New plastic developed in Japan dissolves in the ocean overnight, leaving no microplastics — 27 March 2025 (LINK)

— It's made of what are known as supramolecular polymers, which have reversible bonds that function like sticky notes that can be attached, removed and reattached, according to the team.

An airport in Dallas, Texas has installed the first-ever "pods" capturing energy from the wind created by planes taking off. — 27 March 2025 (LINK headline only)

Nearly 100% of bacterial infections can now be identified in under 3 hours — 26 March 2025 (LINK)

— Scientists at the Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology (UNIST) in South Korea have unveiled a novel diagnostic technique known as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), using artificial polymers — peptide nucleic acid (PNA) — that act as probes to bind to different genetic sequences within bacteria. When the two probe molecules bind to the target, fluorescent signals are emitted, which essentially reveal the fingerprint of different pathogens.

— In the lab, FISH detected seven species of bacteria that commonly infect humans — Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus. It proved to be more than 99% accurate for all but S. aureus — a pathogen that infects skin tissue — which had a still-high success rate of 96.3%. Some detections were as high as 99.9%.

Tiny particle accelerator on microchip in Germany is size of a coin — 26 March 2025 (LINK)

— Unlike Geneva's LHC, which uses more than 9,000 superconducting magnets to accelerate particles to nearly the speed of light, the NEA relies on laser beams to excite the tiny pillars inside its structure. While this method is far less powerful, it is significantly more compact and energy-efficient.

— The primary goal of developing miniaturized accelerators is not just high-energy physics but also practical applications in medicine. The high-energy electrons generated by the NEA could be used in precise radiotherapy techniques, potentially reducing the harmful side effects associated with conventional radiation treatments.

Scientists observe negative time for the first time ever — 24 March 2025 (LINK)

US executes man by firing squad for first time in 15 years. — 8 March 2025 (LINK)

Four-year-old dies from Ebola amid new outbreak in Uganda. The latest Ebola outbreak, the sixth in Uganda, was declared at the end of January. — 2 March 2025 (LINK)

Trump signs executive order making English the official language of the U.S.: rescinds a policy issued by former President Bill Clinton requiring agencies to provide assistance programs for people with limited English proficiency. — 1 March 2025 (LINK)

Study uncovers source of Mars' redness: 'rust' — a key indicator the planet (maybe) once had life. — 1 March 2025 (LINK)

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