Tech
On May 9, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched 26 Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission, designated Starlink 15-3, lifted off at 5:19 p.m. PDT (8:19 p.m. EDT) after several delays earlier in the week. The first-stage booster, B1081, completed its 14th flight and landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean approximately eight minutes after liftoff. This marked the 441st booster landing and the 128th on that particular vessel. The satellites will join the Starlink constellation, enhancing global broadband coverage and bringing the total satellites to 8,542.
In May 2025, OpenAI agreed to acquire Windsurf, an AI-powered coding assistant formerly known as Codeium, for approximately $3 billion. This marks OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date. Windsurf, recognized for its advanced features like context-aware code generation and real-time collaboration, complements OpenAI’s existing tools such as ChatGPT and Codex. The acquisition aims to enhance OpenAI’s position in the competitive AI coding tools market, challenging rivals like GitHub Copilot and Anthropic’s Claude. By integrating Windsurf’s capabilities, OpenAI seeks to accelerate its development of AI-driven coding solutions and expand its influence among developers.
Spanish technology firm GMV has unveiled LUPIN, a GPS-like lunar navigation system designed to provide real-time positioning for astronauts and rovers on the Moon. Developed under the European Space Agency’s program, LUPIN utilizes signals from lunar-orbiting satellites to overcome challenges like communication delays and limited visibility. Tested in Fuerteventura, Spain, which simulates lunar terrain, the system aims to enhance lunar exploration, including scientific research, mining, and tourism. By integrating existing lunar maps and satellite data, LUPIN supports safe and efficient navigation, paving the way for permanent lunar bases and future Mars missions.
In May 2025, a humanoid robot made by Unitree in a Chinese factory malfunctioned during a test, violently flailing its limbs and knocking over equipment while suspended from a crane. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, sparked public concern and comparisons to science fiction scenarios like “The Terminator.” As humanoid robots become more integrated into daily life, this event underscores the need for stringent safety protocols and ethical considerations in robotics development.
Global
In May 2025, India and Pakistan engaged in their most intense aerial conflict in decades following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. India launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting alleged militant camps in Pakistan using Rafale jets and missiles. Pakistan retaliated with “Operation Bunyān Mārsūs,” deploying J-10C fighters and drones, reportedly downing multiple Indian aircraft. A massive dogfight ensued on May 7, involving over 125 jets—the largest since the Gulf War. The escalation resulted in significant casualties and infrastructure damage. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, with both nations committing to halt hostilities and pursue diplomatic dialogue.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff in Catholic history. A former missionary in Peru and head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, he was chosen as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on May 8, 2025, after a surprise surge of support in the conclave. Known for his centrist views and commitment to synodality, Pope Leo XIV aims to bridge divides within the Church while continuing the reformist legacy of Pope Francis.
On May 9, 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s triumph in the Great Patriotic War. Alongside President Vladimir Putin and leaders from over 20 nations, Xi laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and observed a moment of silence. The day’s events included a grand military parade featuring over 11,500 troops, with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Guard of Honor participating. Xi emphasized the historical alliance between China and Russia against fascism and advocated for strengthened bilateral ties to uphold international fairness and justice.
On May 10, 2025, European leaders—including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki—traveled to Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their visit aimed to push for a 30-day ceasefire amid ongoing hostilities. This diplomatic effort underscores Europe’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense and the pursuit of peace in the region.
Newark Liberty International Airport is facing a severe operational crisis marked by chronic delays, flight cancellations, and safety concerns. Since late April, two radar and radio outages—each lasting about 90 seconds—have disrupted air traffic control, leading to hundreds of delays and cancellations. These issues stem from outdated infrastructure, including copper wiring and floppy disks, and a significant shortage of air traffic controllers, with 20% on trauma leave. United Airlines has reduced its Newark schedule by 10%, citing safety concerns. In response, the FAA plans to expedite modernization efforts, including upgrading to fiber optics and hiring more controllers, though full implementation may take years.
Economy & Finance
At Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 annual meeting, Warren Buffett, at the age of 94, announced he will step down as CEO by year-end, naming Greg Abel as his successor. He addressed concerns over the U.S. fiscal deficit and trade policies, criticizing the use of tariffs as economic weapons. Berkshire reported a record $347.7 billion in cash reserves. He emphasized patience and rationality in investing, advising against emotional reactions to market volatility. Buffett is one of the best-known and most successful investors in history. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he began investing at age 11. In 1965, he took control of Berkshire Hathaway, transforming it from a struggling textile company into a $1 trillion conglomerate with major holdings in companies like Coca-Cola, Apple, and GEICO.
In May 2025, Saudi Arabia intensified pressure on its OPEC+ partners by announcing a significant oil production increase of 411,000 barrels per day for June, tripling expectations and marking a 0.4% rise in global supply. This move led to oil prices dipping below $60 per barrel, nearing four-year lows. While OPEC+ cited “healthy market fundamentals,” analysts suggest Saudi Arabia aims to discipline members like Iraq and Kazakhstan for exceeding quotas and to assert dominance amid weak demand and global economic uncertainties.
Science
The Soviet spacecraft Cosmos 482, launched in 1972 on a failed mission to Venus, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere between May 9 and 11, 2025, after 53 years in orbit. Built to withstand Venus’s extreme conditions, the 495 kg lander may survive re-entry, posing a minimal risk due to its uncontrolled descent. The potential impact zone spans between 52°N and 52°S latitudes, covering much of the inhabited world. Experts anticipate it will likely fall into the ocean or unpopulated areas, minimizing danger to people, with a projected risk of 0.40 in 10,000. The exact time and location remain uncertain due to variables like solar activity and the spacecraft’s deteriorated state.
In their paper The Unbearable Slowness of Being: Why Do We Live at 10 Bits/s?, Caltech researchers Jieyu Zheng and Markus Meister reveal that, despite our sensory systems collecting data at approximately 1 gigabit per second, our conscious thought processes operate at a mere 10 bits per second. This discrepancy arises because the brain filters vast sensory inputs, allowing only essential information to reach conscious awareness. The authors propose that this “speed limit” is an evolutionary adaptation, enabling efficient decision-making in environments where rapid processing isn’t critical. They distinguish between the “outer” brain, handling fast sensory and motor signals, and the “inner” brain, which processes the reduced information needed for behavior. This insight challenges assumptions about enhancing human cognition through technology (such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink), suggesting inherent biological constraints on our processing speed.
In April and May 2025, NASA launched two super-pressure balloons from Wānaka Airport, New Zealand, as part of a campaign to test long-duration, high-altitude flight technology. The first balloon, carrying the HIWIND payload to study thermospheric winds, achieved a full circumnavigation of the Southern Hemisphere in 16 days. However, due to a suspected leak causing altitude instability, the mission was safely terminated after 17 days over the Pacific Ocean. The second balloon lifted off on May 3 and reached a float altitude of 108,000 feet, aiming for a 100-day flight to further validate the technology and support additional scientific experiments.
Nature & Environment
After more than a century of restricted access, the Octagon Earthworks in Newark, Ohio, USA —a 2,000-year-old ceremonial site built by the Hopewell culture—officially opened to the public on January 1, 2025. This monumental site, featuring a 50-acre octagon and a 20-acre circle, served as a gathering place for thousands of indigenous people for celestial observations and religious ceremonies. Recognized as part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Octagon’s opening follows a prolonged legal effort to reclaim the land from a private country club. Plans are underway to enhance the site with an interpretive center, honoring its historical and cultural significance.
Scientists predict that the Northern Lights will intensify over the next 50 years due to the sun entering a prolonged phase of heightened activity. This period, known as a “grand solar maximum,” could lead to more frequent and vivid auroral displays, visible at lower latitudes than usual. The increased solar activity may also impact satellite operations and power grids on Earth. This forecast suggests that the spectacular auroras observed in recent years could become a regular occurrence, offering extended opportunities for observation and study.
In early May 2025, Grizzly 1058, a 5-year-old male bear and one of the four cubs whose mother was known as the “world’s most famous grizzly” Grizzly 399, was found dead in Grand Teton National Park. Rangers discovered his body approximately 125 yards from Highway 26 near the Buffalo Fork River, indicating he had been struck by a vehicle and succumbed to his injuries shortly after. This incident follows the death of his mother, Grizzly 399, who was fatally hit by a car in October 2024. Grizzly 399 raised 18 cubs. The news hit hard for fans of the park’s bears.
In September 2023, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers illegally felled the iconic Sycamore Gap tree near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. The 150-year-old tree, featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, was a cherished landmark. The men drove from Carlisle during a storm and cut down the tree with a chainsaw, recording the act on Graham’s phone. They later exchanged messages expressing amusement over the public’s outrage. On May 9, 2025, both were convicted of criminal damage to the tree and Hadrian’s Wall. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15, with potential prison terms of up to 10 years.
Entertainment & Culture
Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. In 2025, it falls on May 11. It was established in the United States in 1914 through the efforts of Anna Jarvis to honor her mother and all mothers. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father’s Day.
On May 3, 2025, Lady Gaga performed a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, drawing an estimated 2.5 million attendees. This event set a new record for the largest audience at a solo concert by a female artist, surpassing Madonna’s 2024 performance. The show was part of the “Mayhem on the Beach” event, promoting Gaga’s eighth studio album, Mayhem. Despite a foiled bomb plot targeting the concert, the event proceeded without incident. Gaga expressed profound gratitude to her fans, calling the experience unforgettable and a testament to unity and resilience.
In response to the surge in remote workers occupying coffee shops for extended periods, some U.S. cafés are eliminating or limiting Wi-Fi and laptop usage. This move aims to reduce overcrowding, preserve a sense of community, and boost turnover rates by preventing patrons from monopolizing tables for hours on video calls. Strategies vary: New York’s Devoción restricts weekday Wi-Fi to two hours, Detroit’s Alba café has enforced a no-Wi-Fi policy since 2023, and D.C.’s Elle café offers limited internet access after initial resistance. While these measures face challenges, such as negative online reviews, they have also fostered increased face-to-face interactions among customers.
TripAdvisor, the popular travel guidance platform, unveiled the winners of its annual Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Hotel Awards. Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, India, topped the chart. Guests will feel like royalty at this unique property, floating on the waters of Lake Pichola. Every window unveils panoramas of the water, surrounding hills, and the famed city of Udaipur. Jag Niwas was built in 1746 and once served as a summer vacation home for the Mewar Royal family. In 1963, the palace was transformed into a luxurious resort dedicated to lavish living.
Sports
Zhao Xintong made history at the 2025 World Snooker Championship, becoming the first Chinese and Asian player to win the title. Competing as an amateur after a 20-month suspension, Zhao defeated Mark Williams 18–12 in the final at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. His victory, following wins over top players including Ronnie O’Sullivan, earned him £500,000 and elevated him to 11th in global rankings. Zhao’s triumph is seen as a milestone for Chinese snooker, inspiring a new generation and signaling a shift in the sport’s global landscape.
Harry Kane has finally ended his long wait for a major trophy, clinching the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in May 2025. Kane celebrated as Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw with Freiburg secured Bayern’s 34th league title with two games to spare. This marks the first team trophy in Kane’s 15-year professional career. Harry Kane is an English striker renowned for his prolific goal-scoring and leadership. He captains England and is the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 71 goals in 105 appearances. In his debut season with Bayern in 2023, Kane netted 36 league goals, earning the European Golden Shoe. In his second season at Bayern, Kane netted 24 league goals, topping the Bundesliga scoring charts once again.
NBA Playoffs heated up this week:
Knicks Lead Celtics 2–0: The New York Knicks have taken a surprising 2–0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, winning both games in Boston. Game 1 featured a dramatic overtime victory, while Game 2 saw the Knicks rally from a 20-point deficit. Mikal Bridges secured both wins with clutch defensive plays in the final moments.
Nuggets vs. Thunder Series Heats Up: The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder are locked in a competitive series. After the Thunder’s record-setting 149-point performance in Game 2, the Nuggets responded with a 113–104 victory in Game 3, taking a 2–1 series lead.
Cavaliers Rally Against Pacers: The Cleveland Cavaliers avoided a 0–3 deficit by defeating the Indiana Pacers 126–104 in Game 3. Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 39 points, keeping Cleveland’s playoff hopes alive.
Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek claimed victory in Stage 1 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, a 160 km route from Durrës to Tirana, Albania. Pedersen outpaced Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Orluis Aular (Movistar) in a high-speed sprint finish, earning his first maglia rosa. The race featured two ascents of the Surrel climb, which fragmented the peloton and eliminated several sprinters. Notably, Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) crashed near the finish, suffering a vertebral fracture that forced his withdrawal. Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis) secured the blue jersey as best climber, and Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty) took the white jersey for best young rider.
This Day in History
On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, and drove a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connected their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take the long and dangerous journey by wagon train.
Cartoon
Cartoon by Mads Horwath, The New Yorker, May 10, 2025
Funny
A boy asks his father, “Dad, are bugs good to eat?”
“That’s disgusting. Don’t talk about things like that over dinner,” the dad replies.
After dinner, the father asks, “Now, son, what did you want to ask me?”
“Oh, nothing,” the boy says. “There was a bug in your soup, but now it’s gone.”
Previous Issues
May 3, 2025, Hello Darkness My Old Friend
April 26, 2025, A Tale of Two Nations
April 20, 2025, Flying Dutchman Sails Away
P.S. You can download the PDF version of this issue from the link below, which is now available to all free subscribers. Starting from July 1, 2025, the PDF link will be paywalled and available only to paid subscribers (monthly, yearly, or lifetime). Thank you for your support!
Blaze Of Glory & Sound Of Silence By Clayton Man
33.9MB ∙ PDF file
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Last modified on 2025-05-10
