Largest 3D Printer & AI Safety

World’s Largest 3D Printer

Have you ever used a 3D printer? Whether it’s from Bambu Lab, Prusa, or Creality, 3D printers are becoming evermore prevalent in the manufacturing and engineering scene, especially in housing. According to BBC News, The University of Maine has just revealed the world's largest polymer 3D printer, which can print objects up to 96ft long. While it's not expected to directly print entire houses, it will likely be utilized for producing parts of buildings for construction or repair. The printer aims to use sustainable materials like recycled polymers and residual wood from local forests. According to BBC, The printer's development was partially funded by the US military, and it uses technologies such as sensors, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence. Moreover, while 3D printing offers good potential in various industries, there are also concerns about its potential misuse, such as creating weapons.

Funding for the AI Safety Institute

According to The Washington Post, several organizations such as tech companies, and universities are urging Congress to increase funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a crucial agency in assessing new AI models. The request, supported by companies like Amazon and OpenAI, shows the importance of maintaining America's technological leadership. Despite recent allocations and new hires, people argue that more funding is necessary for NIST to effectively advance AI research and testing. While Congress already faces several AI-related efforts, support for increasing NIST funding appears to be promising.

Recent “Bird Flu”

A few months ago, we covered the Antarctic bird flu H5N1. Now, it seems like the disease is getting increasingly more severe. According to ScienceNews, The FDA has found genetic fragments of the bird flu in cow milk, which is sparking concerns around America. However, experts say that the process of pasteurization likely renders the virus inactive, making the milk safe. While the virus has spread among U.S. cattle since late 2023, human infection through ingestion remains unlikely. Yet, being watchful is advised, especially among workers in contact with livestock or raw milk, to prevent potential transmission. Despite past outbreaks, H5N1 has not effectively spread among humans, but the FDA continues to monitor the disease.

Solar Superstorm

According to Scientific American, there is a growing threat to Earth by solar superstorms. Underlying solar activity, such as sunspots and magnetic fields, contribute to events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These solar storms have the ability to damage modern technology such as satellites, disrupt power grids, and cause widespread chaos. While historical events like the Carrington Event of 1859 serve as warnings, recent scientific evidence suggests even more powerful solar storms have occurred in the past. Despite increased awareness and monitoring efforts by scientists, Scientific American emphasizes the need for better preparation and more resilient infrastructure to avoid the potential impact of future solar superstorms.

Japan’s Space Junk

Space is becoming evermore crowded by random junk and debris from things such as launching rockets. As stated by NASA, “[m]ore than 25,000 objects [(orbital debris}] larger than 10 cm are known to exist [in Earth’s orbit].” Now, according to BBC News, Astroscale, a Japanese company, has recently captured an image of a 15-year-old piece of space junk - an 11m by 4m discarded rocket segment - marking the first successful meeting with a debris of such size. While Astroscale's current mission is focused on testing sensors and software for proximity operations, they eventually plan to actively remove space debris within the next few years. This event emphasizes the growing concern over orbital debris, which poses a threat to operational satellites. Astroscale's future missions will involve using robotic arms to capture and remove space junk. Similar efforts by other companies highlight the importance of addressing the issue by nations worldwide.