ScienceDaily: Technology - April 07, 2025
Top technology research news
Hot Schrödinger cat states created
Quantum states can only be prepared and observed under highly controlled conditions. A research team has now succeeded in creating so-called hot Schrodinger cat states in a superconducting microwave resonator. The study shows that quantum phenomena can also be observed and used in less perfect, warmer conditions.
Mechanistic understanding could enable better fast-charging batteries
An innovative new computational model developed by an engineer could lead to fast-charging lithium-ion batteries that are safer and longer-lasting.
Researchers improve chemical reaction that underpins products from foods to fuels
A chemical reaction that's vital to a range of commercial and industrial goods may soon be initiated more effectively and less expensively.
Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells
Collaborative research defines a novel approach to understanding how certain proteins called transcription factors determine which genetic programs will drive cell growth and maturation. The method, called 'Perturb-multiome,' uses CRISPR to knock out the function of individual transcription factors across many blood cells at once. The researchers then perform single-cell analyses on each cell to measure the effects of the editing, including identifying which genes have been turned on or off and which genes are accessible (based on epigenetic markers).
Astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep
Astronomers have discovered an extremely rare, high mass, compact binary star system only ~150 light years away. These two stars are on a collision course to explode as a type 1a supernova, appearing 10 times brighter than the moon.
Exception to laws of thermodynamics
A team of researchers led by a physics graduate student recently made the surprising discovery of what they call a 'shape-recovering liquid,' which defies some long-held expectations derived from the laws of thermodynamics. The research details a mixture of oil, water and magnetized particles that, when shaken, always quickly separates into what looks like the classically curvaceous lines of a Grecian urn.
How can science benefit from AI? Risks?
Researchers from chemistry, biology, and medicine are increasingly turning to AI models to develop new hypotheses. However, it is often unclear on which basis the algorithms come to their conclusions and to what extent they can be generalized. A publicationnow warns of misunderstandings in handling artificial intelligence. At the same time, it highlights the conditions under which researchers can most likely have confidence in the models.
Polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics
In the quest to design the next generation of materials for modern devices -- ones that are lightweight, flexible and excellent at dissipating heat -- a team of researchers made a discovery: imperfection has its upsides.
Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care
Do physicians or artificial intelligence (AI) offer better treatment recommendations for patients examined through a virtual urgent care setting? A new study shows physicians and AI models have distinct strengths. The study compared initial AI treatment recommendations to final recommendations of physicians who had access to the AI recommendations but may or may not have reviewed them.
3-D Printed skin to replace animal testing
A research team is developing a 3D-printed skin imitation equipped with living cells in order to test nanoparticles from cosmetics without animal testing.
Touchlessly moving cells: Biotech automation and an acoustically levitating diamond
Engineers have created new technology that can move cells without touching them, enabling critical tasks that currently require large pieces of lab equipment to be carried out on a benchtop device.
Physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves
Physicists have made a novel discovery regarding the interaction of electronic excitations via spin waves. The finding could open the door to future technologies and advanced applications such as optical modulators, all-optical logic gates, and quantum transducers.
Researchers developed a manufacturing technique that rapidly generates large quantities of nanoparticles coated with drug-delivering polymers, which hold great potential for treating cancer. The particles can be targeted directly to tumors, where they release their payload while avoiding many of the side effects of traditional chemotherapy.
A powerful new software platform is set to transform biomedical research by allowing scientists to conduct complex and customized data analyses without advanced programming skills. The web-based platform enables scientists to analyze and visualize their own data independently through an intuitive, interactive interface.
Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound
While medical centers use ultrasound daily, so far this technology has not been capable of observing body tissues at the scale of cells. Physicists have now developed a microscopy technique based on ultrasound to reveal capillaries and cells across living organs -- something that wasn't possible before.
How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads
New research shows that Sat Nav systems are helping keep older drivers on the roads for longer. The study reveals that over 65s with a poorer sense of direction rely more on help from GPS navigation systems such as Sat Nav or smartphone maps. Those using GPS tended to drive more frequently -- suggesting that the technology helps older people maintain driving independence.
Runaway battery improves safety
Overheating batteries are a serious risk, in the worst cases leading to fires and explosion. A team has now developed a simple, cost-effective method to test the safety of lithium-ion batteries, which opens up opportunities for research into new and safer batteries for the future. The researchers created an intentionally unstable battery which is more sensitive to changes that could cause overheating. The battery is one-fiftieth the size of conventional batteries, so is less resource intensive and tests can be carried out in a smaller lab environment.
An answer to green energy in hydrogen-generating marine microbes
A genomic study of hydrogen-producing bacteria has revealed entirely new gene clusters capable of producing large volumes of hydrogen.
Riding the AI wave toward rapid, precise ocean simulations
Scientists have developed an AI-powered fluid simulation model that significantly reduces computation time while maintaining accuracy. Their approach could aid offshore power generation, ship design and ocean monitoring.
Carbon capture technology to produce clean fuel from air
A unique carbon capture technology could offer a more cost-effective way to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and turn it into clean, synthetic fuel.
Electrochemical method supports nitrogen circular economy
Imagine a world where industrial waste isn't just reduced, it's turned into something useful. This kind of circular economy is already in the works for carbon. Now, researchers in energy, environmental & chemical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a promising pathway to convert harmful nitric oxide, a key component of acid rain, into valuable nitric acid, which is used in everyday applications from fertilizer production to metal processing. The new approach converts nitrogen waste into valuable chemical product.
Researchers recycle wind turbine blade materials to make improved plastics
A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed researchers to re-purpose the materials to create stronger plastics. The innovation provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to recycle wind turbine blades to create useful products.
Solar wave squeezed Jupiter's magnetic shield to unleash heat
A solar wind event from 2017 that hit Jupiter and compressed its magnetosphere created a hot region spanning half Jupiter's circumference.
Carbon capture could become practical with scalable, affordable materials
Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration
The same dirt that clings to astronauts' boots may one day keep their lights on. Researchers created solar cells made out of simulated Moon dust. The cells convert sunlight into energy efficiently, withstand radiation damage, and mitigate the need for transporting heavy materials into space, offering a potential solution to one of space exploration's biggest challenges: reliable energy sources.
Scientists merge two 'impossible' materials into new artificial structure
An international team has merged two lab-synthesized materials into a synthetic quantum structure once thought impossible to exist and produced an exotic structure expected to provide insights that could lead to new materials at the core of quantum computing.
Smartphone photo sensors transformed into an unprecedented resolution antimatter camera
Scientists have repurposed smartphone camera sensors to create a detector capable of tracking antiproton annihilations in real time with unprecedented resolution. This new device can pinpoint antiproton annihilations with a resolution of about 0.6 micrometers, a 35-fold improvement over previous real-time methods.
Speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood
New York City's automated speed cameras reduced traffic crashes by 14% and decreased speeding violations by 75% over time, according to new research. The research revealed most cameras achieve their safety purpose within six months, with violations dropping and staying low -- showing drivers have changed behavior to drive more slowly and the cameras are working as intended, to deter speeding.
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
When we move, it's harder for existing wearable devices to accurately track our heart activity. But researchers found that a starfish's five-arm shape helps solve this problem. Inspired by how a starfish flips itself over -- shrinking one of its arms and using the others in a coordinated motion to right itself -- scientists have created a starfish-shaped wearable device that tracks heart health in real time.
Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space
World leaders should look to existing international law on the use of force to address the threat of space becoming ever more militarized, a new study shows.
Galaxies die earlier than expected
For a long time, scientists thought that only actively star-forming galaxies should be observed in the very early Universe. The James Webb space telescope now reveals that galaxies stopped forming stars earlier than expected. A recent discovery deepens the tension between theoretical models of cosmic evolution and actual observations. Among hundreds of spectra obtained with the Webb program RUBIES, the team has found a record-breaking galaxy that had already stopped forming stars during an epoch where galaxies are normally growing very rapidly.
Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model
An AI model trained on large amounts of genetic data can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The new study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically similar bacteria and mainly occurs in wastewater treatment plants and inside the human body.
Transducer could enable superconducting quantum networks
Applied physicists have created a photon router that could plug into quantum networks to create robust optical interfaces for noise-sensitive microwave quantum computers.
Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts
Chemists report that radiation-induced chemical reactions may help mitigate the corrosion of metals in a new type of nuclear reactor cooled by molten salts.
Metamaterials: Highly twisted rods store large amounts of energy
An international research team has developed mechanical metamaterials with a high elastic energy density. Highly twisted rods that deform helically provide these metamaterials with a high stiffness and enable them to absorb and release large amounts of elastic energy. The researchers conducted simple compression experiments to confirm the initial theoretical results.
Asteroid impact threat estimates improved for the Earth and the Moon
An international team is currently closely tracking the near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4. The impact probability estimates for the year 2032 has been reduced from a peak of 3 percent to below 0.001 percent.
A new wave in ultrafast magnetic control
Researchers have developed an innovative method to study ultrafast magnetism in materials. They have shown the generation and application of magnetic field steps, in which a magnetic field is turned on in a matter of picoseconds.
Plant doctor: An AI system that watches over urban trees without touching a leaf
Monitoring urban plant health traditionally requires extensive manual labor and botanical expertise, creating challenges for cities facing expanding green spaces, higher population densities, and increasing threats to plants. Now, researchers have developed 'Plant Doctor,' an artificial intelligence-based tool that could revolutionize plant health monitoring. The proposed system can track individual leaves in urban video footage and precisely quantify the damage from pests and diseases, enabling scalable, non-invasive urban plant management.
Smartwatch technology could help with future alcohol interventions
New research suggests that smartwatches could provide a more accurate picture of people's daily drinking habits than current methods. The technology could be a key element for future alcohol interventions.
Biodegradable fake fingernails make manicures more sustainable
A new kind of press-on nails come in all shapes and colors -- and when you're done with them, you can melt them down and reuse the materials to make your next look.
Researchers use 'smart' bomb therapy to destroy breast cancer
Scientists are working to create a new light-activated 'smart' bomb to treat aggressive breast cancer. The new light-sensitive chemicals called cyanine-carborane salts are used in photodynamic therapy, or PDT, to destroy metastatic breast cancer tumors in mice with minimal side effects.
Insight from one of Milky Way's most extreme environments
In new images, scientists have gotten the closest look yet at Sagittarius C -- a 'stellar nursery' where clouds of gas and dust have collapsed to form thousands of new stars.
Reducing risk of embankment slope failures along roads
Based on their findings, the researchers noted there are practical solutions that could have prevented collapse of the embankment slope investigated in this study. Their recommendations include using stabilizing agents, like cement, to reduce the impact of moisture and the placement of perforated pipes to drain the water quickly.
Miso made in space tastes nuttier
Miso is a traditional Japanese condiment made by fermenting cooked soybeans and salt. Researchers successfully made miso on the International Space Station (ISS). They found that the miso smelled and tasted similar to miso fermented on Earth -- just with a slightly nuttier, more roasted flavor. The team hopes this research will help broaden the culinary options available to astronauts, improving the quality of life for long-term space travelers.
World's smallest pacemaker is activated by light
Smaller than a grain of rice, new pacemaker is particularly suited to the small, fragile hearts of newborn babies with congenital heart defects. Tiny pacemaker is paired with a small, soft, flexible wearable patch that sits on the patient's chest. The wearable patch detects irregular heartbeats and automatically emits pulses of light. The light then flashes on and off at a rate that corresponds to the correct pacing. After the tiny pacemaker is no longer needed, it dissolves inside the body.
Sound frequencies of stars sing of our galaxy's past and future
Researchers interrogated the 'sounds' of a cluster of stars within the Milky Way, uncovering a new technique for astrophysicists to probe the universe and learn more about its evolution.
Researchers explore using soil for heat storage
When spring arrives and the heating season comes to an end, keeping warm becomes less of an issue. However, scientists remind us that it is not just a seasonal necessity -- heat is also a valuable energy resource that can be stored and used when needed most. Researchers have discovered an innovative solution beneath our feet: using soil as an efficient thermal energy storage system.
Electrochemical process separates valuable industrial chemicals from animal waste
A collaboration between chemical engineers and animal scientists has created a system for recovering valuable industrial chemicals from animal waste, representing a major step towards circularity and environmental sustainability.
Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations
Researchers report their insights on the emerging field of complex frequencies excitations, a recently introduced scheme to control light, sound and other wave phenomena beyond conventional limits. Based on this approach, they outline opportunities that advance fundamental understanding of wave-matter interactions and usher wave-based technologies into a new era.
Metasurfaces: Bilayer device can control many forms of polarized light
Researchers have created a bilayer metasurface made of two stacked layers of titanium dioxide nanostructures, opening new possibilities for structuring light.
Diagnosing a dud may lead to a better battery
A team of chemists found a way to see into battery interfaces -- tight, tricky spots buried deep inside the cell have long frustrated battery designers.
We know nanoplastics are a threat -- this new tool can help us figure out just how bad they are
While the threat that microplastics pose to human and ecological health has been richly documented and is well known, nanoplastics, which are smaller than one micrometer (1/50th the thickness of an average human hair), are far more reactive, far more mobile and vastly more capable of crossing biological membranes. Yet, because they are so tiny and so mobile, researchers don't yet have an accurate understanding of just how toxic these particles are.
An efficient self-assembly process for advanced self-healing materials
Self-healing coatings are advanced materials that can repair damage, such as scratches and cracks on their own. Researchers have developed an efficient method for preparing self-healing films consisting of alternating layers of highly cross-linked organosiloxane and linear polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Their film is more durable than conventional self-healing PDMS materials, offering superior hardness and greater thermal stability while self-healing at mild temperatures, paving the way for stronger, more reliable, and easier-maintained self-healing materials.
A step toward plant-based gelatin
Researchers present gum tragacanth as a plant-based alternative to gelatin for creating edible films. The team developed films containing different concentrations of gelatin and gum tragacanth and monitored their survivability in water and saline solutions. They found the optimal combination of gum tragacanth and gelatin for maintaining the gelatin's gel-like behavior was a 3-to-1 ratio of the two, respectively. However, gum tragacanth's inclusion leads to a more porous film, making it prone to penetration by water or saline solutions. Though gum tragacanth cannot replace gelatin completely just yet, even a partial replacement is a step forward.
The experts that can outsmart optical illusions
Medical imaging experts are adept at solving common optical illusions, according to new research. The research is the first to show that people can be trained to do better at solving visual illusions, which was previously thought to be near-impossible. The study shows that medical imaging experts are particularly accurate at judging the size of objects in common optical illusions. In other words, they also literally see better in everyday life!
My robot therapist: The ethics of AI mental health chatbots for kids
AI mental health apps may offer a cheap and accessible way to fill the gaps in the overstretched U.S. mental health care system, but ethics experts warn that we need to be thoughtful about how we use them, especially with children.
Scientists pioneer method to tackle 'forever chemicals'
Researchers have developed an innovative solution to a pressing environmental challenge: removing and destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called 'forever chemicals.' A new study unveils a method that not only eliminates PFAS from water systems but also transforms waste into high-value graphene, offering a cost-effective and sustainable approach to environmental remediation.
Bioelectronic devices, neural interfaces, biosensors and AI hardware are now easier to make thanks to a streamlined method for fabricating a key material.
New AI models possible game-changers within protein science and healthcare
Researchers have developed new AI models that can vastly improve accuracy and discovery within protein science. Potentially, the models will assist the medical sciences in overcoming present challenges within, e.g. personalised medicine, drug discovery, and diagnostics.
Martian dust could pose health risks to future astronauts
Inhaling dust particles from the Red Planet over long periods of time could put humans at risk of developing respiratory issues, thyroid disease and other health problems.