Science & Technology — August 17, 2026

Meta heads to court over kids' social media addiction. Four states allege Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to hook children and hid the mental health risks; the trial opens this week.

NPR News · Read more →

SpaceX launches two rockets 38 minutes apart. The company set a spaceflight record Saturday evening, launching two Falcon 9 rockets from separate pads just 38 minutes apart.

Space.com · Read more →

Astronomers find evidence for 'black hole stars.' The James Webb Space Telescope observed an object supporting a strange explanation for mysterious red spots in the early universe: so-called black hole stars.

Wired · Read more →

OpenAI reportedly disbands its preparedness team. The company dissolved the team that assessed catastrophic risks from its models as part of a corporate restructuring.

According to Engadget, the change was described as part of a streamlining process tied to a broader corporate reorganization. The outlet reported that dissolving the group, whose role was to evaluate the most severe potential harms from the company's models, has raised fresh questions about AI safety and how such risks will be assessed.

Engadget · Read more →