[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:10] Speaker B: Welcome to this episode of the STM Daily News Podcast. Today, we're taking a quick look back and wrapping up some of the stories we've recently covered on stm daily news.com from headlines that matter to moments that made us think, let's dive in as.
[00:00:25] Speaker A: The federal government shutdown continues, millions of Americans who rely on SNAP benefits are facing uncertainty.
The USDA has announced limited emergency funds to cover roughly half of November's food assistance, but delays and reductions are expected nationwide. States and community organizations are stepping in with food banks and emergency meal programs to fill the gap.
Officials urge recipients to check their state's SNAP website for updates and encourage the public to donate, volunteer and share verified information to support those affected.
The Affordable Care Act's original subsidies were designed to be permanent, helping low and middle income Americans afford health insurance through the federal and state marketplaces.
However, the enhanced subsidies added during the COVID 19 pandemic, first under the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and later extended by the Inflation Reduction act, were temporary.
These expanded benefits, which lowered premiums and widened eligibility, are currently set to expire at the end of 2025.
Without congressional action to renew them, millions of Americans could see their health care costs rise sharply in 2026.
[00:01:36] Speaker C: Archer Aviation has announced plans to acquire control of Hawthorne Airport near Los Angeles for $126 million, positioning it as a key hub for its upcoming air taxi network. The 80 acre site, located just three miles from LAX, will serve as both an operations center and an AI aviation testbed raised $650 million in new funding, boosting its liquidity to more than $2 billion, as covered in an earlier STM Daily News story. Flying Taxis and Olympic will LA28 be the Jetsons Era in real life, the move could bring Los Angeles a step closer to showcasing flying taxis in time for the 2028 Olympic Games.
[00:02:19] Speaker D: In a rare act of cooperation between rival space powers, China's National Space Administration recently contacted WAY to coordinate the avoidance of a potential satellite collision.
According to NASA's space sustainability director, Alvin Drew, this marks the first time China initiated communication to steer clear of a space hazard, an important milestone in orbital safety and space traffic management.
For years, NASA typically took the lead in such maneuvers, but this exchange highlights growing awareness among major space agencies of the need for direct coordination to prevent debris and protect valuable assets in low Earth orbit.
Space.com NASA's experimental X59 flying Swordfish aircraft has officially taken to the skies for the first time, marking a major milestone in the agency's quest to bring back Quiet Supersonic Flight the sleek needle nosed jet developed with Lockheed Martin under the Quest program, completed its maiden flight on October 28, 2025 from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California before landing safely at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center. Although the debut flight was subsonic, the X59 is designed to prove that sonic booms can be reduced to a gentle thump, potentially paving the way for faster than sound commercial travel over land.
Live Science Astronomers have released new observations of interstellar comet 3I ATLAS, revealing surprising behavior as it travels through our solar system.
The comet, the third known visitor from beyond our stellar neighborhood, is now glowing a faint green and exhibiting multiple jets. It's including one that points toward the sun, an unusual anti tail feature.
Data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope show an unusually high ratio of carbon dioxide to water vapor in its coma, suggesting three I Atlas formed in a much colder environment than our own solar system.
The object, currently located in the constellation Virgo, continues to brighten rapidly as it approaches its closest pass to Earth in December 2025, though it will remain millions of miles away.
Live Science, Orbital Today and NASA Science.
[00:04:54] Speaker C: The award winning animated short Shimmer, also known as Fulgoris, is now Streaming exclusively on Gizmodo's iO9. Written and directed by Andres Palma, the film recently won Mexico's 2025 Ariel Award for Best Animated Short Film and is now part of the Oscar race in the same category. Set along a haunting shipwrecked shore, Shimmer tells a powerful story of fatherh, regret and redemption brought to life through stunning visuals created in Unreal Engine 5. Watch Shimmer now on Gizmodo and read
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[00:05:35] Speaker B: Thank you for tuning in and being part of this community. No matter where you're listening from, whether you're in Phoenix, Arizona, Southern California, somewhere else in the States, or tuning in from around the world, I appreciate you spending this time with me. If you enjoyed this episode, do me a favor, share it with someone who needs to hear these stories. Leave us a comment, drop a review and make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode. Head over to stmdailynews.com for the full articles, videos and photos from everything we talked about today and follow us on all the socials, tmdaily News on Instagram, TikTok talk and YouTube. I'm Rod Washington. Stay informed, stay inspired and I'll catch you next week.
