Ari Goldschmidt:

SpaceX Reportedly Considering 'Starlink Phone' for a Pre-IPO Revenue Boost

SpaceX might be developing its own Starlink-branded smartphone to connect with the company’s satellite services. The device is intended to help boost revenue as SpaceX prepares for an IPO, Reuters reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the plans.

Details are scant, but Reuters says “Musk's satellite and rocket company has had the mobile phone plans for years." In May, The Information also reported that Musk has considered building his own phone "to get around Apple’s gatekeeper position in the market."

Musk tweeted about developing a phone last week after a user on X said that a “Starlink phone would be so sick.” In response, Musk wrote, “Not out of the question at some point. It would be a very different device than current phones. Optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets," which suggests it could run AI-powered applications.

SpaceX is already delivering its cellular Starlink service to phones via T-Mobile, offering users connectivity in dead zones. But for now, the service is bandwidth-constrained and only works for users outside of traditional cell networks. However, SpaceX is preparing to upgrade the satellite connectivity to support 5G-like performance.

⇒ Read More Here

Ray Blanco:

It’s Time To Think About Human Reproduction in Space, Scientists Urge

As humanity moves from brief space missions toward longer stays – driven by commercial ambitions for moon bases and eventual Martian settlements – scientists are beginning to confront how the conditions of space may affect human reproduction.

A new study argues that the absence of clear evidence and shared standards around reproductive health beyond Earth has propelled the issue from an abstract possibility into what the authors describe as "urgently practical."

Rather than advocating for conception in space, the study's nine authors – experts in reproductive medicine, aerospace health and bioethics – say their goal is to identify foreseeable risks and highlight gaps in research and governance that could become problematic as human activity in space expands, before technological and commercial momentum outpaces ethical oversight.

"As human presence in space expands, reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind spot," study co-author Fathi Karouia, a senior research scientist at NASA, said in a statement.

"International collaboration is urgently needed to close critical knowledge gaps and establish ethical guidelines that protect both professional and private astronauts – and ultimately safeguard humanity as we move toward a sustained presence beyond Earth."

⇒ Read More Here

Davis Wilson:

Bitcoin Nears $67,000, Hitting Lowest Level Since October 2024

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) tumbled close to $67,000 on Thursday, touching its lowest level since October 2024.

The token is down more than 45% from last year’s all-time high, erasing all of the gains made during President Trump’s second term. Investors had been optimistic the administration’s crypto-friendly policies would lift digital-asset prices.

Despite the intense selling, some bitcoin strategists say the token may not have reached a bottom yet.

"Bitcoin remains in a larger bear-market structure," read a 10X Research note on Thursday. "In the absence of a strong catalyst and with positioning still stretched, downside risks remain elevated."

Notably, the firm points to a significant overhang – overexposed bitcoin ETF holders who are underwater, with an estimated average acquisition price near $90,000.

A similar dynamic is playing out with Ethereum (ETH) ETFs, as investors are down approximately 31% given their average cost basis, according to 10X Research data.

⇒ Read More Here