Zhang Wei

China Opened The World’s First Robot Mall In Beijing’s E-Town. Modeled After “4S” Car Dealerships (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, & Surveys), The 4-Storey Mall Offers 100+ Robot Types ($278–137k+) From 200 Brands Like Ubtech & Unitree. Visitors Can Test Bots, Dine At Robot-Run Restaurants, & See A $97k Einstein Bot & Other Animatronic Icons.

In A First, Researchers Found A Denisovan (DN) Gene, MUC19, In Humans Passed On Via Neanderthal (ND) DNA. DNs Interbred With NDs; Then NDs Later Interbred With Early Modern Humans, Passing The Gene To Early Americans. This Gene Transfer, Found In 1 In 3 Mexicans Today, May Have Helped Against Diseases As Humans Migrated Across The Americas.

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Japan Launched Asia’s First Osmotic Power Plant In Fukuoka After Denmark’s World-First In 2023. Japan’s Is Larger, Generating 880,000 kWh/yr To Power 220 Homes & A Desalination Facility. This Renewable, CO₂-Free Energy Runs 24/7, But Scaling Is Hindered By Pumping & Membrane Losses. If Solved, It Could Meet 15% Of Global Demand By 2050.

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China’s UBTECH Launched Walker S2, The First Humanoid Robot That Can Autonomously Swap Its Battery, Enabling 24/7 Operation. At 5’3″ & 95 lbs, It Runs On Dual 48V Lithium Batteries, Walks 2 Hrs Or Stands 4 Hrs, Has 52 Degrees Of Freedom For Its Joints & Mechanisms Motions, Wireless Connectivity, & Serves In Factories/Public Venues As A Greeter. …

Australia’s First Multi-Storey 3D-Printed Home, Built By Contec In Perth, Had Both Floors Printed On-Site In 18 Hrs. The Hybrid Build, Printed Walls Plus Human Labor, Took 5 Months With Roofing, Wiring, & Interiors. The Build Is Termite-Proof, Cyclone-Rated, & 22% Cheaper Than Conventional Due To, E.G., Rapid Construction & Minimal Waste.

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New Research Shows Neurogenesis, Birth Of New Brain Cells, Continues In The Hippocampus Into Old Age, Though Formation Rates Decline With Age And Vary Individually. Using RNA Sequencing & Machine Learning On Postmortem Brains Aged 0–78, Scientists Found Immature Neurons. These Findings Could Aid Neurodegenerative & Psychiatric Treatments.

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Kokichi Akuzawa, 102, Became The Oldest To Summit Mt. Fuji, Japan, On 8/5/25, Earning A Guinness World Record. Over 3 Days He Climbed With His Daughter Despite Health Setbacks, Surpassing Teiichi Igarashi (99, 1986) & Ichijiro Araya (~100, 1994). Having Climbed At 96 & Seen It Many Times, He Joked The View “Wasn’t Special” But Felt Proud.

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US Scientists Found That The Protein Ferritin Light Chain 1 (FTL1) May Drive Brain Aging By Reducing Cognition & Hippocampus Brain Cell (HBC) Connections. Increasing FTL1 In Young Mice Prematurely Aged Their Brains, While Lowering It In Old Mice Reversed Decline. Boosting HBC Metabolism Also Helped. Study Offers Hope To Reverse Brain Aging.

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UQ Scientists Created The World’s First Lab-Grown Human Skin Organoids From Stem Cells, Complete With Blood Vessels, Hair Follicles, & Immune Cells. Developed Over 6 Yrs, This Life-Like Skin Enables Breakthroughs In Treating Burns, Graft Transplants, Wound Healing, Chronic Disorders Like Psoriasis & Scleroderma, And Research & Drug Testing.

China’s $2.2B Animated Blockbuster Ne Zha 2 Is Now The Highest-Grossing Animated Film Ever, Surpassing 2024’s Inside Out 2 ($1.7B). Released 1/29/25 In China, Its English Dub Hits U.S. Theaters 8/22/25 Via A24 In IMAX/3D, With Michelle Yeoh Voicing Lady Yin, Ne Zha’s Mum. Critics Praise Its Visuals & Mythic Storytelling (94% On Rotten Tomatoes).