Space: Artemis II Mission
NASA launched the Artemis II mission just four days ago on April 1, 2026. According to The Kennedy Space Center, humans are being sent back on the path to the moon for the first time since 1972,. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch and Jeremey Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency will orbit around the moon for a 10-day mission before splashing down off the coast of San Diego. NASA stated that the astronauts are putting the Orion spacecraft through a set of tests to evaluate its performance in space. They will perform manual spacecraft operations and monitor automatic activities to evaluate the spacecraft’s life-support, power, navigation, and more. They also plan to conduct communication over long distances and trajectory adjustments, according to NASA. The launch was not only monitored from the space station, but also seen by flights all over the country. “BBC” reported passengers on Delta Airlines Flight 1784 travelling from Costa Rica to Atlanta getting a glimpse of the rocket’s blast off. According to the “New York Post,” some people have speculated the most difficult part will be safely landing on the Earth near the end of the mission.
Technology: Apple’s New Macbook Neo
On March 4, 2026, Apple launched its new Macbook Neo, their cheapest MacBook yet. Apple announced that it comes with four stunning colors, silver, blush, citrus, and indigo. According to CNN, John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, described the MacBook Neo as being “totally new” and built “from the ground up” during an event in New York last Wednesday. Compared to other Macbooks, the Neo has a smaller screen and less memory. It also runs on Apple’s A18 Pro processor, a chip similar to the ones used to power the iPhone 16 Pro. This is the first time Apple has used one of its mobile chips to power a laptop. Jitesh Ubrani, a research manager for the International Data Corporation explained that he expects the new MacBook to be popular among college students and young adults that may not have as much disposable income. Apple is currently facing a supply chain problem due to the A18 Pro chips reportedly running low according to reputable analyst Tim Culpan.
Sports: Michigan and UConn Advance To Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship
In this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, both the Michigan Wolverines and the UConn Huskies have advanced to the championships with Michigan beating Arizona 91-73 and UConn beating Illinois 71-62. The championship will take place on Monday, April 6, in Indianapolis in the Lucas Oil Stadium. Michigan is making their third national title appearance in four years, after winning back to back championships in 2023 and 2024. The New York Times stated that while UConn is a strong contender, Michigan is the favorite to win. According to CBS, The UConn Huskies are second seat with a 34-5 streak and the Michigan Wolverines are first seat with a 36-3 streak. ESPN says Michigan will win if The Wolverines can guard UConn’s perimeter players and UConn will win if The Huskies make shots and Tarris Reed Jr. stays on the court.
Film: Writers Guild and Hollywood Sign Agreement for Better Benefits
On April 5, 2026, the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) signed a four-year long tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. The guild went on strike, made up of around 10,000 screenwriters, went on strike to come to an agreement with Hollywood Studios in 2023. As reported by the “Associated Press,” the vote for this new contract was unanimous and came with better compensation, improved job security, health plan fund protection, and more regulation of artificial intelligence. The associations came to an agreement much faster than the previous strike agreement, which lasted 146 days according to “The New York Times.” The Guild and Studios both agreed that discussions had to be kept shorter as to minimize complications and organization necessities, as screenwriters in the Guild’s Los Angeles branch had been on strike since February.
Science: New Fossils Found in Southwest China Change Timeline of Evolution
A recent fossil discovery at the Jiangchuan Biota fossil site in the Yunnan province shows that complex life existed millions of years before what the scientific consensus has been, according to “CNN.” The fossils were found to be in impressive condition, and scientists are researching them to investigate the factors that allowed for this preservation. Previously, the Cambrian era had been agreed on to be the period when complex life formed due to existing fossil records. This discovery challenges that theory, showing that these organisms from the Ediacaran era had internal organs, limbs, and organic tissue. Ross Anderson, associate professor of natural history at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, commented on the discovery: “What were their ecologies? Where were they living? What kinds of organisms were they? I think that will inform us a lot about our own ancestry. That’s something I’m quite excited about from this deposit.”
