Caltech Robot Builds in Space

A robotic builder designed at Caltech has put together part of a structure in orbit without help from astronauts, a first for autonomous construction in space, according to The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The payload, called ASTRA, launched March 30 from Vandenberg Space Force Base and added a third section to a small truss designed to model a future space antenna, Caltech reported. “This is the first time that a structure has been autonomously constructed in space,” said team leader Sergio Pellegrino.

The mission is set to end in December, and DARPA says the approach could one day help build large antennas, solar arrays, and habitats in orbit.

Two Skydivers Killed in Lake Elsinore

Two skydivers died Friday after a midair emergency over Lake Elsinore in Riverside County.

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were called around 11:47 a.m. to the 20000 block of Cereal Street, where the two were found with major injuries and taken to a hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. 

The pair were involved in a reported midair collision, and video from the area showed strong winds afterward, though it’s unclear whether wind played a role.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Opens Penguin Exhibit

The Monterey Bay Aquarium opens Ocean in Motion / La Danza del Mar today, a new bilingual exhibit built around ocean animals that move in playful ways.

The gallery centers on an expanded African penguin habitat that can hold 18 birds and also features big-belly seahorses, leaping blennies, garden eels, and a coral reef, KQED reported. The exhibit took five years to develop and is designed mainly for children ages 2 to 6.

“They’re almost silly to watch, but they’re spectacular, constantly on the go,” said Paul Clarkson, the aquarium’s director of husbandry operations.

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➤ Arcata: The Arcata-based Bigfoot Trail Alliance had its biggest year yet, restoring 140 miles of trail and clearing 1,894 fallen trees across four national forests. (More)

➤ Fort Bragg: Sport crabbing opens today off Noyo Harbor with hoop nets and crab snares only, while a toxin found in Dungeness crab keeps waters north of Fort Bragg closed. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz: The 18th annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival runs today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Boardwalk’s Grove Event Center, with $5 admission. (More)

➤ Salinas: Netflix filmed its East of Eden series in New Zealand, but a new Monterey County Weekly guide takes readers to the real Salinas Valley places behind John Steinbeck’s novel. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: A local woman who once got a letter back from Jimmy Stewart is celebrating Jimmy, a new biopic about the actor’s World War II service that opened in theaters Friday. (More)

➤ Bishop: State transportation staff recommended about $22 million for paths, sidewalk connections, crossings, and lighting on the Bishop Paiute Reservation, and the California Transportation Commission will consider the recommendation Dec. 3-4. (More)

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➤ Los Angeles: A Southwest Airlines flight from John Wayne Airport to San Jose diverted to LAX on Friday after the crew reported an engine-related maintenance indication shortly after takeoff, and it landed safely just before 12:30 p.m. Southwest said passengers would be put on another plane to San Jose, and the FAA said it will investigate. (More)

➤ Escondido: The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed its first-ever dwarf mongoose pup, a member of Africa’s smallest carnivore species, which is known to do handstands to scent-mark its territory. (More)

➤ Joshua Tree: Joshua Tree National Park is a 2026 Leave No Trace Spotlight site, with a traveling team leading workshops, outreach, and stewardship projects in the park through today. (More)

➤ El Cerrito High’s football program, a 2025 state champion, was suspended after police said 22 current and former players are under investigation in a hazing case involving alleged battery, sexual battery, and stalking. (More)

➤ Unbeaten No. 8 UCLA will visit Minnesota as the state’s lone ranked team in action, while San José State will host Northern Illinois and Fresno State will visit Utah State. (See Schedule)

➤ The LA Galaxy can clinch a playoff spot with a Decision Day win at Real Salt Lake, while Los Angeles FC will visit the Seattle Sounders, all but locked into sixth place. (More)

➤ Cal general manager Ron Rivera said first-year coach Tosh Lupoi “has bumped his head a lot” during a 3-6 season that leaves the Golden Bears needing to win out for bowl eligibility. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAF | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Researchers from Northwestern and Caltech built a “digital twin” of the James Webb Space Telescope’s camera to erase starlight from images, revealing a giant planet hidden in two-year-old data. (More)

➤ A coyote couldn’t wait for the grand opening and was caught by National Park Service wildlife cameras trotting across the unfinished Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, which officials call the largest wildlife crossing of its kind in the world. (More)

➤ Bishop’s Christmas parade is taking entries through Nov. 23 for its Dec. 5 event, themed “A Very Sierra Christmas.” (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. 

➤ Most people run errands on the wrong days, and it’s costing us time and money. (Watch Breakdown)

➤ Social Security has set a new earnings limit that could temporarily cost some working seniors nearly $1,000 in benefits. (Listen Now)

➤ More young homebuyers are putting parents on their mortgages, with the practice surging in some of America’s priciest cities. (Podcast Available)

Have you ever seen a penguin up close?

1. No, but it’s on my list
2. Only on TV or online
3. Yes, at an aquarium or zoo
4. Yes, in the wild
5. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever stayed in touch with a stranger you met by chance?

1. For a while, then we drifted: 28%
2. No, but I’d be open to it: 25%
3. No, I keep to myself: 24%
4. Yes, we’re still in touch: 20%
5. Other (reply to tell us): 3%

In 1953, two partners opened a coffee-and-doughnut shop in Lakewood, California, called Danny’s Donuts. A few years later, they changed the name, and it grew into one of America’s best-known diner chains. What is it now called?

Show me the answer