Credit: Pixabay The most probable method for detecting life on a distant exoplanet is by identifying a biosignature. This involves analyzing the atmospheric spectra of the planet to find the distinctive spectral pattern of a molecule that can only be produced through biological activity. Although it seems straightforward, detecting life on exoplanets is far from simple....
The eVinci microreactorWestinghouse Westinghouse Electric Company is pushing forward with its groundbreaking eVinci nuclear microreactor. Drawing on space nuclear technology, this compact reactor has no moving parts and can be easily replaced for refueling, similar to swapping out a used gas cylinder. As concerns about climate change grow, nuclear energy is making a comeback. Its zero-emission...
A Serianthes seedling that was part of the study, surrounded by a 7.5-cm (3-inch)-wide ring of mirrorsThomas Marler Indoor plant enthusiasts are familiar with using mirrors to direct sunlight onto plants. Now, scientists have adapted this idea to help endangered tree seedlings struggling to grow in shaded forests. The Serianthes nelsonii, a large tree native...
Columbia Engineering scientists are advancing renewable energy storage by developing cost-effective K-Na/S batteries that utilize common materials to store energy more efficiently, aiming to stabilize energy supply from intermittent renewable sources. Columbia Engineers have developed a new, more powerful battery electrolyte that lasts longer and is cheaper to produce. Renewable energy sources like wind and...
Magnetic pixels in this little screen are capable of encrypting imagesJeremy Little/Michigan Engineering Researchers, inspired by the color-changing skin of squids and other cephalopods, have created a flexible screen that stores and displays encrypted images using only magnetic particles, without any electronics. Scientists have been experimenting with metamaterials—engineered materials with unusual properties not found in nature—for...
Scientists use a blueprint of photosynthesis to produce greener, renewable productsMcGill University Drawing inspiration from natural photosynthesis, scientists have developed a technique that uses sunlight to convert two major greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals for fuel and industrial applications. Researchers from McGill University have created a novel process called photo-driven oxygen-atom-grafting. This method employs gold,...
A live recreation of the Ngamugawi wirngarri coelacanth in its natural habitat. P3D graphic credit: Katrina Kenny. Credit: Illustration Katrina Kenny (courtesy Flinders University) "Groundbreaking" new fossil research reveals that climate change, asteroids, and plate tectonics are interconnected with the origins and extinction of animals, highlighting the significant evolutionary role of these factors. A recent study...
Credit: Canvas Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models set to redefine the "Pro" title. With larger display sizes—6.3 inches for the Pro and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max—the phones will offer a more immersive experience without increasing the physical size, thanks to thinner bezels. These minimal bezels reduce the screen border by 30%, making...
Credit: Pixabay Bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics more quickly than new drugs can be created, so scientists are exploring the human gut—a highly competitive environment with about 100 trillion microbes—to find potential components for combating diseases. Researchers in the US examined the gut microbiomes of 1,773 individuals, analyzing 444,054 proteins that had been previously identified...
A spider-shaped biohybrid robot is driven by natural impulses from a fungusCornell University Autonomous vehicles are often considered safer than human drivers, but would you feel comfortable with a mushroom in control? A new type of "biohybrid" robot is designed to move based on signals from a fungus's nervous system. A few decades of human engineering...
