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ZOTPAPER

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ZOTPAPER

Science

Scientific discoveries and research

50 articles

AllClimate & EnvironmentSpace
Space

SpaceX Stacks Starship Version 3, Setting New Height Record and Eyes Moon Landings

SpaceX has assembled its latest and largest Starship rocket at its South Texas launch facility, marking the third time in three years the company has broken its own record for the tallest rocket ever built. The new Starship Version 3 introduces a range of upgrades designed to move the program from demonstration flights toward operational missions, including eventual lunar landings under NASA's Artemis program.

13 May·2 min
Space

Starlink Shuts Down Hidden GPS Alternative, But Researchers Push Forward

SpaceX has quietly disabled a little-known positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability built into its Starlink satellite network, ending access for a small group of users who had been exploiting the feature for years. The move comes as researchers accelerate efforts to harness Starlink's constellation as an independent GPS alternative — a pursuit that experts say is more urgent than ever given the growing threat of GPS jamming and spoofing.

12 May·3 min
Science

Paralympic Champion's TBI Advocacy Coincides With AI Breakthrough in Brain Injury Modelling

On the same day Australian Paralympic gold medallist Alexa Leary publicly called for a dedicated day to recognise traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its lasting effects, researchers published findings showing that artificial intelligence-powered neural operators can model brain biomechanics orders of magnitude faster than traditional methods — a development that could transform how TBI is assessed and treated in clinical settings.

28 Apr·3 min·4 sources
Science

Europe Becomes First to Approve Moderna's Combined Flu-COVID mRNA Vaccine

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Moderna's mRNA-1083 vaccine — branded mCOMBRIAX — making it the world's first approved combination shot protecting against both influenza and COVID-19 in a single dose. The approval, announced this week, marks a significant milestone for mRNA vaccine technology, though the shot has yet to receive authorization in the United States, where it was developed.

25 Apr·3 min
Space

Blue Origin Achieves Rocket Reuse Milestone, But Satellite Payload Stranded in Wrong Orbit

Blue Origin marked a significant milestone on April 19, 2026, successfully reusing its New Glenn rocket for the first time, with the first-stage booster completing its second landing. However, the mission was marred by a second-stage malfunction that left AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite stranded in a lower orbit than intended, leaving the spacecraft effectively inoperable.

20 Apr·3 min·8 sources
Science

Inside America's Petawatt Laser: What It Takes to Fire One of the World's Most Powerful Beams

Buried two floors beneath the University of Texas at Austin campus sits one of the most powerful lasers in the United States — a machine capable of briefly generating more power than the entire US electrical grid. Ahmed Helal, who served as the lead laser scientist on the Texas Petawatt from 2020 to 2024, offers a rare firsthand account of operating the facility, which has since been shuttered due to federal funding cuts.

20 Apr·3 min·3 sources