Mission Local

Open Studios returns to San Francisco's Mission District this weekend, inviting visitors into artists' workspaces across the neighborhood to view and buy original work. Mission Local shared a photo preview of the event, highlighting the range of art on offer. The annual tradition remains a key fixture of the city's arts calendar.

A nonprofit in the Lehigh Valley area has been given a coffee business as a donation, and plans to use it to support survivors of human trafficking. The organisation hopes the enterprise will provide employment and a source of funding for its work helping victims rebuild their lives. Details about the donors and the coffee company have not been disclosed in initial reports.

A new shop has opened in Urbana, Illinois, with a business model built around encouraging reuse, creativity and community connection. The News-Gazette profiled the venture in its 'It's Your Business' column, highlighting the owner's aim to make the store a neighborhood hub rather than just a retail space. Details about the shop's specific offerings were not provided.

Nanyang Technological University has sent a new generation of lightweight solar cells, developed locally in Singapore, into space to test whether they can stably generate power in the harsh space environment. The mission will also test processing images directly on the satellite. The trial marks a step toward lighter, locally developed power technology for future space applications.

A new research paper proposes solving the problem of shelter construction on Mars using engineered yeast, gelatin and sand, combining biology with locally available Martian material. The approach would let settlers grow building materials on site rather than hauling heavy construction supplies from Earth, a major obstacle for crewed missions to the red planet.