The Weekly Brief

Enjoying this newsletter? Know someone who would too? Forward this email to them!
Sign up (it’s free)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope you have all had a nice couple of weeks over this holiday period and wish you all the best for the coming year!

I also want to say thank you for your continued support of the newsletter - it means a lot. I’ve got some big plans for the newsletter this year and I’m excited to share another year of future-building science and technology with you!

🇺🇸 US scientists develop liquid system that stores solar energy and produces hydrogen in total darkness

Researchers have created a liquid-based system that absorbs sunlight and later generates hydrogen gas without electricity, batteries, or wires - offering a new way to store and transport solar energy. Using graphitic carbon nitride and ammonium metatungstate, the system chemically stores electrons during sunlight exposure and releases them later to produce hydrogen in the dark via a catalyst. Published in Advanced Materials, this breakthrough could lead to decentralized, wire-free solar energy distribution for hydrogen fuel.

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers launch world’s first 30MW hydrogen turbine for carbon-free power generation

China's MingYang Group has activated Jupiter I, the world’s first 30-megawatt pure hydrogen gas turbine, capable of generating on-demand, zero-emission electricity by combusting hydrogen directly. Now operating in Inner Mongolia, the turbine can power 5,500 homes while avoiding over 200,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. This milestone demonstrates how hydrogen can stabilize renewable energy output and replace fossil-fuel-based peak power generation.

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers set maglev speed record, hitting 435 mph in 2 seconds with superconducting tech

Researchers in China accelerated a 1.1-ton maglev vehicle to 700 km/h (435 mph) in just two seconds, setting a world record for speed and acceleration in superconducting electric maglev systems. Conducted by the National University of Defence Technology, the test demonstrated precise control of extreme electromagnetic forces, opening possibilities for hyperloop-style transport and even rocket launch assistance. This milestone, part of China’s decade-long push in maglev innovation, marks a leap toward ultra-high-speed, low-emission travel.

🇬🇧 UK startup operates space factory to make semiconductor crystals 4,000× purer than Earth-made chips

Cardiff-based Space Forge has successfully generated plasma aboard its ForgeStar-1 satellite, demonstrating the ability to manufacture ultra-pure semiconductor crystals in orbit using microgravity and vacuum conditions. The orbital furnace reached 1,000°C, enabling defect-free crystal growth that could lead to chips vastly superior to those made on Earth. This milestone marks a key step toward space-based manufacturing with major implications for computing, telecom, and sustainable infrastructure.

🇰🇼 🇧🇷 Kuwaiti and Brazilian surgeons set world record with 7,456-mile remote robotic operation

In a landmark achievement, surgeons in Kuwait and Brazil performed robotic surgeries on each other’s patients across 12,035 kilometers, setting a Guinness World Record for the longest-distance remote robotic operation. The successful, complication-free procedures - made possible by a high-speed, low-latency international network - demonstrate the viability of global, two-way remote surgery. This breakthrough could expand access to specialized care worldwide, overcoming geographic and resource barriers.

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers launch robot training school to boost humanoid performance in homes and factories

China has opened a specialized training center in Beijing where humanoid robots learn real-world tasks like sorting, cooking, and caregiving through repeated, hands-on practice guided by human trainers. Developed by Leju Robotics, the program addresses AI training data shortages by generating millions of high-quality entries annually, improving robots’ ability to generalize skills across diverse environments. With task success rates already exceeding 95%, several robots have been deployed in factories and public services, signaling rapid progress in practical humanoid applications.

🇬🇧 UK scientists use robots to rapidly discover metal-based antibiotic that resists superbugs

Researchers at the University of York used a robotic platform to synthesize over 700 metal-containing compounds in under a week - work that would traditionally take months. The automated system, combining robotics with “click” chemistry, led to the discovery of a promising iridium-based antibiotic that is effective against drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA and non-toxic to human cells. Published in Nature Communications, the study highlights a faster, scalable approach to antibiotic discovery amid a global antimicrobial resistance crisis.

Nanalyze, our go-to source for no-BS investment analysis on disruptive tech, released the following interesting pieces this week:

Every Investor Should Invest in Japan

Silver is Absolutely Skyrocketing. Here’s Why

Can This Soaring Stock Solve the AI Energy Crisis?

The Next “NVDA” Nobody is Talking About

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers launch world’s first million-ton hydrogen steel line to cut carbon emissions by 80%

China’s Baowu Steel has begun full-scale operations of the world’s first million-ton hydrogen-based steel production line in Zhanjiang, replacing coal with hydrogen to drastically lower CO₂ emissions. The facility uses direct reduced iron and electric furnaces to produce high-grade steel with up to 80% fewer emissions than traditional methods, preventing over 3 million tons of CO₂ annually. This breakthrough marks a major step toward decarbonizing heavy industry and aligning with China’s green manufacturing goals.

🇺🇸 US scientists reverse advanced Alzheimer’s in mice by restoring brain energy balance

Researchers at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University have shown that restoring NAD+, a critical brain energy molecule, can fully reverse Alzheimer’s-related damage and memory loss in mice, even in late stages of the disease. Using a compound called P7C3-A20, the treatment repaired brain pathology and normalized key Alzheimer's biomarkers, challenging the long-held belief that the disease is irreversible. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, the study opens a path toward recovery-focused therapies and future human trials.

🇺🇸 US scientists reduce seizures and restore memory in mice by clearing aging brain cells

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center discovered that removing senescent glial cells in mice with temporal lobe epilepsy sharply reduced seizures, restored memory, and even prevented epilepsy in some cases. Using a combination of dasatinib and quercetin, drugs with known safety profiles, the treatment cut aging brain cell levels by half and improved cognitive function. Published in Annals of Neurology, the study offers a promising new path for treating drug-resistant epilepsy and may accelerate clinical translation.

That’s all for today, please reply to this email if you have any comments or feedback, we’d love to hear from you about what we can do better!

Have you enjoyed this email? Make sure to share it with your friends and colleagues.

See you soon,

Max

Subscribe (it’s free)