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Teams with budding researchers are more likely to drive scientific disruption, new study finds

Scientific research apparently has its own share of beginner’s luck. According to a study by Mahdee Mushfique Kamal and Raiyan Abdul Baten, teams with a larger number of newbies take the cake when it comes to transformative scientific research. Their study examined 28 million articles spanning five decades of scientific publications to understand how beginner authors drive scientific advancement.

The duo developed what they call a disruption score, ranging from-1 to +1. A score closer to-1 indicates that a paper mainly reinforces existing knowledge and builds directly on established work. On the other end of the spectrum lies +1, which signals a disruptive paper which has the ability to shift the direction of science by opening new paths and making previous work less central.

They observed a universal phenomenon known as the “beginner’s charm,” where teams with higher fractions of beginner authors systematically produced more disruptive and innovative scientific work. Teams with more senior members produce less disruptive work, and this negative correlation was strong.

Autism should not be seen as single condition with one cause, say scientists

Autism should not be viewed as a single condition with a unified underlying cause, according to scientists who found that those diagnosed early in childhood typically have a distinct genetic profile to those diagnosed later.

The international study, based on genetic data from more than 45,000 autistic people in Europe and the US, showed that those diagnosed in early childhood, typically before six years old, were more likely to show behavioural difficulties from early childhood, including problems with social interaction, but remain stable.

Those diagnosed with autism later, typically after the age of 10, were more likely to experience increasing social and behavioural difficulties during adolescence and also had an increased likelihood of mental health conditions such as depression.

Study reveals genetic and developmental differences in people with earlier versus later autism diagnosis

Researchers find different genetic profiles related to two trajectories that autistic children tend to follow. One is linked to early diagnosis and communication difficulties in infancy. The other is linked to later diagnosis, increased social and behavioral difficulties in adolescence, and higher rates of conditions like ADHD, depression, and PTSD.

An international study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has discovered that diagnosed in early childhood has a different genetic and developmental profile than that of autism diagnosed from late childhood onwards.

The scientists say that the findings challenge the long-held assumption that autism is a single condition with a unified underlying cause.

New Sodium Battery Design Works Even at Subzero Temperatures

A new technique stabilizes a metastable form of sodium solid electrolyte, enabling all-solid-state sodium batteries to maintain performance even at subzero temperatures. All-solid-state batteries are considered a safe and powerful option for running electric vehicles, electronics, and even storin

Adiós a los USB, tarjetas de memoria y discos duros, llega el cristal indestructible que puede guardar archivos de forma ilimitada

Project Silica de Microsoft utiliza vidrio especial y láseres de femtosegundos para almacenar datos de forma que puedan conservarse intactos durante siglos, sin deteriorarse.

“AI Just Invented Miracle Cooling Paint”: Researchers Create Coating That Drops Building Temperatures 36 Degrees While Air Conditioning Industry Faces Extinction

In the ongoing battle against rising urban temperatures, a groundbreaking innovation offers a promising solution. A team of international researchers has

All Analysis and Records Withheld on DoD’s Own Released UAP Footage

The Department of Defense (DoD) has denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking records connected to the review, redaction, and release of a UAP video published by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) earlier this year.

The request, filed May 19, 2025, sought internal communications, review logs, classification guidance, legal opinions, and technical documentation tied to the public posting of the video titled “Middle East 2024.” The video, showing more than six minutes of infrared footage from a U.S. military platform, was released in May 2025 and remains unresolved by AARO.

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Photodiode design using germanium solves key challenge in on-chip light monitoring

Programmable photonics devices, which use light to perform complex computations, are emerging as a key area in integrated photonics research. Unlike conventional electronics that transmit signals with electrons, these systems use photons, offering faster processing speeds, higher bandwidths, and greater energy efficiency. These advantages make programmable photonics well-suited for demanding tasks like real-time deep learning and data-intensive computing.

A major challenge, however, lies in the use of power monitors. These sensors must constantly track the optical signal’s strength and provide the necessary feedback for tuning the chip’s components as required. However, existing on-chip photodetectors designed for this purpose face a fundamental tradeoff. They either have to absorb a significant amount of the optical signal to achieve a strong reading, which degrades the signal’s quality, or they lack the sensitivity to operate at the low power levels required without needing additional amplifiers.

As reported in Advanced Photonics, Yue Niu and Andrew W. Poon from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have addressed this challenge by developing a germanium-implanted silicon waveguide photodiode. Their approach overcomes the tradeoffs that have hindered existing on-chip power monitoring technologies.

Scientists finally prove that a quantum computer can unconditionally outperform classical computers

A quantum computer has demonstrated that it can solve a problem more efficiently than a conventional computer. This achievement comes from being able to unlock a vast memory resource that classical computing cannot match.

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