🤖 Tech & Computer Science

A new Ray-Ban Meta update adds reminders and voice messages

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses now offer reminders, voice messaging, and QR code scanning via Meta AI. Interaction with Meta AI is simplified, needing "Hey Meta" only once. These features are available in the US and Canada with the latest app update.

MIT engineers create a chip-based tractor beam for biological particles

MIT researchers have developed a compact, chip-based "tractor beam" that uses light to manipulate particles millimeters away, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional optical tweezers. Unlike other devices, it can keep cells sterile and free from contamination, making it ideal for biological experiments like studying DNA and disease mechanisms. This miniature device could be mass-produced and widely used in research.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Camera takes inspiration from cats’ eyes to improve imaging performance

A new camera inspired by cats' eyes could enhance object detection in autonomous vehicles, drones, and surveillance systems. It uses a vertically elongated slit, similar to cats' pupils, for sharp object focus and background blur. Additionally, a metal reflector mimics the tapetum lucidum, improving low-light performance by amplifying light. This design allows high-sensitivity imaging in varied lighting conditions without complex software processing.

Scientists design silver nanoparticle–based self-hygienic resin for use in dental applications

The oral cavity hosts diverse microorganisms, which can damage dental restoration materials by forming resistant biofilms. Over time, this can lead to material corrosion, discoloration, and infections. To address this, researchers from UNAM developed a method to incorporate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into composite resins used in dental restorations. AgNPs' antimicrobial properties help inhibit bacterial growth, improving the durability and hygiene of the restorations.

Alloys made direct from metal oxides offer more sustainable route to advanced materials

A new method for producing metal alloys could significantly reduce their carbon footprint by eliminating carbon dioxide emissions. Developed by researchers at the Max Planck Institute, the process converts metal oxides into alloys in a single step using hydrogen, bypassing energy-intensive traditional methods. This cleaner approach is especially beneficial for producing alloys like invar, used in precision instruments, which currently have a large carbon footprint.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Scar-Free Healing? A Parasitic Worm Could Be the Key

Scientists have discovered a protein from the parasitic roundworm Heligmosomoides polygyrus that could promote scar-free wound healing. This protein, studied in mice, helps speed up healing by interacting with the immune system. While scars normally form after deeper injuries to protect the body, they can impact appearance and movement. Researchers at Rutgers and the University of Glasgow believe this worm-derived protein could offer a way to enhance healing without causing scars.

Early-life trauma increases pain, depression in final years, study finds

A study tracking 6,500 Americans over 50 found that lifetime trauma, such as parental abuse or school repetition, worsens end-of-life pain, depression, and loneliness. Researchers from the University of Michigan and UCSF linked early-life trauma, especially parental abuse, to lasting health issues, including chronic inflammation and social isolation. These effects were observed through participant interviews and final reports from family members.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

James Webb Space Telescope finds supernova 'Hope' that could finally resolve major astronomy debate

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope captured an image of "supernova Hope," a gravitationally lensed supernova in a galaxy stretched by cosmic forces. This supernova, which exploded when the universe was 3.5 billion years old, may help resolve the "Hubble tension" — a debate about the universe's expansion rate. By providing a third method for measuring this rate, it offers hope for better understanding the universe's expansion.

NASA selects X-ray and far-infrared space telescope concepts for study

NASA has selected two proposals for further study in its new line of astrophysics missions called Probe Explorers. Each proposal will receive $5 million for one-year design advancements. The selected missions include the Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS), aimed at studying supermassive black holes and galactic gas flows, and the Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA), designed for far-infrared imaging to investigate planet formation and galaxy evolution. One proposal will be chosen for development in 2026, with a launch planned for 2032.

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