Billionaire Elon Musk has emerged as a major political figure in the United States, pouring millions into Republican Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and using his social-media platform to question vaccine safety and climate science. As a result, Musk is joining forces with Trump to downsize the US government, potentially slashing the budgets and workforces of…
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2024 was a remarkable year for science, with numerous record-breaking discoveries that captivated the world. From the oldest known mid-air explosion to the development of the world’s fastest microscope, scientists made groundbreaking findings that shed new light on the natural world. This article highlights some of the most significant discoveries of the year and provides…
A new study has revealed the crucial role of friction in knit fabrics, allowing them to take on various shapes and conform to different contours. Researchers have discovered that the friction between adjacent loops of fiber creates metastable states, enabling fabrics to spring back into multiple possible shapes. This phenomenon helps explain the process of…
Physicists have embarked on a groundbreaking project to deploy two underwater neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean Sea. The Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT) aims to detect high-energy neutrinos from space, providing insights into the universe’s mysteries. The project involves deploying massive detectors, each consisting of glass baubles arranged on vertical cables, to capture the elusive…
Researchers at Wuhan University in China have developed a reusable and biodegradable fibrous foam that can remove up to 99.8% of microplastics from polluted water. The foam, made from biomass wastes, has been successfully field-tested in four natural aquatic environments. This breakthrough could potentially help mitigate the devastating effects of microplastics on ecosystems worldwide. Forecast…
Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, has been charged with murder and stalking in a New York court, raising the possibility of the death penalty. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, and a notebook found in his possession contained handwritten pages expressing hostility towards the health insurance industry. The case has…
A team of researchers has developed a new degradable microbead made from a type of polymer that can effectively remove permanent marker and eyeliner from animal skin samples. This innovative material has the potential to replace plastic microbeads in skin cleansers, providing a more environmentally friendly alternative. The new microbead breaks down into molecules similar…
Taiwan’s chip industry is bracing for upheaval as President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office casts doubt on the CHIPS and Science Act, a signature initiative of outgoing President Joe Biden. The law aimed to boost domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing in the US, but Trump has blasted the legislation as “so bad” and accused Taiwan…
Astronomers have made significant breakthroughs in understanding the surface features of distant stars, including the red giant Betelgeuse. Using high-speed photography and modern data processing, scientists have been able to suppress the effects of star twinkling, revealing large-scale hot and cold regions that may be convection currents in the star’s atmosphere. Recent observations have confirmed…
Researchers at Zeta Surgical have developed an algorithm that optimizes the placement of single-element focused transducers in transcranial focused ultrasound treatments, minimizing defocusing and focus shift. This breakthrough has the potential to make brain treatments safer and more successful, particularly for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The algorithm uses patient CT scans and simulations to…