Sunday Special: SpaceX's Starship (finally) blasts off

Welcome back, Superhuman. It was a quiet couple of months for SpaceX. Failed rocket launches and sprawling competition from China and Japan had the company in a tight spot. Now, it’s making headlines once again as its flagship rocket finally blasted off into space on Tuesday. Meanwhile, scientists have unearthed the fossil of a terrifying reptile that roamed the Earth millions of years ago and could hunt dinosaurs.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

1. SpaceX’s Starship is finally out of the workshop: Tenth time’s the charm. After nine previous attempts, SpaceX’s Starship has successfully deployed its first batch of mock satellites. The 403-foot rocket also tested new heat shield tiles during reentry, tackling one of the biggest engineering challenges for reusable spacecraft. The successful test brings NASA's 2027 moon landing plans and Elon Musk's Mars ambitions one giant step closer to reality. Catch the historic launch here.

2. The world’s "first true flying car" finally begins operations in the US: Aeronautics startup Alef’s flying cars are reportedly set to kick off operations at the Half Moon Bay and Hollister airports in California. The $300K vehicle can drive 200 miles on roads and fly 110 miles in the air with vertical takeoff capabilities. After 10 years of development, the company is planning to start commercial production by early 2026. You can watch the vehicle zip through the skies here.

3. Scientists unearth a prehistoric carnivore that could’ve hunted dinosaurs: Researchers believe that the newly discovered apex predator, dubbed 'Kostensuchus', likely roamed Patagonia millions of years ago, packing jaws powerful enough to take down medium-sized dinosaurs. The discovery reveals that dinosaurs weren't the only predators dominating ancient ecosystems, and that prehistoric food webs were far more complex and competitive than we had imagined.

4. Scientists transplant a pig’s lung into a human for the first time: The experimental procedure had researchers transplant a genetically modified pig lung into a patient, with the organ staying alive for over nine days despite repeated immune system attacks. Researchers say the milestone proves cross-species lung transplants are feasible with further genetic modifications and immune suppression improvements — a major step toward potentially addressing the global organ shortage.

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NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Insta360 Go Ultra: A pocket-sized action camera that shoots in 4K at 60 fps. It mounts magnetically for a hands-free experience, stabilizes every frame, and runs for over 3 hours.

2. Nothing Headphones (1): An over-ear audio with KEF-tuned sound and a cassette-style transparent shell. It packs a roller for volume, a 35-hour battery with noise canceling, and quick switching between apps.

3. Hyve Delivery Pod: A smart delivery pod that locks packages and stops theft. It anchors itself to your porch, uses a motion-triggered alarm, and sends instant alerts.

4. Ultrahuman Home: A silent sensor that tracks your space for air quality, light, noise, humidity, and temperature. Then, it gives your room a real-time health score.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in tech on socials this week

🤖 Bold Bets: Elon Musk has laid out what a future – in which robots replace human workers – could look like, sparking an all-out debate on the implications of AI and robotics.

⏸️ Press Pause: In specialized facilities around the world, around 500 "legally deceased" people are stored in liquid nitrogen-filled dewars at -196°C, betting on revival in the future. One such facility has got social media users talking about the merits and demerits of cryonics.

🎬️ Visual Voodoo: A video currently blowing up on Reddit spills the beans on how Hollywood productions use VFX technology, and Redditors are stunned at how simple and effective the technique is.

🧼 Squeaky Clean: What if your morning bathroom routine could be done in 15 minutes? A Japanese "human washing machine" that promises to wash, scrub, and dry you up in 15 minutes has got Redditors talking.

🕰️ Retro Run: Nokia’s iconic "lipstick phone," released in 2004, has resurfaced on Reddit and is racking up thousands of likes.

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Virus Crusher: Scientists claim to have cracked the code on something that's eluded medicine for decades: a broad-spectrum antiviral that works against multiple deadly viruses at once. The anti-viral reportedly blocked seven different viruses across five families — including Ebola, SARS-CoV-2, and Nipah. In mouse trials, 90% of SARS-CoV-2-infected mice survived treatment. If clinical trials succeed (starting in 2028), we could potentially have a universal weapon ready to deploy against the next pandemic.

Retinal Rescue: A tiny eye implant has become the first FDA-approved treatment for macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a rare disorder that gradually causes blindness. The implant is surgically inserted in the back of the eye, where it continuously releases a protective protein to keep light-sensing retinal cells alive. In phase 3 trials with 228 participants, the device slowed vision loss by up to 54.8%, marking the first time any therapy has meaningfully altered the disease’s progression.

Spine Savior: In a medical first, surgeons have successfully implanted a fully personalized, 3D-printed titanium device into a patient's cervical spine. The procedure used advanced imaging and AI to design an implant that matched the patient's exact spinal anatomy. The custom device could potentially lead to better alignment and faster healing for conditions like spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, as opposed to standard implants that force patients to adapt to generic hardware.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

Pizza party in space

Don’t Cheat: You can watch archival footage of the surprising incident here.

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Zain and the Superhuman AI team