Science and technology headlines today are dominated less by discovery than by high-stakes tests and the politics around public institutions. In space, SpaceX is preparing the first orbital-and-return flight of its Starfall reentry capsule, a mission aimed at proving the vehicle can survive a full trip to orbit and back. In Munich, Intersolar Europe has become a showcase for the energy transition, with MARSTEK unveiling its new VENUS E plug-in battery family and Huawei picking up a smarter E AWARD for its 506 kW utility-scale smart string inverter. Elsewhere, science-adjacent public attention has turned to institutions and controversy: the Australian War Memorial is opening its new Anzac Hall under the shadow of scrutiny surrounding Ben Roberts-Smith. And in a grim, unresolved U.S. case, reports say a ransom note tied to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance claims she died, though no official public confirmation has settled the matter.