Science

GENEVA (AP) — Top minds at the world’s largest atom smasher have released a blueprint for a much bigger successor that could vastly improve research into the remaining enigmas of physics.

The plans for the Future Circular Collider — a nearly 91-kilometer (56.5-mile) loop along the French-Swiss border and below Lake Geneva — published late Monday put the finishing details on a project roughly a decade in the making at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

The FCC would carry out high-precision experiments in the mid-2040s to study “known physics” in greater detail, then enter a second phase — planned for 2070 — that would conduct high-energy collisions of protons and heavy ions that would “open the door to the unknown,” said Giorgio Chiarelli, a research director at Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics.

Tipping points or turning point? Science-based priorities for the ocean we need

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ISC President calls for strengthened science diplomacy at UNESCO Global Ministerial Dialogue

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Andi's Writeup

Proton batteries are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage, offering several key advantages. Recent research from UNSW Sydney has demonstrated a breakthrough in proton battery technology using a novel organic material called tetraamino-benzoquinone (TABQ)[^6].

The technology works by storing protons (hydrogen ions) rather than lithium ions, leveraging their unique properties as the smallest and lightest ions of any element[^7]. The UNSW prototype achieved 3,500 charging cycles while performing well even in sub-zero temperatures[^6].

Key benefits of proton batteries include:

• Fast charging capabilities
• Zero carbon emissions
• Lower environmental impact
• Enhanced safety due to water-based electrolytes
• Potential lower costs due to abundant materials
• High energy and power density

The primary challenges currently facing proton battery development include:

• High production costs for electrode materials
• Limited voltage range in existing organic electrode materials
• Technology still in early development stages[^6]

Professor Chuan Zhao from UNSW notes: "The electrolyte in a lithium-ion battery is made of lithium salt, a solvent which is flammable and therefore is a big concern. In our case, we have both electrodes made of organic molecules, and in between we have the water solution, making our prototype battery lightweight, safe and affordable."[^6]

[^6]: UNSW - Proton batteries: an innovative option for the future of energy storage

[^7]: Harvard ADS - Proton batteries shape the next energy storage

Andi's writeup

Researchers at the University of Toronto and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed carbon nanolattices with unprecedented strength-to-weight ratios using machine learning optimization[^1]. The team achieved a specific strength of 2.03 MPa m³ kg⁻¹ at densities below 215 kg m⁻³, creating materials as strong as carbon steel but with the density of Styrofoam[^2].

The breakthrough came through multi-objective Bayesian optimization of lattice designs combined with two-photon polymerization 3D printing. This approach improved strength by 118% and Young's modulus by 68% compared to traditional designs[^3]. By reducing strut diameters to 300 nm, the researchers produced high-purity pyrolytic carbon structures containing 94% sp²-bonded carbon[^3].

The team successfully scaled production using multi-focus two-photon polymerization to create millimeter-scale metamaterials containing 18.75 million nanolattice cells[^3]. "If you were to replace components made of titanium on a plane with this material, you would be looking at fuel savings of 80 litres per year for every kilogram of material you replace," said Peter Serles, the study's first author[^4].

[^1]: 3D Printing Industry - Optimized Carbon Nanolattices Achieve Record Strength

[^2]: Technology Networks - Machine Learning Designs Materials As Strong As Steel and As Light As Foam

[^3]: Nature - Stiff, lightweight, and programmable architectured pyrolytic carbon lattices via modular assembling

[^4]: Science Daily - Strong as steel, light as foam: High-performance, nano-architected materials

Call for Nominations for ISC Standing Committees | Deadline: 24 April

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Andi's Writeup

Physicists at Washington University in St. Louis created the first-ever "time quasicrystal" - a new phase of matter that breaks conventional time symmetry patterns[^1][^2]. The breakthrough, published in Physical Review X in March 2025, demonstrates how a quantum system can spontaneously organize its motion into complex patterns that repeat in time but lack standard periodicity[^2].

The research team, led by Chong Zu, created their time quasicrystal inside a diamond by:

• Using nitrogen beams to create spaces for electrons in the diamond structure
• Applying microwave pulses to initiate rhythmic patterns
• Achieving hundreds of stable oscillation cycles before breakdown[^3]

Unlike regular time crystals which tick with one rhythm, time quasicrystals produce multiple incommensurate frequencies - similar to playing multiple musical notes simultaneously rather than a single note[^2]. The system demonstrated robust "subharmonic" responses at these multiple frequencies, proving it was a true new phase of matter rather than just an engineered pattern[^1].

The discovery has potential applications in:

• Quantum computing memory storage
• High-precision timekeeping
• Advanced quantum sensors
• Signal processing[^3]

[^1]: Physical Review X - Experimental Realization of Discrete Time Quasi-Crystals

[^2]: Physics Magazine - A New Type of Time Crystal

[^3]: Tech Explorist - WashU physicists created a new phase of matter in the center of a diamond

Preparing national sciences systems for AI: Perspectives from Muscat

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Water: The key to unlocking synergies between the Rio Conventions

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Recognizing World Day for Glaciers & the launch of the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences

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Call for case studies of science in action for sustainable development

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https://archive.ph/MoFmJ

https://archive.ph/ueh8z

Funding actionable science: Advancing mission-oriented research for sustainability

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cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/9216258

This article reports new scientific research into a Neanderthal-Human hybrid child.

Key excepts from the short article:

A recent study has used advanced radiocarbon dating to present a more precise age for the Lapedo Child, a significant archaeological find that reshaped our perception of the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

MAIN CONCLUSIONS The remains show both Neanderthal and modern human traits, and they have been dated to about 28,000 years ago, upending the earlier date range.

The dating of the Lapedo Child thus expands the debate on the extent and duration of human-Neanderthal interactions.

Another striking conclusion from the study is the idea that the site was abandoned following the child’s burial. The child’s death might have led to the site being marked as taboo.

GENETIC DETAILS Genetic evidence suggests interbreeding began at least 49,000 years ago and continued for roughly 7,000 years. However, if the Lapedo Child, a hybrid individual, lived around 28,000 years ago, then questions arise as to whether genetic exchanges lasted longer than previously thought or whether hybrid traits appeared in later generations.

NEANDERTHAL BURIAL DETAILS They studied bones from a young rabbit, found atop the child’s remains, red deer bones located near the child’s shoulder, and charcoal beneath the legs, thought to be remnants of a ritual fire.

The results revealed that while the rabbit bones were contemporaneous with the child, the red deer bones and charcoal were significantly older, indicating that they were not placed intentionally as part of a burial offering.

Instead, the rabbit skeleton is believed to have been part of a symbolic offering before the grave was sealed, as it bears a red ocher pigment similar to that of the burial shroud.

Building a database for ISC Member focal points to foster Member-Member engagement

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