AI-Powered Solar Cell Factory Hits 27.22% Efficiency: How Machines Are Now Inventing Better Materials
Researchers have built an autonomous system that discovers new materials AND manufactures solar cells with almost no human involvement. The AI-driven platform achieved a record 27.22% efficiency and proved nearly 5 times more consistent than human workers. This could fundamentally change how we develop clean energy technology.
Research Librarians Are Research Partners: Why Universities Need to Stop Treating Them Like Help Desks
A new Nature correspondence argues that academic librarians bring genuine disciplinary expertise to research teams, not just search skills. The piece pushes back against the outdated view of librarians as mere service providers, highlighting examples where librarians have contributed as co-authors on peer-reviewed studies.
Deep-Sea Mining Rules 2026: Why NOAA's New Fast-Track Process Has Scientists Worried
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just made it easier for companies to apply for deep-sea mining permits, combining exploration and commercial mining into one streamlined process. But here's the problem: we still don't have basic environmental data about what's down there, and the International Seabed Authority hasn't even finalized its Mining Act yet.