Arm Brains | Rocket Oops | Dr. Cicada

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What’s your favorite color?

Mine is red, but I’ve been really into yellow lately…though, I’m colorblind, so who knows?!

-Steve

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Arm Brains

Octopuses arms literally have minds of their own. A recent study looked into how each appendage’s ANC works.

• ANC = Axial Nervous Cord

• Acts like a spinal cord in each arm

• Locally processes motor commands

Each arm contains more neurons than the brain 🤯 and operates even after being severed. Better understanding how octo-arms “think” will help us improve the functionality of soft robotics for medical use. And increase cafe robot efficiency!

But why are they called TENtacles if there’s only 8?

Rocket Oops

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a…blown up Starship crashing towards us? On Thursday, SpaceX lost a rocket over the Caribbean, but Mechazilla managed to catch its booster.

• Mechazilla = launch tower w/ mechanical arms

• Starship + booster = 397’ tall (Statue of Liberty = 305’)

• Starship disintegrated after engine problems

This was the 2nd successful catch of their 600k-lb. booster, but Starship’s debris caused air traffic control issues and a brief scare over some islands. SpaceX is reviewing the cause ahead of more tests to make 2026’s Mars launch window.

Just another rapid unscheduled disassembly

Dr. Cicada

Cicadas could revolutionize medical equipment. Researchers uncovered how the periodic pests’ wings naturally kill bacteria.

• Wings are covered w/ microscopic nanopillars

• Shreds bacteria membranes

• Synthetic nanopillars killed 98% of bacteria (similar to bleach)

They also prevented biofilm formation, often a shortcoming for bleach and other disinfectants. Further development aims to bring costs down to test nanopillar surfaces on a commercial scale. I just hope the pillars aren’t as loud as cicadas.

Not to be brood…

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Unnatural Selection

Last week: “If you were a spider, which insect smells better?”

Finally found a use-case for scratch-and-sniff emails!

st3v on site

Coffee Arms

Bee’s Knees productivity has been through the roof since st3v installed octo-inspired ANC on his spare arms! Still tinkering with the nav module though.

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