The Saturday Morning Newsletter #102
What Children Owe Their Parents, Saving Endangered Species, and Adapting to the New Wildfire Age
This Week I’m Tracking: 12 developments across the sectors shaping our future
Reading Time: 5 minutes of curated insights
Refer a Friend - Earn These Rewards
Let’s dive in.
Description: Cambridge Aerospace is an air defense startup.
Why Is This Company Interesting? Cambridge Aerospace recently raised $200M in venture capital funding. Cambridge is a defense tech company specializing in low-cost, mass-producible autonomous interceptor systems for counter-UAS and air defense applications. Its flagship system, Skyhammer, provides scalable, tube-launched interception capabilities designed to efficiently defeat drone threats.
#2: WeSort AI
Description: WeSort AI is a developer of recycling technology.
Why Is This Company Interesting? WeSort AI recently raised $10M in venture capital funding. WeSort AI is a technology company developing AI-powered computer vision and automated waste-sorting systems. Their platform analyzes, categorizes, and separates waste streams to optimize recycling operations and recover critical raw materials from complex waste fractions.
#3: AgZen
Description: AgZen is a developer of smart irrigation systems.
Why Is This Company Interesting? AgZen recently raised $10M in venture capital funding. AgZen is an MIT spinoff that creates intelligent agricultural spraying technologies. By combining real-time sensing and fluid dynamics, AgZen optimizes droplet adhesion on plant surfaces, drastically reducing pesticide waste, lowering input costs for farmers, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Description: DISA Technologies is a uranium remediation and resource recovery startup.
Why Is This Company Interesting? DISA Technologies recently raised $33M in venture capital funding. DISA is an advanced mineral processing company that utilizes the patented high-pressure slurry ablation technology. DISA’s platform uses particle collisions to selectively segment critical minerals, boosting recovery yields while reducing energy intensity compared to conventional grinding methods.
#5: Level Nine
Description: Level Nine developer of catalysts to enable sustainable chemical production.
Why Is This Company Interesting? Level Nine recently raised $4M in venture capital funding. Level Nine is developing the catalyst technology to convert locally abundant biobased feedstocks into high-performance chemicals. These chemical building blocks outperform traditional petrochemicals on cost and performance.
The Hill: DOE Identifies Five States to Hold Nuclear Waste
The Department of Energy signed agreements with Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho to explore possible nuclear waste storage in these states. The goal is to have initial facilities online to hold nuclear waste in 2027. These sites will be known as Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.
The New York Times: 100 Animals And Plants Just Got Some Much-Needed Help
A new fund, the Phoenix Species Project, said it would invest $200M in efforts to bring 100 animals and plants back from near extinction. This is among the largest philanthropic funds focused entirely on species recovery and is a collaboration between Re:wild (a nonprofit founded by Leonardo DiCaprio) and the Bezos Earth Fund.
The New York Times: Nothing Can Prevent the New Wildfires. We Have to Adapt
As the climate continues to change, wildfires are a constant. Per-person smoke exposure has increased 4x between 2006 and 2019. One source estimated over 10,000 people died as a result of the 2023 wildfires. We need to adapt to this new normal of life indoors, with air purifiers, and find solutions that meet our needs under these new circumstances.
NBC News: SpaceX Plan to Launch 1 Million Data Center Satellites
SpaceX has a new proposal to launch 1 million data center satellites into space to capitalize on current demand for AI compute technology. Scientists argue that the plan comes with severe environmental risks, potentially filling Earth’s atmosphere with vaporized spacecraft material. It’s an ambitious plan, one that will require extensive planning, but the ramifications may be significant.
The New York Times: What Are Companies Getting for All That A.I. Spending?
Companies have gone through many phases of AI usage. First there was the token surge as executives encouraged the use of AI as much as possible. Then, once the costly bills came in, executives rapidly changed course, encouraging minimal spending and harsh budgets. People are investing right now, but there’s not a sense of what they’re getting in return, which is what AI has to continually push to offer users.
JD Supra: The Biggest Threats to Intellectual Property in the Digital Age
Intellectual property is one of the most valuable assets in the modern economy. Almost every organization depends on proprietary info, data, and trade secrets to compete in the market. Digital technology has changed these dynamics, as copying is instantaneous, distribution is global, and bad actors can operate anywhere. Infringement is occurring at extraordinary speed and enforcement mechanisms are moving incredibly slowly.
Philosophy Break: Jane English: Children Do Not ‘Owe’ their Parents Anything
I’d love to argue that my relationship with my parents couldn’t be better. But even with this, what do I “owe” them?
See, the first relationship each of us experiences is with our parents or primary caregivers. How long should we obey our parents? Should we always respect their authority? If they overly constrain who we are as we grow up, are we justified in overcoming them - as we might overcome other constraints in our lives?
These are incredibly complicated questions.
The Bible says to honor your father and mother. Confucius argued that you should serve and revere your parents. Is this the way in 2026?
This philosopher argues that unconditional filial duty is ill-founded. If parents do not sow seeds of love with their children, then children owe them nothing at all. In other words, if you don’t provide what is necessary to succeed for your children (within reason), then your children don’t owe you anything.
I’m not sure how exactly I feel about this. On one hand, it does put the responsibility in the parents’ hands, with your actions having the appropriate consequences (we hope). On the other hand, to what end is family family, and should you look past any shortcomings?
That’s a wrap on this week’s roundup.
Drew Jackson
Founder & Writer
Found this analysis valuable? The best way to support Brainwaves is to share it with someone who’d benefit from these insights.
Refer a Friend - Earn Rewards
Enjoying this week’s wrap-up? Share it with someone who’d appreciate it. When you use the Refer a Friend button below, you’ll earn rewards for every new subscriber—from exclusive stickers at 3 referrals to a guaranteed copy of my upcoming book Futures Thinking at 25. Check out the full program here.
Keep Exploring
Next Deep Dive: Carrots, Sticks, and Kilowatts - August 19th, 2026
Previous Editions: View the archive here
New to Brainwaves? Join hundreds of readers getting bi-weekly deep dives into the forces reshaping our world.
Sponsor This Newsletter: Reach an engaged audience of forward-thinking readers. Email us for details.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal opinions, not financial advice. This content is educational only. Investment decisions carry risks - always consult professionals and do your own research. All sponsorships are clearly disclosed.
© 2026 Brainwaves. All rights reserved.