Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog – Page 36

Get the latest international news and world events from around the world.

Log in for authorized contributors

Topological insulators boost ultra-thin magnet strength by 20% for next-gen electronics

A team of international researchers led by the University of Ottawa has made a breakthrough in the development of ultra-thin magnets—a discovery that could lead to faster, more energy-efficient electronics, quantum computers, and advanced communication systems.

The study, led by Hang Chi, Canada Research Chair in Quantum Electronic Devices and Circuits, & Assistant Professor of Physics at uOttawa’s Faculty of Science, demonstrates a new way to strengthen magnetism in materials just a few atoms thick. This is a critical step toward making these practical for real-world technologies.

The paper is published in the journal Reports on Progress in Physics.

Universal embezzlers naturally emerge in critical fermion systems, study finds

Embezzlement of entanglement is an exotic phenomenon in quantum information science, describing the possibility of extracting entanglement from a resource system without changing its quantum state. In this context, the resource systems play the role of a catalyst, enabling a state transition that would otherwise be impossible, without being consumed in the process. For embezzlement of entanglement to be possible, the resource state needs to be highly entangled.

The term “universal embezzler” refers to the idea of a bipartite quantum system where every state is sufficiently entangled to make possible. So far, it seemed highly questionable that physical systems exhibiting such strong entanglement properties could exist in the first place.

Yet researchers at Leibniz University Hannover have now shown that universal embezzlement emerges in all critical fermion chains, meaning one-dimensional fermion systems at quantum phase transitions. While their paper, published in Nature Physics, is merely theoretical, it could open new possibilities for the study of many-body physics and for the development of quantum technologies.

Glass nanostructures reflect nearly all visible light, challenging photonics assumptions

A research team led by SUTD has created nanoscale glass structures with near-perfect reflectance, overturning long-held assumptions about what low-index materials can do in photonics.

For decades, glass has been a reliable workhorse of optical systems, valued for its transparency and stability. But when it comes to manipulating light at the nanoscale, especially for high-performance optical devices, glass has traditionally taken a backseat to higher refractive index materials. Now, a research team led by Professor Joel Yang from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is reshaping this narrative.

With findings published in Science Advances, the team has developed a new method to 3D-print glass structures with nanoscale precision and achieve nearly 100% reflectance in the . This level of performance is rare for low-refractive-index materials like silica, and it opens up a broader role for glass in nanophotonics, including in wearable optics, integrated displays, and sensors.

Simple nasal swab test could cut costly virus screenings in high-risk settings

The COVID-19 pandemic yielded important advances in testing for respiratory viruses, but it also exposed important unmet needs in screening to prevent the spread of infections in high-risk settings.

While PCR () tests are the gold standard for detecting viral infections, they remain a challenge for large numbers of people in places vulnerable to outbreaks—such as health care centers and nursing homes—due to and the fact that different tests are required for each virus.

A new Yale study, however, finds that an alternate strategy—using a nasal swab to screen for an antiviral protein produced by the body as a defense against infection—can be an effective method for ruling out respiratory infections, limiting PCR testing only to those most likely to be infected, at a fraction of the cost.

Heart valve for young children shines in early-stage preclinical testing

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have successfully performed preclinical laboratory testing of a replacement heart valve intended for toddlers and young children with congenital cardiac defects, a key step toward obtaining approval for human use. The results of their study were published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The management of patients with who require surgical pulmonary valve replacement typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 10. To be eligible for a minimally invasive transcatheter pulmonary valve procedure, patients currently must weigh at least 45 pounds. For children to receive minimally , they must be large enough so that their veins can accommodate the size of a crimped replacement valve.

The Iris Valve, designed and developed by the UC Irvine team, can be implanted in children weighing as little as 17 to 22 pounds and gradually expanded to an adult diameter as they grow.

China’s new 2.47kW portable laser works in Arctic cold, Saharan desert

Chinese scientists have developed a portable 2-kilowatt (kW) fiber laser weapon that can operate in extreme temperatures. Reportedly capable of functioning in conditions between −58°F (−50°C) and 122°F (50°C), the new laser does not require cooling or heating systems. This breakthrough means the laser can be used anywhere on Earth, from the Arctic to the Sahara, without the need for bulky infrastructure.

If true, the innovation is an impressive feat as most lasers of this power class require massive cooling units (like air conditioners in a shipping container) to avoid overheating or freezing. The device has been developed to cater to defense and industrial sectors.

“We have achieved a technological breakthrough in the performance of wide-temperature operating fibre lasers,” Chen Jinbao, vice-president of the National University of Defence Technology which led the development of the laser, explained in the paper published in the Chinese-language journal Higher Power Laser and Particle Beams in July.

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-2-47…ert-arctic Particle Beams in July.

The laser beams enough power to disable drones and cut through several kinds of materials from over 0.62 miles (1 km) away.

Continue reading “China’s new 2.47kW portable laser works in Arctic cold, Saharan desert” | >

First Ever Tesla Robotaxi Ride!

Questions to inspire discussion.

Affordability and Accessibility.

💰 Q: How affordable is Tesla’s robotaxi service? A: The robotaxi service is highly affordable, with a $4.20 fare for a ride from Terablax to St. Edwards University, making it a game-changer for downtrodden areas where car ownership is unaffordable.

🌐 Q: How scalable is the robotaxi service? A: The service is highly scalable, with potential to rapidly expand the network by deploying cars in new regions, enabling access to transportation for more people in the next couple of years.

User Experience and Integration.

🎵 Q: How is the user experience integrated across Tesla services? A: Tesla offers a unified single sign-on for all services, allowing users to log in and carry over their song from their Cyber Truck to the robotaxi, enhancing user experience.

Continue reading “First Ever Tesla Robotaxi Ride!” | >

PET imaging links brain inflammation to speech disorder and Parkinson-like syndrome

A novel PET imaging approach has revealed distinct patterns of brain inflammation in patients with progressive apraxia of speech (PAOS), a rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects speech planning. These findings provide new insight into how neuroinflammation and tau pathology may drive disease progression in PAOS, opening potential avenues for earlier diagnosis and targeted treatments.

This research was presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025 Annual Meeting and published as a supplement in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

PAOS is a neurodegenerative disorder that impairs the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate speech. It is marked by a slow speaking rate, distorted sounds, and effortful facial movements during speech. Patients with PAOS are likely to have Parkinson-plus syndrome in the later stages, meeting criteria for or corticobasal syndrome, and typically have a 4-repeat tauopathy at autopsy.

Researchers Unravel Long-Standing Mystery of Collagen’s Instability

Using atomic force microscopy, scientists found that cysteines in collagen IV form bonds that help it resist heat and refold, highlighting a key feature of connective tissue. Researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU) are gaining new insights into one of collagen’s most puzzling characteristics