Researchers at the National University of Singapore, the University of Kyoto, and the University of California, Berkeley, have made a groundbreaking discovery in graphene research. They have successfully created a new graphene nanostructure, known as an asymmetric or “Janus” graphene nanoribbon, which exhibits ferromagnetic properties. This breakthrough could lead to the development of carbon-based spin…
Science on The Soothsayer / page 3
A recent study of asteroid dirt brought back to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed the presence of amino acids, nucleobases, and brines that could have facilitated the formation of organic molecules. This finding bolsters the hypothesis that asteroids like Bennu could have delivered the raw ingredients to Earth prior to the emergence of…
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is facing potential dismantling under Donald Trump’s second presidency. The law, a cornerstone of conservation in the United States, has been weakened in the past, and experts fear that the new administration will continue to erode its protections. The ESA has been highly effective in stabilizing and improving the populations…
Researchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have created a groundbreaking hydrogel that doubles as a semiconductor, combining the soft, flexible properties of biological tissues with the electronic capabilities of semiconductors. This material has the potential to revolutionize the way medical devices interface with the human body, enabling seamless integration and…
A new podcast, “The Deep End,” explores the use of brain implants to treat severe depression. The podcast follows four individuals who underwent an experimental procedure involving electrodes implanted in their brains to stimulate neural activity. The treatment has shown promising results, with some patients experiencing significant improvements in their mental health. This breakthrough has…
Researchers at Sichuan University and Queen Mary University of London have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of materials science, shedding light on the anomalous thermal expansion of cordierite. By using advanced molecular dynamics simulations, the team has found that the material’s unique behavior stems from the interplay between lattice vibrations and elastic properties….
Researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a groundbreaking method to measure temperatures using Rydberg atoms, offering a direct and calibration-free approach. This innovation has the potential to significantly impact various fields, including optical clocks and quantum mechanics. The system’s high sensitivity and accuracy make it an exciting development…
Mathematicians have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the limitations of solving Diophantine equations, a fundamental problem in mathematics. Researchers have proven that there is no general algorithm to determine if a given Diophantine equation has a solution in certain number systems. This discovery sheds new light on the long-standing problem of Hilbert’s 10th problem…
Scientists have discovered evidence that rivers may have operated on a global scale around 3.5 billion years ago, providing the earliest known chemical evidence for the weathering of Earth’s continents and the delivery of nutrients from land to ocean. This finding pushes back the emergence of continental landmasses by about a billion years, giving insight…
Researchers from Harbin Institute of Technology in China have developed a new approach to oil cleanup using a vortex-anchored filter (VAF) inspired by the anatomy of a deep-sea glass sponge. The VAF exhibits high mass transfer and hydrodynamic stability in cleaning up oil spills under turbulent flow, capturing more than 97% of floating, underwater, and…
