Science
The latest in science news, from the depths of space to the quantum realm.
"Magnetic" dark matter may be accelerating the universe's expansion
April 06, 2021
The expansion of the universe is accelerating, and current models call the driving force dark energy. But perhaps this placeholder doesn’t exist – a new study has found that dark matter could produce the same effect if it had some form of magnetism.
Energy
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Carbon dots made from hair boost stability of perovskite solar cells
April 08, 2021One thing holding back perovskite solar cells is an intrinsic instability and a vulnerability to the elements. Scientists believe they may have found a solution to this hiding in hair swept up from the floor of a local barbershop. -
Artificial photosynthesis device improves its own efficiency over time
April 06, 2021Scientists have now demonstrated a new type of artificial photosynthesis technology that can not only produce clean hydrogen fuel, but undergo morphological changes during use that makes it become more efficient over time. -
3D aluminum electrode enables low-cost battery to go the distance
April 05, 2021A team from Cornell University has put forward a compelling example of what cheap, environmentally friendly energy storage can look like, fashioning a 3D electrode out of low-cost aluminum for a battery with a very long cycle life.
Medical
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Implantable ion pump delivers cancer drugs directly to the brain
April 15, 2021Scientists at Sweden's Linköping University have developed a new tool to tackle risky remnants of malignant brain tumors, demonstrating how an ion pump can take highly effective chemotherapy drugs directly to the source of the problem. -
Old diabetes drug given new life as potential cancer treatment
April 14, 2021A new review article is presenting a promising case for phenformin, an old diabetes drug related to metformin, being repurposed as an adjunct to new immunotherapy cancer treatments. A phase 1 clinical trial is underway to test the novel combination. -
Ladybug-sized implant tracks oxygen levels in deep body tissues
April 14, 2021Engineers at University of California, Berkeley have demonstrated a new wireless implant that can detect oxygen levels in deep tissues, with hopes it could become a tool to track the health of transplanted organs, among other applications.
Space
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Blue Origin rehearses for passengers during latest capsule test flight
April 14, 2021Blue Origin came a step closer to crewed flights today as ground personnel stood in for astronauts during the 15th New Shepard suborbital space mission, carrying out preflight procedures and re-entering after the flight to rehearse post-flight procedures. -
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy to launch NASA's ice-hunting mission to the Moon
April 13, 2021A NASA next-generation rover designed to sniff out water and ice at the lunar south pole has just been assigned a ride, with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy given the job of launching it along with a medium-capacity lander to the Moon in 2023. -
DARPA awards contracts for orbital nuclear propulsion demonstrator
April 13, 2021DARPA's nuclear space rocket project is progressing, with contracts awarded to General Atomics, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin for the first phase of a program to place a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) demonstrator into low Earth orbit by 2025.
Materials
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Cement-free concrete recipe bonds sand using alcohol
April 14, 2021The cement used to make concrete carries quite a carbon footprint. Now, scientists at the University of Tokyo have created a cement-free alternative that directly bonds sand particles together using a reaction between alcohol and a catalyst. -
3D-printed graphene aerogel makes efficient, scalable water filter
April 14, 2021Researchers at the University at Buffalo have developed a new method for 3D printing graphene aerogels that work well as water filters. The team says this technique helps make graphene aerogels scalable and stable enough to be used over and over. -
Revolutionary technique produces injection-molded glass objects
April 09, 2021Plastic is a lot easier to work with than glass, which is one of the reasons it's used so much more often. That may be about to change, though, thanks to a new process that allows glass to be injection-molded – just like plastic.
Biology
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Scientists tunnel back over 4,000 years in time – through bat guano
April 13, 2021For many years now, scientists have learned about the past by analyzing core samples taken from ice caps or soil. They have now applied that same technique to a millennia-old pile of bat poop, with interesting results. -
Ancient "Monkeydactyl" bears the oldest known opposed thumbs
April 12, 2021It's a common view that opposable thumbs are a key feature that distinguishes us from most other species, but a flying reptile that clambered through the trees 160 million years ago isn't one of them according to analysis of a newly discovered species. -
Study suggests tiny birds' blood gets warmer in the winter
April 12, 2021In order to stay warm on frigid winter days, small birds may do more than just fluff up their feathers. According to new research, they're actually able to make their blood run hotter, creating a sort of central heating system.
Environment
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Norwegian app designed to sleuth out sources of sea plastic pollution
April 08, 2021When you see plastic trash washed up on the shore, don't you wish there was something you could do? Besides just picking it up, that is? Well, a new app may soon be able to determine where that garbage came from, so action can be taken. -
Biodegradable plant-pollen sponges could soak up oil spills
April 07, 2021Last year, we heard how scientists had created eco-friendly soft gel particles from hard grains of pollen. Now, they've used those particles to create sponges that could soak up oil spills, then biodegrade once used up. -
Biodegradable plastic made from fisheries waste
April 05, 2021Like most other commonly used types of plastic, polyurethane is typically made from non-renewable crude oil, and it takes centuries to break down when discarded. Now, however, scientists have created a biodegradable polyurethane-like polymer using fish waste.
Physics
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Quantum bits recruited to detect dark matter turning into light
April 13, 2021Dark matter makes up the majority of matter in the universe, but it’s strangely shy about making its presence known. Now physicists have designed a new test to search for signs of two candidate particles, using the quirky world of quantum technology. -
Tailor-made light passes through opaque obstacles like they're not there
April 12, 2021Clouds or sugar cubes block light because they’re disordered media that scatter light waves. Now scientists have found a way to manipulate light waves to pass through, projecting an image on the other side as clearly as if the obstacle wasn’t there. -
Scientists pinpoint source of "impossible" EmDrive's thrust
April 05, 2021The secrets of the mysterious EmDrive thruster – which stumped both NASA and Chinese research teams by delivering measurable thrust without a propellant – have finally been unlocked. The thrust comes from ... drum roll ... repeated experimental error.
Electronics
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LED tech localizes haptic feedback to specific areas on touchscreens
April 14, 2021While most smartphones now have haptic feedback built into their screens, the whole screen buzzes, limiting the applications of the technology. A new touchscreen film, however, utilizes LEDs to only vibrate in specific areas. -
Smart electrical outlets could save energy and reduce e-waste
January 26, 2021While there are now many appliances that can be controlled via the internet, each one of those has to incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) electronics. Engineers have now created a system that moves those electronics to the home's wall outlets. -
Lenovo AR glasses let you multi-screen virtually anywhere
January 10, 2021One display just isn’t enough for most people. If you’d rather not clutter up your desk with a whole bunch of screens, Lenovo has unveiled ThinkReality A3, a pair of augmented reality glasses that can project up to five virtual displays around you.
Quantum Computing
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Cosmic rays can destabilize quantum computers, MIT study warns
August 30, 2020Progress on quantum computers may soon stall. Cosmic rays streaming to Earth can interfere with the integrity of information in quantum computers, and now an MIT team has shown just how vulnerable they are and what it might take to protect them. -
Landmark hot qubit research promises bigger, cheaper quantum computers
April 15, 2020Current-gen quantum computing "qubits" need to be kept incredibly cold – below 0.1 Kelvin (-273.05 °C/-459.5 °F). But new "hot qubits" developed at UNSW can work 15 times hotter, opening the door to radically smaller, cheaper quantum computers. -
Information teleported between two computer chips for the first time
December 26, 2019Scientists have achieved quantum teleportation between two computer chips for the first time, sending information between them without being physically or electronically connected. The feat opens the door for quantum computers and quantum internet.