Science Breakthroughs That Shocked the World: July 20–21, 2025 Roundup
China is building a laser-driven fusion facility in Mianyang that is about 50% larger than the U.S. National Ignition Facility. Physicists detected an ultra-faint magnetic signal in gold and copper using a blue laser, confirming a phenomenon theorized for more than 150 years. Astronomers observed the earliest stage of planet formation around newborn star HOPS-315 with the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA, seeing hot, crystallizing minerals in its disk. The icy body 2023 KQ14, a sednoid beyond Pluto, has an orbit that challenges the Planet Nine hypothesis and may reflect ancient perturbations by a rogue planet. A Duke University–led
