Archived Intelligence
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers detected methane and unexpected heat on a giant planet orbiting a dead star. The findings suggest the planet survived its star's collapse and was reheated by gravitational forces during its migration.
Scientists discovered that moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires have injected millions of tonnes of water vapour into the stratosphere since 2005. This unexpected moisture influx offsets previous drying trends and alters our understanding of climate drivers. Future climate projections must now account for these aerosol-driven atmospheric changes.
Detecting spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is difficult because the responsible gene closely mirrors a nearby neighbour. Researchers successfully tested a specialised algorithm on 490,000 genomes to accurately distinguish between these genes. This tool could make population-level genetic screening highly accurate with virtually zero false positives.
Scientists have developed a highly efficient zinc catalyst that cleanly dismantles common plastics back into their original building blocks. This process can recycle up to 43 kilograms of polymer per hour with microwave assistance, maintaining 99% selectivity. This development suggests a future where commercial plastics can be recycled infinitely without losing strength.