Unless you've been living under a big red Martian rock, you've likely heard that NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is in trouble. The robotic program has its roots in the 1960s, when NASA started thinking about sending robots to fetch Mars soil even before Mariner 4's first flyby of the planet. The Russians pondered it as well, as the Chinese and Japanese are today. The problem? It's really hard, with multiple spacecraft, possibly on different launches, rendezvousing around the Red Planet to accomplish. And then there are the concerns about the safety of returning possible pathogens to Earth (that said, I could use an extra tentacle). But the showstopper, as usual, is cost—and NASA's not happy. We invited the original Space Ace reporter, Leonard David, to join the discussion.

Headlines:

• NASA gives green light to Dragonfly, a nuclear-powered helicopter mission to Saturn's moon Titan, set to launch in 2028 and arrive in 2034
• New images from the Perseverance rover reveal the crash site of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, showing scattered debris and broken rotor blades
• NASA continues to study the Orion spacecraft's heat shield, which experienced more erosion than expected during the Artemis 1 mission, raising concerns for future crewed missions

Main Topic: Mars Sample Return Mission

• Leonard David expresses frustration with NASA's recent announcement of significant cost increases and delays for the Mars Sample Return mission
• NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that the current estimated cost of $11 billion is too high and called for innovative ideas from industry and academia to reduce costs and accelerate the timeline
• They discuss the scientific importance of returning Martian samples to Earth but question whether the current approach is the most effective way to search for life on Mars
• Leonard suggests that advancements in miniaturized instruments could allow for more comprehensive life detection experiments directly on the Martian surface, reducing the need for sample return
• The conversation touches on the potential for international collaboration and competition in Mars exploration, with China, Japan, and Russia planning their own missions
• Rod highlights the critical role of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Mars exploration and expresses concern about the potential loss of expertise if the MSR mission is scaled back or cancelled
• The TWiS crew concludes by emphasizing the need for a clear, sustainable strategy for Mars exploration that balances scientific objectives, technological capabilities, and budgetary realities

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Leonard David

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Boston Dynamics introduced a new robot that has caught the attention of many people. How is Microsoft's AI Copilot impacting the coding industry? What are TikTok Notes? And what in the heck are Super Apps?

• Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins us this episode to discuss Boston Dynamics' introduction of its latest robot, the Atlas, and how it's a vast improvement over its previous robots.
• Mikah Sargent talks about how Microsoft's AI Copilot is impacting the coding industry by automating coding aspects and saving engineers time.
• Karissa Bell of Engadget joins the show to talk about TikTok's latest experiment, TikTok Notes, and how it is similar to Meta's Instagram.
• Finally, Lisa Eadicicco of CNET explains what Super Apps are and why the idea of Super Apps is starting to make news lately.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guests: Karissa Bell and Lisa Eadicicco

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Safari, like any modern web browser, offers support for third-party extensions. In this episode of Hands on Mac, Mikah Sargent walks you through the process of discovering, managing, installing, and using extensions in the Safari browser on macOS Sonoma.

Use Safari extensions on your Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-us/102343

Host: Mikah Sargent

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Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

In a market overflowing with audio content, Lisa breaks down how direct response brands can deploy calls to action that not only grab attention but also foster trust and brand recall. It's about the intricate dance of balancing a unique brand identity with a generous offer that listeners can't ignore—without giving away the store.

Host: Lisa Laporte

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Winbdows 11 comes with a lot of Microsoft apps. This week, Paul runs through the 5 apps you should think about replacing or uninstalling completely.

Host: Paul Thurrott

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Listener Greg Davis finds his center speaker somewhat dull sounding. Is there anything he can do to improve its sound, or is it a result of his hearing loss? Scott Wilkinson tries to help.

Host: Scott Wilkinson

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In this exciting episode of iOS Today, Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard embark on a thrilling adventure, exploring a range of iOS apps and features designed to enhance your outdoor experiences. From hiking trails and pollen forecasts to offline maps and home security, they cover it all. Join them as they share their top picks and dive into the world of iOS shortcuts to help you make the most of your devices.

• AllTrails: A popular app for finding nearby trails, with filters for distance, difficulty, and attractions. It offers trail information, photos, and offline downloads for Plus subscribers.
• OS Maps by Ordnance Survey: Great Britain's official mapping app, providing offline access to maps, routes, and public transport information. It also integrates with CarPlay for easy navigation.
• First Aid by American Red Cross: A free app offering a comprehensive guide to administering first aid in various situations, with quizzes and training classes available.
• Guru Maps & Navigation Offline: An offline map app that allows users to download maps for cities and regions worldwide, ensuring access to navigation even without an internet connection.
• My Pollen Forecast Pro: An app that provides local pollen forecasts, helping users track allergens and potential triggers. It offers a companion Apple Watch app for on-the-go information.
• National Trust - Days Out App: A UK-specific app that helps users discover events and historical sites managed by the National Trust organization.

Shortcuts Corner:

• Ron's request for a shortcut to adjust alarm volume or output based on whether he's wearing earbuds. Rosemary suggests using the sleep alarm feature or creating an automation to play a song on a HomePod when the alarm goes off.
• Steve's request for a way to manage notifications from home sensors during bedtime to monitor an elderly family member with dementia. Rosemary advises setting up activity notifications for specific sensors within the Home app.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

You can also contribute to iOS Today by sending an email to iOSToday@TWiT.tv.

• Craig Newmark the Pigeon Man / more AI Music
• Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot goes electric
• Marques Brownlee calls the Humane AI pin "the worst product I've ever reviewed."
• limitless ai
• brilliant.xyz
• Maria Cantwell wants a privacy law. She's been one of its biggest obstacles.
• Experts Provide Early Analysis of the American Privacy Rights Act
• Unclear Protections in the American Privacy Rights Act Not Worth Broad Preemption
• Google tests stopping news links in California because of CJPA
• Whoops! Computer error leads to wrong couple getting divorced
• Hey, Paris: How Neopets' nostalgic revival tripled users in six months
• Amazon virtually kills efforts to develop Alexa Skills, disappointing dozens
• Panic-as-a-Business is Expanding
• Crypto Trader Searched Web for 'Fraud' Before $110 Million Haul
• 'Eat the future, pay with your face': my dystopian trip to an AI burger joint
• Ready for a Chatbot Version of Your Favorite Instagram Influencers?
• Prophet Song
• Strands, the superior NYT game
• Cow magnets
• Vinod Khosla's tech-determinist TED wet dream

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau

Guest: Stacey Higginbotham

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Backlash against tech criticism, Ralf Groene retires, Hardcore Software

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

For full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/877

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• An update on the AT&T data breach
• 340,000 social security numbers leaked
• Cookie Notice Compliance
• The GDPR does enforce some transparency
• Physical router buttons
• Wifi enabled button pressers
• Netsecfish disclosure of Dlink NAS vulnerability
• Chrome bloat
• SpinRite update
• GhostRace

Show Notes - 970-Notes.pdf">https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-970-Notes.pdf

Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte

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You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page.

For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6.

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