Longevity drug extends lifespan by 30%

Good morning, tech enthusiasts. German scientists just scored a longevity breakthrough: by combining the cancer drugs rapamycin and trametinib, they extended mouse lifespans by an impressive 30%.

Biohacker Bryan Johnson — who previously dropped rapamycin due to harsh side effects — might want to revisit it. This drug combo isn’t just tweaking genes; it could be reshaping the boundaries of aging science.

In today’s tech rundown:

• Longevity drug extends mice’s lifespan

• Salesforce nabs Moonhub in AI shopping spree

• Solar storms are killing off Starlink satellites

• Trump to kickstart Mars missions with $1B

• Quick hits on other major news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

BIOTECH INNOVATIONS

💊 Longevity drug extends mice’s lifespan

The Rundown: German researchers just published a study showing two cancer drugs taken together not only extended the lifespans of mice by 30% but slashed inflammation, fought off cancer, and shut down the aging-linked mTOR pathway. 

The details:

• Rapamycin, which inhibits the mTOR pathway and slows cellular aging, was paired with trametinib, a drug targeting the Ras/MEK/ERK signaling cascade. 

• Rapamycin alone extended mouse lifespan by 15–20%, and trametinib alone by 5–10%; when combined, the drugs extended lifespan by 30–35%.

• The two drugs also improved healthspan, reducing chronic inflammation and lowering circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Mice treated with both drugs showed a reduced incidence of liver and spleen tumors, as well as a slower age-related increase in brain glucose uptake.

Why it matters: This study spotlights how cutting-edge molecular science and drug innovation are colliding to tackle aging and extend healthspan—arguably biotech’s hottest frontier. While the results have biohackers buzzing, the real test will be whether these breakthroughs can safely translate from lab mice to human trials.

SALESFORCE

🛍️ Salesforce nabs Moonhub in AI shopping spree

The Rundown: Salesforce is snapping up (in a way!) Moonhub — the startup behind smart, automated hiring tools — just weeks after sealing its $8B Informatica deal and acquiring AI automation player Convergence AI.

The details:

• Moonhub, known for building AI that vets and recruits talent, is expected to help power Salesforce’s next wave of enterprise AI innovation.

• The startup initially implied its entire team is joining Salesforce, but the CRM giant has clarified it’s not a buyout and only part of the team is coming onboard.

• With $14.4M raised from high-profile investors, Moonhub has been on the radar of many in the HR tech space, with Salesforce already an early investor.

• The startup’s tools are designed with a “human-in-the-loop” approach, ensuring that humans are key to decision-making in the hiring process.

Why it matters: While the deal’s terms haven’t been disclosed, it lands at a time when AI is rapidly transforming HR—93% of Fortune 500 HR leaders now use AI to hire talent. It also signals Salesforce’s bold move to double down on automating and optimizing every stage of hiring and workforce planning, as it looks to outpace rivals.

SPACEX

☀️ Solar storms are killing off Starlink satellites

The Rundown: New NASA research finds that solar storms can shorten the lifespans of low Earth orbit satellites, particularly large satellite constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, sending them careening back to Earth at greater velocities.

The details:

• The researchers tracked the fates of 523 Starlink satellites reentering Earth's atmosphere between 2020–2024, a period of intense solar activity.

• Using TLE tracking data and epoch analysis, they found that geomagnetic storms dramatically accelerated the orbital decay of these satellites.

• The culprit is the heating and expansion of the upper atmosphere during solar storms, which increases atmospheric drag, causing satellites to lose altitude.

• Prediction errors for satellite reentry timing swell during high solar activity, making it harder for operators to ensure safe, controlled deorbiting.

Why it matters: This is more than a statistical anomaly—it’s a warning for the satellite industry, the researchers say. With more than 7K Starlink satellites in orbit and thousands more on the way, the sheer frequency of reentries—sometimes dozens in just a few days—could put a strain on efforts to keep low-Earth orbit secure.

NASA

🚀 Trump to kickstart Mars missions with $1B

The Rundown: In a controversial pivot for the U.S. space policy, President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal carves out more than $1B to kickstart human missions to Mars — putting private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin in the driver’s seat.

The details:

• Central to the plan is NASA’s new Commercial Mars Payload Services Program, awarding contracts to companies developing critical Mars mission technologies.

• The approach mirrors the agency’s recent lunar partnerships and is designed to push innovation, reduce costs, and align with entrepreneurs like Elon Musk.

• But this Mars move comes with a dramatic trade-off: Trump’s proposed NASA budget totals $18.8B, slashing the agency’s overall funding by nearly 25%.

• The administration aims for crewed Mars missions to launch by the early 2030s, accelerating timelines previously considered by NASA.

Why it matters: The Mars push is a response to China’s rapidly advancing spaceflight program, with Trump vowing to keep the U.S. “first on Mars.” But it faces skepticism in Congress, with lawmakers questioning the feasibility of the timeline, the wisdom of deep science cuts, and the risk of over-reliance on private industry for space priorities.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in tech today

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, announced that the majority of his wealth will go toward improving health and education in Africa over the next two decades.

Alphabet agreed to spend $500M over the next decade to overhaul its global compliance structure as part of a settlement of antitrust violations.

Meta is reportedly actively developing a dedicated Instagram app for Apple's iPad, with internal testing underway and a public release expected by the end of 2025.

Microsoft announced an additional 305 layoffs at its Redmond, Washington, campus, following recent companywide cuts involving 3% of the company’s staff.

French pharma giant Sanofi announced it is acquiring Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech startup Blueprint Medicines for up to $9.5B.

TikTok unveiled "TikTok for Artists," a new music analytics platform aimed at empowering musicians with tools and insights to grow their careers.

Samsung is reportedly in discussions with AI startup Perplexity to bring the company’s app, assistant, and search capabilities to upcoming Samsung devices.

A new human study finds that plasma exchange therapy—an intervention where a portion of a person’s plasma is replaced—may slow biological aging.

New analysis shows that since January 2025, more than $14B in U.S. clean energy projects have been canceled or delayed, with some 10K planned jobs lost.

COMMUNITY

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See you soon,

Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team