Sunday, March 29, 2026

Australian scientists have built the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery that can charge, store, and discharge energy; the device demonstrates that charging speed increases as the battery gets larger, a counterintuitive property enabled by quantum effects like superposition and entanglement.^[1]

Researchers at Kyushu University have achieved approximately 130% efficiency in capturing solar energy by using a novel molecular system that multiplies energy carriers through singlet fission, producing more energy carriers than photons absorbed.^[2]

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has released new infrared images of Saturn, revealing distinctive grey-green polar regions that may indicate high-altitude aerosols or auroral activity; when combined with Hubble observations, the images provide scientists with a richer understanding of the gas giant's atmosphere.^[3]

South Africa's Market Theatre, which opened three days after the 1976 Soweto uprising and became a force against apartheid through internationally acclaimed productions like "Woza Albert" and "Sarafina," is celebrating its 50th anniversary.^[4]

A German research team has demonstrated a method for cryopreserving and thawing mouse brains that preserves some functionality intact, marking a step toward understanding how brain function might be recovered after deep freezing.^[5]

A migratory freshwater fish population report finds these species have declined approximately 81% since 1970, with the decline attributed to dams and human development that fragment the long, connected rivers these fish depend on for survival.^[6]

NASA's Artemis II crew has arrived at Kennedy Space Center ahead of their mission, with the Space Launch System rocket now at Launch Complex-39B in preparation for a launch window that opens April 1 for the first crewed mission around the Moon in over 50 years.^[7]

The OECD has revised South Korea's 2026 economic growth forecast down to 1.7 percent from 2.1 percent, citing the ongoing Middle East conflict and the country's high dependence on energy imports from the region.^[8]