☢️ Stellarators could give US nuclear edge over China, MIT invents game-changing transistor for electronics, China’s secretive spaceplane offers ‘dual use’ military tech

Plus: China unveils world’s 1st meltdown-proof nuclear reactor                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 July 29, 2024 | [Read Online]( Explore more of our exciting channels [Interesting Engineering]( [Military Mechanics]( [Crafty Engineers]( A team of 24 physicists from leading plasma research institutes in the US has released a white paper suggesting that if the United States wants to stay ahead in nuclear fusion technology, it should construct a “flexible” stellarator facility that could lead to the development of a fusion plant in the future. Currently, there is no planned or existing facility in the country where researchers can test their theories and concepts related to fusion pilot plants. For more on this development, check out today’s [Must-Read](. 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: > [Principal HPC Software Engineer]( > [Senior Network Security Engineer - IT Information Security 4681]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ ☢️ [Nuclear fusion race: ‘Flexible’ stellarators could give US edge over China]( The study’s suggestions hold immense importance for the US considering the fact that [China]( and [Russia]( are actively advancing their own nuclear fusion technologies. Nuclear fusion research is conducted using two types of devices: [tokamaks]( and [stellarators](. These devices can confine hot plasma and achieve the conditions required for nuclear fusion reactions. Scientists study these reactions to better understand nuclear fusion and the conditions that are necessary to operate a fusion plant. Lead author of the white paper, Felix Parra Diaz suggests that stellarators and tokamaks “are [close relatives](, with many aspects in common. Physics discoveries that benefit one are usually of interest to the other.” ⚡️ [MIT’s breakthrough transistor could be game-changer for electronics]( MIT physicists have created a transistor using a [ferroelectric material](that could revolutionize electronics. The material—an innovation of the same core team and colleagues in 2021—is ultrathin and separates positive and negative charges into [different layers](. The team has demonstrated that their novel transistor surpasses current industry standards in several key aspects. At the center of the new transistor is the ferroelectric material stacked in a [parallel configuration](, an arrangement that does not occur naturally. When an electric field is applied, the layers slightly slide over each other and alter the positions of [boron and nitrogen atoms](, dramatically changing the material’s electronic properties. ✈️ [China’s secretive spaceplane offers ‘dual use’ tech, could fulfill military goals]( China’s secretive spaceplane has recently captured international attention after being observed releasing and retrieving an object during its [third mission](, raising questions about its capabilities and purpose. During its third mission in June, the spacecraft was seen [releasing an object](, moving several kilometers away, and then [returning]( to within a few hundred meters of it, Reuters reported. Experts noted that a reusable spacecraft capable of interfering with [complex satellite networks](would be of significant value as militaries worldwide advance these systems. Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > Chinese researchers have developed a quantum computing pipeline for drug discovery that could move the technology from concept to practical use in drug design. ([More]() > Researchers have suggested that the 4,600-year-old pyramid in Egypt was built using a type of hydraulic lift. The landscape, waterways, and interior architecture of the Step Pyramid of Djoser all point to the hydraulic system. ([More]() > A type of invisible, unpredictable air turbulence is expected to occur more frequently in the Northern Hemisphere as the climate warms. Known as clear air turbulence, the phenomenon also increased in the Northern Hemisphere between 1980 and 2021, the study found. ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers have taken the wraps off a hardware device that could revolutionize artificial intelligence (AI) computing and address one of the most pressing challenges in the field by cutting energy consumption for AI applications by a factor of at least 1,000. ([More]() > A new material that converts sunlight and water into clean energy has been developed by scientists. The photocatalyst enables the high-speed, high-efficiency production of hydrogen. ([More]() > Ocean Energy has deployed its 826-ton wave energy converter buoy OE-35 at the US Navy's Wave Energy Test Site off the coast of the island of Oahu ahead of it being hooked up to Hawaii's electricity grid. ([More]() INNOVATION > The US Department of Energy, in a bid to maintain America’s lead in high-performance computing, issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a cutting-edge supercomputer named Discover, touted to replace Frontier, the current fastest supercomputer in the world. ([More]() > Researchers at MIT have developed a new robot that can easily perform some types of kitchen tasks, such as peeling multiple vegetables. In a recent video, the robot is seen peeling a squash with one hand while holding it by the other. ([More]() > University of Sydney researchers are proposing a new way to curb industrial emissions, by tapping into the "atomic intelligence" of liquid metals to deliver greener and more sustainable chemical reactions. ([More]() VIDEO > A bustling community of trillions of cells influences almost every aspect of our life. Watch how gut microbes shape every aspect of human health. ([More]() > Curiosity Rover captures images of charged particles on Mars and how they go on to interfere with the camera’s functioning. It came from the same sunspot that caused the spectacular aurorae earlier in 2024. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked you, What is the next number in the sequence? The answer is: (B) 15 Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > Is clean energy killing our wildlife? 4,642 vertebrate species are threatened by cobalt mining, a mineral essential for clean energy [tech]( > A new study has provided evidence showing that human activities have made global rainfall more volatile over the past [century]( > India has unveiled the Blue Brain Project, and has shocked the world: It could be the first "artificial human" to be [developed]( > Two new methane-producing microbes discovered in Yellowstone may impact climate change and the search for extraterrestrial [life]( > Olympics outfitter Lululemon accused of greenwashing in [France]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. [🛩️ Aerospace:]( The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more. 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