Science

China’s Nuclear Posture Under Scrutiny as US-Russia New START Treaty Collapses

Modern Mechanics 24 News Desk February 12, 2026

As the US-Russia New START treaty ends, the CTBTO has denied U.S. claims of secret Chinese nuclear tests. Focus shifts to China’s ~600-warhead arsenal, growing by ~100 annually. Beijing rejects trilateral arms talks, citing its smaller stockpile versus America’s 5,000+, framing its build-up as essential “strategic deterrence” amidst a collapsing global arms control framework.

University of Science and Technology of China Achieves 100km Device-Independent Quantum Encryption Using Single Atoms

Modern Mechanics 24 News Desk February 12, 2026

Physicist Pan Jianwei and his USTC team have extended device-independent quantum encryption to 100km, a 40x distance record. Using just two entangled rubidium atoms, their system generates secrets secure even if the hardware is compromised. This leap closes a critical gap toward hack-proof quantum networks, even as current speeds remain far slower than conventional internet.

In July, 2023, South Korean scientists claimed to have discovered a room-temperature superconductor.

LK-99 Superconductor Claim Sparks Hope, Doubt, Global Scrutiny

MM 24 Newsroom February 11, 2026

A group of South Korean researchers in July 2023 claimed to have created a material that exhibits superconductivity at room

MIT Accepted $800,000 from Epstein, New Files Reveal Jeffrey’s Wider Links with Scientists

MM 24 Newsroom February 11, 2026

Newly released investigation files show that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had deeper connections with scientists than were previously known.

3D visualization of the Westlake University super antibody neutralizing the SFTS virus.

Westlake University’s ‘Super Antibody’ ZS1C5 Targets Deadly SFTS Virus with 100% Survival in Animal Trials

Modern Mechanics 24 News Desk February 11, 2026

Scientists at Westlake University have engineered a “super antibody” that achieved 100% survival in mice exposed to a deadly tick-borne virus. The therapy, called ZS1C5, slashed viral loads in monkeys by 90% in 24 hours, offering the first hope for a targeted treatment against SFTS—a disease with a 30% fatality rate and no current cure.

China’s CASC Launches 5-Year Plan for Space-Based Data Centers, Joining U.S. in Orbital Computing Race

Ritambhara K February 11, 2026

China’s main space contractor, CASC, has made space-based data centers a key part of its new five-year plan, joining U.S. firms like SpaceX in the race to build solar-powered orbital computing infrastructure and overcome Earth’s energy and land limitations.

Illustration of Alfvén waves energizing Earth's magnetosphere, based on HKU and UCLA aurora research.

HKU and UCLA Scientists Decode the “Space Battery” Powering Earth’s Auroras

Ritambhara K February 11, 2026

Scientists from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and UCLA have identified Alfvén waves as the “space battery” powering Earth’s auroras. This universal mechanism, confirmed by NASA satellite data, explains how electric fields accelerate particles to create the Northern Lights and applies to other planets.

King’s College London & San Diego State Unlock Spider Silk’s Molecular “Stickers” Secret

Ritambhara K February 10, 2026

Scientists from King’s College London and San Diego State University have discovered the molecular “sticker” mechanism—driven by amino acids arginine and tyrosine—that gives spider silk its super strength. The breakthrough paves the way for new bio-inspired materials and offers a fresh model for studying Alzheimer’s disease.