SMRTR Science & Engineering

Science & Engineering stories

Get hand-picked daily summaries of the best, most informative science and engineering articles from around the web. Browse recent summaries, then jump to the original source when you want the full article.

Latest story• Mar 18, 2025

“The age of generalist robotics is here" - Nvidia's latest GROOT AI model just took us another step closer to fully humanoid robots

Nvidia has unveiled Isaac GROOT N1, described as the world's first open humanoid robot foundation model, at its GTC 2025 event. This advanced AI model aims to make developing smarter, more functional robots easier, with more humanoid reasoning and skills. The dual-system architecture mimics human cognition, with a fast-thinking action model and a slow-thinking model for deliberate decision-making. Nvidia claims this...

Read summary Original source

Latest stories

NVIDIA unleashes Blackwell Ultra, AI factories and insane new supercomputers

NVIDIA unveiled groundbreaking AI technologies at GTC 2025, including the Blackwell Ultra processor for advanced reasoning, personal AI supercomputers DGX Spark and DGX Station starting at $3,000, and Spectrum-X Photonics...

Read summary Original

Light tornado: Scientists use twisting beams to control atoms like never before

Optical vortex beams offer a novel method to control ionization, challenging previous theories about electron ejection and potentially revolutionizing particle acceleration, advanced imaging, and quantum computing through precise...

Read summary Original

Dinosaur Armor and Weaponry Was Even More Impressive Than Researchers Thought

Recent fossil discoveries of Zuul and Borealopelta have transformed our understanding of armored dinosaurs. These specimens show their armor was a tough bone-keratin composite, significantly larger and tougher than previously...

Read summary Original

New smart material can heat and cool homes, cars by 68°F for green AC tech

This new air conditioning system, developed at Saarland University, uses nickel-titanium alloys and the "elastocaloric effect" to cool and heat without refrigerants or fossil fuels, offering energy savings and environmental...

Read summary Original

A cell pulls off one of the 'Holy Grails' of biotechnology

The discovery of nitroplasts in a single-celled alga challenges previous beliefs about nitrogen conversion and could lead to plants producing their own nitrogen, potentially revolutionizing farming by reducing the need for...

Read summary Original

SMRTR Science & Engineering

Get the next batch of curated stories in your inbox.

This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter stories. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.

More recent stories

New baby pictures of the universe deepen a cosmic mystery

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope's new measurements of cosmic microwave background support the standard cosmology model, confirming the universe's composition and age, but contradict other Hubble constant measurements, deepening...

Read summary Original

Europe’s largest electrolyzer unveiled, can produce 8,000 tons of hydrogen annually

BASF has launched Europe's largest green hydrogen project at its Ludwigshafen site in Germany. The 54MW PEM electrolyzer, developed with Siemens Energy, produces up to 8,000 tonnes of hydrogen yearly. This project aims to reduce...

Read summary Original

US scientists freeze nuclear clock tech at -189°F to rewrite future of timekeeping

Nuclear clocks using thorium-229 atoms in calcium fluoride crystals may outperform atomic clocks, as researchers discovered a temperature-stable nuclear transition at -189°F, promising improved timekeeping accuracy and new...

Read summary Original

NASA’s lunar nuclear reactor design has major flaw, claim China’s scientists

China's nuclear engineers claim to have found a major flaw in NASA's lunar nuclear reactor design. They propose improvements that could increase efficiency by 75% and extend the reactor's lifespan. The Chinese design uses...

Read summary Original

Video: Affordable, DIY smart robot made from salvaged e-waste for teaching kids

An innovative robotics project called Esghati repurposes e-waste into an affordable, educational robot for students. Built from a salvaged Wi-Fi router, LED lamp diffusers, and other discarded materials, the robot features Wi-Fi...

Read summary Original

China claims its stealth drones fly 3x longer using 50% less energy than US rivals

China has surpassed the US in developing advanced stealth drones using fluidic systems for steering. These drones use precise air pulses, improving stealth and efficiency. Chinese researchers claim their technology is superior to...

Read summary Original

Scientists turn tiny algae-powered robots into Olympic athletes with magnet control

Microalgae coated with magnetic nanoparticles become controllable microrobots, retaining their speed and agility in tight spaces and thick fluids, offering promise for precise drug delivery and other medical uses.

Read summary Original

Black holes: Endings or beginnings? New white hole theory challenges physics

A University of Sheffield study proposes that black holes might transform into white holes, expelling rather than absorbing matter and energy. Researchers suggest quantum mechanics could alter our understanding of black holes,...

Read summary Original

Physicists blast diamonds with nitrogen beams to create groundbreaking time crystals

Physicists at Washington University in St. Louis created a new type of time crystal called a quasicrystal inside a diamond using nitrogen beams and microwave pulses. This breakthrough could lead to advancements in quantum...

Read summary Original

Scientists bend light through time, unlocking a new dimension for control

Scientists have demonstrated time manipulation of light using nanomaterials called transparent conducting oxides (TCOs). By rapidly changing the optical properties of TCOs while light passes through, researchers split light...

Read summary Original

‘Dark Matter’ May Be a Whole Shadow World of Mysterious Atoms and Forces

Dark matter researchers are exploring new theories beyond traditional WIMP and axion models, considering the possibility of a "dark sector" with its own particles and forces. Novel experiments using techniques from condensed...

Read summary Original

Scientists Create ‘Pockets’ of Music from Inaudible Ultrasound Waves

A new acoustic technology creates "audible enclaves" by crossing inaudible ultrasonic beams, allowing sound to be heard in specific spots without headphones or speakers. Researchers demonstrated this by playing music for a dummy...

Read summary Original

Scientists unravel RNA-editing mystery, paving way for next-gen cancer treatments

ADAR1's RNA editing mechanism, now decoded by scientists, prevents undesired immune responses, potentially enabling new treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer through targeted modulation of ADAR1 activity in specific...

Read summary Original

Buried fortune: US finds $8.4 billion in rare earths sitting in coal ash landfills

Coal ash deposits in the U.S. contain $8.4 billion worth of rare earth elements, potentially reducing dependence on imports. This discovery could transform waste into a valuable resource for critical minerals used in technologies...

Read summary Original

When the Animals Went Electric

Electroreception, an evolved form of the lateral line system, enables certain aquatic animals like sharks and paddlefish to detect faint electrical signals from prey using skin-based sensory organs, aiding in food location even...

Read summary Original

Age of upcoming asteroid flyby target

Lucy will study the three-mile-wide asteroid Donaldjohanson in 2025, exploring its origins from a larger body 150 million years ago and its evolution as part of the Erigone family, including changes to its orbit and spin.

Read summary Original

New evidence suggests Mars holds hidden water reserves 7 miles underground

Seismic data from Mars reveals liquid water 7-12 miles below the surface, challenging existing theories about the planet's makeup and hinting at potential microbial life, though current technology can't access this water.

Read summary Original

Researchers engineer bacteria to produce plastics

Korean researchers have engineered bacteria to produce biodegradable polymers from glucose. The system modifies enzymes that bacteria use to store energy, allowing them to create polymers incorporating over 150 different...

Read summary Original

Back to all archives Load more stories