The Atlantic ocean is changing to brown

Something Huge and Brown is taking over the Atlantic Ocean : Record 37.5 Million tons of toxic seaweed suffocates Caribbean beaches 

Since 2011, a monstrous structure has taken shape in the Atlantic Ocean almost every year, sprawling from the West African coast to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a gargantuan bloom of a brown free-floating seaweed. In May, the seaweed belt hit a record biomass of 37.5 million tons. In a study, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Harbour Branch Oceanographic Institute outline the rapidly growing seaweed’s development during the last four decades. Unsurprisingly, human activity is involved in a widespread ecological change. A vast and perplexing brown tide is sweeping across the Atlantic Ocean, alarming scientists as it disrupts ecosystems and threatens coastal communities from Africa to the Americas. Some of the important points are as follows:-

 A massive brown tide known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is spreading across the Atlantic Ocean.

The phenomenon highlights the interconnectedness of global ecosystems and the impact of human actions.

Coastal communities face economic and health risks as the seaweed clogs beaches and releases harmful gases.

Scientists link the growth to human activities which introduce excessive nutrients into the ocean.

A peculiar ecological phenomenon is sweeping across the Atlantic Ocean, drawing the attention of scientists and policymakers alike. This vast expanse of floating seaweed, known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, is not merely a natural curiosity but a potent indicator of the profound ways human activities are reshaping marine environments. The bloom, which now stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, has reached unprecedented levels, posing significant challenges to coastal communities and ecosystems. As researchers strive to understand this phenomenon, the implications for our oceans, and the people who rely on them, are becoming increasingly urgent. The influx of nutrients from major rivers, including the Mississippi and the Amazon, acts as a catalyst for this growth. Researchers have identified these rivers as key drivers of the bloom’s expansion, providing the necessary nutrients which allow sargassum to thrive. The scale of this bloom is unprecedented, with the biomass reaching a record 37.5 million tons recorded recently. This massive accumulation of seaweed is reshaping entire ocean basins and challenging our understanding of marine ecosystems.

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has been expanding dramatically, transforming from a localized phenomenon into a massive oceanic bloom. This belt of floating sargassum has spread from its traditional habitat in the Sargasso Sea to encompass a vast swath of the Atlantic Ocean. Ocean currents like the Loop Current and the Gulf Stream play a crucial role in this expansion, distributing nutrient-rich waters which fuel the seaweed’s growth. Satellite imagery has captured the rapid increase in sargassum biomass, doubling in just days under optimal conditions. “The expansion of sargassum isn’t just an ecological curiosity, it has real impacts on coastal communities. The massive blooms can clog beaches, affect fisheries and tourism, and pose health risks,” Brian Lapointe, lead author of the study and a marine scientist at FAU Harbor Branch, said. “Understanding why sargassum is growing so much is crucial for managing these impacts,” he added. “Our review helps to connect the dots between land-based nutrient pollution, ocean circulation, and the unprecedented expansion of sargassum across an entire ocean basin.”

The surge in sargassum biomass can be traced back to human activities which introduce excessive nutrients into the ocean. According to Brian Lapointe, land-based nutrient inputs are the primary drivers of this growth. Agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge and atmospheric deposition contribute to the nutrient-rich conditions which favour sargassum blooms. The chemical composition of sargassum has changed over the years, with nitrogen levels increasing significantly while phosphorus has declined. This shift indicates the profound impact of terrestrial processes on marine ecosystems. By altering the nutrient balance in the ocean, human activities are reshaping the growth patterns of marine species, with sargassum being a prime example. The seaweed’s ability to thrive in nutrient-poor waters by recycling marine waste further complicates management efforts and underscores the interconnectedness of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Scientists previously believed that sargassum was mostly limited to the Sargasso Sea’s nutrient-poor waters. More recent research, however, has revealed the organism to be quite the traveller, tracing sargassum’s movement from nutrient-rich coastal areas, such as the western Gulf of Mexico, to the open ocean, hitching a ride on the Loop Current (one of the fastest currents in the Atlantic) and the Gulf Stream. In the open ocean, nutrients are usually concentrated at great depth.

The spread of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has far-reaching consequences for coastal communities. The dense mats of seaweed can clog beaches, disrupt fisheries and pose health risks to local populations. Popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Florida have experienced significant economic losses due to emergency clean-ups and decreased tourism revenue. Sargassum blooms also create oxygen-depleted zones beneath the dense mats, affecting marine life and fisheries. The decomposing seaweed releases hydrogen sulfide gas, which can cause respiratory problems for nearby residents. In extreme cases, such as the 1991 shutdown of a Florida nuclear power plant, the impacts of these blooms have disrupted critical infrastructure. As the belt continues to expand, these disruptions are likely to become more frequent, posing on going challenges to coastal economies and public health. In 2004 and 2005, satellite imagery revealed massive sargassum windrows, long bands of floating sargassum, in the western Gulf of Mexico, a region where rivers, including the Mississippi and Atchafalaya, are increasingly dumping nutrients. 

Understanding the dynamics of sargassum growth requires an examination of its nutrient composition over time. Researchers have studied the changes in nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon levels across different regions of the Atlantic to identify the environmental forces driving this phenomenon. Factors such as river flows, rainfall and Amazon basin floods play a significant role in influencing the bloom’s biomass. In fact, research since the 1980s revealed that the seaweed grows faster and is more productive in shallow nutrient-rich waters than nutrient-poor open ocean waters. In other words, more nutrients mean more sargassum. In certain conditions, the biomass of Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans can increase twofold within few days. By analysing the nutrient composition of sargassum, scientists are gaining insights into the complex interactions between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The seaweed’s ability to adapt to varying nutrient levels and recycle marine waste highlights its resilience and complicates management strategies. As researchers continue to investigate the factors driving sargassum growth, the findings hold important implications for understanding how human activities influence marine environments on a global scale.

Phosphorus and nitrogen are crucial nutrients for sargassum. From the 1980s to the 2020s, while the seaweed’s nitrogen content rose by over 50%, its phosphorus declined. “These changes reflect a shift away from natural oceanic nutrient sources like upwelling and vertical mixing, and toward land-based inputs such as agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge and atmospheric deposition,” Lapointe explained. In other words, human activity. Carbon levels in sargassum are creeping upwards, demonstrating how outside nutrients are changing its makeup and affecting ocean plant life, he added. The team also highlights, however, that sargassum windrows are able to also grow in nutrient-poor waters by recycling nutrients in marine animal poop, among other methods. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of global ecosystems. The bloom’s expansion reflects how human activities, such as nutrient pollution from agriculture and urban development, can have far-reaching impacts on marine environments. As scientists work to unravel the complexities of this ecological phenomenon, the broader implications for ocean health and coastal communities remain a pressing concern. 

“Our review takes a deep dive into the changing story of sargassum, how it’s growing, what’s fuelling that growth, and why we’re seeing such a dramatic increase in biomass across the North Atlantic,” Lapointe explained. “By examining shifts in its nutrient composition, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon, and how those elements vary over time and space, we’re beginning to understand the larger environmental forces at play.” The study is just one more example of how human activity is driving deeply rooted ecological changes, with the extent of its farthest-reaching consequences still terrifyingly unknown to the world around us.

Secret fresh water under the ocean

 Scientists tap "secret fresh water" known to exist in shallow salt waters

Deep in Earth’s past, an icy landscape became a seascape as the ice melted and the oceans rose off what is now the northeastern US. Nearly 50 years ago, a US government ship searching for minerals and hydrocarbons in the area drilled into the seafloor to see what it could find. It found, of all things, drops to drink under the briny deeps, fresh water. This summer, a first-of-its-kind global research expedition followed up on that surprise. Drilling for fresh water under the salt water off Cape Cod extracted thousands of samples from what is now thought to be a massive, hidden aquifer stretching from New Jersey as far north as Maine. It's just one of many depositories of "secret fresh water" known to exist in shallow salt waters around the world which might some day be tapped to slake the planet's intensifying thirst, said Brandon Dugan, the expedition's co-chief scientist. "We need to look for every possibility we have to find more water for society," Dugan, a geophysicist and hydrologist at the Colorado School of Mines, said who recently spent 12 hours on the drilling platform. The research teams looked in "one of the last places you would probably look for fresh water on Earth." They found it, and will be analysing nearly 50,000 litres (13,209 gallons) of it back in their labs around the world in the coming months. They're out to solve the mystery of its origins, whether the water is from glaciers, connected groundwater systems on land or some combination. The potential is enormous. So are the hurdles of getting the water out and puzzling over who owns it, who uses it and how to extract it without undue harm to nature. It's bound to take years to bring that water ashore for public use in a big way, if it's even feasible.

The work at sea unfolded over three months from Liftboat Robert, an oceangoing vessel that, once on site, lowers three enormous pillars to the seafloor and squats above the waves. Normally it services offshore petroleum sites and wind farms. But this drill mission was different. "It's known that this phenomena exists both here and elsewhere around the world," Expedition 501 project manager Jez Everest, a scientist who came from the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland, said of undersea water. "But it's a subject that's never been directly investigated by any research project in the past." By that, he means no one globally had drilled systematically into the seabed on a mission to find freshwater. Expedition 501 was quite literally ground breaking, it penetrated Earth below the sea by as many as 1,289 feet or nearly 400 meters. But it followed a 2015 research project which mapped contours of an aquifer remotely, using electromagnetic technology and roughly estimated salinity of the water underneath. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, reported evidence of a "massive offshore aquifer system" in this area, possibly rivalling the size of America's largest, the Ogallala aquifer, which supplies water to parts of eight Great Plains states. Two developments in 1976 had stirred interest in searching for undersea freshwater. In the middle of Nantucket island, the US Geological Survey drilled a test well to see how far down the groundwater went. It extracted fresh water from such great depths which made scientists wonder if the water came from the sea, not the sky.

The federal agency mounted a 60-day expedition aboard the drilling vessel Glomar Conception along a vast stretch of the Continental Shelf from Georgia to Georges Bank off New England. It drilled cores in search of the sub-seabed's resources, like methane. It found an eye-opening amount of fresh or freshened water in borehole after borehole. That set the stage for the water-seekers to do their work a half-century later. Soon after Robert arrived at the first of three drilling sites, samples drawn from below the seabed registered salinity of just 4 parts per thousand. That's far below the oceans' average salt content of 35 parts per thousand but still too briny to meet the US freshwater standard of under 1 part per thousand. "Four parts per thousand was a eureka moment," Dugan said, because the finding suggested that the water must have been connected to a terrestrial system in the past, or still is. As the weeks wore on and Robert moved from site to site 20 to 30 miles (30 to 50 km's) off the coast, the process of drilling into the waterlogged subsea sediment yielded a collection of samples down to 1 part per thousand salt content. Some were even lower.

In months of analysis ahead, the scientists will investigate a range of properties of the water, including what microbes were living in the depths, what they used for nutrients and energy sources and what by products they might generate; in other words, whether the water is safe to consume or otherwise use. "This is a new environment that has never been studied before," said Jocelyne DiRuggiero, a Johns Hopkins University biologist in Baltimore who studies the microbial ecology of extreme environments and is not involved in the expedition. "The water may contain minerals detrimental to human health since it percolated through layers of sediments," she said. "However, a similar process forms the terrestrial aquifers that we use for freshwater, and those typically have very high quality." By sequencing DNA extracted from their samples, she said, the researchers can determine which microorganisms are there and "learn how they potentially make a living."

In just five years, the UN says, the global demand for fresh water will exceed supplies by 40%. Rising sea levels from the warming climate are souring coastal freshwater sources while data centres which power AI and cloud computing are consuming water at an insatiable rate. The fabled Ancient Mariner's lament, "Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink," looms as a warning to landlubbers as well as to sailors on salty seas. Cape Town, South Africa, came perilously close to running out of fresh water for its nearly 5 million people in 2018 during an epic, three-year drought. South Africa is thought to have a coastal undersea freshwater bonanza, too, and there is at least anecdotal evidence that every continent may have the same. In Virginia alone, a quarter of all power produced in the state goes to data centres, a share expected to nearly double in five years. By some estimates, each midsize data centre consumes as much water as 1,000 households. Each of the Great Lakes states has experienced groundwater shortages. Canada's Prince Edward Island, Hawaii and Jakarta, Indonesia are among places where stressed freshwater supplies coexist with prospective aquifers under the ocean. Try Expedition, a $25 million scientific collaboration of more than a dozen countries backed by the US government's National Science Foundation and the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling. Scientists went into the project believing the undersea aquifer they were sampling might be sufficient to meet the needs of a metropolis the size of New York City for 800 years. They found fresh or nearly fresh water at both higher and lower depths below the seafloor than they anticipated, suggesting a larger supply even than that.

Techniques will also be used to determine whether it came from glacial ice melt thousands of years ago or is still coming via labyrinthian geologic formations from land. Researchers will date the water back in the lab, and that will be key in determining whether it is a renewable resource which could be used responsibly. Primordial water is trapped and finite; newer water suggests the aquifer is still connected to a terrestrial source and being refreshed, however slowly. "Younger means it was a raindrop 100 years ago, 200 years ago," Dugan said. "If young, it's recharging." Those questions are for basic science. For society, all sorts of complex questions arise if the basic science affirms the conditions necessary for exploiting the water. Who will manage it? Can it be taken without an unacceptable risk of contaminating the supply from the ocean above? Will it be cheaper or environmentally friendlier than today's energy-hungry desalination plants? Dugan said if governments decide to get the water, local communities could turn to the aquifers in time of need, such as drought, or when extreme storms flood coastal freshwater reserves and ruin them. The notion of actually using this old buried water is so new that it has not been on the radar of many policymakers or conservationists.

"It's a lesson in how long it can take sometimes to make these things happen and the perseverance that's needed to get there," said Woods Hole geophysicist Rob Evans, whose 2015 expedition helped point the way for 501. "There's a ton of excitement that finally they've got samples." Still, he sees some red flags. One is that tapping undersea aquifers could draw water away from onshore reserves. Another is that undersea groundwater which seeps out to the seafloor may supply nutrients vital to the ecosystem, and that might not be right. "If we were to go out and start pumping these waters, there would almost certainly be unforeseen consequences," he said. "There's a lot of balance we would need to consider before we started diving in and drilling and exploiting these kinds of things." For most in the project, getting to and from Liftboat Robert meant a voyage of seven hours or more from Fall River, Massachusetts, on a supply boat that made round trips every 10 days or so to replenish stocks and rotate people.

On the platform, around the clock, the racket of metal bore pipes and machinery, the drilling grime and the speckled mud mingled with the quieter, cleaner work of scientists in trailers converted to pristine labs and processing posts. There, samples were treated according to the varying needs of the expedition's geologists, geochemists, hydrologists, microbiologists, sedimentologists and more. Passing through clear plastic tubes, muck was sliced into disks like hockey pucks. Machines squeezed water out. Some samples were kept sealed to enable study of ancient gases dissolved in the water. Other samples were frozen, filtered or left as is, depending on the purpose. After six months of lab analysis, all the science teams of Expedition 501 will meet again, this time in Germany for a month of collaborative research that is expected to produce initial findings that point to the age and origin of the water.

World’s first-Electric-flying-car

 World’s first-Electric-flying-car to start operations at Silicon Valley airports 

The first all-electric flying car is here, and it could land at an airport near you. Yes, flying cars are real. They are not just in the movies anymore. The first all-electric flying car is about to take flight after signing agreements with several airports. The car has been in the making for a decade. Now the world’s first electric flying car is testing at airports. Just a few years ago, not many thought this day would come. Alef Aeronautics has been developing its electric flying car since 2015, attracting major investors like Tim Draper, known for his early investment in Tesla. In 2022, Alef became an internet sensation after unveiling a new prototype, dubbed the Model A. The company claims the vehicle (or aircraft) can drive 220 miles and has a 110-mile flight range. 

San Mateo-based Alef has signed agreements with the Hollister and Half Moon Bay airports to conduct operations of the world’s first flying car, a road vehicle which can take off vertically. The company will begin test operations alongside other aircraft types. Less than a year later, the California-based startup became the first to receive a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration. Alef took it a step further, becoming the first company to receive pre-orders for an aircraft sold through a car dealership. Alef had also released a video earlier this year, giving its potential consumers a glimpse of the ‘Ultralight’ version of Model A jumping over another vehicle.

Now, the company is set to begin its test operations at the two Silicon Valley airports, Half Moon Bay and Hollister. It will test how the car works with other aircraft in air traffic. Both airports could also serve as a base for flying cars in the near future, according to the company. Planning to start with the Model Zero Ultralight, Alef plans to expand its product base with other Model Zero models and the commercial Model A. We got our first look at the all-electric flying car in action earlier this year after Alef released a video of an “ultralight version” of the Model A jumping over another vehicle. The company claimed it was the “first-ever video in history of a car driving and vertically taking off”. CEO Jim Dukhovny introduces the Model A electric flying car at the Detroit Auto Show. In yet another first, Alef announced it has now secured agreements to begin operations at two new Silicon Valley airports: Half Moon Bay and Hollister Airport. The flying cars will operate, both as a car and as an aircraft, alongside other types of aircraft, to assess their performance in common air traffic patterns. According to Alef’s website, the company has been working on building the flying car for almost a decade. The goal of the company is to develop its first consumer product, the Alef Model A.

Both airports could serve as a base for a future fleet of flying cars, according to Alef. It will start with the Model Zero Ultralight, but Alef plans to expand with other Model Zero models and the commercial Model A. Planned operations include driving, vertical takeoff, forward flight and vertical landing, as well as air and ground manoeuvring. The vehicle is also classified as ‘ultralight’, meaning the company doesn’t need to have any legal certifications to fly the car, according to the company. Alef pointed out that the classification brings certain restrictions for operators, such as limiting flights to daylight hours and prohibiting ultralight vehicles from flying over congested or densely populated areas like cities or towns. This is not what anyone thought flying cars would be when they were dreaming of them decades and decades ago. This is an unwieldy, overly expensive, hovering compromise on bicycle wheels. It’s not a real car and it’s not a true flying one. Alef says its flying car is “100% electric, drivable on public roads, and has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.”

The flying car will be 100% electric, along with a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. Thanks to its Model A, Alef created a buzz on social media in 2022 after unveiling its prototype. “On average, the Alef flying car uses less energy per trip than a Tesla or any other EV,” the company said. “Alef first and foremost is a car, using the automotive infrastructure, automotive business model and automotive market. The novelty is integrating a car into the aviation infrastructure and air traffic,” said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef. “Working in safe, controlled, non-towered airport environments will help Alef, FAA, airport operators, and pilots see how this will work in the future at scale. Electric aviation is more environmentally friendly, quieter and requires less space, hence it is good to see Silicon Valley airports embracing electric aviation,” he continued.

Alef’s flying electric car can jump over another vehicle. The company has already signed supply agreements for industry-grade parts with PUCARA Aero and MYC, which supply major industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus. The startup has already received more than 3,300 pre-orders for its fully electric flying car, which is expected to be priced at around $300,000. Customers can place a pre-order on Alef’s website with a $150 deposit, or pay $1,500 to secure a spot in the priority queue. This partnership with the two airports could pave the way for Alef to introduce flying car fleets at these key hubs in the future. For the airports themselves, it marks progress toward embracing electric aviation. Still, the upcoming test operations go beyond that, showcasing not only the fusion of car and aircraft technologies but also advanced AI-driven safety systems similar to those used in autonomous vehicles. Alef is already building pre-production models in California, but customer deliveries are expected to begin next year.

Apple's 18.8-Inch Foldable Device

 Apple's 18.8-inch foldable device rumoured to be delayed

While a lot of rumours have recently converged upon the fact that Apple's first foldable iPhone is coming in late 2026, or perhaps early 2027 at the latest, a foldable iPad - or Mac - with an 18.8-inch screen also used to be talked about a lot. At one point this was even said to be the first folding-screen Apple device to reach the market. Along with the iPhone 18 Fold expected to launch in late 2026, Apple is working on a larger-screened foldable device that could be a MacBook-iPad hybrid of some sort. According to one analyst, both devices were set to enter mass production towards the end of next year, but a new report now suggests the larger model is further away than originally thought.

"On the other hand," writes Pu, "the 18.8-inch foldable device is likely to be postponed." The analyst offered no reason for the expected delay, but the report suggests the device will no longer enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026 for a likely 2027 release, as previously indicated. A new report from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu claims we'll be waiting a lot for this device to actually arrive. Specifically, Pu, who's well versed in Apple-related information, says the larger foldable has been delayed by Apple internally. In a research note reflecting on Apple's recent third-quarter earnings, analyst Jeff Pu said he expects "limited innovation" from Apple in its upcoming iPhone 17 lineup. Instead, Pu reserves his excitement for the iPhone 18 Fold, for which he has seen "intact progress" in the supply chain pointing to a release in the second half of 2026.

Whereas, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple is working on a foldable ‌iPad‌ with a 20-inch display which will come out in 2028, while analyst Ross Young has said that he expects a foldable tablet-like device in 2026 or 2027, so it's safe to say there's uncertainty about a launch date. There also appear to be conflicting reports about what kind of device the larger foldable will be. This means it will no longer enter mass production in Q4 2026 for a likely release in 2027. Unfortunately, Pu hasn't gone into more detail about how long the delay is going to be. Pu believes the foldable device that Apple is working on will be a MacBook-iPad hybrid with a touch-based screen and support for macOS. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also referred to Apple's larger foldable device as a MacBook. Another previous report said in December that Apple is working on a 19-inch MacBook with a foldable screen.

However, Gurman has referred to Apple's large-screened foldable device as an ‌iPad‌, as has research firm Omdia. Whether the large-screened foldable is ultimately an ‌iPad‌ or a Mac will come down to the operating system which Apple is planning to use. If the device runs macOS, it'll be in the Mac family, and if it runs iPadOS, it'll be in the ‌iPad‌ family. Gurman has claimed that some of the design updates which Apple has made in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe to unify the operating systems will pave the way for foldable devices and touchscreen Macs, so a hybrid is also a possibility. All in all, the details of Apple's larger foldable device remain murky. That's in contrast to rumours about Apple's smaller book-style foldable iPhone, which have recently been converging on a 2026 release. It's still unclear if this will be an iPad or a Mac, by the way, but anyway it's a device with a folding screen, and one that's bigger than the foldable iPhone will be. 

World's sixth-generation fighters

 6th-Gen fighters are under development phase  

Known as Tempest in the UK, which began the effort, the supersonic Global Combat Air Programme fighter is not only the first fighter to be built in Britain in 40 years, it's one of the first of a whole new class of combat aircraft with an advanced design incorporating a raft of new technologies and capabilities that verge of science fiction. One of the world's first sixth-generation fighters has moved closer to its first flight, as BAE Systems unveils the prototype Combat Air Flying Demonstrator, now under construction for the Global Combat Air Programme by Britain, Italy and Japan. Expected to become operational by 2035 as a replacement for the Typhoon Eurofighter and a major advance on the F-35 Lightning II, the first major step in the program is to complete the demonstrator aircraft for its first flight in 2027. Its purpose is to help iron out any bugs in the design and develop the processes needed to manufacture the final aircraft.

On the other side of the world, China is reportedly developing a 6th-generation fighter J-36 Fighter.    As the fictitious, then-LT (USN) Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (now a Captain, Maverick, although he should be a Rear Admiral by now, as his commanding officer notes) said in the original Top Gun film back in 1986, “I feel the need for speed.” Meanwhile, Maverick’s real-life fighter pilot counterparts have the motto “Speed is life.” Granted, the two fastest airplanes ever made, the rocket-powered North American X-15 (Mach 6.7) and the jet-powered, air-breathing Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (Mach 3.56), weren’t actually fighter planes. But the political and military leaders of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are no fans of the Top Gun film series. They were absolutely up in arms about the fact that the back of Maverick’s leather bomber jacket prominently sported a Taiwanese flag patch (to commemorate his dad’s battleship tour there in 1964). They also reportedly freaked out at the appearance of the SR-72 “Darkstar” in the sequel so much that they actually re-oriented spy satellites to get a glimpse of the full-size mock-up that the film’s crew built for that epic opening scene. That said, the China, People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) still concurs with America’s cinematic and real-world fighter pilots alike about the need for speed, as is evidenced by the plethora of supersonic war birds in the PLAAF fleet. And that same philosophy is being carried over to their up-and-coming Chengdu J-36 6th Generation fighter, which reportedly has already achieved a maximum speed of Mach 2.5 (1,918.17 mph, 3,087 km/h, 1,666.85 knots). Following are the some of the important points of J-36:-

The Chengdu J-36 boasts a stunning top speed of Mach 2.5.

This would make it significantly faster than America’s premier stealth fighters, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, and put it on par with the legendary F-15 Eagle.

The secretive J-36 is described as a tailless delta-wing design with an exceptionally large wingspan and an unusual, powerful “tri-engine” configuration.

If the reports are accurate, the J-36 represents a major leap in China’s aerospace industry and a formidable new threat in the race for air dominance.

Of course, with this fighter being very new, sources vary on this data point.

For Tempest until now, we've had to rely on artist's concepts and mock ups of the final Tempest fighter, but the release of the admittedly unadorned rendering of the demonstrator and of the actual airframe on the factory floor provide the first concrete idea of the finished product. According to BAE Systems, by structural weight the demonstrator is already two-thirds completed, including the fuselage and wings. It's the product of a tranche of new digital manufacturing techniques which include 3D printing for rapid prototyping and simplification of components, digital twins, model-based systems engineering virtual simulations and cobotics, which are robots designed to work closely and safely with human workers. Even though the demonstrator has yet to be completed, test pilots from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and the RAF have already flown over 300 simulated hours. This has allowed for rapid improvements of the flight controls by putting them and the simulated aircraft through complex flight operations.

Along with these improvements, the Tempest boasts a modular design for quick upgrades, integrated AI and machine learning systems, Loyal Wingman controls which turn the fighter into a command and control centre for swarm drones, new stealth technologies and a virtual cockpit that can be easily reconfigured to suit a particular mission or task. In addition to identifying manufacturing problems, the program also deals with a new high-speed pilot ejector seat and a new Rolls-Royce jet engine. The expected end result will be a pilot-optional fighter with twice the payload of the F-35A and enough range to carry out transatlantic flights without refuelling for an engine which has enough surplus electrical generating capacity to handle energy weapons and hypersonic launchers. "This significant and challenging project will deliver the UK’s first crewed combat demonstrator aircraft in four decades," said Tony Godbold, Future Combat Air Systems Delivery Director, BAE Systems. The program is accelerating the development of advanced design approaches and manufacturing techniques, helping to sharpen the UK’s industrial edge and deliver benefits beyond the production of the aircraft. "As well as developing a unique aircraft, we’re building the technical foundations, workforce readiness and digital maturity essential to deliver the next generation of combat air capability."

If reported Mach 2.5 figure is correct for J-36, it would make the J-36 faster than either one of Maverick’s jet fighters, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat (Mach 2.34) and the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (a comparatively plodding Mach 1.6), and puts it on a par with the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15 Eagle. It would also make it faster than both of America’s 5th Generation stealth fighters, the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II (both of which are produced by Lockheed Martin’s legendary Skunk Works division). The source of Mach 2.5 figure is 30 December, 2024 article by Dan Arkin of Israel Defence titled “The Maiden Flight of the J-36 Fighter Jet: A Breakthrough in China’s Aerospace Industry.” Therein, Mr. Arkin also mentions that the J-36 is “a powerful tri-engine aircraft” but doesn’t go into specifics." That’s not surprising, as the J-36 program is understandably still shrouded in secrecy. We can reasonably speculate that the power plant is either the WS-10 or the WS-15 (codename “Emei”) afterburning turbofan engine, both of which are produced by the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, a subsidiary of the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC). The WS-10 is what currently powers the PLAAF’s Chengdu J-20 Weilong (“Mighty Dragon;” NATO reporting name “Fagin”) 5th Generation stealth fighter, whilst the WS-15 is the intended replacement for the next batch of J-20 production.

The WS-15 is expected to not only have a much longer life and lower maintenance requirements than the WS-10, but also a massively greater power output which will give the J-20 more thrust than any other tactical combat aircraft in the world. The engine is also expected to introduce two or three-dimensional thrust vectoring capabilities for improved manoeuvrability. The WS-10 engine is certainly no slouch, as it generates 135 kilonewtons (30,000 pounds-force) of thrust and enables the J-20 to attain a top speed of Mach 2.0. Another possibility is the Guizhou WS-13, which powers the PRC’s other stealth fighter, the J-35. The WS-13 is a modified version of the Russian RD-33 engine, and generates 86.37 kN (19,420 lbf) with afterburner. Reportedly, it has an exceptionally large wingspan for a fighter jet, with a wingspan of 24 meters (78.74 feet); for the basis of comparison and contrast, the J-20 has a wingspan of 13.01 meters (42.68 feet), and the F-35 has a wingspan of 11 meters (35 feet). Meanwhile, fuselage length is estimated at 22.5 meters (73.81 feet). This fighter combines fly-by-wire technology with a tailless delta-wing design which provides it with an extremely low radar signature, high stability and advanced manoeuvrability at high speeds. Moreover, the it is equipped with computer-controlled flight surfaces and reduced drag, ensuring fuel efficiency and extended operational range. 

Huawei Mate XT 2

 Expected upgrades in the upcoming Huawei Mate XT 2

Last year Huawei stunned the world when it launched the first-ever tri-fold device, the Mate XT and now the company is allegedly working on its successor.  Huawei Mate XT 2 is said to feature an upgraded periscope telephoto shooter. Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design debuted in China in September 2024 and Huawei Mate XT 2 could launch in September this year. The upcoming tri-fold is tipped to offer satellite connectivity.

According to rumours from China, this won't be a huge upgrade compared to the original one, but there will still be some tweaks. The Mate XT 2 will be powered by the Kirin 9020 SoC, and it will have satellite connectivity. Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design was launched in September last year as the world's first triple-fold smartphone with dual hinges. The handset featured a Kirin 9010 chipset and housed a 5,600mAh battery. Now, the Chinese smartphone brand appears to be aiming to launch a sequel to its triple-folding phone, most likely named the Huawei Mate XT 2. Ahead of any formal confirmation, leak suggests several details about the upcoming tri-fold handset.

Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station took to Weibo to suggest the key specifications of the Huawei Mate XT 2. It is said to run on the Kirin 9020 5G SoC. This would be an upgrade over the existing model, which has the Kirin 9010 chipset under the hood. The main camera will be new, still 50 MP resolution and with variable aperture. There will also be an upgraded periscope telephoto shooter. The Huawei Mate XT 2 is tipped to offer satellite connectivity. The screenshots included in the post suggest that Huawei have filed for regulatory approval for the upcoming tri-fold with model number GRL-AL20.

Huawei Mate XT 2 is tipped to offer the same screen size and battery capacity as the Mate XT Ultimate Design. Previous leaks pointed out a September launch window for the phone. It is likely to rival Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Tri-Fold smartphone. The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design is priced at CNY 19,999 for the 16GB RAM + 256GB storage model. It was later launched in select global markets in February this year. It ships with HarmonyOS 4.2 and features a 10.2-inch flexible LTPO OLED main screen. Folding it once reveals a 7.9-inch display, and folding it again shows a 6.4-inch smartphone-like form. The camera unit of the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design features a 50-megapixel camera with OIS and variable aperture, a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera and a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. It has a 5,600mAh battery with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging support. The handset offers 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of on board storage.

And this is the entire list of changes from the Mate XT. Everything else should remain the same, including the folding screen and battery capacity. Samsung is rumoured to be joining the tri-fold fray this year, and the small iteration of the Mate XT is definitely Huawei's answer. Following are the key specifications:-

RAM                        16GB

OS                                   HarmonyOS 4.2

Front Camera           8-megapixel

Rear Camera                50-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Resolution                 1008x2232 pixels

Storage                        256GB

Battery Capacity        5600mAh

Display (Primary)         6.40-inch

Threaded Replies for iOS

 WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.19.10.80 : Threaded Replies for iOS under testing  

WhatsApp has released a new iOS update through the TestFlight beta Program, bringing the version up to 25.19.10.80. WhatsApp has begun testing support for threaded message replies on iOS, expanding a feature previously only available on Android. It's a feature to organize message replies into structured threads, and it will be available in a future update. As reported, the feature is now under active development in the WhatsApp for iOS beta, which is available to users through TestFlight. While the feature is not yet functional for end users, its appearance in the latest beta indicates that a public release could be in the near future.

In the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.7.7 update, it was announced that a feature to organize message replies into threaded conversations is under development. This feature will allow users to view and follow replies grouped under the original message, enabling a more structured and coherent chat experience. By keeping related responses connected in a dedicated thread, users can easily navigate conversations without losing context, especially in busy group chats. It appears that WhatsApp now intends to bring the same message reply functionality to iOS users in the future, ensuring a consistent experience across both platforms. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.19.10.80 update, which is available on the TestFlight app, WhatsApp is working on a feature to organize message replies into structured threads. Threaded message replies will allow users to respond to specific messages in a structured format, separate from the main chat feed. This is different from inline replies, which still show in the main feed. The feature should enable clearer conversation tracking when multiple discussions occur simultaneously in the same chat.  WhatsApp is exploring the implementation of a feature that will display a dedicated screen showing all replies associated with a specific message, scheduled for release in a future update. Each message bubble will include a small indicator showing the number of replies contained in its associated thread. This detail will allow users to understand how many responses are connected to a particular message, without needing to open the thread.

The feature works by displaying a small reply counter on any message which has received responses. By tapping, users will be able to open a new screen which displays all replies related to the original message in an organized view. This makes it easier for users to track discussions, especially when conversations become lengthy or fragmented. Within this new screen, users will not only be able to read all the replies but also send a new reply directly, which will automatically be added to the same thread. This ensures continuity and keeps related messages neatly grouped together. This feature will helps users track conversations more efficiently. Instead of scrolling through an entire chat history to find all responses to a particular message, users can just open the thread and focus on the specific discussion. Additionally, this functionality is especially useful in group chats, where a high volume of messages can make it difficult to follow individual replies. When several participants respond to the same message, threads will help avoid confusion by organizing responses in one place.

Users will no longer have to scroll through the entire chat history or search for the original message manually just to understand what a reply is referring to. Instead, they will be able to open a dedicated thread view which clearly displays the full sequence of responses connected to the initial message. This organized view will help preserve the flow of conversation and reduce confusion, particularly in situations where several users are replying simultaneously. A feature to organize message replies into structured threads is under development and it will be available in a future update of the app. WhatsApp typically conducts staggered rollouts for major features, and further beta releases are likely before full public availability.

World-first "HBM" DRAM smartphone

 Huawei expected to launch world-first "HBM" DRAM smartphone            

Huawei rumoured to beat Apple in bringing HBM DRAM to Smartphones. Technology will be based on a 3D stacking approach. Forget LPDDR5X, smartphones will start upgrading to the same HBM DRAM found in Nvidia's highest-end GPUs soon - according to the latest leaks. Mobile device OEMs are thought to switch to that advanced form of memory in order to keep up in the AI race. The trailblazer in its adoption may not be the company many might expect, though. High-bandwidth memory (HBM) is mostly reserved for the most AI-forward hardware from AMD or Nvidia. However, it is coming to devices which can fit into the palm of the user's hand soon, according to the latest reports available. 

Huawei could adopt HBM DRAM to smartphones earlier than Apple. The US trade sanctions might have pushed Huawei into a corner, but the former Chinese giant decided that it would not just rise to these challenging circumstances, but it would one-up the competition by adopting various technologies quicker than other giants. For instance, Mate XT was the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, and now rumours claim that the company will proceed to adopt HBM DRAM to smartphones earlier than Apple, resulting in a multitude of advantages. Currently, the world's highest-end smartphones have RAM based on low-power DDR5X (or LPDDR5X) for its speed and efficiency. Even its potential for ~68 gigabyte per second (GB/s) performance might not be enough soon, which might drive manufacturers to make a significant upgrade.

Apple was previously rumoured to introduce HBM DRAM to iPhones for its 20th-anniversary launch in 2027, but Huawei could have bragging rights by introducing the first device to feature such technology. Currently, Huawei’s Achilles’ Heel is being unable to leverage advanced manufacturing processes from the likes of TSMC and Samsung, which is why it is limited to the 7nm node from its local foundry partner SMIC. However, reports available reveal that in other advancements, the company has an edge, particularly Apple, who is severely lagging behind in the generative AI space. One particular component that will effortlessly boost artificial intelligence performance is HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) DRAM. The alleged next step forward in mobile device RAM technology may be necessary to keep up with the demands of ever more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) in the near future.

Currently, the most cutting-edge memory used in smartphones and tablets is LPDDR5X technology, with a rumour claiming that LPDDR6 RAM production will kick off in the second half of 2026 by Samsung, with Qualcomm’s said to adopt this technology for its future chipsets. Huawei will take things one step further, with its HBM DRAM based on 3D stacking technology, which will boost bandwidth and efficiency while reducing the memory chip’s size. These attributes make this DRAM the apparent choice for smartphones. Then again, smartphone HBM (or 'mobile HBM') will not be true up-to-~2TB/s bandwidth memory at all, but more like the new kind of low-latency wide I/O DRAM (or LLW DRAM) also recently developed to support AI functionality. It is touted to achieve next-gen processing speeds of up to 128GB/s in its current form nonetheless. In terms of first-mover 'HBM smartphone' makers, Apple and its iPhones might be a prime candidate. The Cupertino giant is thought to be beaten to the punch by another, however.

The company might be Huawei,  although, as a maker of HBM and LLW RAM itself, Samsung is also well-positioned to become a pioneer in making this supposed upgrade. However, Apple will reportedly adopt HBM DRAM in iPhones in 2027, when it unveils the 20th-anniversary version. Huawei could introduce a similar device before its competitor, gaining a significant edge against the Cupertino giant and obtaining a competitive ground in the generative AI category. Unfortunately, the rumour does not specify which specific smartphone series from Huawei will be the first to be treated to this technology, so we must wait and see the result in the near future.

Apple CarPlay Ultra

 Apple CarPlay Ultra hands-on : What's the latest about Automakers 

It’s been more than a decade since Apple unveiled the original version of CarPlay. In that time, the system has become indispensable for countless drivers all over the world. But while new iterations of iOS have introduced user interface tweaks and some additional customization features, its basic functionality hasn’t advanced much since that announcement since March 2014. This changes with the introduction of CarPlay Ultra. Apple fanatics love talking about the company's ecosystem, how well their iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch and MacBook sync together for a seamless experience. This extends to driving via CarPlay, and Apple revealed an expansion of the system earlier this year called CarPlay Ultra, where Apple's crisp user interface takes over the main touchscreen, the digital gauge cluster and key functions such as the climate controls.

Luxury automaker Aston Martin is the first OEM to offer support for Apple’s enhanced phone mirroring system. First shown at WWDC 2022 and now available on any iPhone 12 or newer that’s running iOS 18.5 or later, CarPlay Ultra is designed to deliver greater integration with the vehicle itself, offering not only the ability to have CarPlay on multiple displays within the vehicle but also the option to adjust things like climate controls and drive mode settings from within the CarPlay interface. Much like the original version of CarPlay, CarPlay Ultra has had a protracted gestation period and is finally making its debut in Aston Martin’s high-performance SUV, the DBX707. The fact that Aston Martin is the first out of the gate with support for CarPlay Ultra illustrates just how much the company’s approach to technology has evolved in recent years. Like many low-volume auto manufacturers, Aston Martin has a history of partnering with other automakers in order to gain access to technologies which are simply too expensive for the British outfit to develop by itself. That’s why models like the DBX707 and Vantage sports car are powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that’s supplied by Mercedes-AMG and then further tuned by Aston Martin.

It’s certainly not a bad thing, though, with 697 horsepower on tap and an exhaust note that sounds like Beelzebub gargling a mouthful of nails, the DBX707’s powertrain dishes out performance and character in equal measure. But the downside of this technical partnership, is that Mercedes-Benz refused to provide Aston Martin with the latest versions of its infotainment tech, so the vehicle’s systems were effectively outdated before they even landed in showrooms. Recognizing that the infotainment system has become an integral part of the driving experience and is something that an owner will likely interact with every time they get into a vehicle, Aston Martin recently struck out on its own and built one from scratch. But this development also raises a question: why give Apple more control of the in-car technology if you finally have an infotainment system worth touting? An Aston Martin representative said that while offering more choice and personalization options factored into the decision, it ultimately came down to customer requests. They also noted that familiarity is a big factor: with a luxury brand like Aston Martin, many of its customers have multiple vehicles, and CarPlay removes some of the friction involved in re-acclimating to a vehicle’s operating system each time they switch from one to another. 

Automakers will have to decide if they want to appease the hordes of iPhone users, especially in the US, where Apple has a higher market share in the smartphone sphere, with CarPlay Ultra, or stick to their guns and develop their own systems and work to convince customers to abandon the familiarity of CarPlay. This decision could have a huge impact on sales: the Financial Times cites a 2023 survey from consulting firm McKinsey that nearly half of car shoppers won't buy a car without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and that 85 % of car owners who have Apple CarPlay prefer it to their car's native infotainment system. Aston Martin said that the development process for CarPlay Ultra was a learning experience for both the automaker and Apple; the latter learned how to navigate the labyrinth of international safety regulations which dictate things like the required colour palette for certain vehicle system readouts, while the former gained a better understanding of the tech giant’s approach to interface design. The automaker also explained that Apple essentially provided a blank template that Aston Martin’s engineering team then populated with the functions which they expected drivers to use most often. Although there are still a few settings that are only accessible through the native infotainment software, other features which haven’t been given a proper CarPlay Ultra makeover, like the Sound and Stage settings for the DBX707’s Bowers and Wilkins audio system, can still be accessed within the CarPlay interface. In this particular instance, rather than requiring the user to navigate out of CarPlay to get into the native software to make a change and then jump back into CarPlay, the native UI’s menu just pops up in a window inside of CarPlay itself, thereby eliminating all of those additional steps.

There are also quite a few more personalization options available as compared to the standard version of CarPlay. Aston Martin developed its own bespoke CarPlay Ultra theme for the digital gauge cluster and there are a number of other Apple-supplied gauge cluster “themes” to choose from, which can be further embellished with different colours and wallpapers. In the DBX707, the theme options and the choices for the information displayed in the centre of the gauge cluster can be scrolled through using the small touchpad on the steering wheel. Despite the fact that CarPlay Ultra communicates with a vehicle wirelessly, regardless of whether or not the phone is plugged into a data port, its response to inputs was immediate and free of any unsightly hiccups or choppy transitions. While there’s a sense that aesthetic continuity is the main attraction here, there are also some features that provide genuinely new functionality, as well. For example, with CarPlay Ultra, you can set it so that Apple Maps shows you navigation instructions on both the gauge cluster and the infotainment system with different visual orientations for each. So if a section of the route is unclear from the view on the gauge cluster, you can simply look over at the infotainment system display to see it from a different perspective. One of the few complaints we have about Aston Martin’s new infotainment system is that the text in the native operating system is often too small to easily be read at a glance, and that issue is comprehensively addressed by CarPlay’s large font sizes and oversized on-screen buttons. Aston Martin said that the development process for CarPlay Ultra was a learning experience for both the automaker and Apple.

Several car companies have reportedly decided not to offer CarPlay Ultra, which reskins virtually every infotainment system in Apple's design language. Five automakers have backed out from their initial plans to offer Apple's new CarPlay Ultra software in their vehicles, as per a reports available. The automakers reportedly changing their plans are Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar and Renault. CarPlay Ultra sees Apple's software take over the central touchscreen, digital gauge cluster and other integral functions such as the climate-control system.  But now it seems that CarPlay Ultra, initially expected to roll out across a plethora of brands, is facing some problems. It’s hard to say whether or not CarPlay Ultra will eventually become as indispensable as standard CarPlay is now. Although the majority of automakers currently support the standard version and a number of them have expressed interest in bringing CarPlay Ultra compatibility to their vehicles in the coming years, some don’t seem eager to give Apple more control over their screens, while others are actually phasing out CarPlay support entirely.

It’s understandable that a manufacturer like General Motors would want to see a return on investment for the massive amount of money that it’s pouring into software development. On the other hand, most automakers still only spend a limited amount of time updating a particular infotainment system before turning their attention to whatever comes next. With CarPlay on board, the system’s aesthetic and functionality are largely dictated by Apple’s development road map, so while the native infotainment software might get left in the dust after a few years, CarPlay itself looks just as fresh in a vehicle from 2016 as it does in a contemporary model. And if all goes according to plan, CarPlay Ultra’s ability to operate on all of a given vehicle’s displays should take this future proofing concept several steps further. According to a report from the Financial Times, several automakers said that they have no plans to introduce CarPlay Ultra to their vehicles. The companies listed are Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar and Renault. These brands had all initially stated their intent to implement CarPlay Ultra. CarPlay Ultra will allow users to control things like changing the radio station without leaving CarPlay. We reached out to the automakers for comment, with Mercedes responding with a vague statement that didn't confirm or deny its participation in CarPlay Ultra, but it noted that they "have introduced our advanced Mercedes-Benz Operating System in our all-new CLA" and they are "also committed to enhancing our Apple CarPlay integration into the infotainment domain.

Audi, however, said: "While we continue to offer traditional CarPlay on our vehicles, we have chosen not to integrate Apple CarPlay Ultra into our current portfolio of cars as we have just introduced our all-new MMI interface in our latest models." Polestar provided the following statement: "Right now we have no news to share about Apple CarPlay Ultra for Polestar vehicles." In a statement, Volvo said: "Regarding Apple CarPlay Ultra, no decision has been made." It seems that some automakers view CarPlay Ultra as a step too far, removing brand identity by redesigning aspects of the infotainment system that have been a differentiating factor for each company. CarPlay Ultra's big move is reskinning the gauge cluster, showing things like the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, tire pressures and more in Apple's clean, if not slightly cold, design. Unlike before, drivers also won't need to leave CarPlay Ultra to adjust things such as fan speed or temperature in the climate menu or change the radio station. CarPlay Ultra will take over every screen in the vehicle. While automakers are reportedly allowed to customize these designs to fit their brand identity, it's clearly not distinct enough for some. According to the Financial Times report, Renault, which is working on a software system with Google and Qualcomm, told Apple, "Don’t try to invade our own systems." Automakers also see developing their own infotainment system as a way to potentially generate revenue from in-car services. So far, CarPlay Ultra is only available in Aston Martins, although Porsche, Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are set to join the party soon. These brands aren't alone in pushing back against the spread of CarPlay Ultra. General Motors announced in 2023 that it wouldn't implement CarPlay, not Ultra, but just the standard CarPlay that is currently available in nearly all new cars sold in the US, in its EVs. So far, we've seen several new GM models which don't feature the software, including the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Equinox EV.