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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Light therapy helps the brain clear out toxic Alzheimer’s proteins
September 24, 2023A new study has found that light therapy applied to mice during deep sleep increased the brain’s ability to clear away beta-amyloid protein, which may lead to a drug-free, non-invasive treatment for Alzheimer's disease. -
Coffee compound improves age-related decline in memory and learning
September 24, 2023A new study has found that a bioactive compound found in coffee beans improved learning and memory decline in aged mice. The findings open the door to developing a supplementary medicinal compound to treat or prevent age-related cognitive decline. -
Targeted gene therapy helps completely paralyzed mice walk again
September 24, 2023A complete spinal cord injury results, tragically, in total paralysis of all limbs and muscles below the injury site. But now, scientists at EPFL have demonstrated in mice a new gene therapy that can regenerate nerves and restore the ability to walk.
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Space
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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. -
Hopper2 test flight demonstrates advanced reusable rocket technology
September 24, 2023Startup Stoke Space has successfully completed a 15-second vertical launch/vertical landing test of its Hopper VTVL reusable rocket that is capable of atmospheric reentry and landing after acting as a launch vehicle second stage. -
NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission lands safely in Utah
September 24, 2023After a two-and-a-half-year astral trek and seven years since lift off, asteroid samples from NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer OS(IRIS-REx) have been brought down to Earth.
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Materials
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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. -
Bionic silkworms with spider genes spin fibers 6x tougher than Kevlar
September 20, 2023For the first time, scientists have successfully produced full-length spider silk fibers using genetically modified silkworms. This silk has the potential to provide a scalable, sustainable and better-quality alternative to current synthetic fibers.
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Biology
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New rare gene discovery provides further insights into male hair loss
September 24, 2023A new study has identified rare genetic variants associated with male pattern hair loss. In addition to increasing our understanding of the condition, the findings may pave the way for personalized therapies. -
First RNA extracted from extinct species may help thylacine resurrection
September 24, 2023Scientists have successfully extracted RNA from an extinct species for the first time. This was achieved in the thylacine, a species of carnivorous marsupial that roamed Australia until a century ago – and may again one day, if current plans bear fruit. -
Catastrophic avian influenza reaches the Galapagos for the first time
September 22, 2023Almost 200 years on from when Charles Darwin observed his Galapagos Islands finches, which became the emblems of his theory of evolution, birds in the region are again in the news for what many scientists warn could be the source of the next pandemic.
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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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"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. -
"Quantum gravity" clues could be hiding in the songs of black holes
June 05, 2023Gravity is the only fundamental force that can’t currently be explained by quantum physics. Now scientists have outlined a plan to look for signs of quantum gravity out in the cosmos by listening in to the 'ringing' of colliding black holes.
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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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