Mar 14th, 2026 - Diamond is famously known as the hardest mineral on Earth. But researchers have been pursuing an unusual variant of it — known as hexagonal diamond — that might be even harder. After decades of claims and counterclaims about whether this mysterious material can be synthesized in a laboratory, researchers in China report that they have done it. Scientists covet the material because it "has potential applications in many fields, for example in cutting tools, in thermal management materials and in quantum sensing ," says Chongxin Shan, a physicist at Zhengzhou University, who co-led ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - A small Roman glass bottle discovered in western Turkey has provided the first direct chemical proof that ancient physicians used human feces as a medicinal ingredient. The vial, dating back about 1,900 years, contained dark brown residue that scientists later identified as human excrement mixed with thyme oil. Researchers say the mixture closely matches treatments described in ancient medical texts but had never before been confirmed through physical evidence. The surprising discovery connects archaeology, chemistry and ancient medicine and offers a rare glimpse into how Roman doctors ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - With no trace for 6,000 years, scientists presumed two  marsupial species extinct. But, surprise! All this time, the creatures have been living in the remote rainforests of Western New Guinea, away from the hustle and bustle. The details of the discovery, published in Records of the Australian Museum , revealed that the identified marsupials were pygmy long-fingered possums (Dactylonax kambuayai) and the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis). Both marsupials, now categorized under the Lazarus species, were found living in the remote rainforests on the Vogelkop Peninsula of New Guinea. ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - A new comet has been discovered by astronomers that could put on a pretty impressive sky show in the next few weeks. Officially called C/2026 A1 (MAPS), the object might even turn into an "Easter comet" if it survives the flyby past the scorching Sun. It was first photographed on January 13 at the AMACS1 Observatory in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Four French astronomers, Alain Maury, Georges Attard, Daniel Parrott, and Florian Signoret, discovered the space rock . Together, they run a program dedicated to hunting near-Earth asteroids. The program is called MAPS, named using the initials of ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - Archaeologists will soon begin work to confirm whether 10 potential graves found in a November 2024 survey remain under a Tropicana Field parking lot. The St. Petersburg City Council approved $378,896 March 5 to begin the third phase of determining whether graves remain after cemeteries there were moved out. The city began looking into that land in the Historic Gas Plant District six years ago for the redevelopment of the Trop. While preparation will begin before opening day on April 6, digging will start after baseball season ends for the Tampa Bay Rays to avoid interference with home ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - A snowy valley in Yellowstone National Park appears to be dotted with a party of black silhouettes, a rampage of ravens crowding over what seems like a reddish, meaty carcass. With pointy beaks, the birds nibble and peck at the carcass, shredding it into tiny bits. A stone's throw away, a pack of wolves can be seen voraciously feeding on hunks of the dead animal. A raven swoops down near a wolf to have a quick bite. Disturbed, the wolf stands up, its tongue lolling, teeth exposed in a growl, and mouth opening and closing in masticating motions to scare away the pestering bird.  This is ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - PsiQuantum will work with the National Cancer Center Japan to develop fault-tolerant algorithms and quantum applications. PsiQuantum and the National Cancer Center Japan have entered a collaborative research agreement to drive advancements in utility-scale quantum computing within drug discovery and oncology. The partnership aims to investigate ways to implement quantum computing solutions throughout the healthcare value chain, with a focus on resource allocation, research and development, and patient outcomes in cancer care. Within this collaboration, PsiQuantum will work with the National ... [Read More]

Mar 13th, 2026 - The errors that quantum computers make are holding the technology back. But recent progress in quantum error correction has excited many researchers Quantum computers are already here , but they make far too many errors. This is arguably the biggest obstacle to the technology really becoming useful, but recent breakthroughs suggest a solution may be on the horizon. Errors creep into traditional computers too, but there are well-established techniques for correcting them. They rely on redundancy, where extra bits are used to detect when 0s incorrectly swap to 1s or vice versa. In the quantum ... [Read More]