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.
Scientists have successfully simulated the effect of a nuclear explosion on asteroids using X-rays. The experiment, conducted at Sandia National Laboratories, showed that X-rays from a nuclear blast could effectively push large asteroids off a collision course with Earth. Mock asteroids were accelerated to about 70 meters per second before vaporizing when hit by X-rays from the Z machine. This technique could...
Neural Motion Planning, developed by Carnegie Mellon researchers, improves robots' ability to navigate unfamiliar environments. Trained on millions of simulated scenarios, this AI-based approach allows robotic arms to adapt...
The massive Green River Energy Center in Utah kicks off construction, boasting 400 MW of solar power and a 400 MW/1,600 MWh battery setup, set to energize PacifiCorp, create jobs, and wrap up by 2026.
CERN researchers observed an extremely rare kaon decay event, occurring in about 13 out of 100 billion kaons. This rate is 50% higher than expected by the Standard Model, potentially hinting at new physics beyond current...
Paleontologists face challenges in accurately estimating prehistoric biodiversity due to incomplete fossil records and difficulties in distinguishing species. Researchers debate whether well-known dinosaur taxa should be split...
NASA proposes shooting sensor-equipped bullets into lunar and Martian surfaces to analyze composition. The micro-spectrometer bullets would penetrate soil, transmit data back, and allow study of inaccessible areas like...
This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter stories. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.
Researchers discovered rare earth elements in iron-rich extinct volcanoes, potentially offering a new source for these vital metals used in green technologies. The volcanoes are up to 100 times more efficient at concentrating...
Physicist Bhavin Shastri's photonic chip, mimicking the brain with 100,000 neuron-like components, zips through 120 billion ops per second using lasers—that's 40 times faster than typical electronic computers, promising to shake...
In a groundbreaking move, Scotland replaced an offshore wind turbine's generator at sea using LiftOff's GenHook crane, potentially revolutionizing maintenance practices and cutting environmental impact for the industry.
Elon Musk claims SpaceX plans to launch multiple uncrewed Starships to Mars within two years, with potential crewed missions in four years. However, Starship has yet to achieve orbit without exploding. Musk blames government...
A new rebar tying robot developed by researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology can significantly speed up construction work. The robot moves along reinforcement rods, automatically tying them together in just...
Scientists tweaked TnpB, a CRISPR ancestor, boosting its DNA editing prowess 4.4 times and making it easier to deliver to cells, potentially paving the way for new genetic disorder treatments.
This nifty AI model accurately predicts ion levels in water during electrochemical treatment, using random forest techniques to achieve high accuracy with minimal computing power, potentially boosting decentralized water...
A new method for designing floor plans uses Voronoi diagrams to optimize room layouts while meeting various constraints. The technique allows for interactive adjustments and can generate diverse floor plans by moving Voronoi...
Early-Universe quasars form in dense regions but lack nearby companions, suggesting their radiation might suppress star formation in surrounding galaxies—a discovery that reconciles conflicting results from previous studies.
Chong Liu, a materials scientist at the University of Chicago, is developing new methods to extract lithium from untapped sources like seawater and wastewater. Her work with iron phosphate has shown promising results in...
Quantum thermodynamics merges 19th-century physics with modern quantum concepts, exploring heat and energy in atomic-scale systems. Nicole Yunger Halpern, a leading physicist in this field, investigates how quantum...
The Bureau of Land Management's Western Solar Plan opens 12 million acres in Nevada for solar development, including 220,000 acres in the Amargosa Desert. Local officials and residents are protesting the plan, citing concerns...
Nuclear blasts might save Earth from asteroid impacts, as Sandia researchers found that radiation from nukes can vaporize part of an asteroid's surface, creating a gas plume that pushes it off course at speeds up to 200mph.
Apple's new iPad Pro features a Tandem OLED display with two layers of RGB light-emitting materials. This technology offers benefits like reduced burn-in, lower power consumption, and potentially higher brightness compared to...
Ferroelectric memory (FRAM) stores data in special materials, offering fast writes and high durability compared to flash memory. Despite advantages like nonvolatility and trillions of write cycles, FRAM remains a niche technology...
Researchers have developed a new method to produce oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel plates for potential fusion power plants. The approach combines cold spray deposition and friction stir processing, creating...
Researchers at Graz University of Technology have improved small electric motors used in household appliances, tools, and vehicles. The team reduced noise by 70% through innovative claw designs, increased efficiency with...
A tugboat powered by ammonia successfully sailed for the first time, demonstrating a potential solution for reducing shipping emissions. The 67-year-old vessel, converted by startup Amogy, uses green ammonia to generate...