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Researchers find graphene can strengthen the brain’s neural signals
A recent study from a group of researchers at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Italy and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Spain have demonstrated how graphene could be combined with neurological tissue, allowing the material to become a valuable tool for medicine and other biological processes.
In a statement to the IEEE Spectrum, Laura Ballerini, a researcher in neurons and nanomaterials at SISSA, stated that the results of the recent study demonstrate that graphene might tune neuronal activities by altering ion mobility at the cell interface depending on the how the single-layer graphene is engineered. According to the researcher, graphene-based nanomaterials have come to represent potential tools in neurology and neurosurgery.
“These materials are increasingly engineered as components of a variety of applications such as biosensors, interfaces, or drug-delivery platforms. In particular, in neural electrode or interfaces, a precise requirement is the stable device/neuronal electrical coupling, which requires governing the interactions between the electrode surface and the cell membrane,” she said.
Graphene has been dubbed as a supermaterial, thanks to its unique set of properties. Graphene, described in simplest terms, is a thin layer of graphite, the same material used in pencil lead. What is particularly remarkable with graphene is that it takes some near-miraculous properties when it is isolated from graphite. At one atom thick, graphene stands as the world’s first two-dimensional material ever discovered. It also boasts a tensile strength of 130 gigapascals, making it ~100 times stronger than steel. Apart from being thin and durable, graphene is also flexible, transparent, seemingly impermeable to most gases and liquids, and most of all, highly conductive.
These properties have allowed graphene to be viewed as a potential game-changer in several fields, including electronics, solar cells, semiconductors, and of course, biomedical technology. Just last year, researchers from the Graphene Flagship developed graphene-based field-effect transistors which have the capability to record brain activity in high resolution while maintaining an optimal level of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Graphene is characterized by its hexagonal atomic structure.
Ballerini noted that thanks to graphene’s electrical properties, transparency, and flexibility, the material has become the ideal material candidate for several ongoing researches. Among these studies, the primary goal has been to analyze and investigate how graphene can tune neuronal excitability, as well as to demonstrate that the material can selectively modify membrane-associated neuronal functions. Ballerini and her team’s latest research, for one, operated under the hypothesis that there would be specific interactions between graphene and potassium ions in the extracellular solution which would regulate cell excitability.
“Graphene properties might (thus) affect neuronal information processing through the physical interactions of such a nanomaterial with the biological environment. Nanomaterials might then represent, in general, unconventional tools to gain insights into genuine biological processes,” Ballerini’s team stated in their conclusion to the recent study.
Ballerini and her team’s research could be accessed here.
The applications of graphene are wide, from practical solutions such as water filtration systems and faster internet speeds to measuring brain activity. The material, if any, seems to be tailor-fit for Elon Musk’s neurotechnology startup, Neuralink, which aims to create brain-computer interface systems. Considering that the startup is aimed at developing neural lace technologies, advances in graphene, showcased in these recent studies, could very well help make Musk’s vision of “wizard hats for the brain” a reality.
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Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
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Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.
The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”
The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.
When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.
That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.
While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.
Elon Musk
SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
SpaceX is targeting peak download speeds of 150Mbps per user for its next-generation Direct-to-Cell Starlink service. The update was shared by SpaceX Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs Lead Udrivolf Pica during the International Telecommunication Union’s Space Connect conference.
“We are aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user,” Pica said during the conference. “So something incredible if you think about the link budgets from space to the mobile phone.”
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
Today, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, offered in partnership with T-Mobile under the T-Satellite brand, provides speeds of roughly 4Mbps per user. The service is designed primarily for texts, low-resolution video calls, and select apps in locations that traditionally have no cellular service.
By comparison, Ookla data shows median 5G download speeds of approximately 309Mbps for T-Mobile and 172Mbps for AT&T in the United States, as noted in a PCMag report. While 150Mbps would still trail the fastest terrestrial 5G networks, it would place satellite-to-phone broadband much closer to conventional carrier performance, even in remote areas.
Pica indicated that the upgraded system would support “video, voice, and data services, clearly,” moving beyond emergency connectivity and basic messaging use cases.
To reach that target, SpaceX plans to upgrade its existing Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellites and add significant new capacity. The company recently acquired access to radio spectrum from EchoStar, which Pica described as key to expanding throughput.
“More spectrum means a bigger pipeline, and this means that we can expand what we can do with partners. We can expand the quality of service. And again, we can do cellular broadband basically, cellular broadband use cases, like AI or daily connectivity needs,” he stated.
SpaceX has also requested regulatory approval to deploy 15,000 additional Direct-to-Cell satellites, beyond the roughly 650 currently supporting the system. The upgraded architecture is expected to begin rolling out in late 2027.
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
