A new space radiation shield: Flexible boron nitride nanotube film shows promise

Blocking space radiation threats with nanotubes! 'Boron nitride nanotube space radiation shield' developed
Space is an environment exposed not only to primary cosmic radiation but also to secondary radiation, particularly neutrons, which are generated by interactions with spacecraft or the lunar surface and pose significant biological risks. The BNNT liquid crystal-based film demonstrates more efficient space radiation shielding performance than aluminum at the same mass thickness, and is especially effective at attenuating thermal neutrons. Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology

High-energy cosmic radiation damages cells and DNA, causing cancer, and secondary neutrons—generated especially from the planetary surfaces—can be up to 20 times more harmful than other radiations...

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How a key protein helps drive healthy longevity by maintaining a precise balance

One foot on the gas and one on the brake: How a key protein helps drive healthy longevity
Illustration of the one-carbon metabolic pathway. Sirt6-dependent differentially acetylated proteins are highlighted by red circles. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2514084122

Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have discovered how the longevity-associated protein Sirt6 orchestrates a delicate molecular balancing act that protects the body from age-related decline and disease. The new findings, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveal how Sirt6 preserves health during aging and may pave the way for therapies that promote a longer, healthier life.

Sirt6, often described as a master regulator of aging, is known for its powerful protective effects against age-related diseases such as cancer, diabete...

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Artificial neuron can mimic different parts of the brain—a major step toward human-like robotics

Scientists' artificial neuron can mimic different parts of the brain – a major step towards human-like robotics
An electronic chip used to create an artificial transneuron – a tiny electronic circuit that replicates how brain cells pass signals between one another by generating small electrical pulses. Credit: Loughborough University

Robots that can sense and respond to the world like humans may soon be a reality as scientists have created an artificial neuron capable of mimicking different parts of the brain.

Artificial neurons—tiny electronic circuits that replicate the way brain cells communicate—lie at the heart of neuromorphic computing, a field aiming to bring human-like intelligence to machines.

Despite rapid progress, today’s artificial neurons can only perform fixed tasks, each serving a narrow role...

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Supercomputers decode the strange behavior of Enceladus’s plumes

Supercomputers are rewriting our understanding of Enceladus’ icy plumes and the mysterious ocean that may harbor life beneath them. Cutting-edge simulations show that Enceladus’ plumes are losing 20–40% less mass than earlier estimates suggested. The new models provide sharper insights into subsurface conditions that future landers may one day probe directly.

In the 17th century, astronomers Christiaan Huygens and Giovanni Cassini pointed some of the earliest telescopes at Saturn and made a surprising discovery. The bright structures around the planet were not solid extensions of the world itself, but separate rings formed from many thin, nested arcs.

Centuries later, NASA’s Cassini-Huygens (Cassini) mission carried that exploration into the space age...

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