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Can quantum computers handle energy’s hardest problems?

Every week quantum computing hits a new milestone: more qubits, fewer errors, better readout of results. But will these breakthroughs help solve the advanced computational problems facing energy, like how to model energy storage catalysts or ensure power grid reliability? That is what scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) want to know.

Working with local quantum companies, an NREL team is developing benchmarks for quantum computers on the problems that are important to energy science. The pursuit of benchmarks will allow NREL and industry to prioritize practical utility for the next generation of quantum software and hardware.

The first nonverbal patient to receive Elon Musk’s Neuralink shares a video he edited and narrated using his brain chip

The first nonverbal Neuralink patient to receive the chip implant is offering a glimpse into how he uses the technology — editing and narrating a YouTube video using signals from his brain.

Brad Smith is the third person in the world to get a brain chip implant with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, and the first person with ALS to do so.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects motor neurons — the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Over time, patients lose voluntary control of muscle movements, affecting their ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe independently.

A printable aluminum alloy system can balance strength and cost in the automotive industry

Aluminum alloys are widely used in transportation applications because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, as well as their affordability. However, challenges arise when using them in extremely high-strength and high-temperature applications, particularly in components such as pistons of combustion engines, fan blades of jet engines, and vacuum pumps.

At elevated temperatures, few aluminum alloys can block dislocation movements effectively, which controls the strength. Moreover, few of the designs have considered costs and sustainability metrics in the design, which are essential for high-demand industries. Titanium alloys, such as Ti-64, that are often used in fan blades, are not only heavier and not machinable, but also nearly twice as expensive.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly evolving and providing new pathways for designing innovative alloys. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers has utilized and optimization techniques to identify a new aluminum alloy system that balances strength and cost.

Vapor-deposited perovskite semiconductors power next-generation circuits

A research team led by Professor Yong-Young Noh and Dr. Youjin Reo from the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has developed a technology poised to transform next-generation displays and electronic devices.

The project was a collaborative effort with Professors Ao Liu and Huihui Zhu from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), and the findings were published in Nature Electronics.

Every time we stream videos or play games on our smartphones, thousands of transistors operate tirelessly behind the scenes. These microscopic components function like , regulating electric currents to display images and ensure smooth app operation.

Scientists discover quantum computing in the brain

Kurian’s group believes these large tryptophan networks may have evolved to take advantage of their quantum properties. When cells breathe using oxygen—a process called aerobic respiration—they create free radicals, or reactive oxygen species (ROS). These unstable particles can emit high-energy UV photons, which damage DNA and other important molecules.

Tryptophan networks act as natural shields. They absorb this harmful light and re-emit it at lower energies, reducing damage. But thanks to superradiance, they may also perform this protective function much more quickly and efficiently than single molecules could.

Shared Cortical Representations but Distinct Temporal Dynamics | HSP 2025

From single words to sentence production: shared cortical representations but distinct temporal dynamics.

Adam Morgan, Orrin Devinsky, Werner Doyle, Patricia Dugan, Daniel Friedman, Adeen Flinker.

About the Maryland Language Science Center.
At the Maryland Language Science Center (MLSC), we are committed to advancing the interdisciplinary science of language to tackle complex, large-scale problems in both fundamental science and society. Our work brings together linguists, psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and more to explore the many facets of language and its role in shaping human cognition and communication.

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