speed of light

Automakers are moving closer to so-called dark factories — plants that run entirely by machines without human workers or even lighting — as artificial intelligence and robotics improve rapidly. The idea is drawing attention in the auto industry, where manufacturers face pressure to cut costs and speed up production, while raising questions about the future of manufacturing jobs.

India's Defence Ministry has decided to divide the induction of the Zorawar light tank into two variants, a move intended to speed up deployment of the vehicle. The tank, developed for high-altitude operations, is a priority for the Army given tensions along the China border. Defence watchers are debating whether the split ordering will genuinely accelerate induction or complicate production and logistics.

Korean chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are moving into co-packaged optics (CPO) technology, which links AI semiconductors using optical connections to boost data transfer speeds and energy efficiency. As AI computing demand surges, Korean media describe the shift as a new race in which chips compete 'at the speed of light', alongside global players developing similar interconnect solutions.

A new gravity experiment is prompting physicists and science commentators to revisit one of Einstein's core assumptions: that the speed of light is constant. Reports suggest the experiment's findings raise questions about how light behaves under gravitational conditions, challenging textbook relativity. Scientists urge caution, noting that extraordinary claims about relativity require extraordinary confirmation.

Venus is drawing nearer to Earth, with the distance between the two planets falling to roughly 53.3 million kilometres as of September 29, a decrease of about 6.5 million kilometres in a week. Light from Venus now takes just under three minutes to reach us, while its orbital speed ticks up slightly as it swings along its faster inner orbit.

An automated weather station reading reports a wind speed of 2.25 metres per second outside, with airflow systems described as operational. The figure indicates light breeze conditions at the monitoring location. Beyond the measurement itself, no further details are given, and there is no indication of any unusual weather event or related commentary tied to the reading.