Building bridges for physics projects is always fun, but college students in Lithuania just took the process to the next level. Teams from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University were tasked with building bridges from spaghetti, and the winning bridge was able to hold 300 kilograms of load. This impressive feat has broken the record across Lithuania and [&hellip;]

Students Build Spaghetti Bridge that Can Hold 300 Kg

Building bridges for physics projects is always fun, but college students in Lithuania just took the process to the next level. Teams from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University were tasked with building bridges from spaghetti, and the winning bridge was able to hold 300 kilograms of load. This impressive feat has broken the record across Lithuania and has yet to be confirmed across the world. By significantly improving on their design from last year, the team was able to beat their own record from last year and increase their loading from 251 kg to 307.6 kg.
<img decoding="async" class="img-responsive lazy" itemprop="image" src="https://images.interestingengineering.com/images/import/2016/08/competition-winners.jpg" alt="competition winners" />[Image Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/makaronu.tiltai/?ref=page_internal" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Lietuvos čempionatas „Makaronų tiltai“</a>]
<a href="http://www.boredpanda.com/these-students-built-a-bridge-using-only-pasta-and-glue-that-could-carry-three-pandas/?utm_source=Facebook&#038;utm_medium=Branded+Content&#038;utm_campaign=ScienceDump" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Believe it or not</a>, the team didn&#8217;t use just any pasta, in fact, they surveyed various brands they had available and completed strength tests on each. From these tests, they were able to determine the average properties of each brand and select the best suited for their project. Taking an incredibly brittle material like spaghetti noodles and turning it into something strong like a bridge is the essence of engineering ingenuity.
<img decoding="async" class="img-responsive lazy" itemprop="image" src="https://images.interestingengineering.com/images/import/2016/08/spaggeti-bridge.jpg" alt="spaggeti bridge" />[Image Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/makaronu.tiltai/?ref=page_internal" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Lietuvos čempionatas „Makaronų tiltai“</a>]
<h2>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://interestingengineering.com/watch-drones-weave-rope-bridge/" rel="dofollow">Watch as Drones Weave a Rope Bridge you can Walk Across</a></h2>

The future of smart textiles is here, thanks to the charge-holding capacities of yarn.

Threads to tech: Researchers play video game with just a piece of fabric

The 3D smart textile developed at NC State

As wearable technology becomes increasingly in demand, so have smart textiles. NC State researchers just took smart fabrics to a whole new level of sophistication—they played a video game with a tiny piece of fabric!



Textiles have been an integral part of human history. Yarn is a 1D invention, thanks to the loom. A rug is a 2D object, and a basket is made in 3D. Smart textiles bring together traditional textiles and modern electronics, as textiles can generate an electric charge.



Creating flexible electronic technology, however, presents some obstacles in simply having to work with textiles. These NC State researchers fabricated an embroidered-based touch sensor that could improve their scalability as that seems to be a market challenge. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-nc-researchers-created-this-smart-textile">How NC researchers created this smart textile</h3>



They created a yarn from two triboelectric materials, which refers to an electric charge produced by friction. An everyday example might be the electric shock one experiences from running a plastic comb through dry hair or by touching a piece of fabric on a dry day.



Using two triboelectric materials with a positive and negative charge, they weaved a sensor into a fabric with an embroidery machine. And these yarns together create the appropriate electric charge. <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/scientists-create-salt-sized-sensor-to-unlock-mind-secrets-wirelessly" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">An electric sensor</a> sends signals to a microchip as this smart textile is controlled by touch. Thus the device has two parts. 



Machine learning algorithms enable the device to understand commands such as “tap two times” or “swipe” to increase or decrease the volume. They demonstrated that they could control apps on one’s phone with it. These algorithms can even detect mistakes or glitches that weather might trigger.



This is the definition of a &#8220;smart textile.&#8221; 



They explained that they integrated &#8220;multiple embroidery sensors onto a single piece of fabric in a grid formation for enabling more complicated sensing applications and control interfaces.” 



If we take a moment to contemplate a weave, meaning how threads come together to create patterns, that&#8217;s the level of sophistication that these NC researchers have achieved. 



In a video, NC State researchers played a video game on the fabric. They could control a character almost entirely with one finger. Walk forward, turn around, attack, go back. Just with a series of taps and swipes.



Though still evidently in its early stages as a piece of technology, they demonstrated that <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/waterproof-e-glove-scuba-divers" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">wearable textile technology</a> works well. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="287" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gr3_f6e543.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-58989" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gr3_f6e543.jpeg 750w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gr3_f6e543.jpeg?resize=300,115 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Embroidery characterization (<a href="https://www.cell.com/device/fulltext/S2666-9986(24)00162-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2666998624001625%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Device</a>)</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-smart-textile-that-capitalizes-on-old-and-new-technologies">A smart textile that capitalizes on old and new technologies</h3>



The researchers had to figure out the size of the gap between the two layers as triboelectric materials require a space between them. In a diagram, they showed that they experimented with three gap sizes as they weaved thread into a piece of fabric.



“To create extra space for separation and enhance triboelectric output, we placed spacers (a piece of cardboard) on straight embroidery with heights of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm during satin structure embroidery and removed it when embroidery was finished. The addition of spacers allows more yarn to occupy the same embroidery path, creating an overall arched <a href="https://www.cell.com/device/fulltext/S2666-9986(24)00162-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2666998624001625%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">shape</a>.”



<a href="https://news.ncsu.edu/2024/04/nc-state-researchers-use-machine-learning-to-create-a-fabric-based-touch-sensor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ron Ying</a>, a NC researcher, explained that “existing embroidery technology is not capable of easily handling the types of materials used in the creation of the sensor,” which means special embroidery machines would have to be built. (<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/mit-3d-printer" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">Call MIT.</a>) They showed, however, that they could program this sensor to recognize a complex set of commands.



In the near future, we might be able to not necessarily replace the iPhone watch but achieve the same functionality and more with a fabric sensor that’s pretty much the size of a button.

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‘Jupiter’s moon Io hosts extensive volcanism, driven by tidal heating.’

Io: Jupiter’s moon has been volcanically active for 4.75B years

Planet Jupiter with some of the 69 known moons with the galaxy.

A new study found the constant presence of sulfur and chlorine isotopes in the atmosphere of Jupiter’s moon–Io. 



This revealed persistent volcanic activity on the moon for the entirety of the Solar System’s 4.75 billion years of history. 



The finding indicated a long-standing and possibly uninterrupted volcanic activity on <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/nasas-juno-probe-to-capture-jupiters-io" rel="dofollow">Io</a>, shedding light on the significant geological approaches and evolution.



“Jupiter’s moon Io hosts extensive volcanism, driven by tidal heating,” noted the study.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-io-s-isotopes-reveal-persistent-volcanic-activity">Io&#8217;s isotopes reveal persistent volcanic activity</h3>



Upon investigating the isotopes in Io’s atmosphere, the researchers determined the celestial body’s volcanic history. 



This was evaluated using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), observing Io&#8217;s atmosphere.



According to the study, the isotopic composition of the moon’s volatile chemical elements (including sulfur and chlorine) reflects its outgassing and mass loss history, so it records information about its evolution. 



By employing millimeter observations of Io’s atmosphere to measure the isotopic ratios, scientists uncovered that the moon lost a notable amount — 94 to 99 percent of its available sulfur — and that chlorine is similarly enriched.



This indicated extensive volcanic activity throughout Io&#8217;s history. Gaseous compounds like SO2, SO, NaCl, and KCl were particularly analyzed. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcanic-activity-powered-by-tidal-heating">Volcanic activity powered by tidal heating </h3>



Scientists observed the light emitted by chemical compositions in Io’s atmosphere using an aperture measuring about 1.3 times Io’s radius. 



Thereafter, background noise was compared in each measurement area to regions where there were no emission lines.



The measurement area included all pixels with emission from the continuum at least five percent as intense as the peak emission.



The study also suggested that Io potentially comprised higher outgassing and mass-loss rates in earlier epochs.&nbsp;



The authors of the study stated, “Widespread volcanic activity on Jupiter’s moon Io is powered by tidal heating of its interior due to Io’s orbital resonance with the neighboring moons Europa and Ganymede.” 



Additionally, Jupiter’s moons Europa, Ganymede, and Io were potentially captured into resonance during formation. This implied the presence of strong tidal heating throughout the Solar System&#8217;s existence.



As a result, the discovery of continuous <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/medieval-moon-illuminates-greatest-volcanoes" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">volcanic activity</a> was made.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We interpret the measured sulfur isotopic fractionation as due to a distillation process, whereby the lighter isotope is preferentially lost from a sulfur reservoir that is being continuously recycled between Io’s interior and atmosphere,” the authors noted in the study.&nbsp;



“Atmospheric escape then distills the portion of Io’s planetary inventory of sulfur that is available for recycling and loss,” researchers added.



As per a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1041172?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">statement</a> by the scientists, the findings indicate that Io has lost 94 percent to 99 percent of the sulfur that undergoes this outgassing and recycling process. 



&#8220;This would require Io to have had its current level of volcanic activity for its entire lifetime,&#8221; added the statement.



The study was published in the journal–<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.adj0625" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Science</a> earlier today [April 18, 2024].

<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/nasas-juno-probe-to-capture-jupiters-io">NASA’s Juno probe to capture Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io</a>
<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/jwst-hubble-juno-observe-jupiters-io">JWST, Hubble, Juno will team up to observe Jupiter’s moon Io</a>
<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/medieval-moon-illuminates-greatest-volcanoes">Medieval moon observations illuminate the greatest volcanoes in history</a>
&nbsp;

Researchers have used supercritical water to recycle 99 percent of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) in minutes.

Supercritical water recycles 99% of reinforced plastic waste in minutes

Conceptual diagram of utilizing waste CFRP (Carbon fiber reinforced plastic) as battery electrode materials. 

Researchers have identified a novel method that recycles over 99 percent of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) in minutes.&nbsp;



CFRP is a material made of carbon fibers and a plastic matrix. Due to their decreased density, carbon fiber-based <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/new-yeast-could-help-recycle-common-plastics" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">plastics</a> are highly strong and lighter.



Interestingly, CFRP-based materials are stronger than metal. This makes them ideal for manufacturing various items in industries such as aviation, aerospace, automotive, marine, and sports.&nbsp;



However, the increased usage has exacerbated the issue of CFRP’s waste disposal. The currently used techniques pose environmental risks; therefore, there is an urgent need to look for more sustainable recycling options.&nbsp;&nbsp;



To overcome this issue, researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have come up with a novel recycling method.&nbsp;



&#8220;As the amount of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) waste is increasing globally, we have developed a technology to upcycle it in an eco-friendly way,&#8221; said Yong-chae Jung, director of the RAMP Convergence Research Center.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-of-supercritical-water">Use of supercritical water</h3>



Dealing with CFRP trash is highly taxing. It has a highly non-degradable nature, which requires the development of cutting-edge methods.&nbsp;



Some currently used techniques include high-temperature incineration methods, which subject CFRP waste to intense heat in controlled conditions. However, this high-temperature incineration approach releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, polluting the surrounding environment.&nbsp;



The KIST team sought to develop an alternative, highly efficient, and sustainable technique.&nbsp;For this purpose, they harnessed the unique properties of “water in a supercritical state” to recycle over 99% of CFRP within tens of minutes.



As per the press release, supercritical water occurs “under conditions of temperature and pressure above a certain level.” This extensive process creates unique properties that make it highly effective for industrial recycling processes.



When water reaches supercritical conditions, its polarity rises. This means that it is strongly attracted to other polar molecules, such as the epoxy resin commonly used as the matrix in CFRP.&nbsp;



Moreover, supercritical water also exhibits high diffusivity and density.&nbsp;



These unique properties allow supercritical water to remove epoxy from CFRP while preserving recycled carbon fiber selectively. Interestingly, this recycling process was established using only water without needing catalysts, oxidants, or organic solvents.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-upcycled-carbon-fiber">Upcycled carbon fiber</h3>



The researchers further experimented with supercritical water by introducing glycine. This process converted upcycled CFRP into recycled carbon fiber doped with nitrogen atoms.



The upcycled carbon fiber displayed greater electrical conductivity than typical recycled carbon fiber from previous processes.&nbsp;



The authors point out that this is the first time a single recycling technique has been employed to recycle and upcycle CFRP in a fraction of the time.



These recycled carbon fibers might serve as electrodes in e-mobility <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/this-method-recycles-98-of-metals-from-batteries-in-20-mins" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">batteries.</a>



 &#8220;It is a meaningful research achievement that not only dramatically reduces carbon emissions, but also presents a virtuous cycle of resources that can be converted into battery electrode materials for E-mobility,&#8221; Jung concluded in the <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1041598" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">press release.</a> 



If applied on a larger scale in the near future, this eco-friendly solution has the potential to break the cycle of CFRP waste.



The findings were published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2024.118944" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Carbon.</a>

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There should not be any complacency as any future threats, especially those from China, can overwhelm the country&#8217;s defense capabilities.

Iran’s Israel strikes could compel US to craft counter-drone swarm tech

Counter-drone measures and offensive technology will play a critical factor if a war breaks out in the Indo-Pacific region in the future, and the recent showdown between Israel and Iran was just a meager trailer of what could come if situation deteriorates with China, as per top US officials.



The barrage of drones and missiles launched by Iran at Israel turned out to be a chance to test the capability of the ship-borne Aegis air defense system, as per the Pentagon officials. However, there should not be any complacency as any future threats, especially those from China, will make the US forces need more and cheaper interceptors, laser systems, and weapons which can launch an attack on enemy launchers.



According to the IDF, roughly 350 Iranian missiles and drones were launched against Israel during the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/sm-3-missile-interceptors-combat-debut" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">operation</a> in the past week. Of these, around 99% were intercepted and destroyed, with only around seven incoming drones and missiles penetrating Israeli and allied defenses.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-statements">The statements</h3>



The statements were made at the National Defense Industrial Association’s (NDIA) Missile Defense Conference on Tuesday by Pentagon tech chief Heidi Shyu and other officials.



According to Shyu, the defense capabilities of Aegis in Israel, and Patriot in Ukraine, being tested is a cause for celebration. But Shyu warned that US cannot be complacent and should constantly be developing new defense and offense weapons to stay safe.



Referring to the attack launched on Israel by Iran in the past week, Shyu said it was a trailer and added, “In a highly contested fight over the Indo-Pacific, that could be even greater numbers.”



John Plumb, the assistant secretary of defense, said that there are multiple lessons which can be learnt from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Iran’s attack on Israel.



The most important learning, as per Plumb, is that a lot of drones and missiles can be launched at once by the enemy which can really test US&#8217; defense capabilities.



“We have to have defense at scale, because the adversary can develop cheap systems at scale and then send them simultaneously,” Plumb said.



Air Force Lt. Gen Heath Collins, the director of the Missile Defense Agency, agreed with the statements made by Shyu and Collins. He added that US needs to be prepared to deal with an unprecedented level of “capability and capacity.”



He also pointed out that even rebel and terror groups, like Houthis in Yemen, have also been able to get their hands on several low-end one-way attack drones.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mass-drone-attacks-and-us-countermeasures">Mass drone attacks and US countermeasures</h3>



The mass drone attacks can severely impact the capabilities of defense systems, and they also drive up the funds needed for countermeasures. Plumb also said that Ukraine forces have managed to “shoot down cruise missiles with machine guns”, with the help of sensors. He said that the US, too, should rethink its strategy and save its expensive pieces of missile defense for the last layer. He added, “You want your first layer to be pickets and the pickets have the cheaper shots, then save your most exquisite interceptors at the highest cost for leakers.”



He also gave voice to the need of US to develop a low-cost interceptor to deal with the “scale of the threat.”



Shyu, as per Breaking Defense, <a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2024/04/mind-boggling-israel-ukraine-are-mere-previews-of-a-much-larger-pacific-missile-war-officials-warn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> that the three wings of the US Armed Forces are “developing 300-kilowatt lasers with far greater range than current counter-drone weapons.” She also stated that contracts have been awarded to two different companies to develop 500-kilowatt laser sources, and these can be expected next year.



At the <a href="https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/4/16/4md3---rr-missile-defense-conference/agenda?&amp;viewmode=all" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">conference</a>, she also stressed that the need is to have a comprehensive net of detection, AI-aided drone and missile recognition, and then a whole lot of defense systems which will actually carry out the job.

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Conducted last year by the United States Air Force (USAF), a modified F-16 (called the X-62A) went toe-to-toe with a human pilot in a death-defying battle of wits.

World’s first AI-human aerial dogfight conducted, reveals US Air Force

Representational image: The NF-16D (now X-62A) VISTA in 2019.

Details have been publically released of what might be the first in-flight aerial dogfight simulation between an artificial intelligence (AI) and a living and breathing human pilot. Conducted last year by the United States Air Force (USAF), a modified F-16 (called the X-62A) went toe-to-toe with a human pilot in a death-defying battle of wits.



The X-62 (formerly designated <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/vista-x-62a-training-aircraft-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the NF-16D</a>) did have a human &#8220;failsafe&#8221; pilot in the cockpit, but the exercise was otherwise all AI-controlled. The test also culminated years of development in this history-making moment. 



It has been claimed that this development could revolutionize the future of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), such as the U.S. Air Force&#8217;s <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/collaborative-combat-aircraft-cca-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Collaborative Combat Aircraft</a> (CCA) initiative. 



Footage of the dogfight has been released in a video about the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency&#8217;s (DARPA) Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program. The ACE program has been making remarkable progress in 2023, with the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) playing crucial roles in its success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-real-ai-human-dogfight-in-history">First &#8220;real&#8221; AI-human dogfight in history</h2>



ACE involves various industry and academic partners, including Shield AI, which acquired Heron Systems in 2021. They are the ones who developed an AI &#8220;pilot&#8221; that won DARPA&#8217;s <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-flawlessly-beats-us-air-force-f-16-pilot-in-simulated-dogfight" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">AlphaDogfight Trials</a> in 2020, which took place entirely in a digital setting.



However, these &#8220;victories&#8221; were somewhat &#8220;artificial,&#8221; to borrow a phrase, as the AI pilots did not have to adhere to flying norms. These norms include ensuring the aircraft&#8217;s safety and the pilot&#8217;s well-being. This is where the latest dogfight differed, making it more realistic. 



&#8220;2023 was the year ACE made machine learning a reality in the air,&#8221; Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Hefron, the ACE program manager, says in the newly released video (which you can see below). 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="DARPA ACE &amp; USAF X-62A Achieve World First for AI in Aerospace" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C8yjtaZfNCw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



The new dogfight was also part of DARPA&#8217;s and the USAF&#8217;s mission to make AI-enabled aircraft more &#8220;trustable&#8221; for human crew. 



<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-powered-f-16-jets" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">The X-62A,</a> also known as the Variable-stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA), is a heavily modified two-seat F-16D. Its flight systems can be adjusted to replicate those of almost any other aircraft, making it an exceptional surrogate for a wide range of testing purposes that require a real-world platform. 



This feature also makes VISTA an excellent platform for supporting work like ACE. &#8220;So we have an integrated space within VISTA in the flight controls that allow for artificial intelligence agents to send commands into VISTA as if they were sending commands into the simulated model of VISTA,&#8221; Que Harris, the lead flight controls engineer for the X-62A at Lockheed Martin, explains in the footage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-details-to-come">More details to come</h2>



Harris also described this as a &#8220;sandbox for autonomy&#8221; within the jet. In support of ACE, the X-62A aircraft completed 21 test flights from Edwards Air Force Base in California in three separate test periods between December 2022 and September 2023. 



<a href="https://www.twz.com/air/ai-is-now-dogfighting-with-fighter-pilots-in-the-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">During these flight tests</a>, the &#8220;agents&#8221; required reprogramming almost every day, resulting in over 100,000 lines of code being ultimately changed somehow. AFRL has previously emphasized the ability to further assist this type of flight testing by rapidly training and retraining algorithms in entirely digital environments.



The United States military has stated that human involvement will always be necessary to operate autonomous weapon systems in the future. However, the extent of their participation in the decision-making process is expected to change with time, and this has already been a topic of much discussion and debate.



Later this week, The War Zone will reveal more details about the X-62A&#8217;s use in support of ACE and more about the program&#8217;s achievements.

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Researchers claim that they were able to capture approximately 1 percent of the inherent energy contained within CO2 gas.

Breakthrough CO2-fueled generator turns greenhouse gas into electricity

Screenshot: The UQ-developed technology absorbs carbon dioxide and generates electricity.

Researchers have built a generator that absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) to make electricity, advancing efforts to reverse climate change.



The method promotes a carbon-negative method that combines CO2 adsorption and energy generation simultaneously. According to the team, the technology unveils a potent spatial nanoconfinement approach for the much-needed precise separation of ions. 



The University of Queensland team&#8217;s nanogenerator could lead to a new industrial-scale carbon capture method.



The details of the team&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-47040-x" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">research</a> were published in the journal Nature Communications. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="UQ CO2 nanogenerator" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y5tSDq3Mc3k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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A sustainable solution to carbon capture



One of the most important issues of our time is global warming, caused by greenhouse gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activity. 



Strategies for <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/tech-turns-co2-into-chemicals" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">carbon capture</a>, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are anticipated to be essential in addressing this issue. However, the energy—and money-intensive nature of current CCUS technologies jeopardizes their viability from an environmental and financial standpoint. 



The group devised a solution: a nanosheet-agarose hydrogel (NaH) composite-based <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/main-spring-flameless-linear-power-generator" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">generator</a> that can produce power directly from CO2 adsorption by precisely separating ions along its interior channels.



The nanogenerator consists of two parts: a skeleton constructed of boron nitrate, a few atoms thick, which produces positive and negative ions, and a polyamine gel, which industry has already utilized to collect CO2.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-18T134048.563.jpg" alt="The UQ-developed technology absorbs carbon dioxide and generates electricity." class="wp-image-58962" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-18T134048.563.jpg 1920w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-18T134048.563.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-18T134048.563.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-18T134048.563.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The UQ-developed technology absorbs carbon dioxide and generates electricity.</figcaption></figure>



“We’ve worked out how to make the positive ions much larger than the negative ions and because the different sizes move at different speeds, they generate a diffusion current which can be amplified into electricity to power light bulbs or any electronic device,&#8221; said Zhuyuan Wang from UQ’s Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, in a <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2024/04/uq-turns-co2-sustainable-power" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">statement</a>. 



To address ion size similarity, nanocomposite adsorbents are developed by grafting polyethyleneimine (PEI) onto two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets, forming PEI-functionalized h-BN nanosheets (h-BN-NH2). 



According to researchers, CO2 adsorption releases positively charged NH3+ ions bonded to h-BN and negatively charged HCO3- ions in hydrogel channels, creating a significant size disparity. This disparity enables rapid diffusion across the generator, translating into electricity to power external devices, leveraging gaseous CO2 as an energy source.



Transforming greenhouse gas into energy



The two components were encapsulated within a 90 percent water hydrogel, shaped into 4-centimeter discs and small rectangles, and evaluated within a sealed container filled with CO2.



The results surprised the team when it recorded <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/bind-materials-together-without-glue" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">electrical</a> signals being generated in the process. “I double-checked everything, and it was working correctly so I started dreaming about changing the world using this technology,&#8221; said Wang. 



Researchers claim they could capture approximately 1 percent of the inherent energy contained in CO2 gas. Like with other technologies, the team&#8217;s focus is now on enhancing efficiency and lowering costs.



The nanogenerator has two possible future uses after the laboratory testing were successful. Researchers suggest a slightly larger portable device could be developed to generate electricity, utilizing atmospheric CO2 to power mobile phones or laptop computers. On a larger scale, the technology could be integrated with industrial CO2 capture processes to harness electricity.



“We want to realise the value in a problematic greenhouse gas and change the perception of CO2. Until now, CO2 has been seen as a problem to be solved, but it can be a resource for the future,&#8221; said Xiwang Zhang, director of the Dow Centre, in a statement.

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The new drone is ahead of schedule and, amazingly, well within budget.

Anduril delivers first giant ‘Ghost Shark’ spy drone to Australian Navy

Anduril has announced the delivery of its first prototype, the &#8220;Ghost Shark&#8221; underwater drone, to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The first of the three planned programs is a collaboration between the RAN, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).



Anduril has also announced that the program is running ahead of schedule and, amazingly (for anyone familiar with defense contracts), well within budget. This is a major milestone for the $140 million contract.



The Ghost Shark is an extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle (XL-AUV) that will serve the RAN on critical missions in the Pacific. Three of these vehicles will be delivered to the RAN within three years.



The Ghost Shark is a versatile and modular capability that can be adapted to meet the Australian Defence Force&#8217;s mission requirements, serving as an effective force multiplier for Defence.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ghost-shark-is-ahead-of-schedule-and-within-budget">Ghost Shark is ahead of schedule and within budget</h3>



The drone, whose name is a nod to Boeing&#8217;s &#8220;Ghost Bat,&#8221; can run autonomously underwater for up to ten days. It can also reach depths of around 19,685 feet (6,000 meters). 



<a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2022/12/first-anduril-prototype-ghost-shark-drone-sub-delivered-to-aussies-3-months-early/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Unlike traditional submarines,</a> the Ghost Shark drone can be entirely flooded during operation. Its key systems and sensors are all encased in pressured &#8220;sanctuaries.&#8221; This means it can perform novel underwater operations (either passive or kinetic) without considering the human crew&#8217;s well-being.



“Due to its modular and multi-role nature, our adversaries will need to assume that their every move in the maritime domain is subject to our surveillance and that every XL-UV (drone) is capable of deploying a wide range of effects — including lethal ones,” RAN Admiral Peter Quinn explained in a press conference back in 2022. 



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;Ghost Shark&quot; Naming Ceremony" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PAAqviF-_6Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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“Once your potential adversaries understand what a Ghost Shark is — not that we’re going to give them any specifics — we expect they will generate doubt and uncertainty,&#8221; he added. “Hopefully, they’ll even start hearing the Jaws theme in their head if they suspect one is about,&#8221; he quipped. 



Given the sensitive nature of the program, few other details are publicly known, but Admiral Quinn has stated a few tantalizing details, including that Ghost Shark can allegedly be controlled remotely from various domains.



This has been interpreted to mean that the drones can be fed new missions on the fly. It can also have its payload readily swapped out and could, it has been suggested, play some role alongside the RAN&#8217;s nascent nuclear attack submarine fleet. However, that is purely speculation at this point. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-entirely-homegrown-endeavor">An entirely homegrown endeavor</h3>



“The timeline we set to design and produce three Ghost Sharks in three years in Australia, by Australians for the ADF, was extremely ambitious. I am excited to report that we are ahead of schedule and, importantly for a Defence program, we are on a budget,&#8221; explained David Goodrich OAM, Executive Chairman and CEO of Anduril Australia.



“We&#8217;re moving incredibly quickly on this program in lockstep with our ASCA, DSTG, and the RAN partners. The strategic leadership and innovation insights provided by Professor Tanya Monro, Professor Emily Hilder, and Vice Admiral Mark Hammond are key to our success,” said Mr Goodrich.



The entire Ghost Shark program, Anduril explains, is the product of a collaboration between 42 private companies in Australia. To this end, the XL-UAV is an entirely homegrown affair for Australia.



Once complete, Ghost Shark will also be offered for international export, with the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-navy-picks-anduril-to-develop-underwater-drones" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">United States Navy</a> already interested in seeing what it can do. &#8220;&#8216;Ghost Shark&#8217; [exemplifies] how Defence and Australian industry can move at speed to develop new sovereign capabilities to respond to the challenges before us,&#8221; says Australia&#8217;s Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy.

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For the first time, Al models will be competing with each other for a pageant.

AI models to contest and judge ‘Miss AI’ pageant in a frenzy world 1st

Al model Emily Pellegrini, one of the judges

The world&#8217;s first artificial intelligence (AI) beauty pageant has been announced,, and the winner will receive over $20 thousand in prizes.



The glittering world of modeling and fashion has embraced Al technology, and AI-generated models will take center stage in the beauty pageant named &#8216;Miss Al.&#8217;



Miss AI contest has been announced by World AI Creator Awards (WAICA), in partnership with Fanvue.



WAICA, as per its description, is a global program of awards dedicated to recognizing the achievements of AI creators around the world. Fanvue is a subscription platform that allows AI content and combines AI messaging, voice notes and analytics with an intent to increase the earnings of creators.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-miss-ai-contest">Miss AI contest</h3>



The competition will be open to all creators who are behind an AI-generated model and have a social media presence. Contestants must be at least 18 years of age to participate and be considered for the pageant.



As per WAICA, the entrants will be judged on factors such as fan interaction and audience expansion on platforms such as Instagram.



Alongside conventional standards like beauty and technology, their use of AI tools to craft <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/the-impossible-statue-a-beautiful-fusion-of-science-and-art" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">digital</a> artwork will also be evaluated. That is not all; of importance will be their creativity and attention to detail, but also their poise and unique answers. Other aspects are more tech-connected, such as earning points for implementing AI tools. According to the website data, the contest aims to celebrate creators at the forefront of AI.



Some of the questions during the entry process are: How you currently monetize your model’s content? What is their total monthly revenue across platforms? Can you tell us a bit more about your AI model, explain who you’ve created and why? If your AI model could talk, what would be their one dream to make the world a better place? What tech have you used to create your AI model?



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-winner-takes-well-not-all">The winner takes…well, not all.</h3>



The winner of &#8216;Miss AI&#8217; will get a $5,000 cash prize and elevated visibility on the Fanvue platform. Also, they will be provided access to a mentorship program valued at $3,000 and PR support of more than $5,000 in value, as per WAICA.



The runner-up will leave with a $5,000 cash reward, complimentary enrollment in an Imagine Education course valued at $500, and PR support valued at over $2,500.



Similarly, the third-place winner will receive $2,000, a consultation call with Imagine Education valued at $500. They will also get a promotional package from Fanvue worth $500.



The panel of judges also includes two virtual influencers —Aitana Lopez and Emily Pellegrini. Moreover, Andrew Bloch, one of the two human judges for the contest, is an entrepreneur and PR adviser. Bloch will judge the contestants alongside another fellow human, Sally-Ann Fawcett, a beauty pageant expert and author. 



The mix of AI-generated models and humans in the judging panels is also likely to lead to an interesting evaluation process. 



The entries are now <a href="https://www.waicas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">open </a>and the announcement of the winners is scheduled for May 10.



The main point is to celebrate the technical skill and work behind digital influencer personas worldwide, and keeping this in mind, WAICA has kept the entry free. 



This competition can also tell us more about how Al might impact industries like fashion or modeling.

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The submerged design of wave energy converter is marine-life friendly and also stays out of sight of beach goers.

Spain set to get table-top-like submerged sea wave energy converter

CETO, the submerged wave energy generator. 

A fully submerged wave energy converter (WEC) system designed by Irish company CETO Wave Energy Ireland (CWEI) has passed a crucial step and has been approved for deployment in Basque Country, Spain, a company press release said. CWEI has been granted the Authorisation to Proceed (ATP) by EuropeWave, a European research and development project exclusively for WECs. 



Like wind and solar energy, the waves of the sea also have an unlimited supply of energy that can be tapped into to meet global energy needs. With countries looking to phase out fossil fuels from their energy consumption, there is a push to develop newer ways of tapping into this renewable energy source, and projects like EuropeWave aid in their development.&nbsp;



Interesting Engineering has previously reported on <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/beating-heart-inspired-wave-energy-converter" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">multiple designs</a> for WEC, each attempting to maximize the energy output with its rhythmic motion on the surface of the waves. CETO design is slightly different since the WEC is fully submerged under the water.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Fully submerged WEC design</h3>



Named after the Greek sea goddess, CETO is a fully submerged WEC that uses point absorber-type wave energy technology. The WEC unit consists of a buoy that sits a few meters below the ocean&#8217;s surface and moves with the waves.&nbsp;



The device can be installed at various water depths and seafloor conditions. So, it can be installed away from storm waves and from the sight of beachgoers at popular shores.



The device&#8217;s design ensures that it has a minimal visual impact and can coexist with marine life. It is attached to the sea floor with a mooring system, and the carbon-free electricity generated by the buoyant actuator is removed from the system by a dynamic cable.&nbsp;



The system is entirely modular and can be arranged in arrays to provide clean and green energy to the grid.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CETO2.jpg" alt="CETO Energy converter" class="wp-image-58920" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CETO2.jpg 1920w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CETO2.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CETO2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CETO2.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Parts of the CETO Energy Converter developed by Carnegie Clean Energy. Image credit: <a href="https://www.carnegiece.com/ceto-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Carnegie Clean Energy.</a></figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deployment-in-spain">Deployment in Spain</h3>



CWEI submitted documents showcasing the technical, financial, regulatory, and safety aspects of the design to attain the ATP milestone. After being reviewed by a Buyers Group at EuropeWave, the technology has been approved for a prototype deployment at the Basque Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) in Spain.&nbsp;



The CETO prototype will operate for two years at the open ocean site, and data collected during operation will be used to validate the technology and its performance further.&nbsp;



The deployment is part of EuropeWave, a Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) program established as a collaboration between Wave Energy Scotland (WES), the Basque Energy&nbsp; Agency (EVE), and Ocean Energy Europe(OEE). The program has a 22 million euro (US$23.5 million) fund for advancing wave energy projects in the region.&nbsp;



“Passing the Authorisation to Proceed (ATP) milestone of the  EuropeWave contract is a testament to the team’s hard work and vision and will be a key strategic step in CETO’s commercialization journey,” said Miguel  Santos Herrá, the project manager at CWEI in the <a href="https://www.carnegiece.com/portfolio/achieve-passes-europewave-authorisation-to-proceed-milestone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">press release</a>. “For us, this is an exciting green light.  We keep taking important steps towards being grid-connected and generating renewable <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/ie-originals/ie-explainer/season-4/ep-10-the-hidden-potential-of-ocean-waves" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">electricity from waves</a> in the Basque Country.”

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Stanford University researchers have presented a new arachnid-inspired robot to hunt life in the hidden depths of Mars&#8217; caves.

Spider-like robot could crawl into Mars’ congested caves to search life

Grasping, spiderlike robot design reaches and grabs to explore extraterrestrial caves. 

Experts have been creating and testing a new long-legged robot capable of crawling into <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/ai-mars-oxygen-from-ice" rel="dofollow">Mars&#8217;</a> congested caves in search of life.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Caves are of great astrobiological interest to planetary scientists. They believe that life could exist or has previously existed in Martian caves. 



Potential microbial life may have sought sanctuary here, safe from radiation, extreme temperature variations, and the ever-present dust storms.



But how do we explore these extreme, tightly-packed cave settings? The current generation of <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinese-researchers-unveil-lizard-like-robot-for-mars-exploration" rel="dofollow">robots</a> is hindered by Mars&#8217; rocky, uneven terrain and lack of anchor points. That&#8217;s where ReachBot comes in.



Stanford University researchers have presented a new arachnid-inspired robot.&nbsp;



“The small-bodied, multilegged design will allow the robot to move by manipulating its body in twists and turns and climbing motions with respect to the terrain,” the researchers noted in the press release.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-legs-with-grippers">Long legs with grippers</h3>



ReachBot is inspired by the movement of the Harvestman spider, also known as a daddy-long-legs. The current model boasts a small body and long, extendable legs equipped with grippers. Moreover, the booms will allow the robot to move ahead.&nbsp;



These appendages allow ReachBot to navigate through the narrow passages of Martian caves to hunt for signs of life and other key resources, like water. The multiple extendable boom limbs have a three-finger gripper that clutches onto the rocks and uses them as anchor points.



Interestingly, this robot might be used to closely explore the lava tubes on the Moon, which one day may host base camps for humans.&nbsp;



Sensors and a &#8220;contact-before-motion planner&#8221; together work to propel the robot.&nbsp;



“To propel ReachBot, we present a contact-before-motion planner for nongaited-legged locomotion that uses internal force control, similar to a multi-fingered hand, to keep its long, slender booms in tension. “



These onboard features allow the robot to scan and identify graspable points on the cave walls.&nbsp; Furthermore, its micro spine-equipped grippers provide a solid grasp even in the harshest settings.



In addition, the team trained the robot using Monte Carlo simulation for better grip analysis.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1041131?" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="525" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Low-Res_IMG_7944.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-58944" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Low-Res_IMG_7944.jpeg 700w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Low-Res_IMG_7944.jpeg?resize=300,225 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Field testing photos of ReachBot in a lava tube in the Mojave Desert. BDML Stanford University</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-in-earth-s-lava-tubes">Testing in Earth&#8217;s lava tubes</h3>



The prototype model was tested in a lava tube in the Mojave Desert of California, United States. Field experiments in Earth&#8217;s lava tunnels have validated ReachBot&#8217;s potential as a Martian explorer. The test showed ReachBot&#8217;s capacity to locate and grip various places.



&nbsp;“Results from the field test confirm the predictions of maximum grasp forces and underscore the importance of identifying and steering toward convex rock features that provide a strong grip,” the researchers mentioned in the <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1041131?" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">press release. &nbsp;</a>



“They also highlight a characteristic of grasp planning with ReachBot, which is that identifying, aiming for, and extending booms involves a higher level of commitment than grasping objects in manufacturing scenarios,” it added. 



If humans eventually colonize Mars, they’ll likely dwell in one of the countless caves or lava tubes beneath the planet&#8217;s surface.&nbsp;



These cave-like structures formed billions of years ago due to the planet’s intense volcanic activity.&nbsp;



As lava poured from volcanoes, the surface cooled and solidified, forming roofs over 90 meters thick. Moreover, the channels of lava flow formed diverse sizes of underground tunnels. When the lava drained, it left a cave, which was evident by various Martian orbiters and robotic explorers.&nbsp;

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The longest cave in Saudi Arabia’s volcanic field records how pastoralist activities once thrived in this region.

This lava tube sheltered humans herding livestock for over 7000 years

Researchers exploring the Umm Jirsan Lava Tube system.

New archaeological excavation at Umm Jirsan in the volcanic field of Harrat Khaybar in Saudi Arabia. 



It shed light on the lives of <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/engineering-beavers-survival-ancient-humans" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">ancient people</a> in Arabia, spanning from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age periods (~10,000-3,500 years ago). 



A new study found that Umm Jirsan, a large lava tube roughly 125 kilometers (77 miles) north of Medina, has provided shelter to humans herding livestock for at least the past 7,000 years.  



A collaboration between Griffith University’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) and international partners tapped into archaeological reservoirs that have remained untouched before.&nbsp;



The research was led by Mathew Stewart of Griffith University and colleagues, who analyzed archaeological evidence found within the lava tube, including artifacts, rock art, and skeletal remains.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-umm-jirsan-sheds-light-on-ancient-arabs">Umm Jirsan sheds light on ancient Arabs</h3>



The research was conducted in northern Arabia in the last decade, and the statement noted that it spotlighted a “diverse Holocene archaeological record.” 



Archaeologists had to overcome challenges in comprehending the human-occupied areas as they were connected to neighboring regions like the Levant was difficult. 



This is because organic remains don&#8217;t preserve well in the arid conditions of the region. 



Owing to the lack of preservation hindered researchers&#8217; ability to accurately date human occupations and trace their movements and interactions with nearby areas.



Therefore, the team focused their research on caves and other underground settings. This is where the ancient items were sheltered from the weather conditions, including sun, wind, and extreme temperature fluctuations. 



&#8220;Our findings at Umm Jirsan provide a rare glimpse into the lives of ancient peoples in Arabia, revealing repeated phases of human occupation and shedding light on the pastoralist activities that once thrived in this landscape,&#8221; stated Dr Mathew Stewart, the lead researcher and a Research Fellow at ARCHE.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-vantage-point">A vantage point </h3>



&#8220;This site likely served as a crucial waypoint along pastoral routes, linking key oases and facilitating cultural exchange and trade.&#8221;&nbsp;



The lava tube was comprised of rock art and faunal records, which implied the pastoralist use of the lava tube and its nearby regions. 



Additionally, cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs were depicted, attesting to the prehistoric livestock practices and herd composition of the region.



Analysis of isotopes in animal remains shows that livestock mainly fed on wild plants, while humans consumed a protein-rich diet.&nbsp;



The statement noted a noticeable rise in human consumption of C3 plants over time, indicating the development of oasis agriculture. 



The study&#8217;s author also said that Umm Jirsan cave was likely not a permanent home but a valuable stopping point for people traveling between oasis settlements.



&#8220;While underground localities are globally significant in archaeology and Quaternary science, our research represents the first comprehensive study of its kind in Saudi Arabia,&#8221; said Professor Michael Petraglia, Director of ARCHE.&nbsp;



&#8220;These findings underscore the immense potential for interdisciplinary investigations in caves and lava tubes, offering a unique window into Arabia&#8217;s ancient past.&#8221;&nbsp;



The study was published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299292" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">journal</a> PLOS ONE on April 17.

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An analysis of a newly discovered giant ichthyosaur indicates it was over 25 meters (82 feet) and lived during the Late Triassic period.

202-million-year-old fossils belong to a &#8216;blue whale&#8217;-sized fish lizard

A giant pair of swimming Ichthyotitan severnensis. 

In May 2020, a father and daughter—Justin and Ruby Reynolds—from Braunton, Devon, discovered the fossilized remains of a gigantic jawbone.



The duo were out looking for fossils at the beach in Devon, an English county, when Ruby, aged 11 in 2020, came across the first chunk of giant bone.



 This led them to look for additional fossils. In May 2020, they spotted the first pieces of the second jawbone of a marine reptile.



A second jawbone measured over two meters with scientists later identifying the bones as belonging to a new <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/discovery-ichthyosaur-origin-pre-dinosaur-era" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">ichthyosaur</a> species.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-25-meter-long-marine-reptile">A 25-meter-long marine reptile</h3>



According to a scientific analysis, this oceanic titan may have measured over 25 meters (82 feet) in length. 



When the father-daughter pair realized the significance of the fossil, they reached out to an ichthyosaur expert, Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist at The University of Manchester.&nbsp;



“When Ruby and I found the first two pieces, we were very excited as we realized that this was something important and unusual,&#8221; Justin Reynolds said. 



&#8220;When I found the back part of the jaw, I was thrilled because that is one of the defining parts of Paul&#8217;s earlier discovery.”



Additionally, Lomax contacted Paul de la Salle, a fossil collector who discovered the first giant jawbone in May 2016 from further along the coast at Lilstock.



“I was amazed by the find. In 2018, my team (including Paul de la Salle) studied and described Paul’s giant jawbone and we had hoped that one day another would come to light,” stated Lomax.



“This new specimen is more complete and better preserved, and shows that we now have two of these giant bones &#8211; called a surangular &#8211; that have a unique shape and structure. I became very excited, to say the least.”



Upon further inspection, the team found additional pieces of the same jaw belonging to the marine <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/researchers-discover-new-reptile-species-dating-back-to-the-triassic-period" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">reptile</a>. It “fit together perfectly, like a multimillion-year-old jigsaw,” the statement noted.



The latest piece was recovered in October 2022. After evaluating the fossils, the team surmised that the new species of the giant ichthyosaur could be estimated to be the size of a blue whale.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bones-date-back-to-the-triassic-period">Bones date back to the Triassic Period </h3>



When the team compared the two instances of the same bone, possessing identical features that originated from the same geological period, the identifications of the species were confirmed.&nbsp;



They called the new genus and species Ichthyotitan severnensis, which means “giant fish lizard of the Severn.”



These bones date back to 202 million years ago, at the end of the Triassic Period, in a time known as the Rhaetian, as per the statement. The ocean titans then swam in the oceans while the dinosaurs roamed the lands. 



The statement says it was the ichthyosaur&#8217;s final chapter. As the story told in the rocks above, these fossils record a cataclysm known as the Late Triassic global mass extinction event. 



Post the extinction event, the ichthyosaurs belonging to the family comprehended as Shastasauridae went extinct.&nbsp;



Experts say that these bones of the massive marine reptile are the very last of its kind.



“I was highly impressed that Ruby and Justin correctly identified the discovery as another enormous jawbone from an ichthyosaur,” expressed Lomax. 



“They recognized that it matched the one we described in 2018. I asked them whether they would like to join my team to study and describe this fossil, including naming it.”



“They jumped at the chance. For Ruby, especially, she is now a published scientist who not only found but also helped to name a type of gigantic prehistoric reptile,&#8221; he added. 



&#8220;There are probably not many 15-year-olds who can say that! A Mary Anning in the making, perhaps.”



The discovery made by Reynolds is soon expected to be exhibited at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.



Ruby, now aged 15, stated: “It was so cool to discover part of this gigantic ichthyosaur. I am very proud to have played a part in a scientific discovery like this.”



The study was published earlier today in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0300289" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">journal</a> PLoS ONE on April 17.

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<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/researchers-discover-new-reptile-species-dating-back-to-the-triassic-period">Researchers Discover New Reptile Species Dating Back to the Triassic Period</a>
<a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/discovery-ichthyosaur-origin-pre-dinosaur-era">Discovery of oldest ichthyosaur pushes back origin to pre-dinosaur era</a>
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Scientists studying bumblebee queens due to climate change discovered they might be able to survive a flood.

This queen bee can survive underwater for a week

A Bombus impatiens bee sitting on a flower  

Researchers just discovered that queens of a certain bumblebee species can survive a flood while diapausing.



Insects tend to avoid winters by going into diapause, a temporary state of dormancy. In the case of bumblebees, the queens go into a deep sleep while the workers and males perish. Her survival is then critical because she has to create a new colony in the next season.



That’s why Dr Sabrina Rondeau of the University of Guelph in Canada and Professor Nigel Raine set out to study bumblebees in the first place. If anything threatens the queen’s life while diapausing, it means the end of a colony. 



Given the global decline of bumblebee populations worldwide, scientific study on pollinators has increased as their role in the greater ecosystem cannot be overstated. Climate change has provoked more and more studies into how altered weather patterns that might lead to floods, for example, might seriously impact a variety of kingdoms, including insects.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-experiment-with-bumblebee-queens">The experiment with bumblebee queens</h3>



While experimenting on bumblebee queens, the scientists flooded the containers holding queens from the common eastern bumblebee species (Bombus impatiens). They chose this species because of its abundance and the fact that they are one of the most important pollinators in North America. 



When they drained the water, they found that these bumblebee queens hadn’t died. The scientists decided to conduct another study — how long can they stay submerged underwater during diapause?



“No study, to our knowledge, has ever investigated the potential scenario of diapausing bumblebee queens withstanding submersion,” says Dr. Rondeau and Professor Raine, chief investigators. 



They placed 143 bumblebee queens in their own tube with damp topsoil. After covering the tube with a perforated lid, they kept the tubes in a refrigerator for about a week. These queens survived Phase One.



The scientists then divided up the queens. They kept 17 as a control group and submerged the rest in water. In the underwater group, they allowed some to float to the surface, but they pushed the others down with a plunger to keep them totally underwater to test a couple of possible flooding conditions. 



They even put the flooded queens&#8217; survival capacity to the test against different time intervals: eight hours, 24 hours, and even seven days. “Notably,” they observed, &#8220;81% of the queens that were subjected to the most intense submersion regime and duration… were still alive after eight weeks of artificial overwintering, compared to 88% (15 out of 17) for the control group.”



Now, scientists might like to study how the bumblebee queens are able to do it. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-are-studying-bumblebees-because-of-climate-change">Scientists are studying bumblebees because of climate change</h3>



It&#8217;s important to keep in mind, however, that even if other types of bumblebees might be able to perform the same function, it doesn’t mean that these populations <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/human-honey-hunters-africa-birds" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">aren’t at risk</a> as adverse weather conditions increase. 



Because they are. 



We&#8217;re seeing a general decline in <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/8-new-species-of-bees" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">bee populations</a>. However, speculations that climate change could drown out bumblebees could be put somewhat to rest at first glance; these queens can survive a flood—for up to a week, at least. And they seem to be a rare bee breed already in that their signature trait is that they can adapt to a variety of habitats.



“Conditions increasing mortality during diapause can have devastating effects on bumblebee populations,&#8221; the study says. B. impatiens seems to <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/science/ancient-bees-dinosaurs-120million-year" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">demonstrate extraordinary resiliency</a>. Does their ability to withstand floods enable them to survive conditions that other species cannot? Another reason to investigate further.



In light of climate change, scientists have set out to study how weather changes are disrupting the planet’s ecosystem. Without bees, the plants they pollinate would die, and then, animals would suddenly find themselves without food. Including us. 



We seem to be losing bee populations at an alarming rate, which we don’t want. But at least we know that these queens are built to last to some extent, at least.



Dr. Rondeau and Professor Raine just published their study in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0609" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Biology Letters journal</a>.

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Quantum dots, generated in the device were passed through a quantum memory system that stored them with the help of rubidium atoms.

In a global first, scientists create, store, and retrieve quantum data 

Representational image for quantum computing device. 

A collaboration of scientists from various universities in the UK and Europe have stored and retrieved data from quantum computers, marking a &#8220;crucial connection for &#8216;quantum internet,'&#8221; in a global first. This is an essential step in quantum networking as the world gears up for the next generation of computing. 



With its ultrafast computational speeds, quantum computing is touted to solve the world’s problems in designing new drugs, understanding the properties of materials, and optimizing financial risk. Quantum computers built today are already way ahead of their binary counterparts and are getting even better with adding more quantum bits in the processing and error correction packages.



However, all these advances could mean nothing if scientists cannot reliably transmit quantum data over a network. Interestingly, quantum data is also prone to being lost when transmitted over long distances due to its nature. This is why scientists have been looking for ways to divide the network into smaller segments and link them up to share the same quantum state.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transmitting-quantum-information">Transmitting quantum information</h3>



Modern-day communication networks that transmit Internet data also suffer from the same problem. This is why the networks are equipped with repeaters or amplifiers that read and amplify the signal so that it remains intact over long distances.



Classical repeaters, however, cannot be used with quantum data since any attempt to read or copy it would destroy it. Therefore, quantum information must be stored and retrieved throughout the network to transmit data over long distances, requiring a quantum memory device.



One approach to sharing quantum information is using entangled photons. Since the particles are entangled, one cannot understand one of the particles without understanding the other. However, to share the entangled photons over long distances, you need two devices: one to create, store, and retrieve them over the transmission network.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Quantum dot approach</h3>



Scientists have attempted to create such devices, but generating entangled photons on demand and developing a compatible quantum memory to store them has remained challenging. This was largely because the devices used for creating and storing photons used different wavelengths, making it difficult for them to interface.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/QD-1.jpg" alt="Quantum Dot" class="wp-image-58680" srcset="https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/QD-1.jpg 1920w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/QD-1.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/QD-1.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/QD-1.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> A researcher working with the quantum dot setup that can create and store quantum data. Image credit: <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/252621/crucial-connection-quantum-internet-made-first/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Imperial College London</a>. </figcaption></figure>



A collaboration of scientists at the Imperial College and the University of Southampton in the UK and the University of Stuttgart and the University of Wurzburg in Germany developed a device that uses the same wavelength. Non-entangled photons, dubbed quantum dots, generated in this device were passed through a quantum memory system that stored them with the help of rubidium atoms.



A laser was used to turn the memory on and off and release the photons on demand. More importantly, the wavelength the device uses is compatible with the fiber optic infrastructure that connects the world today, making it easier to deploy when quantum computers are ready for roll-out.



“Interfacing two key devices together is a crucial step forward in allowing quantum networking, and we are really excited to be the first team to have been able to demonstrate this,” said Sarah Thomas, a researcher at the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, who was involved in the work in a <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/252621/crucial-connection-quantum-internet-made-first/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">press release</a>.



The scientists plan to improve the system by reducing its size and increasing the duration of photon storage.

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