Science

False claims, misleading reports, lack of context: nothing new. Accompanied by AI-generated photos, videos and sound, however, the whole thing takes on unexpected credibility. But at least there are a few insights that can help with debunking.

EVs, wind turbines and high-end appliances often rely on permanent magnets containing 'rare earths'. As the production of these high-performance magnets could become scarce in the future due to increasing demand, scientists are working on new solutions to speed up the energy transition. Tesla has also announced its intention to move away from rare earth metals.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra are both top-end mobile devices with titanium edges. However, Apple and Samsung have gone about the integration of the premium material into their flagships in very different ways, according to a famous vlogger. One method also apparently results in a thinner titanium frame than another.

The Magic6 Pro has one of the most unique and advanced rear camera systems of any Android flagship smartphone thus far in 2024. Now, its maker Honor also asserts that it is one of the most robust premium handsets of the year, staying on even after a trip to the edge of space thanks to its new custom battery technology.

Apple considers iPhone 15 Pro models running warmer than previous iPhones to be “expected behavior”, we have learned. However, iPhone 16 Pro owners might look forward to different device behavior with Apple rumored to be exploring the use of graphene to mitigate lingering thermal issues.

Passwords are not at risk. Instead, researchers are showing what data sensors on cell phones and other smart devices can intentionally or unintentionally collect. Creepy at the very least or quite normal.

Advertised as the first Alzheimer's drug capable to treat the cognitive decline coming with this infamous disease, Biogen's Aduhelm has just been withdrawn from the market. The only treatment for this brain disorder approved in the US remains Leqembi, co-manufactured by Biogen and Japanese company Eisai.

Three years of observations show that water must be present on an exoplanet. This is the first time that the molecule has been detected on such a small planet. It is the starting signal for further investigations.

A new type of structure can considerably simplify water electrolysis for the production of hydrogen as an energy carrier. A simple modification could significantly reduce material costs while speeding up the production process.

People who have lost control of their limbs will be able to control phones and computers with a Neuralink device called Telepathy. Elon Musk just announced the first successful Neuralink brain implant.

Three satellites with floating cubes of gold and laser light are to detect gravitational waves. The system is set up millions of miles away from Earth, is gigantic and can make the previously unknown visible.

Melt down a block of aluminum, set up the 3D printer and have a frame or stand made. Sturdy enough for further processing. The goal: aluminum recycling in a new dimension.

Aluminum mining is a dirty business. Toxic red mud remains, containing millions of tons of iron. Researchers are showing how steel, chrome and more can be extracted from it at the same cost and without CO2 emissions.

The rare, expensive and highly controversial mined cobalt can be replaced in batteries by widely available organic materials. The result is a durable, powerful and long-lasting battery. Lithium is also on the researchers' to-do list.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have developed a virtual reality grocery shopping simulator that measures declines in cognitive and motor abilities that occur as one ages. This opens the door to improved tests that will better measure and detect decline in patients earlier.

Disney Imagineer Lanny Smooth has unveiled the Holotile VR treadmill for multiple users. This device users to stand on the platform and walk in any direction for any distance during VR sessions and games without physically moving off the treadmill.

No battery change and no separate power supply are required to obtain measured values such as the current temperature. This means that sensors can be better positioned and provide continuous data.

Currently conducting research in the battery field with a team of around 30 people, Varta's Graz site will expand later this year. The new facility will accommodate a team of 50 members in charge of developing post-lithium solutions for IoT applications, the automotive industry, and beyond.

The patent-free CORBEVAX COVID-19 vaccine developed by researchers at Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and Baylor College of Medicine has received World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing. This gives billions of unvaccinated access to a cheaper alternative that is safe, stable in storage, and easy to manufacture.

Seagate has announced its trailblazing Exos 30 TB hard drive for the enterprise market. Breakthrough Mozaic3+ technologies are used in this drive to lower power consumption by 40% while increasing recording densities. This paves the way for future 50+ TB hard drives and enables datacenters to store more information.

Japan has successfully landed its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft on the lunar surface, making it only the fifth country to achieve this feat. However, the spacecraft is facing power challenges due to a malfunction in its solar battery.

A team at MIT has investigated the fundamental chemical reactions involved in hydrogen production and is calling previous models into question. With consequences for fuel cells, batteries and the industrial production of hydrogen.

CheckMag Since landing on Mars on August 5, 2012, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been investigating the planet's past ability to support life. In 2023, Curiosity captured 3 significant images and videos, crucial for future Mars exploration missions. These captures underscore Curiosity's success in collecting important data on Mars' environment and landscape.

The BV100 micro nuclear energy battery is said to provide 100 mW at 3V continuously without recharge or any maintenance for 50 years. Despite using the radioactive nickel-63 isotope, the battery can safely power even pacemakers inside the human body and is environment-friendly as well.

Solar modules using perovskite tandem solar cells are highly efficient, which is why they are of great interest to some of the world's largest solar companies as a renewable energy source for power generation. There have been problems with the instability of perovskites, but research is progressing rapidly and several start-ups are competing to bring them to market.

Instead of improving the electricity yield of existing technology, a research team has been able to convert light into electricity that has not yet been used. Efficiency is expected to increase by two thirds - and all without rare-earth elements.

Producing hydrogen on a large scale using electricity from coal and gas, and precisely when there is a shortage of energy elsewhere, can cause enormous emissions and endanger the power grid. A smart approach is required.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) debuts Vulcan rocket, carrying the first U.S. moon lander in decades. The Peregrine lunar lander is set to land on the moon on February 23. This marks the first U.S. moon landing attempt in over half a century.

Hundreds of typical errors in laboratory diagnostics can be eliminated with a few fundamental changes, an MIT study has found. By looking at the system as a whole, problems known from aerospace technology could be identified - solution included.

The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a cyclone on a planet almost 1,000 light years away. An astonishing observation when you realize the dimensions.

The AiDot brand WELOV asserts that its latest air purifier is a world first in that it is the first device of its kind officially approved to work with the Matter standard for smart home IoT and devices. The company believes that this is a significant upgrade as it allows the P200 Pro to integrate with Apple Health in order to keep on optimizing air quality even when the user is asleep.

In the end, more electric cars also mean more scrap containing valuable elements and components that are still intact. The development of an electric motor that is easy to repair and dismantle should prevent such mountains of waste from being created in the first place.

Computer scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore could "jailbreak" AI chatbots by setting them against each other. After "jailbreaking" them, the researchers got valid responses to queries that chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Bing Chat, generally don't respond to.

Nanotech Energy has announced its 18650 lithium-ion battery utilizing graphene and a proprietary electrolyte. Unlike traditional lithium batteries that catch fire and explode when subject to excessive pressure, charge, or heat, Nanotech batteries remain safe. This innovation will help reduce injuries caused by burning EV cars and electronics.

A MIT research group has demonstrated the ability to mind-control a 4-legged Boston Robotics Spot. Participants wore a pair of AttentivU smart glasses with built-in electrodes that can mind-read. They were able to tell the robotic dog to fetch items and move about by thoughts alone.

Integrated Biosciences has discovered a new class of antibiotics using AI-powered drug discovery software. The new antibiotics can be effective against MRSA and other germs that have gained resistance against current drugs. This can reduce deaths from infections that do not respond to current antibiotics.

Microbiomes from hunter-gatherer societies are being used to help people in industrialised countries fight chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. However, this type of research also raises ethical concerns about biopiracy and scientific colonialism.

This year, zero-emissions flying came closer: the first flight of ZeroAvia's hydrogen-powered aircraft was voted the breakthrough technology of 2023 in a survey by MIT Technology Review. The company has already raised over $140 million from high-profile investors including Bill Gates, and is working towards commercial launch.

Alchemists puzzled over it for centuries, physicists have now been able to calculate it precisely. A comprehensive model shows how gold and other precious, rare and heavy metals are formed. The only ingredients: Just two neutron stars.

A rocket launch consumes a few hundred tons of fuel. Roughly speaking, the equivalent of 1 million liters of petrol. All the better that ESA wants to send its Ariane launch vehicles into space using solar energy in future.

"Great product" or "The best ever" are unhelpful comments. An online experiment shows how it can be done better. The strategy not only leads to more, but above all to more reliable reviews.

15 years of data on family, health and education are enough to make astonishingly reliable predictions for a lifetime. If you want to take a look into the future yourself, you can find the associated program "life2vec" on github.

NASA has streamed a high-definition video of a cat named Taters. The video was transmitted to Earth from 19 million miles away, nearly 80 times the distance from the Moon. But what's really interesting is that the video was beamed using near-infrared lasers with a bit rate of 267 Mbps, faster than many internet connections.

Google MedML is an AI language model developed specifically for the healthcare sector and is now available to Google Cloud customers in the US via the Vertex AI platform.

Google DeepMind's new AI is developing numerous materials, including for EV batteries, solar cells, computer chips and much more. In addition, the new A-Lab laboratory is taking material development to a next level by combining robotics and machine learning.

Not only meat consumption itself has a few disadvantages. The excrement of farm animals also becomes a problem in large quantities. A novel system of electrodes and surplus electricity can be used to recover valuable raw materials.

Quantum chips based on rubidium atoms instead of superconducting qubits are expected to dramatically increase the performance capabilities of quantum computers, as reported by researchers in the journal 'Nature'.

The newly launched Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology aims to develop novel technology that can record the genetic history of a cell as it changes over time. Called a genomic smartwatch, this research initiative has the potential to influence healthcare and 'unlock the secrets of disease'.

No transistors in the nanometer range, instead individual molecules and laser light come into play to store information and execute algorithms. Above all, however, research into molecule-based quantum computers provides an exciting glimpse into the future.

IBM recently presented two new quantum processors (QPUs) at the Quantum Summit 2023: the Condor QPU with 1121 qubits and the smaller Heron QPU with 133 qubits. IBM also unveiled the modular System Two quantum supercomputer.