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
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
Deep beneath the ground in China, the massive JUNO neutrino observatory has delivered its first major scientific breakthrough, achieving one of the most precise measurements yet of how elusive neutrinos change as they travel。 Using just 59 days of data, researchers sharply improved measurements of key neutrino properties, boosting confidence that J
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
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
Physicists have solved a long-standing problem involving systems that appear to violate Newton’s third law, such as bird flocks and bacterial swarms。 By adding carefully designed “imaginary partners” to their models, they can now simulate these complex systems with unprecedented accuracy
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
Humans evolved to pay close attention to danger, but today that instinct is being overwhelmed by an endless supply of bad news from around the world。 Researchers say the answer isn’t to stop following current events—it’s to build healthier habits around how, when, and where we get our news
A new nature-inspired membrane uses perfectly uniform one-nanometer pores to filter molecules with remarkable precision。 The technology could transform industries such as pharmaceuticals and textiles by reducing energy consumption, improving water reuse, and delivering separation performance far beyond current filters
A new SETI study suggests we may be overlooking alien signals not because they aren't there, but because their own stars are scrambling them before they escape into space。 Turbulent plasma and powerful stellar storms can spread an ultra-narrow radio transmission across a wider range of frequencies, making it much harder for traditional searches to
Astronomers have spent years searching for a possible hidden giant planet far beyond Neptune。 Unusual orbits among distant Kuiper Belt objects have fueled the Planet Nine theory, but recent discoveries are challenging the idea by showing more stable motion than expected。 If Planet Nine exists, it may be much farther away than originally thought
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