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Spoilers for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 1 ahead.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 1 has arrived, and is now available to stream worldwide on HBO Max.

In short, our "starting" versions of Stuart (Kevin Sussman), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), Kripke (John Ross Bowie) and Bert (Brian Posehn) live in a reality akin to The Walking Dead, complete with Mad Max-style apocalyptic outposts and wasps that are the size of cars.

Stuart accidentally triggered this multiverse Armageddon after breaking a device supposedly built by Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki).

Shortly after Kripke, that universe's leader, is confronted by the rest of the group, we meet our first secret TBBT cameo: Raj (Kunal Nayyar). He's basically become a doomsday prepper, working on plans on a blackboard for how to get the device working and get the hell outta dodge.

But just as quickly as we've met him, Raj is killed while the others safely teleport to... well, hopefully somewhere better. It's a bold move, and one that has shocked fans if social media is anything to go by.

However, we've been so caught up in Raj's death that we haven't considered one major detail... it hasn't really happened at all.

Only one version of Raj is now dead... and it's certainly not the one from The Big Bang Theory

Did you forget? This is just one version of Raj in one universe, meaning there's still an infinite number of Raj's out there to be found.

As none of the versions of the characters we're meeting are actually the ones seen in TBBT, original Raj is safely in California doing some science equations in peace (probably).

This doesn't even rule out Raj appearing again later on in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Now that we know he's a confirmed cameo for the HBO Max spinoff, it would be silly not to use him again where possible. With the overarching narrative so difficult to predict, the possibilities are endless.

If nothing else, this now means that we're likely to see other TBBT cast members cameo in other episodes, and whether they're killed off or not. However, who these cameos might be is anybody's guess.

What we do know for episodes 2-10 is pretty minimal, but the below preview gives us the faintest idea of what to expect. Strap in, is all I'm saying.

• A reusable microwave drone reportedly disables more than 50 hostile UAVs per flight
• Lockheed Martin pushes cheaper answers to increasingly dangerous battlefield drone swarms
• The Morfius X-Rotor counter-drone system enters testing after successful multi-state flight evaluations

Lockheed Martin has unveiled its Morfius X-Rotor counter-drone system at the 2026 Farnborough Airshow, calling it a low-cost answer to challenging drone swarms.

The ground-launched system uses a one-to-many high-power microwave, or HPM, approach designed to disable multiple unmanned aerial vehicles during a single mission.

Company officials say the platform can neutralize more than 50 hostile drones in one flight, a capability aimed at addressing large-scale swarm attacks.

A reusable alternative to costly interceptors

The 2026 Farnborough Airshow has centered largely on affordable counter-drone technology as militaries confront growing swarm threats across the globe.

Lockheed Martin says the approach avoids reliance on costly guided munitions typically used to strike individual aerial threats one at a time.

Unlike traditional interceptors that are destroyed after use, the Morfius X-Rotor is designed to be recovered and redeployed following each engagement.

According to Lockheed Martin, the system is compatible with existing command and control networks and does not require a dedicated sensor or fire-control radar.

That design choice, the company says, lowers the barrier for integration across a wide range of existing battlefield command networks.

The system “sets a new benchmark for counter-drone capability — delivering a high kill rate while keeping the cost per kill low,” said Randy Crites, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Advanced Programs.

“By leveraging a lightweight, field reusable high-power microwave architecture, we provide the most effective, low-cost solution on the market today.”

Lockheed Martin also announced plans to accelerate prototype production of both the drone platform and its microwave payload for frontline forces.

However, it has not disclosed a firm timeline for when the system might reach full-rate production for its military customers worldwide.

Testing continues amid interceptor shortages

The Morfius X-Rotor recently completed flight testing in Arizona, California, and Oklahoma, where the system reportedly carried out interception missions.

Additional evaluation campaigns are scheduled for the coming months while engineers collect operational performance data before any broader deployment.

Lockheed Martin has not specified which branches of the U.S. military have expressed formal interest in acquiring the Morfius platform.

This announcement arrives as US forces seek cheaper alternatives to costly interceptors after depleting stockpiles against Iranian missiles and Shahed drones.

That shortfall has intensified debate over whether cheaper, non-kinetic systems like Morfius could reduce dependence on expensive munitions over time.

Lockheed Martin used the same event to introduce a lower-cost Patriot interceptor, part of a broader push to reduce per-unit defense costs.

Together, the two announcements suggest Lockheed Martin is betting heavily on affordability as a selling point amid tightening defense budgets.

Whether the Morfius X-Rotor can match its stated kill rate under real combat conditions remains unverified outside company-run trials so far.

Independent assessments of its effectiveness against dense, coordinated drone swarms will likely determine whether militaries adopt the system at scale.

Via Defense News

Scam calls and text are rampant, and there’s no shortage of tools at your disposal to combat them.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 24 (game #1642).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1643) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1643) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1643) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1643) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1643) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• S

• B

• G

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1643) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1643, are…

• SALON
• SHEEN
• BURST
• GOURD

A nice and easy game (for me at least) to start the weekend.

My starter words paid huge dividends, giving me two straightforward anagrams to solve and making significant headstarts with SALON and GOURD. Happy days.

Daily Sequence today (game #1643) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1643, are…

• ETHOS
• DRIVE
• TALON
• PIZZA

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1642, Friday, 24 July: DOLLY, EDIFY, LAGER, PRANK
• Quordle #1641, Thursday, 23 July: LADEN, EVICT, WOVEN, SHIRE
• Quordle #1640, Wednesday, 22 July: COYLY, SINGE, AWASH, AWOKE
• Quordle #1639, Tuesday, 21 July: TRUSS, AXIAL, SWINE, THING
• Quordle #1638, Monday, 20 July: ICING, SLICK, GAILY, RISEN
• Quordle #1637, Sunday, 19 July: SPURT, ACRID, THRUM, BLEEP
• Quordle #1636, Saturday, 18 July: KNAVE, TIGHT, BLEAT, CHAOS
• Quordle #1635, Friday, 17 July: CUMIN, PALER, GRASS, INBOX
• Quordle #1634, Thursday, 16 July: IGLOO, PLAIT, YEAST, AROMA
• Quordle #1633, Wednesday, 15 July: PROXY, BRICK, BROTH, SURGE
• Quordle #1632, Tuesday, 14 July: EBONY, AVOID, RODEO, CUTIE
• Quordle #1631, Monday, 13 July: VOICE, BISON, BURNT, BUILT
• Quordle #1630, Sunday, 12 July: STAIN, BINGO, LARVA, DICEY
• Quordle #1629, Saturday, 11 July: WORTH, PRONG, DINGO, DRUID
• Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 24 (game #1139).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1140) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STEAK
• LEONE
• PRIMO
• MALL
• MADRE
• MIST
• POKER
• CHOKE
• CLUB
• RAND
• TEAR
• NAIRA
• HIJO
• KWANZA
• WELL
• ABUELA

NYT Connections today (game #1140) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Family members in another language
• GREEN: Sob
• BLUE: Money on the second largest continent
• PURPLE: Begin with a word that rhymes with “dip”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1140) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SPANISH RELATIVES
• GREEN: START TO CRY, WITH "UP"
• BLUE: AFRICAN CURRENCIES
• PURPLE: STRIP____

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1140) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1140, are…

• YELLOW: SPANISH RELATIVES: ABUELA, HIJO, MADRE, PRIMO
• GREEN: START TO CRY, WITH "UP": CHOKE, MIST, TEAR, WELL
• BLUE: AFRICAN CURRENCIES: KWANZA, LEONE, NAIRA, RAND
• PURPLE: STRIP____: CLUB, MALL, POKER, STEAK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Well this was annoying. As I was submitting AFRICAN CURRENCIES I couldn’t help but think to myself “I bet this bit of knowledge is worth a purple”, but no.

Sadly, knowing that KWANZA is used in Angola, the RAND in South Africa, LEONE in Sierra Leone, and NAIRA in Nigeria was only worth a blue. So where was the purple?

The answer came in the form of, in my view, the far easier thread of STRIP____.

I ended without any mistakes on what felt like a tricky game, so I’m not that annoyed really.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 24, 2026, game #1139)

• YELLOW: TALK AT LENGTH: BABBLE, DRONE, RAMBLE, YAK
• GREEN: OUTCOMES FOR A BATTER: HOME RUN, SINGLE, STRIKEOUT, WALK
• BLUE: BRING TO MIND, AS A MEMORY: JOG, PROMPT, REFRESH, SPARK
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF RELIGIOUS ROLES: CANTER, FRYER, LLAMA, NONE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, July 24 (game #873).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #874) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Frocks and smocks

NYT Strands today (game #874) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• WORM
• RINK
• RIDE
• PAIN
• MUTE
• LUMP

NYT Strands today (game #874) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #874) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: top, 3rd column

• Last side: bottom, 5th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #874) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #874, are…

• GOWN
• TUNIC
• PINAFORE
• KIMONO
• DIRNDL
• MUUMUU
• SPANGRAM: YOUWEARITWELL

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

THis was a game that started off easy and ended baffling.

After collecting the obvious pieces of clothing in GOWN, TUNIC, and PINAFORE, what remained on the board was a letter soup with no obvious words at all. After piecing together the spangram I did see KIMONO, but then drew a blank.

I needed a hint to get DIRNDL — the name for an Alpine dress — which left me MUUMUU, another garment I had not previously heard of but now know, thanks to Wikipedia, is a loose dress of Hawaiian origin.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 24, game #873)

• EXTRA
• SURPLUS
• EXCESS
• LEFTOVER
• SPARE
• UNUSED
• SPANGRAM: ANDTHENSOME

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

The Fair Price Protection Act is intended to stop stores from using personal data to set individualized prices.

• Russia arms Soviet-era aircraft with airborne FPV interceptor drone launch systems
• Yak-52 trainer receives six launch rails for interceptor drone operations
• Eighty-year-old An-2 gains unexpected role in modern aerial drone warfare

Russia has begun fitting Yak-52 trainer aircraft and An-2 utility planes with equipment designed for launching FPV interceptor drones against enemy UAVs.

A video released by the Russian unit BARS-Sarmat revealed two distinct aircraft configurations built for airborne drone launches.

One configuration is intended for ground launch, while the second version allows interceptor drones to be deployed directly from the air against approaching targets.

Yak-52 trials raise questions over cockpit space and drone targets

The Yak-52 trainer aircraft carries six external launch rails mounted beneath its wings to hold interceptor drones ready for deployment.

The footage shows the aircraft taking off while carrying only four drones despite six visible launch positions on the airframe.

The Yak-52 is designed with a limited two-seat cockpit space, making it unclear how drone control is performed aboard this aircraft, as it appears to leave little room for equipment typically required to operate FPV interceptor systems mid-flight.

Russian interceptor drones were also shown engaging several Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles during the same exercise.

Some of the drones struck during the exercise reportedly appeared to be Maya decoys, alongside several other unidentified UAV types caught on camera during the flight.

The Yak-52 conversion allows an aircraft originally built for pilot instruction to assume a completely different battlefield function without requiring an entirely new airframe.

Although several technical details remain undisclosed, the aircraft marks Russia's latest attempt to combine existing aviation platforms with lower-cost counter-drone technology.

An-2's larger cabin enables onboard control

The An-2 forms the second element of the programme, with its larger cabin providing sufficient space for onboard drone control equipment unavailable inside the more compact Yak-52.

Interceptor drones are launched from a fuselage-mounted attachment point, although Russia has not yet disclosed the aircraft's maximum payload or whether additional underwing launch stations will be introduced.

First introduced about 80 years ago, the An-2 remains one of the world's longest-serving utility aircraft and continues operating in both military and civilian aviation roles.

Russia has previously announced plans to restore 700 Soviet-era An-2 aircraft, making the interceptor drone programme another effort to extend the operational value of the aging fleet.

The concept bears similarities to Ukraine's earlier decision to adapt An-28 aircraft for launching P1-SUN interceptor drones equipped with an optical targeting system against Shahed UAVs.

Those modified aircraft can carry as many as six interceptor drones while supporting Ukraine's layered air defence network as a lower-cost alternative to conventional air-to-air missiles.

The latest Russian conversion illustrates how both sides are increasingly adapting legacy aircraft for counter-drone missions by pairing older airframes with modern FPV interceptor technology.

Via United 24 Media

A dozen states and the Writers Guild of America had challenged the merger.

Marc Andreessen was a prominent figure in the early internet era, creating some of the earliest web browsers, including Netscape and Mosaic, which he authored. In recent years, he's weighed in on subjects including AI — but it was his comments on software that really summarised how technology evolved during the early 21st century.

Inside Intel

Andreessen was running his venture capital firm, Andreessen Horowitz, when he published his era-defining essay in the Wall Street Journal.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

The essay highlighted the dramatic shifts underway across the economy, with Andreessen centering his argument on the observation that software companies were poised to take over longstanding industries via the massive shift among consumers to online and digital spaces.

One example he highlighted was a misstep by the book retailer Borders, which closed all its US stores in 2011. In 2001, it handed over its online business to Amazon because, he argued, it saw online book sales as "non-strategic and unimportant".

Well, as Andreessen put it, "oops." He then highlighted Amazon's role as a software company with a core engine capable of selling virtually everything online.

Dog eat dog

In the cut and thrust of business over hundreds of years, there have been wave after wave of revolution, with new technologies overhauling and refreshing the landscape. Many businesses have persisted by adapting and pivoting, but the rapid proliferation of software over the last 30 years is now threatening to give way to an entirely new era.

Andreessen highlighted that, in 2011, the stock market "actually hates technology", and there's an argument to make that the stock market has once again turned its back on some of the biggest software giants, with AI threatening to make them redundant.

A few years on, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, even built on the idea that the Netscape co-founder set out 15 years ago by suggesting that "AI is going to eat software".

During a Comic-Con panel on Friday, AMC dropped a teaser trailer for Queen of the Damned.

Democrats chose South Carolina for the first 2028 presidential primary, then Nevada, prioritizing Black and Latino voters. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia also hold early contests.

(Image credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

The International Criminal Court voted to remove the global tribunal's chief prosecutor on Friday, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations against him first emerged, the court's oversight body announced.

(Image credit: Peter Dejong)

• Pentagon issues Oracle with first ever direct-award contract
• Nearly $7 billion in existing Oracle licensing is consolidated into a single contract vehicle
• The contract is projected to deliver $441 million in savings by unifying technology purchases

The US Department of War (DoW) has awarded Oracle with a near-$7 billion contract as part of the Arsenal of Freedom to supply the Department with enterprise software and services.

The contract is one of the biggest Enterprise Software Agreements (ESA) ever issued by the Department, and is the first-ever, direct award contract. It is projected to deliver at least $441 million in savings by “consolidating fragmented, one-off information technology purchases into a unified, single award contract.”

The contract unifies all of Oracles’ previous software, services and licenses under a single vehicle, and will support the DoW, the Coast Guard and the Intelligence Community with consolidated licensing for vital software that the Department says will accelerate modernization and reduce “costly redundancies”.

Oracle awarded historic contract

The contract does not amount to new funding for Oracle, but is the total amount that Oracle receives across its existing contracts with the DoW under this new contract vehicle. The contract removes existing vertical purchasing channels between departments, and places procurement under a single entity that spans the US security and intelligence community.

This isn’t the first contract the DoW has awarded in an attempt to consolidate procurement between multiple branches. In May of this year, the Department awarded Dell and Microsoft with contracts worth $9.7 billion to provide unified software licensing across Microsoft 365, cloud subscriptions and on-premises licensing to prevent licensing sprawl and cut costs across the US defense community.

“For the Department of the Navy, this agreement supports faster delivery of secure, scalable software from the shore enterprise to the tactical edge for our Navy and Marine Corps teams,” said Barry Tanner, Performing the Duties of the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer.

“Reducing fragmented procurement and advancing enterprise standardization will strengthen interoperability, reduce cybersecurity risk, and help us focus resources on resilient capabilities that can scale, integrate, and endure in contested conditions.”

Following the start of his second term, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to centralize federal IT procurement under the General Services Administration (GSA) as part of efforts by the now defunct Department of Government Efficiency to reduce what it determined as unnecessary government spending.

Since financial auditing was introduced for the DoW in 2018, it has failed to pass a full department-wide evaluation.

Trump’s executive order prompted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to implement new measures on how the Pentagon negotiates licensing in order to receive the “most favorable rates on software and cloud services, so the DoD pays no more for IT services than any other enterprise in America.”

RAMageddon has claimed another company’s products, with costs for streaming devices the latest to blow out.

OpenAI President Greg Brockman talks a bit about where the company’s increasingly Jarvis-like AI agents could be heading next… and in what form.

• US bureau clears early design for South Korea's nuclear container ship concept
• Twin molten salt reactors replace conventional engines in ambitious cargo vessel proposal
• Engineers removed fuel tanks to create additional cargo-carrying capacity

South Korea has secured preliminary US approval for the conceptual design of a 15,000 TEU container ship powered by two molten salt small modular reactors (SMRs).

The Approval in Principle was issued by the American Bureau of Shipping, indicating the concept satisfies applicable safety intentions for this early design stage while remaining subject to additional technical conditions.

The proposal combines nuclear propulsion, energy storage, and an optimized vessel layout intended to improve operational efficiency while supporting long-term decarburization efforts across commercial shipping.

Dual-reactor concept focuses on safety and operational efficiency

The Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO) worked with Samsung Heavy Industries on hull development, reactor placement, and power management technologies for the vessel.

Meanwhile, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is responsible for developing the molten salt reactor intended for marine propulsion applications.

Together, the organizations designed a ship capable of carrying 15,000 TEU while maintaining operational characteristics suitable for commercial container transportation.

According to KRISO, the power architecture uses two redundant molten salt reactors that share electrical output while working alongside an onboard energy storage system.

Excess electricity can be stored before being supplied when demand increases, allowing reactor output and propulsion requirements to remain balanced throughout operations.

The conceptual design also incorporates a hull capable of reaching 25 knots while remaining compatible with the expanded Panama Canal.

Engineers placed the reactors near the vessel's center to reduce wave effects and lower potential collision risks during maritime operations.

Removing conventional fuel tanks and exhaust funnels also creates additional cargo space while allowing accommodation areas to be arranged with radiation protection and visibility requirements in mind.

To improve confidence in the design, researchers tested scaled ship models inside a deep-sea engineering tank to evaluate vessel motion under different marine conditions.

Those experiments produced data supporting hull development and reactor placement while examining how ship movement could affect major onboard systems.

Marine testing supports future nuclear shipping development

Principal researcher Baek Bu-geun said reactor safety alone cannot determine whether nuclear propulsion is suitable for commercial vessels because overall ship design and operating conditions also require careful consideration.

"To apply SMRs to ship propulsion systems, not only the safety of the reactor but also the structure and operational characteristics of the ship and the marine environment must be comprehensively considered," Bu-geun said.

Future work would progress through basic and detailed design phases addressing the interface between the ship and reactor before possible demonstration projects.

"SMR-powered vessels are a next-generation technology that will determine the competitiveness of the future shipping industry…,” said KRISO President Hong Ki-yong.

Commercial shipping currently consumes approximately 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of global carbon emissions.

The proposed SMR-powered container forms part of ongoing efforts to develop lower-emission propulsion technologies, though commercial deployment remains years away.

Via WNN

I test over a dozen of the best coffee makers every year here at TechRadar, but having a small kitchen means I have to be very picky about which I choose to buy myself. The problem is, I love both drip coffee and espresso equally. I'd happily pick up a compact espresso machine and a quality drip coffee maker such as the Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal, but that would mean sacrificing valuable food prep space and, potentially, not having enough work surface available for rolling pastry and kneading dough.

Of course, a kitchen with no space in which to make pies or bread would be tragic — but, thankfully, it doesn't have to come to that because the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System can handle all my espresso and drip coffee-making needs in one convenient package.

I first tested the DualBrew System (known as the Ninja Espresso and Coffee Maker Barista System in the US) about nine months ago, and it's still the most impressive two-in-one coffee system I've ever used. It isn't a particularly glamorous appliance to have sitting on your counter — it's designed for function rather than looks — but it's enormously practical and has clearly been designed by people who know and love their coffee.

(Image credit: Future)

On the left of its roughly cuboid-shaped body, you have a fully featured drip coffee maker, with a standard-sized brew basket and toughened glass carafe. It has all the features you'd expect from a good-quality standalone brewer, including different intensity settings (regular, rich, or over ice) and a timer to start brewing when you wake.

However, there are also some great additions, such as a drip-stop system that means you can safely remove the carafe partway through brewing without making a mess, as well as a fold-down drip tray so you can brew directly into a travel cup rather than the carafe if you want your coffee to-go in the morning.

Some drip coffee makers use of a double-walled insulated carafe to keep your drink at the ideal temperature after brewing, whereas others use a hotplate. The DualBrew System is in the latter camp, but unlike any other drip coffee maker I've tested, it has a smart hotplate that doesn't just heat your coffee consistently, but instead turns on and off to help maintain the right temperature without stewing your brew. It also turns off automatically when you take the carafe away.

FutureFutureFuture

Espresso is handled on the right-hand side of the machine. The DualBrew System uses Nespresso Original-style coffee capsules, which means there's a huge array of different beans, blends, and roasts to choose from. Nestlé no longer owns the patent to this type of capsule, so any company is free to package its own freshly ground coffee in these little pods.

Personally, I like to use capsules from my local roastery, and an espresso made using these pods in the DualBrew System tastes almost identical to the same beans prepared with a manual coffee maker.

There's a choice of three drink sizes, and the espresso machine has an adjustable-height drip tray so you can use any cup you want. When you're done, the spent pod drops into a bin, ready to be emptied later.

FutureFutureFuture

The only downside of the DualBrew System is the lack of a steam wand (which makes sense, since there's no pressurized boiler here). Instead, there's an electric whisk that folds out from the rear of the machine. This doesn't heat your milk, but the DualBrew System offers a handy guide that advises how long to heat your milk for in the microwave, and how to whisk it for different espresso drinks. It's not the same as steam, but it's fine in a pinch when you don't have much space.

If that's a deal-breaker, a standalone milk frother such as the Dreo BaristaMaker or Smeg Mini Milk Frother will deliver more authentic results, and is small enough to tuck into the corner of a cabinet when it's not in use.

If you love coffee in all its forms but don't have acres of countertop space to spare, the DualBrew System provides everything you need in a single, neat package — and it's affordable, too. At the time of writing, it's available for $249.99 / £179, down from a list price of $279.99 / £249.99. You'll find all today's best deals at the bottom of this article.

The Illharmonic Orchestra's performances blend hip-hop lyricism with classical instrumentation, and feature all-Black musical ensembles. The group's leaders speak with NPR's Juana Summers about how they build community around their high-energy performances and represent musicians and audiences in spaces where they may have not traditionally felt welcomed.

(Image credit: Brianna Scott)

• Ukrainian hexacopter reportedly lowered an ARK-1 behind Russian lines using cables
• The ARK-1 carries a TM-series anti-tank mine toward enemy positions after release
• The ground robot reaches speeds up to 45 kilometers per hour

Ukraine has reportedly used heavy bomber drones to transport ARK-1 robotic vehicles carrying anti-tank mines behind Russian lines.

Footage released by the Russian military Telegram channel Arkhangel Spetsnaza appears to show a large hexacopter carrying the ground robot beneath it.

The reported operation involves an aerial drone delivering a ground platform that can continue moving after being released in contested areas.

Drone delivery gives ARK-1 a different battlefield role

The footage appears to show the ARK-1 suspended under the drone using cables before being lowered into an area where it could operate independently.

Once released, the ARK-1 reportedly carries the TM-series anti-tank mines while continuing toward Russian positions.

The method allows the vehicle to avoid travelling long distances across terrain that could limit its movement or expose it to observation.

It also allows the larger drone to release its payload before entering areas where Russian weapons could threaten the aircraft.

The ARK-1 is a compact four-wheel-drive unmanned ground vehicle developed by a Ukrainian company involved with the Brave1 defense technology initiative.

The vehicle can reportedly reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour while producing limited sound during movement.

Depending on its configuration, the ARK-1 can carry ammunition, medical supplies, food, and other equipment for battlefield support operations.

The platform can also be equipped with explosives for missions where returning the vehicle after deployment may not be required.

Its ability to carry different payloads allows Ukrainian forces to adapt the system for several battlefield tasks.

Ukraine expands use of unmanned battlefield systems

The reported ARK-1 deployment follows other Ukrainian efforts to combine different types of unmanned military platforms during operations.

Earlier this month, Ukraine said an unmanned surface vessel transported and deployed an armed ground robot behind Russian positions on Kinburn Spit.

Kyiv described the operation as the first combat mission involving that combination of maritime and ground robotic systems.

The increasing use of robotic platforms has become a major feature of Ukraine's military technology development during the conflict.

Heavy drones, ground robots, and unmanned vessels are being used in different roles, including transport, reconnaissance, and attack missions.

However, details about the ARK-1 operation remain limited because the available evidence mainly comes from battlefield footage and military channels.

There has been no independent confirmation of the location, mission outcome, or frequency of similar deployments involving the robotic platform.

The available footage does not provide enough information to determine how effective the method has been under combat conditions.

That said, the conflict in Ukraine appears to be revealing rapid technological advancements in unmanned warfare, with drones and robotic platforms being adapted for new battlefield roles.

Via United 24 Media