🤖 Tech & Computer Science

Qubit that makes most errors obvious now available to customers

Quantum Circuits launched the first quantum computer using dual-rail qubits, designed to simplify error correction by easily detecting photon loss, the most common error. With just eight qubits, the system focuses on refining error correction rather than large-scale computations, highlighting a broader industry push to reduce errors before scaling hardware.

DOJ: Google must sell Chrome to end monopoly

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google divest its Chrome browser and potentially its Android operating system to address its illegal monopoly in online search. The DOJ also seeks to prohibit Google from exclusionary contracts, like its default search deal with Apple. Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled Google as a monopoly in August, will determine final remedies in 2025. If approved, these measures could reshape Google and the internet significantly.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Turning carbon emissions into methane fuel: New method offers potential for abundant energy savings

Chemists have developed a nickel-based catalyst to efficiently capture and convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane in a single step, using renewable electricity. This process reduces energy use compared to traditional multi-step methods, potentially enabling a continuous carbon cycle where CO2 emissions are recycled into fuel. The breakthrough, published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, marks the first successful electrochemical conversion of captured CO2 into methane and opens pathways for further innovations in sustainable carbon capture and energy solutions.

Magnetoelectric nanodiscs deliver non-invasive brain stimulation in mice

Scientists at MIT have developed magnetoelectric nanodiscs (MENDs) that enable non-invasive brain stimulation using weak external magnetic fields. These nanoparticles convert magnetic fields into electrical pulses, directly activating neurons without genetic modification. Tests in mice showed MENDs can target deep brain regions, such as those involved in motor control and reward. The technology, detailed in Nature Nanotechnology, offers a safer and more accessible alternative to invasive deep brain stimulation techniques used for conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Future research aims to optimize MENDs and explore their use in human treatments.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Scientists take huge step forward in mapping all 37 trillion cells in the human body

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) project is mapping all 36–37 trillion human cells to identify their location, identity, and function. Researchers have profiled 100 million cells from over 10,000 people and aim to release a first draft of the full atlas by 2026. This draft will serve as a foundation for future versions with billions of cells. Recently, HCA published over 40 studies detailing cells in various organs and the computational tools used. Co-chair Aviv Regev likened this progress to advancing from 15th-century maps to Google Maps-level detail, while emphasizing that much work remains.

Novel combination of surgery and embolization reduces recurrence of subdural hematomas

A study by Weill Cornell Medicine and the University at Buffalo found that combining surgery with middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization significantly reduces the recurrence of chronic subdural hematomas compared to surgery alone. The minimally invasive embolization blocks blood flow to the hematoma, lowering the need for repeat surgeries from 11.3% to 4%. The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, suggest MMA embolization should become a new standard of care, especially as the aging population faces a rising prevalence of this condition.

Rethinking dairy: Whole milk tied to healthier weight profiles

A U.S. cohort study published in Nutrition Research found that whole milk consumption is inversely associated with body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and obesity prevalence in adults. Each cup of whole milk correlated with a 0.5 kg/m² BMI decrease, 1.5 kg weight reduction, and 1.1 cm smaller waist circumference. Whole milk intake was also linked to higher normal-weight prevalence and lower obesity rates. These findings challenge traditional low-fat dairy recommendations and suggest whole milk may aid weight management by promoting satiety and reducing calorie intake.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

NASA's Curiosity rover captures 360-degree view of Mars — and finds strange sulfur stones

NASA's Curiosity rover, after 12 years of exploration, recently released a 360-degree panorama of the Gediz Vallis channel on Mars, showing features like Kukenán Butte, Pinnacle Ridge, and the Gale Crater Rim. The channel, thought to possibly be an ancient riverbed, may have been shaped by water, winds, or landslides from Mount Sharp. The interactive video offers a unique view of the Martian landscape, showcasing Curiosity's ongoing journey across the planet's rocky surface.

STS-129 Crew Aboard the Space Station

The STS-129 crew, consisting of astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, Mike Foreman, Leland Melvin, Robert L. Satcher Jr., Randy Bresnik, Butch Wilmore, and Nicole Stott, launched aboard the space shuttle Atlantis on Nov. 16, 2009. They carried nearly 30,000 pounds of supplies for the International Space Station. The crew completed three successful spacewalks and enjoyed a surprise Thanksgiving dinner with the Expedition 21 crew.

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