Physics, astronomy and space science.
A 36.7-milligram ion-powered microrobot achieved controlled flight, hovering and sensing without mechanical moving parts. The experimental robot carried two sensors and completed predefined tasks while tethered hovering lasted up to one hour.
A major new review in particle physics compiles measured properties of major particle types, including the recently discovered Higgs boson. It adds 3,200 new measurements from 903 papers and updates many tables and reviews covering known particles and searches for hypothetical ones.
A review of evidence from Earth’s Hadean era and experiments on prebiotic chemistry finds that no single environment on early Earth appears to meet all the conditions needed for life to begin. Instead, the paper argues that multiple, connected processes across different settings likely helped build and stabilize the molecules that later became biology.
Researchers report a way to convert single infrared photons into targeted visible colors more efficiently and with much faster response. In NaYS2:Ho3+, they selectively enhance upconversion emissions by 2–3 orders of magnitude and cut response time from 30 ms to 54 μs, then demonstrate rapid, narrowband photodetection for low-threshold CO2 sensing.
