Sunday Special: Scientists spot lemon-shaped planet

Welcome back, Superhuman. Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope seem to have stumbled upon a unique planetary shape that’s got the entire scientific community scratching their heads. Meanwhile, scientists have invented a "VPN blanket" to combat loneliness and homesickness in expats. It’s been another big week in science.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week 

1. Scientists spot ‘strange’ lemon-shaped planet: Astronomers using the James Webb Telescope have spotted the most stretched-out planet ever confirmed. Dubbed PSR J2322-2650b, it’s a Jupiter-mass world orbiting a pulsar one million miles away, and is 38% wider at its equator than it is pole to pole. Some scientists suspect it might not be a planet at all, but rather the final remnants of a dying star being consumed by its pulsar. You can see the strange cosmic body here.

2. Unique motorcycle concept could run on sunlight alone: MASK Architects just unveiled Solaris, the "world's first fully solar-powered autonomous motorcycle" that operates without fuel, grids, or charging stations. Unlike bikes with flat solar panels, Solaris wraps its entire carbon-fiber body in curved photovoltaic skin that captures light from every angle. Still in prototype stage, Solaris represents true energy independence and potential freedom from per-mile costs and range anxiety.

3. Streetwear brand launches "VPN-enabled blanket” for homesick expats: The unique blanket has NFC tech woven into its tag that unlocks one month of free VPN service with a simple tap. Backed by research showing 88% of expats feel less isolated when accessing home content, the Italian-made throw can stream content from over 120 countries, and is designed to capture "that mix of longing and warmth you get when you find reminders of where you're from." Check it out here.

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Nebius Token Factory — Post-training Launch

Nebius Token Factory just launched Post-training — the missing layer for teams building production-grade AI on open-source models.

You can now fine-tune frontier models like DeepSeek V3, GPT-OSS 20B & 120B, and Qwen3 Coder across multi-node GPU clusters with stability up to 131k context.

Models become deeply adapted to your domain, your tone, your structure, your workflows. Deployment is one click: dedicated endpoints, SLAs, and zero-retention privacy.

And for launch, fine-tuning GPT-OSS 20B & 120B (Full FT + LoRA FT) is free until Jan 9.

This is the shift from generic base models to custom production engines.

Start fine-tuning now.

NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Gloryang Thermal Printer: This portable printer connects with your device using Bluetooth, is completely wireless and inkless, and can print your documents on the go.

2. Amazon Kindle Scribe 2: This e-reader and notebook has a glare-free display that feels like writing on paper. Also, a new upgrade — the Active Canvas feature — lets you create notes directly in books.

3. Unitree Pump Max: Unitree finally dropped Pump Max, a home fitness device that provides adjustable resistance and integrates with an app so you can track your progress.

4. INIU MagSafe Charger: This 10,000mAh power bank magnetically attaches to the back of your iPhone, making it easier to use your phone while it charges.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in tech on socials this week

🎵 Scream Machine: A viral Reddit post shows the famous Mega Marvin instrument, a unique device once used to create the eerie, creepy sounds in horror movies and video games.

🎭️ Wall Warp: A 3D digital artist wowed social media users by showing how projection mapping can turn ordinary bedroom surfaces into dynamic, immersive art, and the results are stunning.

🌌 Space Swirl: A "hypnotic" animation tracing Mars and Jupiter’s orbital dance has got social media users smashing the like button. However, astronomers say that the real paths are messier than the perfect circles shown.

⚡️ Flex Fix: Chinese scientists have developed a flexible metal–polymer conductor that seems to solve the problem of wires breaking when stretched, twisted, or folded — a major breakthrough for durable wearable and foldable electronics.

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Baby Steps: A year ago, doctors weren't sure KJ Muldoon would survive infancy. After becoming the first person to receive a personalized CRISPR gene-editing therapy, he’s now taking his first steps at home. The one-patient treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia targeted a rare metabolic disorder that's often fatal in babies. Muldoon’s case is now challenging traditional drug approval models and giving researchers a roadmap to expand personalized gene therapies to other children with rare diseases.

Brain Brigade: Chinese scientists claim to have enabled a completely paralyzed patient to control wheelchairs, robotic dogs, and digital devices through a fully implanted brain interface. The wireless WRS01 implant reportedly processes brain signals faster than natural neural transmission, and allegedly required just 2-3 weeks of training. If true, it could possibly mark the first time the technology has worked across different robotic systems in real-world use cases.

Quick Fix: Northwestern University scientists claim to have created a 15-minute diagnostic to spot hepatitis C that's 75% faster than existing rapid tests. The DASH platform (originally built for COVID) processes whole blood samples and showed 100% accuracy in independent testing at Johns Hopkins. While current HCV testing typically takes days or weeks for results to arrive, this breakthrough could dramatically boost cure rates and potentially help us hit the WHO's 2030 elimination target.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

Don’t Cheat: You can read more on the strange phenomenon here

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Until next time,

Zain and the Superhuman AI team