Why sodium-ion batteries could charge faster than lithium ones
As the world moves toward cleaner energy and electric technologies, better batteries are becoming more important than ever.
Batteries power everything from phones and laptops...
Why some rotating machines waste the most energy at a specific speed
Many machines we rely on every day—from industrial mixers and cooling systems to power transmission devices—use rotating parts to move liquids.
In many real-world systems,...
We think of mushrooms as food. But mycelium-based blocks could be the future of...
When mushrooms make the news, it's often for grim reasons—a mysterious poisoning, toxic species in the bush, or high-profile court cases.
But the mushroom itself...
Scientists create smart fabrics that defy physics and absorb impact
Most of us expect materials to behave in a familiar way. When you pull on fabric, it stretches longer and becomes thinner.
This is true...
Why the next generation of robots will have tendons instead of motors
At the Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich, the scene looks less like a traditional engineering workshop and more like a child’s playroom mixed...
The ‘hobbits’ mysteriously disappeared 50,000 years ago. New study reveals what happened to their...
About 50,000 years ago, humanity lost one of its last surviving hominin cousins, Homo floresiensis (also known as "the hobbit" thanks to its small...
Webb finds signs of a thick atmosphere on an ultra-hot super-Earth
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found the strongest evidence yet that a rocky planet outside our solar system can hold on...
A simple non-stick trick could make green hydrogen much cheaper
A material best known for keeping eggs from sticking to frying pans may help solve one of clean energy’s biggest challenges.
Researchers have discovered...
This robotic dog can remember every step—and it could save lives
Imagine a robotic dog that can see its surroundings, remember where it has been, understand spoken instructions, and make smart decisions in real time.
That...
This new chip uses sound waves to grab and move tiny objects
Sound is usually something we hear, not something we touch.
But researchers at Virginia Tech have found a way to turn acoustic waves into invisible...
Why city raccoons rarely cross the road
Raccoons have a reputation for being curious, clever, and fearless, especially in cities where they rummage through trash cans and explore human spaces.
But new...
Scientists create powerful new tool to explore the microbial universe
Microbes are everywhere. They live in our bodies, in soil, in the oceans, and even in the air we breathe.
These microscopic organisms play a...
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How twisted light is changing the way we control electrons
Light isn't just for seeing—it can also give things a push. When light travels, it carries energy and momentum, which is like motion energy.
Scientists...
One in five galaxies in the early universe could still be hidden behind cosmic...
Astronomers at the University of Copenhagen’s Cosmic Dawn Center have discovered two previously invisible galaxies 29 billion light-years away.
Their discovery suggests that up...
New fish-inspired filter could remove 99% of microplastics from washing machine water
Scientists in Germany have created a new filter that can remove more than 99% of microplastics from washing machine wastewater, offering a promising way...
Ancient DNA reveals an early African origin of cattle in the Americas
Cattle may seem like uniquely American animals, steeped in the lore of cowboys, cattle drives and sprawling ranches.
In a study funded in part by...
How simple fibers like jute and paper could revolutionize fabric production
What if the fabrics of the future were made not from cotton or polyester, but from humble jute and paper yarn?
That question guided the...