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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Sleep disorder drug shown to be effective in treating adult ADHD
October 09, 2023A drug that treats excessive daytime sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnea could be repurposed to relieve debilitating symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder, without the serious health risks that stimulants may hold for older adults. -
Replacing a critical nutrient with a mimic starves pancreatic cancer
October 09, 2023Researchers have found that replacing a nutrient that pancreatic cancer cells rely on to survive and grow with a copycat version starves the cancer, slowing its spread. It opens the door to an entirely new approach to treating this deadly cancer. -
In a world first, scientists discover 'roadmap' to beating bowel cancer
October 09, 2023Each year, more than 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with bowel cancer, or colorectal cancer, and the disease has a dire survival rate if surgery isn’t successful. Scientists now believe they have found one tiny molecule that could change all that.
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Space
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Mysterious explosion from empty region of space puzzles astronomers
October 08, 2023It feels like every time astronomers get a handle on a cosmic phenomenon, a new one pops up that sends them back to the drawing board. Case in point – Hubble has spotted a burst of light in a region of space where there didn’t seem to be a trigger. -
Axiom Space teams with high-fashion Prada to create new NASA spacesuit
October 05, 2023On the cosmic fashion front, Axiom Space is teaming up with the Italian luxury apparel house Prada to create the high-tech spacesuits that NASA astronauts will wear when they return to the Moon in 2025 as part of the Artemis program. -
"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.
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Materials
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Novel spider-inspired surface material stays dry for months underwater
October 04, 2023Inspired by a water-dwelling spider, researchers have created a novel surface material that stays dry for months underwater. They say the surface is easy to produce, scalable, and has a wide range of practical applications. -
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.
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Biology
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New taste: Sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami and … ammonium chloride?
October 05, 2023Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which our taste buds detect ammonium chloride, exemplified by the distinct taste of salty licorice. They say the discovery provides evidence for the existence of a sixth basic taste. -
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.
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Environment
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Hoppy ending: Dire times ahead for beer and its flavors, study warns
October 10, 2023Each day we’re learning of new, devastating impacts of climate change, and what's now brewing has researchers sounding the alarm on the future of European beer, thanks to a steady decline in the quality and quantity of high-quality hops from the region. -
Monthly temperature for September hits another record high
October 08, 2023With a continuing hot streak felt across the Earth, 2023 is now on track to be the warmest year on record. And September was no exception; in fact, it broke existing records by a large margin, according to the World Meteorological Organization. -
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.
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Physics
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"Modified gravity" could rule out both dark matter and Planet Nine
October 09, 2023Our solar system officially houses eight planets, but some scientists say there could be a ninth hiding on the fringes. Now, a new study has found the oddities could be explained by modified theories of gravity, an alternative idea to dark matter. -
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.'
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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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