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March 26^th 2025

💻 Technology

🇯🇵 🇳🇱 Japanese and Dutch researchers build diamond quantum computer with record-low error rates

Researchers from Fujitsu in Japan and QuTech in the Netherlands have developed a diamond-based quantum computer that achieves gate error rates below 0.1%, setting a new global benchmark for quantum precision. Using diamond spin qubits, which can operate at much higher temperatures than superconducting qubits, the team created a two-qubit system with some gates achieving error rates as low as 0.001%. This was accomplished by engineering ultrapure synthetic diamonds with low carbon-13 levels and designing error-resistant gates. The work, published in Physical Review Applied, is a major step toward scalable, high-precision quantum computing.

🇺🇸 US software enables drones to navigate without GPS using only onboard cameras and terrain data

US-based Maxar Intelligence has unveiled Raptor, a software suite that lets drones navigate and pinpoint ground locations without GPS by using their onboard cameras and Maxar’s vast 3D global terrain database. This breakthrough is especially valuable in GPS-denied environments, enabling reliable drone operation during both day and night without extra hardware. Raptor comprises three components that handle real-time positioning, video-to-terrain synchronization, and ground coordinate extraction—all with high precision. This innovation could significantly boost mission capabilities for defense, disaster response, and urban logistics.

🚀 Space

🇳🇱 🇺🇸 Dutch and US researchers create ultra-thin lightsails to drastically cut interstellar travel time

Researchers from TU Delft and Brown University have developed a 200-nanometer-thin lightsail embedded with billions of microscopic holes, offering a promising step toward high-speed, laser-driven space travel. These ultra-light sails, made using neural topology optimization and a novel gas-based etching method, are strong enough to withstand handling once suspended and could one day reduce travel time to the nearest star from 10,000 years to just 20. The sails are designed to harness laser radiation pressure and could also advance fundamental physics research by enabling new experiments in light-matter interaction and acceleration limits. The study was published in Nature Communications.

🌎 Sustainability

🇺🇸 US scientists create reusable 3D nanomats that purify water and generate solar power

Researchers at Ohio State University have developed floating fiber mats made of titanium dioxide and copper that use sunlight to break down harmful pollutants in water. Published in Advanced Science, the nanomats outperform traditional solar cells in efficiency, converting light into power while simultaneously cleaning water without producing toxic byproducts. These lightweight, reusable mats could provide clean drinking water in polluted or remote areas and support broader sustainability efforts like solar hydrogen production. The innovation offers a practical, scalable solution for water purification and renewable energy generation.

💊 Healthcare

🇯🇵 Japanese scientists restore movement in paralyzed patients using stem cell therapy in major breakthrough

Researchers at Keio University in Japan have achieved a milestone in spinal cord injury treatment by using stem cells derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to help paralyzed patients regain movement. In a clinical trial, four men received injections of two million neural stem cells at their injury sites, resulting in significant improvements for two - one patient, previously fully paralyzed, is now able to stand and perform walking exercises. The treatment showed no serious side effects, suggesting both safety and promise for future use. The findings were published in Nature.

🇬🇧 🇫🇷 UK and French researchers upgrade MRI scans to enable surgery for hard-to-treat epilepsy

Scientists from the University of Cambridge and Paris have enhanced 7T MRI scans using a method called parallel transmit, allowing doctors to see seizure-causing brain lesions previously hidden in standard imaging. Published in Epilepsia, the technique uses eight transmitters around the head to eliminate blind spots, especially in the brain’s temporal lobes. In a study of 31 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, over half had treatment plans revised, with some receiving life-changing surgery. The breakthrough offers new hope for those previously told surgery wasn’t possible.

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