Sunday Special: China unveils UFO-shaped electric aircraft

Welcome back, Superhuman. If you happen to look up at the sky this week, here are some major scientific breakthroughs you might encounter: a UFO-shaped electric aircraft in China that can haul more than half a ton, a floating power plant capable of running the average American home for over two weeks, and one of the last blood moons until late 2028.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific and technological breakthroughs this week

1. China unveils 'UFO-shaped' electric aircraft that can lift nearly half a ton: A UFO-shaped eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft has reportedly taken off in downtown Wuhan, showcasing what Chinese engineers claim is the world's first ducted ton-class flying saucer design. The country is positioning 2026 as a pivotal year for eVTOL commercialization, targeting urban logistics and aerial rescue missions. Watch the unique design in action here.

2. Scientists may soon use fire tornadoes to clean up the ocean: New research reveals that spinning vortexes of flame burn oil spills 40% faster, cut toxic soot emissions by 40%, and consume up to 95% of fuel, outperforming conventional "fire pool" methods. Inspired by a 2003 incident where a bourbon spill created a 100-foot fire whirl, scientists built a 16-foot triangular structure at a Texas fire facility to test the approach. There is one challenge: fire whirls collapse in strong winds and need precise conditions to stay stable.

3. Floating wind power plant aims to bring electricity to remote communities: Chinese scientists have successfully completed the first test flight of the S2000, an airborne wind system that taps into stronger, more reliable wind speeds over 6,000 feet above the ground. During its maiden flight, the helium-filled craft generated enough electricity to power the average American home for nearly two weeks. It could potentially overhaul energy access in countries with limited space for traditional wind farms.

4. Scientists use natural gas to create medicine in chemistry first: Spanish scientists claim to have created a hormone therapy medication directly from methane using LED light and an iron-based catalyst. The breakthrough transforms one of Earth's most abundant gases into sophisticated pharmaceuticals. For an industry that currently burns natural gas and releases greenhouse gases, this could potentially open the door to manufacturing medicines and chemicals from an ultra-cheap, plentiful feedstock.

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NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Clicks Communicator: A tactile phone for when you just want to stay in touch. It packs a full QWERTY keyboard and cellular connection so you can leave your main phone behind.

2. Meadow: A companion device that works with your main phone number. It has full LTE service, runs essentials like Uber, Spotify, and Strava, and is half the size of a smartphone.

3. Ubiquiti UniFi Travel Router: A pocket-sized router that mirrors your home UniFi network while traveling. It runs on USB-C power, applies VPN rules automatically, and handles hotel Wi-Fi logins for you.

4. Pebble Round 2: An ultra-thin round smartwatch with an e-paper display focused on notifications. It uses physical buttons, lasts for days on a single charge, and supports thousands of Pebble apps.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in science & tech on socials this week

🪐 Pixel Planets: Minecraft creator ChrisDaCow went mega-viral in 2022 for recreating the observable universe block-by-block in Minecraft. The project racked up praise from major outlets and stunned millions of viewers. It has resurfaced on social media again this week.

🚀 Space & Back: SpaceX’s reusable rocket system, the Starship, is widely considered one of the greatest feats of engineering of all time. You can relive the breakthrough moment here.

☄️ Size Stunner: Most people have no real sense of how massive a comet actually is. Here’s an illustration to put its true scale into perspective.

🦣 Frozen Forever: Discovered in 2002, the Yukagir Mammoth remains the most remarkably preserved specimen ever unearthed. Here’s an iconic photo of the Ice Age giant, frozen in time.

🔫 Beam Blast: A new viral video shows YouTuber Styropyro unveiling a DIY handheld laser rifle capable of melting aluminum cans from 12 meters away. It’s got some users concerned about accessible high-power optics outpacing safety norms.

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Look Up: Don’t forget to look up at the night sky this Tuesday. A total lunar eclipse will paint the moon bright red on Tuesday for viewers across North America, Central America, western South America, Australia, and eastern Asia. The "blood moon" turns red from sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere, offering a more relaxed viewing experience than solar eclipses. You can check the moonrise time for your location here.

Trojan Germs: Canadian scientists claim to have engineered a kind of bacteria that devours cancer tumors from the inside out by exploiting a fatal weakness in solid cancers. If pre-clinical trials succeed, these microscopic organisms could offer a highly targeted approach to destroying cancers without damaging healthy tissue, potentially solving a problem that's stumped scientists for decades.

Fetal Fix: Scientists have successfully treated six babies with severe spina bifida using stem cells — a major milestone for in utero therapies. The team added placenta-derived stem cells onto exposed spinal cords during fetal surgery, showing no short-term side effects. With 19 more children already treated in a trial, the approach could improve on the 2011 fetal surgery that still left over half of the patients unable to walk by age 2.5.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

Don’t Cheat: You can read more on the shocking incident here.

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Zain, Faiq, and the Superhuman AI team