Daily Innovation News

October 14^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇷🇺 Russian researchers achieve first-ever communication between people during lucid dreams

In a world-first, Russian scientists at REMspace facilitated communication between two people during lucid dreams. Using specially designed equipment, one participant sent a word while dreaming, which was successfully received and confirmed by another. This breakthrough opens the door to dream-based communication, reminiscent of the Inception movie, with potential future applications in learning and mental health.

⚡️ Energy

🇺🇸 US firm backed by Bill Gates develops new wind tech promising 75% cheaper energy

US start-up Airloom Energy, supported by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has unveiled a new wind power design that replaces traditional turbine blades with poles and vertical wings on a track. This simpler, mass-producible system promises to generate wind energy at one-third the cost of standard turbines, making renewable energy more accessible and affordable. A pilot project is set for Wyoming in 2025.

🚀 Space

🇺🇸 SpaceX achieves historic capture of Super Heavy booster using launch tower

In a groundbreaking achievement, SpaceX successfully captured its Super Heavy booster using a launch tower after delivering a Starship second stage to orbit. This marks the first time a booster has been recovered this way, advancing reusable rocket technology. The controlled reentry and precise capture open possibilities for faster turnaround times between launches, revolutionizing space travel efficiency.

🇩🇪 German researchers plan Moon village with Wi-Fi, vehicles, and hospitals for 75 residents by 2070

Researchers in Germany have developed plans for a self-sustaining Moon village with aluminum housing, Wi-Fi, and medical facilities to support 75 residents by 2070. This infrastructure will include fuel production and aims to be economically viable, potentially even exporting lunar wine. The settlement is part of a long-term vision for space exploration, with operations set to begin by 2050.

🪖 Military

🇨🇳 Chinese researchers use quantum computer to breach military-grade encryption, raising security concerns

Chinese scientists have reportedly hacked military-grade encryption using a D-Wave quantum computer, marking the first quantum-based attack on widely-used encryption algorithms. This breakthrough, published in the Chinese Journal of Computers, achieved through quantum annealing, poses a potential threat to sectors like defense and finance, although no specific passcodes have been cracked yet. The quantum tunneling effect used in this process significantly accelerates encryption attacks compared to traditional methods.

🌎 Environment

🇬🇧 UK scientists breed heat-tolerant corals in a world-first effort to combat climate change impacts

British researchers have achieved the first successful breeding of corals with improved heat tolerance, a promising step in protecting reefs from climate change. While the heat tolerance improved by 1°C in just one generation, scientists caution that selective breeding alone won’t be enough to save reefs without urgent climate action. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

💊 Healthcare

🇰🇷 South Korean scientists develop world's first single-atom editing for improved drug discovery

South Korean researchers have pioneered single-atom editing technology, allowing precise replacement of oxygen with nitrogen in drug molecules. This breakthrough, achieved using a photocatalyst at room temperature, revolutionizes drug development by enhancing efficacy with minimal steps. It opens new possibilities for creating drug candidate libraries, crucial in pharmaceutical innovation. The research was published in Science and represents a major advance in understanding how atomic changes can optimize drug performance.

🇺🇸 US researchers develop magnet-based gene therapy to control brain circuits for Parkinson's and more

American scientists have created a magnetogenetic therapy that uses magnetic fields to turn specific brain circuits on and off. This non-invasive technology could treat Parkinson’s disease, depression, and chronic pain by controlling neuron activity without implants. The breakthrough, tested in mice, shows promise for precise, real-time brain manipulation with potential clinical applications. The findings were published in Science Advances.

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