Mathematicians have shown that no electoral system can perfectly balance local representation, proportional national results, and a fixed-size parliament once enough parties compete。 A newly proposed voting method could soften these unavoidable trade-offs and produce outcomes that are much closer to fair
Researchers have found a way to build much larger “twisted” oxide materials while precisely controlling how their atomic layers line up。 Because these materials can be made over large areas and transferred onto different surfaces, the technique could help turn twistronics from a laboratory curiosity into a practical platform for next-generation ele
The solar wind may be stripping away Mars’ atmosphere by creating giant rolling waves along its outer edge。 Data from MAVEN and Tianwen-1 show that these waves form plasma clouds that carry atmospheric particles into space。 The process is concentrated on one side of Mars and may have played a major role in drying out the once potentially habitable
A new chemical process can transform three of the most common plastics into high-purity hydrogen without sorting them first。 The technique operates at much lower temperatures than traditional gasification and captures most of the plastic’s carbon in solid or liquid forms instead of releasing it as carbon dioxide
Scientists traced a mysterious surge of low-energy gamma rays from zinc-70 to magnetic changes occurring inside its nucleus。 The breakthrough could improve models of how stars, supernovae, and neutron star mergers create heavy elements
Dark matter particles may exert a hidden force on one another, but its effects are stranger than expected。 An extra attraction helps the particles cluster, yet it also makes dark matter effectively lighter as the Universe expands。 That weakens its gravitational impact and usually slows the growth of cosmic structure rather than accelerating it
A black hole observed during a dramatic 2023 eruption did not simply devour gas from its nearby companion star。 It also expelled large amounts of material through powerful jets and winds, even after the outburst had nearly faded。 The results suggest black holes may continue reshaping their surroundings long after their brightest fireworks end
NASA’s Swift Observatory observed a supermassive black hole ripping apart a star more than 30,000 light-years from the center of a distant galaxy。 The extraordinary flare briefly outshone its entire host galaxy in ultraviolet light and revealed a black hole about a million times the Sun’s mass
A supermassive black hole has been found lurking about 30,000 light-years from the center of its galaxy—the first dormant black hole detected so far from a galactic core。 It revealed itself only after shredding a passing star and producing a brief, brilliant flare。 Astronomers think it may be the remnant of a devoured galaxy or a black hole flung o
Engineers have transformed a notoriously brittle cobalt-aluminum compound into a material that is both extremely strong and capable of bending without breaking。 Their nanoscale design produced a yield strength about six to 10 times greater than high-strength structural steel while sustaining substantial deformation at room temperature。 The approach
Photons traveling through a cloud of atoms can emerge so early that they appear to have spent a negative amount of time inside。 Researchers tested whether this was merely a misleading feature of the light pulse by making extremely weak measurements of the atoms。 Surprisingly, the atoms confirmed the same negative dwell time
A surprisingly simple change could make sodium-ion batteries far more powerful while opening the door to turning seawater into drinking water。 Researchers at the University of Surrey found that sodium vanadium oxide performs much better when its naturally occurring water is left inside instead of being removed during manufacturing
A new hollow nanoreactor mimics living cells to make hydrogen peroxide more efficiently using visible light。 Its light-trapping cavity and proton-shuttling shell could open new possibilities for cleaner chemical manufacturing and artificial photosynthesis