A profile of headhunter Peterson Conway, who worked with Palantir and other Silicon Valley defense and hard tech firms and is now the talent head at VC firm A* (Margaux MacColl/TechCrunch)

SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA are preparing for a crewed rocket launch, contingent on favorable weather conditions after several delays caused by weather and technical issues. As the mission approaches, SpaceX is readying its operations, closely monitoring weather forecasts to ensure a successful launch. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA are preparing for a rocket launch with astronauts, but they need good weather to go ahead after some delays....

The Trump administration plans to open millions of acres of national forest to development by rescinding the "Roadless Rule," which protects 59 million acres from road construction and logging, a move criticized by conservation groups as a land grab that may increase wildfire risks. Critics argue that this decision prioritizes timber industry interests over environmental protection, undermining efforts to manage forests sustainably. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: The Trump administration is planning to...

Roland has unveiled the Mood Pan, a digital version of the handpan, designed for easy play with nine visible pads that represent notes and can be set to various scales. Featuring a built-in speaker system, Bluetooth connectivity, and multiple sound variations, it caters to musical exploration and relaxation, retailing for $660 with USB-C power options. Need More Context? 🔎

A federal judge ruled in favor of Anthropic, stating that training its AI models on legally purchased books without permission constitutes fair use, though the ruling is limited to physical books that were bought and digitized. However, the judge also determined that Anthropic must face a separate trial for allegedly pirating millions of books online, highlighting the complexities of AI copyright cases. Need More Context? 🔎

AT&T is enhancing its next-gen 911 network with the ESInet platform to allow customers to easily share pictures and videos with emergency dispatch centers starting in October, improving response preparation for first responders. This update will also include security features for protecting sensitive data and enable select 2026 Toyota vehicles to automatically transmit crash data to dispatchers. Need More Context? 🔎

Goldman Sachs has launched a generative AI assistant for its employees, with 10,000 already utilizing it for tasks such as document summarization and data analysis. While the company claims the AI will enable staff to focus on higher-value work, reports suggest it may lead to decreased workforce needs, as evidenced by one banker noting that AI now handles 85% of client responses, preventing the hiring of 30 new staff. Need More Context? 🔎