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First high-speed full-body 3D scanner ready for clinical tests on humans

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Scientists from the University of California Davis in partnership with Shanghai-based United Imaging Healthcare (UIH) have developed a scanner capable of producing 3D images of the entire human body at once. The first images were released on November 17, 2018 and, as promised, they provide a level of detail not available in any other device in the world. Named EXPLORER, the machine has been 13 years in the making and was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. The initial concept for EXPLORER was devised by UC Davis scientists Simon Cherry and Ramsey Badawi, and another 40+ scientists make up the team involved in its development from multiple universities.

The first full-body 3D scans performed by EXPLORER. | Credit: UC Davis

Using a type of sectional imaging called PET (positron emission tomography), EXPLORER can produce a whole body scan in as little as 20 to 30 seconds, which is about 40 times faster than current scan capabilities. The machine is also unique in its overall sensitivity, specifically 40 times higher than existing commercial systems. This enhanced capability means much higher resolution images, significantly lower radiation dosage requirements, quicker scans, and the ability to track radiotracers for a longer period of time. The fast scanning ability could also avoid the need for anesthesia in young children.

PET is a safe medical imaging technique that either maps the location or tracks the movement of dye placed into the body containing miniscule amounts radioactive elements (“radiotracers”). Certain organs and tissue absorb the dye, providing information for doctors to analyze and assess their functionality. Specifically, a PET scan shows where the dye collects. Through this method, blood flow and oxygen activity can be measured, along with many other functions, and it is commonly used to detect cancer, heart problems, and issues with the central nervous system.

Scientists Simon Cherry and Ramsey Badawi stand with the EXPLORER scanner | Credit: Lisa Howard/UC Davis

Given the improvements provided by EXPLORER, the team’s scientists and UIH, the company that built it, hope their machine will improve things in the clinical environment such as diagnosing and tracking diseases, providing detailed information about drug therapies, and obtaining better data on cancer that has metastasized. They are further working together to install the EXPLORER system in Sacramento and plan to begin imaging patients in June of 2019. The goal overall is to make EXPLORER available to the international clinical research community.

Watch the below video to see EXPLORER’s images display the progress of a radiotracer injected into a patient:

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla’s Supercharger Diner probably just secured more locations

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tesla diner
Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles dominated the company’s global usage rankings after just one year, proving the concept is more than just a one-off novelty location that will fade away.

The performance could incite the company to build more locations, something that CEO Elon Musk has hinted at for some time.

Tesla’s Supercharger Diner delivered 21.2 GWh of energy in its first year of operation, the company’s head of Charging, Max de Zegher, revealed on X. Of the top 10 most utilized Supercharger locations in Tesla’s global infrastructure, the Diner in Los Angeles was the most used by drivers, and it wasn’t particularly close:

On its launch day one year ago, nobody was too sure what the Tesla Diner would be about. It seemed like an interesting concept, and considering it had been in the works for years, it was a highly anticipated launch that many were looking forward to.

Based on its success, we could see additional Diners with Superchargers built throughout the United States, and potentially beyond. Musk has said on several occasions that the company would be willing to bring the Diner idea to more markets.

Tesla makes major change at Supercharger Diner amid epic demand

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Of the markets that Musk has mentioned, both Palo Alto and Austin have come to be perceived as ideal selections. However, there are no concrete plans as of now to build new Supercharger Diners anywhere; the location on Santa Monica Boulevard will remain the exclusive spot to pick up Tesla-inspired eats, at least for the time being.

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Tesla short sellers win big after shares fall after earnings

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A red Tesla Roadster driving around a turn
(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla short sellers won big following the company’s massive fall on Wall Street after it reported subpar Earnings on Wednesday.

Tesla short sellers collected about $4.12 billion in single-day profits on Thursday, according to BloombergShares fell as much as 15 percent during Thursday’s session. It closed as one of the worst days for Tesla on Wall Street in the past three years.

Investors sold off the stock after Tesla said it would aggressively direct its spending toward AI and its Optimus robot project. The company had record revenues, which were driven by one of the strongest quarters in terms of vehicle deliveries in company history.

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However, it missed EPS estimates by reporting just $0.33, a far cry from the $0.53 analysts expected.

S3 Partners reported that about 3 percent of Tesla’s outstanding stock is sold short. Managing Director at S3, Ihor Dusaniwsky, provided the short seller’s potential profit, as well as another figure: shorts have likely had paper gains of $8.92 billion this year, as Tesla shares are down 30 percent in 2026.

Tesla (TSLA) Q2 2026 earnings results: miss on EPS, beat on revenue

Tesla has burned short sellers many times in the past, but the company’s latest Earnings Call was a chance for those skeptics to taste some payback. Although the company gave some very transparent information regarding future projects, the rollout of Robotaxi, Optimus, and Semi, many investors took their profits on Thursday.

Notable short sellers like Michael Burry have been transparent about their skepticism around Tesla shares. Burry just revealed three weeks ago that he had opened up a new short on the stock, stating he shorted Tesla shares at $416.22. “Happy it jumped back to this level,” he said in a blog post.

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At the time of publication, Tesla shares were down about 3 percent and the stock was trading at $309.92.

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Tesla door handle saga gets its latest chapter and a big change is coming

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Credit: Tesla | Model 3 Owner's Manual

Tesla’s long-standing saga regarding its door handles and a manual release has entered its latest chapter, and as a result, a big change is coming.

On Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied Tesla’s petition that was seeking a defect investigation into roughly 180,000 Model 3 vehicles for an issue involving the emergency mechanical door release.

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NHTSA said that Tesla’s petition did not present evidence of a safety-related defect in the door handles or their emergency releases. Instead, the agency determined that it would rather solve the issue of the lack of labeling or location of emergency mechanical door releases and the federal safety rules that govern them.

Essentially, the NHTSA wants to create and enforce rules that would require automakers to make emergency door latch releases more clearly labeled in a car. Despite a Tesla having manual door releases on all four passenger doors, many people do not know they exist or how they work.

Tesla addresses door handle complaints with simple engineering fix

In recent times, Tesla has faced some criticism involving its door handles, specifically because some occupants have reported that they are unable to exit their vehicles after losing power. The door handles on a Tesla are electronically operated, but in the event that the 12V battery dies, there is a manual release that can be used.

The NHTSA only identified a single complaint involving the mechanical door releases: a 2022 Model 3 owner said the release was concealed and unlabeled after the vehicle lost power after a front-end collision. It has also already started to create a separate rulemaking process to make emergency door-egress systems more obvious.

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It should be noted that all Teslas have mechanical emergency door releases, but they are placed in various locations as the vehicles have aged and been redesigned from year to year. Refer to the safety manual for your vehicle if you have any confusion about where the emergency releases are and how they work.

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