Science and Technology

Neural Processing Units, commonly called NPUs, are specialized processors designed to accelerate artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads. Unlike CPUs, which handle general-purpose tasks, or GPUs, which excel at parallel graphics and compute operations, NPUs focus on matrix math, inference, and on-device learning with extreme efficiency. Alongside NPUs, the broader category of AI chips includes dedicated accelerators integrated into system-on-a-chip designs or offered as discrete components in PCs and servers.Over the past five years, AI workloads have shifted from cloud-centric processing toward on-device intelligence. This shift is driven by latency requirements, privacy concerns, and the need for energy efficiency. As…

Bio-manufacturing uses living cells, enzymes, or biological systems to produce materials, chemicals, foods, and medicines. Fermentation-based production is a core pillar of this field, relying on microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi to convert feedstocks into valuable outputs. Once limited mainly to pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, these approaches are now expanding into fuels, materials, agriculture, and consumer goods. Several powerful trends are accelerating this shift.Climate Pressure and the Push for Low-Carbon ManufacturingOne of the strongest drivers is the global need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and resource intensity. Traditional petrochemical manufacturing is energy-intensive and dependent on fossil inputs. Bio-manufacturing…

Drug discovery has traditionally been a slow, expensive, and high-risk process, often taking more than a decade and billions of dollars to bring a single therapy to market. Recent advances in artificial intelligence and protein folding tools are reshaping this landscape by dramatically improving how scientists understand biological targets, design drug candidates, and predict outcomes. Together, these technologies are compressing timelines, lowering costs, and opening therapeutic opportunities that were previously out of reach.The Central Role of Protein Structure in Drug DiscoveryMost medications exert their effects by attaching to specific proteins and modifying how those proteins function, and creating potent molecules…

Zero-knowledge proofs, or ZKPs, first emerged within academic cryptography and later entered the public spotlight through blockchain technology and privacy-driven cryptocurrencies. Their fundamental appeal lies in a remarkable idea: a party can verify the truth of a claim without disclosing the data that substantiates it. As organizations confront increasing demands to safeguard confidential information, meet rigorous regulatory requirements, and still operate collaboratively across different entities, this approach is becoming valuable well beyond digital asset ecosystems.A practical view of zero-knowledge proofsAt an enterprise scale, ZKPs support credible trust while revealing almost nothing. Rather than sharing raw information, organizations can offer proofs…

Augmented reality glasses and spatial computing platforms are shifting from specialized experimental gear to indispensable computing tools, a change driven by advances in hardware miniaturization, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and mature software ecosystems, all coming together to redefine how digital interactions blend with the physical environment and how people work, learn, and interact with information.Prioritizing Miniaturization and Wearability in Core DesignOne of the most influential trends is the push toward lighter, more comfortable AR glasses that resemble everyday eyewear. Early headsets were bulky and power-hungry, limiting adoption. New generations focus on balanced weight distribution, thinner waveguides, and low-power components.MicroLED and next‑generation…

Understanding Net Energy in Fusion ProcessesNuclear fusion aims to produce power from fusion reactions in quantities that exceed the energy required to initiate and sustain them. This goal is widely referred to as net energy gain, meaning the fusion yield surpasses the input within a defined system boundary. Scientists distinguish between: Scientific breakeven: the fusion plasma produces as much energy as the energy directly delivered to it. Engineering breakeven: the entire facility, including power systems and auxiliary equipment, produces net electricity. Reaching engineering breakeven is the ultimate milestone for fusion as a power source, and progress toward it has accelerated…

Phishing has shifted from simple mass emails to precise, data‑fueled assaults, and deepfakes have progressed from mere curiosities to active operational threats; together, they introduce a rapidly scalable danger capable of eroding trust, draining resources, and steering critical decisions off course, prompting companies to prepare by acknowledging a key fact: adversaries now merge social engineering with artificial intelligence and automation to strike with unmatched speed and scale.Recent industry data shows that phishing remains the most common initial attack vector in major breaches, and the rise of audio and video deepfakes has added a new layer of credibility to impersonation attacks.…

Robotic dexterity describes a machine’s capacity to handle objects with precise, adaptable, and dependable control even in dynamic, unpredictable settings. Activities like grasping uneven items, assembling parts, or managing delicate materials call for nuanced manipulation that has long been challenging to encode directly. By combining reinforcement learning with large-scale simulation, researchers are transforming how robots develop these abilities, shifting dexterity away from rigid automation and toward more flexible, human-like interaction.Foundations of Reinforcement Learning for Dexterous ControlReinforcement learning is a learning paradigm in which an agent improves its behavior by interacting with an environment and receiving feedback in the form of…

Quantum computers promise exponential speedups for certain problems, but they are exceptionally fragile. Quantum bits, or qubits, are highly sensitive to noise from their environment, including thermal fluctuations, electromagnetic interference, and imperfections in control systems. Even small disturbances can introduce errors that quickly overwhelm a computation.Quantum error correction (QEC) tackles this issue by embedding logical qubits within entangled configurations of numerous physical qubits, enabling the identification and correction of faults without directly observing and collapsing the underlying quantum data. During the last decade, various QEC methods have progressed from theoretical constructs to practical demonstrations, yielding notable gains in error reduction,…

A recently detected asteroid will pass relatively close to Earth this Monday, attracting the interest of astronomers and space agencies worldwide. Even with the narrow cosmic distance, experts stress that the object poses no risk to the planet and will proceed safely along its trajectory through space.Astronomers are keeping a watchful eye on an asteroid designated as 2026JH2, a stony body set to sweep past Earth at an estimated distance of nearly 91,593 kilometers, or roughly 56,900 miles. Calculations from the European Space Agency indicate that it will move along a path measuring about one quarter of the typical separation…