Mining the solar system to build a new world
I watched Armageddon again fairly recently with Bruce Willis, oil drillers in space and an asteroid the size of Texas bearing down on Earth.
Buried...
Why a slower AI might feel smarter
In the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, speed is often seen as a clear advantage.
Companies compete to make AI systems respond faster and faster,...
Why “soft” lithium can break batteries
Solid-state batteries are often described as the future of energy storage.
They could allow phones to run for days without charging and give electric cars...
How malaria controlled human survival in Africa for 74,000 years
For tens of thousands of years, a tiny but deadly enemy may have quietly shaped where early humans could survive in Africa.
New research suggests...
This new method could turn nearly all waste into usable energy
Researchers have found a clearer path to turning everyday waste into clean, usable gas for homes and businesses.
A team led by Mohsen Talei at...
Scientists turn simple knots into jumping robots that can plant seeds
A simple idea has led to a surprising invention: tiny robots made from knotted fibers that can jump, spin, glide and even plant seeds.
Instead...
A simple touch that could make solar cells last much longer
A new study has revealed a surprisingly simple way to improve one of the biggest weaknesses of next-generation solar cells.
Researchers from Korea University and...
Cosmic dances reveal the true weight of young stars in Orion
A star’s mass decides almost everything about its life, from how bright it shines to how it eventually dies.
But for young stars hidden deep...
A living computer: Scientists build a 3D device powered by brain cells
Researchers at Princeton University have created a new kind of computing system that combines living brain cells with advanced electronics.
This unusual device works in...
Scientists turn depleted oil reservoirs into hydrogen storage
Hydrogen is often seen as a key fuel for a cleaner future because it burns without producing carbon dioxide.
However, storing and transporting hydrogen is...
Scientists create shape-shifting, super-strong materials
A simple bundle of office staples can teach us something surprising about the future of materials.
When tightly packed together, staples can lock into each...
Tough fungi could survive the journey to Mars, study finds
Fungi are already known for being tough, but new research suggests that some types might be strong enough to survive the long and harsh...
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Scientists turn plastic waste into useful spider silk with bacteria
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have made a groundbreaking discovery: they've engineered a type of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a versatile...
Scientists create sustainable plastic from the carbon dioxide in the ocean
The ocean absorbs about a quarter of all carbon dioxide (CO₂) released by human activity, helping to slow climate change—but at a cost.
This constant...
Did two moons crash to create Titan? New study uncovers dramatic origin story
Saturn’s giant moon Titan and the planet’s famous rings may share a dramatic origin story.
A new study suggests that Titan could have formed when...
The blue miracle of Eifel: How volcanoes created sapphires
Researchers at Heidelberg University are studying how sapphires, the beautiful blue gemstones, formed in volcanic regions.
Although sapphires are precious, they are actually made of...
From nail bars to firefighting foams: How chemicals are deemed safe enough or too...
If you've sat in a nail salon recently, you may well have encountered TPO or trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide to give it its full chemical...