Jan 26th, 2026 - . Likewise, thermal batteries offer a lot of potential for various applications. However, they also suffer from a pretty debilitating issue called the shuttle effect — which is one of the most common issues that these batteries haven't taken off in recent years. That's because, due to the shuttle effect, these batteries tend to lose their capacity over time, leading to a lower charge efficiency. But new research from scientists in China may have found a way to overcome this issue. ) means for thermal batteries, we first have to look at the shuttle effect more closely. This effect ... [Read More]

Jan 26th, 2026 - Quantum technologies are supposed to revolutionize the way we calculate, communicate, and measure. But where do we really stand? Will quantum computing achieve a breakthrough as early as 2026 or 2027, or do we need to be patient? This was the topic of discussion at the  World Economic Forum  in Davos between Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM; John Martinis, the 2025 Nobel laureate in Physics; Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the  ITU ; and Lene Oddershede of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The panelists agreed on one point: Quantum computing is currently in a critical ... [Read More]

Jan 25th, 2026 - Swingers and long-game players: The wild sex lives of beluga whales For the first time, we know more than we ever expected to know about the sex lives of the majestic beluga whale. It's complicated, to say the least, but it also shows just how strategic nature is at keeping an isolated group of animals alive. Research led by the Florida Atlantic University's (FAU) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute have, for the first time, discovered how wild beluga whales mate – and it's a picture of evolutionary survival. The beluga whale ( Delphinapterus leucas ) has been an infamously ... [Read More]

Jan 25th, 2026 - Inside the Largest Effort Ever to Save the Great Barrier Reef Australia is doing absolutely everything to protect its most iconic ecosystem—perhaps except the thing that matters most. Get your news from a source that's not owned and controlled by oligarchs. This story was originally published by   Vox and is reproduced here as part of the  Climate Desk   collaboration. "I just got a whiff," said Peter Harrison, a marine scientist, as he leaned over the edge of the boat and pointed his flashlight into the dark water. "It's really coming through now." It was shortly ... [Read More]

Jan 25th, 2026 - A thin, watery layer coating the surface of ice is what makes it slick. Despite a great deal of theorizing over the centuries, though, it isn't entirely clear why that layer forms. The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine . The reason we can gracefully glide on an ice-skating rink or clumsily slip on an icy sidewalk is that the surface of ice is coated by a thin watery layer. Scientists generally agree that this lubricating, liquidlike layer is what makes ice slippery. They disagree, though, about why the layer forms. Three main theories about the phenomenon have been ... [Read More]

Jan 25th, 2026 - It's quick and easy to access Live Science Plus, simply enter your email below. We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up for our daily newsletter, keeping you up to date with the latest science news. Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Quick facts What it is: The Helix Nebula (also called NGC 7293 and Caldwell 63), a planetary nebula Where it is: 655 light-years away, in the constellation Aquarius When it was shared: Jan. 20, 2026 A spectacular new image of the Helix Nebula ... [Read More]

Jan 24th, 2026 - No Result View All Result No Result View All Result Motivation acts as a camera lens that shapes how memories form New research suggests that motivation acts less like a volume knob for effort and more like a camera lens that changes how the brain records events. A theoretical framework published in the Annual Review of Psychology proposes that distinct chemical signals in the brain create specific motivational "moods" that determine whether we remember the big picture or focused details. We often assume that being motivated simply means having the energy to pursue a goal. Psychologists have ... [Read More]

Jan 24th, 2026 - Rice University chemists replicated Thomas Edison's seminal experiment and found a surprising byproduct. Graphene is the thinnest material yet known, composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. That structure gives it many unusual properties that hold great promise for real-world applications: batteries, super capacitors, antennas, water filters, transistors, solar cells, and touchscreens, just to name a few. The physicists who first synthesized graphene in the lab won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics . But 19th century inventor Thomas Edison may have ... [Read More]