A new report suggests nuclear fusion may become practical within the next decade, as engineers shift from theoretical work to solving real-world engineering problems. Industry leaders and researchers express growing confidence, with some aiming for working prototypes by the early 2020s.
A free, browser-accessible virtual laboratory offers students hands-on quantum mechanics experiments without costly equipment. The platform, modeled on flight simulators, includes guided programs for concepts like delocalized molecules and wave-particle duality. It aims to make advanced physics insights more accessible to learners worldwide.
A Georgia Tech study used a human volunteer to track mosquito flight paths, amassing 20 million data points. The findings reveal how mosquitoes respond to visual and chemical cues, offering new clues for preventing bites and disease spread.
Researchers at Clarkson University have discovered that surplus milk can be converted into activated carbon for capturing CO2, offering a dual benefit of reducing food waste and advancing carbon capture technology. The study, published in Advanced Sustainable Systems, highlights a potential economic boost for dairy farmers.
Ghost Robotics' rifle-equipped robot dog has triggered a backlash from AI researchers and ethicists who warn it accelerates the path to autonomous killing. Critics call for urgent international regulation, while one expert downplays the novelty, comparing it to existing armed drones.
A team led by architect Vera Mulyani is 3D-printing scale models of Mars habitats in the Mojave Desert, funded by a Kickstarter campaign. The project aims to develop blueprints for a self-sustaining city on Mars, starting with a crew of four and expanding to 1,000. A September workshop at USC will gather experts to refine the designs.
New research in Nature Geoscience reveals that 90 million years ago, a period of intense heat caused even wet forests to burn, reducing global forest cover by 30-40%. Scientists warn that current climate trends could recreate those conditions, increasing fire risk worldwide.
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge launched the Earthshot Prize, a decade-long initiative to fund solutions for pressing environmental issues by 2030. The project will award five winners annually for ten years, aiming to generate at least 50 breakthroughs. Sir David Attenborough has called it the most prestigious environmental award in history.
Researchers are adapting carbon nanotube fibers, originally designed for aircraft wiring, for use in cardiac devices. These soft, highly conductive threads could reduce scar tissue formation and potentially transform treatment for sudden cardiac death. Human trials are expected to begin within a few years.
During a two-day French army exercise, a Boston Dynamics Spot robot used for reconnaissance ran out of battery and had to be carried by soldiers. The incident highlights the practical limits of military robotics and raises questions about oversight as the company learns of the deployment after the fact.
Scientists have unearthed 300,000-year-old Homo sapiens remains in Morocco, pushing back the origins of our species by over 100,000 years. The discovery at Jebel Irhoud challenges the long-held view that humanity emerged solely in East Africa, suggesting a more complex, continent-wide evolution.
Researchers using a high-speed electron microscope have observed dark points within light waves that move faster than light, confirming a 1978 theory. These massless vortices don't violate relativity, and the technique could reveal hidden nanoscale processes.
The Pentagon has released hazard reports detailing the size, shape, and color of unidentified aerial phenomena encountered by Navy pilots in 2013 and 2014. The reports note the objects could be drones but no operators were found, and follow the official release of three Navy videos last month.
A new study reveals that increased snowfall in East Antarctica could reduce ice melt and potentially slow sea level rise. However, scientists caution that this effect is part of a complex balancing act, and other factors may exacerbate the problem.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and University College London have developed a new theory of molecular evolution using statistical mechanics. The model reveals that amino acid interactions and entrenchment drive evolutionary rates, potentially solving long-standing puzzles in reconstructing major evolutionary events.
Northrop Grumman has unveiled a full-scale prototype of the Manta Ray, an autonomous underwater vehicle developed for DARPA. The glider-like drone can operate independently for long durations, potentially anchoring to the seafloor to conserve power. Its exact mission remains classified, with speculation ranging from surveillance to payload delivery.
A study of Swedish consumers reveals that men's spending habits produce 16% more carbon emissions than women's, despite only a 2% difference in total expenditure. The gap is driven by higher spending on fuel and meat, suggesting targeted policy opportunities.
NVBOTS, a Boston-based startup, has developed a 3D printing method that uses 21 different metals in a single job, potentially disrupting traditional metal casting. The technology, still in development, offers precision and cost advantages for small, high-value parts, with industrial partner trials planned later this year.
Quantum teleportation, once a staple of science fiction, is being explored through quantum entanglement, where particles are linked regardless of distance. Scientists have already teleported a single photon or electron about 100 kilometers, though scaling up remains a challenge. Recent experiments with the Zeno effect offer a new avenue for transmitting information without entanglement.
Physicists in Barcelona have developed a floating glass bead, just a few hundred nanometers wide, that can measure individual molecules with high precision. The team believes this tabletop device could detect high-frequency gravitational waves and dark matter, offering a compact alternative to kilometer-scale detectors.