Nuclear energy is a leading option to power space exploration, but its success depends on reactors that can operate autonomously rather than relying on human operators in space.

To help make that vision a reality, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has built a non-nuclear test bed that mimics the conditions of a space nuclear reactor to overcome the high cost and strict regulations required for testing in a reactor environment. The research is published in the journal Energies.

This “hardware-in-the-loop” system—a system combining real hardware with computer models to simulate conditions—enables NASA and industry partners to rapidly develop and validate autonomous controls and hardware using cost-effective components and open-source software.

“Our test bed gives engineers the ability to push autonomous control systems to their limits in a safe, repeatable environment,” said ORNL’s Brandon Wilson. “That means we can identify and solve problems here on Earth—before astronauts rely on these systems millions of miles from home.”

Are you gonna collaborate?

Yeah.

All right. What’s your favorite sandwich?

That’s a tough one because I love all of them. I would say a New Jersey sub from this institution called Sorrento’s around Freehold. A Number 14, which is a combination, I believe, of like Number 7 and Number 12. [Eds. note: Sorrento’s menu says the Number 14 is a combo of a Number 5 and a Number 12 called the Pig Special.] So an Italian sub from a real New Jersey institution, and if not that, then a Wawa Club sandwich.

I really appreciate how specific that was. Thank you. First video game you ever bought?

I pirated a lot because I was in Turkey growing up, so it was virtually impossible for us to get like a lot of video games. As far as purchase, it could be Metal Gear Solid 2 for the PlayStation 2, or I guess a Pokémon game.

So let’s rewind 34 years. You were born in New Jersey. You spent the majority of your childhood in Turkey.

Yeah.

You’ve talked before about that upbringing. You’ve characterized it as a very privileged one. How did that experience, now that you’re able to look back and reflect, affect your worldview? How does that turn you into the person that you are today?

There’s massive income inequality in Turkey that almost resembles America now, but that’s still far worse in Turkey. For that reason, if you’re above board, if you’re relatively affluent, you come across as very wealthy in comparison to the average person.

I’ve never sheltered people from that truth, but I did grow up fairly affluent. It was very positive in the sense that I didn’t have to worry about making ends meet or having to take on a job or anything like that. My parents’ main concern was to make sure that I wasn’t spoiled, so I didn’t get everything I wanted.

Outside of that, I would say that as a young boy I was sent to public school in Turkey. I think it was a good thing that my parents did that because it made me understand that there were very different income brackets with people living in very different conditions.

You moved to the United States for college, right? What was surprising to you about that transition?

When I came to college, this is literally what I wanted. Other people were like, “I want to be an astronaut,” “I want to be a teacher,” “I want to be a race car driver.” I was like, “I want to go to college in America.”

So I loved it. I was so stoked to be here, and I had all of these beliefs. You know, this is a land of freedom, land of prosperity, right?

Right.

This is where I’m gonna make a name for myself, make a career for myself.

Slowly but surely, experiences growing up or going to college and then onwards living in America, slowly chipped away at that dream. Piece by piece.

Yeah.

It’s interesting because in comparison to other fresh-off-the-boat immigrant stories, I did it. I am living the American dream, but I just realized that it’s not something that is readily accessible for all.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is backing the production of a feature-length animated film created largely with artificial intelligence tools, aiming to prove the technology can revolutionize Hollywood filmmaking with faster timelines and lower costs.

The movie, titled “Critterz,” follows woodland creatures on an adventure after their village is disrupted by a stranger, with producers hoping to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026 before a global theatrical release, they said in statement on Monday.

The project has a budget of under $30 million and a production timeline of just nine months—a fraction of the typical $100-200 million cost and three-year development cycle for major animated features.

“Critterz” originated as a short film by Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI, who began developing the concept three years ago using the company’s DALL-E image generation tool.

Nelson has partnered with London-based Vertigo Films and Los Angeles studio Native Foreign to expand the project into a full-length feature.

“OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it,” Nelson said in the news release. “That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.”

The production will blend AI technology with human work.

Artists will draw sketches that are fed into OpenAI’s tools, including GPT-5 and image-generating models, while human actors will voice the characters.

The script was written by some of the same writers behind the successful “Paddington in Peru.”

However the project comes amid intense legal battles between Hollywood studios and AI companies over intellectual property rights.

Major studios including Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against AI firm Midjourney, alleging the company illegally trained its models on their characters.

The film is funded by Vertigo’s Paris-based parent company, Federation Studios, with about 30 contributors sharing profits through a specialized compensation model.

Critterz will not be the first animated feature film made with generative AI.

In 2024, “DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict,” considered the first AI animated feature film and made with a budget of $405, was released, as well as “Where the Robots Grow.”

Those releases, as well as the original “Critterz” short film, received mixed reactions from viewers, with some critics questioning whether current AI technology can produce cinema-quality content that resonates emotionally with audiences.

© 2025 AFP