Why World Quantum Day is trending  CNN

'It feels like Tennessee is trending pretty hard' - Rick Barnes and the Vols are poised to get a big offseason win  A to Z Sports

Shakira: Why her self-love message is trending in 2026  HOLA

Rangers prospects stock report: Who’s trending up, down, including Malcolm Spence  Forever Blueshirts

Flau'Jae Johnson's Brother Steals Show During WNBA Draft in Trending Video  Bleacher Report

1. DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4 camera is better at capturing slo-mo footage and photos  The Verge
2. DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review: The only vlogging camera you'll ever need  Engadget
3. DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Announced: 4K/240fps, ActiveTrack 7.0, and Built-in 107GB Storage  CineD
4. DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Has 4Kp240, Better Photos, and More Dynamic Range  PetaPixel
5. DJI Pocket 4 PRO Latest Image Leaked – June 2026 Launch Expected  NEW CAMERA

1. YouTube now lets you hide Shorts  Engadget
2. YouTube now lets you turn off Shorts  The Verge
3. You can now kill your YouTube Shorts feed with one setting  PhoneArena
4. YouTube finally gives you a way to kill Shorts  Android Police
5. YouTube Shorts are a lot easier to ignore with this new setting [Gallery]  9to5Google

1. Microsoft has a new idea on how to deter students from MacBook Neo  9to5Mac
2. Introducing the ultimate college bundle: built for student life  Windows Blog
3. Microsoft counters the MacBook Neo with freebies for students  The Verge
4. Microsoft's new college deal is a half-hearted answer to the $500 MacBook Neo  Engadget
5. Microsoft bundles $500 worth of services with select Windows 11 PCs for students  Neowin

1. Vivo X300 Ultra goes global with insane videography capabilities  9to5Google
2. More phone cameras should come with telephoto lenses  The Verge
3. vivo Unveils X300 FE: Bringing ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera to a Compact Design  PR Newswire
4. The Vivo X300 Ultra is a powerful camera phone aimed at videographers  Engadget
5. The Vivo X300 FE is official with a first-ever telephoto upgrade  PhoneArena

Intel China introduces “AI Quiet Plus” program for quieter gaming laptops  VideoCardz.com

In a remote part of northern Mauritania on the Adrar Plateau lies a desert landscape rich in human history. This region of northwestern Africa is sprinkled with Paleolithic stone tools, Neolithic cave paintings, and the remains of medieval towns once used by caravans crossing the Sahara Desert.

When viewed from space, the landscape appears to be shaped most prominently by natural forces. Wind sculpted the seas of colorful sand dunes and scoured plateaus capped with dark desert pavement, while ancient flowing water carved valleys and networks of dried river channels.

But the region’s most eye-catching feature when seen from above is the Richat Structure—a large geologic formation made of concentric ridges on the eastern side of the plateau. French geographers first described the feature in the 1930s, calling it the Richat “buttonhole.” NASA astronauts Ed White and James McDivitt helped bring wider global attention to what became known as “The Eye of the Sahara” after photographing it during their history-making Gemini IV mission.

The 40-kilometer-wide (25-mile-wide) structure was initially thought to be an impact crater because large meteors can produce circular features on Earth’s surface. However, researchers later showed that it is actually a deeply eroded geologic dome formed by the uplift of rock above an underground intrusion of igneous material. Over time, differing erosion rates among rock types in the exposed upper dome led to the development of circular ridges known as cuestas. The orange and gray colors reflect differences in sedimentary and igneous rock types across the structure and the surrounding landscape.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

References & Resources

• Abdeina, E.H., et al. (2024) How old is the Eye of Africa? A polyphase history for the igneous Richat Structure, Mauritania. Lithos, 107698.
• Abdeina, E.H., et al. (2021) Geophysical modelling of the deep structure of the Richat magmatic intrusion (northern Mauritania): insights into its kinematics of emplacement. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(22), 2315.
• The Debrief (2021, April 16) The Richat Structure: The “Eye of the Sahara” is One of Earth’s Strangest Marvels. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• Géoconscience, Adrar Plateau. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• International Commission on Geoheritage, Richat Structure, A Cretaceous Alkaline Complex. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• Matton, G., et al. (2005) Resolving the Richat enigma: Doming and hydrothermal karstification above an alkaline complex. Geology, 33 (8), 665-668.
• Matton, G. & Jébrak, M. (2014) The “eye of Africa” (Richat dome, Mauritania): An isolated Cretaceous alkaline–hydrothermal complex. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 97, 109-124.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2022, July 10) The Eye of the Sahara. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• National Archives (1965, June 4) Richat Structure. Accessed April 8, 2026.

Listen to this audio excerpt from Rebekah Tolatovicz, a mechanical technician lead supporting the Orion spacecraft’s main contractor Lockheed Martin:

At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, there is a fleet of Orion spacecraft in work, and Rebekah Tolatovicz’s hands have helped build each one. Tolatovicz works to build, integrate, and test the spacecraft used during the Artemis II test flight, as well as those designed to carry humanity to the Moon on future Artemis missions.

Tolatovicz is a mechanical technician lead for the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, or ASRC Federal, supporting the Orion spacecraft’s main contractor Lockheed Martin. A typical day for Tolatovicz takes place inside NASA Kennedy’s Operations and Checkout Building, with Orion assembly and testing. Her work ranges from helping coordinate and lead technicians, to jumping into hands-on installations on components like hatches and engines, to collaborating with the engineering team.

“What I really like about the area that I’m in is we do so much,” said Tolatovicz. “From starting with the bare structure and installing giant parts and titanium pieces, to final integration where you’re installing the tiniest little components. I think that’s the coolest part. We don’t do just one technical thing — it’s all the technical things.”

Tolatovicz currently works on the Orion crew modules that could sustain the astronauts on future Artemis missions, and she played a large role in work on the Artemis II spacecraft that carried four astronauts on a mission around the Moon, splashing down April 10. This included testing, integration, and final installation and closeout before the spacecraft was prepared for fueling and stacking on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

As Artemis II was the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis program, Tolatovicz recognized the impact of her work.

Tolatovicz, who began as an intern with Lockheed Martin through Eastern Florida State College’s aerospace technician program, knows what it’s like to be a newcomer. She had been mentored by technicians who worked through the space shuttle era, which largely shaped her experience and outlook.

“At first I didn’t think I was going to make it,” said Tolatovicz. “But if you come in with a good attitude and want to learn — there’s so much you can learn from these guys, they have decades of knowledge to share. Once I got down on the floor and was working with them hands-on, I knew I could figure it out.”

Tolatovicz has been working on the Orion program for nine years. Since then, the Maine native has witnessed her work come to fruition on Orion’s uncrewed Artemis I test flight as well as the Artemis II mission around the Moon.

“It’s really amazing for me to be a part of NASA’s history and the next step,” said Tolatovicz. “I just really love my job, the team, and working through challenges. You don’t think about it when you’re putting things on, but then you get to tell somebody else that you installed the thrusters for the spacecraft, and you realize — man, that’s pretty cool.”

NASA and Voyager Technologies have signed an order for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 from Florida.

This is the company’s first selection for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, underscoring NASA’s ongoing investment in fostering a commercial space economy and expanding opportunities for private industry in low Earth orbit. 

“Private astronaut missions are accelerating the growth of new ideas, industries, and technologies that strengthen America’s presence in low Earth orbit and pave the way for what comes next,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “With three providers now selected for private missions, NASA is doing everything we can to send more astronauts to space and ignite the orbital economy. Each new partner brings fresh capabilities that move us closer to a future with multiple commercially operated space stations and a vibrant, sustainable marketplace in low Earth orbit.”

The mission, named VOYG-1, is expected to spend as many as 14 days aboard the space station. A specific launch date will depend on overall spacecraft traffic at the orbital outpost and other planning considerations.

Voyager will submit four proposed crew members to NASA and its international partners for review. Once approved and confirmed, they will train with NASA, international partners, and the launch provider for their flight.

“This award reflects decades of partnership with NASA and validates our belief that the infrastructure being built in low Earth orbit today is the launchpad for humanity’s future in deep space,” said Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO, Voyager. “From the International Space Station’s first commercial airlock to the seventh private astronaut mission, Voyager is committed to making American human spaceflight stronger, more capable, and more sustainable at every step of the journey.”

The company will purchase mission services from NASA, including crew consumables, cargo delivery, storage, and other in-orbit resources for daily use. NASA will purchase the capability to return scientific samples that must remain cold during transit back to Earth.

NASA made the selection from proposals received in response to its March 2025 NASA Research Announcement.

Missions aboard the International Space Station, including private astronaut missions, help advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies in the unique microgravity environment. These commercial efforts in low Earth orbit help develop capabilities and technologies that could support NASA’s long-term goals for missions beyond low Earth orbit, including deep space exploration to the Moon and eventually to Mars through the agency’s Artemis program.

Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space

-end-

Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
james.j.russell@nasa.gov 

Anna Schneider / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

Experiments and supplies bound for the International Space Station launched on April 11 as part of the agency’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission.

As part of the approximately 11,000 pounds cargo that lifted off inside the company’s Cygnus XL spacecraft, NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) launched six CubeSats built by U.S. educational institutions and non-profit organizations. These CubeSats are Coconut, Harvard Undergraduate CubeSat (HUCSat), Low Earth Orbit Platform for Aerospace Research and Development Satellite 1 (LEOPARDSat-1), and three Pleiades Rapid Orbital Verification Experiment System (PROVES) CubeSats: PROVES – Alcyone, PROVES – Atlas, and PROVES – Electra.

Each CubeSat is a small satellite that will deploy into orbit from the space station to conduct its experiments. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages CSLI and manifested these CubeSats on the mission as part of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) 58 launch grouping.

Photo credit: SpaceX

NASA Science at NSTA Hyperwall Schedule, April 16-18, 2026

Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #1265) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

11:00 AM	Teaching Space Weather in the Artemis Mission Era	Christina Milotte
11:15 AM	5E StoryMaps using NASA Resources	Tina Harte Ballinger
11:30 AM	Growing Beyond Earth: A Partnership Between Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden & NASA	Amy Padolf
11:45 AM	Learn Science by Doing Science: Real NASA Research That Your Class Can Do Today	Sarah Kirn
12:00 PM	Unlock NASA’s Eyes and Inspire the Scientists of Tomorrow	Jason Craig
12:15 PM	Access NASA Earth Data for your Class	Angela Rizzi
12:30 PM	Solar System Treks	George Chang
12:45 PM	Earth in Motion: How the NISAR Satellite Mission will Transform Our View of the Planet	Erika Podest
1:30 PM	Differentiated NASA Earth Data Analysis and Interpretation	Angela Rizzi
1:45 PM	Roman Space Telescope and Webb Space Telescope	Begoña Vila
2:00 PM	Earth in Motion: How the NISAR Satellite Mission will Transform Our View of the Planet	Erika Podest
2:15 PM	Solar System Treks	George Chang
2:30 PM	Unlock NASA’s Eyes and Inspire the Scientists of Tomorrow	Jason Craig
2:45 PM	Teaching Space Weather in the Artemis Mission Era	Christina Milotte
3:00 PM	Earth in Motion: How the NISAR Satellite Mission will Transform Our View of the Planet	Erika Podest
3:45 PM	Learn Science by Doing Science: Real NASA Research That Your Class Can Do Today	Sarah Kirn

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

11:00 AM	NASA Solar System Ambassador Program	Sarah Marcotte
11:15 AM	Growing Beyond Earth: A Partnership Between Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden & NASA	Amy Padolf
11:30 AM	Access NASA Earth Data for your Class	Angela Rizzi
11:45 AM	Roman Space Telescope and Webb Space Telescope	Begoña Vila
12:00 PM	Learn Science by Doing Science: Real NASA Research That Your Class Can Do Today	Sarah Kirn
12:15 PM	Teaching Space Weather in the Artemis Mission Era	Christina Milotte
12:30 PM	5E StoryMaps using NASA Resources	Tina Harte Ballinger
1:30 PM	Growing Beyond Earth: A Partnership Between Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden & NASA	Amy Padolf
1:45 PM	Learn Science by Doing Science: Real NASA Research That Your Class Can Do Today	Sarah Kirn
2:00 PM	Roman Space Telescope and Webb Space Telescope	Begoña Vila
2:15 PM	NASA Solar System Ambassador Program	Sarah Marcotte

Runway’s CEO says AI could help studios make dozens of films for the cost of one, betting volume will boost hit-making odds.

Starting April 19, the price of the Meta Quest 3S (128GB) and Meta Quest 3S (256GB) will go up by $50 to $349.99 and $449.99, respectively. The price of the Meta Quest 3 is going up by $100 to $599.99.

The latest version of Canva's AI assistant lets users create editable designs with text prompts.

Retail giant Express was publicly spilling customer information to the open web. The bug is now fixed after TechCrunch alerted Express, but the company would not say if it plans to notify customers.

Antioch raised a $8.5 million seed round to create simulation tools for a new generation of robot builders.