The State Department updated its travel advisory for the Bahamas, highlighting the risk of crime, including sexual assaults, in the Caribbean nation.Violent crimes, such as sexual assaults, armed robberies,

President Donald Trump vowed swift retaliation Wednesday after U.S. troops intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile attack targeting American forces in Jordan overnight. Were going to beat the f

Best portable power station deal: Save over $500 on the DJI Power 2000 It's never a bad time to invest in a reliable and movable power source.  By ...

Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 users complain of battery drain, overheating If you have a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or S25 Ultra, maybe keep an eye on your battery.Owners of those two older Ultra devices are complaining on places like Reddit and Samsung's own forums (as spotted by Android Headlines) about significant battery issues...

Best drone deal: Save 10% on the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo SAVE $110: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale at Amazon for $989, down from the list price of $1,099. That's a 10% discount and the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon. $989 at Amazon...

iPhone 20: Rumor has it Apple is prepping a radical redesign Presumably, Apple will release the iPhone 18 in September. That's all fine and good, but let's look even further into the future.Believe it or not, there are already credible reports and leaks floating around about a potential 20th anniversary "iPhone 20" arriving in fall...

Chinese researchers have revealed a new technology that could soon enable drones to charge mid-flight using high-powered lasers. The scientists built a prototype of the system using a model of a drone and attached a receiver that works similarly to a solar cell. Fixed to the underside of the wing, the receiver successfully converted the energy from the laser beam into electricity to power the aircrafts propellers.The breakthrough was made by researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China and Tsinghua University, with details outlined in a new study published on 29 July in the journal Matter & Light. "Previous studies largely focused on the materials or the device itself," study senior author Jianhua Han, a researcher at the Civil Aviation University of China, said in a statement. "We wanted to think beyond the laboratory, to how the system could actually be integrated into an aircraft, cooled during operation, and made compatible with flight. It isnt just a materials science problem; its an engineering one."Wirelessly charging drones The receiver is what's known as a perovskite laser cell-thermoelectric (PLC-TE) tandem device optimized to turn laser light into electricity. Perovskite is a highly efficient material used in cutting-edge solar cells, noteworthy for its crystal structure that allows it to capture more wavelengths of the light spectrum than silicon. For this reason, its prized as a future solar material, with some research indicating it could even be used to convert ambient indoor light into usable electricity. When hit with a green laser, the receiver converted 38.49% of the light into electricity well above the 34% peak results for perovskite-silicon tandem cells as recorded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).In initial testing, the researchers discovered an unwelcome side effect of using the laser: the drone was being heated to extreme temperatures, reducing its overall efficiency.Following initial testing using a model, scientsts plan to wirelessly charge a real drone mid-flight. (Image credit: Y. Han and X. Han et al. (2026))"When we tested the device under a high-power laser, the thermal camera showed temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees Celsius [176 to 194 degrees Fahrenheit]," said Han. "That was much higher than we expected and made us realise that heat buildup was a far more serious problem than we had imagined."To combat this, the researchers introduced nanocrystals made from antimony triselenide an abundant semiconductor material into the PLC-TE design. This plays the role of a thermal barrier, preventing the device from releasing too much heat. In addition to their cooling innovation, the constant airflow generated by the drones propeller helped further regulate the temperature of the receivers cool side.Overcoming battery life barriers "Imagine a future where drones inspecting forests, monitoring disasters, or delivering packages no longer need to land frequently to replace batteries, said Han. "As drones take on longer missions, battery life has become one of the biggest barriers."The researchers specifically identified reconnaissance, logistics, and disaster relief as key areas where drones powered by lasers could one day be used. But they also said more needs to be done to develop real-time tracking systems that precisely target the PLC-TE on in-flight drones before the system could be used in the wild.Going forward, the researchers will test how the device functions on a real lightweight drone in outdoor conditions.The promise of indefinite flight has made wireless power tests a focus for militaries around the world. If achieved, reconnaissance and weapons-carrying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could operate in radically different environments than those they are currently restricted to, with regular refuelling requirements.Related storiesDrones could achieve 'infinite flight' after engineers create laser-based wireless power system that charges them from the groundJapanese power breakthrough could be 'step toward a fully wireless society'Japan trials 100-kilowatt laser weapon it can cut through metal and drones mid-flightFor example, the most commonly used hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven, can fly for a maximum flight time of 60 to 90 minutes before needing to charge. In June 2025, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) successfully beamed 800 watts of power over a distance of 5.3 miles (8.6 kilometers), as part of its Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program.Private companies such as PowerLight Technologies, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, have said they could deliver kilowatts of energy to in-flight drones operating at altitudes of up to 5,000 feet (1,500 meters).

Sometimes, you have embark on a journey to appreciate home. The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission recently gave us just such a view of our homeworld and our large natural satellite, as seen from the spacecrafts temporary orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point.

The attacks on science continue, and billions are shifted into artificial "intelligence."

Facing federal cuts to scientific research, US marmot scientists have turned to OnlyFans to raise funds (but don't expect explicit marmot shenanigans).