The Trump administration’s push to reduce the federal workforce has led to the termination of thousands of employees, including scientists, in government agencies. This move has sparked concerns about public health and safety, as well as the environment. Employees at health agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of…
Science on The Soothsayer / page 32
Researchers in Ireland and Norway have discovered the secret behind polar bear fur’s ability to remain ice-free, even in the harsh Arctic winter. The team found that the fur’s ice-shedding properties are due to a substance called sebum, which contains chemicals that could be used to develop environmentally-friendly anti-icing surfaces and lubricants. This breakthrough could…
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery of a new type of ice, called plastic ice, which exists on alien planets. This hybrid phase of water has been found to exhibit traits of both solid ice and liquid water, and its existence was confirmed through experiments at high temperatures and pressures. The discovery may help researchers…
Researchers at the University of Vienna have successfully used inverse design to engineer a universal spin-wave-based device that can process data with high energy efficiency. The device, which uses magnons to transfer and process information, has the potential to revolutionize data processing techniques and could be used in applications such as cellular communications, WiFi, and…
A team of researchers has detected a neutrino from space with an unprecedented energy of 220 million billion electron volts, shattering the previous record by a factor of 20. The discovery was made using the partially built Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT) in the Mediterranean Sea. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize our understanding…
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have made a significant discovery in the field of cancer treatment. They found that low-temperature plasma, specifically streamer discharge, can inhibit tumour recurrence after surgery by reducing the recurrence rate by roughly 50%. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. Forecast for 6…
A German graduate student, Britta Späth, encountered the McKay conjecture, a significant open problem in group theory, in 2003. She dedicated her time to solving it, eventually teaming up with mathematician Marc Cabanes, whom she fell in love with. After 20 years of work, the couple has successfully solved the problem, providing a concrete tool…
A recent solar storm has triggered the formation of two new, persistent bands of radiation around Earth, encircling the planet in a zone previously thought to be empty. These temporary radiation belts, which could last for months or even years, pose a threat to satellites and astronauts, and may require engineers to rethink their designs…
Scientists at the KM3NeT neutrino observatory have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting an ultra-high-energy cosmic neutrino with an energy greater than 100 PeV. This finding has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of cosmic neutrino sources and may even reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model. The detection of such a high-energy neutrino opens…
Scientists have discovered the secret to the mantis shrimp’s powerful punches, which can exceed 1,000 times the animal’s body weight without causing injury. The exoskeleton of the mantis shrimp’s club-like forelimbs is built to filter out damaging pressure waves, and its unique architecture could inspire new materials such as impact-resistant armor and aerospace structures. Forecast…