Science news — October 21, 2026

10 publications

1. ScienceAsia

   Oct 21, 2026, 20:54 UTC

   

   Nvidia Explores Hundreds of Millions Investment in Firmus After IPO Withdrawal

   Nvidia is in talks to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Australian AI cloud provider Firmus, following the company's withdrawal of its planned IPO. The equity injection is part of Nvidia's strategy to support emerging AI cloud providers and secure long-term demand for its GPU architectures. Firmus is seeking to raise at least $2 billion privately, with Nvidia potentially contributing a significant portion. The deal comes amidst growing scrutiny of AI infrastructure providers' debt levels and expansion plans.

   8 sourcesSee all sources
2. ScienceSpace

   Oct 21, 2026, 16:32 UTC

   

   SpaceX Reports Q3 2026 Earnings

   SpaceX (SPCX) reported its third-quarter earnings, with revenue breakdowns showing strong performance in AI ($7.6B), Connectivity (Starlink: $5.2B), and Space (Rockets: $1.8B). The earnings call was live-streamed, attracting investors and analysts. Key updates and analysis were provided by experts such as @esherifftv, @TeslaLarry, and @CernBasher.

   18 sourcesSee all sources
3. ScienceAISci PolicyPublic Health

   Oct 21, 2026, 15:01 UTC

   

   AI Predicts Cancer Survival from Selfies

   Researchers have developed an AI model, FAHR-Face, trained on over 40 million facial images, which can estimate biological age and predict survival outcomes in cancer patients from a single facial photograph. The model, created by Mass General Brigham, consists of two tools: FAHR-FaceAge for biological age estimation and FAHR-FaceSurvival for direct survival prediction. Both tools focus on different facial regions and complement each other in predicting survival. Lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use were found to influence facial aging. The AI model aims to support personalized treatment decisions without replacing clinical evaluation.

   67 sourcesSee all sources
4. ScienceTradeSoftwareSemiconductors

   Oct 21, 2026, 14:30 UTC

   

   Ferrari CEO Praises Tesla's Roadster Innovation

   Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna commended Tesla's newly redesigned Roadster, describing it as a bold innovation that demonstrates the potential for continued progress in the automotive industry. He praised the vehicle's technology and the presentation, rating it a perfect 10 on both counts.

   4 sourcesSee all sources
5. ScienceSci Policy

   Oct 21, 2026, 09:27 UTC

   

   Elon Musk Predicts Money's Irrelevance in Future

   Elon Musk has predicted that money will become 'irrelevant' in the future, with wealth being measured in terms of energy and resources such as 'wattage and tonnage'. He believes that conventional currency may not matter in the future.

   8 sourcesSee all sources
6. SciencePublic HealthHealthcareEnvironment

   Oct 21, 2026, 08:57 UTC

   

   AI Data Centres Threaten Water Security by 2030

   By 2030, global data centres powering AI could consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to the water usage of 1.3 billion people, intensifying freshwater competition. India's expanding AI ambitions, particularly in urban hubs, exacerbate this issue. Policies like public disclosure, scarcity-based water pricing, and efficient cooling are crucial to mitigate these environmental costs.

   6 sourcesSee all sources
7. ScienceTradeEquitiesCredit

   Oct 21, 2026, 08:24 UTC

   

   ARK Invest Predicts Tesla Stock Price by 2031

   ARK Invest forecasts Tesla's stock price to reach approximately $4,400 by 2031, with a bull case of around $5,000 and a bear case of about $3,300. The prediction is primarily driven by the potential growth of Tesla's robotaxi service.

   2 sourcesSee all sources
8. ScienceAstronomy

   Oct 21, 2026, 06:22 UTC

   

   NASA's Perseverance Rover Finds Possible Ancient Life Signs on Mars

   NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered what scientists believe could be signs of ancient microbial life on Mars. The rover found rocks containing organic molecules and minerals that form in the presence of water, both key ingredients for life as we know it. These findings, along with evidence of past water activity, suggest that Mars may have once been habitable.

   10 sourcesSee all sources
9. ScienceMiddle East

   Oct 21, 2026, 01:11 UTC

   Hero of Russia Nakhodkin to Build Oil Refinery in Yakutia

   Hero of Russia Alexander Nakhodkin has announced plans to construct an oil refinery in Yakutia. He revealed this in an interview with TASS.

   2 sourcesSee all sources
10. ScienceSemiconductors

    Oct 21, 2026, 00:31 UTC

    

    Musk's SpaceX Reports Billion-Dollar Profit

    Elon Musk's SpaceX has reported its first quarterly profit, posting a net income of $4.4 billion driven by soaring revenue from its AI unit and satellite service Starlink. After years of reporting billion-dollar losses, SpaceX's revenue has almost tripled in the last year.

    6 sourcesSee all sources