Darth Vader’s lightsaber is about to become someone’s prized possession. It’s up for auction alongside a bunch of other iconic movie props, as spotted earlier by The New York Times. The auction is hosted by the memorabilia company Propstore, and it estimates that Vader’s lightsaber will fetch anywhere from $1 million to $3 million.
Darth Vader had this weapon in hand in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). As noted by Propstore, it’s made from a 1950s British camera flash bulb attachment, which prop makers modified with plastic grips, electrical wires, and magnification bubbles used in vintage calculators.
In an interview with CBS News, Propstore CEO Brian Alinger said the lightsaber came from someone who received it as a gift while visiting the set of Star Wars as a child. Propstore matched the lightsaber to the Star Wars films “based on specific damage to the body.”
There’s plenty of other exciting memorabilia up for grabs during the auction, with the whip used by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) expected to net $250,000 to $500,00, and Keaton’s Batsuit from the original Batman (1989), estimated at $250,000 to $500,000.
X-energy and its peers have been riding a renewed wave of interest in fission power as demand for electricity has surged on the back of AI data centers and societywide electrification.
Amazon is one of X-energy’s biggest backers. The tech giant led a $500 million Series C-1 round and has pledged to buy as much as 5 gigawatts of nuclear power from the company by 2039.
The IPO is sure to come as a relief to X-energy’s investors, which have put about $1.8 billion into the company, according to PitchBook. The startup had previously attempted to go public via reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company, but the two parties canceled the deal in 2023 as the SPAC craze petered out.
X-energy’s reactor is what’s known as a high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor. Inside, uranium encased in spheres of ceramic and carbon is cooled by helium gas. The gas then transfers heat to a steam turbine loop to generate electricity. The fuel design, known as TRISO, is expected to be safer than previous fuel arrangements, though it’s not widely used today.
The startup said in its SEC filing that it’s already embroiled in a patent dispute with another company that recently went bankrupt. Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) went bankrupt in 2024, and its assets were purchased in bankruptcy to form Standard Nuclear. X-energy alleges that USNC infringed on its fuel fabrication patents and that the matter hasn’t been resolved to its satisfaction during the course of the bankruptcy proceedings.
Outside of China, development of new nuclear reactors has all but stalled, stymied by delays and cost overruns. A new breed of startups hopes that by shrinking reactors, they’ll be able to overcome some of the challenges that have beset traditional designs.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco, CA|October 13-15, 2026
None of the small modular reactor startups have built a power plant yet, though several are racing to meet a deadline of July 4 set by the Trump administration.
While many might miss the arbitrary deadline, they’re still likely to achieve criticality, the moment when fission reactions become self-sustaining.
But the road from criticality to profitable power plants is likely to be long. Mass manufacturing can help bring costs down, but it usually takes around a decade for the process to start paying dividends. What’s more, the number of reactors these companies are planning to build might be more than other companies have attempted, but it might not be high enough to reap the true benefits of mass manufacturing.
X-energy expects that by the time its reactor production techniques are mature — what experts call “Nth-of-a-kind” — it will be able to bring costs down by 30% relative to the first-of-a-kind. Investors should pay close attention to how much that first reactor costs. It could make or break the company’s prospects.
X-energy and its peers have been riding a renewed wave of interest in fission power as demand for electricity has surged on the back of AI data centers and societywide electrification.
Amazon is one of X-energy’s biggest backers. The tech giant led a $500 million Series C-1 round and has pledged to buy as much as 5 gigawatts of nuclear power from the company by 2039.
The IPO is sure to come as a relief to X-energy’s investors, which have put about $1.8 billion into the company, according to PitchBook. The startup had previously attempted to go public via reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company, but the two parties canceled the deal in 2023 as the SPAC craze petered out.
X-energy’s reactor is what’s known as a high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor. Inside, uranium encased in spheres of ceramic and carbon is cooled by helium gas. The gas then transfers heat to a steam turbine loop to generate electricity. The fuel design, known as TRISO, is expected to be safer than previous fuel arrangements, though it’s not widely used today.
The startup said in its SEC filing that it’s already embroiled in a patent dispute with another company that recently went bankrupt. Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) went bankrupt in 2024, and its assets were purchased in bankruptcy to form Standard Nuclear. X-energy alleges that USNC infringed on its fuel fabrication patents and that the matter hasn’t been resolved to its satisfaction during the course of the bankruptcy proceedings.
Outside of China, development of new nuclear reactors has all but stalled, stymied by delays and cost overruns. A new breed of startups hopes that by shrinking reactors, they’ll be able to overcome some of the challenges that have beset traditional designs.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco, CA|October 13-15, 2026
None of the small modular reactor startups have built a power plant yet, though several are racing to meet a deadline of July 4 set by the Trump administration.
While many might miss the arbitrary deadline, they’re still likely to achieve criticality, the moment when fission reactions become self-sustaining.
But the road from criticality to profitable power plants is likely to be long. Mass manufacturing can help bring costs down, but it usually takes around a decade for the process to start paying dividends. What’s more, the number of reactors these companies are planning to build might be more than other companies have attempted, but it might not be high enough to reap the true benefits of mass manufacturing.
X-energy expects that by the time its reactor production techniques are mature — what experts call “Nth-of-a-kind” — it will be able to bring costs down by 30% relative to the first-of-a-kind. Investors should pay close attention to how much that first reactor costs. It could make or break the company’s prospects.
#Amazonbacked #Xenergy #files #raise #800M #IPO #TechCrunchAmazon,IPO,nuclear fission,nuclear power,X-Energy">Amazon-backed X-energy files to raise up to $800M in IPO | TechCrunch
Nuclear startup X-energy began its investor roadshow Wednesday as it works toward its IPO, setting its target price between $16 and $19 per share, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If it lists at the high end, the startup could net about $814 million.
X-energy and its peers have been riding a renewed wave of interest in fission power as demand for electricity has surged on the back of AI data centers and societywide electrification.
Amazon is one of X-energy’s biggest backers. The tech giant led a $500 million Series C-1 round and has pledged to buy as much as 5 gigawatts of nuclear power from the company by 2039.
The IPO is sure to come as a relief to X-energy’s investors, which have put about $1.8 billion into the company, according to PitchBook. The startup had previously attempted to go public via reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company, but the two parties canceled the deal in 2023 as the SPAC craze petered out.
X-energy’s reactor is what’s known as a high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor. Inside, uranium encased in spheres of ceramic and carbon is cooled by helium gas. The gas then transfers heat to a steam turbine loop to generate electricity. The fuel design, known as TRISO, is expected to be safer than previous fuel arrangements, though it’s not widely used today.
The startup said in its SEC filing that it’s already embroiled in a patent dispute with another company that recently went bankrupt. Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) went bankrupt in 2024, and its assets were purchased in bankruptcy to form Standard Nuclear. X-energy alleges that USNC infringed on its fuel fabrication patents and that the matter hasn’t been resolved to its satisfaction during the course of the bankruptcy proceedings.
Outside of China, development of new nuclear reactors has all but stalled, stymied by delays and cost overruns. A new breed of startups hopes that by shrinking reactors, they’ll be able to overcome some of the challenges that have beset traditional designs.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco, CA|October 13-15, 2026
None of the small modular reactor startups have built a power plant yet, though several are racing to meet a deadline of July 4 set by the Trump administration.
While many might miss the arbitrary deadline, they’re still likely to achieve criticality, the moment when fission reactions become self-sustaining.
But the road from criticality to profitable power plants is likely to be long. Mass manufacturing can help bring costs down, but it usually takes around a decade for the process to start paying dividends. What’s more, the number of reactors these companies are planning to build might be more than other companies have attempted, but it might not be high enough to reap the true benefits of mass manufacturing.
X-energy expects that by the time its reactor production techniques are mature — what experts call “Nth-of-a-kind” — it will be able to bring costs down by 30% relative to the first-of-a-kind. Investors should pay close attention to how much that first reactor costs. It could make or break the company’s prospects.
F-series, bringing a strong focus on selfie photography, durability, and long battery life. The lineup includes the OPPO F33 5G and F33 Pro 5G, both of which feature a 50MP ultra-wide front camera, AI-powered editing tools, and a massive 7,000mAh battery, as well as high durability ratings. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Big Focus on Selfies and AI Photography
The highlight of the OPPO F33 series is its 50MP ultra-wide front camera with a 100° field of view, which aims to capture more people in a single frame without distortion. The Pro variant also introduces auto-switching to 0.6x zoom when multiple faces are detected, making group selfies more seamless. OPPO has also added a multicolored front fill light for better low-light selfies, along with features such as autofocus and electronic image stabilization.
On the rear, the phones feature a 50MP main camera paired with a depth sensor for portrait shots. The camera system is backed by a wide range of AI tools, including object removal, scene enhancement, portrait lighting, and more. We are currently putting all these claims to the test, so keep an eye on our review dropping pretty soon.
New Design and Performance
The OPPO F33 Pro 5G introduces a redesigned camera module called the Starry Sea Lens, giving the phone a more premium look. The devices also feature a one-piece unibody design with a mix of glossy and matte finishes. On the front, both models come with a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and high brightness levels.
Under the hood, both devices are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 MAX processor, paired with up to 12GB RAM. As always, durability is another highlight. The OPPO F33 series comes with IP69K, IP68, and IP66 ratings, offering protection against dust, water immersion, and even high-pressure water jets. The phones also feature a 360-degree armor body with aerospace-grade materials and shock-absorbing internals, along with military-grade certifications for harsh conditions
The F33 series runs on ColorOS 16, bringing AI features like document scanning, writing assistance, and system-wide optimizations. It also integrates Google Gemini for smart assistance across apps. Connectivity is another area OPPO is focusing on, with the F33 series being positioned as India’s first Jio-certified 5G++ smartphone. Battery life is handled by a 7,000mAh unit with 80W fast charging, which OPPO claims can fully charge the phone in around 69 minutes.
Price and Availability
The OPPO F33 series will be available via Flipkart, Amazon, OPPO’s online store, and offline retail outlets.
OPPO F33 Pro 5G
8GB + 128GB: ₹37,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹40,999
OPPO F33 5G
6GB + 128GB: ₹31,999
8GB + 128GB: ₹34,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹37,999
The F33 Pro goes on sale from April 23, while the standard F33 will be available starting April 26.
F-series, bringing a strong focus on selfie photography, durability, and long battery life. The lineup includes the OPPO F33 5G and F33 Pro 5G, both of which feature a 50MP ultra-wide front camera, AI-powered editing tools, and a massive 7,000mAh battery, as well as high durability ratings. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Big Focus on Selfies and AI Photography
The highlight of the OPPO F33 series is its 50MP ultra-wide front camera with a 100° field of view, which aims to capture more people in a single frame without distortion. The Pro variant also introduces auto-switching to 0.6x zoom when multiple faces are detected, making group selfies more seamless. OPPO has also added a multicolored front fill light for better low-light selfies, along with features such as autofocus and electronic image stabilization.
On the rear, the phones feature a 50MP main camera paired with a depth sensor for portrait shots. The camera system is backed by a wide range of AI tools, including object removal, scene enhancement, portrait lighting, and more. We are currently putting all these claims to the test, so keep an eye on our review dropping pretty soon.
New Design and Performance
The OPPO F33 Pro 5G introduces a redesigned camera module called the Starry Sea Lens, giving the phone a more premium look. The devices also feature a one-piece unibody design with a mix of glossy and matte finishes. On the front, both models come with a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and high brightness levels.
Under the hood, both devices are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 MAX processor, paired with up to 12GB RAM. As always, durability is another highlight. The OPPO F33 series comes with IP69K, IP68, and IP66 ratings, offering protection against dust, water immersion, and even high-pressure water jets. The phones also feature a 360-degree armor body with aerospace-grade materials and shock-absorbing internals, along with military-grade certifications for harsh conditions
The F33 series runs on ColorOS 16, bringing AI features like document scanning, writing assistance, and system-wide optimizations. It also integrates Google Gemini for smart assistance across apps. Connectivity is another area OPPO is focusing on, with the F33 series being positioned as India’s first Jio-certified 5G++ smartphone. Battery life is handled by a 7,000mAh unit with 80W fast charging, which OPPO claims can fully charge the phone in around 69 minutes.
Price and Availability
The OPPO F33 series will be available via Flipkart, Amazon, OPPO’s online store, and offline retail outlets.
OPPO F33 Pro 5G
8GB + 128GB: ₹37,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹40,999
OPPO F33 5G
6GB + 128GB: ₹31,999
8GB + 128GB: ₹34,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹37,999
The F33 Pro goes on sale from April 23, while the standard F33 will be available starting April 26.
#OPPO #F33 #F33 #Pro #Launch #India #IP69K #Rating #Dimensity #Max #mAh #BatteryOppo">OPPO F33, F33 Pro Launch in India with IP69K Rating, Dimensity 6380 Max and 7,000 mAh Battery
OPPO has finally taken the covers off its popular F-series, bringing a strong focus on selfie photography, durability, and long battery life. The lineup includes the OPPO F33 5G and F33 Pro 5G, both of which feature a 50MP ultra-wide front camera, AI-powered editing tools, and a massive 7,000mAh battery, as well as high durability ratings. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Big Focus on Selfies and AI Photography
The highlight of the OPPO F33 series is its 50MP ultra-wide front camera with a 100° field of view, which aims to capture more people in a single frame without distortion. The Pro variant also introduces auto-switching to 0.6x zoom when multiple faces are detected, making group selfies more seamless. OPPO has also added a multicolored front fill light for better low-light selfies, along with features such as autofocus and electronic image stabilization.
On the rear, the phones feature a 50MP main camera paired with a depth sensor for portrait shots. The camera system is backed by a wide range of AI tools, including object removal, scene enhancement, portrait lighting, and more. We are currently putting all these claims to the test, so keep an eye on our review dropping pretty soon.
New Design and Performance
The OPPO F33 Pro 5G introduces a redesigned camera module called the Starry Sea Lens, giving the phone a more premium look. The devices also feature a one-piece unibody design with a mix of glossy and matte finishes. On the front, both models come with a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and high brightness levels.
Under the hood, both devices are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 MAX processor, paired with up to 12GB RAM. As always, durability is another highlight. The OPPO F33 series comes with IP69K, IP68, and IP66 ratings, offering protection against dust, water immersion, and even high-pressure water jets. The phones also feature a 360-degree armor body with aerospace-grade materials and shock-absorbing internals, along with military-grade certifications for harsh conditions
The F33 series runs on ColorOS 16, bringing AI features like document scanning, writing assistance, and system-wide optimizations. It also integrates Google Gemini for smart assistance across apps. Connectivity is another area OPPO is focusing on, with the F33 series being positioned as India’s first Jio-certified 5G++ smartphone. Battery life is handled by a 7,000mAh unit with 80W fast charging, which OPPO claims can fully charge the phone in around 69 minutes.
Price and Availability
The OPPO F33 series will be available via Flipkart, Amazon, OPPO’s online store, and offline retail outlets.
OPPO F33 Pro 5G
8GB + 128GB: ₹37,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹40,999
OPPO F33 5G
6GB + 128GB: ₹31,999
8GB + 128GB: ₹34,999
8GB + 256GB: ₹37,999
The F33 Pro goes on sale from April 23, while the standard F33 will be available starting April 26.
four astronauts returned from their trip around the Moon, a crew of tiny space travelers were already on the move. Scientists sent microscopic worms to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the same broader effort to extend human presence deeper into space.
The space-faring worms arrived at the space station on Monday aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft. The uncrewed spacecraft delivered about 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) of science equipment and supplies to the ISS, including a miniature space laboratory with the wriggly inhabitants inside.
The scientists behind the experiment are hoping these small creatures will help better inform them on human health during long duration space travel.
Space worms
The experiment, led by the University of Exeter in England, is designed to study how living organisms respond to the harsh space environment. “It might sound surprising, but these tiny worms could play a big role in the future of human spaceflight,” U.K. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said in a statement.
The worms are called C. elegans nematode worms, a tiny roundworm that measures around 1 millimeter in length. Because of its transparent body, researchers can watch its cells develop under a microscope. The roundworm is also fast-growing and genetically tractable, making it an ideal candidate for biological research.
The worms are placed inside a miniature lab called the Petri Pod. The self-contained experiment is housed in a unit that measures approximately 4 x 11 inches (10 x 30 centimeters) and weighs around 6 pounds (3 kilograms).
The Petri Pod provides a miniaturized life support system. Credit: University of Exeter
The unit has 12 chambers, four of which can be actively imaged using fluorescent and white light. Each chamber provides a miniaturized life support environment for the worms, maintaining temperature, pressure and a trapped volume of air for them to breathe when exposed to the vacuum of space. They will also receive a supply of food through an agar carrier.
Miniature mission
The worms will spend some time inside the space station before being mounted on the outside of the ISS. From there, the small creatures will spend around 15 weeks inside their miniaturized environment while being exposed to zero-gravity and radiation of outer space.
Throughout that time, the researchers will monitor the worms’ health, using miniaturized cameras to capture stills and time-lapse videos. The experiment will collect data on temperature, pressure, and accumulated dose of radiation experienced by the worms, and send the data back to Earth.
“NASA’s Artemis programme marks a new era of human exploration, with astronauts set to live and work on the Moon for extended periods for the first time. To do that safely, we need to understand how the body responds to the extreme conditions of deep space,” Tim Etheridge, a researcher at the University of Exeter Medical School, said in a statement. “By studying how these worms survive and adapt in space, we can begin to identify the biological mechanisms that will ultimately help protect astronauts during long-duration missions – and bring us one step closer to humans living on the Moon.”
four astronauts returned from their trip around the Moon, a crew of tiny space travelers were already on the move. Scientists sent microscopic worms to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the same broader effort to extend human presence deeper into space.
The space-faring worms arrived at the space station on Monday aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft. The uncrewed spacecraft delivered about 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) of science equipment and supplies to the ISS, including a miniature space laboratory with the wriggly inhabitants inside.
The scientists behind the experiment are hoping these small creatures will help better inform them on human health during long duration space travel.
Space worms
The experiment, led by the University of Exeter in England, is designed to study how living organisms respond to the harsh space environment. “It might sound surprising, but these tiny worms could play a big role in the future of human spaceflight,” U.K. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said in a statement.
The worms are called C. elegans nematode worms, a tiny roundworm that measures around 1 millimeter in length. Because of its transparent body, researchers can watch its cells develop under a microscope. The roundworm is also fast-growing and genetically tractable, making it an ideal candidate for biological research.
The worms are placed inside a miniature lab called the Petri Pod. The self-contained experiment is housed in a unit that measures approximately 4 x 11 inches (10 x 30 centimeters) and weighs around 6 pounds (3 kilograms).
The Petri Pod provides a miniaturized life support system. Credit: University of Exeter
The unit has 12 chambers, four of which can be actively imaged using fluorescent and white light. Each chamber provides a miniaturized life support environment for the worms, maintaining temperature, pressure and a trapped volume of air for them to breathe when exposed to the vacuum of space. They will also receive a supply of food through an agar carrier.
Miniature mission
The worms will spend some time inside the space station before being mounted on the outside of the ISS. From there, the small creatures will spend around 15 weeks inside their miniaturized environment while being exposed to zero-gravity and radiation of outer space.
Throughout that time, the researchers will monitor the worms’ health, using miniaturized cameras to capture stills and time-lapse videos. The experiment will collect data on temperature, pressure, and accumulated dose of radiation experienced by the worms, and send the data back to Earth.
“NASA’s Artemis programme marks a new era of human exploration, with astronauts set to live and work on the Moon for extended periods for the first time. To do that safely, we need to understand how the body responds to the extreme conditions of deep space,” Tim Etheridge, a researcher at the University of Exeter Medical School, said in a statement. “By studying how these worms survive and adapt in space, we can begin to identify the biological mechanisms that will ultimately help protect astronauts during long-duration missions – and bring us one step closer to humans living on the Moon.”
#Crew #Worms #ISS #Aims #Scientists #Unlock #Secrets #Space #Travelinternational space station,Worms">A Crew of Worms on the ISS Aims to Help Scientists Unlock the Secrets of Space Travel
Shortly after four astronauts returned from their trip around the Moon, a crew of tiny space travelers were already on the move. Scientists sent microscopic worms to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the same broader effort to extend human presence deeper into space.
The space-faring worms arrived at the space station on Monday aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft. The uncrewed spacecraft delivered about 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) of science equipment and supplies to the ISS, including a miniature space laboratory with the wriggly inhabitants inside.
The scientists behind the experiment are hoping these small creatures will help better inform them on human health during long duration space travel.
Space worms
The experiment, led by the University of Exeter in England, is designed to study how living organisms respond to the harsh space environment. “It might sound surprising, but these tiny worms could play a big role in the future of human spaceflight,” U.K. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said in a statement.
The worms are called C. elegans nematode worms, a tiny roundworm that measures around 1 millimeter in length. Because of its transparent body, researchers can watch its cells develop under a microscope. The roundworm is also fast-growing and genetically tractable, making it an ideal candidate for biological research.
The worms are placed inside a miniature lab called the Petri Pod. The self-contained experiment is housed in a unit that measures approximately 4 x 11 inches (10 x 30 centimeters) and weighs around 6 pounds (3 kilograms).
The Petri Pod provides a miniaturized life support system. Credit: University of Exeter
The unit has 12 chambers, four of which can be actively imaged using fluorescent and white light. Each chamber provides a miniaturized life support environment for the worms, maintaining temperature, pressure and a trapped volume of air for them to breathe when exposed to the vacuum of space. They will also receive a supply of food through an agar carrier.
Miniature mission
The worms will spend some time inside the space station before being mounted on the outside of the ISS. From there, the small creatures will spend around 15 weeks inside their miniaturized environment while being exposed to zero-gravity and radiation of outer space.
Throughout that time, the researchers will monitor the worms’ health, using miniaturized cameras to capture stills and time-lapse videos. The experiment will collect data on temperature, pressure, and accumulated dose of radiation experienced by the worms, and send the data back to Earth.
“NASA’s Artemis programme marks a new era of human exploration, with astronauts set to live and work on the Moon for extended periods for the first time. To do that safely, we need to understand how the body responds to the extreme conditions of deep space,” Tim Etheridge, a researcher at the University of Exeter Medical School, said in a statement. “By studying how these worms survive and adapt in space, we can begin to identify the biological mechanisms that will ultimately help protect astronauts during long-duration missions – and bring us one step closer to humans living on the Moon.”
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