Sunday Special: Scientists uncover a 'new form of life'

Welcome back, Superhuman. Nothing wastes your time like a good old traffic jam. Scientists might disagree, as they have found a way to turn them into a low-powered AI computer. In lighter news, a cow has stunned scientists and the internet by using tools with the sophistication previously thought exclusive to humans and chimps.

SCIENCE SUNDAY

The most interesting scientific discoveries and breakthroughs this week

1. Scientists uncover a 'new, extinct form of life' in old fossil: Scientists have confirmed that a 26ft tall, tree-trunk-shaped organism, first discovered in Scotland in 1843, isn't a fungus or plant, but an entirely distinct evolutionary branch of life. Chemical analysis of 407M-year-old fossils revealed that the giant organism was "life, but not as we now know it," representing an independent experiment in building complex life forms that dominated Earth's surface before plants and animals had gained any real foothold.

2. Researchers turn road traffic into a low-energy AI computer: Japanese researchers unveiled a new method that uses real-world traffic as a computing system to slash AI energy use. Instead of relying on energy-intensive processors, the approach taps into natural dynamics in urban road networks. They found that the system hits peak predictive accuracy just before congestion sets in, at medium-density traffic where dynamics are most diverse. It requires no specialized hardware: existing traffic sensors are enough.

3. Scientists unveil collar that helps stroke survivors speak again: Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed Revoice, a wearable that uses AI to help stroke patients communicate naturally without any brain implants. The device captures throat vibrations and heart rate to reconstruct speech in real time, achieving a 4.2% word error rate in tests with five patients. The device could potentially help people with Parkinson's or motor neuron disease regain their voice.

4. Researchers catch a cow using tools for the first time ever: Researchers have captured a pet Swiss Brown cow, using tools with impressive sophistication. In controlled trials, she deliberately flipped a deck brush depending on which body part she's scratching — bristles for her back, smooth handle for sensitive skin. Scientists think her genius blossomed from years of human interaction, suggesting other cattle might have similar capabilities we've overlooked. Watch the cow in action here.

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NEW TECH

Our favorite new tech gadgets this week

1. Cozytime Lumo: A compact countertop appliance that works as an oven, grill, or flat indoor BBQ. It uses far infrared heating for fast heat-up, low-smoke cooking, and dual heat zones for cooking different foods at once.

2. Everday Steam Closet: A collapsible steam closet that refreshes, sanitizes, and dries your clothes in under 30 minutes. No washer or dryer needed — just plug it in and add water.

3. Withings Body Scan 2: A smart scale designed to run a full health scan at home. It measures weight, body composition, ECG, blood pressure risk, and more in about 90 seconds.

4. Bee: A wearable AI designed to act as your personal assistant. It can convert your conversations, tasks, places, and daily moments into summaries, personal insights, and timely reminders.

SOCIAL SIGNALS

What’s trending in tech on socials this week

🃏 Stacking the Deck: The house always wins, and it doesn’t always play fair. Here’s a video showing behind-the-scenes footage of a poker bot farm where bots sit at the same table to collude against humans.

🌌 Space Snap: The iconic photo of Earth as seen from the orbit of Saturn has resurfaced and is doing the rounds on social media.

🧠 Inside Peek: An abstract animation visualizing AI thinking patterns as layered, evolving geometric patterns is racking up tens of thousands of views on social media.

🏍️ Ball Bike: An engineer has left social media users stunned after unveiling an omnidirectional ball motorcycle that can move in almost any direction. See it twirl around here.

PRESENTED BY SHOPIFY

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ONLY GOOD NEWS

A healthy dose of optimism to kickstart your week

Nerve Nudge: A tiny chest-implanted device has reportedly delivered impressive results for people with severe depression. In a trial with nearly 500 patients who'd exhausted an average of 13 treatments over 29 years, scientists found vagus nerve stimulation to produce sustained improvements in 69% of participants. 20% of patients achieved complete remission after 24 months, functioning normally in daily life, a feat considered "highly atypical" for treatment-resistant depression.

Solar Sip: Korean scientists claim to have built a solar-powered seawater evaporator that produces drinking water without electricity. The oxide-based device uses a photothermal material that absorbs 97% of sunlight, reaching temperatures of 176°F and evaporating water 7x faster than natural processes. At full scale, a 1-square-meter unit can produce more than a gallon of pure drinking water an hour, potentially delivering affordable freshwater solutions to people from developing regions.

SUNDAY SCIENCE TRIVIA

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Don’t Cheat: You can read more about the crazy phenomenon here.

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Until next time,

Zain, Faiq, and the Superhuman AI team