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It's another small step for man and giant leap for mankind -- this on Mars, where NASA just pulled off the first-ever powered flight on another planet ... courtesy of a mini helicopter.

NASA flew the aircraft, dubbed Ingenuity, and beamed in the live stream first thing Monday morning. Sending it instructions all the way here (some 180 million miles away) ... this little chopper got up off the ground at about 10 feet!

It's a historic feat ... marking the first time we've ever flown something that wasn't a rocket on another celestial body in our solar system. Think of it as the Wright Brothers flying the first plane on Earth -- this is like that, only it happened on Mars, with no one aboard ... and slightly better video!

As for the specs of how NASA was able to make it happen ... it sounds like they just had to tweak a few things for Ingenuity to achieve liftoff on the Red Planet.

For starters, Mars' atmosphere is quite thin compared to ours -- only about 1% as dense -- and it also has less gravity than what we're working with here. So, to account for that, NASA built this thing with much bigger blades that rotate incredibly rapidly ... around 2,537 RPM.

Now that they know Ingenuity can indeed get some air ... the plan is to test its capabilities and see if it can help us navigate and explore the mysterious red planet some more.

Matthew McConaughey's chances at winning the Texas governorship look solid -- at least based on a random sampling of 1,000 or so registered voters who say they'd vote for him.

The actor stacked favorably against incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott in terms of winnability ... this according to a new poll conducted by The Dallas Morning News and The University of Texas Tyler, which found McConaughey raked in 45% of the people who were asked.

The team talked to 1,126 registered Texan voters -- slightly more Republican than Dems -- and when asked if they'd be more likely to support MMC over Abbott ... nearly half said they WOULD, while 33% said they'd back GA -- and 22% said they'd vote for someone else.

That's pretty incredible ... especially considering Matt's openly mused about the possibility of running, and even recently said "it would be up to the people" on whether he'd run or not.

As for what political party platform he'd potentially run on ... it's unclear. Matt hasn't said one way or another if he's registered to either the GOP or the Dems, and his views on issues are pretty nuanced -- but as for where he lands on its face, probably more centrist than anything.

McConaughey has said that the "left" of this country often goes too far in their approach to things -- especially when it comes to finding common ground with conservatives and being cordial.

Then again, he's made clear that those on the far-right can be just as extreme ... and has written off a lot of their beliefs as well. So, seems he's right down the middle somewhere.

Some Bakersfield cops had issues with a makeshift memorial for Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo, because they dismantled it, much to the dismay of some residents.

Bakersfield residents held a vigil Saturday night, and various memorials were created to make the moment. The video shows an officer removing parts of the memorial ... folding up cardboard signs. A woman walks up to the cop to express her disapproval ... this as the officer takes the signs and starts walking toward his cruiser. The woman repeatedly asks for his badge number, and he obliges.

She then asks the cop for the signs back, but he's not having it. The PD tells TMZ the cardboard and candles were yanked because they were a fire hazard, adding, "This would not be the first time a vigil went up in flames so things have to be removed to avoid a fire."

Marc Anthony fans just learned a hard lesson about virtual concerts ... they're just not the same as the OG.

Marc's fans were none too pleased when they paid for such a concert Saturday, but there were massive technical problems. Some of them waited 3 hours before Marc finally pulled the plug.

The concert was supposed to stream out to folks in 85 countries, but there wasn't a frame of video to show for it.

Marc posted his apology ... “I am deeply sorry for this technology failure that unfortunately was out of our control. You can rest assured that I am doing everything in my power to make sure that the people that spent their hard-earned money have the opportunity to see the show as soon as possible and will make it right for you all.”

Dr. Michio Kaku -- one of the stars of "Ancient Aliens" -- says the U.S. government's admission of a UFO means there are top-secret military weapons in use ... or aliens way smarter than us are really here.

The popular physicist tells TMZ ... the idea of extraterrestrial visitation is no longer exclusive to tinfoil hat-wearing crackpots and drunks -- it's something we all should accept as a real possibility.

But, here's the comforting or disappointing part ... depending on your point of view. Kaku says if the Navy pilot's UFO sighting was indeed an alien spacecraft, it means earthlings are totally useless to them.

You have to see him break it down, but it sounds like those of us who are scared of an alien invasion don't have to worry ... because they would have killed us all by now if that's what they wanted to do.

On the flip side, the author of 'The God Equation' believes humans WILL make contact with an alien civilization within the century due to our own advancing technology.

Jeffree Star just posted photos of the Rolls-Royce that was crushed during his horrific car accident -- but turns out, this beast of a machine might've saved the guy's life.

The makeup mogul gave a health update Saturday from the Wyoming hospital where he and a friend were treated after slipping off the road near Cody ... and barreling into a snowbank as their vehicle flipped over multiple times.

After Jeffree was discharged from the hospital -- with a back brace attached, no less -- he went over to the tow yard where the Rolls was being stored ... snapping and posting photos of the wreckage and aftermath. Yes, it looks bad -- but it could've been much worse.

JS writes, "This was hard but I had to go see my car today. Thank God a #RollsRoyce is built with highly reinforced steel because it saved our lives 🙏 Time to heal and let my body repair."

Jeffree also shared more deets about what exactly happened on his IG Story ... confirming what we'd been told -- that he lost control of the car after hitting some black ice, which sent him and his passenger flying off the road. While he's leaving doctors' care, his friend, Daniel, isn't ... as he revealed he's dealing with some lingering colon issues.

While it's great to see both of them in high spirits following a life-threatening wreck ... it's not great to hear how people apparently responded to word that they were okay and alive. Jeffree says he and Daniel were sent incredibly hateful messages, wishing them death.

Pharrell Williams now has his very own hotel where you let the good times roll -- and that's exactly what Hollywood's finest flew out to do ... with some of the biggest names in tow.

The singer/producer was on hand Friday in Miami with his biz partner, David Grutman, for the launch of their joint venture ... a little place they call the Goodtime Hotel, which is right by the beach.

It's been a long time in the making, but it officially opened for the weekend -- and not a moment too soon either ... Florida was already pretty open, but the flood gates for normalcy are just about at full capacity lately, and you could tell by the atmosphere.

Folks were out and about partying it up for the celebration ... including some major A-listers, like Kim K, Chris Rock, Vanessa Hudgens, Rick Ross, Bad Bunny, Cuba Gooding Jr., Maluma, Victoria Beckham and more.

Speaking of VB, word is the hotel launch was actually meant to be in conjunction with David Beckham's season opener for his Inter Miami CF pro soccer team. He's pretty tight with Grutman and co., so they threw down in honor of both momentous milestones.

It's been a while since we've seen so many stars come together like this -- of course, the vaccine rollout is in full flux ... so we might have to get used to this sorta sight again.

A massive police presence has converged on a mall in Omaha, Nebraska -- where another shooting just took place.

The details are scarce at this point, but one thing is clear ... Omaha PD is telling the public to steer clear of the Westroads Mall, where a legion of police cruisers and ambulances have arrived. OPD says there are 2 suspects at large, and that cops are doing a sweep of the facility out of precaution. So far, one person has been transported in critical condition.

Word of the shooting first started percolating on Twitter, where a local reporter said she saw people running for their lives ... but stopped short of saying she heard any shots herself. Another person confirmed people were barreling out of the mall, but with no obvious signs of a shooting just yet. Still, it's clear that one did, in fact, occur.

The mere fact officers were loading up semi-automatics in tactical gear and preparing for some type of gunfight indicates this might have been an active shooter situation at one point.

There has been a slew of shootings recently since restrictions have eased over the pandemic.

We're trying to get more details on what led up to the latest incident -- but haven't been able to get through to anyone. OPD says a press release will be sent out soon detailing the narrative.

A rabid bobcat attacked a North Carolina woman in her driveway and her husband jumped in and hurled the animal across the lawn ... and it's all caught in this wild video.

It went down in Pender County last week, when a guy is getting ready to hop in his car. As he prepares to get in, you hear the bobcat snarl and the woman screams for her husband.

The guy immediately recognized the type of animal and the peril, grabbing the bobcat and hurling it across the lawn. He screams for people to take cover and then says he's gonna get his gun.

It's unclear if he shot the cat, but authorities say the animal died and tested positive for rabies.

As you probably know, someone who gets bit by a rabid animal must undergo extremely painful rabies shots. We don't know if the woman was bitten, but judging from the screams it seems she was.

It's especially concerning because no one knows what contact the bobcat had with other people or animals. It could have bitten before it was killed, putting others in grave danger.

Really frightening.

A Polish woman's gotta be feeling pretty flaky about the panicked phone call she made to animal control to report a strange creature lurking in a tree ... that turned out to be a pastry!!!

Okay, before ya toast the concerned lady too much ... take a look at the mystery beast in a Krakow neighborhood.

If ya didn't know better, it could be a GIANT caterpillar-ish thing or something of that ilk. 🤷🏽‍♂️

The woman told animal welfare officers people were afraid to open their windows for fear the big puffy creature might scurry into their homes. After all, she said it had been stalking them, just sitting there -- all brown and buttery -- for 2 whole days!

When asked to described the "animal" ... she said it looked like an iguana. The officers were skeptical, but went to check it out, only to discover ... they shoulda brought coffee or a cup of tea. It was just a croissant.

The belief is someone threw it out of their window to feed the birds and it got stuck, setting off the hilarious chain of events. Animal control said it was a funny false alarm, but encouraged the public to err on the side of caution and report anything suspicious. Y'know, like a shady scone.

A leaked video showing a triangle-shaped object gliding through the sky has now captured the attention of the U.S. Government, which says the vid's the real deal.

The clip, shot by a U.S. Navy Pilot, was taken in night vision -- and while it only lasts a few seconds -- it certainly looks like something out of a science fiction movie. Now, the Pentagon is not only confirming the video is real, but it's referring to the object as an unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), or as we know it ... a UFO.

It's unclear when and where the vid of the triangle-shaped object was shot.

The Pentagon established a task force to dive into UAP sightings back in August, saying, "The Department of Defense and the military departments take any incursions by unauthorized aircraft into our training ranges or designated airspace very seriously and examine each report."

In January, TMZ obtained photos of another apparent UFO sighting from a driver in L.A. traveling on the 101 freeway. The image was of a bright object with a swirl shape and little lights following behind it.

Homeowners in Army Sgt. Jonathan Pentland's neighborhood are worried they're gonna end up suffering because he decided to confront a Black man walking on his block.

An official for the HOA at The Summit -- the South Carolina community where the incident went down -- tells TMZ ... residents are very concerned over the ongoing demonstrations going on outside Pentland's home.

Protestors have gathered there since Wednesday when the video of Pentland harassing the man went viral.

We're told Pentland's neighbors are on edge about crowds spilling over into their yards and ruining the grass -- and they've been running to the HOA and cops to complain about crowded streets and sidewalks.

The vibe is folks are angry they have to deal with the mess Pentland created. In fact, we're told the sergeant, who was arrested for the altercation and subsequently suspended by the Army, hasn't even been back to his home since he got busted.

We're also told the guy Pentland went after does indeed live in The Summit, as he said in the video.

Interestingly, the HOA says the majority of residents at The Summit are minorities -- and while they, and the HOA, don't condone Pentland's actions, they're still concerned about potential property damage.

We're told the HOA's been flooded with hate mail from non-residents since the video became a national story.

A white man who is a U.S. Army sergeant saw a Black man he didn't recognize strolling through his neighborhood, and decided to get in his face about it ... but we've learned the sergeant's been arrested over the incident.

42-year-old Jonathan Pentland -- reportedly based at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC -- was recorded aggressively confronting the young Black man, and even shoving him around in the suburb of Summit Monday evening.

The Black guy kept his cool, and said he was just passing through ... doing nothing else but walking. Pentland and others recording the altercation continued to press him -- accusing him of lingering around their home and surrounding streets for 15 minutes.

As for what triggered this altercation ... the Richland County Sheriff's Office says calls initially came in describing an altercation going down. Once officers arrived and did a preliminary investigation, RCSO says they learned the alleged victim here was supposedly going around and approaching different neighbors in what they described as a threatening manner. Eventually, they say someone asked Pentland to step in ... and things picked up there.

RCSO notes that when officers first responded, they were not aware of nor did they see this video. However, after the clip eventually went viral ... the agency says they passed their findings to a judge, who found sufficient evidence to bring Pentland in on an arrest warrant.

The Sheriff's Office also says this of the alleged victim ... he apparently has an underlying medical condition that might've affected his behavior that day, and the authorities are working to get him the help he needs, while trying to keep him out of the criminal justice system.

The young man claimed to live near this area ... but no word yet if that's, in fact, the case.

In any event, Pentland ended up getting arrested early Wednesday morning over the altercation. We've confirmed he was booked on assault and battery charges. It's unclear if he's still in custody.

Fort Jackson officials also commented on the widely-circulated video, saying ... "This type of behavior is not consistent with our Army values and will not be condoned. We have begun our own investigation and are working with the local authorities."

The cop who shot Jacob Blake seven times is back on the job -- something JB's family can't comprehend ... but also something that won't get fixed with protesting alone ... so says Jacob's lawyer.

B'Ivory LaMarr, who's repping Jacob and his family, tells us the Blakes are incredibly disappointed that Officer Rusten Sheskey rejoined the Kenosha PD without punishment.

ICYMI ... KPD announced Tuesday Sheskey had been cleared of wrongdoing after an internal affairs investigation and several outside investigations as well. The conclusions were that the officer broke no laws and violated no police policy regarding use of force.

As such, they say he's gonna get back to work and not face any further discipline -- with the Chief going on to say this ... "I know that some will not be pleased with the outcome; however, given the facts, the only lawful and appropriate decision was made."

That's certainly not how the Blake family sees it ... especially Jacob's uncle, Justin, who ominously told us Kenosha's crazy if they think Officer Sheskey's going to be allowed back onto the streets, or to patrol in Black neighborhoods -- saying "we" aren't going to stand by and let it happen.

Unclear exactly what he meant, but he also believes all the local agencies involved in investigating Sheskey are complicit ... insisting the cop would have been charged if the DOJ had gotten involved on a civil rights level. Remember, Sheskey's shots left Jacob paralyzed from the waist down.

There's also this note from Jacob's attorney, B'Ivory, who says as disheartening as it is to see this result come to pass -- and in light of yet another officer-involved shooting in Minnesota -- more protesting alone will NOT solve the issue of police brutality and social justice.

B'Ivory tells us that instead of just taking to the streets, folks need to start pushing for reform ... both locally and on a national level, as he says that's the only way to truly affect the change he and everyone else wants right now.

Of course, there have been numerous demonstrations in Brooklyn Center after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by ex-cop Kim Potter ... with protesters clashing with police for 3 straight nights now. Speaking of Wright, we're told the Blake family sends his family their condolences.

Civil unrest continued for a third straight night in Minnesota after the shooting death of Daunte Wright -- which saw protestors start to get creative with how they protected themselves.

Demonstrators took to the streets again Tuesday evening, gathering outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department and elsewhere in the area to decry police officer Kim Potter killing Daunte over the weekend ... after she claimed she mistakenly grabbed her gun instead of her Taser.

The march took an interesting turn Tuesday night -- different from the previous 2 nights -- as some protesters came prepared ... with umbrellas to shield themselves from projectiles hurled by police.

Check it out ... you can see a bunch of civilians bunched up together with open umbrellas out, acting as a bit of a barrier for several of them all at once.

Not to make light of the situation, but it was reminiscent of the movie "300" ... where the Spartans used their shields to ward off incoming arrows

BTW, protesters used other homemade weapons of choice, if you will ... including a guy who used a leaf blower to clear out smoke and gas from flashbangs the police threw to disperse the crowds.

All in all, reports say upwards of 60 people were arrested -- this as curfews were in effect in Brooklyn Center and surrounding areas.

The chaos, of course, follows yet another police-involved incident that left an unarmed Black man dead. Potter shot and killed Wright Sunday as he attempted to escape custody ... this after police found there was a warrant out in his name during a traffic stop.

His family has already retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and gave an emotional press conference Tuesday ... where multiple members openly wept and called for justice.

An investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is currently underway -- but amid mounting pressure, Officer Potter resigned from the force after serving more than 20 years as a cop. Not just that, but the Chief of Police at BCPD also stepped down -- seemingly as a sign of solidarity. The public had called for her firing, at the very least, but the Chief wouldn't oblige, instead, explaining away the situation as an "accidental discharge" and a mistake.

Hank Azaria feels awful about his years-long portrayal of Apu -- but there's still a way he can get right with the Indian community which he, and others, feel has been harmed by the character.

Shereen Bhalla -- a rep for the Hindu American Foundation -- tells TMZ ... Hank doesn't have to torment himself for his work on "The Simpsons," or at least he doesn't have to do it alone. Bhalla says she and the staff at HAF would love to have a sit-down with him.

She tells us coming to the table with them would help Hank do a lot of the learning he seems very open to at this point. Shereen says they can expose him to Indian people's lived experiences, and have a dialogue about his lingering guilt.

It's clear from Hank's comments on Dax Shephard's podcast that he does, indeed, have a lot of remorse about Apu ... even going so far as to say he feels the need apologize to every Indian person.

If Hank's concerned about "cancel culture" ... HAF does not want to see that happen to the veteran actor. We're told the group doesn't feel Hank needs to be excommunicated, and believes he's genuinely sorry and willing to educate himself ... which HAF would love to help him do.

As for how to proceed, there are a few options. For one, HAF is offering Hank a third-party facilitated dialogue with Indians across the nation, on or off the record ... his choice. Also, HAF has a podcast called "That's So Hindu" and would be more than happy to have him as a guest.