Swordsage Dachshund

Tabletop 3D printer cuts semiconductor 3D patterning from days to minutes

Faculty in the Cockrell School of Engineering have developed a rare printer as part of a larger project to speed up production and lower costs of manufacturing semiconductors critical to modern electronics. Currently, manufacturing semiconductors has such a high entry cost that only a few companies in the world can do it at a commercial scale. Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography uses machines to "print" circuits onto a silicon substrate using a complex series of mirrors, tin, and a mask that then becomes the computer chips in phones, laptops, and other devices. EUV lithography printers will usually run the average buyer more than $200 million and take up an entire room. Texas Engineers and their partners have created a tabletop EUV lithography device by stripping the traditional printer down to just basic components. This system is more versatile for researchers, more modular, and less expensive.

What you should know

Mamdani administration has secured more than $8.5M in restitution since taking office 

[Note: To be clear, that's just between January 2026 and March 2026.]

...over YouTube Live while eating a Crunchwrap Supreme, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the filing of an enforcement petition against QSR Management LLC, a Dunkin’ franchisee that operates locations in Staten Island, seeking monetary relief for workers and civil penalties. The petition alleges that QSR Management LLC and managing corporate officer Ronny Nader violated the rights of approximately 1,000 workers under the Fair Workweek Law and Protected Time Off Law. The Mamdani Administration also announced settlements with two companies that will provide more than 830 workers with more than $1.8 million to resolve violations of the Fair Workweek Law. In addition to restitution, Dunkin’ & Taco Bell franchisee Salz Management LLC and premium fashion retailer Theory will pay more than $176,000 in civil penalties and costs... “Today’s settlements are about more than financial compensation for working New Yorkers —though that relief matters. At their core, these actions are about restoring dignity on the job. Every worker deserves a predictable schedule — something stable enough to plan a life around, to care for family, to show up for the people who depend on them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This city will not tolerate any corporation or franchisee that violates our Fair Workweek laws, or any of the labor protections that workers fought for and won. We will keep enforcing those laws, so that every New Yorker knows their rights and can count on this city to defend them.” ... The Mamdani Administration is urging all workers who believe their rights have been violated to file a complaint by visiting nyc.gov/workers or by calling 311. Since Jan. 1, 2026, the Administration has secured more than $8.5 million in restitution for New York City workers, including more than $500,000 for freelancers ripped off by production company Splashlight and nearly $5 million for Uber Eats, Fantuan and HungryPanda delivery workers.

-via The Official Website of the City of New York, March 24, 2026

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Your rights in Mamdani's New York City under the cut

Farmers see through Trump's damage control drop-by

A study by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine identifies a new way that G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs)—targets of roughly one-third of FDA-approved drugs—control signaling in cells. The paper is published in the journal Nature.

Biobased magnetic sensors printed from iron and cellulose rival some commercial devices

Today, magnetic field sensors are one of the invisible mass-produced products in the electronics industry. They measure movement, positions or distances and can be found in window contacts, steering wheels, hard disks, packaging and cell phones. Billions of these components are manufactured every year. "Many of these sensors contain materials like nickel or cobalt," says Dr. Denys Makarov, head of the Intelligent Materials and Systems Department at the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research at HZDR. "These are materials that can harm the environment and health when not properly disposed." At the same time, producing them often requires energy-intensive processes and complex manufacturing steps.

On this day, 8 June 1967, Israeli forces attacked the US Navy research ship, USS Liberty, killing 34 and injuring 171 people.

The Liberty was off the coast of El Arish, Egypt, operated by the National Security Agency. It was tasked with monitoring communications during the Six-Day War between Israel and Arab states including Syria, Egypt, and Jordan.

First, the ship was attacked by air, then by torpedoes and artillery. Badly damaged, the crew launched three lifeboats but these were also attacked, which is considered a war crime under international law.

While official investigations by the US and Israel concluded that the attack was accidental, as Israeli forces believed the ship to be Egyptian, others disagree. Journalist James Bamford in his book Body of Secrets argued that the Liberty’s ability to intercept Israel’s communications could have been the motivation for the attack, in order to cover up war crimes such as the massacre of unarmed Egyptian prisoners in El Arish.

NSA Deputy Director, Louis Tordella, described the preliminary inquiry by the Israeli military as “a nice whitewash”, and US Secretary of State Dean Rusk stated: "I was never satisfied with the Israeli explanation… I didn’t believe them then, and I don’t believe them to this day. The attack was outrageous.”

The US inquiry into the incident was held in secret, and survivors were issued gag orders banning them from ever speaking about what occurred. Despite the gag orders, survivors of the attack, who set up the Liberty Veterans Association continue to demand a transparent investigation into the incident.

The president of the organisation told The Intercept: “We now know that the Navy Court of Inquiry was merely for show, as the officers were told to come to the conclusion the Liberty did [its] job and the attack was accidental.” Some survivors of the attack were accused of antisemitism for talking about their experiences.

At the time of writing (2024), the NSA still keeps its files on the attack secret.

More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/12777/israel-attacks-uss-liberty

from the country that brought you "we beat covid by not testing for it" comes an exciting new situation: "we let flesh-eating parasites into our country cuz we fired everyone whose job it was to prevent this exact problem but don't worry, this other agency we've already gutted will take care of it"

wishing all magats and everyone who chose not to vote in 2024 a very happy screw worms laying eggs in your eyes and mouth while you sleep