Good Morning! 🌞

I'm fascinated by today's article on the future of supersonic aircraft. It's baffling how little progress we've made in aviation over the past 50 years, especially since the Concorde era, with no commercial supersonic travel since then. It seems like that is about to change…

Innovation

The Supersonic Factory is Here

Last month, Boom, an aviation technology company, celebrated the completion of the Overture Superfactory, the first supersonic airliner factory in the United States. This facility, located at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, will serve as the final assembly line for Boom’s Overture supersonic airliner, enhancing American leadership in aerospace manufacturing.

With the construction phase complete, Boom will now focus on operationalizing production. The initial assembly line can produce 33 Overture aircraft annually, with plans to build an additional line to double the capacity to 66 aircraft per year. The campus will also feature a delivery center for global airlines, including United, American, and Japan Airlines. Overture aircraft built here will serve millions of passengers worldwide.

The Superfactory's construction, completed just 17 months after breaking ground in January 2023, is expected to significantly impact North Carolina's economy. Economists project the full Boom manufacturing program will contribute at least $32.3 billion over 20 years, with the Superfactory directly creating more than 2,400 jobs.

I am guessing it will be pretty expensive to get a flight on one of those. But they are very cool looking!

Health

A Safer Insecticide

A new pesticide specifically targeting the Colorado potato beetle has proven effective, killing the pest while leaving other species unharmed, including its close relatives. This beetle, originating from the Rocky Mountains, causes over $500 million in annual damage across the Northern Hemisphere.

GreenLight Biosciences has developed Calantha, a spray that uses RNA interference technology to target the PSMB5 gene, which is essential for removing damaged proteins in cells. Blocking this gene causes protein buildup, killing the larvae within six days. The beetle, which also harms eggplant, tomatoes, and bell peppers, has developed resistance to 50 pesticide formulas.

Similar to bacteria developing antibiotic resistance, crop pests have become immune to many pesticides, necessitating ongoing innovation. In 2001, farmers in Maine found that neonicotinoids were no longer effective against the potato beetle. Andrei Alyokhin, an entomologist at the University of Maine, observed that the beetles were unaffected by treated plants.

RNA interference is praised for its precision and safety, targeting only the potato beetle’s genetic relatives and sparing beneficial insects like pollinators. Subba Reddy Palli, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, highlighted its precision and effectiveness.

Calantha, produced at about $1 per gram, was approved by the FDA after proving harmless to non-target species. GreenLight conducted safety trials comparing PSMB5 in the potato beetle with other insects, finding that only two other agricultural pest species were affected.

Culture

Colossal Art Installation Over Lake Michigan

"Baby You," an art installation captivated Milwaukee during the Summer Solstice.

The installation marked the U.S. launch of Przekrój, a 75-year-old Polish magazine known for its kind and playful perspective. The whimsical balloon symbolized its American rebirth and mission to unlock American readers' potential.

Przekrój, a groundbreaking Polish magazine during the Cold War, celebrated the launch of its English-language online edition with this massive baby-shaped balloon over Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan. "Baby You" symbolized the untapped potential within everyone.

Przekrój meant “to cut through,” named after the fused pages of older magazines that readers had to cut open. Running for 80 years, it aimed to support personal growth and self-discovery.

“We shared knowledge because we believed in the unlimited potential within each of us,” said Tomek Niewiadomski, chairman of the Przekrój Foundation. “Our goal was to support every reader in their personal growth and self-discovery.”

Building "Baby You" took nine months, involving engineers, designers, and sewers across Europe. Przekrój Foundation collaborated with artist Bart Van Peel to solve aesthetic, technical, and aeronautical challenges, especially distributing air within the balloon's structure. The balloon's tan fabric colors changed with the light, reflecting various human skin tones.

Mind Stretchers

❓️ 

If you drop me I’m sure to crack,
but give me a smile, and I’ll always smile back.
What am I?

Answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

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