🤖 Tech & Computer Science

Waymo’s new robotaxi will feature fewer sensors to help lower costs

Waymo unveiled its sixth-generation robotaxi, an electric minivan built by Chinese automaker Zeekr. The new model is more advanced yet cost-efficient, featuring fewer sensors and incorporating learnings from previous versions. However, potential tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles could impact its production costs, with the Biden administration considering a tariff increase to 100%.

This 1mm 'fan on a chip' could put active cooling inside ultra-thin gadgets

xMEMS has introduced the XMC-2400 µCooling chip, a 1mm-tall solid-state fan designed to cool ultra-thin devices like smartphones and tablets. Utilizing MEMS technology, the chip offers active cooling without moving parts, potentially improving device performance and preventing overheating in various electronics, such as laptops, headphones, and gaming controllers.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Half-life measurement of samarium-146 could help reveal secrets of the early solar system

Researchers have measured the radioactive half-life of samarium-146 with unprecedented accuracy. This isotope, with a half-life of 92 million years, is crucial for dating early solar system events like Moon volcanism and Earth's formation. Produced in a supernova 4.5 billion years ago, samarium-146 is now almost extinct, with its past presence inferred from its decay product, neodymium.

Physicists successfully observe Kibble–Zurek scaling in an atomic Fermi superfluid

The Kibble–Zurek (KZ) mechanism explains the formation of topological defects during non-equilibrium phase transitions. Researchers in Korea recently observed KZ scaling in a strongly interacting Fermi gas transitioning into a superfluid, providing experimental support for this theoretical framework. Their study, published in Nature Physics, could inspire further research into superfluidity and superconductivity.

Reversible 3D images displayed in light-activated material

A new material can display 3D images in real space, viewable from different angles without specialized headsets. This reversible light-printed technology could be used in art, medical imaging, and architectural design.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Polymer a Promising Treatment for Pelvic Varicose Veins

A study led by the University Clinic of Navarra shows that a resorbable polymer effectively treats pelvic varicose veins, improving quality of life for women with pelvic venous disease—a common yet underdiagnosed cause of chronic pelvic pain. The research highlights that up to 15% of women aged 20-50 may have this condition, with those having multiple close-together pregnancies being most affected.

Breakthrough treatment reduces liver fibrosis in Hepatitis C patients

A study led by Associate Professor Seungbong Han from Korea University investigated whether direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which effectively treat Hepatitis C with 90% success rates, also reduce liver fibrosis severity in chronic HCV patients. The research, involving multiple centers in South Korea, was published in eClinicalMedicine in July 2024.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

Some rocky exoplanets could have huge amounts of water in their molten cores

Up to 95% of an exoplanet's water might be trapped deep within its iron core, altering our understanding of water worlds and potentially making them more habitable than previously thought. This discovery highlights that planets could be more water-rich than assumed, according to Professor Caroline Dorn from ETH Zurich. During planet formation, intense heat creates a molten rock surface that eventually cools, forming layers, including a deep iron core where water may be stored.

NASA Awards 15 Grants to Support Open-Source Science

NASA awarded $1.4 million to 15 teams to develop technologies that enhance the open sharing of scientific information. The High Priority Open-Source Science (HPOSS) awards focus on increasing accessibility, inclusivity, and reproducibility in NASA's Science Mission Directorate research. The projects include open-source tools and frameworks, with each team receiving approximately $100,000 for one year. The initiative is part of NASA's efforts to promote open science practices across divisions.

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