Science
The latest in science news, from the depths of space to the quantum realm.
Colossal new species may be largest animal that ever existed
August 02, 2023
The blue whale has long been considered the largest animal to have ever existed, even dwarfing the biggest known dinosaurs. But now a new species threatens to steal the crown, and upends what we thought we knew about whale evolution.
Energy
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Low-emissions flash method upcycles waste plastic into "free" hydrogen
September 17, 2023Researchers have harvested hydrogen from waste plastics using a low-emissions method. They say it not only solves environmental problems, but the value of the graphene by-product could offset the costs of producing hydrogen. -
Single-bladed floating wind turbine promises half the cost, more power
September 13, 2023We haven't seen a floating offshore wind turbine like this before. Touchwind claims its innovative single-blade turbines will solve several problems to drive down cost and downtime, using a single, huge blade with no fancy active pitch controls. -
Active wind turbine control aims to cut bird deaths by 80%
September 11, 2023One inconvenient truth for the clean energy industry – and a source of seemingly great concern to the fossil fuel lobby – is the indisputable fact that wind turbines kill birds. Researchers say smarter turbines could dramatically cut the toll.
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Medical
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Call to revise hand arthritis treatments due to efficacy concerns
September 28, 2023Researchers have called for a review of the recommendations for the treatment of hand arthritis, after a large study revealed that injections were as ineffective as a placebo for pain relief. Injections are considered the most effective pain reliever. -
Vagus nerve important for heart function during exercise, not just rest
September 27, 2023A new study has found that during exercise, the vagus nerve, essential to the body’s ‘rest and digest’ response, has a more important role in heart function than we thought. The findings could help treat diseases like heart failure. -
Genetic mechanism linking zinc to diabetes & liver disease uncovered
September 27, 2023Researchers have identified the mechanism underlying the protective role zinc has in type 2 diabetes and the fatty liver disease associated with the condition. The findings open the door to developing a novel diabetes treatment.
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Space
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James Webb spots carbon on Europa, boosting case for life
September 27, 2023The best places to search for life beyond Earth aren’t planets like Mars – they’re icy moons like Europa. The case for life on this watery world just got stronger, as the James Webb Space Telescope has detected a fresh carbon source there. -
James Webb analyzes atmosphere of first TRAPPIST planet
September 26, 2023The James Webb Space Telescope has achieved one of the first major science goals announced for it way back in 2017. The infrared instrument has now probed the atmosphere around one of the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets. -
NASA reveals new plan to deorbit International Space Station
September 24, 2023NASA's final plans for the International Space Station when it is decommissioned at the end of the decade have been revealed as it asks for proposals for a new spacecraft that will be used to guide the station to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.
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Materials
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Wood waste transformed into transparent, anti-fog coating
September 26, 2023Researchers have turned lignin into nanoparticles that can create a transparent coating with antifog properties or a colorful antireflective surface, transforming this abundant waste product into a useful material with diverse applications. -
Watery material makes windows selectively block light and/or heat
September 25, 2023Windows are pretty basic necessities for letting in light and heat, but you don’t always want both at once. Now engineers at North Carolina State University have developed a new material that allows windows to easily switch between three modes. -
Novel nanoribbons could improve battery & solar cell efficiency
September 22, 2023Researchers have alloyed arsenic with phosphorus to create single-atom-thick ribbons that are highly conductive, making them ideal candidates for use in next-generation batteries, solar cells and quantum computers.
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Biology
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We see what was on the trilobite menu nearly half a billion years ago
September 27, 2023Some 465 million years ago this marine scavenger was caught unawares by a mud current that would bury it alive. It had spent its last hours feasting on a large range of seafood, and now, thanks to the latest imaging tech, its last meal has been revealed. -
Look out, L'Oréal: Whales play with seaweed to exfoliate their skin
September 27, 2023Play is a vital part of animal behavior, helping to form social structures and bonds, develop cognitive function and enhance physical abilities. Now, it's believed whale play with seaweed to scrub off dead skin cells and parasites as they migrate. -
'Emotional' worms offer clues to how genetics may drive our own feelings
September 26, 2023Delivering electric shocks to 1mm-long roundworms may sound rather meanspirited, but scientists have used this stimuli to uncover some curious behaviors of C. elegans that could further our understanding of human emotional mechanisms.
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Environment
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Landfill-destined coffee grounds get converted to a 3D printing medium
September 12, 2023It was just last month that we heard how waste coffee grounds could be utilized to boost the strength of concrete. Well, new research shows that such otherwise-unwanted grounds could also be used to 3D-print plant pots, single-use cups and more. -
Dangling strings slash the time and space needed for lithium harvesting
September 08, 2023Although lithium can be found in hard mineral ores, it's more often extracted from very salty (aka briny) groundwater. The latter task could soon be much quicker and eco-friendlier, thanks to a new string-based extraction technique. -
Global mitigation strategies, led by China, reverse air pollution trends
September 07, 2023A new study has found that we’re doing something right when it comes to air pollution. An analysis of global data has found that exposure to fine particulate matter, a leading environmental health risk, has fallen.
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Physics
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Antigravity disproved: Antimatter responds to gravity just like matter
September 27, 2023Gravity's effect on antimatter has been a point of disagreement between physicists. New research may have settled the debate by finding that antimatter is affected by gravity in the same way as matter, ruling out the existence of repulsive 'antigravity.' -
"Demon particle" accidentally discovered, solving 67-year mystery
August 13, 2023While studying a material that could help unlock the secrets of superconductors, scientists have accidentally discovered a “demon” particle that was first theorized almost 70 years ago, but had never been experimentally confirmed. -
"Quantum superchemistry" observed in lab experiments for first time
August 07, 2023Scientists have detected the first evidence of a phenomenon called “quantum superchemistry.” Long predicted but never confirmed, this effect could speed up chemical reactions, give scientists more control over them, and inform quantum computing.
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Electronics
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Colorpik Pen draws from its surroundings to draw in 16 million colors
August 29, 2023With regular felt pens, users are limited to the colors of the pens in a set. As you might have guessed, though, the Colorpik Pen is different – it can reproduce 16 million colors, which are scanned from the user's environment. -
Portal, PlayStation’s first dedicated remote player, to launch late 2023
August 24, 2023Sony gave us a sneak peek of PlayStation’s first dedicated Remote Play device, then called Project Q, back in May. It's now provided more details and announced that the device, renamed Portal, will launch later this year. -
Plant-based PCB substrate breaks down in water for easier recycling
August 01, 2023Looking to tackle a significant part of our huge e-waste problem, Jiva has developed a PCB substrate that breaks down in water for easier recovery of materials. The startup is now partnering with manufacturers to demo and evaluate the Soluboards.
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Quantum Computing
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Perovskite LED unlocks next-level quantum random number generation
September 05, 2023Random numbers are critical to encryption algorithms, but they're nigh-on impossible for computers to generate. Now, Swedish researchers say they've created a new, super-secure quantum random number generator using cheap perovskite LEDs. -
Silicon quantum computing surpasses 99% accuracy in three studies
January 19, 2022Three teams of scientists have achieved a major milestone in quantum computing. All three groups demonstrated better than 99 percent accuracy in silicon-based quantum devices, paving the way for practical, scalable, error-free quantum computers. -
IBM unleashes the Eagle, the world's most powerful quantum processor
November 16, 2021IBM has unveiled the Eagle, the world’s most powerful quantum processor. Boasting 127 quantum bits (qubits), the Eagle is a major step towards commercial quantum computers outperforming traditional machines.
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