Daily Tech News 8 March 2026

Top Story

Look to the skies: For the first time a spacecraft has diverted the orbit of an asteroid. (Science News)

Two asteroids, in fact, the pair Dimorphos, which was the direct target, and Didymos, around which it orbits.

The deliberate impact not only shortened the orbital period of Dimorphos by half an hour from its original twelve, but slowed the orbit of the pair around the Sun by... 10 micrometers per second.

The experiment was four years ago; it took a while for the difference to add up to enough to detect.
Don't bother looking to the skies: Astronomers have found a galaxy that is estimated to be made of 99.9% dark matter. (CNN)

If it's dark, you ask, how did they find it?

With extreme difficulty. With extreme difficulty and three telescopes.

Tech News

The first car - for small values of "car" - has rolled off the production line at solar car maker Aptera. (Electrek)

If it feels like that's taken twenty years, it may be because it has. Aptera was founded in 2006, with its corporate existence punctuated with a couple of bankruptcies along the way.
OpenAI's head of robotics has resigned after the company signed a contract with the Department of War. (Engadget)

OpenAI doesn't make robots, so the impact is not likely to be significant.
Apple's 18 core M5 Max's CPU performance is mediocre compared to high-end server and workstation CPUs, but its integrated graphics performance is stellar - at least on synthetic benchmarks. (Tom's Hardware)

Yes, that's the opposite of the article's headline. The article is deliberately stupid.
Who has the fastest cloud servers? Amazon, at least if you're in a datacenter with the new Amazon Turin (Zen 5) CPUs available. (Ecuadors)

The new C8 instances are a lot faster - as much as 70% - than the Zen 3 C6 instances that we were using at my day job before we moved out of Amazon entirely.

The associated Hacker News thread notes that you can get even better performance by the simple trick of running your own server.

And save a ton of money.
The new MacBook Neo is up to 40% faster than the original M1 MacBook Air. (WCCFTech)

The same multi-threaded performance, but 43% faster single-threaded.

And that's using an iPhone CPU.
The new MacBook Air is even more faster. (Notebook Check)

And more expensive, but it does have 16GB of RAM which the Neo can't do. And a wide colour gamut display, which likewise.
Not entirely sure you can do that. (The Register)

The maintainer of Python package Chardet, which dets chars, replace the manually-written code with a version largely generated by Anthropic's Claude, and swapper the license from LGPL to MIT, raising complaints from the original developer (maybe) who assigned the license, which prohibits future relicensing.

The thing is, "copyleft" licenses in the GPL depend on copyright law for enforcement, and AI-generated content can't be copyrighted, at least in the US, so...

If he'd just renamed the package it would probably be fine.

Also, it apparently rewrote and optimised the inner loop of the code to be 48 times faster, which is something of a win.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Love someone else's way.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 DST morning all

Posted by: Tuna at March 08, 2026 03:00 AM (lJ0H4)

2 Someone stole my hour.

Well, your hour, but since this post goes up at 4AM Eastern, also my hour.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 08, 2026 03:04 AM (BLOW1)

3 Damn, pixy dropped like a fucking hammer.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 08, 2026 03:04 AM (bss/y)

4 Man, we *did* get ripped off an hour on tonight's ONT!
Posted by: Tarbender

Late Early Happy Hour is hereby extended until further notice

Posted by: Miklos defeats the perfidious Antipodean at March 08, 2026 03:07 AM (Al4HM)

5 We've come a long way since I took astronomy in college. These people are like real-life, climate-change superheros saving the cosmos.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 03:09 AM (M9gjJ)

6 We've come a long way since I took astronomy in college. These people are like real-life, climate-change superheros saving the cosmos.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone

Please sign up for one of my courses when I return to my faculty position as a Distinguished Professor of of Nuclear Astrophysics an Shit

Posted by: Jasmine Crockett, soon Representative Emerita at March 08, 2026 03:18 AM (Al4HM)

7 Belated BOING!

So, clock change down under, too?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 03:21 AM (1o8D5)

8 >>>Please sign up for one of my courses when I return to my faculty position as a Distinguished Professor of of Nuclear Astrophysics an Shit

Posted by: Jasmine Crockett, soon Representative Emerita

>Actually, my astronomy professor was a pretty cool dude, and he made the class enjoyable. I was introduced to a lot of equipment I mostly never imagined.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 03:22 AM (M9gjJ)

9 Thanks for scrambling to put up the Tech Thread an hour earlier, Pixy!

Yeah, the time changes suck @ss!

Posted by: Tarbender at March 08, 2026 03:29 AM (rdVOm)

10 Eh, what's up, doc?

https://tinyurl.com/5n6rhfan

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 03:30 AM (1o8D5)

11 7 Belated BOING!

So, clock change down under, too?
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey

No, that happens next month.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 08, 2026 03:31 AM (BLOW1)

12 Damn, Pixy-- you get screwed out of TWO hours, due to deadline changes. Sorry.

Posted by: Tarbender at March 08, 2026 03:32 AM (rdVOm)

13 Damn, Pixy-- you get screwed out of TWO hours, due to deadline changes. Sorry.

Posted by: Tarbender at March 08, 2026 03:32 AM (rdVOm)
-

Pixy should demand undertime!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 03:38 AM (1o8D5)

14 What a historically meaningful finishing touch to the new Chicago Obama Presidential Center!

https://tinyurl.com/3chjbak5

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 03:39 AM (1o8D5)

15 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 08, 2026 03:46 AM (PGK1w)

16 Undertime! LMAO!

Good one, BD. *stolen*

Posted by: Tarbender at March 08, 2026 03:46 AM (rdVOm)

17 Stupid clock change happens nearly a month too early imho. I personally rely on my phone for keeping time so it would be much easier to go forward at 2 minutes per day for 30 days instead of the whole hour shift.

Happy shortest day of the year!

Posted by: Rex B at March 08, 2026 03:57 AM (GI9/m)

18 Donald Trump?
A tempestuous figure, with words like dust storms, conjuring fervor and discord, a man wrapped in polarities, both adored and reviled, embodying the fractured spirit of a restless America.

Posted by: The ghost of Bill Faulkner at March 08, 2026 03:59 AM (2Ez/1)

19 >Actually, my astronomy professor was a pretty cool dude, and he made the class enjoyable. I was introduced to a lot of equipment I mostly never imagined.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 03:22 AM (M9gjJ)

I had Cosmic Ray Arvidson, at Wash U, who was the guy who did all of the imaging for NASA among others, and had some seriously amazing slides for every moon and planet and even the sun.

It was rather like dropping acid every week for two hours. Dude was amazing.

Astronomy FTW.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:03 AM (I40wl)

20 18 Donald Trump?
A tempestuous figure, with words like dust storms, conjuring fervor and discord, a man wrapped in polarities, both adored and reviled, embodying the fractured spirit of a restless America.
Posted by: The ghost of Bill Faulkner at March 08, 2026 03:59 AM (2Ez/1)

And kicking Muzzie ass and taking names. What's yer point?

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:03 AM (I40wl)

21 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at March 08, 2026 04:04 AM (AN2gy)

22 Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:03 AM (I40wl)

I think he just likes to quote William Faulkner.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:06 AM (lQ+/f)

23 Went into town for confession, waited nearly two hours for that, which means lots of souls getting scrubbed clean, then a really nice Mass, with many little kids misbehaving (they are the future of the Church), all of whom made me smile, and then amazing dinner and drinks at the Palmer Alehouse. Home in the snow, and all is right with the world.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:06 AM (I40wl)

24 18 Donald Trump?
A tempestuous figure, with words like dust storms, conjuring fervor and discord, a man wrapped in polarities, both adored and reviled, embodying the fractured spirit of a restless America.
Posted by: The ghost of Bill Faulkner

You talk like a fag, you faggot!!

Posted by: Ghost of Bill Faulkner's bully at March 08, 2026 04:06 AM (PGK1w)

25 Eh, what's up, doc?

https://tinyurl.com/5n6rhfan

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 03:30 AM (1o8D5)
-

IGNORE!

Community note added.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 04:09 AM (1o8D5)

26 Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:06 AM

I am glad you had a blessed time.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:11 AM (lQ+/f)

27 Eh, what's up, doc?

So all this time she lied about achieving the lamest, least academically rigorous waste of time degree? She did NOT get a PhD in finger painting and nap time. Now that I think about it I don't think that area is called PhD, something ED but I'm lazy.

Posted by: Blutarski, Gradually then Suddenly at March 08, 2026 04:11 AM (cxFcK)

28 IGNORE!

Community note added.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 08, 2026 04:09 AM (1o8D5)

I read some of her dissertation. She's still an idiot, so there's that.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:11 AM (I40wl)

29 I am glad you had a blessed time.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:11 AM (lQ+/f)

I don't mean to be obnoxious, but honestly, I am well and truly blessed. I pray the same for everyone here. It took a very long time to get here, but it can and will happen, if at all possible.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:13 AM (I40wl)

30 Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:13 AM

Why would saying that be obnoxious ? I am always glad to hear of people's blessings and their gratitude to God. 🙂

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:15 AM (lQ+/f)

31 And thanks for your prayers for blessings on everybody here , tcn

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:17 AM (lQ+/f)

32 G'morning, all!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 08, 2026 04:23 AM (iMotb)

33 My sister in Christ., poster Tecumseh Tea, , likes musical selections. So if she comes on today here's a nice version of a old time hymn, "It is well with my soul" written by Horatio after a series of personal tragedies :

https://tinyurl.com/cr38nxeu

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:25 AM (Nx5jP)

34 66.4 degrees out, with 99%RH.

The dreaded Yellow Peril is falling from the sky onto everything.

Everything will be covered in pollen for the next month, with massive lines at every car wash.

But, the front yard is done.

Plant beds emptied of old mulch, and 15 bags of new mulch down and spread.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 08, 2026 04:25 AM (iMotb)

35 Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:25 AM (Nx5jP)

Meant "hymn written by Horatio Spafford"

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:28 AM (ix8EF)

36 Good morning,

Launch reminder

SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink 17-18
SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
Launch Date: March 8, 2026
Launch Time: 3:58 a.m. PDT (1058 UTC, 11:58 CET)

https://youtu.be/pkGOc2mHYy8

Posted by: Joyenz at March 08, 2026 04:32 AM (2F0/Y)

37 Dr. adopts both came to her surgery alone and then finds homes for his siblings. Faithpot site

https://tinyurl.com/3m8jr8b2

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:37 AM (rZCVI)

38 Plant beds emptied of old mulch, and 15 bags of new mulch down and spread.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 08, 2026 04:25 AM (iMotb)

Mine are currently covered with three feet of snow. Oh well. lol

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 08, 2026 04:37 AM (I40wl)

39 FenelonSpoke, I lurk here most early mornings but rarely post. I have four copies from old hymnals framed in my hallway of the hymns I value most. Mounted in the center and slightly higher than the others is "It Is Well With My Soul". A choir I used to direct gave them to me when I moved to another church. Thank you.

Posted by: LRob in OK at March 08, 2026 04:42 AM (7D3Aa)

40 Seems like the US Air Force has the perfect solution for these Iranian go-fast speed boats attacking oil tankers.

The venerable A-10 is now in the AOR.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 08, 2026 04:47 AM (iMotb)

41 Posted by: LRob in OK at March 08, 2026 04:42 AM (7D3Aa)

I am glad you liked it . It is one of my favorites as well. And thanks for your service and blessing for being a choir director.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:50 AM (PFs9e)

42 "If it's dark, you ask, how did they find it?"

The usual way. By getting down on hands and knees and patting the ground.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at March 08, 2026 04:50 AM (JbPL7)

43 James1:5 Wisdom for today. Billy Graham devotional:

https://tinyurl.com/46rfz3jp

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:56 AM (rZCVI)

44 I was robbed, someone stole a hour from me

Posted by: Skip at March 08, 2026 05:01 AM (Ia/+0)

45 OpenAi make not make robots, but they make software for the "brains" of robots.

I am not in such a hurry to think Caitin Kalinowski a lefttard anti-government nut.

She just might be someone with good morals.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 08, 2026 05:06 AM (qFwJc)

46 "Someone stole my hour."

Or you finally paid back the hour your were given back in November. It depends on your birthday.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 08, 2026 05:08 AM (qFwJc)

47 I would contend we where on standard time.

Posted by: Skip at March 08, 2026 05:10 AM (Ia/+0)

48 Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 04:37 AM (rZCVI)

So many typos today. Sorry. Meant "boy who came to surgery alone"

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 08, 2026 05:19 AM (IYIYn)

49 I hate the fucking Media.

This is not our "war." This is Israel's war. They start with the 'little satan' and end with the 'great satan'.

And we, as Israel's greatest ally are providing support, because Iran is an imminent threat to the United States of America. [i/]

When we pull out, Israel is still, and always going to be the fucking target.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 05:22 AM (M9gjJ)

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 05:23 AM (M9gjJ)

51 barrel?

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 08, 2026 05:25 AM (M9gjJ)

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