Science

Japan Launches MMX Probe to Study Mars' Moons, Seeks Phobos Sample Return

JAXA launched the MMX spacecraft from Tanegashima on Oct. 20 JST to study Phobos and Deimos and attempt the first sample return from the Martian moons.

#space, #jaxa, #mars, #phobos

JWST lensed-quasar survey hints at self-interacting dark matter on small scales

JWST analysis of 29 quadruply imaged quasars shows a population-level preference for self-interacting dark matter over CDM at small scales; tentative preprint result.

#astrophysics, #darkmatter, #jwst, #gravitationallensing

Preprint finds probabilistic AI models outperform ECMWF ensemble on record-breaking heat extremes

An arXiv preprint shows probabilistic AI forecasting systems outperformed ECMWF's ensemble — including on record-breaking heat — when evaluated probabilistically.

#ai, #weather, #heatwaves, #forecasting

Fermi Releases Most Sensitive Low‑Energy Gamma‑Ray Catalog, Identifying 60 New Sources

Fermi-LAT's 2FLE catalog lists 450 sources between 20–200 MeV, including 60 previously unseen gamma-ray sources, helping close the MeV gap.

#astronomy, #gammarays, #fermilat, #astrophysics

TDCOSMO measures H0 at 71.1 km/s/Mpc with 3.3% uncertainty using strong lensing and JWST kinematics

TDCOSMO uses time-delay lensing and resolved stellar kinematics (including JWST) to measure H0 = 71.1 km/s/Mpc ±3.3%, an independent late‑Universe check.

#cosmology, #hubbleconstant, #stronglensing, #jwst

China’s R&D Spending Matches U.S. on PPP Measure, But Gaps Remain in Basic Science

OECD data show China matched the U.S. in total R&D spending on a PPP basis in 2024, yet gaps remain in basic research and research integrity.

#china, #science, #research, #rnd, #innovation

Preprint: Frontier LLMs Can Propose High‑Risk Single‑Site Protein Mutations; Tool Access Raises Risk

An Oct. 9 arXiv preprint finds leading LLMs can propose high‑risk single‑site protein mutations in a benchmark, and tools raise that risk.

#ai, #biosecurity, #mutations, #arxiv

Thorium‑229 Nuclear Clocks Demonstrated in Vienna and Beijing; Vienna Shows First Self‑Stabilizing Prototype

Teams in Vienna and Beijing report operational thorium‑229 nuclear clocks; Vienna's device is the first self‑stabilizing prototype, running >24 hours.

#nuclearclock, #thorium229, #metrology, #precision

Webb Pins Most Distant Localized Fast Radio Burst to Tiny Star‑Forming Dwarf Galaxy

James Webb identified the host and redshift (z=2.148) of FRB 20240304B — the most distant localized FRB — linking it to a tiny, star-forming dwarf galaxy.

#frb, #jameswebb, #astronomy, #magnetars

White House packages $6 billion-plus science agenda around AI, virtual biology and space reactors

White House bundled $6B+ in federal, private and philanthropic commitments around AI-for-science — virtual biology, quantum computing and space reactors.

#ai, #virtualbiology, #quantum, #space, #government

Two Independent Teams Demonstrate Operational Thorium-229 Nuclear Clocks

Two independent teams report operational thorium-229 nuclear clocks, locking lasers to a nuclear transition and advancing compact, reproducible nuclear timekeeping.

#nuclearclock, #thorium229, #metrology, #precision

Francis Halzen Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for IceCube and Neutrino Astronomy

Francis Halzen won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for pioneering the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and establishing neutrino astronomy.

#nobelprize, #neutrinos, #astrophysics, #icecube

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 Awarded for Optogenetics Breakthroughs

The 2026 Nobel honors Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries that enabled optogenetics — using light to control neurons.

#neuroscience, #nobelprize, #optogenetics

UCLA-Affiliated Paper Says AI Agent Solved 10 Research Math Problems — But Proofs Were Accepted Only by an LLM Verifier

UCLA-affiliated arXiv paper claims AI agent solved 10 research math problems, but results were accepted by an LLM verifier, not independently or by proof assistants.

#ai, #mathematics, #arxiv, #theorem-proving

Preprint: Closed-loop AI system discovers broadly neutralizing antibodies that protected mice from H1N1

Chinese preprint reports 'ImmuneAgent,' a closed-loop AI‑lab system that found broadly neutralizing antibodies from unsorted human B cells; some protected mice. Not peer‑reviewed.

#ai, #antibodies, #influenza, #preprint