This week in science, we explore a cosmic visitor, strides in sustainable aviation, concerns over device explosions in Lebanon, and significant advancements in artificial intelligence.
Space Exploration: Earth’s New Mini-Moon
A temporary “mini-moon” is set to orbit Earth soon. Discovered in August, this asteroid will circle our planet from September 29 to November 25 before resuming its path around the sun. Estimated to be around 11 meters wide, its exact size remains uncertain. Rest assured, the asteroid poses no collision threat to Earth now or in the coming decades. It will orbit approximately 4.2 million kilometers away, about ten times the distance between Earth and the moon.
Green Energy: China’s C919 Jet Takes Sustainable Flight
In a significant move toward greener aviation, China’s C919 jet completed its first commercial flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Operated by China Eastern Airlines, the flight journeyed from Beijing to Shanghai. SAF is a renewable energy source derived from sustainable materials, reducing carbon emissions while integrating seamlessly with existing aviation infrastructure. China’s pilot program now includes 12 flights from major airports utilizing SAF, supporting the nation’s carbon neutrality goals and propelling the development of green aviation.
Lebanon Blasts: Device Explosions Raise Security Concerns
The coordinated explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon have alarmed authorities and highlighted vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. At least 37 people were killed and over 3,400 injured in two waves of wireless device explosions in mid-September. Speculation abounds regarding the cause; some theories suggest that agents may have tampered with the devices’ batteries during manufacturing, while others believe alterations occurred post-production. This incident underscores the potential risks of everyday communication devices being weaponized.
Artificial Intelligence: Alibaba Releases Over 100 Open-Source AI Models
Chinese technology giant Alibaba has unveiled over 100 open-source AI models, including Qwen 2.5, catering to industries such as automotive, gaming, and research. These models, boasting advanced mathematics and coding capabilities, position Alibaba competitively alongside rivals like Baidu, Microsoft, and OpenAI. By providing open-source access, users can develop AI applications without the need to train their own models. Additionally, Alibaba upgraded its proprietary Qwen-Max 2.5 model, which surpasses competitors in reasoning and language comprehension. A new text-to-video tool was also introduced, enabling users to generate videos from textual prompts.
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Science Saturday: Space, green energy, Lebanon blasts and AI
cgtn.com
