Scientific Method

15 reports

Tiny Drones Navigate Dark Spaces With Artificial Whiskers

Researchers at Delft University of Technology demonstrated a tiny drone that uses pressure-sensitive artificial whiskers to navigate clear-wall test environments without relying on visual information.

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Qubic awarded Canadian contract for cryogenic quantum amplifiers

Qubic will deliver nine kinetic inductance traveling wave parametric amplifiers and control software under a CA$1.5 million federal contract, aiming to cut cryogenic power use in quantum measurement setups.

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Mechanical Oscillator Defies Instability Using Only Precise Timing

Researchers have demonstrated a mechanical oscillator that remains upright by switching between two unstable states without using sensors or feedback, challenging assumptions about how machines maintain balance

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Soft Robots Demonstrate Continuous Jumping Using Infrared Light

Engineers at North Carolina State University have built soft robots that can repeatedly jump when illuminated by infrared light, using a self-resetting mechanical design that eliminates the need for motors or external resetting devices

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NASA Backs 18 Advanced Concepts for Future Space Missions

NASA has awarded funding to 18 early-stage technology proposals, supporting research into new mission concepts including lunar cave exploration, exoplanet imaging, and distributed probes for Saturn's rings

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UFO Claims Face Scrutiny as New Book Examines Evidence and Uncertainty

A new book by Adam Kirsch investigates the enduring fascination with UFOs, comparing eyewitness accounts to scientific standards and exploring why concrete evidence remains elusive despite decades of reports

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Plasma Laundry Gun Tested for Astronaut Clothing on Long-Duration Missions

Researchers have developed a pen-sized plasma device to sterilize fabrics in space, offering a potential solution for cleaning astronaut clothing without water during extended missions beyond Earth orbit

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AI Systems Tested for Real-Time Neutrino Detection at DUNE

Researchers at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment are developing machine learning tools to process vast detector data, identify rare neutrino events, and monitor system health, aiming to improve the speed and reliability of particle physics research

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Automated Mini-Labs Expand Space Station Research With Less Crew Time

Redwire's ADvanced Space Experiment Processors (ADSEPs) are enabling the International Space Station to run complex biological and materials science experiments with minimal astronaut involvement, advancing pharmaceutical and fundamental research in microgravity

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QuiX Quantum Releases Alquor 2.0 Photonic Processor Platform

QuiX Quantum has launched Alquor 2.0, a rack-mountable photonic processor platform based on silicon nitride integrated circuits, aiming to support quantum optics and information processing research with improved stability and automation

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NASA's SARP Students Launch Ozone Sensors in Gulf Coast Field Campaign

Undergraduates in NASA's Student Airborne Research Program deployed ozonesonde balloons and flew on science aircraft to collect atmospheric data over the Texas Gulf Coast, gaining hands-on experience with field instruments and satellite validation

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Viking 1's Mars Life Experiments: What the Evidence Still Can't Prove

Fifty years after NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars, scientists remain divided over whether its life-detection experiments found evidence of Martian biology or were confounded by non-biological chemistry and instrument limitations

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Balcony Solar Panels Spread Faster Than US Safety Standards

Plug-in solar panels for homes and apartments are now legal in many US states, but no panels meet new certification standards and key safety risks remain unresolved as regulators and utilities struggle to keep pace

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UCLA Team Integrates Terahertz Generation and Detection on One Chip

A UCLA research group has demonstrated a semiconductor chip that combines terahertz signal generation and detection, using quantum-well photodiodes and standard fabrication methods, potentially enabling scalable terahertz systems for communications and sensing

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AI in Particle Physics: Discovery Without Full Understanding

Artificial intelligence is now central to particle physics, accelerating data analysis and experiment design. But as AI systems identify patterns beyond human intuition, researchers face new challenges in transparency, reproducibility, and scientific interpretation

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