Stories by
Geoff Brumfiel
Senior Editor and Correspondent

Red, white and glowing blue: Trump's push for new reactors reaches the finish line
A program initiated by the Trump administration has allowed small companies to rush their testing of several new nuclear reactor designs. Some worry that safety is being compromised.
Geoff Brumfiel | Jun 29, 2026, 9:00 AM UTC
Report: Russia's nuclear-powered 'Skyfall' missile is dirty and dangerous
MIT researchers think they've worked out exactly how Russia's Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile flies. "It's almost certainly a terrible idea," one analyst said. "But it's not an impossible idea."
Geoff Brumfiel, Connie Hanzhang Jin | Jun 18, 2026, 1:00 PM UTC

SpaceX IPO makes history as largest ever. Stock gains 19% on first day
The initial public offering from the rocket and AI company raised some $75 billion, making the company one of the biggest in the world — and likely making Elon Musk a trillionaire.
John Ruwitch, Geoff Brumfiel | Jun 12, 2026, 2:01 PM UTC

The theory taking the rich by storm: China funds data center haters
Tech millionaires claim China is behind a wave of local opposition to U.S. data centers, while providing little direct evidence.
Geoff Brumfiel | Jun 10, 2026, 8:01 PM UTC

California chemical tank has cracked, causing state of emergency, thousands to evacuate
One California town is in a state of emergency and 50,000 people are under an evacuation order as a malfunctioning chemical tank at an aerospace plant is overheating and could leak or explode.
Geoff Brumfiel | May 24, 2026, 10:14 PM UTC

A trillion dollar question: Will SpaceX's Starship launch go well?
Ahead of a much anticipated IPO, SpaceX is carrying out a critical test of its giant, stainless steel rocket. Investors will be watching closely.
Geoff Brumfiel, Maria Aspan | May 21, 2026, 3:26 PM UTC

Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO plans reveal blockbuster spending on rockets and AI
The company is on track to pull off the largest IPO in history — making CEO Elon Musk even wealthier.
Maria Aspan, Geoff Brumfiel | May 20, 2026, 9:27 PM UTC

Did FBI Director Kash Patel use AI to rip off the Beastie Boys?
An analysis by NPR suggests that frames from an iconic music video were used to generate content for a tweet by the FBI director.
Geoff Brumfiel | May 5, 2026, 5:15 PM UTC

Families sue OpenAI over Canadian mass shooter's use of ChatGPT
The lawsuits claim OpenAI was negligent for failing to report the shooter to authorities after her account was flagged for "gun violence activity and planning."
Geoff Brumfiel | Apr 29, 2026, 1:09 PM UTC

How governments have tried to hide information about the Iran war online
Governments are blocking the internet, banning social media posts and cutting access to commercial satellite images. But experts say that efforts to censor information have had mixed results.
Geoff Brumfiel | Apr 10, 2026, 9:00 AM UTC
