Today’s topics

• Bitcoin has steadied after a sharp price drop

• Nearly 10 billion stolen passwords leaked online

• Crew of NASA's simulated Mars mission is back

• Fantasy of living like a Lord or Lady

  and more…

Wall Street danced into the weekend with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 hitting all-time highs, fueled by fresh data suggesting a wobbly job market could mean interest rate cuts are coming sooner than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tickled upward, closing at 39,375.87, while the S&P 500 flexed with a 30.17-point gain to 5,567.19, and the Nasdaq Composite strutted its stuff, up 164.46 points to 18,352.76.

Bitcoin's rollercoaster: stability amid 'extreme fear'. Bitcoin has steadied after a sharp price drop, yet "extreme fear" looms large. The recent crash, driven partly by the Mt. Gox exchange liquidating significant holdings, saw prices dip to February lows. As Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell warns of a "critical period," the U.S. budget deficit is expected to balloon by 27% to $1.9 trillion next year, a development some believe could bolster Bitcoin's value.

Roller coaster royale: Six Flags and Cedar Fair merge for a wild ride. Six Flags and Cedar Fair have merged in an $8 billion deal, forming the largest amusement park operator in the U.S. The combined force now boasts 42 parks across 17 states, much to the mixed delight and dread of rollercoaster enthusiasts. Optimists hope for spruced-up parks, while pessimists fear steeper ticket prices. Despite reassurances that each park will keep its unique branding, fans worry about losing the nostalgic charm to corporate uniformity.

Password Pandemonium: Largest Stolen Credentials Dump Hits Dark Web

Security researchers report that the world's largest collection of stolen passwords, nearly 10 billion, has surfaced on a notorious cybercrime marketplace. A hacker known as 'ObamaCare' is behind the massive database, which aggregates credentials from countless breaches over the years. This alarming development highlights the ongoing threats in cybersecurity and the vast scope of compromised personal data.

The Science Eye: A New Vision for the Visually Impaired

Science, a startup from Alameda, Calif., is pioneering the Science Eye, a visual prosthesis aimed at restoring vision for those with retinitis pigmentosa. Co-founded by a former Neuralink executive, the company joins GenSight Biologics and Bionic Sight in leveraging optogenetics, a gene therapy that enhances retinal cell light sensitivity. While promising, this technology, praised by experts like Anand Swaroop from the National Eye Institute, currently offers basic navigational vision rather than detailed sight. The Science Eye includes a sophisticated implant with a high-resolution micro-LED array and sleek glasses equipped with infrared cameras, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in vision restoration.

Mars Mission Mock-Up: NASA Crew Emerges After Yearlong Simulation

The crew of NASA's simulated Mars mission has emerged after a year confined in a 17,000-square-foot habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Volunteers Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones participated in this earthbound mission, starting on June 25, 2023, as part of NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project. Their experience aims to provide insights for future manned missions to Mars, the red planet that continues to captivate scientists and sci-fi enthusiasts alike.

Dangling ice: a cosmic chemistry clue. For the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope has detected a peculiar form of ice previously observed only in labs, potentially shedding light on the origins of life on Earth. This "fluffy" ice, first seen nearly 30 years ago, may contribute to forming life's molecular building blocks. Unlike the tightly bonded crystal lattice of regular ice, this type features loosely held H2O molecules, similar to powdery snow, offering new insights into cosmic chemistry.

Wet Welcome: Barcelona's Protesters Target Tourist

Mass tourism protests in Barcelona have taken a splashy turn, with demonstrators using water pistols to squirt unsuspecting diners in popular tourist spots. Chanting "tourists go home," thousands have gathered to voice their frustration. The city's mayor has responded by pledging to eliminate short-term tourist rentals within five years, signaling a significant shift in Barcelona's approach to managing tourism.

Manor Mania: TV shows spark surge in historical hotel stays. Thanks to the hit series like Bridgerton and Saltburn, manor hotels in the U.K. and Ireland are enjoying a renaissance. "People have always been drawn to the charm of manors and country houses," says Michelle Maguire, CEO of Ireland's Blue Book. "These shows have ignited a fresh interest in the fantasy of living like a Lord or Lady." Everything old is indeed new again in the world of hospitality.

Vienna reigns supreme. Vienna, renowned for its beauty, has once again been named the most livable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This marks the third consecutive year the Austrian capital has topped the list, excelling in health care, stability, infrastructure, and education.

Wombat walker wanted. Tasmania is seeking adventurous professionals for quirky roles like "wombat walker," responsible for guiding and feeding these marsupials on daily jaunts. If you're intrigued by unusual job opportunities, Tasmania's openings might pique your interest.

Forgotten insights on black holes. John Michell, a British clergyman, proposed pioneering ideas about black holes almost two centuries before their scientific acceptance. Despite his foresight, Michell's work remained relatively obscure possibly due to the era's limited scientific communication and the lack of observational evidence to validate his theoretical concepts during his time.

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