Tech and Science News Roundup: EU Takes Aim at TikTok, NASA Explores Deep Space, and More

In a week filled with significant developments in the world of tech and science, the European Union has issued a warning to TikTok, stating that the social media platform's addictive design may be in breach of the EU's new content rules. According to the European Commission, TikTok's endlessly scrolling feeds can harm users' physical and mental wellbeing, particularly children and other vulnerable groups. This warning marks one of the most advanced tests yet of the EU's Digital Services Act, which requires large online platforms to identify and curb systemic risks linked to their products. TikTok's design fuels the urge to keep scrolling and shifts the brain of users into "autopilot mode," the Commission said. Meanwhile, in the world of space exploration, NASA has partnered with the Jim Henson Company to promote its deep space plans through a new stage show featuring the beloved Muppets from Fraggle Rock. The show, titled Fraggle Rock: A Space-y Adventure, explores the concept of "outer" outer space and is currently playing at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. NASA's partnership with the Jim Henson Company is just one of several initiatives aimed at promoting the agency's deep space exploration plans. Lawmakers are also weighing in on the future of the International Space Station, with some asking what it would take to "store" the ISS. Members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted to approve a NASA authorization bill, which includes provisions for a "commercial" deep space program using privately owned rockets and spacecraft. In other news, a new critique has debunked the claim that trees can sense solar eclipses. A team of scientists had previously presented evidence that spruce trees in Italy's Dolomite mountains synchronized their bioelectrical activity in anticipation of a partial solar eclipse. However, the claims drew sharp criticism from other researchers in the field, and a new critique published in the journal Trends in Plant Science has outlined the misgivings in more detail. Finally, in the automotive industry, Stellantis has taken a $26.2 billion hit as it rethinks its electric vehicle strategy. The company, which owns brands like Jeep and Dodge, announced that it has "reset" its business to adapt to reality, which comes with a significant write-down. The move is a sign that the industry's big bet on rapid electric vehicle adoption may be unwinding. As the tech and science landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that there will be many more developments to come. From the EU's efforts to regulate social media to NASA's ambitious plans for deep space exploration, it's an exciting time for innovation and discovery.