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Breakthrough in Solar-Blind Tech: Diamond Nanowires Set a New Benchmark

A new photodetector design using platinum-infused diamond nanowires achieves record-breaking UV sensitivity and heat resistance. Diamond nanowires embedded with platinum nanoparticles could transform high-temperature solar-blind photodetection thanks to their impressive performance and stability.

Breakthrough: FDA Approves Injection to Prevent HIV

The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences’ twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV – a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus.

Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have yet to make a significant dent in global infections.

“This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV,” Gilead chairman and chief executive Daniel O’Day said in a statement.

Stir stick that detects spiked drinks developed by UBC researchers

Researchers at the University of British Columbia say they have developed a new tool to detect common drink-spiking drugs.

They say they plan to test the device, known as Spikeless, in the hopes it will one day be used widely to combat drugs being added to drinks and to prevent sexual assaults.

The university said in a news release that the “seemingly ordinary stir stick” can detect drugs such as GHB and ketamine within 30 seconds, changing colour if a beverage is contaminated.

Sasha Santos, an anti-violence activist working with the researchers on the project, says the technology has the potential to be a game-changer, adding that other drug testing tools are marketed to customers in a problematic way.


An anti-violence activist says the invention, which can detect drugs within 30 seconds, aims to make the stir sticks ubiquitous in bars, clubs and pubs, so every single drink served comes with a safety test.

Major Breakthrough: Non-Toxic Alternative to “Forever Chemicals” Discovered

Scientists have developed a non-toxic alternative to harmful PFAS chemicals using carbon and hydrogen-based compounds, offering a safer solution for products that currently rely on fluorine. An international team of scientists has developed a safer alternative to PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances).

Taurine May Not Be the Anti-Aging Fix You’ve Heard About

The findings indicate that this amino acid did not show a longitudinal decline with age. Taurine, a popular amino acid known for its role in energy drinks and supplements, may not be the aging breakthrough some hoped for. In a new study, scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have di

Strontium optical lattice clock in China surpasses key benchmarks for precision timekeeping

A research team led by Prof. Chang Hong from the National Time Service Center (NTSC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has developed a strontium optical lattice clock with both frequency stability and systematic uncertainty surpassing 2×10-18. This achievement places China among the global leaders in the field of optical lattice clock development.

The breakthrough aligns with the roadmap set by the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in 2022, which proposed redefining the SI unit of time—the second—by 2030. The resolution outlined rigorous performance benchmarks for next-generation optical clocks.

Strontium optical lattice clocks, known for their exceptional precision, have emerged as the most promising candidates for the redefinition, offering systematic uncertainties two orders of magnitude lower than those of the current cesium fountain clocks.