SCIENCE SUNDAY
The most interesting scientific and technological breakthroughs this week
Click here to watch human brain cells play the 1993 classic video game Doom. Photo: Cortical Labs
1. Lab-grown human brain cells learn to play video game on microchip: Biotech firm Cortical Labs has programmed living neurons to play the 1993 video game Doom. Scientists turned game visuals into electrical signals, helping the cells navigate the game interface and target enemies in real-time. The experiment is a landmark in programmable biology, potentially paving the way towards biological processors that could power robotic limbs and hybrid computers. Watch the neurons play the video game here.
2. Scientists grow chickpeas in Moon soil for the first time: Scientists at UT Austin and Texas A&M have grown and harvested chickpeas in simulated lunar soil in a first for space agriculture. Moon dirt is notoriously hostile: it has no organic matter and is loaded with toxic heavy metals. The team found that mixtures of up to 75% lunar soil could yield a harvestable crop. However, scientists still need to confirm that the chickpeas are safe to eat and nutritionally viable for long-duration Artemis missions.
3. Earth’s asteroid defense just got a major upgrade: When NASA’s DART spacecraft slammed into asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, it shortened its orbit by 32 minutes. Now, new research has revealed it may have done a lot more. Scientists have confirmed that DART also nudged the asteroid pair’s trajectory around the sun — a first-ever measurement. The shift was tiny, but it doubled the deflection effect. It’s the most compelling evidence yet that humanity could potentially redirect a killer asteroid before it reaches Earth.
4. US startup nails flight test of a drone built for hypersonic speeds: Atlanta-based Hermeus has successfully flown its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 prototype drone, kicking off a test campaign aimed at breaking the sound barrier. If subsonic tests go smoothly, engineers will push the next iteration of the drone toward supersonic flight, potentially paving the way to Darkhorse, a reusable hypersonic aircraft built for defense missions. Watch the groundbreaking test flight here.
via Superhuman