NASA Hacks Mars Helicopter Tech for Rover Upgrade, UK Fines Porn Company, and More

In a remarkable example of innovative problem-solving, NASA has revealed that it has repurposed the processor from the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to upgrade the navigation system of the Perseverance rover. The helicopter's processor, which is 100 times faster than the rover's other processing units, will enable the rover to navigate the Martian terrain autonomously for potentially unlimited distances.

This development comes as NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and find new ways to utilize existing technology. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which was initially designed to fly for just five missions, has far exceeded expectations and completed 72 missions before being permanently grounded.

In other news, the UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has fined a porn company £1.35 million for failing to implement robust age checks on its websites. The company, 8579 LLC, was found to be non-compliant with the Online Safety Act, which requires adult sites to have age verification measures in place to prevent minors from accessing explicit content.

Ofcom's investigation found that the company's websites, including crazyporn.xxx, hoes.tube, and love4porn.com, did not have adequate age checks, relying instead on a simple "yes or no" checkbox to verify users' ages. The regulator has warned that adult sites must deploy robust age checks to protect children from accessing explicit content.

Meanwhile, Amazon is offering its Prime members an exclusive opportunity to see the highly anticipated film adaptation of Andy Weir's novel Project Hail Mary four days before its nationwide release. Tickets are now available for an early screening on March 16, 2026, at select theaters across the country.

In other Amazon news, the company is offering significant discounts on two popular products. The eufy E25 robot vacuum-mop combo is currently available for $599.99, down from $899.99, a discount of $300. This model is particularly well-suited for homes with pets, featuring 20,000 Pa of turbo suction and DuoSpiral anti-tangle brushes.

Additionally, the JLab Talk USB Microphone is available for just $23.99, down from $99, a discount of 76%. This plug-and-play microphone features three studio-quality condensers and a 96kHz/24BIT resolution, making it ideal for podcasting, streaming, and music recording.

These developments highlight the ever-changing landscape of technology and science, from innovative solutions in space exploration to advances in consumer products and the ongoing efforts to regulate online content.