Magnetic ripples drive computing revolution

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Researchers at the University of Vienna have made a key breakthrough in a promising new area of computing that could drastically reduce energy consumption. Their invention, called a "magnonic repeater," solves a major problem in using magnons - tiny disturbances in magnetic materials - to process data. This development, published in Nature Communications, brings us closer to computers that use less power but can perform tasks faster. A magnon is like a ripple in a magnetic material, similar to how waves spread out when you drop a stone into water. Scientists believe these ripples can replace the electrical currents used in today's computers, leading to more energy-efficient technology.

Scientists uncover Mars'missing air

A new study reveals that Mars' once-thick atmosphere, crucial for keeping liquid water on the planet, may be hiding in its clay-rich surface. MIT geologists propose that billions of years ago, carbon dioxide in Mars' atmosphere could have been trapped in clays through reactions between water and certain rocks. As water trickled through Mars' crust, it likely caused chemical reactions that drew carbon dioxide out of the air and stored it as methane in the planet's clay.

These findings, published in Science Advances, suggest that up to 80 per cent of Mars' early atmosphere could be locked beneath the surface. This discovery not only solves a key mystery in Mars' history, but also raises the possibility of one day recovering the stored methane to fuel future Mars missions. The research highlights the Red Planet's potential for harbouring resources essential to space exploration and sheds light on the processes that drastically transformed its climate.