Science News Roundup: In an ancient shark showdown, 'Jaws' may have doomed 'The Meg'; U.S. FAA delays SpaceX's final environmental decision to June 13

In late April, the FAA extended the target date to May 31 for a decision, saying it was "working toward issuing the final Programmatic Environmental Assessment" after several delays.

Science News Roundup: In an ancient shark showdown, 'Jaws' may have doomed 'The Meg'; U.S. FAA delays SpaceX's final environmental decision to June 13
Representative image Image Credit: Flickr

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

In an ancient shark showdown, 'Jaws' may have doomed 'The Meg'

An examination of the zinc content of teeth from sharks both living and extinct is providing clues about the demise of the largest-known shark, indicating the mighty megalodon may have been out-competed by the great white shark in ancient seas.

Researchers assessed the ratio of two forms of the mineral zinc in an enamel-like material called enameloid that comprises the outer part of shark teeth. This ratio enabled them to infer the diets of the sharks and gauge their position on the marine food chain.

U.S. FAA delays SpaceX's final environmental decision to June 13

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday again delayed completing a final environmental assessment of the proposed SpaceX Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket program in Boca Chica, Texas until June 13. In late April, the FAA extended the target date to May 31 for a decision, saying it was "working toward issuing the final Programmatic Environmental Assessment" after several delays. The agency said in April SpaceX had made multiple changes to its application that required additional FAA analysis. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in February he was "highly confident" his new SpaceX Starship, designed for voyages to the moon and Mars, would reach Earth orbit for the first time this year.

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