Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Researchers at the University of Birmingham developed a perovskite-based catalyst that splits water into hydrogen at much lower temperatures than existing technologies, potentially allowing factories, steel plants, and renewable energy sites to convert waste heat into clean fuel.^[1]

Researchers from Columbia University and University Hospital Tübingen identified the protein NFIL3 as a major driver of CAR T-cell exhaustion; disabling it with CRISPR allowed the cancer-fighting cells to remain active longer and control tumors more effectively in animal models.^[2]

A King's College London study found that one year of treatment with the drug abatacept delayed the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by up to four years in high-risk patients, with benefits continuing long after treatment ended.^[3]

Monash University scientists created an on-chip programmable valley optoelectronic nanocircuit that uses light to process information, a development published in Nature Photonics that could accelerate AI and quantum computing systems.^[4]

SpaceX filed documents with the SEC on May 20 for an initial public offering, revealing $18.7 billion in 2025 revenue, 10.3 million Starlink subscribers, and plans to deploy orbital data center satellites as early as 2028.^[5]

NASA released skywatching guidance for June 2026, highlighting a Venus-Jupiter conjunction on June 9, a lunar occultation of Venus visible from parts of North America on June 17, and the summer solstice on June 21.^[6]

Samsung Electronics unveiled a mockup of its seventh-generation HBM5 memory chip and new Heat Path Block thermal technology at Computex 2026 in Taiwan, signaling efforts to regain ground in the AI memory competition with SK hynix.^[7]

South Korea holds nationwide local elections today, with voters electing 4,227 officials including metropolitan governors, mayors, and education superintendents in the first major electoral test of President Lee Jae Myung's administration.^[8]

Ethiopia held parliamentary and regional elections with more than 50 million registered voters, though voting did not take place in the northern Tigray region. The ruling Prosperity Party is projected to win by a large margin, with results expected by June 11.^[9]

New Zealand is awarding royal honours for the King's Birthday, recognizing dozens of citizens for excellence in their fields. The awards include several new knights and dames among the 178 recipients on the holiday list.^[10]