Algorithms · June 1996Gaffe level: Rampage
The Rocket That Did the Math Wrong and Gave Up
Thirty-seven seconds after liftoff, Ariane 5 tried to stuff a 64-bit number into a 16-bit slot in code recycled from Ariane 4, threw an overflow exception, and confidently self-destructed along with roughly $370M of satellites. The rocket flew perfectly; the software just couldn't handle its own success.
Source: European Space Agency
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.