NASA Enlists Metaverse and VR to Train Astronauts for Lunar Base

Welcome to Cointelegraph's Nifty Newsletter, your weekly source for the latest news and insights on nonfungible tokens (NFTs). This week, we explore NASA's use of VR and the metaverse to train astronauts, Ubisoft's upcoming blockchain game, the decline in Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT floor price, and VeChain's partnership with the UFC to tokenize fighter gloves. Stay informed and inspired with the Nifty Newsletter, delivered every Wednesday.

NASA Embraces Metaverse and Virtual Reality for Astronaut Training

In a groundbreaking initiative, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has harnessed the transformative power of virtual reality (VR) technology and the metaverse to prepare its astronauts for the challenges of living and working on a lunar space station still under construction.

According to NASA, the astronauts who will establish the first human presence in deep space will be tasked with operating a space station known as "Gateway." To ensure their readiness for this mission, NASA has developed a VR metaverse where astronauts can simulate the conditions they will encounter on Gateway.

Ubisoft Unveils Blockchain Gaming Plans at Paris Blockchain Week

At Paris Blockchain Week, renowned video game developer Ubisoft provided an exclusive preview of its upcoming blockchain-based game, Champions Tactics Grimoria. The tactical player-versus-player role-playing game (RPG) allows players to create unique blockchain-based figurines with distinct abilities and attributes. These figurines can be combined to form a three-member team for turn-based battles.

Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs Experience Steep Decline in Floor Price

The floor price of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFTs has plummeted by over 90% from its peak, hitting 11.1 Ether (ETH) – its lowest point since August 2021. This decline represents a 50% drop since March 1 alone.

The fall in popularity of digital art NFTs has contributed to BAYC's decline from its peak of 128 ETH on May 1, 2022. However, it is noteworthy that certain BAYC NFTs have maintained sales prices significantly higher than the floor price, which is determined by the lowest-priced NFT in the collection.

VeChain Partners with UFC for Tokenized Gloves

In a unique collaboration, VeChain and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) have announced the imminent tokenization of gloves worn by UFC fighters, with their authenticity tracked on the VeChainThor network.

The gloves will be equipped with VeChain near-field communication (NFC) chips capable of recording fight data and verifying the authenticity of each pair. Following each fight, the athletes will "donate and give away" their gloves, transforming them into coveted collector's items.

Users can utilize the chips embedded in each glove to authenticate the item through a smart contract on the VeChainThor network. The fighters will make their debut with the gloves at UFC 300 on April 13.

Conclusion

This digest encompasses the most significant developments in the NFT space over the past week. Join us again next Wednesday for further insights and analysis into this rapidly evolving realm.