The counter-drone weapon that caused a shutdown of El Paso's airspace on Wednesday was AeroVironment's LOCUST, a 20-kilowatt laser system, Axios has confirmed.
Why it matters: The Army sees the cutting-edge weapon as a way to combat drones without firing expensive interceptors. But the Federal Aviation Administration was so concerned about its use that it shut down the airspace around a major city for nearly eight hours.
The Federation of American Scientists is launching an initiative that aims to promote creative thinking for how government can tackle climate change and other challenges.
Why it matters: The effort is intended to "complement" the center-left "Abundance" movement that some Democrats are embracing, said Hannah Safford, FAS' associate director of climate and environment.
The Food and Drug Administration's refusal to review Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine is raising questions about how the Trump administration intends to treat other new products built around the technology.
Why it matters: Some medical experts warn that the U.S. will miss out on promising new vaccines if it does not embrace the technology, which powered the COVID-19 shots and could be adapted to target other diseases, including cancer.
Top AI experts at OpenAI, Anthropic and other companies warn of rising dangers of their technology, with some quitting in protest or going public with grave concerns.
Why it matters: Leading AI models, including Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's ChatGPT, are getting a lot better, a lot faster, and even building new products themselves.
Uber is rolling out a new AI-powered assistant in Uber Eats that builds grocery carts from text or image prompts — automating a traditionally time-consuming task.
Drones and other tech advances are reshaping how viewers from around the world experience the Winter Olympics.
Why it matters: New camera angles can pull the audience into the athlete's perspective, making the sheer intensity and speed of events like skiing and bobsled easier to grasp.
