Phys.org
Engineered proteins store digital files with 30 times density at one-tenth cost
Researchers have developed engineered proteins capable of storing digital data at 30 times the density of conventional storage while cutting costs by 90 percent. The breakthrough addresses mounting pressure on traditional hard drives and cloud infrastructure, which are straining under the explosive growth of AI training sets, analytics workloads, and IoT data. Molecular storage offers a compelling alternative with superior capacity, lower power demands, and longer lifespans than silicon-based solutions.
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A grad student’s wild idea sparks a major aging breakthrough
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a way to use synthetic DNA molecules called aptamers to precisely identify and attach to senescent "zombie cells" — the dysfunctional cells linked to aging, cancer, and neurodegeneration. The breakthrough, which originated from an offhand conversation between graduate students, offers a level of targeting precision that existing methods lack. If the approach translates to living tissue, it could open new doors for treating age-related diseases at their cellular root.
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Scientists “bottle the sun” with a liquid battery that stores solar energy
Solar energy storage has long been hampered by bulky infrastructure and short-term capacity — but UC Santa Barbara researchers may have cracked the code. Their new liquid material traps sunlight inside molecules that hold the charge for years, releasing heat on demand without any connection to the grid. The system outperforms lithium-ion batteries by energy density, pointing toward a future where portable, long-duration solar storage becomes practical at scale.
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Implantable bacteria can now be safely contained, clearing a major hurdle for fighting infection and cancer
Harvard researchers have developed a method to safely contain engineered bacteria inside the human body, preventing host infection while still allowing targeted drug delivery. The breakthrough, published in *Science*, addresses one of the longest-standing barriers to using microbes as therapeutic agents. If scaled successfully, the approach could open new frontiers in treating conditions ranging from bacterial infections to cancer.
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Q&A: Is it time to expand our thinking about dark matter? A new study says yes
New observational data from distant galaxy clusters is challenging long-held assumptions about cold dark matter, the leading theoretical framework used to explain the universe's unseen mass. Yale astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan argues the findings conflict with core CDM predictions, suggesting the model may be incomplete. The discrepancy could force a fundamental rethinking of one of physics' most consequential open questions.
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