Two Solar Probes Pass Close to Sun at Near Maximum

Image Credits: ESA

ESA’s Solar Orbiter just passed its (periodically occurring) closest approach to the sun at “merely” 42 million kilometres. The mission was launched in 2020 and its task is to collect high-resolution images of the surface of the sun, which is particularly interesting now that the sun is reaching its phase of peak activity. This approach is special because, coincidentally, NASA's Parker Solar Probe also just passed its closest approach. The Parker Probe has been orbiting the sun since 2019 on an even closer orbit, sometimes getting as close as 7 million kilometres. It measures the solar corona and the solar wind. The agencies expect the coincidental occurrence, which happens at almost a right angle of the spacecrafts’ positions to the sun, to provide valuable data about correlations in the two measurements. Read more about the ESA mission here and here, and watch a video about the mission here.

This episode of Science News covers quantum internet. Quantum physics can bring us faster computers, more precise measurements, custom-designed materials, and much more. But the quantum internet is a solution in search of a problem. What is Quantum Internet? Can it really go faster than the speed of light? Do we need it to keep data safe? Let’s have a look. You can now leave comments on our quizzes!

Is AI More Carbon-Friendly than Humans?

Move over, human writers, scribes, and artists – AI isn't just here to take your job, it's here to save the planet! Researchers at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas recently released a study showing that artificial intelligence doesn’t just make our lives easier; it also emits just a fraction of the carbon dioxide produced by us mere mortals when it comes to writing and illustration. The team made a life cycle assessment of the environmental impact of four distinct AI systems (ChatGPT, DALL-E2, Midjourney, and BLOOM) compared to human creators and found that AI emits at least 100 times less carbon emissions per page of text and at least 300 times less per illustration. This story comes in the wake of news that American universities are apparently considering replacing graduate student workers with AI after students went on strike. The future is bright. Press release here, paper here.

Timeless Knowledge for Today

Brilliant introduces you to a world of big ideas, packaged in bite-sized lessons you can do in minutes a day. Build timeless skills in problem-solving and logic while exploring everything from black holes and AI to programming and data analysis. Join millions of learners and start your 30-day free trial today, plus get an exclusive 20% off a premium annual subscription.

Smart Fluid Changes Properties On Demand

Harvard scientists have developed a metafluid that can be designed so that it changes properties at a specific pressure or temperature. The innovative fluid is made of small, malleable elastomer capsules that are filled with air and suspended in silicon oil. When pressure in the liquid goes down, the elastomer capsules expand into spheres, and when the pressure inside the liquid increases, the capsules collapse, forming folded crescents. Depending on the shape and density of the capsules, the fluid changes its resistance to pressure, optical properties, and mechanical characteristics at different pressure strengths. It’s a simple and cheap way of customizing fluid properties. The researchers say their metafluid could be used in everything from hydraulics to gripping robots to shock absorbers and optical devices. Press release here, paper here.

Our podcast “Science with Sabine” is available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, and YouTube.