November 17, 2024 – NeRDs Moonbase

Space-flown Choctaw Nation seeds to be planted on Earth for STEM experiment

November 17, 2024 NeRD

Seeds flown to space last year will be planted on Earth this spring as part of a cultural and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) study. Five varieties of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma — including Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tobi (Smith Peas), Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn), Tvnishi (Lambsquarter), and Chukfi Peas — were flown to the International Space Station (ISS) in November 2023. The seeds, which together weighed just over a pound (500 grams), were exposed to microgravity and space radiation for more than five…

‘Lunik Heist:’ A real-life CIA rocket kidnapping goes to Hollywood

November 17, 2024 NeRD

Now in the works is a retro look back in time at a bizarre Cold War caper by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) thanks to a forthcoming, star-studded comedy/drama movie called “Lunik Heist.” Earlier this month, Searchlight Pictures, a Disney-owned division, announced that actors Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong’o, and John Mulaney have signed on to star in “Lunik Heist,” described as a “a wild, roller-coaster ride, filled with subterfuge and unlikely heroes.” The film is based on a real-life incident that saw CIA operatives plot to disassemble and inspect one…