Spacecraft design could get to Titan in only 2 years using a direct fusion drive

Fusion power is the technology that is 30 years away, and always will be, according to skeptics, at least. Despite its difficult transition into a reliable power source, the nuclear reactions that power the sun have a wide variety of uses in other fields. The most obvious is in weapons; hydrogen bombs are to this day the most powerful weapons we have ever produced. But there's another use case that is much less destructive and could prove much more interesting—space drives.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-spacecraft-titan-years-fusion.html

Political posts causing social media fatigue for many Americans

The 2020 general election is right around the corner and the political climate is heating up. Although Americans have relied on social media as a source of personal connectivity, many are choosing to tune out due to fatigue caused by unwanted and unsolicited political coverage and commentary that is now dominating their feeds.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-political-social-media-fatigue-americans.html

Colorful perovskites: Lab advances thermochromic window technologies

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report a breakthrough in developing a next-generation thermochromic window that not only reduces the need for air conditioning but simultaneously generates electricity.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-perovskites-lab-advances-thermochromic-window.html

Leaf drop after ash blackout shouldn't be of concern

The clouds of smoke and raining ash are over, but for some common evergreen plants the damage has been done. Don't worry, it's most likely temporary

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-leaf-ash-blackout-shouldnt.html

New theory on the origin of dark matter

A recent study from the University of Melbourne proposes a new theory for the origin of dark matter, helping experimentalists in Australia and abroad in the search for the mysterious new matter.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-theory-dark.html

Understudied deeper water reefs could teach us how to better conserve corals

In three decades of diving at locations including the Red Sea and Great Barrier Reef, Gal Eyal has seen coral reefs transform in front of his eyes.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-understudied-deeper-reefs-corals.html