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🇺🇸 US scientists enable paralyzed man to control another person’s hand and feel through it via brain implant

Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research have demonstrated a brain-computer interface that lets a paralyzed man control another person’s hand and feel the objects she touches. The implant decodes movement intent and relays it to another's muscles via wireless stimulation, enabling collaborative tasks like pouring water - tripling success rates over solo attempts. Published as a preprint, this breakthrough opens the door to thought-driven rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injuries or neurological diseases.

🇺🇸 US engineers deploy world’s largest solar-powered heat battery to cut industrial carbon emissions

Rondo Energy has launched a 100 MWh industrial heat battery at Holmes Western Oil in California, now the world’s largest system of its kind. Powered by an onsite solar array, the battery stores energy in bricks and delivers consistent high-pressure steam above 1,000 °C with over 97% efficiency, directly replacing fossil-fueled heat in heavy industry. Published operations demonstrate how scalable, low-cost materials can enable global decarbonization of industrial heat, one of the largest sources of emissions.

🇨🇦 Canadian researchers design gravity battery to turn tall buildings into clean energy storage systems

Engineers at the University of Waterloo have developed a rope-hoist-based gravity battery system that stores renewable energy in high-rise buildings by lifting and lowering heavy masses in elevator-like shafts. Integrated with PV panels, rooftop wind turbines, and lithium-ion batteries, the system achieved low levelized electricity costs and grid dependency, making it a promising energy solution for urban buildings. Published in Applied Science, the research shows gravity storage can significantly boost building resilience and sustainability while reducing reliance on fossil-fueled grids.

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers set world speed record with 281 mph bullet train in pre-service trials

China's CR450 bullet train has reached 281 mph (450 km/h) in testing, surpassing all previous high-speed rail records and marking a major milestone in rail innovation. Developed by CRRC Group and set for commercial service in 2026, the train achieves its speed through aerodynamic enhancements, lightweight materials, and advanced propulsion systems.

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

🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇳🇱 🇩🇪 European scientists restore reading ability in blind patients using AI-powered eye implant

A multinational clinical trial has shown that the PRIMA retinal implant, powered by AI and developed by Science Corporation, can restore the ability to read in patients blinded by dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Involving researchers from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, the implant uses AR glasses and a microchip beneath the retina to relay visual information to the brain, with 84% of patients regaining recognition of text. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the study marks a major advance in artificial vision and neurotechnology.

🇺🇸 🇵🇹 US and Portuguese scientists develop LED cancer therapy that kills tumors without harming healthy cells

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Porto have created a light-based cancer treatment using near-infrared LEDs and tin oxide nanoflakes (SnOx) that destroys up to 92% of skin cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Unlike traditional photothermal therapies that rely on lasers and expensive materials, this approach is safer, more affordable, and potentially suitable for home use. Published in ACS Nano, the method marks a step toward personalized, low-cost cancer care with fewer side effects.

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