nicknamed the Halloween fireballs. Read more for a video and additional information.
Photo credit: The Paper
Shanghai police arrested 25 suspects over a counterfeit anime toys / figure operation that netted over $42,000,000 USD. It all kicked off when back in June, police in the Huangpu district received a tip from an unnamed source and discovered these roughly made toys being sold in many shops, which included famous brands like Bandai Namco, Megahouse and Nintendo. Read more for additional pictures and information.