👃 Scientists invent 'artificial nose'

Welcome back, Superhuman. Nearly a century ago, scientists proposed that a mysterious invisible substance called 'dark matter' clumped around galaxies and formed a cosmic web across the universe. For decades, they searched for it but came up empty-handed. Now, one scientist claims to have finally caught a glimpse of the mysterious substance.

The Sunday Special is designed to help you discover the most interesting and important scientific and technological breakthroughs outside of AI. Our regular AI updates will resume as usual on Monday.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

A University of Tokyo scientist claims to have caught the first glimpse of dark matter. Source: NASA

1. We may have caught our first glimpse of 'dark matter': After nearly a century of hunting what's essentially considered the universe's most elusive substance, a University of Tokyo astronomer claims to have spotted the first direct evidence of dark matter. While some experts are urging caution, the reported confirmation emerged from 15 years of NASA Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope data, and if confirmed, would mark the first time humanity has actually "seen" dark matter.

2. Scientists claim to have invented an 'artificial nose': The experimental device can help people detect odors without using their sense of smell. It exploits the trigeminal nerve (the nerve that controls face sensations) by encoding scents as electrical pulses. While it can't quite replicate the full sensory experience yet, the device could warn anosmic people of dangerous smells like gas leaks, offering an important safety tool for people living with smell loss.

3. NASA rover makes a shocking discovery on Mars: The Perseverance rover just detected a kind of lightning on Mars: centimeter-scale electrical discharges similar to the static shock you get from touching a doorknob in winter. The rover's microphone captured the pop of "mini-thunder" during a dust devil, providing the most direct evidence yet of atmospheric electricity on the Red Planet. The shocks could potentially damage electronics and spacesuits over time — critical intel for designing Mars missions.

4. A strange human foot just revealed a hidden human cousin: Scientists say they've matched the prehistoric 'Burtele Foot' to a newly confirmed human ancestor that lived alongside Lucy's species in ancient Ethiopia. Diet analyses suggest the species ate only forest foods, while Lucy's group was less picky, potentially explaining how they shared the same turf without competing. The finding reveals how early human ancestors coexisted by occupying different ecological niches — key insights for understanding human evolution.

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NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

Source: reMarkable, Gozney, HOTO, Fellow

1. reMarkable PaperPro: A digital notebook that feels like paper, so you can take notes, review documents, and maintain a digital workflow without any distractions.

2. Gozney Tread: A modular oven and accessory system designed to be the world's most portable pizza oven. It's built for high-heat cooking anywhere.

3. HOTO Air Pump Pro: A portable high-speed electric air pump that inflates a car tire from 0 to 35 psi in under 5 minutes. It packs four preset modes, a smart auto-stop for precise inflation, and a 12-lumen light for low visibility.

4. Fellow Espresso Series 1: A home espresso machine that packs a triple-heater system for exact temps, and pressure profiling that'll help you customize your shots.

YouTuber Barny Dillarstone claims to have found a deep-sea animal no one can identify at the bottom of the Bali Sea. Source: Barny Dillarstone on YouTube

🛰️ Space Stretch: NASA's Voyager 1 is set to hit a major milestone next year. It will become the first spacecraft to reach one light-day from Earth in late 2026 (nearly 50 years after launch), continuing its journey through interstellar space.

🌊 Deep Dive: YouTuber Barny Dillarstone dropped his camera to the bottom of the ocean and claims to have picked up a deep-sea animal that no one can identify. You can see for yourself here.

🧠 Little Einstein: This child prodigy could give Albert Einstein a run for his money. Belgium's Laurent Simons has reportedly bagged a PhD in quantum physics at age 15, having completed a Master's at 12, and is now aiming to study medical science to extend human life. Read more about her here.

🌌 Big Picture: A viral 49-second animation zooms from Earth to the cosmic web, giving us a visual demo of how vast the universe really is. It has racked up over 700,000 views on X.

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

A 3-year-old patient with Hunter syndrome successfully receives stem cell gene therapy. Source: University of Manchester

Gene Fix: A 3-year-old has become the first patient to receive stem cell gene therapy for Hunter syndrome, a deadly genetic disorder that is typically fatal by age 20. Developed over a decade at the University of Manchester, the one-time treatment corrects faulty genes in the patient's cells to produce a missing enzyme, crucially reaching the brain to prevent dementia-like decline. Months post-therapy, the child has reportedly shown dramatic improvements, potentially offering hope for similar genetic conditions.

Sugar Solution: Stanford researchers claim to have cured Type 1 diabetes in mice using a dual transplant of blood stem cells and insulin-producing islet cells from the same donor. The procedure created a "hybrid immune system" that stops the body from attacking its own cells, eliminating the need for lifelong immune-suppressing drugs. The technique uses tools already in clinical practice, potentially putting human trials within realistic reach for diabetes and other autoimmune diseases.

Tumor Takedown: Scientists claim to have developed nasal drops that wipe out aggressive brain tumors in mice. The therapy uses gold nanoparticles to activate the brain's immune system, sidestepping invasive brain injections entirely. Combined with T-cell boosting drugs, the treatment eliminated tumors and built lasting immunity, potentially making this noninvasive approach a potential game-changer for brain cancer immunotherapy.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

The Empire Strikes Back

Source: The Space Review

During the Cold War, Soviet engineers drew up plans to build a 40m secret "space laser gun" to blind enemy satellites' sensors. The orbital battle station was never deployed, but the crazy plan shows how close space once came to becoming a battlefield.

What was this ambitious project called?

Kosmos Sentinel

Polyus (Skif)

Zvezda-1

Mir-Laser Platform

Don't Cheat: You can read more on the wild plan here.

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