US missile tracking satellites detect hypersonic target, sex cells could be reason why women live longer than men, the problem-solving skills of plants

Plus: Sun's magnetic field to reverse soon                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 June 17, 2024 | [Read Online]( In Coordination with IE Academy Subscribe now to get notified every time IE Academy releases the latest courses in engineering. From artificial intelligence to electrical engineering, you can get workshops from experts and have access to live classes with real-time interaction. [Subscribe to the IE Academy newsletter now.]( The United States cutting-edge hypersonic missile tracking satellite array has tracked its first hypersonic test launch, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has announced. The exact date of the test has not been disclosed, but the target likely launched from Wallops Island in Virginia. This comes only over a week after the MDA announced it would conduct the first test “soon.” The satellites featuring the so-called Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) were deployed into orbit in February of this year.For more on this development, check out today’s [Must-Read.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Technical Services Solutions Engineer III]( > [IT Systems Engineer II]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🐋 In a first, US missile tracking satellites detect hypersonic target HBTSS is designed to provide the MDA with an early warning of [potential hypersonic missiles](. Currently, ground-based systems, while sophisticated, are limited by the curvature of the Earth and the trajectory of hypersonic missile flights. To achieve this, sensors in orbit will have an unobstructed view, enabling [more accurate and timely interception](. The MDA serves as the Defense Department’s executive agent for hypersonic defense. Initial reports show the sensors [successfully collected data]( after launch,” the agency said in a June 14 statement. “MDA will continue to assess flight data over the next several weeks,” they added. 🧫 Sex cells could be reason why women live longer than men, finds study Scientists in Japan have uncovered a potential biological explanation for why [women tend to outlive men](. The research suggests a link between [sex cells]( (sperm and egg) and [lifespan](, offering new insights into the longstanding puzzle of sex-related longevity differences. The study, conducted on [turquoise killifish](, revealed that removing germ cells—the precursors to eggs and sperm̦—affected the lifespan of male and female fish differently. 🌱 Not only humans, plants also have problem-solving skills: Study It’s widely believed that humans or various types of animals found on the planet are intelligent. However, researchers have claimed that [plants also showcase their intelligence](, which is defined by more than 70 definitions. Flexible, real-time, and [adaptive responses]( found in plants are indicative of intelligence, according to researchers. “There are more than [70 definitions](that are published for intelligence and there is no agreement on what it is, even within a given field,” said lead author Andre Kessler, professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > Sun’s magnetic field reversal, an event of significant importance, is poised to take place soon. This rare phenomenon occurs approximately every 11 years, with the last taking place in 2013. ([More]() > According to a new study, it took almost 200 million years for Earth to get its oxygen, and scientists refer to this phenomenon as the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). ([More]() > A 'hot Neptune' exoplanet has been found to contain sulfur dioxide in its atmosphere — an atmosphere that's also gushing into space as the planet loops over its star's poles on a steeply inclined orbit every three-and-a-third days. ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers compared the estimated net energy produced by burning fossil fuels with that produced by sustainable energy technologies and found that the transition towards renewable energy systems might not actually entail a decline in net energy. ([More]() > Serbia could exploit lithium as early as 2028 following new guarantees from Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and the EU over the controversial project. ([More]() > Researchers have constructed a hydrogel electrolyte formula by using ClO4- anions and polyacrylamide chains to anchor water molecules, while glucose molecules preferentially regulate Zn2+ solvation. ([More]() INNOVATION > A group of researchers from MIT have developed a portable monitor that has been designed to help patients track their white blood cell count. According to the researchers, it could “eliminate 50 percent of hospitalizations” in cancer cases. ([More]() > A new robotic pet dragon has been developed by researchers to interact with people. The dragon can monitor an older person’s movement, providing valuable data for care planning, and also prompts people to move or interact with it, according to researchers. ([More]() > Researchers from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) that simulated thousands of possible one-dimensional materials say they have stumbled upon what may be the thinnest metallic wire ever discovered. ([More]() VIDEO > The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, often dubbed the “Doomsday Glacier,” has been a focal point of concern for climate scientists worldwide. Its recent acceleration in melting, now at a rate of half a mile per year, signals significant changes in the region’s ice dynamics. ([More]() > A new device aims to disrupt mosquito breeding cycles and cut cases of dengue fever in Peru. But can it work? ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, Which weight requires the least force to move? The answer is: 2 Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > After four years of construction, work is nearing completion on North America's longest cable-stayed [bridge]( > Japan’s SoftBank has developed an AI voice filter to make angry customers sound [calm]( > AI is untangling underground traffic jams in northwest China as work continues to bring to life one of Sun Yat-sen’s wishes ‘to seek a [continent’]( > Wild bumblebees are capable of logical reasoning, new research by a University of Stirling psychologist has [found]( > The United Nations refugee agency estimates there were a record 117.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2023, up 8% from the previous [year]( > A new type of dart launcher has been developed as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to firearms or air guns to inject animals with drugs or tracking [chips]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. 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