Boldly going As NASA faces cuts, China reveals ambitious plans for planetary exploration These grand Chinese plans come as NASA faces budget cuts. Eric Berger Mar 27, 2025 1:13 pm | 52 A "selfie" photo of China's Zhurong rover and the Tianwen-1 landing platform on Mars in 2021. Credit: China National Space Administration A "selfie" photo of China's Zhurong rover and the Tianwen-1 landing platform on Mars in 2021. Credit: China National Space Administration Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreChina created a new entity called the "Deep Space Exploration Laboratory" three years ago to strengthen the country's approach to exploring the Solar System. Located in eastern China, not far from Shanghai, the new laboratory represented a partnership between China's national space agency and a local public college, the University of Science and Technology of China.Not much is known outside of China about the laboratory, but it has recently revealed some very ambitious plans to explore the Solar System, including the outer planets. This week, as part of a presentation, Chinese officials shared some public dates about future missions.Space journalist Andrew Jones, who tracks China's space program, shared some images with a few details. Among the planned missions are:2028: Tianwen-3 mission to collect samples of Martian soil and rocks and return them to Earth2029: Tianwen-4 mission to explore Jupiter and its moon Callisto2030: Development of a large, ground-based habitat to simulate long-duration human spaceflight2033: Mission to Venus that will return samples of its atmosphere to Earth2038: Establishment of an autonomous Mars research station to study in-situ resource utilization2039: Mission to Triton, Neptune's largest moon, with a subsurface explorer for its oceanPlans should be taken seriouslyIt would be easy to dismiss these plans as fanciful, and indeed, only the first two missions have been formally approved by China's central government. Some of the concepts are tremendously exciting, but others appear unrealistic. For example, it is unknown how thick Triton's ice shell is, and designing a probe to burn through that ice to reach the ocean would be extremely challenging.Nonetheless, this scope of missions reveals that China is planning to conduct an extensive program to explore Mars and beyond, something that has almost (but not completely) exclusively been the province of NASA historically.And there are good reasons not to doubt the ambitions of China, nor its ability for interplanetary success. With its methodical lunar exploration program, dating to 2007, China has had a string of successes with robotic missions, including last summer's return of samples from the far side of the Moon.Beyond the Moon, the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars, launched in 2020, was no less impressive. No country besides the United States has ever softly landed a spacecraft on Mars and had it survive for more than a handful of minutes. But on its very first mission to Mars, China sent not only an orbiter but also a lander and a small rover that operated for about a year.All of these grand Chinese plans come as NASA faces budget cuts. Although nothing is final, Ars reported earlier this year that some officials in the Trump administration want to cut science programs at the US space agency by as much as 50 percent, and that would include significant reductions for planetary science. Such cuts, one planetary officials told Ars, would represent an "extinction level" event for space science and exploration in the United States.This raises the prospect that the United States could cede the lead in space exploration to China in the coming decades.So what will happen?To date, the majority of China's space science objectives have been successful, bringing credibility to a government that sees space exploration as a projection of its soft power. By becoming a major actor in space and surpassing the United States in some areas, China can both please its own population and become a more attractive partner to other countries around the world.However, if there are high-profile (and to some in China's leadership, embarrassing) failures, would China be so willing to fund such an ambitious program? With the objectives listed above, China would be attempting some unprecedented and technically demanding missions. Some of them, certainly, will face setbacks.Additionally, China is also investing in a human lunar program, seeking to land its own astronauts on the surface of the Moon by 2030. Simultaneously funding ambitious human and robotic programs would very likely require significantly more resources than the government has invested to date. How deep are China's pockets?It's probably safe to say, therefore, that some of these mission concepts and time frames are aspirational.At the same time, the US Congress is likely to block some of the deepest cuts in planetary exploration, should they be proposed by the Trump administration. So NASA still has a meaningful future in planetary exploration. And if companies like K2 are successful in lowering the cost of satellite buses, the combination of lower-cost launch and planetary missions would allow NASA to do more with less in deep space.The future, therefore, has yet to be won. But when it comes to deep space planetary exploration, NASA, for the first time since the 1960s, has a credible challenger.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 52 Comments

A forecast by the Kremlin estimated that Russia would stand to fall behind in global competition if it were to continue fighting until 2026. Contributor/Getty Images 2025-03-28T05:56:33Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? The deputy head of Ukraine's GUR said the Kremlin forecasts a need to end the war by 2026.Vadym Skibitsky said Moscow is likely concerned about its long-term ability to compete with the US.If the war drags on, its relevance could be relegated just to Eastern Europe, Skibitsky said.Ukraine's intelligence agency said on Tuesday that Russia likely believes it must resolve its war with Kyiv by 2026, or eventually lose its chances of competing with the US and China on the world stage.Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitsky, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence agency GUR, referenced forecast documents from the Kremlin at a press event in Kyiv about European security.Business Insider could not independently verify the existence and authenticity of these documents."We can say that the Russian Federation has clearly defined in these documents that the Ukrainian issue must be resolved by 2026," said Skibitsky, who is also deputy head of GUR. Skibitsky, pictured here during a separate January 2024 interview, is deputy head of the GUR. Global Images Ukraine/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images "Because if the war continues for another five to 10 years, Russia will never be able to catch up and reach the same level as the United States and China," he added.Should this happen, Russia could stand to "forever remain a regional player" in Eastern Europe, Skibitsky said."And the Russian Federation clearly understands this today. That is why it foresees this in the future," he said.Skibitsky said such Russian forecasts typically combine work from government ministries, federal agencies, and research institutions, and that the Kremlin's plans had described war scenarios as far in the future as 2045. These included conflict scenarios with Northern European states, Poland, and the Baltics, Skibitsky said.The deputy spy chief's comments come as the White House has sought to push Ukraine and Russia toward a cease-fire. The effort has surfaced new questions about how long the war will last and concerns in Ukraine that the resulting peace might only be achieved by giving Russia outsize concessions.In early March, The Washington Post reported that an influential think tank in Moscow had assessed that a "peaceful resolution" to the war by 2026 would be impossible.According to the Post, the analysis recommended a hardline, maximalist stance toward negotiations with the US and Ukraine. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the outlet that the federal government "was not aware of such recommendations" and was working with "more considered options."Ukraine thinks Russia's costs are too highThe head of GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, recently voiced a similar assessment of Moscow needing a 2026 deadline."If they don't end this war by 2026, they lose even a chance for global leadership," he told state broadcaster Ukrinform on February 27. "They will be left with, at most, a regional leadership level, which is absolutely unacceptable to them."Budanov said that a protracted war would undermine Russia's ability to innovate in tech and compete with the US on the world stage, especially with its ability to contest the Arctic regions."The cost of the war is too high the financial cost," he told Ukrinform.Washington's leaders consider Russia as one of two near-peer competitors or potential adversaries, meaning that it has a chance of being comparable to US military might.The other is China, which leaders in both the Biden and Trump administrations have repeatedly said is the Pentagon's main priority for preparing against threats.The Russian Defense Ministry and the Kremlin's press office did not respond to requests for comment sent by BI.Recommended video

Athleisure giant Lululemon has listened to customers who have been begging it to change one feature in its bestseller leggings.The company's CEO, Calvin McDonald, said in an earnings call with investors on Thursday that it would introduce leggings without a front seam, a highly requested change."We'll expand further with other new bottoms, including a legging with no front seam," McDonald said to investors."Our guests have been asking for this innovation, and we believe this style, along with all the other newness and innovation we are bringing to market, will help drive new guest acquisition and increase purchase from existing guests as well," he added.Representatives for Lululemon did not respond to a request for comment from BI about when the new product will be available and how much it will cost. The Vancouver-based company's leggings start at around $98.McDonald said the new leggings were celebrating the 10th anniversary of Lululemon's Align product line, which includes leggings, shorts, sports bras, tops, bodysuits, and more.Some social media users have criticized the front seam of Lululemon's leggings, with some women saying the seam can be unflattering.Some TikTok users also say Lululemon's front seam is a big reason they've bought leggings from other brands.This is not the first pair of leggings Lululemon has made without front seams.In July, it dropped the $98 Breezethrough leggings without the front seam, but the product was pulled from shelves within the same month after customers criticized it for its deep V-shaped back seam.The company reported results from its latest quarter on Thursday. Revenue increased 13% from the year before to $3.6 billion, and international sales rose 38% in the quarter.The company's stock remained flat during trading hours on Thursday but dropped about 10% in after-hours trading.

SCREEN 504 Residential Building / Sanjay Puri ArchitectsSave this picture! Vinay PanjwaniUdaipur, IndiaArchitects: Sanjay Puri ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:20000 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2025 PhotographsPhotographs:Vinay Panjwani Lead Architect: Sanjay Puri More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Screen 504 is a 21-storeyed apartment building with 78 apartments on a site of 3690 sqm located in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, with a total constructed area of 20,000 sqm. At every level, four apartments, each with four bedrooms & living spaces, are planned in each quadrant to allow visibility & views of 2 adjacent sides of the surroundings with hills in the distance in all directions. Traditional architecture in the region dating back to the 16th & 17th centuries has multiple examples of projected screened balcony spaces to combat the excessive heat of the summer months which can vary from 35 to 48C, providing privacy simultaneously.Save this picture!Save this picture!Taking a cue from this element of traditional architecture, a mix of screened decks & open deck spaces front each room of each apartment to mitigate heat gain & provide transitional spaces between the indoors & the outdoors.Save this picture!Save this picture!Each apartment has 5 balcony spaces fronting the living room & the 4 bedrooms.Some of these are open and some are screened with sliding screens that are perforated with a traditional pattern. The screened decks can be opened up partially. One of the decks in each apartment is 20 feet high. The residents have the option of using single-height 10-foot-high decks or 20-foot-high decks which can be completely open, partially open, or completely screened depending on the weather.Save this picture!Save this picture!Based upon the client's brief and the governing rules, a total area of 20,000 sqm is permissible on the plot of 3,690 sqm. The height restriction of 70 m & the mandatory open spaces on all sides of 14m necessitated a building block of 36m X 30m in plan with a height of 70m.Within these restrictive parameters, the apartments are designed with minimal internal circulation spaces and all rooms face the external views facilitating natural light & ventilation throughout overlooking the hills. Community spaces including a gym, swimming pool, community hall & games room are located at the ground level & the roof top terrace with a roof top garden. Parking areas are planned in a single basement.Save this picture!The entire perimeter of balconies & the roof top terraces are collectively drained to a rain water harvesting tank. In addition water is recycled & reused for gardening. These measures serve to reduce the need of external water supply. All the internal walls are made of fly ash brick. Locally sourced sandstone is used for the perimeter walls of the site and within the landscaped spaces. The entire labor for the construction was sourced locally. All these factors render the building sustainable.Save this picture!Screen 504 is designed contextual to the location & climate taking cues from the traditional architecture of the region creating an apartment building that is energy efficient & offers a variety of different outdoor spaces to all its residents.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on March 28, 2025Cite: "SCREEN 504 Residential Building / Sanjay Puri Architects" 28 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028501/screen-504-residential-building-sanjay-puri-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

FOAID 2024: Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration in Architecture and DesignSponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of FOAIDArchitecture and design today are not just about constructing an urban sprawl or focusing solely on spatial design, rather they involve the integration of diverse elements and ideologies that enrich one's work and environment. This is where 'FOAID- Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing' comes in, celebrating a legacy of 11 years. This event has it all, be it architects, designers, brands, artists, or innovators from across the nation and around the globe, all united in one single platform. With over 10,000 visitors, the event aimed to exhilarate the connected yet fragmented design world, showcasing Avant-garde design techniques and celebrating the legacy of established patrons and emerging talents in the design fraternity. Additionally, they promoted interdisciplinary networking opportunities strengthening the architectural community's impact on society. In collaboration with CNBC TV18, the event marked its marvelous presence in New Delhi on November 22nd -23rd at NSIC Ground and December 20th -21st at the Jio Conventional Center in Mumbai.Save this picture!FOAID 2024: A Celebration of Creativity Across GenerationsWith this year's tagline, "Creativity Worth Celebrating," FOAID 2024 delivered an immersive and enriching experience that addressed the diverse needs of architects and designers across generations. Each pavilion was meticulously designed to cater to the varied expertise, aspirations, and creative pursuits of the design and architecture community featuring architecture competitions, product exhibits and architecture conferences.Save this picture!For emerging professionals, FOAID featured exciting initiatives like the VOX Architecture Ideas. This groundbreaking initiative spotlighted aspiring visionaries from across India, showcasing their conceptual and ongoing projects. With a jury of over 20 industry experts and the participation of 1,500 individuals, these architecture competitions sparked growth and change in the built environment. Similarly, the 'Expressions' design competition provided students with a platform to showcase their artistic vision through installations, offering recognition and exposure through an award ceremony. Design Karyashala, or Uncensored, bridged the gap between emerging and established generations, fostering inspiring dialogues and promoting real-world innovation. CMC Design Manthan, Build India Vision, Design Arena, and ICA Creative Minds Next were also key highlights, contributing to the dynamic exchange of ideas. These architecture competitions sparked growth and change in the built environment..For seasoned professionals, events like the 'Design Arena' and ICA Creative Minds Next offered deep dives into complex design challenges. The 'Design Arena' exhibited exemplary work, while CMC 'Design Manthan' i.e. FOAID Conference encouraged lively discussions on future design insights. The 'Light First' pavilion featured the latest in lighting design, and the 'Art Arena' brought together art and architecture, emphasizing how the two disciplines can enhance one another. With over 50 product displays, there was something captivating for every attendee.FOAID 2024 not only celebrated the achievements of the present but also inspired future generations of designers to dream big and contribute to the ever-evolving story of architectural innovation.Voices That Shaped the ConversationSave this picture!Drawing from the success of past editions, FOAID 2024 brought together architectural visionaries like Ernesto Bedmar, celebrated for his minimalist designs, and Studio Fuksas, renowned for their avant-garde architecture, took the stage alongside Lucio Munian of Lucio Munian et al. Indian luminaries included Sandeep Khosla, known for seamlessly blending heritage with modernity, Kamal Sagar, a trailblazer in sustainable design, Gurjeet Singh Matharoo of Matharoo Associates, and Vagish Naganur of Design Ground, all sharing their invaluable insights. Prof. Wolf D. Prix, co-founder of Coop Himmelb(l)au, captivated the audience with his deconstructivist approach, redefining the boundaries of conventional design. Adding a playful twist, was the engaging Design Trivia "Naqshaybaaz," hosted by Manish Gulati of M:OFA Studio, brought fun and excitement to the event.These luminaries sparked meaningful dialogue, redefined creativity, and set the stage for a reimagined future in architecture and design. FOAID 2024 thus proved to be an unmissable celebration of innovation and excellence.Shaping Tomorrow: ICA Creative Minds Next Winners Showcase Their Vision at FOAID 2024Save this picture!The ICA Creative Minds Next winners were a highlight of FOAID 2024, presenting the groundbreaking work of emerging talents from across India through architecture and Design Competitions.These young architects and designers displayed their innovative projects, offering fresh perspectives on the future of design. With their bold ideas and creative concepts, the ICA Creative Minds Next winners and the Platinum Winners in 10 categories demonstrated that the next generation is ready to shape the architectural landscape. Among them were Jayesh Hariyani, Saumil Mevada, Rakhi Rupani of INI Design Studio, ASHISH BATRA AND KAVITA BATRA of UNIIFYY, Pranav Iyer of Ground 11 Architects, Milana Maladkar and Arvind Jagannath of Vivospace Architects, Milana Maladkar and Arvind Jagannath of Vivospace Architects, Shubhashish B Modi of Arris Design Studio, Gautam Naik & Geetanjali Naik of KNown Architects, Sriram Adhitya ,Vamsi Krishna & Balashanmugam of RAIN STUDIO of DESIGN, Prashant Paradava of Paradava Design Consultants, Neelesh Bharat Chopda of Neelesh Chopda Architecture and many more proved that the next generation is ready to lead the charge in shaping the architectural landscape. Their contributions were celebrated, highlighting the event's commitment to nurturing and supporting new voices in the design world. To see the full list of winners, visit https://www.foaidindia.in/winners-creative-mindsA Platform for Innovation and CollaborationFOAID continues to stand as a beacon in the design and architecture industry, symbolizing a deep commitment to innovation, collaboration, and education. It brings together a diverse community of architects, designers, and industry leaders, providing an incredible opportunity to communicate, share, and learn on a global scale. FOAID's commitment to nurturing emerging talent guarantees its place as a leading platform for celebrating the influence of design through architecture and interior exhibitions, conferences, and competitions, shaping the future profoundly. This event remains a crucial intersection for creativity, knowledge, and progress, creating a space for collaborative platforms in urban design and enriching the collective impact of the global design community.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorEduardo SouzaAuthorCite: Eduardo Souza. "FOAID 2024: Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration in Architecture and Design" 28 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1019627/foaid-2024-celebrating-innovation-and-collaboration-in-architecture-and-design&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

A surprising observation from NASAs James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed a vestige of a galaxy that peeked through the early universes dense fog just 330 million years after the Big Bang. The recent sighting of ultraviolet light from this distant galaxy called JADES-GS-z13-1 has astonished researchers, shattering prior expectations of early galaxy formation.Shortly after the Big Bang, the developing universe was clouded by a thick fog of neutral hydrogen, blocking the light emitted by galaxies. However, GS-z13-1 defied all odds and broke through the barrier with a wavelength of light known as a Lyman-alpha emission. Radiated by hydrogen atoms, the emission appeared much stronger than expected; astronomers are now trying to decipher where the radiation from this galaxy came from and what this could mean for continuing studies of the early universe.James Webb Space Telescope Pins RedshiftThe JWSTs Near-Infrared Camera (NIRc) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) were instrumental in identifying the galaxy and estimating its redshift, which reflects its distance from Earth based on how its light is stretched out as it moves through ever-expanding space. Most galaxies are continuously moving away, and as they get farther out, the light they emit shifts toward longer wavelengths at the redder end of the electromagnetic spectrum.Imaging from the JWST, as explained in a study published in Nature, pinned an initial redshift estimate of 12.9 for the galaxy, and further analysis yielded a more definitive redshift of 13.0; this figure indicates that the galaxy was observed at 330 million years after the Big Bang.Rethinking ReionizationResearchers, however, didnt expect to see the prominent Lyman-alpha radiation that was captured along with the galaxy.Much of the neutral hydrogen fog that permeated the early universe dissipated during a time called the epoch of reionization. As this period unfolded, the neutral hydrogen started to separate into ionized gas (due to light from early stars), causing the universe to become more transparent. The role of the Lyman-alpha radiation raises many questions for researchers, seemingly setting the initial stages of reionization to 330 million years after the Big Bang.We really shouldnt have found a galaxy like this, given our understanding of the way the universe has evolved, said co-author Kevin Hainline from the University of Arizona in a statement. We could think of the early universe as shrouded with a thick fog that would make it exceedingly difficult to find even powerful lighthouses peeking through, yet here we see the beam of light from this galaxy piercing the veil.How Galactic Light Came to BeResearchers are uncertain about the exact source of radiation from GS-z13-1, but theyve drawn up a few theories. One possibility is that the light may have come from the earliest generation of stars formed in the universe, hotter and more luminous than stars formed in later epochs. Researchers say the light could also potentially have roots in a powerful galactic nucleus that was driven by one of the first supermassive black holes.The research team is ready to uncover answers with additional observations of GS-z13-1, which could help shape entirely new perspectives of the early universe and how reionization brought sweeping changes. Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:NASA. Cosmological RedshiftCenter for Astrophysics. Preparing to Study the Epoch of ReionizationJack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00959-7Data from 300,000 births reveal how essential biological measurements are altered by carrying and delivering a baby.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08794-6A study describes the split integrated stress response, a cellular stress response mechanism characterized by reduced eIF2B activity without eIF2 phosphorylation, which activates the eIF4EATF4PCK2 axis, enabling metabolic reprogramming.

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Ex-Skyrim Dev Said Creative Freedom Shaped Beloved Moments of the GameIn a recent interview at this year's GDC, ex-Bethesda Developer Nate Purkeypile, who contributed to the creation of Skyrim as a Senior World Artist and Lighting Artist, shared insights into the studio's development approach for the iconic 2011 RPG that was characterized by the team's freedom and flexibility during production.The developer shared (via PC Gamer) that the developers were given significant creative freedom and recalled the building of the city of Blackreach, which wasn't part of the original schedule: "We had quite a bit of freedom to do stuff. The one that people know about was Blackreach That was not on schedule at all. Like we just kind of did that on the side and put it in."Purkeypile also revealed that Skyrim's werewolves started off as a rough concept but were eventually transformed into something more visually impressive through the voluntary efforts of individual developers. "That was a whole side-project from somebody. Originally, it was just dudes with dog heads, and someone took it upon themselves to make it awesome," he said.The creator summed up that it was this flexible and non-restrictive approach that led to appearance of the game's many beloved features. "A lot of the great stuff within Skyrim came from having that freedom to do what you want, as opposed to a game with this whole 'checklist design' and 'design by committee,'" Purkeypile noted.