Ross Coulthart and Meagan Medick dive into whether NASA knows more about UFOs than it says, lunar anomalies, secret American bases in Antarctica and there's a special appearance.
Energy Department undersecretary Darío Gil is taking a long-term view of science and technology. Why it matters: While President Trump's second term has been marked by high-drama fights over AI policy, Gil's been working behind the scenes to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in science and tech. The big picture: A familiar pattern is unfolding in AI policy. - An AI lab comes out with a frighteningly powerful model, sending officials scrambling, and states advance AI laws — which spark congressional efforts to get a federal standard in place. - Gil is trying to spearhead a different approach where the federal government plays a larger role in shaping emerging technologies before crises emerge or competitors like China gain an…
Fusion energy — tapping the power of the stars — is on the cusp of getting new federal rules. Why it matters: Regulators increasingly view fusion as fundamentally safer than nuclear fission, helping to pave the way for a substantially simpler permitting process than the one faced by conventional nuclear plants. Driving the news: The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is closing the public comment period on the proposed rule on Wednesday, with a final regulation expected as soon as this fall. The big picture: Fusion electricity doesn't yet exist in reality, but industry leaders see this regulatory move as fundamental to commercializing the technology in the United States in the next decade. - "This is a big deal — we've been…