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A powerful laser shines into a jet of gas, creating a bright plasma and generating ultraviolet light. The light leaves a visible white line as it interacts with leftover gas in the vacuum chamber. This process helps scientists precisely measure the energy needed to excite the thorium-229 nucleus, which is the core of a future nuclear clock.

New ‘vacuum ultraviolet’ laser is 100 to 1,000 times more efficient than existing tech

A new tabletop vacuum ultraviolet laser from CU Boulder is up to 1,000 times more efficient than existing sources.

Joseph ShavitupdaPublished Mar 15, 2026 4:07 PM PDT

Rice University researchers developed magnetoARPES to directly observe time-reversal symmetry breaking in a kagome superconductor, offering new insight into unconventional superconductivity.

Discoveries Inside the quantum loop: New tool cracks a long-standing physics mystery Shy Cohen

Researchers Ravi David Nath and Claire Nicole Bedbrook place African killifish under continuous behavioral surveillance to track movement patterns across their lifespan, finding that activity levels in young adults may serve as an early predictor of longevity.

Health Daily movement and sleep patterns can predict lifespan with striking accuracy Hannah Shavit-Weiner

Gut bacterium linked to greater muscle strength, with mouse experiments showing it can directly increase grip strength and muscle fiber size.

Health Scientists discover a gut bacteria linked to greater muscle strength in humans Mac Oliveau

Field experiments show diverse plant communities release richer odor signals, and fewer species can disrupt the chemical cues ecosystems rely on.

Green Impact Scientists discover the invisible scent language of plants Rebecca Shavit

Jonathan Calvert (left) is lead author of the research. David Borton (right) is the senior author.

Health Electrical stimulation can restore ability to move limbs after spinal cord injury Joshua Shavit

Close-up view of the top of the sample transfer box (top door open), showing that the lithium dendrite was transferred using a micromanipulator tip (a sharp silver needle) from the brown copper transmission electron microscopy grids to the Rice micromechanical devices (silver blocks), ready for subsequent testing and characterization.

Green Impact Hard truth: Here’s the reason most lithium-ion batteries fail Shy Cohen

After losing three family members in a rink shooting, Rhode Island hockey player Colin Dorgan scored a double-overtime winner.

Good News The game-winning goal that lifted a hockey team and community from tragedy Amyn Bhai

A new study finds people can detect buried objects through dry sand before contact, revealing an overlooked extension of the human sense of touch.

Health Scientists discover that humans have a hidden ‘seventh sense’Rebecca Shavit

A 28-pound electric motor now produces over 1,000 horsepower, setting a new power-density record in EV propulsion.

Green Impact New 28-pound electric motor out-powers a Tesla Model S Plaid Joshua Shavit

A realistic depiction of a free-floating gas giant planet and its Earth-like moon.

Space Hydrogen atmospheres could keep exomoons habitable for billions of years Joseph Shavit

A Cleveland Clinic study of nearly 8,000 patients finds that stopping semaglutide or tirzepatide leads to far less weight regain than clinical trials suggested.

Health Cleveland Clinic study reveals what happens when patients stop taking GLP-1 drugs Mac Oliveau

Study of 6,594 solar twins suggests the Sun migrated outward from the Milky Way’s center 4–6 billion years ago.

Space The Sun could be one of thousands of solar twins moving through the Milky Way Joshua Shavit

Research suggests humans may be biologically wired for music, with musical abilities appearing in infancy and across cultures.

Health Humans are born musical, study finds Rebecca Shavit

Study finds European hedgehogs hear ultrasound, raising hopes for sound devices that could keep them away from cars.

Discoveries Oxford researchers find ultrasound could help save hedgehogs Hannah Shavit-Weiner

Study finds social pressure and peer behavior strongly influence sports betting among young adults during major events like March Madness.

Discoveries March Madness: Why sports betting is booming among young adults Amyn Bhai

Scientists discover the first neutron star–black hole merger with an eccentric orbit, reshaping theories of how these systems form.

Space Astronomers discover the first neutron star–black hole merger with an eccentric orbit Joseph Shavit