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April 3^rd 2025

⚡️ Energy

🇨🇳 Chinese scientists achieve 40× improvement in extracting uranium from seawater for nuclear fuel

Chinese researchers have developed a material that makes extracting uranium from seawater 40 times more efficient, potentially securing a sustainable uranium supply to support the country's growing nuclear energy needs. Led by Lanzhou University and published in Nature Communications, the innovation uses light-responsive metal-organic frameworks modified with diphenylethylene to selectively capture uranium over vanadium, overcoming a major obstacle in ocean-based extraction. With 4.5 billion tonnes of uranium in global oceans, this breakthrough could reshape long-term nuclear fuel sourcing.

🚀 Space

🇮🇳 Indian scientists develop self-healing bricks for lunar habitats using bacteria and moon soil

Indian researchers have created a method to produce and repair bricks for lunar construction using Sporosarcina pasteurii, a bacterium that generates calcium carbonate to bind soil. The bricks are made from simulated moon soil and strengthened via sintering, then repaired using a bacterial slurry that restores cracks and withstands extreme temperatures. Published in Frontiers in Space Technologies, the work by the Indian Institute of Science could help extend the lifespan of moon habitats, and the team plans to test bacterial behavior in space via India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission.

🌎 Sustainability

🇸🇦 Saudi researchers develop low-cost carbon fiber from crude oil waste for global industrial use

Saudi scientists have created a cheaper, high-quality carbon fiber by blending asphaltenes and resins—waste products from oil refining—making the material easier to process and yielding stronger, more affordable fibers. Developed at KAUST, this method could replace costly polyacrylonitrile and transform oil residues into high-performance materials for industries like aerospace, energy, and sports. The project, now scaling with Saudi Aramco, aims to cut global carbon fiber costs and boost local manufacturing.

💊 Healthcare

🇰🇷 South Korean scientists develop retinal regeneration therapy that restores lost vision for over six months

South Korean researchers have created a drug that restores vision by regenerating damaged retinal nerves, offering new hope for patients with degenerative eye diseases. Developed at KAIST and published in Nature Communications, the treatment uses an antibody to block the PROX1 protein, which suppresses neural regeneration in mammals, enabling retinal repair and sustained vision recovery in mouse models. The therapy, being advanced by biotech startup Celliaz Inc., could begin clinical trials by 2028.

🇺🇸 US researchers develop light-activated 'smart bomb' to target aggressive breast cancer with fewer side effects

US scientists have developed a new light-sensitive compound called cyanine-carborane salt that destroys metastatic breast cancer cells in mice with minimal side effects. The innovation, published by Michigan State University and collaborators in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, uses photodynamic therapy (PDT), where near-infrared light activates the compound inside cancer cells—acting like a “smart bomb” while sparing healthy tissue. Unlike traditional PDT agents that linger in the body, these salts are more targeted and could lead to safer treatments and new applications in other cancers.

🇺🇸 US engineers develop injectable, body-powered pacemaker that dissolves after use

US researchers have created the world’s smallest pacemaker—smaller than a grain of rice—that can be injected via syringe, powered by body fluids, and safely dissolves after use. Designed at Northwestern University and published in Nature, the device is activated by infrared light from a chest-worn patch, offering a minimally invasive solution for temporary cardiac pacing, especially in infants with congenital heart defects. This innovation eliminates the need for battery-powered implants or surgical removal, with potential applications in treating arrhythmias and aiding nerve or bone healing.

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Max

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