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Latest story• Mar 22, 2026

We keep finding the raw material of DNA in asteroids—what's it telling us?

Scientists confirmed all five DNA and RNA bases exist in asteroid Ryugu samples using more sensitive testing methods, joining previous discoveries of these life-building molecules in other asteroids and meteorites since 2011. The research reveals these cosmic building blocks correlate with ammonia levels, suggesting distinct space-based chemistry that could inform how life's raw materials form throughout the...

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Mars garden: Scientists grow edible plants using fertilizer made from Martian dust

German researchers have developed a system that transforms Mars-like dust and carbon dioxide into fertilizer using hardy cyanobacteria, successfully growing edible plants without Earth-based soil or nutrients. The process...

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Scientists use sound to control material behavior, could help devices adjust stiffness

Scientists use sound waves to control material stiffness by moving tiny structural features called mechanical kinks. Acoustic pulses act like a "tractor beam," enabling adaptive materials that adjust properties on demand.

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Physicists created an electron 'catapult' that moves particles at 'extraordinary' speed

Scientists found that molecular vibrations act like "catapults," launching electrons across organic solar cells in just 18 femtoseconds. This discovery could enable more efficient solar cells by using molecular motion as a design...

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Gravitational waves may leave directional imprints in atomic light, here’s proof

Researchers have discovered that gravitational waves may create detectable directional patterns in light emitted by atoms, offering an alternative to massive detectors like LIGO. This method detects how gravitational waves alter...

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China finds 9.7 million tons of rare earth oxides in major minerals discoveries

China found massive mineral deposits in Sichuan province, including 9.7 million tons of rare earth oxides. These discoveries strengthen China's control over materials crucial for semiconductors, batteries, and trade negotiations.

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Mining the deep ocean

Policymakers are debating whether to allow deep-sea mining as demand for critical minerals like lithium and copper could grow dramatically by 2040 to support the global shift to clean energy. Companies and countries are testing...

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US scientists build battery that stores energy as heat at 4,350°F in carbon blocks

Carbon blocks glowing white-hot at nearly half the temperature of the Sun's surface could revolutionize how we store clean energy. MIT spinout Fourth Power has developed thermal batteries that store electricity as heat at a...

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Is This Where Morality Lives in the Brain?

Scientists used brain scans to discover why people often act against their moral beliefs, finding that moral consistency stems from activity in the brain's ventromedial prefrontal cortex. When researchers stimulated this brain...

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Researchers develop fully biodegradable robotic finger

Researchers have created a breakthrough robotic finger that completely biodegrades after use, addressing the growing electronic waste crisis that reached 62 million metric tons in 2022. The finger uses polyglycerol sebacate...

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A deep crater on Psyche may hold secrets of planetary cores

Asteroid Psyche, a mysterious 140-mile-wide metal-rich asteroid, may be an exposed planetary core that could reveal secrets about how planets form. NASA's 2023 Psyche mission will reach the asteroid in 2029, where scientists will...

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World-first commercial quantum orbital cloud for unhackable comms planned by Swiss firm

Swiss firm SEAL SQ is partnering with WISeSat to launch a 100-satellite constellation by 2033 that will provide quantum encryption services to protect banks, governments, and enterprises from future quantum computing threats....

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Amazon acquires autonomous robotics startup Rivr

Amazon bought Zurich robotics startup Rivr (valued at $110 million) to improve package delivery using four-legged wheeled robots. This supports Amazon's goal to automate 75% of operations.

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How the Project Hail Mary directors brought science to the big screen

Directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord discussed their upcoming sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, based on Andy Weir's novel, during an interview at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. They emphasized their focus on creating optimistic...

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Scientists build first working quantum battery prototype, uses lasers to charge in femtoseconds

Australian scientists at CSIRO have created the first working quantum battery prototype that charges in femtoseconds using lasers and becomes more efficient as it grows larger, defying conventional battery limitations. The...

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German scientists new breakthrough brings diamond-based quantum internet closer to reality

German researchers developed a breakthrough laser technique to generate single photons in diamond crystals, overcoming efficiency challenges in quantum communication and bringing diamond-based quantum internet networks closer to...

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Nuclear micro-batteries could power sensors nonstop in space and ocean missions

DARPA is funding a $2.8 million project to develop nuclear-powered radiovoltaic batteries that convert radioactive decay directly into electricity, eliminating the need for recharging or maintenance. Led by the University of...

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Researchers build hydrogen-powered drone to extend range for grid inspections

SINTEF researchers developed a hydrogen-powered drone that can fly for hours compared to battery drones' limited range, solving critical infrastructure inspection challenges like checking remote power lines that currently require...

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Fiber on the surface of the moon could help detect moonquakes

Scientists found that fiber-optic cables on the moon's surface can detect moonquakes without burial, unlike Earth systems. Lightweight cables deployed by rovers could monitor seismic activity across large areas.

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‘World’s smallest’ atomic clock could improve drone swarm timing, China team claims

Chinese researchers created the world's smallest atomic clock at 2.3 cubic centimeters, losing one second every 30,000 years. The fingernail-sized device enables nanosecond timing for military drones, missiles, and secure...

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Scientists witness birth of one of the universe's strongest magnets for the first time, thanks to a general relativity 'magic trick'

Astronomers witnessed the birth of a magnetar—one of the universe's strongest magnets—by observing supernova SN 2024afav, which exploded in December 2024 and displayed unusual brightness patterns for over 200 days. The...

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New test shows 100% ammonia can power gas turbines without carbon emissions

GE Vernova and IHI Corp. successfully tested 100% ammonia combustion in F-class gas turbines, eliminating carbon emissions while maintaining performance. Commercial deployment is targeted for 2030.

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Chinese humanoid robots could soon beat the fastest human ever in sprinting

Chinese humanoid robots are sprinting toward a remarkable threshold: outrunning Olympic champion Usain Bolt. Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, predicts that by mid-year, humanoid machines could complete the 100-meter...

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How many branches can your CPU predict?

Modern processors can predict branches to execute multiple instructions per cycle, but their prediction capabilities vary significantly across manufacturers. Testing revealed that AMD's Zen 5 processor can perfectly predict...

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