More from Rahul Rao (Page 2)

A cockscomb pearl mussel.

The secret to better folding phones might hinge on mussels The secret to better folding phones might hinge on mussels

Tesla coil experiment to demonstrate how electricity works.

How does electricity work? Let’s demystify the life-changing physics. How does electricity work? Let’s demystify the life-changing physics.

Agent Smith clones from The Matrix to show the concept of singularity in AI and AGI

What happens if AI grows smarter than humans? The answer worries scientists. What happens if AI grows smarter than humans? The answer worries scientists.

Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source.

Physicists take first-ever X-rays of single atoms Physicists take first-ever X-rays of single atoms

Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think

Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think

A supermassive black hole with a mass many times that of our sun.

A gassy black hole might have burped out the largest cosmic explosion ever A gassy black hole might have burped out the largest cosmic explosion ever

A swirl of dust from the Sahara desert is carried on winds above the Mediterranean.

The epic journey of dust in the wind often ends with happy plankton The epic journey of dust in the wind often ends with happy plankton

Ancient Maya idol in Copán, Guatemala

Ancient Maya masons had a smart way to make plaster stronger Ancient Maya masons had a smart way to make plaster stronger

Satellite image of the powerful eruption.

How the Tonga eruption rang Earth ‘like a bell’ How the Tonga eruption rang Earth ‘like a bell’

Google Sycamore processor for quantum computer hanging from a server room with gold and blue wires

Quantum computers can’t teleport things—yet Quantum computers can’t teleport things—yet

Pincushion cactus with pink flowers on a sunny windowsill

Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you

Superconductor cuprate rings lit up in blue and green on a black grid

Room-temperature superconductors could zap us into the future Room-temperature superconductors could zap us into the future

Venus volcano in NASA Magellan spacecraft radar image

Venus could still be spewing lava, and scientists are hellbent on proving it Venus could still be spewing lava, and scientists are hellbent on proving it

Hera asteroid space probe radio antenna in ESA lab

DART left an asteroid crime scene. This mission is on deck to investigate it. DART left an asteroid crime scene. This mission is on deck to investigate it.

The skeleton of a possible Yamnaya horse rider.

People may have been riding horses as early as 5,000 years ago People may have been riding horses as early as 5,000 years ago

Surrealist digital painting inspired by Dali of flying clocks and chess pieces upside down over sand and the Earth. The motifs symbolize the leap second.

We might soon lose a full second of our lives We might soon lose a full second of our lives

An illustration of a circuit in the form of a human brain.

Engineers finally peeked inside a deep neural network Engineers finally peeked inside a deep neural network

Moondust could chill out our overheated Earth, some scientists predict

Moondust could chill out our overheated Earth, some scientists predict Moondust could chill out our overheated Earth, some scientists predict

Marcoule Nuclear Power Plant in France. Workers in protective gear heating glowing nuclear reactor.

Why shooting cosmic rays at nuclear reactors is actually a good idea Why shooting cosmic rays at nuclear reactors is actually a good idea

Earth’s natural air-scrubbing system works better when it’s wetter

Earth’s natural air-scrubbing system works better when it’s wetter Earth’s natural air-scrubbing system works better when it’s wetter

Nuclear shelter basement sign on brick building to represent survival tips for a nuclear blast

The best—and worst—places to shelter after a nuclear blast The best—and worst—places to shelter after a nuclear blast

Cosmic dust on display in Messier 98 galaxy.

Physicists figured out a recipe to make titanium stardust on Earth Physicists figured out a recipe to make titanium stardust on Earth

Geologists collecting Permian fossils on a Tibetan plateau

UV radiation might be behind the planet’s biggest mass extinction UV radiation might be behind the planet’s biggest mass extinction

ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth

International Space Station

ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth

Gold clock with blue arms for minutes and seconds

Time doesn’t have to be exact—here’s why Time doesn’t have to be exact—here’s why

Target fusion chamber of the National Ignition Facility

What the Energy Department’s laser breakthrough means for nuclear fusion What the Energy Department’s laser breakthrough means for nuclear fusion

Woolly mammoths in forests in Greenland after eDNA reconstruction. The scene is an illustration.

Oldest DNA ever sampled paints a lush portrait of a lost Arctic world Oldest DNA ever sampled paints a lush portrait of a lost Arctic world

Japanese woman holding gold Sharp calculator with transistor

The small, mighty, world-changing transistor turns 75 The small, mighty, world-changing transistor turns 75

The most awesome aerospace innovations of 2022

The most awesome aerospace innovations of 2022 The most awesome aerospace innovations of 2022

By Rahul Rao, Rob Verger

Black hole shooting beam of energy out speed of light and being caught by a space telescope in an illustration. There's an inset showing blue and purple electromagnetic waves,

Astronomers now know how supermassive black holes blast us with energy Astronomers now know how supermassive black holes blast us with energy

Winchcombe meteorite fragment in a purple-gloved hand for chemical analysis

Two meteorite mysteries are helping astronomers investigate the origins of life Two meteorite mysteries are helping astronomers investigate the origins of life

A hohlraum at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Particle Physics

Magnets might be the future of nuclear fusion Magnets might be the future of nuclear fusion

The center of Messier 77's spiral galaxy.

Particle Physics

This far-off galaxy is probably shooting us with oodles of ghostly particles This far-off galaxy is probably shooting us with oodles of ghostly particles

Gamma-ray burst from exploding galaxy in NASA Hubble telescope rendition

To set the record straight: Nothing can break the speed of light To set the record straight: Nothing can break the speed of light

Volcano belching lava and gas above ocean to represent Great Oxygenation Event

Geologists are searching for when the Earth took its first breath Geologists are searching for when the Earth took its first breath

Silkworms like the one seen here spin cocoons of silk.

How researchers leveled up worm silk to be tougher than a spider’s How researchers leveled up worm silk to be tougher than a spider’s

Large Hadron Collider experiment view with CERN staff in a hard hat standing near during the Europe gas crisis

Europe’s energy crisis could shut down the Large Hadron Collider Europe’s energy crisis could shut down the Large Hadron Collider

Canada's CHIME telescope.

Two bizarre stars might have beamed a unique radio signal to Earth Two bizarre stars might have beamed a unique radio signal to Earth

Groundwater pumps like this one deliver water from below to farms in Bangladesh.

Farmers accidentally created a flood-resistant ‘machine’ across Bangladesh Farmers accidentally created a flood-resistant ‘machine’ across Bangladesh

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket a mobile launcher on September 4 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

What’s next for NASA’s Artemis 1 launch What’s next for NASA’s Artemis 1 launch

A bucket of crabs, who have a multi-purpose material called chitosan in their shells.

Sustainable batteries could one day be made from crab shells Sustainable batteries could one day be made from crab shells

MAGIS-100 vacuum for a Fermilab quantum physics experiment

Particle Physics

Atoms are famously camera-shy. This dazzling custom rig can catch them. Atoms are famously camera-shy. This dazzling custom rig can catch them.

A chemist can sense this scientific data with their fingers.

Blind scientists adapted a centuries-old art to make data that can be touched and seen Blind scientists adapted a centuries-old art to make data that can be touched and seen

NIST computer room with small glass vacuum chamber

It’s pretty hard to measure nothing, but these engineers are getting close It’s pretty hard to measure nothing, but these engineers are getting close

Spherical fusion energy reactor in gold, copper, and silver seen from above

Nuclear power’s biggest problem could have a small solution Nuclear power’s biggest problem could have a small solution

The Artemis SLS rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in early 2022.

Counting down to the Artemis 1 launch, NASA’s biggest moon mission in decades Counting down to the Artemis 1 launch, NASA’s biggest moon mission in decades

Diving mannequins enter a pool so researchers can measure what forces affect them.

What engineers learned about diving injuries by throwing dummies into a pool What engineers learned about diving injuries by throwing dummies into a pool

In the ceramic box atop a solar tower, a chemical reaction takes place that makes jet fuel.

This solar tower makes jet fuel from sunbeams, water, and gas This solar tower makes jet fuel from sunbeams, water, and gas

This robot is learning about its body to adapt to new tasks.

A self-aware robot taught itself how to use its body A self-aware robot taught itself how to use its body

LHC consumes as much energy as a city. Can particle accelerators be greener?

The green revolution is coming for power-hungry particle accelerators The green revolution is coming for power-hungry particle accelerators

Stacks of white calcite on a black background in a mineral catalog

Earth has more than 10,000 kinds of minerals. This massive new catalog describes them all. Earth has more than 10,000 kinds of minerals. This massive new catalog describes them all.

Photodetectors in a circular array in a large neutrino detector experiment at Fermilab

Particle Physics

This ghostly particle may be why dark matter keeps eluding us This ghostly particle may be why dark matter keeps eluding us

An artist's conception of the CAPSTONE satellite.

This tiny, trailblazing satellite is taking on a big moon mission This tiny, trailblazing satellite is taking on a big moon mission

The colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town.

People enjoy colorful cities—even in virtual reality People enjoy colorful cities—even in virtual reality

Lithium batteries in a pile.

This lithium-ion battery kept going (and going and going) in the extreme cold This lithium-ion battery kept going (and going and going) in the extreme cold

Sierra Negra volcano erupting in the Galapagos Islands in 2018

Volcanic eruptions are unpredictable, but these geologists cracked the code Volcanic eruptions are unpredictable, but these geologists cracked the code

The cryomodule being delivered to SLAC's X-ray facility.

How to make an X-ray laser that’s colder than space How to make an X-ray laser that’s colder than space

An aerial view of meandering frozen channels of the Copper River in Alaska.

Some rivers suddenly change course, and we may finally know why Some rivers suddenly change course, and we may finally know why

Undersea fiber optic cables can be used to sense earthquakes.

Deep-sea internet cables could help sense distant earthquake rumbles Deep-sea internet cables could help sense distant earthquake rumbles

The Large Hadron Collider's magnet chain.

Particle Physics

The souped-up Large Hadron Collider is back to take on its weightiest questions yet The souped-up Large Hadron Collider is back to take on its weightiest questions yet

The University of Cambridge chef robot.

This robot chef can taste salt with its arm This robot chef can taste salt with its arm

This one-way superconductor could be a step toward eternal electricity

This one-way superconductor could be a step toward eternal electricity This one-way superconductor could be a step toward eternal electricity

NASA SLS rocket against sunset at Kennedy Space Center launch pad before Artemis I mission

NASA’s new moon rocket is leaking fuel, but that’s not a setback NASA’s new moon rocket is leaking fuel, but that’s not a setback

Airborne particles are responsible for features like smog.

Why chemists are watching light destroy tiny airborne particles from within Why chemists are watching light destroy tiny airborne particles from within

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