Can Black Holes Create Stars? What JWST Found in a 200,000-Light-Year Trail
October 31, 2026
A massive black hole may have escaped its galaxy and left a 200,000-light-year trail of young stars. Here’s how that could happen, what JWST actually
Category: Science, Engineering & Environment
Evidence-based exploration of scientific research, engineering systems, energy, the environment, infrastructure, measurement, and technologies that connect theory with real-world decisions.
Is Mars Soil Toxic? The Real Risks to Humans and Food
October 16, 2026
Martian soil contains perchlorates and other substances that could threaten astronaut health and food production. NASA established a new dust exposure limit in 2026, but
Can Water Be Too Pure? What Ultrapure Water Does to Metal, Skin, and Germs
October 16, 2026
Scientists use extraordinarily pure water to detect neutrinos, yet a famous story claims it hollowed out a metal hammer. The science is more interesting than
MarinaTex: Can Fish Waste Replace Plastic Packaging?
October 12, 2026
MarinaTex began as a film made from fish-processing byproducts and red algae. We trace the claim that one cod could yield 1,400 bags, examine the
Signal Hill Earthquake: Magnitude 3.2 Strikes Near Long Beach on October 9, 2026
October 9, 2026
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck southwest of Signal Hill shortly after midnight on October 9, 2026, jolting parts of Long Beach. Here are the preliminary
Nuclear-Powered Data Centers: What It Would Actually Take to Run AI on a Dedicated Reactor
October 1, 2026
Nuclear power can run an AI data center, but a reactor’s nameplate rating is only the beginning. This research paper models what 100 MW, 500
A Refrigerator That Cools by Stretching Metal: How Elastocaloric Cooling Works
October 1, 2026
Elastocaloric cooling can refrigerate by repeatedly stressing and relaxing shape-memory alloys such as nickel-titanium. Recent prototypes have reached sub-zero temperatures, kilowatt-scale cooling power and dramatically
Does Freezing Salt Water Remove the Salt? Yes. So Why Don’t We Desalinate Seawater That Way?
September 28, 2026
Yes, freezing salt water can separate much of the salt from the ice. The problem is what comes next: trapped brine, ice separation, washing, melting
Did the CIA Really Map the Universe? What the Gateway Process Torus Actually Says
September 28, 2026
A real 1983 Army intelligence memo describes the universe as a torus-like “cosmic egg,” with matter flowing from a white hole toward a black hole
How Low Can the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Go? The 300M, 252.4M and 70M Thresholds Explained
September 27, 2026
There is no single minimum level for the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The commonly cited 300 million, 252.4 million and 70 million barrel thresholds refer