{"id":510053,"date":"2026-06-20T19:20:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T19:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/510053\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T19:20:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T19:20:25","slug":"this-week-in-science-a-voice-restoring-brain-implant-nuclear-clocks-and-more-sciencealert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/510053\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Science: A Voice-Restoring Brain Implant, Nuclear Clocks, And More! : ScienceAlert"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This week in science: A world first, a strange human pattern, and much more!<\/p>\n<p>We start with something you might do every day without much thought: walking.<\/p>\n<p>It turns out humans may not move quite as randomly as we assume. Across multiple experiments in Spain and Japan, researchers discovered a measurable preference for turning in one specific direction.<\/p>\n<p>Also, physicists have built the world&#8217;s first working nuclear clocks, powered not by electron transitions but by changes within atomic nuclei.<\/p>\n<p>What makes this news even more exciting is that it has been achieved twice, by two independent teams of scientists, in Europe and China.<\/p>\n<p>The new devices do not yet outperform the best atomic clocks, but they show that nuclear clocks are no longer just a theoretical dream.<\/p>\n<p>And in a powerful medical breakthrough, a brain implant has allowed a man with severe ALS to communicate in a digital version of his own voice.<\/p>\n<p>Watch the video below for all the details, and read on for even more in science news!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781983219_65_0.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube Thumbnail\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"youtube-thumbnail-preview\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> frameborder=&#8221;0\u2033 allow=&#8221;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&#8221; referrerpolicy=&#8221;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&#8221; allowfullscreen&gt;<\/p>\n<p>Scientists Discover a Strange Global Pattern in The Way Humans Walk<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MovingPeople.jpg\" alt=\"An overhead grayscale view of people in an open space, with red dots marking positions and orange lines tracing their paths.\" class=\"wp-image-204764\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>A still image from one of the experiments, showing the position of people (red dots) and recent movement (the orange lines).\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.u-tokyo.ac.jp\/focus\/en\/press\/z0508_00441.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Echeverr\u00eda-Huarte et al. CC-BY-ND<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>A surprising pattern has emerged in the way humans move through space.<\/p>\n<p>In experiments across different countries, settings, and age groups, researchers found that people showed a modest but  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/p-value\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73101\" data-postid=\"205716\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">statistically significant<\/a> preference to turn counterclockwise.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This was completely unexpected,&#8221; says engineer Claudio Feliciani.<\/p>\n<p>A tendency for us to go left rather than right might sound like a minor quirk, but the finding could eventually help design public spaces, manage crowds, and plan emergency evacuation routes.<\/p>\n<p>The cause of this bias remains uncertain, though the researchers have some ideas.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/scientists-discover-a-strange-global-pattern-in-the-way-humans-walk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Success! Physicists Build The World&#8217;s First Clocks Powered by Atomic Nuclei<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IllustrationOfEnergizedAtomicNucleus.jpg\" alt=\"An abstract illustration of a dark sphere surrounded by a bright blue energy burst and pink orbit-like rings.\" class=\"wp-image-205058\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>(koto_feja\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Atomic clocks are already some of the most precise devices humanity has ever built. Now physicists have taken a major step beyond them.<\/p>\n<p>Two independent teams have built working clocks based on the energy shifts of atomic nuclei, using thorium-229.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike ordinary atomic clocks, which track electron transitions, nuclear clocks track changes deep within the atom&#8217;s nucleus.<\/p>\n<p>That could make them less vulnerable to outside interference and useful for phenomena such as investigating  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/dark-matter\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73017\" data-postid=\"205716\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">dark matter<\/a> and possible changes in fundamental constants.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/success-physicists-build-the-worlds-first-clocks-powered-by-atomic-nuclei\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Brain Implant Lets Man With Severe Paralysis Speak in His Own Voice Again<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/BrainImplant.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a breathing mask and head-mounted brain-computer interface, with two family members blurred behind him.\" class=\"wp-image-205396\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>Casey Harrell using a brain-implant interface, with his wife and daughter nearby.\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/health.ucdavis.edu\/news\/headlines\/brain-computer-interface-enables-independent-accurate-communication-for-man-living-with-als\/2026\/06\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UCD<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Casey Harrell has an advanced form of\u00a0amyotrophic lateral sclerosis\u00a0(ALS), which makes his natural speech very difficult for others to understand.<\/p>\n<p>For nearly two years, he has used a continuously running brain-to-text decoder, allowing him to express more than 183,000 sentences and close to 2 million words.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/newsletter?utm_source=promo_stargazing\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FOMO-1200x628-_Dont-miss-the-next-breakthrough_-cosmic-colourful-642x336.jpg\" alt=\"Subscribe to ScienceAlert's free fact-checked newsletter\" width=\"642\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-201722 size-medium\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The system detects brain activity when Harrell tries to speak. His thoughts can then be verbalized in a digital voice designed to sound like his own.<\/p>\n<p>The technology lets him continue working, and, perhaps most importantly, communicate with his loved ones.<\/p>\n<p>The outcome has been life-changing, and we know that because Harrell has told us so.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/brain-implant-lets-man-with-severe-paralysis-speak-in-his-own-voice-again\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Geologists Went Looking For Gold. They Found Something Far Rarer.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/hand-holding-rock.jpg\" alt=\"A gloved hand holds a cluster of pale quartz crystals outdoors in warm light.\" class=\"wp-image-204795\"  \/>(Alberfb\/iStock\/Getty Images Plus)<\/p>\n<p>When geologists went looking for gold in Western Australia, they found a different kind of treasure.<\/p>\n<p>Hidden beneath the desert, the researchers uncovered signs of an ancient meteorite impact that was powerful enough to melt rock, deform crystals, and blast gold-bearing debris into the air.<\/p>\n<p>The buried structure, temporarily named Ora Banda, is especially rare. <\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s only the second confirmed impact structure known to have formed entirely within Archaean greenstone, some of Earth&#8217;s oldest rock formations.<\/p>\n<p>Time erases many impact scars, so the discovery could help scientists better understand how to spot ancient collisions that are almost invisible at the surface.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/geologists-went-looking-for-gold-they-found-something-far-rarer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists Finally Discover How Venus Flytraps Snap Shut So Fast<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fly-jail.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a green Venus flytrap closing around a dark insect, with spiky teeth framing the trap.\" class=\"wp-image-204861\"  \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/venus\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73074\" data-postid=\"205716\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">Venus<\/a>\u00a0flytraps (Dionaea muscipula) can act fast enough to catch flies.\u00a0(marcouliana\/iStock\/Getty Images Plus)<\/p>\n<p>Venus flytraps do something plants are not supposed to be good at: Move fast.<\/p>\n<p>Now scientists say they have identified how the famous carnivorous plant snaps shut quickly enough to trap insects and arachnids.<\/p>\n<p>The key appears to be rapid softening in the cell walls of the trap&#8217;s outer skin. That lets the outer surface expand more easily than the inner surface, bending the leaf until it reaches a tipping point and snaps closed.<\/p>\n<p>The discovery could lead to new kinds of soft, bioinspired devices. It also raises a bigger evolutionary question.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/scientists-finally-discover-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut-so-fast\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists Identify 2 Distinct Subtypes of Autism in The Brain<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/brain-showing-lights.jpg\" alt=\"A translucent side view of a human head with the brain glowing against a black background.\" class=\"wp-image-204853\"  \/>(Discovery Access\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/autism-spectrum-disorder\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73013\" data-postid=\"205716\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">Autism<\/a> varies widely from person to person, and researchers trying to understand its complexity may have just had a breakthrough.<\/p>\n<p>A new study involving both humans and mice has identified two brain-based subtypes of the neurodevelopmental condition.<\/p>\n<p>One subtype was linked to reduced brain connectivity and genes involved in the junctions that allow brain cells to communicate. The other was linked to increased brain connectivity and immune-related genes.<\/p>\n<p>The findings do not capture every aspect of autism. But if the subtypes can be confirmed, they might help us move away from a one-size-fits-all approach.<\/p>\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/scientists-identify-2-distinct-subtypes-of-autism-in-the-brain\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This week in science: A world first, a strange human pattern, and much more! We start with something&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":510054,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[61,60,2209,82],"class_list":["post-510053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-msft-content","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/510054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}