The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted US aerospace and defense company BETA Technologies a first-of-its-kind authorization to conduct flights with prospective customers aboard its electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, marking a significant step toward commercial operations.

The approval, granted under a Special Airworthiness Certificate for market surveys, allows the aerospace and defence company to demonstrate its ALIA A250 aircraft to prospective operators and other participants. It also expands the geographic scope of the company’s flight operations.

The authorization comes after a safety review by FAA experts and represents a step toward commercial deployment, although the aircraft has not yet received full type certification for routine commercial service.

BETA completed its first flight under the new authorization on October 20, traveling 34 nautical miles (39 miles) in 20 minutes.

First authorized demonstration flight

The ALIA A250 departed Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, taking off vertically before transitioning to conventional wing-borne flight. It then landed vertically at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in Vermont.

Designed to operate with or without runway access, the aircraft can potentially support passenger transportation, cargo delivery, medical services and defense operations. It features dual pilot controls and is designed to carry up to five passengers or more than 1,200 pounds of cargo.

According to BETA, the A250 shares several major systems with its conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, including electric propulsion, flight control computers, batteries and charging infrastructure.

The common architecture allows the company to apply operational experience and technical improvements across both aircraft.

BETA said its CTOL and VTOL aircraft have accumulated more than 250,000 nautical miles of combined flight experience.

The company previously received FAA market-survey authorization for its CTOL aircraft and completed its first crewed electric VTOL transition flight in 2024.

“This authorization brings vertical flight closer to the people and places that will put it to work, building on BETA’s track record of industry firsts,” said Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO.

The latest certificate permits market-survey flights rather than unrestricted commercial passenger services. BETA must still complete the FAA’s full certification process before beginning routine commercial operations.

Expanding electric aviation operations

The US government is working to accelerate the testing and integration of advanced air mobility aircraft into national airspace.

In March, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which supports testing of next-generation aircraft in real-world operating environments.

The program includes eight selected projects spanning 28 states, involving aircraft manufacturers, operators and government partners.

The projects cover urban air taxis, regional passenger transportation, cargo networks, emergency medical response, autonomous flight and offshore transportation.

The FAA said BETA’s authorization would allow the company to demonstrate its aircraft across a broader range of operating conditions, subject to applicable restrictions.

“The FAA is committed to working with American innovators to safely integrate these new aircraft into our national airspace, while maintaining the rigorous safety standards that have made the United States a global leader in aviation,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

BETA is continuing flight testing and working toward full type certification as it prepares its electric aircraft for potential commercial applications.

Dead internet theory could soon become a reality in the literal sense. Two critical vulnerabilities in PHP, the programming language powering an estimated 70% of websites, have triggered an emergency security response. OpenAI says its GPT-5.6 Sol model helped uncover one of the flaws, highlighting how advanced models can expose weaknesses across the internet before attackers exploit them.

Both vulnerabilities received severity scores of 9.2 out of 10. PHP released emergency patches on Wednesday, October 21, following weeks of coordinated work among researchers and software maintainers. The immediate concern is whether website administrators can secure vulnerable servers before hackers turn the newly disclosed flaws into widespread attacks.

How OpenAI found the flaws

OpenAI detailed the discovery in a Wednesday blog post about its Patch the Planet initiative. The effort brought together software maintainers, security researchers and infrastructure providers to prepare fixes before public disclosure.

A self-described hacker team called Calif used GPT-5.6 Sol to identify one of the vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity firm Wiz independently discovered and reported both flaws, according to OpenAI.

PHP’s development team led the patching effort, with OpenAI, Wiz and Cloudflare contributing research and technical support. The vulnerabilities required extensive coordination because their impact could extend across countless independently operated websites and servers.

OpenAI said frontier models identified the flaws before attackers did, giving defenders time to prepare. That window matters because publishing technical details can help other researchers understand a vulnerability, but it can also give hackers a starting point.

Hackers could seize server control

The vulnerabilities can enable remote code execution, allowing an attacker to run malicious commands on an affected server. Depending on the server’s configuration and permissions, a successful attack could expose sensitive information or compromise the system.

PHP’s official security advisory urges users to update immediately. The release includes fixes for supported branches, with emergency updates also available for certain older versions. Administrators should check PHP’s official guidance to identify the correct package for their installations.

Security experts are already concerned about attempts to weaponize the flaws. WatchTowr reproduced one of the exploits, while its head of threat intelligence, Jake Knott, warned that attacks could escalate quickly.

“As expected, watchTowr Intel is already observing in-the-wild exploitation of the latest PHP vulnerabilities,” Knott said in an email Wednesday morning, as reported by CNET. He added that nobody had succeeded at that point, but warned, “we don’t expect that will last long.”

Cloudflare Chief Technology Officer Dane Knecht said Wednesday that the company had deployed a fix to its firewall. The US National Security Agency also urged organizations to prepare for immediate updates. It advised taking affected systems offline if administrators could not patch them promptly.

Finding bugs is only half

OpenAI’s disclosure points to a growing tension in cybersecurity. More capable models can help researchers uncover deeply embedded flaws, but attackers may also use similar tools to develop exploits faster.

If you are wondering whether your website is affected, we have packaged a Codex skill to help check.

Point your Codex at this repo to guide you through it: https://t.co/XUEbOwXuQC https://t.co/BDaIIaJ4yK

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) October 21, 2026

The company acknowledged that risk directly, warning that the same capabilities can help malicious actors build offensive tools. It expects discoveries of similarly consequential vulnerabilities to increase sharply in the coming months.

Finding a flaw, however, does not automatically secure the internet. Software maintainers must develop reliable patches, hosting providers need to deploy protections, and website operators must update systems they control. Older installations can complicate that process, particularly when administrators cannot upgrade immediately.

The PHP incident also shows why coordinated disclosure matters. Researchers spent weeks working with maintainers and security providers before releasing details that could help defenders and attackers alike.

That preparation has now given website operators a path to remediation. The remaining uncertainty is how quickly they can act before attackers turn public knowledge of the flaws into widespread compromises.

Australian researchers said non-recyclable landfill waste could help produce low-carbon cement.

Using refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to produce cement could help reduce the carbon footprint of the industry, which relies heavily on fossil fuels.

The researchers said clearer standards would be essential to support wider and more responsible use of waste-derived fuels.

Australian researchers said non-recyclable landfill waste could help produce low-carbon cement.

​Using refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to produce cement could help reduce the carbon footprint of the industry, which relies heavily on fossil fuels.

​Cement manufacturing accounts for an estimated 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, largely because key ingredients must be fired in massive kilns at extreme temperatures.

​Researchers are turning to waste as fuel to decarbonize cement manufacturing.

​RDF is made from processed non-recyclable waste. Cement kilns can use these fuels alongside traditional fuels in a process called co-processing.

Waste to fuel

​Researchers at the University of Adelaide studied whether fuel made from non-recyclable waste could make cement production cleaner and reduce waste sent to landfills.

​They conducted a literature review of more than 200 research articles published between 1991 and July 2025.

​The findings showed growing interest in RDF as a way to reduce landfill waste and cut fossil fuel use in cement production.

​Based on her analysis, Geethmi Thisakya, a PhD candidate in the School of Civil Engineering and Construction at the university, said that waste management could be linked with industrial decarbonization.

​”Previous research has highlighted the potential of refuse-derived fuel to turn suitable waste materials into a useful resource rather than sending them to landfill,” she said.

Need for clear, consistent standards

​However, she cautioned that a simple fuel replacement would not suffice.

​For RDF to help cut carbon emissions, it will need consistent quality, clear regulations, and stronger evidence of its environmental and economic impacts, the study said.

​The study also examined challenges that could affect the use of waste-derived fuels in cement production.

It found widespread confusion between refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF), a more standardized form of waste-derived fuel.

Although both can be used in cement manufacturing, inconsistent terminology and differing quality standards make it difficult to compare studies, interpret regulations, and ensure consistent fuel quality.

The researchers said clearer standards would be essential to support wider and more responsible use of waste-derived fuels.

“Cement manufacturers need confidence that alternative fuels will perform consistently, meet environmental requirements and support safe, reliable production,” Thisakya said.

​However, she cautioned that more work is needed before the cement industry can confirm RDF as a reliable alternative to fossil fuels.

​”Developing stronger quality assurance systems and clearer regulatory frameworks will help industry make informed decisions about using waste-derived fuels.”

​The findings were published in the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation.

​Meanwhile, scientists at ETH Zurich are turning to some of the smallest living organisms on Earth to build sustainable cities, using biocement as an alternative to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

​Researchers developed a 3D bio-printing process for biocement elements using a custom bio-ink made of water, natural gums, sand, and live bacteria.

In a second approach, they use a robotic arm to spray alternating layers of sand, bacteria, and mineralizing agents onto surfaces to produce biocement.

​

The United States is eyeing eight nuclear power plants with a combined capacity of 6 gigawatts (GW) that would be refueled on power, eliminating plant shutdowns and enabling continuous operation.

​According to a press statement, the eight sites would adopt Canadian reactor designs based on CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) technology.

Unlike conventional reactors that are fueled by enriched uranium, the CANDU reactors are fueled by natural uranium. They use heavy water (deuterium oxide) as moderator and coolant and are designed for large-scale electricity generation.

Replacing gas plants

To evaluate deployment scenarios for the project, the State of Indiana, Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative, and AtkinsRéalis Group, a Canadian company that holds the manufacturing and licensing rights for CANDU technology, signed a memorandum of understanding Monday.

The agreement follows the nuclear company’s letter of intent, submitted in June this year to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to begin licensing its technology in the USA.

​”This collaboration demonstrates the value of working with our American partners to address shared energy challenges and explore solutions that strengthen energy security, support skilled jobs and deliver lasting benefits to communities in the state,” said Joe St Julian, President, Nuclear, at AtkinsRéalis.

According to the MoU, the evaluation would consider a potential gas-to-nuclear construction model to accelerate the deployment of new nuclear power capacity. This means existing gas power sites, including those that have been retired or are expected to close soon, would also be considered for conversion rather than starting from scratch.

​No project timeline

However, the US government has not yet announced any potential project timeline.

Multiple factors, including site selection, financing, utility or offtake arrangements, applicable regulatory and licensing activities, environmental review, transmission and interconnection planning, community and stakeholder engagement, and other diligence and approvals, are likely to influence the project timeline, the MoU stated.

​If built, the project would strengthen grid resilience and energy security, while providing reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable electricity to American homes and industries.

​The first CANDU reactor came online at Rolphinton, Ontario, in 1962 with a gross capacity of only 25 MWe. Since then, the technology has come a long way.

The company has built nearly 34 units worldwide, nearly half of which are in Canada. Other reactors operated by the nuclear company are located in Romania, Argentina, South Korea, and China.

​Earlier this week, Amazon backed plans for a 960-megawatt nuclear power facility in Indiana that could house 12 small modular reactors (SMRs) at the site of a former coal-fired power plant.

​The design for the project uses TRISO fuel, which contains uranium particles surrounded by several protective layers, including high-temperature ceramic materials. These layers are designed to retain radioactive materials even under extreme operating conditions.

A new uncrewed air system (UAS) successfully intercepted multiple one-way attack drones. The modified version of T-150 Uncrewed Air System (UAS) conducted the mission during a US Office of the Under Secretary for Research & Engineering (OUSW) experiment.

Developed by BAE Systems subsidiary Malloy Aeronautics, the TRV-150 was equipped with a three-pod launcher firing BAE Systems’ laser-guided APKWS rockets to engage several targets in succession without landing or reloading.

Low-cost precision weapons integrated onto uncrewed platforms

The trials, conducted alongside BAE Systems Maryland-based partner, SURVICE Engineering, demonstrated how low-cost precision weapons can be integrated onto uncrewed platforms to counter the growing drone threats on the battlefield.

“Our customers are facing drone threats right now, so we’ve worked at pace with our partners to move from concept to a proven system, which can engage multiple targets in a single mission,” said Thomas Lancashire, Head of UAS Business Development, BAE Systems’ FalconWorks.

“Military technology is evolving faster than ever and it’s vital that effective capabilities reach those who protect us as quickly as possible. In today’s environment, the speed at which we deliver equipment can be just as important as the system itself,” added Lancashire.

First-ever single-shot firing of a precision munition from T-150

The company revealed that these latest tests build on the first-ever single-shot firing of a precision munition from an adapted T-150 in July last year, extending that capability through the use of a production-ready three-pod launcher system to engage with air targets.

“Supporting the warfighter has been at the core of SURVICE’s mission since its founding over 45 years ago. Bringing the TRV-150 to the US warfighter and now adding APKWS as a proven, precise, and cost-effective capability to our TRV-150 UAS platform is exactly the type of innovation SURVICE was designed to deliver,” said Gregory Thompson, President SURVICE.

Besides its counter-drone role, the platform has also already been deployed with UK armed forces to deliver tactical logistics, most notably with the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group where it carried supplies between ships throughout its eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment last year. The version of the Malloy T-150 involved in these air-to-air targeting trials, known as the TRV-150, was adapted to meet the US Army requirements by industry partner SURVICE Engineering whilst the APKWS modification kit was developed and integrated by BAE Systems FalconWorks division, according to a press release.

SURVICE Engineering is one of several industry partners working with BAE Systems around the world to develop tactical counter-drone systems, combining agility, affordability and operational flexibility within a multi-role configurable concept. The team will now look to build on this success to extend the T-150’s use in this way to the maritime environment, with the aim of ultimately helping protect customers from similar threats at sea, as per the release.

A portable metal-casting kit developed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is taking one of manufacturing’s oldest industrial processes past traditional foundries and into classrooms, public events, and even local bars.

The compact demo, Known as ‘Foundry in a Box,’ lets participants safely cast molten tin into small souvenirs like keychains, delivering a hands-on introduction to the fundamentals of metal casting.

Designed as an outreach tool, the portable setup condenses a process normally associated with large industrial facilities into a compact, transportable unit. Wearing protective gloves and safety goggles, participants pour molten tin into molds and leave with a finished metal keepsake while learning how casting underpins products used across the automotive, aerospace, construction, and manufacturing industries.

Unlike machining, which removes material from a larger piece, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold and allowing it to solidify into a desired shape. The method can produce components with complex geometries and remains a key part of manufacturing, from small hardware to large industrial machinery.

“Metal casting is everywhere,” said Swaroop Behera, a doctoral engineering student at UWM who has expanded the initiative. “So long as anyone is making something out of any metal, metal casting is going to be there.”

Making manufacturing more accessible

The project aims to expose students and the general public to manufacturing technologies that often receive little attention in traditional science and engineering education.

While ‘Foundry in a Box’ had existed previously, Behera helped broaden its reach after becoming president of UWM’s student chapter of the American Foundry Society. The team has since brought the portable foundry to schools, university events, and community venues, growing participation from a handful of students to hundreds each year.

The initiative has also attracted interest from educators. A presentation on the portable casting system at a Wisconsin Technology Education Association conference reportedly drew a standing-room-only audience.

According to Behera, letting participants build an object with their own hands makes manufacturing concepts easier to understand and encourages greater interest in engineering disciplines.

Supporting next-gen manufacturing engineers

The outreach effort has also received recognition from industry. The Foundry Educational Foundation, which strengthens ties between universities and the metal-casting industry, established a graduate fellowship at UWM after seeing the program’s success. Behera became its first recipient.

Alongside the outreach initiative, Behera’s doctoral research focuses on developing aluminum alloys that could replace titanium in certain high-temperature applications—a development that could eventually benefit industries looking for lighter, high-performance materials, including aerospace and advanced manufacturing.

Titanium is valued for its strength and high-temperature performance, but it can be expensive to process. Developing aluminum alloys that perform under demanding conditions could offer manufacturers another material option, although any replacement would depend on the specific application and its performance requirements.

Although his plans remain open, Behera says he hopes to keep connecting engineering research with practical applications while encouraging more students to explore manufacturing careers.

“Science has gone really far ahead, and technology is playing catch-up—that’s where materials science comes in,” he said. “You’re always trying to figure out and solve a specific problem for a given industry.”

A new heat treatment invented by scientists in Germany could give old jet engine blades a second life, reduce the need for expensive replacements, and conserve critical raw materials.

Introduced by scientists at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, the method uses high-pressure gas and heat to fix microscopic damage inside jet turbine blades. It could reportedly store the blades to their original state after 5,000 flight missions.

According to the team, the novel technology could make the blades suitable for reuse even years after mechanical stress, and exposure at extreme temperatures above 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius).

The initiative is part of a three-year project known as Second_Life, which began in August 2026. It also brings together the German Aerospace Center (DLR), aircraft engine repair specialist Lufthansa Technik, heat and surface treatment company Aalberts Surface Technologies, and metal-processing firm Otto Fuchs.

Restoring turbine blades

Jet engine blades are made to handle extreme temperatures that can sometimes exceed 2,732 degrees Fahrenheit (1,500 degrees Celsius), even above the melting point of the materials themselves. They also withstand rotational speeds of up to 16,000 RPM and enormous centrifugal forces.

They are produced from single-crystal nickel-based superalloys. Their atoms form a continuous crystal structure without grain boundaries, which could weaken the material at high temperatures. However, even these materials degrade.

Over time, the extreme conditions alter the blades’ internal structure and weaken them by creating tiny pores within it. First-stage turbine blades are often replaced after about 5,000 flight missions, equivalent to about three to six years of service.

“During turbine operation, the blades are subjected to tensile stress caused by rotational centrifugal forces at high temperatures and are damaged by what is known as creep fatigue,” Sebastian Weber, PhD, a researcher at the university, and study co-author, said.

To address the challenge, the scientists turned to a method known as hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The process involves heating damaged components under uniform gas pressure before rapidly cooling them.

It could potentially close the microscopic pores and restore the material’s original structure without destroying its single-crystal properties. “The restoration of the microstructure and mechanical properties is to be achieved through hot isostatic pressing, or HIP for short,” Louis Becker, PhD, another scientist at the university who helped lead the study, added.

Aviation sustainability

To test the technique, the team will first recreate real-world turbine blade damage at the German Aerospace Center. They will expose samples to high temperatures and mechanical stress to induce controlled creep-fatigue damage.

The samples will then undergo hot isostatic pressing at Ruhr University Bochum, where the researchers will determine the best treatment conditions and examine changes in the material’s microstructure. Subsequent mechanical tests will assess whether the treatment can restore the blades’ original performance.

The team’s ultimate goal is to prove that the damaged turbine blades can safely return to service after treatment and recoating. The technology has the potential to reduce the demand for newly produced turbine blades.

“By extending the service life of turbine blades, we can reduce both the demand for newly manufactured components and the associated consumption of energy and raw materials,” Weber concluded in a press release.

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Tuesday Labs, a New York City robotics lab and design studio, has opened reservations for Voxel, a bipedal home robot meant to learn and take over routine household tasks. A $200 reservation holds a spot, while full pricing is expected to be around $20,000 when Voxel ships sometime in 2028, The Verge reported.

The company calls it a “droid butler.” The Series-1 model joins other household robots, such as Weave Robotics’ Isaac 1, that aim to handle chores beyond mopping or vacuuming floors.

Arms, eyes and backward knees

Voxel’s main tools are two highly articulated arms with seven degrees of freedom. Each ends in a simple gripper, not the dexterous fingered hand found on machines such as Boston Dynamics’ Atlas. The arms extend from the top of a torso that also serves as the head, which has a small mouth.

Pixelated, animated eyes sit near the robot’s waist, well below a hidden pair of stereo RGB cameras. A separate wide-field camera lets Voxel monitor an entire room.

It walks on a pair of Z-shaped legs with knees that bend opposite to human knees. The design is intentional, allowing the robot to bend its knees for balance and to raise or lower its height while standing close to kitchen cabinets, tables and shelves.

In all, Voxel is mostly humanoid, with a few liberties. It trades finger dexterity for simpler grippers and puts its face lower on its body than a human would.

What it is meant to do

Tuesday Labs’ website details the hardware at length but says less about capabilities and household benefits. Voxel is meant to handle basic autonomous tasks, including decluttering and putting things back where they belong. It is also meant to handle routine chores such as watering plants, fetch items like books and help locate lost objects. For example, a user could ask where Voxel last saw the TV remote.

At launch, Voxel will not cook dinner or change diapers. The Verge noted that if it can reliably remember where you left your keys, people with bad short-term memories might find a reason to justify its steep price.

What to know before reserving

The $200 reservation is separate from the roughly $20,000 full price. Voxel is expected to ship “sometime in 2028,” the report said, so buyers would wait at least a year or more for a unit.

The US Army has awarded the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, a $215 million contract to produce a new generation of launch units for its Javelin anti-tank missile system. The Lightweight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) is designed to give soldiers improved target-detection capabilities in a smaller, lighter package while remaining compatible with existing and future Javelin missiles.

Announced on October 19, the production contract comes five months after the joint venture delivered its first LWCLUs to the Army. The new launcher is intended to replace the legacy Command Launch Unit (CLU), modernizing a key part of a weapon system used by US forces and international customers.

The upgrade focuses on the equipment soldiers use to find, identify, and engage targets, rather than introducing an entirely new missile. That distinction matters because the launcher’s sensors and targeting interface are central to how the Javelin system operates on the battlefield.

Smaller launcher with 2x target-detection range

The LWCLU is 30% smaller and 25% lighter than the existing Block I Command Launch Unit, according to the companies. It also doubles the target-detection and recognition range, helping soldiers spot and identify potential threats from farther away.

The launcher is more than a housing for the missile. It incorporates the sighting and fire-control equipment used to observe the battlefield, acquire a target, and prepare the weapon for launch. The LWCLU’s updated sensors, displays, and image processing are intended to provide clearer imagery and improve target recognition, including during nighttime operations.

The weight reduction is also significant for infantry. Soldiers may need to carry the launcher over difficult terrain while moving between positions, so a smaller and lighter unit can reduce the physical burden without requiring a change to the missiles themselves.

How Javelin launcher works

The Javelin system consists of a reusable command launch unit and a separate missile housed in a launch tube. The launcher provides the operator with the imaging and targeting interface, while the missile carries its own guidance system.

Once a target is acquired and the missile is launched, Javelin uses an imaging infrared seeker to guide itself toward the target. This fire-and-forget approach lets the operator move after firing instead of continuously steering the missile. Javelin can also attack armored vehicles from above, targeting their comparatively vulnerable upper surfaces, or use a direct-attack mode against other targets.

The LWCLU is designed to work with past, current, and future Javelin variants. That compatibility allows the Army to upgrade the equipment used to operate the weapon without requiring an entirely new missile family.

Production ramps up after initial deliveries

The contract follows earlier investment in the manufacturing process. Raytheon said in May that it invested $22 million to modernize its LWCLU factory in Tucson, Arizona, the increase production speed and capacity. The Javelin Joint Venture also manufactures the system with Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida.

The partnership said it has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and over 12,000 reusable command launch units to date. The latest contract supports the transition from initial deliveries toward broader production of the upgraded launcher.

For the Army, the improvement is a relatively focused modernization: better target observation and recognition, less equipment weight, and continued compatibility with an established missile system.

As militaries place greater emphasis on infantry mobility and rapid target identification, upgrading the launcher could extend the usefulness of the Javelin without requiring soldiers to learn an entirely new weapon system.