Automotive Industry

European EV Market Growth

Electric vehicle sales in Europe experienced a significant surge, jumping by 37% last month. This increase is attributed to automakers actively promoting their battery-powered cars to meet stricter emissions regulations implemented this year.

Tesla's Sales Decline

Despite the overall growth in the European EV market, Tesla Inc. experienced a sharp decline in sales, plunging by 45% last month. This occurred even as rival carmakers witnessed a surge in electric-vehicle demand across Europe.

Politics & Social Issues

AI-Generated Video Incident at HUD

An AI-generated video showing Donald Trump bowing to and kissing Elon Musk's feet was displayed at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters. The video played on a loop in the HUD cafeteria and coincided with Musk's deadline for federal workers to detail their accomplishments or face job loss. A HUD spokesperson condemned the video as a waste of taxpayer money and resources, vowing to take appropriate action.

Aerospace

SpaceX Identifies Cause of Starship Explosion

SpaceX believes it has determined the cause of the Starship explosion during its seventh test flight on January 16th, 2025. Fires in the aft section of Starship, between the liquid oxygen tank and rear heat shield, led to a loss of communication and the spacecraft's self-destruction. The most probable cause was vibrations during the flight, resulting in increased stress on the propulsion system's hardware and a propellant leak. The debris came down within the pre-planned Debris Response area near Turks and Caicos.

Space Exploration

NASA's Astronauts Return

Former NASA deputy administrator told Bloomberg that NASA’s top officials never received an offer from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring home two US astronauts marooned in space earlier than planned.

Government & Policy

IRS Employees and Elon Musk's Email

Federal workers at the U.S. Treasury, including the IRS, were instructed via email to respond to Elon Musk's request for information on their work. The email, allegedly from John W. York (a former Heritage Foundation analyst), advised employees to detail their accomplishments, avoiding confidential information. However, workers at several agencies have been told not to respond.

Aerospace

SpaceX Starship Explosion Investigation

SpaceX reported that last month's Starship explosion was caused by propellant leaks triggering a chain of events. The issue has been addressed before the eighth test flight, potentially occurring as early as Friday, pending FAA approval. Two minutes after engine ignition, a flash near a Raptor vacuum engine was observed, followed by propellant leaks and fires, likely due to unexpected vibrations. These leaks led to engine shutdowns, communication loss, and the destruction of the ship. The FAA rerouted flights after the explosion.

Politics

AI-Generated Political Satire

An AI-generated video depicting Donald Trump kissing Elon Musk's feet was displayed on TVs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters. The clip, featuring the text “Long Live The Real King,” played for about five minutes before being stopped. The video shows Trump kissing the toe ring of Musk, depicted as the real king.

Blockchain & Technology

Blockchain's Impact on Political Structures

The left-versus-right political debate is becoming obsolete due to blockchain technology, which is disrupting and bifurcating the state into its core components of economic management and law and justice. Blockchain's decentralized finance, smart contracts, tokenization, zero-knowledge proofs, and DAOs are forcing this separation, creating a new political matrix with possibilities like crypto-anarchy. This shift is a technological inevitability, similar to how the printing press separated church and state, with Bitcoin, smart contracts, DAOs, and DeFi already separating money, enforcement, organization, and finance from state control.

Spacecoin's Decentralized Internet Initiative

Spacecoin aims to decentralize the internet by creating a network of low Earth orbit satellites paired with a blockchain to protect the interests of users and providers on the platform. It intends to solve the problem of centralized internet access through a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN), similar to Helium, but on a grander scale, utilizing orbiting satellites to create a truly global network. To ensure secure communication, Spacecoin is implementing a blockchain system that facilitates data transmission and handles fee payments between satellites and end-users. In 2025, Spacecoin plans to launch its satellites.