The process of selection and training – which spans nearly two years from inception to completion – encompasses parachuting and diving instruction, fundamental underwater demolition, survival tactics, evasion techniques, and a comprehensive civilian paramedic program.
This notion isn’t new. Following this week’s successful Artemis II launch, NASA plans to operate the SLS rocket a few more times—possibly through Artemis V—as required by Congress. Friday’s budget proposal backs that approach. Isaacman has said he wants NASA to move away from the expendable SLS in favor of a commercial option, like SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s New Glenn, for crewed flights once those systems are available—but that transition is still several years away.
“To execute missions beyond Artemis V, NASA will initiate a new procurement to obtain commercial transportation services to launch astronauts to rendezvous with the lunar landers,” the agency said in a budget summary published on Friday. NASA said this procurement is expected to begin in fiscal year 2027.
Portions of the vision Isaacman and other NASA officials outlined last week—such as deep-space nuclear propulsion, lunar nuclear reactors, and prospecting for resources on the Moon—will demand substantial investment in new space technologies. Under this budget, one new initiative would fund a commercial effort to produce, store, transfer, and test rocket propellant made from materials on the lunar surface.
But the overall outlook for NASA’s space-technology portfolio is bleak. The White House proposes cutting $297 million from NASA’s space technology directorate compared with this year—and $476 million less than 2025—targeting what the Trump administration describes as “frivolous technology projects with no applications.”
The White House budget office also seeks to cut $1.1 billion from International Space Station funding, keeping the retirement and de-orbit of the ISS scheduled for 2030. That stance conflicts with a congressional bill backed by key lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), that would extend the ISS to 2032.
Last week NASA announced a new strategy to help commercial companies build crewed outposts to replace the ISS in low Earth orbit. Despite delays and concerns about whether a commercial station will be ready when NASA retires the ISS, the White House requested only a modest funding increase for that program in 2027.
The administration’s spending plan would continue the Trump-era effort to eliminate funding for NASA’s education programs.
A slender individual in well-fitted shirts and blazers, Magyar appeared too polished and sophisticated to connect with the rural voters, yet he has established himself as a formidable contender. Orban, 62, hails from a village and communicates in rustic Hungarian, whereas Magyar is a Budapest-based attorney by profession. Aware that his identity as a member of the urban elite might hinder his appeal to rural constituents, Magyar has tirelessly traveled through the countryside over the last two years, attracting significant audiences. In contrast to Orban, who eloquently discusses international affairs, Magyar concentrates on local matters like healthcare, education, transportation, and rural population decline in his addresses.
Madden definitively identified 565 Native American dice from 45 sites and classified another 94 artifacts as “probable” dice. Items with a drilled or pierced hole were left out of his survey because they could just as well be beads or other ornaments rather than dice. He also excluded pieces whose two faces could only be told apart by shape, without distinct markings, for the same reasons. The oldest examples, from Folsom deposits in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, date to the end of the last Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago.
According to Madden, dice and gaming in these cultures were not like modern gambling, where the house has an advantage; instead, they likely played a social role.
“These games are one-on-one; there’s no house,” said Madden. “They were fair contests, with everyone having equal opportunity and equal conditions, and they functioned as a means of exchange, particularly between groups that did not interact frequently and thus didn’t really know one another. It’s essentially a form of gifting over time that builds lasting reciprocal relationships. It’s not a commercial transaction where you and I swap something and then go our separate ways.”
The results also illuminate early Native American notions of probability. “When we see the origins of dice, we’re literally seeing the origins of probabilistic thinking,” said Madden. “That origin has typically been placed in the Old World during the Bronze Age, about 6,000 years ago. This study indicates that Native Americans were making dice, producing random outcomes and applying those streams of chance in games of luck 6,000 years earlier. So, to understand the history of probabilistic thought, we now need to investigate the Old World at the end of the last Ice Age.”
That said, “These findings don’t claim that Ice Age hunter-gatherers were doing formal probability theory,” Madden added. “But they were deliberately creating, observing, and relying on random outcomes in repeatable, rule-based ways that exploited probabilistic regularities, such as the law of large numbers. That matters for how we interpret the global history of probabilistic thinking.”
American Antiquity, 2026. DOI: 10.1017/aaq.2025.10158 (About DOIs).
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s head of product and business, declared multiple leadership adjustments on Friday and disclosed that she is taking a considerable medical leave due to a deteriorating neuroimmune disorder.
OpenAI employed Simo in May, and her ailment, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS, flared up a few weeks prior to her assuming the position. She informed colleagues in a memo on Friday that the recent month has been “especially tough health-wise,” and she has decided that she needs to take several weeks off for recovery.
“Throughout my entire time here, I’ve delayed medical assessments and new treatments to stay completely focused on my duties and avoid missing any work,” Simo stated in the memo, which was seen by CNBC. “I took medical leave for the first time two weeks before this break for some health evaluations, and it has become evident that I’ve overexerted myself and truly need to explore new therapies to stabilize my wellbeing.”
In a CNBC interview in March, Simo mentioned her POTS diagnosis occurring in 2019, and her consultations with over 40 specialists as she sought to comprehend her condition. Individuals with POTS struggle to maintain stable blood pressure, which can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and chest discomfort, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The diagnosis of this condition can often be complex for healthcare professionals.
Simo joined OpenAI following her tenure as CEO of Instacart, and she previously dedicated over a decade to various leadership positions at Meta.
Greg Brockman, President of OpenAI, will manage product in Simo’s stead, she noted. Simo also revealed that Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, will shift to a new position concentrating on “special projects.” He will report directly to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Denise Dresser, the company’s chief revenue officer, will assume most of Lightcap’s duties and will report directly to Simo. Dresser will not oversee Lightcap’s government or OpenAI for Countries initiatives, which are now being integrated into the company’s strategy organization.
Moreover, Simo announced that Kate Rouch, OpenAI’s marketing leader, has chosen to resign to concentrate on her recovery from cancer. Rouch was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer roughly a year and a half ago, shortly after she entered her position at OpenAI.
“I adore this position. I cherish this team. This is precisely why I didn’t step back and managed both — lead at OpenAI while undergoing intensive cancer treatment,” Rouch wrote in a LinkedIn post. “It’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever accomplished. At a certain point, you have to confront your limits honestly. I’ve reached mine.”
Simo mentioned that Rouch will transition back to a role with a narrower focus when her health permits, and OpenAI will initiate a search for her successor.
“We possess a robust leadership team dedicated to our key objectives: advancing frontier research, expanding our global user community of nearly 1 billion users, and driving enterprise applications,” an OpenAI representative stated. “We’re well-equipped to maintain execution with continuity and energy.”
WATCH: AI and Rare Disease with OpenAI Applications CEO Fidji Simo
Welcome to Open Tab, our weekly compilation of news, gossip, and stories that have lingered in my tabs all week. Last week, we discussed allegations of cat killings along with other scandals at Horses.
In the past, when adventurers embarked on voyages to discover establish new territories, they packed their ships with hardtack, preserved meats, and legumes. They battled scurvy and illness, and their meals were far from luxurious. Modern space voyagers have it considerably better, even though the challenges of preserving food have become more complex. This week saw the commencement of the Artemis II mission. It marks the first manned mission to orbit the moon since 1972. Accompanying them are five unique hot sauces, tortillas, a suspiciously titled “vanilla breakfast drink,” and numerous other food items.
This week, we will also discuss the lawsuit (or absence of one) against David Protein, the implications of Sysco’s significant new purchase for restaurants, and Burlap & Barrel’s legal action against the Trump administration. But prior to that: It is important to note that Reese’s has pledged to reverting its recipe back to the original following significant public backlash—including in this very column. Do you believe this is a direct outcome of my targeted public complaints? Difficult to determine!
On the night of April 1, Artemis II took off from Florida. This launch followed extensive preparations, including detailed planning regarding the crew’s meal options. According to NASA, the crew had considerable input into the menu for the 10-day expedition. “Crew members sample, evaluate, and rate all foods on the standard menu during preflight testing, and their preferences are balanced with nutritional needs and what [the spacecraft] can accommodate,” as stated on the NASA website.
Aboard are five varieties of hot sauce, along with “spicy green beans,” “smoked beef brisket,” and something referred to as “pineapple drink.” In total, there are 189 distinct menu items, all crafted and packaged to be suitable for space travel. Best of luck to the astronauts, and may they relish their 58 tortillas, neither more nor less.
This acquisition is significant. Sysco, the largest supplier of food and various goods to restaurants and other food service entities in the U.S., has acquired Restaurant Depot, another giant supplier that primarily caters to independent eateries, for $29.1 billion. This represents more than just a merger—it’s a colossal conjoining of two restaurant suppliers that will likely face scrutiny regarding antitrust concerns.
In simple terms, if this agreement is finalized in 2027, it could have dire consequences for the small, independent restaurants we cherish. Specifically, the prices of their food will likely rise, squeezing their margins further or compelling them to pass those costs on to customers. Personally, I can’t bear a $55 roast chicken, and I want my cherished venues to remain open—should we all contact our representatives or something?
A few weeks back, a class action lawsuit was filed against David Protein—you know, the one behind the bars? And the cod?—alleging that we were all deceived by the company. The lawsuit claimed David egregiously misrepresented the calorie and fat values of each bar, which supposedly had 400% more fat and 80% more calories than disclosed.
The internet was buzzing, the indignation was escalating, and founder Peter Rahal took to X to address the rumors—which only fueled more curiosity. Apparently, Rahal was honest. This week, the class action was quietly dismissed without any clarification. Was there a covert settlement? Did both parties meet at a comfortable café for a heart-to-heart? It’s uncertain (but I prefer to think it’s the latter).
The U.S. employment sector rebounded in March, demonstrating job growth that exceeded expectations, although the overall narrative of a sluggish labor market remained unchanged.
Nonfarm payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 178,000 for the month, bouncing back from a 133,000 decline in February and surpassing the Dow Jones consensus forecast of 59,000, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. The February figure was revised down by 41,000, while January saw an upward revision of 34,000 to 160,000, bringing the average for the three-month period to around 68,000.
The unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, primarily due to a significant drop in the labor force.
“Overall, March showed some positive signs; however, it’s been a challenging year for the job market with nearly no recruitment since last April,” remarked Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. “The data for March will keep the Federal Reserve cautious, but victory is not yet claimed. It could be a difficult spring for those seeking employment.”
Following the trend, health care contributed significantly to job growth, adding 76,000 positions. The sector was impacted by a strike at health-care provider Kaiser Permanente in February. The BLS indicated an increase of 54,000 in ambulatory health care services, with 35,000 attributed to returning strike workers.
Construction experienced a rise of 26,000 jobs, while transportation and warehousing recorded a gain of 21,000.
Conversely, the federal government faced a downturn of 18,000 jobs, and financial activities contracted by 15,000.
Despite the drop in the unemployment rate, it mostly stemmed from a reduction of 396,000 in the labor force. The proportion of working-age Americans participating in the labor force decreased to 61.9%, the lowest since November 2021.
The household survey, which is utilized to calculate the unemployment rate, revealed that there were 64,000 fewer individuals employed. An alternative measurement that includes discouraged workers and those in part-time roles for economic reasons rose slightly to 8%. Long-term unemployment remained elevated, although the average duration of unemployment shortened to 25.3 weeks.
Wage growth also fell short of expectations, with average hourly earnings climbing just 0.2% for the month and 3.5% year-on-year. Economists had predicted increases of 0.3% and 3.7%, respectively. This annual growth was the smallest since May 2021. Hours worked decreased by 34.2, down one-tenth from February.
The U.S. stock market was closed in recognition of the Good Friday holiday. Following the report, stock market futures were marginally negative. The bond market remained active, with Treasury yields rising before an early market closure.
This report emerges in the context of a shifting labor landscape, with the economy needing to generate fewer jobs to maintain a stable employment outlook. The St. Louis Federal Reserve recently projected that payroll growth as modest as 15,000 could keep the unemployment rate steady.
Officials at the Federal Reserve have been reviewing the jobs data as they consider their strategy regarding interest rates. Most policymakers have opted for a wait-and-see approach, although a few have advocated for interest rate reductions to mitigate labor market challenges.
With inflation significantly above the Fed’s target and energy costs escalating amid the ongoing conflict in Iran, markets anticipate minimal movement from the central bank this year. Following the jobs report, futures indicated an almost nonexistent chance of a change during the April 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting and a 77.5% likelihood that the Fed will remain unchanged through the year’s end, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
.jpg)
The journey from Berkeley, California, to Daly City takes roughly an hour, a conservative estimate given the infamous traffic in the state. While it isn’t a regular commute for Kaithleen Apostol, it has turned into a biweekly event for her.
For the Late Night Madness events at Filipino supergrocer Seafood City, she believes the trip is worthwhile.
Apostol, 28, first attended to kick off October’s Filipino American History Month and has since gone three additional times with her boyfriend and friends. She even brought her mother, who thought a DJ in a Filipino grocery store wasn’t entirely unexpected. “Any gathering can turn into a party,” Apostol says about her cultural roots. “There’s any and no excuse necessary.”
Cash registers make way for turntables, yet the store’s layout otherwise remains unchanged. The atmosphere is energetic and vibrant, featuring a street food-inspired menu in the grocery’s grab-and-go areas. Shoppers can be seen dancing—even while buying items.
However, this isn’t akin to Whole Foods increasing the volume of its music after a specific hour on weekends. (Admit it or not, we suspect it is true.) The scene at Seafood City is a real, music-focused community utilizing its social appeal to celebrate culture wherever it flourishes. This illustrates a burgeoning trend that transforms neighborhood groceries, corner markets, and cafes into the city’s hottest clubs, regardless of the time.
The rising allure of these events is powered by a generational change in social interaction, an acceptance of sober nightlife options, and community engagement through cultural exchange.
Apostol can’t recall the last instance she heard budots, a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Davao City, Philippines, in a public setting.
“It feels like a huge family gathering from back home,” Apostol describes Seafood City’s Late Night Madness, in contrast to conventional nightclubs or dingy bars. “There would be times where you’re munching on a tray of lechon, then glance over and notice people line-dancing together. I bumped into my second cousin, whom I hadn’t seen in a decade, and my high school economics teacher. It’s wild.”
For featured DJ JP Breganza, that’s exactly the aim. He has been making a name for himself with performances in unusual venues such as the Bay Area Cliffs or at a driving range when an Instagram user suggested he should “do this at Seafood City.” Fortunately, he mentions that his concept coincided with the introduction of the grocer’s first night markets. Breganza was specifically invited by its marketing team to perform in Daly City. Subsequent markets for Filipino American History Month and beyond have been jointly organized with the local nonprofit, SF Kollective.
During an emergency, making a U-turn is the quickest method to return home within the initial 36 hours following the TLI. Beyond that timeframe, it can often be equally fast, and frequently easier, to continue the trajectory around the Moon and descend back to Earth, Orion programme manager Howard Hu stated prior to the launch.
During the initial year, the administration experienced the exit of acting Attorney General Sally Yates, National Security Adviser Mike Flynn, FBI Director James Comey, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon, and two press secretaries, among other officials.
