Science

Electron microscopy

Cornell Researchers Find ‘Mouse Bite’ Defects in Semiconductors With 3D Imaging

Cornell University researchers used high-resolution 3D imaging to detect atomic-scale “mouse bite” defects inside computer chips for the first time. Working with TSMC and ASM, the team captured images of transistor channels just 15 to 18 atoms wide. The breakthrough helps chipmakers spot manufacturing flaws during development and could improve everything from phones to quantum computers.

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X‑ray spectroscopy

US Lab Argonne Uses AI to Speed Up X-Ray Analysis by Five Times

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory built an AI-guided method that makes X‑ray spectroscopy five times faster. The system cuts measurements by 80 percent while reducing human error and sample damage. It helps researchers study batteries and catalysts in real time, bringing X‑ray science closer to fully autonomous experiments.

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A researcher in a lab coat standing next to a large silver vacuum chamber with control panels and equipment.

University of Glasgow Space Testing Facility Wins Manufacturing Award

The University of Glasgow’s NextSpace TestRig, the world’s first system for testing 3D-printed materials manufactured in space, has won a national manufacturing award. Built with Dr Gilles Bailet and the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the facility uses a vacuum chamber that creates temperatures from -150°C to +250°C to simulate orbit conditions. The £253,000 project helps ensure space-printed materials can withstand extreme physical strains.

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UK’s Southampton University Creates Shape-Shifting Robotic Wing for Drones

Engineers at the University of Southampton created a shape-shifting robotic wing inspired by birds and fish. The soft wing senses underwater currents and adapts automatically, reducing sudden jolts by 87 percent compared to rigid drone wings. It uses less energy and responds faster than existing designs, bringing underwater robots closer to the agility of living animals.

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Scientist in lab coat examining petri dishes containing green plant cell cultures under bright laboratory lighting

MIT-Alumni Startup Foray Bioscience Grows Plant Products from Single Cells

MIT alum Ashley Beckwith founded Foray Bioscience to grow plant products from single cells using AI-powered biomanufacturing. The company addresses the fragility of natural supply chains as 45 percent of plant species face extinction. Foray has already developed molecules, materials, and fabricated seeds with partners, including disease-resistant chestnut trees, aiming to shorten plant development timelines from decades to months.

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UK’s University of Oxford Solves Moon Magnetic Field Mystery

University of Oxford scientists have solved a long-standing mystery about the moon’s magnetic field. By re-examining Apollo mission rocks, they found the moon experienced short, intense magnetic bursts lasting only thousands of years, not the half-billion years previously thought. The study explains why some samples showed strong magnetism while theory suggested a weak field. The discovery helps scientists understand how planetary cores evolve.

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