Top 5 Events in Tech, Science, and Space from the Last 24 Hours

Samsung Unveils Next-Generation Foldable Phones

Samsung today hosted its highly anticipated Unpacked event, where it officially introduced the next evolution of its foldable smartphone lineup: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. The launch, streamed globally, showcased devices with significant improvements in durability, display technology, and performance. The new models feature a redesigned, more robust hinge mechanism aimed at reducing the screen crease and enhancing water resistance. The company emphasized the use of new, tougher ultra-thin glass and a more powerful processor designed to handle the unique multitasking capabilities of the form factor.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is being marketed as a productivity powerhouse, with enhanced S Pen support and a desktop-like multitasking interface called DeX, which now works more seamlessly with external displays. The Galaxy Z Flip 7, on the other hand, focuses on style and convenience, boasting a much larger and more interactive cover screen that allows users to access widgets and reply to messages without opening the phone. Pre-orders for both devices begin this week, with Samsung betting heavily on the growing foldable market to solidify its leadership in mobile innovation.

U.S. Federal Regulator Launches Antitrust Probe into AI Leaders

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a sweeping antitrust investigation into the handful of companies dominating the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. The probe will examine whether these firms have engaged in anti-competitive practices by bundling their AI services, leveraging their vast data troves to stifle smaller competitors, and making exclusive deals for essential hardware like high-end GPUs. This move signals the U.S. government`s growing concern that the AI revolution could further consolidate power within a few Big Tech players, potentially harming innovation and consumer choice.

Regulators will focus on the entire AI stack, from foundational models to cloud infrastructure and consumer-facing applications. The investigation follows months of complaints from startups and open-source advocates who argue that the immense computational cost and proprietary data required to build competitive AI models create an insurmountable barrier to entry. The outcome of this probe could lead to significant regulatory changes, potentially forcing major companies to unbundle services or open up access to their models and data.

European Union Approves Landmark AI-Powered Public Health System

The European Parliament has given its final approval for the creation of a pan-European health data network powered by artificial intelligence. This ambitious project, named the "European Health Intelligence Network" (EHIN), aims to predict and track the spread of infectious diseases, optimize hospital resource allocation, and accelerate medical research across the member states. The system will use anonymized data from national health services to train AI models capable of identifying potential pandemic threats hours or even days before they would be detected by traditional methods.

Privacy advocates had raised significant concerns, but the final legislation includes what lawmakers describe as "world-leading" safeguards, including strict data anonymization protocols and a ban on using the data for commercial or law enforcement purposes. The EHIN will be rolled out in phases, starting with a pilot program involving five member countries later this year. Proponents hail it as a revolutionary step for public health, demonstrating a practical and ethical use of AI for the common good.

A Major Breakthrough in Solid-State Battery Technology Announced

A research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in partnership with a battery startup, published a paper in a leading scientific journal detailing a major breakthrough in solid-state battery technology. The team has developed a new type of solid electrolyte that is not only stable and non-flammable but can also be manufactured at room temperature, overcoming one of the biggest hurdles to commercialization. This discovery could pave the way for electric vehicle batteries that are safer, lighter, and capable of charging in under 15 minutes.

The new material reportedly demonstrates significantly higher ionic conductivity than previous solid electrolytes, allowing for faster charging and discharging without the risk of dendrite formation, which can cause short circuits in traditional lithium-ion batteries. The startup collaborating with MIT has already secured a new round of funding to begin pilot-scale production. If the technology proves scalable, it could revolutionize the energy storage and electric vehicle industries, drastically reducing charge times and improving safety.

SpaceX Successfully Tests a Fully Reusable Starship for Mars Missions

SpaceX conducted a successful high-altitude flight test of its latest Starship prototype, SN30, which featured a new, faster method for catching and repositioning the booster and the ship for near-immediate relaunch. During the test, the Super Heavy booster was caught by the launch tower arms, refueled, and placed back on the launch mount in under an hour, a key milestone in Elon Musk`s vision for making interplanetary travel as routine as air travel. The Starship vehicle itself flew to its target altitude and performed a controlled landing on a separate pad.

This rapid turnaround capability is critical for the economic viability of future Mars missions, which will require multiple tanker flights to refuel a Mars-bound Starship in orbit. While the process is not yet fully autonomous, the test demonstrated that all the necessary hardware is in place. The achievement was lauded by the space industry as a major step toward a future of fully and rapidly reusable rocketry, dramatically lowering the cost of access to space.