Childhood Blindness Research: Arizona nonprofit A Race Against Blindness launched the “Ultimate Road Trip” fundraiser, offering a ~$220,000 grand prize (Thor Axis motorhome, Ford Bronco, or a $130,000 cash alternative) to back clinical trials for inherited retinal diseases. Public Safety Tech: Los Angeles is pausing Flock automated license plate reader cameras, and a police commission is weighing broader suspension—another sign privacy and data-use concerns are reshaping surveillance deployments. Autonomous Mobility: Robotaxi riders reportedly fall asleep, triggering frantic 911 calls, highlighting real-world human factors as autonomy expands. Healthcare Radiation Safety: A multi-society consensus signals a shift in occupational radiation protection, emphasizing enhanced radiation protection devices (ERPDs) as the next step beyond ALARA. Space Science: Astronomers detected erythrulose (a sugar related to raspberry/self-tanner chemistry) in interstellar space, adding to the puzzle of how life’s building blocks form. Arizona Water Watch: Lake Powell is nearing the “minimum power pool,” raising hydropower and downstream water stability concerns. Data Center Backlash: New York ordered a one-year pause on large new data centers (50+ MW) over power, water, and community strain. Security & AI Hardware: Microchip released VectorBlox 3.0 to speed FPGA-based AI deployment in power-limited, mission-critical settings.