DTN 154: Quantum Biology
Plus: Artemis II gets go-ahead, glass AI chips, Iran war threatens helium supply, flying cars take off, brutal times for US battery industry, AI watch towers, and more.
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"Healthcare will not work without robots. It's impossible. There's a demographic imbalance, and even if you could find enough people willing to work in healthcare, there simply aren't enough of them. You need robots across the board."
Why ‘quantum proteins’ could be the next big thing in biology
“Quantum physics is currently going through a second revolution. Researchers are intentionally manipulating individual quantum properties to open the door to information-dense, high-precision applications in computing, communications and sensing. Because these proteins can be manipulated using magnetic fields, the discoveries also open the door to ‘magnetogenetics’ — the idea of using a directed magnetic field to ‘turn on’ a label remotely.”
- NASA says its a ‘go’ for fresh Artemis II moon launch attempt, but admits risks remain
- Future AI chips could be built on glass
- Brutal times for the US battery industry
- NOAA advances deep-sea mining bid
- How Chinese labs race for the next ‘first-in-class’ breakthrough
- New nonprofit launches with at least $500 million to modernize scientific process for AI era
- Biotech startups use funding extensions to sidestep full capital rounds
- AI-enabled watch towers set to proliferate along the border
- Anduril to acquire space-tracking firm ExoAnalytic Solutions
- Powering up: Air Force eyes ‘broad reaching’ battery, energy storage research
- The age of animal experiments may be waning
- ‘Flying cars’ will take off in American skies this summer
- Meet the startups trying to build military-specific AI
- U.S. agency will devote $144 million to studies that slow aging, extend quality of life
"The SPRINT program is a joint effort between DARPA and U.S. Special Operations Command to advance technologies that could break the long-standing military trade-off between the high speed of fixed-wing aircraft and the agile, runway-independent operations of vertical takeoff and landing platforms. The design, construction, and flight testing of the X-76 will drive innovative, runway-independent, vertical-lift capability with jet-like cruise performance and inform future needs.” (via DARPA.mil/Hacker News)
- Biohybrid image sensor uses water-based electrolyte to mimic retina's rods and cones
- Brain-inspired device could lead to faster, more energy-efficient AI hardware
- Wine-making waste helps recycle cobalt and nickel from batteries
- Atom-thin material could help solve chip manufacturing problem
- Scientists harness quantum tunneling to boost heavy water production efficiency
- Robot hands so sensitive they can grab a potato chip
- Phosphine unexpectedly mimics metals in a photocatalytic reaction
- Simulating life: 4D whole-cell model of a minimal bacterium
- Liquid-metal pupil helps an artificial eye adapt to sudden light changes
- New 'negative light' technology hides data transfers in plain sight
- Ultra-compact photonic AI chip operates at the speed of light
- Google PM open-sources Always On Memory Agent, ditching vector databases for LLM-driven persistent memory
- How semiconductor electrodes can achieve green hydrogen production
- Unreasonable Labs raises $13.5M to develop generative AI for knowledge discovery
- Swarm Aero raises $35M to develop large-scale drone swarms and Legion command software for defense
- Breakout Ventures raises $114M to back AI science startups
- Arycs Technologies raises $24M to scale optical connectivity platform for AI networks
- Mind Robotics raises $500M to scale AI-native platform for precision manufacturing tasks
- Monteris Medical raises $28M to expand NeuroBlate robotic laser ablation system for brain surgery
- XCath raises $30M to commercialize Iris robotic system for neuroendovascular surgery
- Enpulsion raises $26M to scale electric propulsion system production for small satellites
- AIRMO raises €5M for methane monitoring sats
- Mantis Space raises $10M seed to beam solar power between satellites using laser technology
- Another Earth raises $4 million to boost AI training with synthetic satellite data
- Amber Semiconductor raises $30M to scale PowerTile vertical power delivery technology for AI datacenters
- Vitestro raises $70M to scale Aletta autonomous robotic blood draw system for clinical diagnostics
- R2 Wireless raises $5M to scale passive RF spectrum monitoring for drone detection and security
- Armadin raises $190M to develop autonomous AI agents for cybersecurity defense
- Tacit Therapeutics raises $19M to develop RNA editing therapies for brain diseases
- Biocaptiva raises £1.58M to advance msX liquid biopsy platform for cancer diagnostics
- Aneuvo raises $22M to commercialize ExaStim portable neuromodulation system for spinal cord injury rehabilitation
- Mirai Robotics raises $4.2M to develop autonomous vessels and AI control systems for maritime surveillance
- baCta raises €7M seed to scale AI-powered bioproduction platform producing sustainable industrial ingredients
- Cytotrait raises £3M seed to develop MOSS gene editing technology for crop trait enhancement
- Qnetic raises $5M to scale solid-state flywheel energy storage systems for utilities
- AMI Labs raises $1.03B to develop world models understanding reality beyond language
After 35 years, Ig Nobel ceremony to leave the U.S. / Long overlooked as crucial to life, fungi start to get their due / Inside OpenAI’s race to catch up to Claude Code / AI is helping expand the frontier of theoretical physics / How to build a moon base / Iran war is the largest oil supply disruption in history, report finds / Roblox is minting teen millionaires / DOGE employee stole Social Security data and put it on a thumb drive, report says / War prediction markets are a national-security threat / Iran war threatens global helium supply / Xprize founder Peter Diamandis launches new contest to manifest a new ‘Star Trek’
