Tiny nuclear battery promises decades of power, AI anchors protect journos, EV batteries to last much longer than anticipated

Researchers have created a nuclear battery with unprecedented efficiency: 8,000 times more efficient. The battery developed by the research team at China’s Soochow University harnesses the energy of radioactive decay, a process associated with nuclear waste.

“Micronuclear batteries harness energy from the radioactive decay of radioisotopes to generate electricity on a small scale, typically in the nanowatt or microwatt range,” said researchers in their study. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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MUST-READ

Tiny nuclear battery promises decades of uninterrupted power in sea, space

They state the process of radioactive decay is not influenced by environmental factors, including temperature, pressure, and magnetic fields.

“It makes the micronuclear battery an enduring and reliable power source in scenarios in which conventional batteries prove impractical or challenging to replace.”

This development brings us closer to a future where miniature power sources can operate for decades without needing a recharge.

‘Savior’: AI news anchors are shielding journalists from govt wrath in Venezuela

At a time when people across the globe are perceiving artificial intelligence as a threat to jobs, Venezuelan media has come up with an out-of-the-box utility of AI. Here, AI is protecting journalists in a country where the media is facing strict restrictions.

In a bold new development, local journalists have collectively launched “Venezuela Retweets,” an AI-powered news show. Notably, the news show has exhibited an impressively ingenious approach in the media field. It has introduced two AI-generated characters who read the news pieces, which are prepared by real-life journalists.

The two AI avatars, The Girl (“La Chama”) and The Dude (“El Pana”), have been designed to communicate news stories in different languages, including Spanish and English.

Modern EV batteries can last 20 years, longer than your car itself: Study

Contrary to popular belief, a new study has found that most batteries in electric vehicles can likely outlast the vehicle’s usable life.

The new insights are based on Canadian telematics company Geotab’s recent update to its 2019 analysis on EV battery degradation, which incorporates new fleet data.

Five years ago, Geotab reported that EV batteries degraded at an average rate of 2.3 percent per year, which was considered “surprisingly good” at the time. “In 2024, we performed a new analysis and the results indicate that EV batteries have improved significantly, degrading at 1.8 percent per year on average,” said the firm in the study.

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HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

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ENERGY

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INNOVATION

> Germany’s cybersecurity agency, Agentur Cyberagentur, has granted contracts to four companies—Quantum Brilliance, ParityQC, Oxford Ionics, and neQxt—to create the world’s first mobile quantum computer by 2027. (More)

> Researchers have stored the entire human genome on a 5D memory crystal, a data storage breakthrough that can last billions of years. (More)

> Using an advanced PAP pen, scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, have fabricated two-dimensional paper-based devices for chemical detection of various elements. (More)

VIDEO

> The record-breaking Fehmarnbelt tunnel is being built using giant Lego-like pre-fabricated elements that are then combined on the seabed, connecting Denmark and Germany. What kind of work makes this engineering feat possible? (More)

> Sungwoo Kim, CEO of Balcony Farm, shows off their fresh gardening technology. Using a smartphone app, owners can monitor their plants and harvest as needed, reducing the dependence on stored vegetable products. (More)

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