Nerd News: Rockets, Dinosaurs, Chess Masters, and Artificial Eggs

Welcome back to Nerd News, where we round up the coolest stories from the world of science, technology, and things smart people get excited about.

Blue Origin Rocket Goes Boom

It wasn't exactly the launch Jeff Bezos was hoping for.

Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket exploded in a huge fireball during testing at a launch pad in Florida this week. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but video of the explosion quickly spread across social media.

The New Glenn rocket is designed to compete with some of the biggest players in the space industry, so engineers will now be digging through the data to figure out what went wrong.

Meet the "Tyrannosaurus Rex" of the Ancient Ocean

Scientists have identified a newly recognized giant marine reptile called Tylosaurus rex, which swam through an ancient sea covering what is now Texas about 80 million years ago.

The massive predator could grow up to 43 feet long and had actually been sitting in museum collections for decades under the wrong name.

Researchers say this discovery is a reminder that there may still be unknown species hiding in museum archives waiting to be identified.

 Thinking Less Might Help... If You're A Chess Grandmaster

A new study analyzed more than 215,000 chess moves and found that elite players often made better decisions when they moved more quickly.

Researchers discovered that longer thinking times didn't necessarily lead to better moves, especially during faster games where intuition becomes more important.

Before you start making life decisions in five seconds, scientists point out that this finding applies to professional chess players, not everyday situations.

 Artificial Eggs Could Help Save Endangered Birds

In what sounds like science fiction, a biotech company has successfully developed a 3D-printed artificial egg capable of hatching chicks.

The artificial egg uses a special membrane that allows oxygen to pass through, mimicking the conditions of a natural egg.

Scientists believe the technology could someday help save endangered bird species and improve conservation efforts around the world.

As for bringing extinct species back from the dead? That's still a long way off, but researchers say this is an important first step.

 Nerd News Takeaway

This week, a rocket exploded, a giant sea monster got a new name, chess players proved overthinking isn't always the answer, and scientists hatched chicks from a 3D-printed egg.

Just another totally normal week in science.