Sunday Special: Pulsar's nuclear fusion rocket

As another SpaceX rocket blew up and turned into a fireworks display, a dark horse startup from the UK may be harboring hopes of beating Elon Musk to Mars with a nuclear fusion rocket. Meanwhile, China takes a big lead in the global race to quantum supremacy with its new quantum processor.

P.S. The Sunday Special is designed to help you discover the most important scientific and technological breakthroughs outside of AI. Our regular AI and Tech updates will resume as usual on Monday.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

Mars Express: UK startup Pulsar Fusion has unveiled plans for Sunbird, a nuclear fusion-powered rocket that can potentially slash travel time to Mars in half. With its Duel Direct Fusion Drive, the spacecraft can produce exhaust speeds of 500,000 mph — one of the fastest propulsion systems ever conceived. Static tests are set for later this year. You can watch a concept video here.

Frozen Light: Scientists have turned light into a "photonic supersolid" for the first time, making it behave simultaneously as both a solid and a flowing superliquid. They achieved the breakthrough by firing lasers at a special semiconductor, coaxing photons into an exotic quantum state. Supersolids were once just a theory, but now scientists believe they can potentially unlock new frontiers in next-gen quantum computing and optical systems.

Quantum Leap: Chinese researchers unveiled Zuchongzhi 3.0, a quantum processor that clocks in at one quadrillion times the speed of today's best supercomputers. It can complete calculations that would take traditional machines billions of years in just seconds. With 105 superconducting qubits, the chip rivals Alphabet’s latest Willow QPU — allowing China to stake a claim for quantum supremacy.

Space Scanner: NASA launched its new SphereX telescope into orbit this week on a mission to create the most comprehensive map of the cosmos ever made. The $488M mission will survey the sky 4 times over 2 years, using infrared spectroscopy to get unprecedented insights into galaxy formation, the origins of water, and cosmic inflation. In case you missed it, you can catch the launch here.

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NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Open Vision Pocket: An AI-powered voice recorder that fits comfortably in your pocket. It helps you keep track of your conversations, recording and transcribing them with accuracy.

2. AEKE K1: An AI-powered home gym, packed with 140+ classes, 280+ movements, and real-time form correction to help you work out in the comfort of your home.

3. Ninja CREAMi: A 7-in-1 ice cream maker that can turn almost any frozen solid base into ice cream, sorbets, milkshakes, and more — all at the push of a button.

4. Elemind: A headband designed to optimize your sleep. The company claims that the device helped 76% of participants in a study fall asleep significantly faster.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in Tech on socials this week

Chip Chess: A Reddit user highlights an interesting dynamic in the global race to semiconductor supremacy. He notes that China is on track to build its own fully domestic supply chain and challenge the US-EU-Japan-Taiwan bloc.

Close Call: An X user recorded SpaceX’s Starship 8 exploding from his plane seat and tagged Elon Musk in the video. Some commenters were worried at how close the debris was to the flying plane.

Irony Inception: A Redditor shared tips on spotting AI-generated text. Some users pointed out that the original post seemed to have been generated by AI as well.

Limb Leap: A teenager built a low-cost, AI-powered prosthetic that could be a cheaper alternative to expensive brain implant-based models. His design uses forehead electrodes to detect brain activity, translating thoughts into movement. Watch it here.

Crash Course: A crash test pitting a 1950s classic against a modern car just blew up on Reddit. Watch it here to see the shocking difference in safety standards and engineering over the decades.

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Weight Wonder: Stanford scientists have discovered BRP, a tiny 12-amino-acid protein molecule that slashes appetite and helps with fat loss — without the nausea and muscle loss linked to Ozempic. Early tests in mice and pigs show promising results, with no major red flags so far. Human trials are up next, and if BRP delivers, it could reshape the billion-dollar weight-loss drug industry.

Pollution Purge: Scientists have developed a breakthrough method that recycles 94% of PET plastics in just 4 hours using air moisture. The system relies on a low-cost catalyst and humidity to break down plastic into reusable monomers without the need for harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures. If scaled up, this could be a game-changer in the fight against plastic pollution, making recycling cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable.

Blood Bonus: Donating blood may yield some unexpected health dividends. Scientists have discovered that regular blood donors develop unique genetic changes that help replenish healthy blood cells. These mutations boost red blood cell production, unlike the preleukemic mutations generally linked to blood cancer. While more studies are needed, this could potentially reshape our understanding of disease prevention.

Heart of Steel: In a world-first, an Australian man has left the hospital after surviving 100+ days with a BiVACOR titanium artificial heart. Using magnetic levitation, the device pumps blood smoothly without mechanical wear, reducing the risk of failure. With trials expanding in the US, titanium hearts may soon become a lifesaving option for millions.

Shot Shift: No pills, no problem. Scientists have confirmed that monthly injectable HIV treatments can suppress 98% of the virus. It’s a gamechanger for patients who have trouble taking daily pills. This groundbreaking approach — previously limited to those already controlling HIV orally — offers a lifeline to those facing adherence issues. With potential to significantly curb HIV transmission, injectable therapies could soon redefine HIV care.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Watch: Physicist Brian Cox explains why we haven’t met any aliens yet

For centuries, humans have looked up at the sky and asked one big question: Why haven’t we seen evidence of intelligent alien civilization when our galaxy contains billions of planets that could potentially support life?

In this video, physicist Dr. Brian Cox explains the Great Filter, a theoretical barrier that limits the number of civilizations capable of expanding beyond their home planets.

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