Making Space

Mac users are using a new open-source utility to delete the AI models Apple downloads as part of Apple Intelligence, reportedly reclaiming more than 12GB of storage. Discussion online is focused on how much space the preinstalled models take up and whether Apple should make them easier to remove, with many users on smaller drives welcoming the option.

Physicists have outlined how a photon carrying about 300 tera-electronvolts — the most energetic gamma ray ever detected — could have travelled to Earth. Such extreme energies are normally expected to be absorbed by background radiation over cosmic distances, so the finding has drawn attention for what it suggests about particle acceleration in space and possible new physics.

California has moved to speed up permitting for retail renovations under a new law, aiming to cut delays that have long slowed store remodels and upgrades across the state. The measure is aimed at making it easier and faster for retailers to refresh commercial spaces.

Debate continues over the Golden Dome, the proposed US missile defense shield, and whether it would actually make America safer. Supporters argue a space-based defense layer could deter missile attacks, while skeptics question its feasibility, enormous cost, and whether it could realistically stop a large-scale strike, given the limits of existing missile defense technology.

SpaceX has proposed building a natural gas pipeline to Cape Canaveral to fuel its rockets launching from Florida's Space Coast. The plan, reported by Bloomberg, would secure a steady supply of fuel for the company's increasing launch cadence. The proposal is drawing attention for its scale and potential regulatory hurdles.

Lola Vision Systems, a startup, is working on making it easier to run AI models directly on chips, according to TechCrunch. The company's approach targets the growing demand for on-device AI, where efficiency and hardware constraints are key challenges. The report has drawn attention among tech and startup communities tracking the edge AI space.

SpaceX is renaming its artificial intelligence unit to SpaceXSI, a change reported by Quartz and linked to a broader rebranding push associated with Donald Trump. The move ties Elon Musk's space company more closely to the political branding effort, and it is drawing attention because of Musk's high-profile role in the Trump administration and the growing importance of AI to his business empire.

SpaceX halted the launch of the Space Development Agency's fourth Tranche 1 data transport satellite mission and will try again on Tuesday. The mission is part of the US military's effort to build a proliferated constellation of small satellites in low Earth orbit for high-speed data relay. A new launch window has been set for the following day, pending resolution of the issue that forced the abort.

Walmart is selling a 12-pack of waterproof outdoor solar lights for $19, a deal highlighted by shopping reporters at Currently.com. The lights charge by day and illuminate walkways, gardens or patios at night, and their waterproofing makes them suitable for year-round outdoor use. Budget solar lighting deals like this tend to attract attention from shoppers looking to spruce up outdoor spaces cheaply, especially ahead of seasonal changes.