Proton radius puzzle resolved, Milky Way black hole wind found, and Webb spies salt clouds on Pink Planet

Decade-long proton radius puzzle finally resolved by new precise measurement Researchers at Colorado State University measured the proton's radius at 0.84 femtometers, ending a decade of conflicting results. The finding strengthens confidence in the Standard Model of particle physics. 1

Milky Way's supermassive black hole is blowing a wind, ending 50-year search Northwestern University astronomers have finally detected a subtle outflow from Sagittarius A*, confirming long-standing theoretical predictions. The discovery provides new insight into how the black hole interacts with its surroundings. 2

James Webb Space Telescope captures salt clouds on the 'Pink Planet' GJ 504 b For the first time, astronomers have directly detected salt clouds in the atmosphere of a cold planetary-mass companion, GJ 504 b, using Webb's NIRSpec instrument. The finding confirms a 15-year-old theoretical prediction about exotic cloud formation. 3

Quantinuum launches Helios, a 98-qubit trapped-ion quantum processor with record performance Helios, described in Nature, uses barium hyperfine qubits and a QCCD architecture to achieve 99.92% two-qubit gate fidelity. The system can perform computations beyond the reach of classical supercomputers, marking a leap toward quantum utility. 4

Duke and IonQ achieve first three-node entangled quantum state using trapped ions The team produced a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state across three separate ion-trap modules with up to 88.1% fidelity, using photonic links. This validates modular quantum computing and closes a key loophole in tests of quantum non-locality. 5

Twisted boron nitride layers tune quantum emitters to record 100 meV range Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney have achieved a 30-nanometer tuning range in quantum light sources using mechanical twisting of hexagonal boron nitride. The breakthrough addresses spectral inhomogeneity, a key barrier to scalable quantum photonic circuits. 6

Webb telescope captures every stage of star formation in the Orion A molecular cloud NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged OMC-2, a region 1,280 light-years away, showing stellar embryos, protoplanetary disks, and young stars in a single view. The data will help astronomers study star formation feedback and circumstellar disk chemistry. 7

Cross-reactive T cells could fight both measles and Nipah virus, study finds La Jolla Institute researchers identified T cells activated by measles vaccine that can recognize the deadly Nipah virus. The discovery points toward broad-spectrum vaccines targeting the entire paramyxovirus family, including potential pandemic threats. 8

Plague was deadly in hunter-gatherer communities 5,500 years ago, ancient DNA shows Genomes from Siberian graves near Lake Baikal reveal that early Yersinia pestis strains caused lethal outbreaks in small, pre-agricultural populations. The finding reshapes understanding of when and how devastating epidemics first emerged. 9

DNA breaks routinely occur and are repaired during brain cortex formation Kyoto University researchers found that migrating neurons in the developing brain sustain frequent double-strand DNA breaks, but a rapid repair system corrects the damage within 24 hours. Understanding this process could illuminate neurological conditions linked to repair failure. 10

Cell-inspired liquid material stores energy for months without metals Northwestern University chemists created a liquid material that harvests light energy, stores it as a black gel for months, and releases it on demand. The metal-free system mimics the cytoskeleton's dynamic assembly and could lead to new types of batteries. 11

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrives in Florida for pre-launch processing NASA's next great observatory arrived at Kennedy Space Center aboard the Pegasus barge and will undergo a 70-day campaign before launching on a Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than August 30. The telescope will study dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. 12

Modular nanorobot with reusable modules targets cancer cells University of Basel researchers developed a nanorobot with separate magnetic propulsion and payload modules that self-assemble. The system can be adapted for medical, industrial, or environmental applications by swapping the payload capsule. 13

Arrakihs mission approved: Spain to lead first space exploration of dark matter The European Space Agency approved Arrakihs, a fast-class mission using four small telescopes to study dark matter by observing 80 Milky Way-like galaxies. Led by Spain, the mission could challenge current understanding of how the universe works. 14

Carbon nanotube 'electronic nose' makes food spoilage detection practical A new e-nose using carbon nanotubes can detect off chicken and nut allergens, potentially enabling smart fridges that warn consumers. The technology overcomes previous limitations of sensitivity and cost for everyday use. 15