Science
The latest in science news, from the depths of space to the quantum realm.
New charging approach could extend battery life by at least 20%
November 07, 2022
The many cells that make up a lithium battery pack are not all equal; some will degrade and die faster than others. New research out of Stanford has found that the whole battery can live much longer if each cell gets an individual charging treatment.
Energy
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South Australia plans world's largest electrolyzer and H2 power plant
February 05, 2023The state that built the world's first grid-level "big battery" is striking out on an even more ambitious green energy project: the world's biggest hydrogen power station, fed by an electrolysis facility 10 times larger than anything running today. -
Multi-layer "liquid window" tech could help buildings save energy
February 02, 2023There are already "smart" windows that can be electronically switched between either letting sunlight through or blocking it. A new multi-layered one, however, can be set to several energy-saving light filtration modes. -
Acid coating converts regular electrolyzers to split seawater
February 02, 2023Green hydrogen is going to demand a lot of water for electrolysis – nine liters of pure water for every kilogram of hydrogen. Researchers say they've found a simple way to use seawater in standard electrolyzers, and that's big news for clean energy.
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Medical
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Scientists discover two new potential avenues of treatment for ALS
February 07, 2023ALS is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease with poor outcomes, but a pair of new studies may point towards a more optimistic future. In tests in human cells and live mice, scientists identified promising new targets for potential treatment. -
Arthritis drug mimics "young blood" transfusions to reverse aging in mice
February 05, 2023In what sounds like sci-fi, transfusions of youthful blood can improve the health of older people. A new study has found that an existing arthritis drug can effectively rejuvenate blood stem cells, mimicking the benefits of young blood transfusions. -
Pop Rocks and molecular gastronomy inspire new tumor-fighting foam
February 02, 2023Using the same whipping siphon used in the culinary world, researchers have created a food-based foam that can be injected directly into tumors. The foam contains oxygen, which makes tumors more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
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Space
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AI-aided alien search detects 8 "very suspicious" radio signals
February 06, 2023The chances are incredibly small that Earth is the only planet with life. A new AI system has scoured millions of radio signals from space to identify any with potential artificial origins – and discovered eight signals that look intriguingly alien. -
Newly discovered Earth-sized planet might be right for life
February 03, 2023Of the over 5,000 exoplanets discovered, only about 12 even come close to resembling Earth. That number has been increased with the discovery of Wolf 1069 b, a planet with qualities that make it a good candidate to study further for signs of life. -
NASA's rotating detonation rocket engine posts record test results
January 31, 2023Explosions get you much more bang from your fuel buck than combustion – if your engine can withstand them. NASA believes the rotating detonation engine could be the future of deep space travel, and it's getting strong results in prototype testing.
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Materials
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Liquid-metal-based material forms airtight seal for flexible electronics
February 06, 2023A team of researchers has developed a new material that’s not only elastic, but is impervious to gases and liquids – something this kind of material is usually bad at. The material could be useful for making flexible batteries or wearable electronics. -
"Robot" made of shape-shifting matter liquefies to escape jail
January 30, 2023Researchers have created a new class of robots that can shift between solid and liquid forms on demand. In a series of tests, these new bots could change shape to run obstacle courses, carry objects, or even escape from a jail cell like a Terminator. -
Ultra-thin coating makes for self-cleaning solar panels
January 29, 2023Solar panels can’t operate efficiently if they’re caked in dirt, but cleaning them regularly can be a time-consuming process. Engineers in Germany have now developed an ultra-thin coating that can make solar panels and other surfaces self-cleaning.
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Biology
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World's oldest vertebrate brain found in 319-million-year-old fossil
February 05, 2023Most of what we know about ancient extinct animals comes from their bones, since soft tissues don’t usually fossilize well. But now, scientists have discovered the oldest preserved vertebrate brain, in a fossilized fish almost 320 million years old. -
CRISPR study questions everything we know about "love hormone" oxytocin
February 02, 2023Using gene editing, researchers have engineered prairie voles with no oxytocin receptors. These monogamous mammals were thought to rely on oxytocin to form social bonds but new results suggest this "love hormone" may be less important than suspected. -
Lab-grown ancient nose receptors reveal how our ancestors smelled
January 31, 2023Our ancestors probably didn’t smell good, but did they smell well? A new study has grown odor receptors from Neanderthals and Denisovans, and tested their sensitivities to different smells compared to modern humans.
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Environment
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Genetically modified worms glow in the presence of indoor air pollution
February 02, 2023Although the air in our homes or workplaces may seem OK, it might contain harmful compounds emitted by materials like particleboard and carpeting. New research suggests that we may soon be able to tell if that is the case, using tiny glowing worms. -
Profitable retrofit system could slash steelmaking emissions by 94%
January 29, 2023A rare decarbonization idea that looks as good for business as it does for the planet. This system promises to radically reduce carbon dioxide emissions for 70% of steelmakers, while generating profits and making use of existing blast furnaces. -
Cladding could regulate building temps by solidifying and liquefying
January 27, 2023Seeking a passive way to keep buildings cool in hot weather and warmer in the colder months, researchers have developed a new electrochromic shape-shifting material. It switches from solid to liquid and from clear to opaque at set temperatures.
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Physics
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Physicists discover completely new type of quantum entanglement
January 05, 2023Physicists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a completely new type of quantum entanglement, the spooky phenomenon that binds particles across any distance. This allowed scientists to peer inside nuclei in more detail than ever before. -
Atomic clocks orbiting near the Sun could detect dark matter
December 05, 2022Dark matter remains elusive despite decades of searching. Now physicists have proposed a new experiment that would try to find signals by sending atomic clocks to where dark matter should be at its most dense – right near the Sun. -
Traversable wormhole recreated in a quantum computer for first time
November 30, 2022Wormholes are a sci-fi staple, and and it's possible that they exist in the real universe. But how would they work? Physicists have now used a quantum processor to simulate a traversable wormhole, teleporting information between two quantum systems.
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Electronics
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Scientists stack sub-pixels for sharper MicroLED displays
February 03, 2023The sharpness of images on a MicroLED screen is limited by how tightly the pixels that make up the display are packed. MIT scientists have taken a unique approach to packing them much tighter, by vertically stacking the pixels' components. -
Tongue-zapping spoon claimed to boost the flavor of foods
January 12, 2023Some people feel that their food isn't quite tasty enough unless it had added salt, sugar or MSG. The SpoonTEK spoon offers a healthier alternative, as it reportedly boosts the perceived flavor of foods by harmlessly zapping its user's tastebuds. -
Samsung's new Odyssey Neo G9 packs two 4K displays into one monitor
January 02, 2023With a new year comes a new CES, and a new crop of gadgets. Samsung has now revealed its latest lineup of monitors, headlined by the new Odyssey Neo G9, which packs two 4K displays side-by-side in one ultra-wide, curved monitor.
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Quantum Computing
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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. -
Quantum computing hits the desktop, no cryo-cooling required
September 27, 2021An Australian/German company is developing powerful quantum accelerators the size of graphics cards. They work at room temperature, undercutting and outperforming today's huge, cryo-cooled quantum supercomputers, promising industry-wide disruption.
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