The ZEUS laser at the University of Michigan has achieved 2 petawatts of power—twice that of any other U.S. laser—during its first official experiment. The ultrashort pulse lasts only 25 quintillionths of a second but reaches over 100 times the global power output. ZEUS is a user facility open to researchers and has applications in medicine, security, materials science, and astrophysics. Scientists aim to generate … Continue reading The US has a new most-powerful laser

New research suggests vast underground hydrogen reservoirs in the Earth’s crust could provide clean energy to power the planet for 170,000 years. These natural hydrogen systems exist beneath continents, including in at least 30 U.S. states, and have built up over a billion years. Scientists have developed an “exploration recipe” to identify and extract these reservoirs safely and economically. Unlike current hydrogen production, which contributes … Continue reading Hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years

A major race is underway in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), technology that lets people with paralysis control devices and prosthetics using their minds. Fewer than 100 people have permanent implants so far, but that number is expected to more than double within a year as companies like Neuralink, Paradromics, Synchron, and Precision Neuroscience advance clinical trials. Apple plans to enable implants to control iPhones soon. While … Continue reading Coming to a Brain Near You: A Tiny Computer

Tesla unveiled major upgrades to its Optimus humanoid robot, showing improved balance, movement, and dexterity through demo videos featuring complex tasks like ballet. Trained via simulation and tested at Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory, Optimus is expected to enter production in 2025 with 5,000 units, possibly scaling to 12,000. External sales could begin in 2026, priced between $25,000 and $30,000, Yahoo News has reported. Tesla faces competition … Continue reading Tesla Robot Demo Stuns Audience, Mass Production Set for 2025

Scientists in the Netherlands have developed a soft, air-powered machine that can walk, jump, and swim—without any electronics, AI, or software. Inspired by inflatable tube men, the robot uses continuous airflow and fluid dynamics to synchronize its tubular legs and move. It can adapt to various environments and even swim when placed in water, reaching speeds faster than most other air-powered machines, Mental Floss has … Continue reading Scientists Build Soft Robot Inspired By Inflatable, Dancing Tube Men

Countries met at the U.N. on Monday to revive stalled efforts to regulate AI-controlled autonomous weapons, which are increasingly used in modern conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza. Despite growing reliance on AI in warfare, there are still no binding international rules, and progress has been slow since talks began in 2014. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has set a 2026 deadline for creating clear regulations, but … Continue reading Nations meet at UN for ‘killer robot’ talks as regulation lags

Physicists at CERN have successfully turned lead into gold during high-speed collisions of lead nuclei in the Large Hadron Collider. The transformation, which briefly removes three protons from lead atoms to create gold, occurs in extremely rare instances and in minuscule, short-lived amounts—far too little for any practical use. The discovery, part of the ongoing “Alice” experiment since 2015, is detailed in Physical Review Journals, Swiss … Continue reading CERN scientists turn lead into gold

At a factory in Salem, Oregon, Agility Robotics is testing “Digit,” a humanlike robot designed to work in warehouses for companies like Amazon. Built to navigate spaces made for humans, Digit walks, lifts, and moves boxes, using blinking eyes and subtle motions to appear less startling to people. The robot stems from over $10 million in federally funded research at Oregon State University, but its … Continue reading Oregon facility builds and tests humanlike robot ‘Digit’

MIT scientists have captured the first-ever images of individual atoms freely interacting in space, marking a major breakthrough in quantum physics. Led by physicist Martin Zwierlein, the team developed a new imaging technique called atom-resolved microscopy, which allows atoms to move, then briefly freezes and illuminates them to reveal their exact positions. This method overcomes previous limitations in observing quantum behavior and offers unprecedented insights … Continue reading MIT captures first image of free-range atoms, can help visualize quantum phenomena

China will host the world’s first Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing from August 15–17, featuring robots competing in events like relay races, football, and gymnastics, along with real-world scenario challenges in hospitals and factories. Held at the National Stadium and Speed Skating Oval, the event aims to showcase advances in robotics and promote human-robot coexistence. Robots must be humanoid in form and independently developed, VNE … Continue reading World’s first Humanoid Robot Games set for August debut in Beijing

Amazon has unveiled a new warehouse robot named Vulcan, which uses an AI-powered sense of touch to handle tasks previously done only by humans. Vulcan can manipulate 75% of items in stock, operate 20 hours a day, and aims to reduce worker strain by handling hard-to-reach bins. While not replacing humans, Vulcan will create higher-skilled roles in robotics, CNBC has reported. Currently in full use … Continue reading Amazon says new warehouse robot can ‘feel’ items, but won’t replace workers

Several major companies—including Duolingo, UPS, Klarna, Cisco, and Intuit—are restructuring and reducing staff as they shift toward increased use of AI. Duolingo declared itself “AI-first,” planning to reduce contractor use and evaluate employees on AI skills. UPS is cutting 20,000 jobs while adopting more automation, though it claims AI isn’t directly replacing workers. Klarna’s AI chatbot now handles tasks once done by 700 employees, Fox … Continue reading Cisco, UPS, other companies adjusting workforce as they embrace AI

CCTV footage from a factory captured a humanoid robot suddenly going berserk, flailing its arms and trying to break free from a crane, startling nearby workers and knocking over equipment. It’s unclear when or where it happened, but the incident sparked online jokes and concerns about robot behavior. The video surfaced weeks after humanoid robots participated in a historic half-marathon in Beijing, where 21 bots … Continue reading Haunting moment robot attacks handlers in angry rampage as it tries to break free from restraints

Piaggio Fast Forward has released a Star Wars–themed version of its Gitamini cargo robot, dubbed G1T4-M1N1, in collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm. Priced at $2,875, this special edition features droid-style decals, lights, and R2-D2–like sound effects, making it resemble a companion from Tatooine. Like the original Gitamini, it can carry up to 20 pounds, follow you autonomously at up to 6 mph, and run for up … Continue reading The cargo-carrying Gitamini robot is getting a Star Wars droid makeover

United Airlines plans to buy up to 200 of JetZero’s revolutionary “blended-wing body” Z4 aircraft, which promises a “living room in the sky” experience and up to 50% less fuel burn. The 250-seat plane, set to launch by 2030, features a wide, short body with enhanced lift, lower drag, and high-efficiency design. JetZero, backed by the U.S. Air Force and led by aerospace veterans, flew … Continue reading First ‘blended wing’ passenger plane flying people in ‘living room comfort’ to be launched by major airline

Apple has issued new warnings to iPhone users in 100 countries, alerting them to targeted spyware attacks. Among those notified were Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino and Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek. The alerts, part of Apple’s ongoing effort to combat “mercenary spyware attacks,” suggest users were targeted due to their identity or work. While Apple hasn’t named the perpetrators, similar past attacks were linked to … Continue reading Apple sends out spyware attack notifications to targeted users

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Serbia to prevent the use of sonic weapons for crowd control, following allegations that a sound cannon was used against protesters during a massive anti-government rally on March 15. Serbian authorities deny deploying such devices, though footage and testimonies suggest otherwise. Over 3,000 complaints have been collected, with some protestors reporting lasting health effects, the Express has … Continue reading Fears over chilling new sonic weapons used on protesters in Europe

Visa is partnering with major AI developers like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic to enable AI agents to make purchases on users’ behalf using Visa’s payment network. These agents, intended to go beyond chatbots, could handle tasks like buying groceries or booking travel.  Visa sees this as a major shift akin to the rise of e-commerce. Pilot programs begin now, with broader rollout expected next year, … Continue reading VISA wants to give AI ‘agents’ your credit card

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered significant changes to Russia’s military strategy, focusing on the development of unmanned systems, AI, and laser weaponry. Following a meeting on April 23, Putin revealed that Russia’s defense industry is operating at full capacity, delivering thousands of armored vehicles, aircraft, and drones. However, he acknowledged a persistent shortage of drones on the battlefield. Putin emphasized that innovations driven by … Continue reading Russia eyes AI and lasers for future warfare

XPENG’s humanoid robot, Iron, is a cutting-edge blend of artificial intelligence and human-like movement, currently assisting in electric vehicle production. Standing 5’8″ and weighing 154 pounds, Iron features 60 joints and 200 degrees of freedom, enabling smooth, natural movements. Powered by XPENG’s proprietary Turing AI chip, Iron is capable of performing complex tasks with precision and adapting to various environments. Its advanced vision system, inspired … Continue reading Chinese humanoid robot with eagle-eye vision and powerful AI

General Atomics has unveiled a laser-equipped MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone capable of shooting down small drones and missiles mid-air. Debuted at Sea Air Space 2025, the 25-kilowatt laser can be scaled up to 300 kilowatts, potentially taking down larger targets. The system offers a cost-effective, precise alternative to traditional missile defenses and is designed for use in various environments, the Daily Mail has reported. While power … Continue reading Top secret US spy drone gets deadly laser that melts missiles mid-air

Revobots has introduced the AI-powered “Taskbot,” a versatile robot that can learn tasks by demonstration and repeat them autonomously. Unlike traditional robots limited to one function, Taskbot can adapt to various roles—from factory work to bartending—thanks to its AI. CTO Kent Gilson says the robot is designed to address global labor shortages, not replace workers, with an estimated 85 million jobs expected to go unfilled … Continue reading Arizona robot showcase features companies and students building next-generation robots

Ocado’s Hive is a fully automated warehouse system revolutionizing grocery shopping. Using AI-powered bots and robotic arms, it can pick and pack a 50-item order in just five minutes—six times faster than traditional methods. The system, built over 20 years, uses advanced robotics, computer vision, and digital twins to optimize efficiency, reduce food waste, and offer up to 78% more products than typical supermarkets. In … Continue reading The AI-powered robot army that packs your groceries in minutes

China hosted the world’s first humanoid half-marathon on Saturday, with over 20 two-legged robots running alongside 12,000 humans in Beijing. While the robots impressed with their endurance, they lagged far behind human runners, with the fastest robot, Tiangong Ultra, finishing in 2 hours and 40 minutes—almost two hours slower than the human winner. The event showcased China’s growing advances in humanoid robotics, a field it … Continue reading Chinese robots ran against humans in the world’s first humanoid half-marathon

The U.K. military has successfully tested a new weapon designed to counter drone swarms. The “RapidDestroyer,” a Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) developed by Thales, tracked, targeted, and defeated over 100 drones during a test in Wales. This system uses radio waves to disrupt or damage drone components, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional missile defenses at about $0.18 per shot. The RF DEW … Continue reading U.K. touts successful test of new radio wave weapon to take down “swarms of drones”