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• Feb 24, 2026

Something strange is happening in the Milky Way’s magnetic field

Scientists using a new radio telescope in British Columbia have discovered that the Milky Way's magnetic field contains a mysterious diagonal reversal in the Sagittarius Arm, where the field flows counterclockwise while the rest of the galaxy flows clockwise. This breakthrough mapping reveals crucial details about our galaxy's invisible magnetic structure, which prevents gravitational collapse and helps scientists...

Read summary Original source

Latest stories

Mathematicians make a breakthrough on 2,000 year old problem of curves

Three Chinese mathematicians solved a 2,000-year-old puzzle by creating the first universal formula that sets an upper limit on rational points for any mathematical curve. This breakthrough builds on previous work that proved...

Read summary Original

Who should shovel the snow? This weird math puzzle can help

Two drivers trapped by a massive snowdrift, each clutching a shovel, face an age-old question that has puzzled scientists for decades: who should do the work when cooperation benefits everyone? Game theorists call this the...

Read summary Original

Taara Beam provides 25Gbps connectivity over invisible beams of light

Alphabet spinoff Taara launched Taara Beam, a shoebox-sized device that delivers 25Gbps internet connectivity using invisible light beams across distances up to 10 kilometers. The technology rivals fiber speeds while deploying in...

Read summary Original

Antarctica’s Gravity Hole Growing Stronger, Scientists Find

Scientists discovered that Antarctica's "gravity hole" — a massive depression where gravity is weaker than normal — has been strengthening over 70 million years due to deep rock movements beneath the ice. Using earthquake data...

Read summary Original

Chinese engineers create robotic hands capable of performing delicate tasks like humans

Chinese startup LinkerBot has developed advanced robotic hands that can perform delicate human-like tasks, raising $217 million in Series B funding after shipping 10,000 units and achieving major commercial success. The company's...

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

Quantum data teleported 19 miles across German capital with 95% peak accuracy

Researchers in Berlin successfully teleported quantum data across 19 miles of commercial fiber optic cables running alongside regular internet traffic, achieving 95% peak accuracy and 90% average fidelity. This breakthrough...

Read summary Original

New discovery lets sodium-ion batteries store more energy while purifying water

University of Surrey researchers discovered that keeping water inside sodium-ion battery materials, rather than removing it through traditional heat treatment, dramatically improves performance by nearly doubling energy storage...

Read summary Original

Bio-inspired: Sunlight-powered iron catalyst converts plastic waste into vinegar

University of Waterloo researchers developed a solar-powered system that converts plastic waste into acetic acid using an iron catalyst. The technology breaks down plastics in water without CO2 emissions, offering a solution for...

Read summary Original

Five years later, this black hole surprises astronomers by becoming brighter

Black hole AT2018hyz has puzzled scientists by brightening for five years after eating a star in 2018, growing 50 times brighter and challenging our understanding of black hole behavior.

Read summary Original

New Gene Discovery Could Postpone the Bananapocalypse

Scientists at the University of Queensland discovered a resistance gene in wild Calcutta 4 bananas that could protect commercial Cavendish bananas from deadly Fusarium fungus threatening global banana crops. After five years of...

Read summary Original

NASA set to roll Artemis rocket back for urgent repairs after yet another delay

NASA's Artemis II moon mission faced another setback when a helium flow issue in the rocket's upper stage occurred overnight, forcing the agency to delay the historic four-astronaut lunar flyby from next week to no earlier than...

Read summary Original

Scientists bottle the sun with liquid battery

UC Santa Barbara chemists created a liquid solar battery using a DNA-inspired molecule that captures and stores sunlight for months. The system releases energy as heat on demand with twice the density of lithium-ion batteries.

Read summary Original

James Webb Telescope Takes a First Peek Inside Uranus

The James Webb Space Telescope mapped Uranus's ionosphere in 3D, revealing how its tilted magnetic field creates complex auroral patterns. This groundbreaking study provides crucial insights for understanding ice giant...

Read summary Original

A lithium-ion breakthrough that could boost range and lower costs

Columbia University researchers developed a new gel electrolyte that prevents dangerous dendrite formation in anode-free lithium-ion batteries, which could significantly boost EV range and reduce costs. The breakthrough addresses...

Read summary Original

Schrödinger’s color theory finally completed after 100 years

Los Alamos researchers completed Schrödinger's century-old color theory using advanced geometry to mathematically define human perception of hue, saturation, and lightness. They proved these color qualities emerge from geometric...

Read summary Original

Venus has a massive lava tube

Scientists discovered the first lava tube on Venus by reanalyzing 1990s radar data from NASA's Magellan probe, revealing a collapsed skylight that opens into an underground tunnel near the Nyx Mons volcano. The lava tube extends...

Read summary Original

How Can Infinity Come in Many Sizes?

Human intuition struggles to comprehend infinity, particularly the counterintuitive mathematical concept that some infinities are actually larger than others. This challenges our natural understanding of endlessness, as...

Read summary Original

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Can Now Pinpoint its Location on Mars

After five years of cautious crawling across the Martian surface, NASA's Perseverance rover has learned to find itself. The robot can now pinpoint its exact location within ten inches in under two minutes, thanks to a...

Read summary Original

'Proof by intimidation': AI is confidently solving 'impossible' math problems. But can it convince the world's top mathematicians?

OpenAI's latest AI model solves complex math proofs, but may contain hidden flaws. Mathematicians are using formal verification systems like Lean to ensure AI-generated proofs are actually correct.

Read summary Original

Functioning Vector Brain

PLIC started as a basic phase-alignment simulation in early 2025 but has evolved into a self-modifying AI system that mutates its own code, generates training data, and spawns offspring. The system trains neural networks on its...

Read summary Original

Scientists propose new plan to 'catch' comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fast

Scientists have proposed a new mission to intercept comet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever detected, using an innovative Solar Oberth maneuver that would launch in 2035 and take 50 years to reach the comet. This...

Read summary Original

New oxygen gel could prevent amputation in diabetic wound patients

UC Riverside researchers created a battery-powered gel that releases oxygen for up to a month, helping diabetic wounds heal in 23 days and potentially preventing amputations.

Read summary Original

Scientists discover why high altitude protects against diabetes

Scientists have solved the mystery of why people living at high altitudes develop diabetes less frequently than those at sea level. Researchers discovered that in low-oxygen environments, red blood cells act like "sugar sponges,"...

Read summary Original

Back to all archives Load more stories