- Tracking ice, tracking change: Satellite data reveal how melting glaciers reshape landscapes Phys.org
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Tracking ice, tracking change: Satellite data reveal how melting glaciers reshape landscapes – Phys.org
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Watch: SpaceX launches Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral; 28 more broadband satellites added to low-Earth orbit
Space X has launched the Starlink 10-28 mission at 4.21 am on Tuesday, July 8 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, adding 28 more broadband satellites to low-Earth orbit, as reported by Florida Today.
According to SpaceX, the early morning mission marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s 22nd flight. After stage separation, the booster successfully landed on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8 minutes and 14 seconds after liftoff.“Falcon 9 delivers 28 @/Starlink satellites to the constellation from Florida,” posted SpaceX on social media X.A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory initially listed the launch site as Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, but remaining consistent with recent such advisories the Falcon 9 instead listed off from Nearby Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.This mission marked the 59th orbital rocket launch so far this year from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and KSC. Looking ahead, Space Force officials announced that SpaceX received an $81.6 million contract to launch the USSF-178 mission in the first half of fiscal year 2027.This includes the Space Force’s Space Systems Command’s Weather System Follow-on-Microwave Space Vehicle 2 (or WSF-M2), which will enhance global weather sensing, It also carries BLAZE-2, a group of small department of defence satellites used for operation, research and development.Starlink is also set to assist in the rescue efforts by providing free service for those affected in the recent floods in Texas.“In support of those impacted by flooding in Texas, Starlink is providing Mini kits for search and rescue efforts-ensuring connectivity in dead zones- and one month of free service for thousands of customers in the region, including those who paused service so they can reactivate Starlink during this time,” a post by Starlink read on X. “The @/Starlink team and @/TMobile have also enabled basic texting (SMS) through our Direct to Cell satellites for TMo customers in the areas impacted by flooding in Texas. This includes Kerr County, Kendall County, Llano County, Travis County and Comal County. Additionally, anyone in the impacted areas with a compatible smartphone will be able to receive emergency alerts from public safety authorities,” they had posted.
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VLT Captures New Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have captured new images of 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever observed.
This VLT/FORS2 image, taken on July 3, 2025, shows the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Image credit: ESO / O. Hainaut.
3I/ATLAS was discovered a week ago by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile.
Also known as C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) and A11pl3Z, the comet is arriving from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius.
“Its highly eccentric hyperbolic orbit, unlike that of objects in the Solar System, gave away its interstellar origin,” ESO astronomers said in a statement.
3I/ATLAS is currently about 4.5 AU (670 million km, or 416 million miles) from the Sun.
The interstellar object poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 AU (240 million km, or 150 million miles).
It will reach its closest approach to the Sun around October 30, 2025, at a distance of 1.4 AU (210 million km, or 130 million miles) — just inside the orbit of Mars.
“In the VLT timelapse, 3I/ATLAS is seen moving to the right over the course of about 13 minutes,” the astronomers said.
“These data were obtained with the FORS2 instrument on VLT on the night of July 3, 2025, just two days after the comet was first discovered.”
“At the end of the video, we see all frames stacked into a single image: the deepest and best to date we have of this foreign object.”
“But this record won’t hold for long as the comet is getting closer to Earth and becoming less faint.”
“Currently more than 600 million km away from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS is travelling towards the inner Solar System and is expected to make its closest approach to Earth in October 2025,” they added.
“While 3I/ATLAS will be hiding behind the Sun at that point, it will become observable again in December 2025, as it makes its way back to interstellar space.”
“Telescopes around the world, including VLT, will continue to observe this rare celestial visitor for as long as they can, to find out more about its shape, its composition and its origin.”
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Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are $100 off for Prime Day
Before this year’s Prime Day event began, there were already some great early deals on Apple products, allowing you to save on the Apple Watch, iPad, and the MacBook Air. Now we can add Apple’s second generation AirPods Pro with USB-C charging case to the list, which is currently down to $149 ($100 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, the best deal we’ve seen yet.
The AirPods Pro combine superb audio with excellent ANC, plus they have a transparency mode, which lets outside sounds in, allowing you to hear your environment while still listening to your music. They can even double as FDA-approved hearing aids, thanks to an update in iOS 18, which is part of the reason why they’re still our best AirPods overall.
Additionally, the AirPods Pro offer up to six hours of battery life with ANC enabled, while the charging case comes equipped with MagSafe, making it easy to place them onto a MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charger. The AirPods Pro feature an IPX4 rating, meaning they should be able to withstand a little water. They also offer deep integration with other Apple products, allowing for automatic device switching. For instance, if you’re listening to music on your Mac and pick up your iPhone to watch a video, the AirPods Pro will automatically switch from the Mac to the iPhone.
If you don’t like the sealed feeling of the AirPods Pro 2’s silicone tips, the AirPods 4 are also on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, with the standard model without ANC matching its all-time low price of $89 ($30 off). Additionally, the AirPods 4 with ANC are down to $119 ($60 off) at Amazon and Walmart, which is by far the lowest price we’ve seen. The open-ear wireless earbuds offer many of the same features as the premium AirPods Pro 2, including conversation awareness, personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and transparency mode.
Finally, the AirPods Max with USB-C are down to an all-time low of $399 ($150 off) at Amazon, beating the previous best price by $50. While they haven’t been updated for nearly five years (aside from the addition of USB-C in place of Lightning and some new colors), the AirPods Max remain Apple’s most luxe headphones, offering top notch comfort and sound quality. At $150 off, the high price tag is a little easier to stomach.
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US court strikes down ‘click-to-cancel’ rule designed to make unsubscribing easier | US news
A federal rule designed to make canceling subscriptions as easy as signing up for them has been struck down by a US federal appeals court just days before it was scheduled to take effect.
The US court of appeals for the eighth circuit vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule, which would have required companies to allow consumers to cancel subscriptions using the same method they used to sign up, after finding that the commission behind it failed to follow required procedures under the FTC Act during the rule-making process.
“While we certainly do not endorse the use of unfair and deceptive practices in negative option marketing, the procedural deficiencies of the Commission’s rulemaking process are fatal here,” the court wrote, adding that “vacatur of the entire Rule is appropriate in this case because of the prejudice suffered by Petitioners as a result of the Commission’s procedural error”.
The vacated rule meant to go into effect on 14 July would have covered all forms of negative option marketing – programs that allow sellers to interpret customer inaction as acceptance of subscriptions, often leading to unintended charges. The FTC’s original 1973 rule only covered limited forms of these practices.
It would have also stopped businesses from forcing customers through lengthy chat sessions with agents or creating other barriers to cancellation.
The decision represents a major victory for businesses that challenged the FTC’s authority to modernize consumer protections without following what they argued were mandatory procedural requirements.
Meanwhile, Letitia James had been encouraging consumers to prepare for the rule’s implementation, writing in a Tuesday press release that “New Yorkers should never have to jump through hoops just to cancel an unwanted subscription”. The New York attorney general did not respond to a request for comment.
The commission has faced mounting complaints about subscription practices, receiving nearly 70 consumer complaints per day in 2024, up from 42 daily complaints in 2021. The rule applies to almost all negative option programs across any media platform.
The FTC’s enforcement efforts had yielded results in New York, where James says she’s secured $600,000 in penalties from Equinox for making cancellations difficult and won a lawsuit against SiriusXM for trapping customers in unwanted subscriptions.
The decision may now force the FTC to restart its rule-making process and could influence how the agency approaches future consumer protection regulations.
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Tina Knowles to Be Honored by Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation is putting the program together for its upcoming gala — the Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sept. 18 — by drafting Tina Knowles to receive a marquee honor.
The business mogul, designer, best-selling author and activist has been selected to receive the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award for her ongoing support for people living with HIV and for her allyship with the LGBTQ+ community. The gala event, fronted by standout TV host Melvin Robert (who departed his post at Extra and Good Day L.A. to replace the late Sam Rubin at KTLA as entertainment anchor), will feature Cookie Johnson as ETAF’s 2025 champion. Supported by presenting sponsor Gilead Sciences, the Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion will include a reception, culinary experience, live performance and views of select items from the Elizabeth Taylor archive.
“This is a critical time for support to people living with HIV, and we could not be more excited to have Mrs. Cookie Johnson as our 2025 ETAF Champion. Having known and joined Elizabeth Taylor in her work, Mrs. Johnson is deeply committed to the prevention and treatment of people at risk for and living with HIV. In addition, we are thrilled to honor Ms. Tina Knowles with the Commitment to End AIDS Award for her years of dedication and advocacy on behalf of people living with HIV. Both of these outstanding, selfless and iconic women join in our founder’s vision of an AIDS-free world,” praised Catherine Brown, executive director of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
Knowles launched her career as a makeup artist, hairstylist and owner of successful hair salon in Houston, where she made a name for herself styling what would become a blockbuster group, Destiny’s Child, featuring daughter Beyoncé. She segued to helping craft Beyoncé’s world tours, TV performances, movie roles and red-carpet appearances.
She co-founded the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth in Houston and spearheaded the anti-hunger initiative, Miss A Meal. Knowles is credited with supporting communities through hurricane relief and COVID-19 testing. Knowles is the driving force behind the WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting and empowering artists across diverse communities.
Melvin Robert
Getty Images
Cookie Johnson
Credit: Christina House/Courtesy of Subject
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CDC streamlines H5N1 avian flu reporting – CIDRAP
- CDC streamlines H5N1 avian flu reporting CIDRAP
- CDC declares bird flu emergency over as experts warn of possible fall resurgence Fox News
- Thousands of Lancaster County birds impacted by Avian Influenza ABC27
- Illinois dairy herds still clean of HPAI; CDC ends emergency response Brownfield Ag News
- CDC streamlines bird flu and influenza reporting American Hospital Association
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LIV Golf joins with Valderrama Foundation to support local young golfers
New scholarship program will empower passionate, under-represented youth from the Campo de Gibraltar region, with full scholarships to attend the Sotogrande International School
The Foundation serves as part of Valderrama’s and LIV Golf’s partnership to drive impact in the region beyond the game of golf with a clear focus on academic development.
LIV Golf Andalucia returns this weekend with tickets available at LIVGolf.com
SOTOGRANDE and NEW YORK – Valderrama and LIV Golf have announced a multi-year partnership to launch a transformative youth scholarship program under the recently created Valderrama Foundation.
The Foundation’s primary mission is to foster the economic development of the Campo de Gibraltar region by supporting local children in their academic, professional, athletic, and personal growth—using golf as a powerful tool for development. Grounded in core values such as discipline, perseverance, integrity, and respect, the Foundation aims to become a catalyst for positive change in the local community. Through full scholarships, it will create life-changing opportunities for talented students with limited financial resources.
As part of this academic and golf development initiative, selected scholars will attend the prestigious Sotogrande International School (part of the Inspired Education Group), while receiving elite golf training at a state-of-the-art golf academy developed by Sotogrande S.A. (Orion Investment Group). This unique dual-focus program will equip students to become bilingual, cultivate international networks, and acquire critical life and industry skills that open doors to future opportunities in the global golf ecosystem.
This great initiative is supported by LIV Golf through its Impact initiative, Potential, Unleashed to drive engagement in the communities that host the League’s international events.
Starting this summer, five talented children from the region will be awarded the program’s inaugural scholarships and begin their academic journey at Sotogrande International School. To celebrate the launch of the partnership between LIV Golf and the Valderrama Foundation, the young golfers were welcomed to the iconic Real Club Valderrama, where they enjoyed a guided tour of the club and had the unique opportunity to participate in a special golf clinic led by LIV Golf stars Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Josele Ballester—offering them inspiration and expert guidance as they begin this transformative new chapter.
Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia, said: “It’s amazing to meet these kids and help them to play the game that they love, while also having the chance to study at a great international school in Sotogrande. Looking at it from when I was a kid, this opportunity would be a dream come true. To see the commitment from Real Club Valderrama, the league and the Valderrama Foundation to helping the future of the game is very exciting.”
Javier Reviriego, Managing Director of Valderrama, said: “The creation of the Valderrama Foundation is a fundamental piece of our vision to support the youth of this region, and provide opportunities for talented young individuals to excel and grow on the golf course and academically. Through our long-standing partnership with LIV Golf, we are delighted to unveil this new program that will ensure the continued development of this sport within the next generation in the years to come.”
Jake Jones, Senior Vice President of Impact and Sustainability at LIV Golf added: “This new chapter in LIV Golf’s partnership with the Real Club Valderrama through its Valderrama Foundation supports our efforts to give back to the local community, and a region that has embraced us since our first event in 2023. This new initiative will provide a clear pathway for young people to thrive both in developing as golfing talents but also in life, with personal development skills and access to one of the region’s finest schools. We look forward to seeing this program and our students flourish over time.”
To learn more about the foundation, click here.
The launch of the partnership comes ahead of LIV Golf Andalucía, with the event’s third edition bringing the League’s 54 stars back to one of Europe’s iconic courses from July 11-13.
Fans can look forward to seeing Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC alongside the world golf’s biggest names, including two-time major winner and Spanish hero, Jon Rahm of Legion XIII , five-time major winner Brooks Koepka of Smash GC and Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC in action at the Real Club de Valderrama.
Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming edition of LIV Golf Andalucía, with more information available at LIVGolf.com.
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Neutron stars as fundamental physics labs – CERN Courier
Dense discussions An intriguing question that the workshop left open is whether the canonical QCD axion could condense inside neutron stars. Credit: CERN Neutron stars are truly remarkable systems. They pack between one and two times the mass of the Sun into a radius of about 10 kilometres. Teetering on the edge of gravitational collapse into a black hole, they exhibit some of the strongest gravitational forces in the universe. They feature extreme densities in excess of atomic nuclei. And due to their high densities they produce weakly interacting particles such as neutrinos. Fifty experts on nuclear physics, particle physics and astrophysics met at CERN from 9 to 13 June to discuss how to use these extreme environments as precise laboratories for fundamental physics.
Perhaps the most intriguing open question surrounding neutron stars is what is actually inside them. Clearly they are primarily composed of neutrons, but many theories suggest that other forms of matter should appear in the highest density regions near the centre of the star, including free quarks, hyperons and kaon or pion condensates. Diverse data can constrain these hypotheses, including astronomical inferences of the masses and radii of neutron stars, observations of the mergers of neutron stars by LIGO, and baryon production patterns and correlations in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. Theoretical consistency is critical here. Several talks highlighted the importance of low-energy nuclear data to understand the behaviour of nuclear matter at low densities, though also emphasising that at very high densities and energies any description should fall within the realm of QCD – a theory that beautifully describes the dynamics of quarks and gluons at the LHC.
Another key question for neutron stars is how fast they cool. This depends critically on their composition. Quarks, hyperons, nuclear resonances, pions or muons would each lead to different channels to cool the neutron star. Measurements of the temperatures and ages of neutron stars might thereby be used to learn about their composition.
Research into neutron stars has progressed so rapidly in recent years that it allows key tests of fundamental physics
The workshop revealed that research into neutron stars has progressed so rapidly in recent years that it allows key tests of fundamental physics including tests of particles beyond the Standard Model, including the axion: a very light and weakly coupled dark-matter candidate that was initially postulated to explain the “strong CP problem” of why strong interactions are identical for particles and antiparticles. The workshop allowed particle theorists to appreciate the various possible uncertainties in their theoretical predictions and propagate them into new channels that may allow sharper tests of axions and other weakly interacting particles. An intriguing question that the workshop left open is whether the canonical QCD axion could condense inside neutron stars.
While many uncertainties remain, the workshop revealed that the field is open and exciting, and that upcoming observations of neutron stars, including neutron-star mergers or the next galactic supernova, hold unique opportunities to understand fundamental questions from the nature of dark matter to the strong CP problem.
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