In a high-security Shenzhen laboratory, Chinese scientists have built a prototype of a machine capable of producing cutting-edge semiconductor chips that power artificial intelligence, smartphones and weapons central to Western military dominance.
Category: mobile phones – Page 2
Batteries lose charge when they ‘breathe’: Understanding deterioration is a step toward longer-lasting batteries
Researchers have identified a key reason why the batteries used to power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles deteriorate over time, a critical step toward building faster, more reliable and longer-lasting batteries.
The research team from The University of Texas at Austin, Northeastern University, Stanford University and Argonne National Laboratory found that every cycle of charge and discharge causes batteries to expand and contract, similar to human breathing. This action causes battery components to warp just a tiny amount, putting strain on the battery and weakening it over time. This phenomenon, known as chemomechanical degradation, leads to reduced performance and lifespan.
The findings are published in the journal Science.
Snakes’ mind-bending ‘heat vision’ inspires scientists to build a 4K imaging system that could one day fit into your smartphone
Scientists in China have developed a first-of-its-kind artificial imaging system inspired by snakes that are able to “see” heat coming off their prey in total darkness. The sensor captures ultra-high-resolution infrared (IR) images in 4K resolution (3,840 × 2,160 pixels) — matching the image quality of the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera.
Any object with a temperature above absolute zero (−460 degrees Fahrenheit or-273 degrees Celsius) emits some electromagnetic radiation. For normal body heat, this has a wavelength in the IR range. The human eye can only pick up shorter wavelengths that are in the visible light range.
Abstract: A widely held hypothesis posits that ER stress drives cell death in thyroid disease
Here, Peter Arvan & team generate a mouse model lacking thyroglobulin, finding stimulated thyroid hormone synthesis machinery drives thyrocyte cell death independent of ER stress:
The figure shows limited ER diameter in thyroid tissue from Tg-KO untreated mice.
Address correspondence to: Peter Arvan, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan, Brehm Tower rm 5,112, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48,105, USA. Phone: 734.936.5505; Email: [email protected].
Kimwolf Botnet Hijacks 1.8 Million Android TVs, Launches Large-Scale DDoS Attacks
A new distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) botnet known as Kimwolf has enlisted a massive army of no less than 1.8 million infected devices comprising Android-based TVs, set-top boxes, and tablets, and may be associated with another botnet known as AISURU, according to findings from QiAnXin XLab.
“Kimwolf is a botnet compiled using the NDK [Native Development Kit],” the company said in a report published today. “In addition to typical DDoS attack capabilities, it integrates proxy forwarding, reverse shell, and file management functions.”
The hyper-scale botnet is estimated to have issued 1.7 billion DDoS attack commands within a three-day period between November 19 and 22, 2025, around the same time one of its command-and-control (C2) domains – 14emeliaterracewestroxburyma02132[.]su – came first in Cloudflare’s list of top 100 domains, briefly even surpassing Google.
Cellik Android malware builds malicious versions from Google Play apps
A new Android malware-as-a-service (MaaS) named Cellik is being advertised on underground cybercrime forums offering a robust set of capabilities that include the option to embed it in any app available on the Google Play Store.
Specifically, attackers can select apps from Android’s official app store and create trojanized versions that appear trustworthy and keep the real app’s interface and functionality.
By providing the expected capabilities, Cellik infections can go unnoticed for a longer time. Additionally, the seller claims that bundling the malware this way may help bypass Play Protect, although this is unconfirmed.
Kali Linux 2025.4 released with 3 new tools, desktop updates
Kali Linux has released version 2025.4, its final update of the year, introducing three new hacking tools, desktop environment improvements, the preview of Wifipumpkin3 in NetHunter, and enhanced Wayland support.
Kali Linux is a distribution designed for cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers to perform red-teaming, penetration testing, security assessments, and network research.
The distribution is available as an installable operating system or a live environment and supports a wide range of hardware, including Raspberry Pi devices and compatible Android phones through Kali NetHunter.
Abstract: From synaptogenic to synaptotoxic
This issue’s cover features work by Alberto Siddu & team on the promotion of synapse formation in human neurons by free amyloid-beta peptides, in contrast to aggregated forms that are synaptotoxic:
The image shows a human induced neuron exposed to a nontoxic concentration of amyloid-beta42 peptide, revealing enhanced synaptogenesis, visible as synaptic puncta along the dendritic arbor.
Address correspondence to: Alberto Siddu, Lorry Lokey Stem Cell Building, 265 Campus Dr., Room G1015, Stanford, California 94,305, USA. Phone: 650.721.1418; Email: [email protected]. Or to: Thomas C. Südhof, Lorry Lokey Stem Cell Building, 265 Campus Dr., Room G1021, Stanford, California 94,305, USA. Phone: 650.721.1418; Email: [email protected].
An Old Jeweler’s Trick Could Unlock the Next Generation of Nuclear Clocks
Last year, a research team led by UCLA achieved a milestone scientists had pursued for half a century. They succeeded in making radioactive thorium nuclei interact with light by absorbing and emitting photons, similar to how electrons behave inside atoms. First envisioned by the group in 2008, the breakthrough is expected to transform precision timekeeping and could significantly improve navigation systems, while also opening the door to discoveries that challenge some of the most basic constants in physics.
The advance comes with a major limitation. The required isotope, thorium-229, exists only as a byproduct of weapons-grade uranium, making it extremely rare. Researchers estimate that just 40 grams of this material are currently available worldwide for use in nuclear clock research.
A new study now shows a way around this obstacle. An international collaboration led by UCLA physicist Eric Hudson has developed an approach that uses only a small fraction of the thorium needed in earlier experiments, while delivering the same results previously achieved with specialized crystals. Described in Nature, the technique is both straightforward and low cost, raising the possibility that nuclear clocks could one day be small and affordable enough to fit into everyday devices like phones or wristwatches. Beyond consumer electronics, the clocks could replace existing systems used in power grids, cell phone towers, and GPS satellites, and may even support navigation where GPS is unavailable, such as in deep space or underwater.