WHAT’S INSIDE:

👇️ Todays’ Feature: Chasing the Quiet Supersonic Dream with Spike Supersonic

• Polestar 5, Apple iPhone 17, IFA 2025, Spotify, Jayhawk AR Glasses

• Latest food and dining and food technology news

• Arts and culture news, intersection of tech and entertainment

• The latest sports news and sports tech

• Futurism, the latest in future concepts and cutting edge deep tech

• Latest news in wellness and wellbeing tech, biotech, medtech and more

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TOP CONSUMER TECH NEWS:

Polestar 5 Debut — The €119,900 Polestar 5 grand tourer features dual-motors, 670 km range, and sustainable luxury. Challenges Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S with its advanced aluminum platform and tech-rich interior. US release details tbc.

Apple's Big September Event — Apple launches the ultra-thin iPhone Air ($999) at 5.6mm with A19 Pro, iPhone 17 ($799), Watch Series 11 with blood pressure monitoring ($399-799), and AirPods Pro 3 with translation ($249).

IFA 2025 Tech Innovations — IFA 2025 highlights the Eufy MarsWalker robot vacuum, Anker's Nebula X1 Pro projector, Samsung's Sound Tower speakers, Garmin Fenix 8 Pro smartwatch, and Bluetti's sodium-powered power station.

Spotify's Smart Filters — Debuts smart filters tailoring libraries by activity, genre, or mood, enhancing playlist discovery and AI DJ sessions. Also launches lossless music streaming at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC quality on Premium.

Amazon — Developing "Jayhawk" AR glasses targeting 2026/2027 consumer release to rival Meta with microphones, speakers, a camera, and a full-color display.

Fashionable AR — At Meta Connect on Sept. 17, Meta will unveil $800 AR glasses in collaboration with Prada, featuring a color display and neural wristband controls.

WEEKEND CRYPTOGRAM:

Gemini's IPO Launch — Crypto exchange Gemini, founded by the Winklevoss twins, plans to raise $317M through an IPO of 16.67M shares priced between $17-$19. Backed by Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, it targets a $2.22B valuation.

Figure — The home equity lender leveraging blockchain tech is pursuing a $4.13B valuation in its IPO. With $341M in 2024 revenue and $17B in loans funded, it seeks to raise $526M by issuing 21.46M shares on Nasdaq under the symbol "FIGR."

FEATURE ARTICLE 

Chasing the Quiet Supersonic Dream

By Sam Elyaszadeh

The allure of supersonic flight has always been more than speed. It is the romance of shrinking oceans, of transforming a day’s travel into an afternoon, of making the world feel small again. Since Concorde’s final flight in 2003, that dream has lingered in the cultural imagination, half nostalgia and half unfinished business. Spike Aerospace wants to finish it.

Boom-Free Supersonic Flight

The Boston-based company has revived its S-512 supersonic business jet, aiming to deliver Mach 1.6 performance without the thunderclap sonic boom that grounded Concorde’s commercial promise. Unlike its predecessors, the S-512 is presented not as an experimental marvel or a state-sponsored prestige project, but as a practical tool for executives, governments, and global operators who see time itself as the most valuable currency. Spike’s ambition is audacious: cut a transatlantic flight in half, arrive refreshed, and do it in a jet that does not rattle cities below.

What makes Spike compelling is not only the aircraft but the moment in which it arrives. Technology, regulation, and market demand are aligning in ways they never did for Concorde. Advances in three key areas – computational fluid dynamics, lightweight composites, and propulsion – allow for low-boom shaping that would have been science fiction a generation ago. Regulators, once hostile to supersonic overland travel, are cautiously opening the door if manufacturers can prove the boom is softened to a mere thump. In a business culture where executives already rely on private aviation, the prospect of saving hours on each trip is not simply a luxury. It is a competitive advantage.

How Far Away is It? 

Yet the jet remains a vision on the horizon. Spike’s leadership, headed by CEO Vik Kachoria, has worked deliberately to shed the image of vaporware, expanding its engineering team, engaging suppliers, and sketching out a realistic supply chain. The company knows the skepticism it faces. Supersonic concepts litter aerospace history, often dying in wind tunnels or boardrooms. To stand apart, Spike must demonstrate not just design brilliance but program execution, the ability to move from renderings to runway.

What feels different this time is tone. Where Concorde was brash, a technological moonshot bankrolled by governments, Spike’s messaging is pragmatic. It speaks of cabins designed for work, sustainability built into operations, and low-noise signatures that address public concerns. There is humility in that posture, and perhaps wisdom too. Supersonic flight cannot return as spectacle. It has to re-enter quietly, almost seamlessly, as if it never left.

A Vision Of Aviation Future

If Spike succeeds, the payoff is cultural as much as commercial. Imagine executives landing in London in time for lunch after breakfast in New York, or governments responding to crises with supersonic agility. More than convenience, it is a statement that the future of aviation is a turbocharged balance of hypermobility, efficiency, sustainability & responsibility.

The challenges ahead remain immense: capital requirements, technical hurdles, certification gauntlets. Yet supersonic has always been about chasing the improbable. Spike Aerospace and other supersonic startups are radically reimagining what flight could mean in a century where time is both scarcer and more valuable than ever.

TECH IN ARTS & CULTURE:

Warner Bros. vs. Midjourney — Warner Bros. sues Midjourney for copyright infringement over AI-generated superhero images, seeking damages and injunctions.

OpenAI's Film Venture — OpenAI backs 'Critterz,' an AI-generated animated film, demonstrating cost-effective production using generative AI technology.

AI Film Restoration — Showrunner uses AI to recreate a lost Orson Welles film, showcasing advanced technology's application in film preservation.

AI Music Rights Deal — The Swedish Performing Rights Society has signed the world's first licensing agreement with AI company Songfox, allowing artists to receive compensation for AI-generated music based on their original works.

TikTok-Fandango Partnership — Fandango and TikTok partner for in-app movie ticket purchases, beginning with Disney's "Tron: Ares" to boost engagement.

Creative Arts Emmys — Jimmy Kimmel, Alan Cumming, and SNL50 take home awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, celebrating excellence in television production.

Horror Box Office Record — "The Conjuring: Last Rites" sets record with $194M global debut, becoming the third-biggest U.S. horror opening ever.

FOOD & DRINK TECH:

Lab-Grown Meat Legal Battle — Wildtype and Upside Foods are suing Texas over a cultivated meat ban, claiming it unlawfully favors local agriculture despite FDA approval, while restricting expansion and imposing substantial fines.

FDA's GRAS Regulation Update — The FDA will require mandatory GRAS notice submissions for food substances, ending self-affirmed status while updating inventory and clarifying determinations, with exemptions for existing listings.

Coca-Cola's AI Integration — Coca-Cola leverages AI to accelerate ad creation and product launches, working with bottlers to digitize processes and enhance consumer engagement, as demonstrated in their previous Christmas campaign.

Kelce Brothers' Beer — The Kelce Brothers' Garage Beer Company reaches $200 million valuation after fundraising with Durational Capital Management, targeting Gen Z and millennials with light and lime beers despite market challenges.

BoobyBiome Breakthrough — Female-founded startup raises £2.5M to develop oxygen-absorbing breast milk storage device, preserving crucial microbiome; launching in 2026 with plans for microbiome supplements for formula-fed infants.

Apeel Sciences Legal Action — Apeel Sciences sues wellness influencer Robyn Openshaw for defamation and false advertising over claims that their plant-based food coatings are toxic, with fact-checkers having debunked these allegations.

Factor's Menu Overhaul — Factor launches 100+ new weekly offerings focusing on high-protein and GLP-1 support meals, with Kylie Sakaida joining as No BS Officer to ensure science-backed nutrition.

SPORTS & TECH DESK:

YouTube's NFL Record — YouTube's first exclusive NFL broadcast drew over 17.3 million viewers, featuring the Chiefs vs. Chargers. Despite mixed fan reactions, the event bolstered Youtube’s NFL partnership for increased ad revenue.

AI Takes the Field — The Oakland Ballers will be the first pro sports team managed by AI during a game. AI will control lineups & pitcher changes, with human manager Aaron Miles overseeing, aiming to boost fan engagement, explore tech roles.

AI Thursday Night Football — Amazon has introduced AI tools to analyze real-time data to enhance viewer experience, including Pocket Health for quarterback safety and End of Game tools for comeback scenarios.

LeBron's Career Series — LeBron James hosts The Main Thing for Indeed, exploring career success through diverse skills with guests like Tony Hawk. The series challenges traditional hiring and boosts Uninterrupted's media presence.

Unrivaled Investment Surge — Serena Williams boosts Unrivaled to a $340M valuation with backing from Bessemer Venture Partners and Alex Morgan's Trybe Ventures. The league, offering top salaries and equity, plans facility upgrades.

AI Tennis Coach — Acemate's AI-powered tennis robot offers true rally play for all skill levels. It features advanced tracking, real-time feedback, and personalized training via an app. Pre-orders start at $2,499, with multiple modes, court settings.

FUTURISM:

Longevity Preparation — Aubrey de Grey advocates for government readiness for increased human lifespans, suggesting water-supply longevity drugs and utilizing artificial superintelligence to advance anti-aging research.

Electron-Beam Diamonds — University of Tokyo researchers create synthetic diamonds using electron beams, challenging previous scientific assumptions with applications in quantum technology and astrochemistry.

Quantum Computing Boost — New quantum router using superconducting qubits achieves 95% fidelity in information routing, enhancing quantum RAM and machine learning capabilities despite needing further error reduction.

Nanoplastic Detection — Innovative optical sieve enables simple detection of nanoplastics using standard microscopes, offering potential for routine environmental monitoring and analysis of health impacts.

Invisible Solar Windows — Chinese researchers develop transparent solar concentrators using cholesteric liquid crystal films, transforming regular windows into energy generators with high transmittance, ideal for urban building integration.

WELLBEING AND HEALTH TECH:

Gene Reprogramming — A novel drug targeting FOXP3 reprograms regulatory T cells to fight tumors, clearing triple-negative breast cancer in mice and showing promise in human samples, potentially revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy.

TuneLab Drug Platform — Eli Lilly launched a platform providing biotechnology companies access to AI-enabled drug discovery models developed from $1B+ in research investment. It aims to democratize access to advanced AI capabilities.

AI Blood Pressure Care — AI voice agents enhanced accuracy in self-reported blood pressure readings among 2,000 older adults, improving outcomes and reducing costs. High satisfaction rates highlight AI's potential for increased access.

Tooth Regrowth — Japanese researchers launch human trials for a drug enabling tooth regrowth, targeting tooth loss. Trials began in Sept 2024, aiming for a 2030 release, initially helping congenital deficiencies by inhibiting a specific antibody.

Sleep's Secret Strength — UC Berkeley study discovers that deep sleep enhances growth hormone release, crucial for muscle, bone, and metabolism. Identified brain circuits may lead to treatments for sleep disorders and metabolic issues.

WeightWatchers Comeback — WeightWatchers partners with Queen Latifah in a new campaign focusing on menopause treatments and GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, aiming to stand out in the market post-bankruptcy with innovative marketing.