Sunday Special: Black holes on Earth

Scientists have flipped the script this week. Some are pulling water straight out of thin air, while others think you may be carrying black holes in your pocket. Also: someone beat an AI agent at its own game and went home with $50,000.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

Forever Charged: Researchers at the University of Bristol just unveiled the world’s first nuclear-powered battery. By trapping radioactive carbon inside a diamond, the battery converts radiation into large bursts of electricity — enough to power it for 5,700 years.

Cosmic Receipts: For years, scientists have searched the cosmos for primordial black holes (PBHs) - mysterious relics from the Big Bang that could explain dark matter. Now, a new study suggests PBHs can also be found on Earth, with their tiny signatures hidden in everyday materials like rocks, metals, and glass.

Power Play: Scientists just made next-gen data storage a billion times more energy-efficient. They’ve discovered a material called indium selenide, which can lower the energy needed for phase-change memory (PCM), making low-power memory devices possible.

Comet Cargo: Water may have an alien passport. NASA just found that water from Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a Jupiter-family comet, is a close match for the water found on Earth. This means that Jupiter comets may have played a key role in delivering the ingredient that makes life on Earth possible.

Robo-cat: Chinese researchers have built a cat-inspired robot that is a potential game-changer for asteroid mining. Like a cat, the robot can move its four legs, adjust its posture mid-air, and stick its landing perfectly, even in zero-gravity environments.

NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Livall’s PikaBoost 2: This small gadget can convert any bike into an e-bike in seconds. It’s packed with a 500W motor, making it ideal for city commutes and long travels.

2. ShapeScale: This fitness device combines a 3D body scanner with a weighing scale, allowing you to monitor fat loss and muscle gain more effectively. 

3. Enabot ROLA PetPal: This smart robot uses an AI-powered snack dispenser and interactive toys to keep your pet busy and happy while you’re away.

4. Navimow I-Series Robot Mower: This robot mows your lawn, using AI vision mapping to detect and avoid any obstacles.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in Tech on socials this week

Bot Bounty: Freysa, an AI agent trained not to transfer money under any circumstances, dared people to convince it otherwise for a shot at $50,000. Each failed attempt only bumped up the prize pool until one clever user cracked the code and claimed it all.

DIY Lawsuit: No lawyer, no problem. A Reddit user used ChatGPT to sue his landlord and win - all without proper legal representation.

Skull Science: A stunning photo of one of the world’s earliest cranioplasties - possibly conducted 1600 years ago in Peru - has blown up on Reddit.

Slick Glide: A video of a woman whizzing across the water on a human-powered hydrofoil has got Redditors smashing the like button.

Grade Escape: A new study reveals that 94% of AI-generated college writing slips past teachers unnoticed, causing students on Reddit to rethink their holiday priorities.

ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Cloud Catchers: Scientists are putting droughts on notice. They’ve discovered a simple way to capture water molecules from the air using polymers and an absorbing material, ensuring a clean, drinkable supply for arid or disaster-struck areas.

Quick Fix: Deadpool isn’t the only one with hyper-healing skills anymore. Scientists just unveiled a new 3D bio-printing technique that uses small cell clusters to recreate complex tissue incredibly fast. This may lead to a future where damaged organs are replaced with lab-grown tissue.

B+ Assist: A breakthrough in Parkinson’s research may be brewing. Scientists have confirmed a long-standing theory that gut microbes play a crucial role in the development of Parkinson’s. If true, treatment for the disease may be as simple as giving patients B vitamins.

Nebula Alert: A stargazing party may be on the books for December 13. The Orion Nebula will make a rare appearance in the night sky, bright enough to see with the naked eye. At 1,344 light years away, it’s the only nebula you can catch without a telescope.

Cosmic Origins: The James Webb Telescope just smashed its own record, taking photos of what could easily be the oldest galaxies to exist. Located 13.6 billion light-years away, these galaxies may have formed just 200 million years after the Big Bang.

MEME OF THE WEEK

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