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Science

GPS navigation satellite set for launch on SpaceX rocket – Spaceflight Now

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Watch our live coverage of the countdown and launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:24 a.m. EST (1224 GMT) on Jan. 18 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, with the GPS 3 SV06 navigation satellite for the U.S. Space Force. Follow us on Twitter.

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SpaceX’s second launch for the U.S. military in three days is set to blast off from Florida and deliver a GPS navigation satellite into orbit Wednesday, reinforcing the global positioning and timing network as four more GPS spacecraft are in storage at a Lockheed Martin factory in Colorado to be launched as needed over the next few years.

The launch of the U.S. Space Force’s GPS 3 SV06 mission — the sixth spacecraft in the latest generation of GPS 3-series satellites — is set for 7:10 a.m. EST (1210 GMT) Wednesday from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will give the satellite a ride into orbit. The Falcon 9 has a 15-minute launch window Wednesday.

The launch of the new GPS satellite Wednesday comes less than three days after a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasted off from Kennedy Space Center carrying two military satellites into geosynchronous orbit. That mission was successful, Space Force officials said.

Forecasters predict a greater than 90% chance of favorable weather Wednesday morning for liftoff of the Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, but officials will watch wind and sea conditions downrange in the booster recovery area. There is a moderate to high risk those conditions won’t be favorable for landing of the first stage, which could prompt SpaceX to delay the launch.

Once it lifts off, the 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 rocket will head northeast from Cape Canaveral to place the GPS 3 SV06 satellite at the proper altitude and inclination to reach a final operating position in the GPS constellation.

Following a standard launch profile, the Falcon 9 will fire its nine kerosene-fueled first stage engines for about two-and-a-half minutes. The booster will shut down and drop away from the Falcon 9’s upper stage, which will continue into orbit with the GPS satellite, first placing the payload into a parking orbit about eight minutes after liftoff.

At around the same time, the Falcon 9’s first stage booster — designed B1077 — will drop out of the sky and slow for landing on a SpaceX drone ship positioned a few hundred miles east of Charleston, South Carolina. The drone ship will bring the booster, set to make its second trip to space, back to Cape Canaveral for refurbishment and reuse on a future mission.

The payload fairing on top of the Falcon 9 will jettison a few moments after ignition of the upper stage engine for its first burn. SpaceX has dispatched a recovery ship into the Atlantic to also retrieve the two halves of the nose cone for reuse, after the aeroshells parachute into the sea.

About 63 minutes into the mission, the Falcon 9’s upper stage will reignite for about 44 seconds. The powerful engine, generating more than 200,000 pounds of thrust, will propel the GPS 3 SV06 spacecraft into an elongated orbit stretching to an altitude of some 12,550 miles (20,200 kilometers) at its highest point.

After flying into communications range of Space Force ground stations in Hawaii and California, the rocket will deploy the GPS satellite at about 1 hour and 29 minutes after liftoff.

Over the next one-to-two weeks, the satellite will use its own orbit-raising engine to maneuver into a circular Medium Earth Orbit 12,550 miles above Earth at an inclination of 55 degrees. If all goes according to plan, the new satellite, nicknamed “Amelia Earhart” after the aviation pioneer, will be transitioned to the control of Space Force operators.

The GPS 3 SV06 spacecraft is the sixth in a line of GPS 3-series satellites built by Lockheed Martin. In its launch configuration fully fueled with propellant, the satellite weighs 9,595 pounds (4,352 kilograms), according to Col. Jung Ha, senior materiel leader for the GPS Space Vehicles Acquisition Delta at Space Systems Command.

“The spacecraft is healthy and all systems are go,” Ha said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters.

Artist’s concept of a GPS 3 satellite in space. Credit: Lockheed Martin

Andre Trotter, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of navigation systems, said the company has four more GPS 3-series satellites ready for “call up” by the Space Force.

“We currently have four more GPS satellites in our Colorado facility that are available for launch and are prepared to answer the Space Force’s call,” Trotter told reporters Tuesday in a pre-launch news conference. Those satellites, numbered GPS 3 SV07 through SV10, are the final spacecraft in Lockheed Martin’s initial batch of GPS 3 satellites ordered by the Pentagon in 2008.

The next GPS satellite, GPS 3 SV07, is scheduled to launch in mid-2024 on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket. It is a candidate to become the first national security payload to fly on ULA’s new Vulcan launch vehicle.

Construction of the first eight GPS 3 satellites is covered in a 2008 contract valued at $3.6 billion. The military ordered two additional GPS 3-type satellites later. The first GPS 3 satellite launched in 2018, and the most recent mission, SV05, launched in June 2021.

Military officials were unable to provide an exact cost for the GPS 3 SV06 spacecraft, but the average cost of each satellite in the 2008 purchase amounts to approximately $600 million in inflation-adjusted dollars.

The series of GPS 3 navigation satellites are designed for 15-year life spans, an improvement over the seven-and-a-half year and 12-year design lives of previous-generation GPS satellites. The GPS 3 satellites provide three times better accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities over early GPS spacecraft, according to Lockheed Martin.

The GPS 3 satellites also introduce a new L-band civilian signal that is compatible with other international navigation satellite networks, such as Europe’s Galileo program. Combining signals from GPS, Galileo, and other navigation satellites can improve the precision of space-based position measurements.

The U.S. military uses GPS satellites for smart bombs and other precision-guided munitions. Troops rely on the network, which requires a minimum of 24 satellites for global coverage, to provide positioning data pole-to-pole.

Lockheed Martin won a follow-on contract from the military in 2018 to build up to 22 more upgraded GPS 3F satellites. The Space Force has placed firm orders with Lockheed Martin for the first 10 GPS 3F satellites, which will provide the military with new capabilities such as enhanced regional protection and even better anti-jamming capabilities, an upgraded search and rescue payload, and a laser retroreflector array to help provide more accurate data on each spacecraft’s location in orbit, information that will result in more precise position information for users on the ground.

L3Harris Technologies builds the navigation payloads for the GPS 3 satellites.

Civilians use the Global Positioning System on their smartphones, and airliners employ augmented GPS signals for precision landings and in-flight navigation. Banks use the timing signals from GPS satellites to time tag financial transactions.

“GPS has become a part of our critical national infrastructure,” Trotter said.

Email the author.

Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.



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Science

Unexpected CME cloud STRIKES Earth; Solar storm set to hit in just hours

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An unexpected CME cloud has struck the magnetosphere of the Earth in the early hours today, January 18. It is expected to spark a solar storm within the next few hours.

Yesterday, it was predicted that Earth could suffer a solar storm attack on January 19 as a result of a large coronal mass ejection (CME) cloud that was released during multiple solar flare eruptions. However, unexpectedly, a part of the CME cloud has arrived earlier than its scheduled time and has struck the magnetosphere of the Earth in the early hours today, January 18. And now, in the hours to come, a solar storm will strike the Earth. You need to know how this dangerous solar storm can impact our planet. Check details.

The report came from SpaceWeather.com which said about the new incident, “Arriving earlier than expected, a CME appears to have struck Earth’s magnetic field on Jan. 17th around 2200 UT. Its arrival was signaled by an abrupt shift in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth”. It also explained that the same IMF weakening in the southern hemisphere due to solar winds can now give right to a more powerful solar storm in hours to come.

Solar storm can hit the Earth in the next few hours

The delay between the first CME strike and the incoming solar storm is because they are separate events. The first CME cloud hit the Earth earlier than expected due to being carried by fast-moving solar winds. The same solar winds also impacted the IMF in the magnetosphere and weakened it in the southern hemisphere. Now, as more CME clouds strike the Earth soon, they will be met with less resistance and it will give rise to a stronger solar storm.

It is not possible to gauge just how strong the solar storm can be but it can disrupt GPS systems and shortwave radio frequencies. This can affect ham radio operators, drone pilots and ships and airplanes which use such wireless communication. Further, if the solar storm was more intense, it can also fluctuate power grids and impact mobile networks and even the internet. Keep an eye out as astronomers try to predict the intensity of this solar storm.

Currently, there is also a gigantic sunspot on the Earth-facing disk of the Sun. This sunspot has been named AR3190 and it is so large that it can be seen with unaided eyes. Having said that, never-ever look at the Sun directly with your naked eyes as it is extremely harmful. This was one of the biggest sunspots to be seen on the Sun in recent years. If you want to see it, make sure to use safe solar glasses to protect your eyes. Looking at the Sun without protection can damage your eyes and can even blind you.


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Technology

Apple’s Website Suggests M2 and M2 Pro Mac Announcements Were Originally Set for Fall 2022

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Information embedded within Apple’s website suggests that this week’s new Mac announcements, including the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, were initially set to be unveiled in October or November of last year.

As reported by Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber, the file name for a short mini keynote-styled video that Apple released following the announcement of the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini includes the year 2022, suggesting the video may have been initially set to premiere last year. The video, over 18 minutes long, looks like the digital Apple events the company has been holding for the previous few years.

Some have speculated the 18-minute video was a segment cut out from a larger event the company was planning to hold in October or November 2022 that included more than the announcements of new M2 Pro and M2 Max Macs. Also spotted on Twitter, the AR files for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models were compiled in October 2022, three months before the new Macs were announced.

Typically, every fall, Apple holds an event in September to announce its latest iPhones and Apple Watch models. In the run-up to the fall of 2022, rumors were increasingly suggesting that Apple was planning to hold two events between September and December: one for the iPhone and Apple Watch and another for the Mac and iPad.

The latter event was to be focused entirely on updated Apple silicon Macs and iPads, including updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros and the next-generation iPad Pro, according to rumors circulating at the time. In September, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that Apple had canceled plans to hold a second digital event in the fall and would instead release the remaining products for 2022 through press releases on its website.

In October, Apple announced an updated iPad Pro with M2 and the redesigned 10th-generation entry-level iPad via press releases. In mid-Decemeber, Gurman reported that the new Macs were now slated for a launch in “early” 2023.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros have options for either the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, building on the performance of the M1 Pro and M1 Max. The new chips allow for even faster performance and a higher 96GB capacity of unified memory with the M2 Max. The new Macs also now support 8K external displays thanks to a more advanced HDMI port, and the 16-inch model has the longest battery life of any Mac.

Apple this week also announced a new Mac mini, featuring the same design as the previous-generation model but now with M2 or M2 Pro. The new Mac mini and MacBook Pros are available for pre-order on Apple’s website and will begin arriving to customers on Tuesday, January 24.



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Business

Air India Set To Order Nearly 500 Jets, Says Aircraft Lessor

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Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dublin:

Air India is set to order around 500 planes as an airline industry recovery takes hold following the pandemic, one of the world’s leading aircraft lessors said on Monday.

“As a result of this recovery, there is now more momentum for large orders from airlines who have sort of sat back and watched the movie, and now they’re seeing there’s going to be a positive trend,” Steven Udvar-Hazy, executive chairman of AirLease Corp, told the Airline Economics conference.

“We have this 500-aircraft order coming out of India, which is going to be about 400 narrow-body aircraft, probably a mix of (Airbus) A320neos, A321neos and (Boeing) 737 MAXs, and 100 wide-bodies which will include (Boeing) 787s, 777X, potentially some 777 freighters and (Airbus) A350s.” 

The comments are the first public indication of the scale of the planned order after Reuters reported in December that Air India was close to ordering as many as 500 jets as it carves out a renaissance under the Tata Group conglomerate.

Industry sources say finalising the proposed deal depends on ongoing negotiations with engine makers.

Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Airbus and Boeing had no immediate comment.

United Airlines recently ordered 200 large and small aircraft. China last year placed a block order for Airbus jets.

“We do expect a number of airlines will place large orders and again most of these orders will be for replacement,” Udvar-Hazy said.

He predicted airlines would increasingly turn back towards medium-sized wide-body jets after significant delays in the development of Boeing’s largest new model, the 400-seat 777X – currently running at five years and potentially rising further.

“We expect that both OEMs will be under pressure in the next couple of years to increase production rates, not necessarily back to the levels they were in 2018, but certainly well above current production.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Science

SpaceX set to launch Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida’s Space Coast this weekend

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SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon Heavy rocket this weekend.

The Kennedy Space Center is preparing for its next rocket launch on Saturday.

Watch: SpaceX Dragon seen burning through the sky over Central Florida before splashdown

SpaceX is set to launch around 5 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

IN SPACE – FEBRUARY 8: In this handout photo provided by SpaceX, a Tesla roadster launched from the Falcon Heavy rocket with a dummy driver named

TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA – APRIL 11: People watch as the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 2019 in Titusville, Florida. The rocket is carrying a communications satellite built by Lockheed Martin into orbit. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – MAY 30: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft attached takes off from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley lifted off today on an inaugural flight and will be the first people since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – MAY 30: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches into space with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (R) and Doug Hurley aboard the rocket from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The inaugural flight is the first manned mission since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – APRIL 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on April 23, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket with an international crew of four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

TITUSVILLE, FL – MAY 30: People line the A.Max Brewer Causeway to watch the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida May 30, 2020 in Titusville, Florida . American astronauts Bob Behknen and Doug Hurley are aboard the crew Dragon capsule on a mission to link up with International Space Station. This is NASA’s first crewed launch from U.S. soil since 2011 at the ending of the Space Shuttle program. (Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images)

IN SPACE – FEBRUARY 8: In this handout photo provided by SpaceX, a Tesla roadster launched from the Falcon Heavy rocket with a dummy driver named

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – MAY 30: In this NASA handout image, detail of the exhaust as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, Saturday, May 30, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Behnken and Hurley launched at 3:22 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 30, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – MAY 30: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft attached takes off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley lifted off today on an inaugural flight and will be the first people since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 15: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Dragon capsule lifts off from launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for the first completely private mission to fly into orbit on September 15, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX is flying four private citizens into space on a three-day mission. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

On board the rocket will be satellites and other equipment for the U.S. Space Force.

Watch: SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

People in the area will hear two sonic booms after the launch as two of the rocket’s boosters are set to land near Cape Canaveral Space Force station.

Channel 9 will have live coverage of the launch on Eyewitness News.

Read: Russia will launch new capsule to return space station crew

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

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Technology

Xbox and Bethesda Softworks Developer_Direct live stream set for January 25

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Microsoft will host an “ Xbox [21,696 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/xbox”>Xbox and Bethesda Softworks [741 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/zenimax-media/bethesda-softworks”>Bethesda Softworks Developer_Direct” on January 25 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET, which will present an inside look at games coming to Xbox, PC [16,628 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/pc”>PC, and Game Pass over the next few months, the company announced. You will be able to watch it on YouTube and Twitch.

The broadcast will be presented by the game creators themselves from studios including Arkane Studios Austin [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/zenimax-media/arkane-studios/arkane-studios-austin”>Arkane Austin, Mojang Studios [44 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/xbox-game-studios/mojang-studios”>Mojang Studios, Turn 10 Studios [76 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/xbox-game-studios/turn-10-studios”>Turn 10 Studios, and ZeniMax Online Studios [32 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/zenimax-media/zenimax-online-studios”>ZeniMax Online Studios. It will focus on “big features, extended gameplay showcases, and the latest information on Xbox games launching in the next few months,” including The Elder Scrolls Online, Forza Motorsport (2023) [2 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/forza-motorsport-2023″>Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends [1 article]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/minecraft-legends”>Minecraft Legends, and Redfall [5 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/redfall”>Redfall.

Viewers can expect the following:

  • The Elder Scrolls Online – Studio Director Matt Firor will unveil 2023’s major Chapter update, including the latest regions of Tamriel to become playable in The Elder Scrolls Online, as well as a major new feature coming in the game’s biggest update this year. The Developer_Direct will be immediately followed by the full, standalone The Elder Scrolls Online Chapter Reveal Event, hosted by Zenimax Online Studios, which will provide all the in-depth details The Elder Scrolls Online players will be keen to know.
  • Forza Motorsport – The team at Turn 10 Studios have been hard at work, bringing fans the next generation of Forza Motorsport, built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox Series [3,109 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/xbox/xbox-series”>Xbox Series X|S. Forza Motorsport is back, and we can’t wait to share more gameplay and exciting new details.
  • Minecraft Legends – Mojang Studios will showcase an insider’s look into the player-versus-player multiplayer experience in Minecraft Legends—the upcoming Action [847 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/action”>action– Strategy [73 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/strategy”>strategy game from the makers of Minecraft. Developed in partnership with Blackbird Interactive [15 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/blackbird-interactive”>Blackbird Interactive and launching this spring, don’t miss exclusive gameplay footage at the Developer_Direct.
  • Redfall – The minds behind Dishonored and Prey, Arkane Austin, will showcase several minutes of gameplay from their upcoming First-Person Shooter [2,229 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/shooter/fps”>first-person shooter. The Developer_Direct will reveal single and Multiplayer [113 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/multiplayer”>multiplayer gameplay, showing more of how you and your friends will take down bloodthirsty Vampires on the picturesque island of Redfall, Massachusetts. Fans can expect to learn more about combat, customization, bosses, the open world, and more.

Starfield [7 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/starfield”>Starfield will not be featured during the event, but a standalone show is in the works “to dedicate the proper amount of time for a deep dive.”

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Technology

First implant to treat depression is REVEALED: New brain chip set to rival Elon Musk’s Nueralink

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While Elon Musk’s Neuralink expects to begin human trials in six months, a neurotech company unveiled a device that treats depression and is now in the skull of the first patient.

Inner Cosmos’s ‘digital pill’ includes two parts: An electrode that sits under the skin of the scalp and the ‘prescription pod’ that snaps onto the users’ hair to power the device.

The implant sends tiny electrical pulses to the brain region affected by depression – the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – once daily for 15 minutes.

And the external device does not need to be on the head when treatment is not being administered.

The trial patient from St Louise, Missouri, is scheduled to test Inner Cosmos innovation for one year, and the company has another human trial set to start next month.

Inner Cosmos has unveiled the first brain implant to treat depression. The digital pill is the smallest and least invasive technology to date – the implant is about the size of a penny

Implants to treat all alignments of the brain are making waves in the industry, as several companies are racing to get theirs to market first.

Musk’s Neuralink recently conducted a product demonstration that showed its chip in a monkey’s brain, allowing it to control a keyboard on a screen to type out complete sentences.

Synchron began human trials of its brain implant in July, which lets the wearer control a computer using thought alone.

The firm’s Stentrode brain implant, about the size of a paperclip, will be implanted in six New York and Pittsburgh patients with severe paralysis. 

Stentrode will let patients control digital devices just by thinking and give them the ability to perform daily tasks, including texting, emailing and shopping online. 

Research facilities are also developing brain chips.

Southmead Hospital in Bristol is believed to be the first in the world to implant a device to reverse symptoms of Parkinson’s.

However, Inner cosmos digital pill is the smallest and least invasive technology to date – the implant is about the size of a penny.

And the company likens the external pod to charging an Apple Watch. 

The surgery for the implant takes 30 minutes in an outpatient facility. 

Inner Cosmos was founded by entrepreneur Meron Gribetz, who was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child.

‘Our mission is to create a world that restores humanity’s cognitive power by rebalancing the human mind,’ said Gribetz.

‘The world is in a state of severe disorder, leading to a disordered cognition 

‘The effects are being felt by millions, leading to surging levels of depression. 

‘We believe our approach can allay the lives of those suffering from depression, and eventually scale to other cognitive disorders.’

The goal of Inner Cosmos is to move away from prescription drugs and toward a more ‘effective treatment.’ 

‘Depression, attention and anxiety, which we treat. Just to underscore this point, there’s 140 million Americans every year that use attention or depression drugs, that’s more users than have iPhones,’  Gribetz said in a 2022 presentation.

Inner Cosmos’s ‘digital pill’ includes two parts: An electrode that sits under the skin of the scalp and the ‘prescription pod’ that snaps onto the users’ hair to power the device

The implant sends pulses to the brain region affected by depression – the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – once a day for 15 minutes. And the external device does not need to be on the head when treatment is not being administered

Inner Cosmos digital pill is powered by a smartphone app, which also displays mood and depression graphs that can be shared with a physician. 

Gribetz said this is the first time doctors will have access to this type of data, ‘saving the healthcare industry billions for misdiagnosis of severe suicidal depression,’ he said.

‘[The implant] is 10 times smaller than anything else that you’ve heard of globally, on the brain chips BCI [brain computer interface] market, and we’re really excited,’ said Gribetz. ‘It took us six years to build this thing.’

If you enjoyed this article… 

Brain implant helps reverse symptoms of Parkinson’s in first patient to receive the treatment as part of medical trial 

‘Mind-reading’ brain implant allows California man, 36, to ‘talk’ again after he was paralyzed from the neck down at 20 

Elon Musk’s Neuralink rival Synchron begins human trials of its BRAIN IMPLANT that lets the wearer control a computer using thought alone 

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Science

SpaceX set for launch from Florida; California launch delayed – Spaceflight Now

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Watch our live coverage of the countdown and launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:50 p.m. EST (0450 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, with 40 OneWeb internet satellites. Follow us on Twitter.

SFN Live

SpaceX is counting down to liftoff of a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral at 11:50 p.m. EST Monday (0450 GMT Tuesday) with 40 more internet satellites for OneWeb. The Falcon 9 booster will return to Cape Canaveral for landing eight minutes later.

SpaceX delayed the launch of a different Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Monday night due to bad weather. That mission was supposed to launch just 35 minutes before the OneWeb mission from Cape Canaveral.

The weather forecast in Florida is more favorable Monday night, with a greater than 90% chance of good weather for launch of the 40 OneWeb satellites.

The SpaceX launch team working in a control center just outside the gate of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will begin loading super-chilled, densified kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants into the Falcon 9 vehicle at T-minus 35 minutes.

Helium pressurant will also flow into the rocket in the last half-hour of the countdown. In the final seven minutes before liftoff, the Falcon 9’s Merlin main engines will be thermally conditioned for flight through a procedure known as “chilldown.” The Falcon 9’s guidance and range safety systems will also be configured for launch.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on pad 40 in preparation for launch of the OneWeb 16 mission. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography

After liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket will vector 1.7 million pounds of thrust — produced by nine Merlin engines — to steer downrange. The launch from California will head southeast over the Pacific Ocean, flying west of Baja California to target an orbit inclined 70 degrees to the equator. The Falcon 9 departing from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral will initially head southeast, then turn south to fly parallel to Florida’s east coast, aiming for a polar orbit at an inclination of 87 degrees.

The launcher will exceed the speed of sound in about one minute, then shut down its nine main engines nearly two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff.

The booster stage will separate from the Falcon 9’s upper stage, then fire pulses from cold gas control thrusters and extend titanium grid fins to help steer the vehicle back into the atmosphere. The lighter weight of the 40 OneWeb satellites will allow the Falcon 9 booster to set aside enough fuel for the return to launch site maneuver, which requires an extra burn to head back to Cape Canaveral.

A recovery ship is also on station in the Atlantic Ocean to retrieve the Falcon 9’s payload fairing after jettisoning from the rocket.

File photo from a previous mission showing 40 OneWeb satellites mounted on a dispenser before encapsulation inside a SpaceX payload fairing. Credit: OneWeb

The mission will target a 373-mile-high orbit inclined 87 degrees to the equator. The upper stage of the Falcon 9 will release the 40 OneWeb satellites beginning about 59 minutes after liftoff. The satellites will use xenon-fueled propulsion systems to reach their operating altitude 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) above Earth.

The OneWeb launch from Cape Canaveral will be the second of four planned SpaceX missions for the broadband internet provider, which suspended launches on Russian Soyuz rockets last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Within weeks, OneWeb signed new contracts with SpaceX and New Space India Ltd., or NSIL, for launches on Falcon 9 and Indian GSLV Mk.3 rockets to finish building out the company’s satellite network.

The 40 satellites on-board the Falcon 9 rocket will bring the total number of OneWeb spacecraft launched to 544. OneWeb needs 588 operational satellites to complete its first-generation broadband network, or a total of nearly 650 spacecraft when counting spares.

Adding more relay stations to the constellation extends the network’s reach. OneWeb already provides internet services to communities in Alaska, Canada, and and Northern Europe where terrestrial fiber connectivity is unavailable. The 40 satellites on Monday night’s launch will help put Southern Europe, the United States, North Africa, the Middle East, Japan, and parts of Australia and India within OneWeb’s reach.

OneWeb’s contract with SpaceX was surprising to many satellite industry watchers because OneWeb is an indirect competitor in the broadband market. SpaceX sells Starlink service directly to consumers, while OneWeb sells to enterprises, internet service providers, maritime companies, and airlines to provide connectivity for entire businesses or communities.

ROCKETS: Falcon 9 (B1076.2)

PAYLOADS: 40 OneWeb satellites (OneWeb 16)

LAUNCH SITES: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

LAUNCH DATES: Jan. 9, 2023

LAUNCH TIME: 11:50:17 p.m. (0450:17 GMT)

WEATHER FORECAST: Greater than 90% chance of acceptable weather at Cape Canaveral

BOOSTER RECOVERY: Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

LAUNCH AZIMUTH: Southeast, then south from Cape Canaveral

TARGET ORBIT: 373 miles (600 kilometers), 87 degrees inclination

 

LAUNCH TIMELINE FOR ONEWEB 16:

  • T+00:00: Liftoff
  • T+01:12: Maximum aerodynamic pressure (Max-Q)
  • T+02:18: First stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
  • T+02:21: Stage separation
  • T+02:28: Second stage engine ignition
  • T+02:34: First stage boost back burn ignition
  • T+03:21: First stage boost back burn cutoff
  • T+03:34: Fairing jettison
  • T+06:20: First stage entry burn ignition
  • T+06:36: First stage entry burn cutoff
  • T+07:27: First stage landing burn ignition
  • T+07:56: First stage landing
  • T+08:32: Second stage engine cutoff (SECO 1)
  • T+55:14: Second stage engine restart (SES 2)
  • T+55:17: Second stage engine cutoff (SECO 2)
  • T+58:49: Separation of first OneWeb satellites
  • T+01:35:17: Separation of final OneWeb satellites

MISSION STATS:

  • 196th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2010
  • 205th launch of Falcon rocket family since 2006
  • 2nd launch of Falcon 9 booster B1076
  • 168th SpaceX launch from Florida’s Space Coast
  • 109th Falcon 9 launch from pad 40
  • 164th launch overall from pad 40
  • 135th flight of a reused Falcon 9 booster
  • 2nd SpaceX launch for OneWeb
  • 16th overall launch for OneWeb
  • 2nd Falcon 9 launch of 2023
  • 2nd launch by SpaceX in 2023
  • 2nd orbital launch from Cape Canaveral in 2023



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US

Nurses from New York City hospitals set to strike as contract negotiations stall

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New York
CNN
 — 

A walk-out by more than 7,000 nurses at two major New York City hospitals is set to begin at 6 a.m. ET Monday after talks aimed at averting a strike broke down overnight.

Tentative deals had been reached in recent days covering nurses at several hospitals, including two new agreements late Sunday evening. But talks with Mount Sinai hospital in Manhattan and Montefiore in the Bronx failed overnight.

“After bargaining late into the night at Montefiore and Mount Sinai Hospital yesterday, no tentative agreements were reached. Today, more than 7,000 nurses at two hospitals are on strike for fair contracts that improve patient care,” the New York State Nurses Association said in a Monday statement.

Both hospitals said earlier on Monday morning that efforts to reach an agreement were unsuccessful.

“NYSNA leadership walked out of negotiations shortly after 1 a.m. ET, refusing to accept the exact same 19.1% increased wage offer agreed to by eight other hospitals, including two other Mount Sinai Health System campuses, and disregarding the Governor’s solution to avoid a strike,” Lucia Lee, a spokesperson for Mount Sinai, said in a statement to CNN.

Montefiore said it was “a sad day for New York City.”

“Despite Montefiore’s offer of a 19.1% compounded wage increase — the same offer agreed to at the wealthiest of our peer institutions — and a commitment to create over 170 new nursing positions … NYSNA’s leadership has decided to walk away from the bedsides of their patients,” the medical center said in a statement.

The tentative deals reached at other hospitals provide nurses with a combined 19.1% in pay increases over the three-year life of the agreements and includes promises by management to increase staffing to address the union’s major complaint of nurses being overworked and facing burnout.

Mount Sinai and Montefiore said they had agreed to meet the wage demands of the union, but the union claimed that staffing levels remain the sticking point in reaching deals at the two remaining hospitals.

“We need management to come to the table and provide better staffing,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said in a press call Sunday afternoon.

According to Hagans, Montefiore has 760 nursing vacancies, adding that “too often one nurse in the emergency department is responsible for 20 patients instead of the standard of three patients.”

On Sunday evening, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had urged the management and the union to agree to binding arbitration as a way of avoiding the strike. Although the management of the two hospitals embraced the idea, the union did not.

“We will not give up on our fight to ensure that our patients have enough nurses at the bedside,” the union said in response to Hochul’s arbitration suggestion.

New York Mayor Eric Adams had encouraged all parties on Sunday night to “remain at the bargaining table for however long it takes to reach a voluntary agreement.”

The hospitals have been preparing for a strike since the nurses union gave notice of its plans 10 days ago. The affected hospitals plan on paying temporary “traveling” nurses to fill in where possible and some had already begun transferring patients.

Montefiore released a notice to staff, obtained by CNN, telling nurses how to quit the union and stay on the job if they wanted to continue to care for their patients.

Mount Sinai, which operates two hospitals that reached deals Sunday evening in addition to the one still facing a strike, started transferring infants in the neonatal intensive care unit at the end of this past week. Hospitals facing the possibility of strikes had already taken steps to postpone some elective procedures.

The union says the hospitals will be spending more on hiring temporary nurses at a significantly greater cost. It argues the hospitals should agree to their demands to hire more staff and grant the raises the union is seeking.

“As nurses, our top concern is patient safety,” Hagans said in a statement Friday. “Yet nurses … have been forced to work without enough staff, stretched to our breaking point, sometimes with one nurse in the Emergency Department responsible for 20 patients. That’s not safe for nurses or our patients.”

The hospitals say they are doing what they can to hire more nursing staff.

“Mount Sinai is dismayed by NYSNA’s reckless actions,” Mount Sinai said in a statement Friday. “The union is jeopardizing patients’ care, and it’s forcing valued Mount Sinai nurses to choose between their dedication to patient care and their own livelihoods.”

Nurses at the first hospital to reach a tentative deal, New York-Presbyterian, voted on Saturday. It was a close call with 57% of nurses voting yes and 43% against. The tentative deals reached over the last few days still need to be ratified by rank-and-file union members before they can take effect.

Strikes have become more common nationwide, as tight labor markets and unhappiness with work conditions have prompted unionized employees to flex their muscles more often at the bargaining table.

There were 385 strikes in 2022, up 42% from 270 in 2021, according to the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The US Labor Department, which tracks only major strikes by 1,000 or more workers, recorded 20 strikes in the first 11 months of 2022, up 33% from the same period in 2021.

Numerous nursing strikes were among the recorded work stoppages, with many unions citing instances of burnout and health problems among members.

Four out of the 20 strikes reported by the Labor Department last year involved nurses unions. The largest was a three-day strike by the 15,000 members of the Minnesota Nurses Association involving 13 hospitals in the state.

— CNN’s Tina Burnside, Artemis Moshtaghian and Ramishah Maruf contributed to this report.

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Sports

NFL scores, schedule, live Week 18 updates: Lions keep Aaron Rodgers out of playoffs as wild-card matchups set

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It’s finally Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season, and we’re keeping you updated on all the action and biggest storylines throughout the day. This week’s slate has some fantastic matchups and storylines, and we’re here to help you watch it unfold. Check back often to find out everything you need to know.

Week 18 schedule

Saturday

Chiefs 31, Raiders 13 (Takeaways)
Jaguars 20, Titans 16 (Takeaways)

Sunday

Bengals 27, Ravens 16 (Takeaways)
Bills 35, Patriots 23 (Takeaways)
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6 (Takeaways)
Steelers 28, Browns 14 (Takeaways)
Eagles 22, Giants 16 (Takeaways)
Dolphins 11, Jets 6 (Recap)
Panthers 10, Saints 7 (Recap)
Vikings 29, Bears 13 (Recap)
Texans 32, Colts 31 (Recap)
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17 (Recap)
49ers 38, Cardinals 13 (Recap)
Broncos 31, Chargers 28 (Recap)
Seahawks 19, Rams 16 (OT) (Recap)
Lions 20, Packers 16 (Takeaways)

With the 2022 regular season in the books, here’s the schedule for wild-card weekend: 

Super Wild Card Weekend schedule:

Seahawks at 49ers, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (Fox)
Chargers at Jaguars, 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday (NBC)
Dolphins at Bills, 1 p.m. ET Sunday (CBS)
Giants at Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (Fox)
Ravens at Bengals, 8:15 p.m. ET Sunday (NBC)
Cowboys at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday (ESPN)

LIONS WIN

Goodbye, Aaron Rodgers! The Lions, despite having already being eliminated from the playoffs, put forth a valiant effort that they capped with a fourth-and-1 pass from Jared Goff to D.J. Chark that clinched the upset. With the results, the Packers go home while the Seahawks move on to play the 49ers on Super Wild Card Weekend.

WHOOP!

Give Ben Johnson a ton of credit. Facing a second-and-17 after a penalty, the Lions offensive coordinator could have opted for two runs to set up a field goal, which would have put Detroit up seven. Instead, he called a screen to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who then immediately pitched it to D’Andre Swift on what I’m dubbing the screen-and-ladder. Swift picked up 13 to set up a third-and-short.

Leg catch!

Is there anything Amon-Ra St. Brown can’t do? Apparently not, as he used his legs to catch this crucial first-down conversion late against the Packers.

Rookie picks off Rodgers again!

Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks of all-time — unless he’s playing against Kerby Joseph. The Lions third-round rookie has now intercepted Rodgers three times after picking him off late in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s matchup. He actually had another interception earlier in the game that did not count because of a penalty.

Williams x2

Make that 17(!) touchdowns for Jamaal Williams, whose second 1-yard score of the night gives the Lions the lead with just under six minutes to play.

Packers lead

Aaron Rodgers to Allen Lazard for 13 yards, and just like that the Packers are on top of this win-and-in for Green Bay.

Watson wows

Christian Watson has been so important to the Packers during their four-game winning streak, and the second-round rookie delivered again Sunday. Seriously, are you kidding me with this 45-yard grab?

Jared. Goff.

A relatively boring night at Lambeau Field was no more as Jared Goff rolled out left on a play-action pass, turned right and uncorked a bomb — Zach Wilson Pro Day style — to Kalif Raymond for a 43-yard pickup. On the next play, touchdown machine Jamaal Williams added to his total with a one-yard score that put the Lions ahead of Williams’ former team.

REDEMPTION

Jason Meyers couldn’t win the game in regulation, but the Seahawks kicker delivered in overtime with the game-winning, 32-yard field goal to keep his team alive in the playoff hunt. If the Lions beat the Packers, then Pete Carroll and Geno Smith are going to the postseason.

Kelly Golladay sighting

The Giants rested their starters, which means former Pro Bowler Kelly Golladay got a lot of playing time. That would have been crazy to say when New York signed him in 2021, but that’s how bad things have gotten between the two sides. That said, Golladay channeled his former playmaking ability with this acrobatic one-handed grab against the Eagles.

MISSED!

So close! The Seahawks could have kept their playoff hopes alive with a game-winning field goal, but Jason Myers’ 46-yarder clanked off the upright as the clock hit zero. To overtime they go.

If the Seahawks miss the playoffs, Jalen Ramsey will be a big reason why. The five-time Pro Bowler has picked off Geno Smith twice as the Rams are holding onto a 16-13 lead late in the third quarter.

GENO

Down seven points with the season on the line, Geno Smith cocked his arm back and delivered a DIME to Tyler Lockett for the game-tying 36-yard score. If Seattle can beat the Rams and the Lions beat the Packers, Pete Carroll’s team will be in the postseason.

Purdy for prez

Two rookie quarterbacks have thrown for multiple TDs in at least six straight games: Chargers Pro Bowler Justin Herbert in 2020 … and 49ers seventh-rounder Brock Purdy this season. It’s been an unbelievable run for this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, who added two more scores Sunday against the Cardinals. He’s about to enter the playoffs having led San Francisco to five straight wins — assuming Arizona can’t mount a 15-point comeback.

Cowboys have life

Dallas isn’t playing for anything assuming the Eagles hold on to their big halftime lead, but its drive before the half was huge for its confidence. Up until that point, the Cowboys had done basically nothing against the Commanders defense. A lot of that blame fell on Dak Prescott, who was off target time and time again and eventually threw a pick-six. Prescott still missed on some throws on the team’s 14-play, 77-yard drive, but he made plays when it counted, including a 15-yard scoring strike to CeeDee Lamb to pull within 13-6 before the break.

Tutu TD

Baker Mayfield and the Rams are looking to eliminate the Seahawks from playing contention, and they’ve gotten off to a good start. Los Angeles finally broke the touchdown drought with 39 seconds to play in the first half, as Mayfield found Tutu Atwell for the catch-and-run score from 11 yards out.

Elijah Mitchell is a big part of the 49ers offense; he’s just struggled to stay on the field. Out since Week 12 with a knee injury, the second-year back returned Sunday and found the end zone for the first time in 2022.

Pick-six!

The Cowboys look nowhere near a playoff team so far in their regular season finale. Dallas, which will be locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC with an Eagles win (up 13-0 as of this writing), has given up 13 unanswered points to start the game. The defense has actually been respectable, as it has limited Washington to just seven points on three red-zone trips. A lot of the blame can be placed on Dak Prescott, whose errant pass landed in the hands of Kendall Fuller for an easy pick-six.

First career pass = first career TD

Sam Howell literally could not have asked for a better start to his NFL career. Making his professional debut in the regular season finale, the fifth-round rookie’s first pass found Terry McLaurin, who did the rest to ensure his QB’s first career pass also resulted in his first career passing score.

A.J. Green turns back the clock

By far the worst season of A.J. Green’s tremendous career will at least include a strong final game. On the second play from scrimmage, the Cardinals ran a trick play, but the 49ers weren’t fooled. Still, David Blough said YOLO and tossed the ball into double coverage anyway, hoping his receiver would make a play. Not only did Green haul in the pass, but he stepped over a defender, pushed another to the ground and then stiff-armed the same guy he stepped over right before crossing the goal line for the 77-yard touchdown.

A future Hall of Fame career is coming to an end Sunday, with J.J. Watt announcing a few weeks ago that this will be his final NFL season. So, it’s fitting that Watt recorded a sack in his final game, giving him 113.5 for his illustrious 12-year run.

Texans win, give up No. 1 draft pick

Unbelievable. The Texans, trailing by seven with fewer than four minutes left, converted a fourth-and-12 AND a fourth-and-20 en route to scoring a touchdown with 18 seconds to play to pull within one. (Miraculously, Davis Mills’ TD pass on that fourth-and-forever went right through the hands of a Colts defender before dropping into the hands of Jordan Akins for the score.) 

And to make matters worse for Houston, it went for two! And got it! The Colts had a few plays to get into field goal range but were unsuccessful, giving the Texans their third and most consequential win of the season. Now, the Bears will have the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Dolphins punch playoff ticket

Down to third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, the 247th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Dolphins gutted out an UGLY 11-6 win over the Jets on the final day of the regular season. Thanks to Jason Sanders’ 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds left — along with the Bills’ win over the Patriots — Miami clinched the No. 7 seed in the AFC and will travel to Buffalo next weekend.

16 straight!

By way of Derek Watt’s one-yard touchdown, the Steelers went ahead two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter. It served as the finishing touches of a 28-14 win, which clinched a 9-8 record and Mike Tomlin’s 16TH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON. It’s an incredible feat for Tomlin, who’s done it this year with a rookie quarterback who became the starter in-season. And while Pittsburgh will miss the playoffs after the Dolphins beat the Jets, it is set up to have success for years to come.

Allen –> Diggs

This is just an incredible throw from Josh Allen on his 49-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs. Enjoy it for yourself:

Texans!

The Texans are behind! After jumping out to a 24-14 advantage, Houston has since thrown a pick-six and allowed the Colts to drive 58 yards in seven plays to get the go-ahead score. Remember: If the Texans lose, they have the No. 1 overall draft pick and the QB of their choice. This is a big development for Houston fans.

The Bills have offensive weapons galore. Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dawson Knox, Devin Singletary, Nyheim Hines … And yet in their regular-season finale, it’s John Brown who has made one of the biggest plays of the game. Brown, who played in Buffalo from 2019-20, rejoined the team via the practice squad right after Thanksgiving and is now making his presence felt in a huge divisional matchup. Check out this diving catch that put Buffalo up double digits:

Craziness in Houston!

The Texans and Colts? Entertaining?! With significant implications??? That’s correct. Davis Mills’ responded to the Colts touchdown with a 19-yard pass to Jordan Akins, and then Rodney McLeod responded to that picking off Mills and taking it into the end zone. It’s been a wild game in Indianapolis.

‘IS THIS FOR REAL?’

That was Jim Nantz on the CBS broadcast, unable to believe that Nyheim Hines was streaking toward his SECOND KICK RETURN TD OF THE GAME! The Bills need to win to lock up the No. 2 seed, and Hines has saved them on a day in which the offense has struggled. He’s now got returns of 96 and 101 yards — becoming the 11th player in NFL history with two kickoff return TDs in one game, according to the CBS Sports research team.

Turnovers in Buffalo

It seemed like no one wanted to break the 14-14 tie in Buffalo. First, Josh Allen threw a red-zone interception before halftime. Then, Mac Jones threw a red-zone pick to start the third quarter. But just two plays after that, the Patriots were back in business after a Devin Singletary fumble. They capitalized in the form of a field goal to go on top.

Michael Jordan TD!

Michael Jordan touchdown! No, not that Michael Jordan. We’re talking about the Panthers’ offensive guard, who recovered Sam Darnold’s goal line fumble to pull the Panthers even with the Saints.

McCourty alone in first

Veteran defensive backs Devin McCourty (Patriots) and Harrison Smith (Vikings) entered Sunday tied for the most career interceptions among active players with 34. McCourty broke that tie late in the first half Sunday, as his red-zone interception off Josh Allen ensured the Patriots would go into halftime tied with the Bills.

Pickett to Pickens

Get used to that, NFL fans, because you’ll likely be hearing that a lot over the next decade (assuming Kenny Pickett continues to develop.) The Steelers duo connected for a 31-yard touchdown down the middle of the field to tie the game at seven. Remember, Pittsburgh needs to win and have the Patriots and Dolphins lose to make the playoffs.

The Ravens don’t need to win this game, which works out considering Anthony Brown has had a brutal first half. The third-string quarterback, thrust into action due to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley injuries, has thrown two interceptions and lost a fumble that resulted in a Bengals touchdown — all in the first half. The Bengals look to be on their way to locking up at least the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

Bills, Pats battling

Every time the Bills have thrown a punch, the Patriots have punched back. Case and point: After Dawson Knox’s touchdown put Buffalo back on top, Davante Parker scored on the ensuing possession to tie things up at 14.

Bears (mostly) doing their job

The Bears understood the assignment: lose to the Vikings and lock up no worse than the No. 2 seed in the 2023 NFL Draft. Not only is Justin Fields not playing, but Chicago benched Nathan Peterman for Tim Boyle after three failed drives. And on his second pass, Boyle threw the ball right to the Vikings’ Patrick Peterson, whose interception set up a field goal that put Minnesota ahead 16-0.

I added “mostly” to the subhead because as I was writing this blurb, Bears rookie Velus Jones Jr. took the reverse pitch and somehow stayed in bounds as he hugged the right sideline all the way for the 42-yard touchdown. Fortunately for Chicago, its two-point conversion failed.

Pick-six!

I’m sorry Texans fans, but your team is playing some good football. Sam Ehlinger clumsily decided to throw the ball as he was being sacked, and defensive end Jonathan Greenard took full advantage by tipping the ball to himself and rumbling 39 yards for the score.

Bengals all over Ravens

With the Bengals and Ravens likely playing each other in the wild-card round next week, Baltimore is resting most of its starters and starting Anthony Brown at quarterback. It’s showed, as Brown has thrown two interceptions and the defense has allowed 17 points in just over a quarter of action.

Pats respond

The Patriots are in the playoffs with a win over the Bills, which didn’t get off to a great start with Buffalo’s kickoff return TD to open the game. But New England immediately responded, as Mac Jones and Co. drove 74 yards in nine plays and tied the game on a two-yard pass from Jones to Jakobi Meyers.

Rookie WR goes over 1,000 yards

Chris Olave, the No. 11 pick in April’s draft, joined former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson as the only rookie wideouts to go over 1,000 yards in the 2022 season. The accomplishment came in dramatic fashion as Olave caught the short pass, stopped on a dime — leaving his defender in the dust — and then sprinted the rest of the way for a 25-yard touchdown to put the Saints ahead.

Bad start for the Texans

The Texans jumped out to an immediate 10-0 lead, which usually would be great … except in this scenario. Currently holding the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Houston will clinch the top spot with a loss. But if it ends up beating the Colts and the Vikings defeat the Bears, then Chicago will pick first, potentially robbing Houston of the chance to take its No. 1 QB prospect.

Credit to Davis Mills and Brandin Cooks for connecting on an 11-yard touchdown, but that’s not something Texans fans want to see again today.

UNBELIEVABLE!

You just can’t make this stuff up. On the Bills’ first play since Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse, and with Hamlin watching from the hospital, Nyheim Hines took the opening kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown! It was the perfect way for Buffalo to start based on how its last game ended, and Hamlin being able to watch just made it even more incredible.

QB revolution has arrived in AFC; NFC veterans hanging on

Consider the ages of the starting quarterbacks of the AFC’s six playoff teams entering Week 18 (from youngest to oldest): Trevor Lawrence (23), Justin Herbert (24), Lamar Jackson (26), Joe Burrow (26), Josh Allen (26) and Patrick Mahomes (27). 

Average age: 25.3 years old

Now let’s do the NFC: Brock Purdy (23), Jalen Hurts (24), Daniel Jones (25), Dak Prescott (29), Kirk Cousins (34), Tom Brady (45)

Average age: 30.0 years old

Yes, Brady heavily skews the NFC much older, but regardless, the age gap is only going to grow after Sunday’s games. There are three teams each fighting for the No. 7 seeds in their respective conferences. In the AFC, it’s the Steelers with Kenny Pickett, the Patriots with Mac Jones and the Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa (we know he’s out for Sunday, but he’s the unquestioned starter). All three quarterbacks are just 24 years old. 

In the NFC, it’s the Lions with Jared Goff (28), the Seahawks with Geno Smith (32) and the Packers with Aaron Rodgers (39). 

The closest the gap could be between the conferences is 4.6 years; the farthest is more than six years!

So, as the road to the Super Bowl begins next week, cherish both conference’s playoff races for different reasons. In the AFC, there are quarterbacks either before or in their prime, which should provide some epic showdowns in each round. In the NFC, there are veterans looking to either add to or cement their legacy before the younger signal-callers end up taking their spotlight, too. Either way, expect theatrics on the way to Super Bowl LVII.

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