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March 3^rd 2025

💻 Technology

🇺🇸 Google unveils Taara chip for ultra-fast wireless internet using light beams

Alphabet’s X division has developed the next-generation Taara chip, a silicon photonic device that transmits data through light beams at speeds up to 20Gbps—without cables. Unlike fiber optics, Taara can be deployed in hours and operate over distances of up to 20 km. Expected in 2026, the technology aims to connect remote areas, provide cost-effective broadband, and enhance autonomous vehicle communication. Alphabet claims it could deliver up to 100 times more bandwidth than satellite-based internet.

🇦🇺 Australian researchers unveil world's first biocomputer powered by human brain cells

Cortical Labs has launched the CL1, the first commercial "Synthetic Biological Intelligence" (SBI) system that fuses human brain cells with silicon hardware. This biocomputer learns faster and uses significantly less energy than traditional AI, offering revolutionary potential in drug discovery, robotics, and neuroscience research. The CL1, which operates without an external computer, will be available for purchase or remote access via a cloud-based platform in late 2025. Researchers hope this technology will advance disease modeling and reduce reliance on animal testing.

🇺🇸 US researchers develop ‘e-Taste’ device to bring taste to virtual reality

Scientists at Ohio State University have created 'e-Taste,' a system that digitally simulates taste sensations in virtual reality. Using sensors and wireless chemical dispensers, the device captures and replicates the five basic tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami—allowing users to experience flavors remotely. Published in Science Advances, the study demonstrates the potential for immersive VR dining, long-distance taste transmission, and applications for individuals with sensory impairments. Researchers aim to refine the system for broader use in gaming, healthcare, and accessibility.

🚘 Transport

🇺🇸 US researchers develop system for self-driving cars to share road knowledge securely

A team from NYU Tandon School of Engineering has created a new method for self-driving vehicles to share knowledge about road conditions without directly meeting. Their approach, Cached Decentralized Federated Learning (Cached-DFL), allows cars to exchange trained AI models via short-range communication, enabling them to learn from others indirectly while preserving data privacy. Tested in simulations of Manhattan’s streets, the system improves adaptation to unfamiliar environments and could enhance autonomous driving safety and efficiency. The research was presented at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence Conference.

🚀 Space

🇺🇸 US researchers design satellite to detect hazardous small space debris

Scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are developing a satellite capable of detecting space debris as small as 1 centimeter, which currently cannot be tracked from the ground. The "Space Debris Hunter" satellite will use plasma wave detection to determine the location and trajectory of debris, helping satellites avoid collisions. This method, detailed in Physics of Plasmas, is part of a U.S. government initiative to improve space debris tracking and reduce the risk of damage to vital space infrastructure.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 US researchers develop nasal spray that may reduce brain damage from traumatic injuries

A study from Mass General Brigham suggests that a nasal spray targeting neuroinflammation could become a treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI). In mouse models, the anti-CD3 nasal spray reduced damage to the central nervous system and improved behavioral outcomes, indicating its potential for treating TBI and other acute brain injuries. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, highlights how modulating immune responses could prevent long-term effects of TBI. Researchers aim to translate these findings into clinical trials, potentially offering a treatment for athletes, stroke patients, and others suffering from brain injuries.

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