Science

CheckMag For people with complete paralysis, the dream of walking independently has often remained just that—a dream. But researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have turned that dream into reality with their latest innovation: the WalkON Suit F1. This groundbreaking wearable robot not only assists with walking but also walks to the user, allowing them to suit up directly from their wheelchair without assistance.

A portable, completely self-sufficient and scalable generator built by Cambridge University researchers demonstrates how CO₂ can be converted and ultimately recycled. The advantages over carbon capture and storage schemes are enormous.

The potential for transparent solar cells to be used in large parts of the world is huge. Not only do they provide energy directly, but they are also conducive to the healthy growth of certain plants and reduce water usage.

Russia's Rosatom unveils a breakthrough plasma electric rocket engine that could transform space travel, potentially reducing Mars journey times from one year to just 30-60 days.

Lonestar Data Holdings has tested the integration of its Freedom lunar data center with the Intuitive Machines IM-2 Athena mission lander in preparation for a first quarter SpaceX moon mission.

No compressor, no displacement, no thermodynamic cycle. Researchers have found a method that could make cooling and heating much more efficient.

Next week, NASA will host its first-ever Twitch livestream from the ISS, aiming to spark interest in space exploration among a young, tech-savvy audience.

Sibel Health has partnered with Maruho to commercialize an anti-itching wearable designed for atopic dermatitis sufferers. The AI wearable actively monitors for signs of pruritus and activates haptic feedback to reduce the urge to scratch.

These CIGS cells are flexible and require only a fraction of the material used for silicon solar cells. Combining them with perovskite significantly improves their efficiency.

Pumped storage power plants for storage instead of batteries or accumulators? These offer a number of advantages, including location flexibility, minimal harm to existing ecosystems and a way of conveniently storing electricity produced from wind or solar.

It can be made even cheaper. PhD students from Berkeley have created an AI that supposedly is comparable to DeepSeek's R1-Zero model. Allegedly, the entire AI has been developed for a grand total of just $30.

Solvang's Clipper Eris is now equipped with an "Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage" system, which is designed to collect and store a significant proportion of the cargo ship's CO₂ emissions. It is also a test run for other ships.

Just off the cusp of Deepseek's release, Alibaba's latest version of Qwen 2.5 Max has provided better test results than all other AI models, claiming the throne from the fledgling Deepseek.

CheckMag The computing world may have just entered a new era, thanks to the development of the world’s first graphene-based semiconductor. This breakthrough could reshape our technological landscape, setting the stage for a future of quantum computing marvels.

In addition to the remarkable longevity, the study claims that charging efficiency, operational safety and recyclability are also major strengths of this new solid-state battery. At first glance, the energy storage disappoints in just one respect.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, initially planned to develop artificial intelligence on an open-source basis. However, no source code for current OpenAI models has been made available thus far. DeepSeek from China takes a completely different approach and offers DeepSeek-R1 under the MIT license. Supposedly, this new AI model is even on par with ChatGPT.

Making batteries from inexpensive and widely available materials is of particular interest for EV makers who are looking to reduce their production costs. This new energy storage could also contribute to the clean energy transition.

A developer by the name of Patrick Gillespie has developed what may be the smallest version of the classic game Snake ever made. Rather than displaying simple graphics, Gillespie's version of the game uses the individual subpixels of an LCD display.

Samsung spoked about optical sensing of glucose levels, highlighting that such a monitoring technique could potentially benefit from AI and provide a huge relief for various groups of people in their everyday lives, for example diabetic patients, whilst significantly lowering costs in the medium term.

PEDOT is a conductive polymer that protects electronics from static discharges, but it can also store electricity. So much and so often that it could conceivably be used as an energy storage device.

Since spacecraft left in the dark might need more power than what can be stored in the internal batteries during exposure to sunlight, China is considering transmitting power from orbit using laser wireless transmission. Moving beyond the theoretical stage, they must develop the technologies needed and then conduct on-orbit testing.

A collaboration of Chinese and German research teams shows the impressive potential of batteries with solid-state electrolytes. Their electrical properties are superior, at least in a lab setting.

A new, critical vulnerability in Microsoft Windows makes it possible for hackers to spread malicious code via emails. Simply viewing an email in the preview window is enough for the malware to take root. Microsoft has released security updates to this end that should be installed immediately.

While silicon cells are destroyed by solar radiation, In-Ga cells are heavy and expensive. Therefore, it’s time for a better power supply in space, and positive effects on residential solar systems could follow.

The fuel of the future is not just difficult to store and extremely volatile, but also highly explosive. A new catalyst with unique characteristics now offers a practical solution for this issue.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is developing an innovative petawatt laser system that could revolutionize chip manufacturing. This cutting-edge technology, part of the $12 million BAT laser project, aims to be ten times more efficient than the EUV lithography machines we use today.

Electricity from solar cells is not always a good fit for the power grid. It is either not needed at certain times or is too weak, for example, to charge an electric car. The direct integration of an ultracapacitor could be a solution here.

High energy density meets increased risk of explosion. This applies to many batteries with a solid polymer electrolyte, namely solid-state batteries. A new development aims to change this without compromising on the advantages.

The production of ammonia is considered to be energy-intensive and harmful to the environment. However, the molecule is essential for global food production and a potential energy source for hydrogen-based systems.

The newly developed battery is designed to be lighter, have a longer lifespan, and offer higher performance. Additionally, two new components could reduce the costs of energy storage and even enhance its safety.

After showcasing its capabilities at a BMW plant, the humanoid robot Figure 02 has now been delivered to a customer for the first time. This marks a significant milestone for Figure AI, achieving rapid commercialization of its product.

A recent study has uncovered worrying levels of PFAS chemicals in some popular smartwatch bands, with certain samples packing over 1,000 ppb of PFHxA. Although the likelihood of significant absorption in everyday use might be low, experts suggest exploring different strap materials as a way to cut down on potential exposure.

The 3D-printed VR headset for mice runs the Godot game engine using a Raspberry Pi 4. During research experiments, mice can walk virtual worlds endlessly. MouseGoggles also eliminates the tedious task of building real mouse mazes.

BENEIN is a new computational model developed by KAIST that can reverse cancer cells into normal states by targeting key regulators, offering a potentially novel approach to safer, precision cancer therapies.

A permanent connection to near-Earth satellites without any other ground-based systems is set to be reality soon. From simple surfing with a smartphone to real-time applications, numerous possibilities are conceivable.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe prepares for its closest-ever solar approach on December 24, flying within 3.8 million miles of the Sun's surface at speeds of 430,000 mph. Protected by advanced heat shields and specialized materials, this historic mission aims to discover the origins of the solar wind and its effects on our solar system.

A new study examines antimatter propulsion for spacecraft, showing that just 1 gram of antihydrogen could power 23 space shuttles—10 billion times more powerful than conventional rocket fuel. While production and storage hurdles remain significant, this technology could revolutionize space exploration.

Training robots to perform complex tasks is both costly and time-consuming. Conventional methods often require the use of real robots in physical environments. A new open-source physics simulator called Genesis promises to revolutionize robot training. In future, robots will likely train in a VR environment.

Innovative battery technology has improved its capacity to new heights, with manufacturers now incorporating 7000mAh batteries into their devices. Advanced silicon-carbon anodes enable this leap forward, promising extended battery life.

Chinese researchers successfully test advanced lithium battery system in drone flight, achieving 400 Wh/kg energy density and 20-40 percent performance boost.

HEC's groundbreaking 660MW ultra-supercritical CFB power unit in Shaanxi, China successfully completed full-load trials, marking a global first. Operating at unprecedented temperature and pressure levels while maintaining 95 percent desulfurization efficiency, this milestone advances clean energy generation at industrial scale.

Innovative research reveals how biomethane from organic waste could transform ammonia production from a carbon-heavy process into a carbon-neutral one. The approach requires no new technology and could revolutionize fertilizer manufacturing while maintaining reliable supply chains.

The discovery of huge hydrogen reservoirs has resulted in a recalculation of potential reserves worldwide. At best, they are equivalent to 1,000 years worth of fossil fuel.

Chinese scientists, led by Li Xiao developed a device enabling small drones to reflect powerful ground-based laser beams, capable of cutting through metal. The lightweight system overcomes previous size and vibration challenges.

A recent study estimates that by 2030, artificial intelligence could contribute to 1,300 deaths annually and lead to $20 billion in healthcare costs in the United States alone.

Tesla appears to have made significant progress toward preparing the Optimus robot for mass production. In a newly released video, the android navigates up and down a mulched hill independently - despite currently lacking vision capabilities.

Scientists have created a new memory device that functions at temperatures exceeding 1,100°F - far beyond current silicon limits. Using oxygen ions instead of electrons, this innovation could revolutionize electronics in extreme environments from fusion reactors to jet engines.

Google's Willow quantum processor achieves unprecedented error correction with its 105-qubit architecture, completing calculations in minutes that would take classical supercomputers billions of years.

A battery may have a 40% longer lifespan if the charging and discharging process are optimised. A two-year study conducted on commercial batteries suggests that the path to achieving this is shorter than expected.

Japanese researchers have developed a novel two-step reactor system that generates hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water, achieving 50 percent higher efficiency in real-world conditions than lab tests.