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A breakthrough membrane-based technology could help astronauts recycle water, produce methane rocket fuel, and reduce the enormous cost of future Mars missions. Reaching Mars is only the beginning of humanity’s journey toward becoming a multiplanetary species. The real challenge is learning how to survive on the Red Planet and return safely to Earth without transporting every essential supply across millions of kilometres of space. Now, scientists have developed an innovative system that could help solve one of the biggest problems facing long-duration space missions: the need for water and rocket fuel. Led by researcher Inam Ullah and his team, the technology combines a chemical reaction with a special membrane to recycle water and produce methane, a fuel that could power spacecraft returning from Mars. The system also offers a way to make the process more efficient, reduce equipment complexity, and protect the catalyst responsible for producing the fuel. If successfully adapted for s...

Imagine a flying robot so small and lightweight that it can explore narrow spaces where conventional drones struggle to enter. Now imagine that it can fly without propellers, rotating motors, or flapping wings. Scientists are bringing this possibility closer to reality with a new ion-powered microrobot that combines an extremely lightweight structure with advanced electronic flight control. Developed by Qiannan Tao and colleagues, the experimental flying robot weighs just 36.7 milligrams and uses electrically generated airflow to produce thrust. Despite its tiny size, it achieves a thrust-to-weight ratio of 5:1, allowing it to lift payloads several times heavier than itself. The researchers also demonstrated stable, controlled flight using an onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU). The technology could eventually help develop tiny robotic systems for inspecting dangerous environments, exploring confined spaces, and assisting in disaster rescue operations. How Does a Flying Robot Work...

Artificial intelligence is helping astronomers uncover hidden cosmic phenomena across billions of celestial objects. In a major discovery, an international team of scientists has confirmed 70 new gravitational lenses, offering fresh opportunities to investigate dark matter, distant galaxies, and the evolution of the universe. The universe contains many mysteries that scientists are still trying to understand. Among them are dark matter, the nature of distant galaxies, and the forces shaping the cosmos over billions of years. Now, researchers have discovered 70 new gravitational lenses using artificial intelligence (AI), powerful telescopes, and one of the largest astronomical imaging datasets ever assembled. These rare cosmic structures act like natural magnifying glasses, bending and magnifying light from distant objects. By studying them, astronomers can observe galaxies that might otherwise be too faint or distant to detect. The discovery expands one of the largest collections of co...

Astronomers have detected an extraordinary signal from the distant universe: a powerful flash of radio waves that traveled for more than 10 billion years before reaching Earth. The discovery marks a major milestone in astronomy and could help scientists understand how galaxies evolved and reveal the vast amounts of invisible matter spread throughout the cosmos. The signal, known as FRB 20240304B , is the most distant fast radio burst (FRB) ever detected and traced to its host galaxy. The discovery more than doubles the previous distance record, opening a new window into a much younger universe. The research, led by Dr. Manisha Caleb and Dr. Themiya Nanayakkara of the University of Sydney, was published in the scientific journal Science . The team used South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope to detect the burst and NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to identify the distant galaxy from which it originated. Beyond setting a new record, the discovery demonstrates how brief fla...

Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of an extraordinary radio galaxy that existed when the universe was less than 1.2 billion years old. Named TXS 2354+015 , this distant cosmic object may be the most powerful radio galaxy ever identified, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study the growth of supermassive black holes and massive galaxies in the early universe. The discovery places TXS 2354+015 at a redshift of 4.946, meaning its light has traveled through space for approximately 12.5 billion years before reaching Earth. The research team, led by Barbara Balmaverde of the INAF Astrophysical Observatory of Turin, reported its findings in a paper posted on the arXiv preprint server on September 23, 2026. Beyond its remarkable power, the galaxy's discovery also challenges the methods astronomers commonly use to find distant radio galaxies. It suggests that many powerful objects in the early universe may remain undiscovered because their properties do not match the usual se...

Quantum mechanics usually operates in a world far removed from our everyday experience. Electrons, atoms and other tiny particles can behave in ways that seem completely unfamiliar compared with the objects we see around us. Now, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) have taken an important step toward connecting that strange quantum world with the larger objects of everyday physics. For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that a quantum effect can directly move a centimeter-scale mechanical object against gravity . The experiment used the quantum spin of electrons trapped inside a diamond to produce a tiny force that shifted a levitated object weighing about 100 milligrams. The achievement, published in Science Advances , could provide scientists with a new way to investigate the boundary between quantum mechanics and classical physics. It could also eventually contribute to extremely sensitive technologies for detecting phenomena such as dark ...

Imagine an underwater robot that can rise, sink, move forward and backward, rotate in place, and even hover—all without a complicated system of motors and mechanical parts. Researchers have now developed a soft aquatic robot inspired by feather stars , marine animals known for their graceful and highly flexible movements. Remarkably, the robot can achieve complex three-dimensional movement using just two actuators , the components that generate force or motion. The new design could provide a simpler and more efficient way to build underwater robots for tasks such as exploring submerged environments, carrying objects, and collecting visual information. The research, titled “Minimal-Actuation Feather Star–Inspired Soft Swimmers for Multimodal 3D Maneuverability,” was published in Science Advances . A Robot Designed to Think With Its Structure One of the most interesting ideas behind the robot is a concept known as mechanical intelligence . In conventional robots, computers and multiple ...