Science News Weekly
May 5th – May 12th

🪐 Astronomy & Space
* Quantum effects may eliminate black hole singularities.
* IXPE detects X-ray particles in black hole jets.
* Mysterious X-ray source turns out to be a galaxy cluster.
* Early galaxies may explain the universe’s lingering glow.
* A Soviet satellite falls to Earth after 53 years in orbit.

🌍 Planetary Science
* Venus has a surprisingly thin crust, study finds.
* Earth’s core sends wave signals useful for future exploration.
* Largest geomagnetic storm in 20 years yields fresh NASA insights.

⚛️ Physics
* New holographic principle test bridges quantum and gravity.
* LHC experiment shows lead-to-gold conversion (sort of).
* Flavors in high-energy physics behave unexpectedly.
* First dark photon search results come from MADMAX prototype.

🌀 Quantum & Materials
* Scalable method distills quantum traits from complex entanglement.
* Exotic chiral state found in topological material.
* Machine learning identifies new infrared materials.

🧬 Biochemistry & Cell Biology
* Quantum effects found in how proteins transfer energy.
* AI-designed DNA regulates genes in mammalian cells.
* DNA behaves differently in crowded cell environments.
* Greener protein-labeling tools developed.

🧪 Materials & Polymers
* Okra and fenugreek remove microplastics from water.
* Water-assisted microwave tech boosts battery materials.

🦖 Evolution & Fossils
* T. rex ancestor migrated from Asia to North America.
* Rare fossil in museum revealed as new extinct species.
* 500-million-year-old fossil mystery solved.

🌱 Environment & Ecology
* Top 10% wealthiest responsible for two-thirds of warming.
* Global mercury pollution declines thanks to regulation.
* Nanoplastics attract toxic metals.
* Rivers worldwide contaminated by human-used antibiotics.

🧠 Social Sciences
* Brain circuit tied to political intensity found.
* Kids delay gratification more when peers do too.
* AI identifies chronic contrarians on Reddit.
* Girls' voices excluded in tackling online misogyny.

🏺 Archaeology
* Ethiopian monk's writings shed light on ancient Dongola.
* New insights into sword-making in 19th-century Dahomey.

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Nanoplastics from everyday waste can bind toxic metals like lead and cadmium, carrying them into the body and increasing health risks such as inflammation and cancer.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestwater.4c01191

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Scientists developed an AI-powered electronic nose that mimics the human sense of smell using a graphene-based sensor array and machine learning. It can accurately detect and classify scents, with applications in health care, cosmetics, and environmental monitoring.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.5c03601

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Researchers found that in extreme plasma conditions, heat doesn’t flow between materials but bounces back due to interfacial thermal resistance, reshaping our understanding of heat transfer in fusion, semiconductors, and hypersonic tech.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56051-1

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Kyoto University researchers showed that by precisely adjusting the distance between vibrating microbubbles in water, they can control fluid flow and vibration frequencies. This discovery offers a new tool for precise liquid manipulation in medical and chemical applications.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smll.202408979

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DGIST researchers developed the first perovskite-based betavoltaic cell by combining a carbon-14 isotope electrode with a perovskite layer, achieving stable, long-lasting power output—ideal for space, medical, and military use.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/cc/d4cc05935b

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Researchers at NIMTE developed a high-entropy nanostructured catalyst (PtCuCoNiMn) that produces green hydrogen and valuable glycerate with high energy efficiency and long-term stability, offering a sustainable boost to carbon neutrality efforts.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-025-01881-9

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Researchers induced ferromagnetism in pure vanadium oxide by tuning its oxidation states, without doping or defects. Mixed valence states (V³⁺/V⁴⁺) enabled the magnetic behavior, opening new paths for magnetic material design.

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202422966

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Columbia engineers created an AI that reveals atomic structures from nanocrystals, overcoming limits of traditional crystallography.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-025-02220-y

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From the Medici’s patronage of da Vinci to today’s decentralized prediction markets, the way we create, validate, and share knowledge has always been shaped by power.

In this long-form essay, we trace the rise of epistemic capitalism — a new paradigm where ideas are tokenized, discoveries are traded, and truth itself becomes an asset class.

We explore:
⚫️How we got here: from aristocratic patronage to Web3 DAOs
⚫️The mechanics of prediction markets, AI oracles, and DeSci
⚫️The promises: democratized research, crowdsourced innovation
⚫️The risks: financialized truth, epistemic inequality, algo bias
⚫️And the futures beyond: AI-driven science, gift economies, hyperstitional worlds

Are we witnessing the next leap in human inquiry — or the ultimate commodification of knowledge?

🔗 https://epistemesci.substack.com/p/is-epistemic-capitalism-the-next

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