From Ars Technica · 40 stories
VMware to Release Updated vSphere Standard Amid SMB Pricing Concerns
VMware will release an updated version of vSphere Standard, addressing concerns from small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) regarding the high cost and bundled nature of its flagship VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) offering. This move comes after Broadcom's acquisition led to subscription-based bundles that many SMBs found unaffordable, with sales teams reportedly pushing VCF over other options.
US space companies withdraw from French Space Summit after White House pressure
Several prominent US space companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, have withdrawn from a French Space Summit organized by President Emmanuel Macron, following pressure from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The White House was concerned the summit might propose policies, particularly regarding spectrum sharing, that would not benefit US companies, leading to a diplomatic incident in international space relations.
Research Primates' Diarrhea Outbreak Provides Data for Shigella Vaccine Development
A two-year diarrhea outbreak among over 150 research primates provided immunological data for Shigella vaccine development. Scientists identified specific bacterial targets and immune responses, advancing the rational design of vaccine candidates. This research addresses the need for a broad-spectrum Shigella vaccine, as current immunity is narrow and antibiotic resistance is increasing.
US Senator Requests NSA Guidance on VPN Best Practices for Public Use
Senator Ron Wyden has asked the National Security Agency (NSA) to provide updated public guidance on VPN configurations, specifically addressing limitations and nuances of VPN technology. This request aims to offer clear advice to the public, including government personnel, journalists, and human rights defenders, on how to protect communications from foreign surveillance.
Tottenham Hotspur reduces virtualization licensing fees by 85% with HPE Morpheus VM Essentials
Tottenham Hotspur replaced VMware with HPE’s Morpheus VM Essentials virtualization software in its stadium, resulting in an 85% reduction in licensing fees. This migration is part of a broader data center and network infrastructure redesign, highlighting a trend of organizations seeking alternatives to VMware following Broadcom's acquisition.
FCC to Launch Robocall Scorecard for Phone Companies
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to create a robocall mitigation scorecard that will rate phone companies on their effectiveness in blocking illegal spam calls. This initiative aims to provide consumers with information on provider performance and incentivize companies to improve their robocall protection efforts.
NASA Adopts Simpler "Sortie Suit" Design for Initial Artemis Lunar Missions
NASA will use a simpler "Sortie Suit" variant for initial lunar surface missions to accelerate the Artemis program's timeline. This decision aims to reduce spacesuit mass and complexity, and simplify interfaces with lunar landers, in an effort to land humans on the Moon's south pole by 2028.
Lawsuit demands transparency on Trump administration's secret AI safety testing framework
Four federal agencies face a lawsuit from Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit, seeking the release of information regarding the Trump administration's undisclosed framework for safety testing frontier AI models. The lawsuit argues that the lack of public details on this framework, including participating companies and selection criteria, raises concerns about oversight and potential influence over AI model releases.
Orion Heat Shield Performed Well on Artemis II, Showing Significant Improvement
NASA's Orion spacecraft heat shield performed "highly satisfying" during the Artemis II mission, with only nine char loss sites compared to over 100 on Artemis I. This improved performance, confirmed by data review, increases confidence for future deep-space lunar missions.
NASA Shifts Mars Exploration Focus to Helicopters, No New Landers/Rovers Planned
NASA currently has no plans for new Mars landers or rovers, marking a shift in strategy after 30 years. The agency's near-term Mars exploration will instead focus on aerial drones, with the SkyFall mission launching three helicopters as early as late 2028. This change indicates a new direction for Martian exploration, leveraging recent successes with drone technology.
Trump Demands FCC Punish Journalist for Election Endorsement Comments
Donald Trump publicly demanded the FCC punish an NBC journalist for stating his election endorsements had "mixed results." This action follows a pattern of Trump using social media to call for regulatory action against news organizations and journalists he criticizes.
Meta Tests Robots for Data Center Operations to Reduce Human Labor
Meta is testing robots from vendors like Watney Robotics, Kinova, and ABB to perform tasks such as plugging cables, resetting servers, and power cycling devices in its data centers. This initiative aims to reduce human labor costs as Meta's AI infrastructure expands, potentially replacing a significant portion of some workers' tasks.
Trump Signs Executive Order to Establish US Space Academy Under NASA
President Trump signed an executive order to create the United States Space Academy, a new national institution under NASA's jurisdiction. This academy aims to educate and train a future workforce for NASA and civilian space roles, with free tuition in exchange for a service commitment.
Researchers operate two genetic codes simultaneously, accelerating synthetic biology
Researchers developed a method to operate two distinct genetic codes concurrently, bypassing the need to re-engineer every gene in a cell. This approach, though not yet tested in living cells, could accelerate synthetic biology work by simplifying the modification of genetic information. The innovation addresses a significant challenge in genetic engineering where altering the universal genetic code typically requires extensive cellular modifications.
SpaceX Reduces Florida Launch Cadence Until Starship Operations Begin
SpaceX is significantly decreasing the number of Falcon 9 launches from Florida's Space Coast, shifting Starlink missions to its Starship rocket once it becomes operational in Florida. This change will reduce the monthly launch rate from eight or nine to approximately two, impacting the activity level of the world's busiest spaceport.
Over 17,000 commercial antibodies marketed with manipulated images
A postdoctoral researcher discovered that images used to market over 17,000 commercial antibodies had been manipulated, including removing background noise and fabricating results by copying and pasting data. This practice misrepresents product performance, potentially affecting the reliability of biological research that relies on these widely used lab reagents.
Apple updates Mac mini and Mac Studio with M6 and M5 Ultra chips for AI development
Apple released updated Mac mini and Mac Studio desktops featuring new M6 and M5 Ultra chips. These updates focus on enhancing local AI inference and software development capabilities, building on the existing popularity of these machines for such workloads.
US Health Department Considers Changes to Vaccine Recommendation Categories
The US health department, under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is exploring changes to how vaccine recommendations are categorized, potentially introducing less definitive designations. This move could alter the perception and communication of vaccine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
LG monitors installed McAfee ads on connected PCs via driver updates
LG monitors have been installing an application, "LG Monitor App Installer," onto connected computers through Windows Update, which then pushed McAfee pop-up ads. Microsoft has since compelled LG to remove the McAfee ads, but the method of software installation raises privacy concerns.
US Clean Energy Additions to Reach Record 45 Gigawatts in 2025 Despite Administration Efforts
The United States is projected to add a record 45 gigawatts of clean energy capacity in 2025, a 25% increase over 2024, driven by rising electricity demand and expiring tax credits. This growth occurs despite the current administration's policies that have aimed to curb renewable energy development.
China delays Chang'e 7 lunar mission launch to 2027 due to unspecified conditions
China has postponed the launch of its Chang'e 7 lunar exploration mission, originally planned for this year, until 2027. The delay is attributed to the mission not meeting launch conditions, with potential factors including adverse weather from Typhoon Narra or technical issues.
Trump Administration Releases New Space Transportation Policy Targeting 1,000+ Launches by 2030
The Trump administration issued a new national space transportation policy aiming to support over 1,000 launches and reentries annually by 2030, replacing a 2013 policy. This update emphasizes increased capacity and transparency in scheduling at federal spaceports to meet growing commercial and military demand for space services.
Lawsuit Alleges Compass Created Fake Supply Shock in NYC Rental Market by Delisting Units
A class action lawsuit filed by two New York City renters accuses real estate brokerage Compass of creating an artificial supply shock in the NYC rental market by delisting units from free platforms like Zillow. The lawsuit claims Compass, which controls over 80% of Manhattan rental listings, manipulated prices to increase broker fees, leading to higher rents.
Romanian Army Destroys Russian Drones Near Offshore Gas Project in Black Sea
Romanian army divers destroyed two Russian-made drones found floating near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. This incident highlights the ongoing risk of stray military hardware from the Ukraine war affecting critical infrastructure in neighboring countries.
FTC Considers Limits on Personalized Pricing, Citing Potential for Consumer Harm
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is exploring new limits on personalized pricing, a practice where businesses use personal data to set individualized prices for consumers. The FTC believes that failing to disclose such practices could violate the FTC Act, though critics suggest these limits might inadvertently eliminate discounts or raise prices for consumers.
China's Long March 7A rocket explodes shortly after liftoff
A Long March 7A rocket, one of China's workhorse launchers, exploded approximately 80 seconds after liftoff from Wenchang Space Launch Site. The failure occurred during the first stage of flight, and the classified payload is believed to have been a military communications satellite.
RoboStore, US distributor of Chinese robots, to begin domestic manufacturing by 2027
RoboStore, a major US distributor of humanoid robots from China's Unitree Robotics, announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in New York by early 2027. This pivot to domestic production comes amid increasing US government restrictions on foreign-made robots and aims to address specific industry needs.
Europe cancels planned Ariane 6 Block 3 upgrades due to high costs
The European Space Agency has shelved the "Block 3" upgrades for the Ariane 6 rocket, which included the ICARUS upper stage, reportedly due to concerns over the rocket's high operational costs. This cancellation impacts future science missions and raises questions about the long-term funding and evolution of Europe's primary launch vehicle.
LandSpace successfully lands Zhuque-3 rocket booster, marking China's second reusable orbital rocket recovery
Chinese company LandSpace successfully landed the first-stage booster of its Zhuque-3 rocket, making it the second Chinese company to achieve orbital-class rocket reusability. This event follows a similar recovery by a CASC division in July and indicates China's accelerating progress in reusable launch technology.
Russian Tanks Debut Arena-M Active Protection System Against Ukrainian Drones
Russian T-72B3A tanks equipped with the new Arena-M active protection system were deployed in Ukraine, successfully intercepting some drones but ultimately being destroyed by overwhelming numbers of Ukrainian drones. This marks the first documented combat use of the Arena-M system, highlighting an ongoing arms race between drone technology and armored vehicle defenses.
SpaceX recovers Starship from Indian Ocean after 24 days at sea
SpaceX successfully towed its Starship spacecraft to Christmas Island after it remained intact following a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This recovery allows engineers to conduct direct hardware analysis, providing valuable data beyond telemetry for future Starship development.
China to Launch Chang'e 7 Lunar Mission, Intensifying Space Race with US
China is preparing to launch its Chang'e 7 lunar exploration mission, a significant step in its long-term goal of landing humans on the Moon. This mission highlights the ongoing competition between China and the United States in space exploration, with potential geopolitical implications if China achieves a human lunar landing before NASA.
Former SpaceX Engineers Launch 1872 to Automate Steel Part Manufacturing with AI and Robotics
Three former SpaceX engineers have founded 1872, a startup aiming to automate steel part fabrication using AI-driven software and robotics, with a prototype factory planned by 2027. This initiative addresses a growing shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing crucial infrastructure components for industries like AI data centers and nuclear reactors.
Satellite Operators Face Worsening Launch Availability Crisis Despite Increased Rocket Launches
Despite a tripling in orbital rocket launches over the last decade, satellite operators are experiencing a severe shortage of available launch slots. This paradox is causing panic among companies like Telesat, Amazon LEO, and AST SpaceMobile, which are struggling to deploy their satellite constellations. The crisis is driven by a surge in demand for satellite launches, with projections indicating tens of thousands of satellites needing deployment in the coming decade, and is expected to worsen in the next two to four years.
Wildfire Smoke Outweighs Human-Source Air Pollution as Prenatal Threat, Study Finds
A new study reveals that wildfire smoke is negating the health benefits of reduced air pollution from human sources, particularly for babies in the womb. This shift means wildfire smoke now poses a greater prenatal threat than traditional sources of pollution, leading to increased risks of premature births and low birth weight.
Ukraine strikes Russia's Progress Rocket Space Center with cruise missiles
Ukraine confirmed it struck the Progress Rocket Space Center in Russia's Samara region using ground-launched cruise missiles. This facility is Russia's primary manufacturer of Soyuz rockets and military satellites, and the strike could further impact Russia's space capabilities, which are already facing shortages.
Ross Scott Discusses Game Preservation and "Stop Killing Games" Movement
Ross Scott, founder of the "Stop Killing Games" campaign, participated in a live discussion with Ars Technica on August 11, addressing the issue of video game preservation. The movement, initiated in 2024 after Ubisoft shut down servers for The Crew, advocates for legislative action to ensure perpetual access to purchased games, either through continued server support or player-maintained servers.
Ukrainian Drone Teams Demonstrate Effectiveness Against US Armor in War Games
Ukrainian drone operators successfully simulated destroying a US Army tank brigade during the Combined Resolve war game, highlighting the evolving threat of drone warfare. This event underscores the need for modern militaries to adapt tactics and countermeasures against advanced drone capabilities.
StemRad's AstroRad Vest Successfully Tested on Artemis I for Radiation Protection
StemRad's AstroRad radiation-shielding vest was flown to the Moon and back on NASA's uncrewed Artemis I mission, demonstrating its effectiveness in protecting against solar storm radiation. The vest performed comparably to the Orion spacecraft's heavily shielded shelter, offering a solution for astronaut protection in deep space where traditional spacecraft shielding is insufficient.
Physicists find new evidence for glueballs, a particle made entirely of gluons
Physicists working with the Beijing Spectrometer III (BES III) experiment have found new evidence supporting the existence of glueballs, composite particles made solely of gluons. This discovery is significant because glueballs are a direct prediction of quantum chromodynamics and a missing piece in the Standard Model of Particle Physics.