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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Huff 'n' puff geothermal fracking: Earth batteries at 200% efficiency
October 04, 2023Sage Geosystems has pioneered a new form of cheap energy storage that uses the Earth as a giant bellows, pumping water into underground fractures, then letting it squirt back up at 70% efficiency – or 200% efficiency if you also harvest heat energy. -
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.
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Medical
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New blood test could improve diagnosis & management of concussion
October 03, 2023Researchers have found a way to determine whether someone has suffered a concussion by measuring the blood levels of three biomarkers within six hours of the injury. The blood test could be used alongside existing tests for a more accurate diagnosis. -
“Explosive” cell death gene variant carried by millions of people
October 03, 2023Researchers have found that millions worldwide carry a gene variant that controls ‘explosive’ cell death and is linked to inflammation. They say it may explain why some people are prone to developing inflammatory diseases. -
Chronic stress linked to two-fold risk of Alzheimer's disease
October 02, 2023Ongoing stress can take a sizeable toll on the body, including higher risks of obesity, graying hair, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And it may be just as damaging to the brain, even doubling the risk of developing dementia.
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Space
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"Starburst" galaxies could solve cosmic dawn mystery raised by Webb
October 03, 2023The James Webb Space Telescope can look farther back in space and time than ever before – and it’s revealed puzzling galaxies that seem to be too advanced for their age. Now astronomers have proposed a new explanation for them – starburst galaxies. -
New Horizons gets a new lease on life and a possible flyby mission
October 03, 2023The future of NASA's New Horizons interstellar probe as it speeds out of the solar system, never to return, is a bit more secure after the space agency announced a new extended mission plan that includes another possible Kuiper Belt object flyby. -
James Webb spots dozens of unexplained "JUMBO" objects in Orion nebula
October 02, 2023Hiding within new images of a nebula captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have made a puzzling discovery – dozens of Jupiter-sized objects that defy explanation.
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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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2023 Nobel Prize for Physics recognizes work to measure electrons
October 03, 2023The Royal Swedish Academy of Science has awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L'Huillier for work that's "given humanity new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules." -
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.
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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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