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March 21^st 2025

💻 Technology

🇨🇳 Chinese scientists restore movement in paralyzed patients using world-first brain-spinal implant

Researchers at Fudan University have developed a groundbreaking brain-spinal interface that enabled four paralyzed patients to walk again within weeks, with movement returning just 24 hours after surgery in some cases. The minimally invasive system uses two 1 mm electrode chips—one in the brain, one in the spine—to reestablish communication with muscles by directly stimulating dormant nerves, bypassing damaged spinal cord regions. This “neural remodeling” approach led to faster recovery compared to previous methods, with patients also regaining nerve sensations. All implants were developed in China, marking a major milestone in the country’s neurotechnology efforts.

🇿🇦 🇨🇳 South African and Chinese scientists set record with 12,900 km ultra-secure quantum satellite link

In a landmark achievement, scientists from Stellenbosch University and the University of Science and Technology of China established the world’s longest intercontinental ultra-secure quantum satellite link, spanning 12,900 km between South Africa and China. The team used the Chinese satellite Jinan-1 to transmit quantum-encrypted images using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), a method that ensures theoretically unbreakable encryption. This marks the first successful quantum satellite communication link in the Southern Hemisphere, enabled by South Africa’s optimal atmospheric conditions. The results were published in Nature, highlighting the growing global reach of quantum communication.

⚡️ Energy

🇬🇧 UK engineers unveil first portable hydrogen cracker, cutting fuel costs and infrastructure needs

AFC Energy has introduced Hy-5, the world’s first portable, container-sized hydrogen cracker that can generate 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of high-purity hydrogen daily using ammonia as feedstock. Developed in the UK under the company’s Hyamtec brand, Hy-5 bypasses the need for costly infrastructure by offering on-site hydrogen production through a flexible, plug-and-play model priced significantly below market rates. The system supports diverse applications, from construction and heavy industry to EV charging, and is especially useful in off-grid settings. By removing key barriers to clean hydrogen adoption, Hy-5 marks a major step toward scalable decarbonization.

🦾 Robotics

🇸🇪 Swedish engineers develop robot dog that learns in real time with no preloaded data or training

Swedish startup IntuiCell has unveiled Luna, a robot dog powered by a neuron-inspired digital nervous system that enables human-like learning through direct interaction with its environment. Unlike traditional AI models that depend on massive datasets and pre-programmed instructions, Luna learns in real time—just like animals—by processing sensory input and adapting without simulations or pretraining. The company plans to train Luna using a real dog trainer, showcasing a major leap in autonomous robotics. This technology could pave the way for intelligent machines that operate independently in unpredictable environments like space or disaster zones.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 US scientists show early anti-amyloid treatment may delay Alzheimer's onset by up to 50%

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have shown that treating individuals with a genetic risk for early-onset Alzheimer's using an anti-amyloid drug can cut their risk of developing dementia symptoms by half. The study, published in The Lancet Neurology, involved people in their 30s to 50s who began treatment years before symptoms were expected, demonstrating for the first time in a clinical trial that early plaque removal may delay or prevent Alzheimer's. Those treated the longest—an average of eight years—showed the greatest benefit. The findings support the amyloid hypothesis and may pave the way for future preventive treatments.

🇺🇸 US researchers identify unique enzyme in Lyme disease bacteria as promising drug target

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University have discovered that the enzyme BbLDH, essential to the survival and infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi—the bacteria that causes Lyme disease—could be a key target for new treatments. Unlike other microorganisms, this pathogen relies on BbLDH to regulate its internal redox state, a finding confirmed through genetic, biochemical, and structural studies. Published in mBio, the research also identified several potential inhibitors of this enzyme, paving the way for genus-specific drugs to treat Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

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