Every day we wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. Following are a handful of stories from around the tech world condensed to fit into one single cup of coffee. These are the things you need to know before you step foot out of your door (or in front of a webcam) and into the real world this morning.
So sit back, grab a cup, and start your morning off right with a few “Quick Bytes” from Innovation & Tech Today.
The First COVID-19 Portable Breathalyzer is Here
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted an emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 breathalyzer. The new test can detect chemical compounds associated with coronavirus in the breath.
The InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer can give results in less than three minutes and is portable so it can be used at mobile testing sites and offices.
A study of 2,400 people with and without COVID-19 symptoms found that the breathalyzer correctly identified roughly 91% of positive cases, according to verywellhealth.com.
Additionally, the test is highly accurate at detecting the omicron variant, which lateral flow tests are less capable of picking up. The portable breath test must be conducted by a medical professional and will not be available for purchase by individuals, according to CNN.
SpaceX Just Successfully Launched Its Second Spy Satellite Into Orbit
SpaceX’s many contracts with the U.S. military are paying off – literally. The famed Falcon 9 rocket, which can carry payloads for multiple missions simultaneously, has successfully launched its second U.S. spy satellite into orbit. The NROL-85 satellite blasted off at 6:13 a.m. local time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to the New York Post.
Reuse of boosters and spacecraft has been beneficial financially for SpaceX, but the practice is making transportation of equipment form Earth to space more efficient too. IN 2021, the prominent private space company used reused hardware in a mission involving astronauts. This was the first time any company or government-backed program had recycled hardware on a crewed mission.
Apollo Global Considers Participating in a Bid for Twitter
Elon Musk’s shakeup of Twitter Inc. has opened the doors for other potential investors – and buyers. The latest company to put their hat in the ring for the social media platform is Apollo Global Management Inc., one of the world’s largest buyout firms.
Apollo could provide backing for Musk or another bidder like private-equity firm Thoma Bravo LP with equity or debt to support an offer, according to WSJ.
Despite Twitter’s popularity, the platform has struggled to grow in recent years. Twitter’s board is expected to decline Musk’s offer in its quarterly earnings report, but the floodgates are open after Musk’s initial bid.
New Jersey Warehouse Becomes 4th Amazon Facility to Vote on Unionizing
A New Jersey Amazon facility is the fourth to hold a vote on unionizing this year. A New York warehouse became the first to establish the company’s first union in the U.S.
The facility, located in Bayonne, N.J., gained enough support from its employees to hold an election on unionizing. Labor activists have been active in the effort to unionize Amazon warehouses for several years, but the New York facility was the first to vote “yes.” The e-commerce giant could see a disruption in profits and efficiency from the growing movement.
Employees cite long hours of physical labor with few breaks and low pay as some of the reasons for choosing to unionize.
The date of the vote has yet to be determined.
