NASA's order for International Space Station astronauts to prepare for a hasty departure Friday marked the most dramatic episode yet in a yearslong saga over mysterious leaks in a Russian module, Alex Fitzpatrick reports.

• Five astronauts boarded the SpaceX Crew Dragon docked to the ISS in case they needed to evacuate.
• That order came after Russian space agency Roscosmos decided to investigate — and hopefully fix — leaks plaguing its Zvezda service module.

⏸️ Roscosmos later paused "and did not perform the structural repair work," per NASA.

• The Russian agency instead conducted "additional measurements and data assessments."
• "NASA strongly supported that decision, and as a result ... [the astronauts] ended their safe haven activities and returned to normal operations."

Ars Technica reports: "Engineers believe the leaks are caused by microscopic cracks in the module's structure."

• "Russian cosmonauts have repeatedly inspected and attempted to seal the cracks, but a permanent fix has eluded them."

⚠️ Roscosmos says there's no safety threat — but any leak on a laboratory flying 250 miles above Earth at speeds of 17,500 mph presents a concern.

Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell tells Scientific American: "The worry is that a small crack could suddenly get catastrophically bigger."

• "That's unlikely but not impossible, and that would risk loss of the station and crew."

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Demand for used RAV4 hybrids is through the roof as buyers seek fuel-efficient vehicles, Bloomberg reports.

• The Toyota SUV gets around 40 mpg — helpful to beat today's sky-high gas prices driven by the Iran war.

💸 Bloomberg writes: "Used, late-model versions of the RAV4 hybrid often list for more than their original sticker prices, even with thousands of miles."

• "In some cases, they cost more than a new 2026 model fresh from the Toyota factory."

📈 Used prices are up in part because some buyers face long waits for the newest version from dealers.

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2. 🍎 Apple previewed the next versions of its phone and computer software, featuring a revamped AI-powered Siri assistant and more. Go deeper.
3. 🥄 Bending Spoons, an Italian holding company that buys and revitalizes legacy tech brands like AOL, filed for a U.S. IPO that could fetch around a $20 billion valuation. Go deeper.

Axios Atlanta's Kristal Dixon recently caught the NBA Finals on an 87-foot, 12K+ LED domed screen at Cosm, an upstart "immersive entertainment" chain.

• Kristal writes: "I marveled at the screen quality while watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and the Knicks."

🍿 It's like you're sitting in the first row at the movie theater, but you're not tilting your head backward.

• The seating layout makes the dome viewing a communal experience.

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