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4th March 2024

New carbon capture plant will boost capacity by an order of magnitude

A direct air capture facility known as "Mammoth" will remove up to 36,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year – nearly 10 times the capacity of its predecessor. The company involved is aiming for gigatons per year by 2050.

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9th February 2024

New record for nuclear fusion power: 69 MJ

Researchers have successfully generated 69 megajoules (MJ) of energy using the Joint European Torus (JET) – the largest amount ever in a fusion experiment and a new world record.

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9th January 2024

First functional semiconductor made from graphene

The first functional semiconductor made from graphene has been created. This could enable smaller and faster electronic devices and may have applications for quantum computing.

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3rd January 2024

Neutron star cores revealed by supercomputer

One of the world's most powerful supercomputers has simulated the largest and densest neutron stars. This new model shows there is a 90% chance that they contain quark-matter cores.

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7th December 2023

IBM launches Quantum System Two and first 1,000+ qubit chip

Computing giant IBM has launched the first utility-scale quantum computer, the first 1,000+ qubit chip, and the most efficient quantum processor in terms of error correction.

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1st December 2023

Transatlantic jet uses 100% sustainable fuel

Virgin Atlantic has conducted the first ever transatlantic flight by a large plane using 100% sustainable aviation fuel.

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24th November 2023

America's first commercial Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility is unveiled

A new direct air capture (DAC) facility developed by California-based startup Heirloom uses limestone rocks to pull already-emitted CO2 from Earth's atmosphere.

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18th November 2023

New record solar cell efficiency

A new record high efficiency of 33.9% is reported for a silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell.

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30th October 2023

1,000+ qubit quantum computer announced

California-based startup Atom Computing has announced a quantum computer featuring 1,225 qubits, the first to break the 1,000+ barrier, which it plans to release in 2024.

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29th September 2023

Supercontinent predicted to make Earth uninhabitable in 250m years

A study on Pangaea Ultima finds that the hypothetical supercontinent will make Earth uninhabitable for most forms of life in 250 million years, due to extreme temperatures.

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28th September 2023

UK to deploy its first military laser

A high-energy laser weapon developed by Raytheon is now operationally ready and will be integrated onto the UK's Wolfhound military vehicle.

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21st September 2023

X-ray laser could transform atomic-scale research

A major upgrade of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) has been completed. This latest version is 8,000 times faster and 10,000 times brighter, enabling scientists to observe molecular events in unprecedented detail.

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18th September 2023

New record length for quantum coherence

A new record time for quantum coherence is reported, with a single-photon qubit encoded for 34 milliseconds. This is 55% longer than the previous record set in 2020.

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26th August 2023

Particles hint at fifth fundamental force

Scientists at Fermilab report the most precise measurement yet of the magnetic moment of the muon. These particles are shown to wobble faster than predicted by the Standard Model, hinting at a possible fifth fundamental force.

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29th July 2023

Nuclear thermal rocket engine to be tested in orbit

A collaboration involving NASA, DARPA, Lockheed Martin, and BWX Technologies will attempt the first in-orbit demonstration of a nuclear thermal rocket engine in 2027.

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19th June 2023

Intel announces new quantum chip for research

The new 12-qubit "Tunnel Falls" chip announced by Intel packs important features into its tiny form factor that could help accelerate research in quantum computing.

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13th June 2023

First ever beaming of orbital solar power

The California Institute of Technology reports the first successful beaming of solar energy from space down to a receiver on the ground.

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7th June 2023

New record solar cell efficiency

A new record high efficiency of 19.3% for organic solar cells is reported by Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

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29th May 2023

IBM planning 100,000-qubit quantum computer for 2033

IBM has announced a 10-year, $100 million initiative with two universities to develop a quantum-centric supercomputer powered by 100,000 qubits.

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11th May 2023

Helion aims for commercial fusion by 2028

Helion Energy has announced that Microsoft will become its first customer, in a deal that aims to supply 50 MW of fusion power by 2028.

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6th April 2023

Micro-robot can target, capture, and move individual cells

A new robot just 10 microns across is able to navigate in a physiological environment and perform a variety of tasks both autonomously or through external control by a human operator.

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2nd April 2023

"Ultramassive" black hole found via gravitational lensing

Astronomers in the UK have identified an "ultramassive" black hole – one of the largest ever discovered – and the first to be confirmed through gravitational lensing, at the centre of the galaxy Abell 1201 BCG.

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6th March 2023

Channelling of ions can boost solar cell efficiency

The channelling of ions into defined pathways in perovskite materials is shown to improve the stability and operational performance of perovskite solar cells. A research team claims this could boost their efficiency from 25% to 40%.

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16th February 2023

Direct transfer of quantum bits between chips

The first direct transfer of quantum bits between quantum computer microchips has been demonstrated, with a near-perfect accuracy rate and record high connection speed. A research team from the UK says their work has "the potential to scale-up by connecting hundreds or even thousands of quantum computing microchips."

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10th February 2023

Breakthrough in recycling of wind turbine blades

A new chemical process developed by Danish company Vestas can ensure that wind turbine blades are recycled at the end of their life, instead of being abandoned or going to landfill sites.

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9th February 2023

CO2 from direct air capture stored in concrete

For the first time, direct air capture (DAC) has been combined with permanent storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in concrete. This technology could be vital to reducing the climate impacts of the world's building stock, which may double by 2060.

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29th January 2023

Shape-shifting robot developed in China

Engineers in China have designed tiny robots able to rapidly shift between liquid and solid states. The devices could be used to fix electronics or remove objects from the human body.

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21st December 2022

New record solar cell efficiency

A new world record solar cell efficiency for a silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell has been achieved, with scientists in Germany converting 32.5% of sunlight into electrical energy.

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17th December 2022

Scientists find material with highest toughness ever recorded

Scientists in the U.S. have measured the highest toughness ever recorded, of any material, while investigating a metallic alloy made of chromium, cobalt, and nickel (CrCoNi).

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13th December 2022

Net gain in fusion energy reported

In a major milestone for the field, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy report a net energy gain in the development of fusion power.

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