Algorithms · July 1962Gaffe level: Blunder
The Most Expensive Hyphen in History
A single missing overbar in Mariner 1's guidance code convinced NASA's Venus probe it was veering off course when it wasn't, so it 'corrected' itself straight toward the Atlantic and had to be destroyed 293 seconds after launch. Arthur C. Clarke dubbed it the most expensive hyphen in history. The machines have been fat-fingering it since before the moon landing.
Source: EDN
A Belfast Surgical Robot Has Treated 130 Complex Cases Since May
Belfast City Hospital's Da Vinci 5 robotic platform for gynaecology has treated 130 patients needing complex surgery since its launch in May 2026, and the longest inpatient wait in Belfast Trust has fallen from seven years to three. A new 1.95 million pound investment in endometriosis services will expand the specialist centres and local care behind that progress.