The global cobalt supply chain is more interconnected—and more vulnerable—than previously thought, with disruptions capable of triggering far-reaching cascades across multiple countries and industries。 Researchers warn that protecting battery supply chains will require system-wide coordination because critical bottlenecks can turn local shocks into
A clever nanoscale redesign may have solved one of superconductivity’s biggest problems。 Researchers in Sweden discovered that by subtly sculpting the surface beneath an ultrathin superconducting material, they could make it stay superconducting at higher temperatures and under much stronger magnetic fields
A distant galaxy nicknamed Shadow Blaster may have revealed a surprising source of cosmic neutrinos: extreme star formation instead of a supermassive black hole。 The discovery suggests that hidden, dust-filled starburst galaxies could account for a significant fraction of the Universe’s high-energy neutrinos
A rare meteorite has revealed evidence of a massive lost world that once orbited the young Sun before being destroyed in a catastrophic collision。 The discovery suggests some early planets formed from dramatically different materials than Earth and Mars, rewriting part of the solar system’s origin story
The race to build data centers in space is gaining momentum as AI drives unprecedented demand for computing power。 Orbital facilities could tap into abundant solar energy and avoid many of the environmental challenges faced on Earth。 Yet space remains a harsh and expensive place to operate, with major hurdles including cooling, maintenance, radiati
Using the Keck Observatory, astronomers measured the spins of dozens of giant planets and brown dwarfs orbiting distant stars。 They found that giant planets can spin faster than much more massive brown dwarfs, challenging simple assumptions about mass and rotation。 The results suggest that magnetic fields and formation processes play a major role i
Researchers gave top AI models a classic attention test used in psychology and found a major flaw。 While the models could correctly name colors in short lists, their performance deteriorated sharply as the task became longer and more complex。 Some leading systems fell from over 90% accuracy to nearly complete failure
The mysterious Amaterasu particle may not be a proton at all。 New research suggests that some of the most extreme cosmic rays could be ultraheavy atomic nuclei, heavier than iron, which are better able to retain their energy while traveling through space。 This idea could help explain how these rare particles reach Earth and provide new clues about
Scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis system that essentially regulates itself, eliminating the need for batteries used in many current designs。 The key innovation is an electrolyzer that automatically adapts to changing sunlight by altering its electrical properties as it heats up。 This keeps solar fuel production more stable whil
MIT researchers have shown that one fuel can power both chemical and electric spacecraft thrusters, potentially transforming what small satellites can do。 The approach combines quick bursts of speed with highly efficient long-range propulsion in a single compact system。 A NASA-supported CubeSat mission will soon test the technology in orbit
Scientists at RIKEN have proposed a new way to make quantum systems synchronize in only one direction—like a one-way street for sound particles known as phonons。 The breakthrough combines two quantum effects to create a form of one-way quantum synchronization that remains surprisingly stable even when exposed to manufacturing flaws and environmenta
Researchers found that a Chinese sodium-ion battery performs far better than expected, with production quality and design features comparable to Tesla’s batteries。 If engineers can improve cold-weather charging and energy density, sodium could become a cheaper and more abundant alternative to lithium for EVs and large-scale energy storage
A new theory suggests the universe is constantly recording its own history in the fabric of spacetime。 If correct, this cosmic memory could help solve some of the biggest puzzles in physics, from black holes to dark matter and the universe’s ultimate fate
Researchers discovered that hydrogen radicals generated by intense UV light can break down stubborn PFAS “forever chemicals” without added chemicals。 The breakthrough reveals a key mechanism that could lead to greener and more effective technologies for permanently destroying these pollutants