The Sifr Prize awarded five essays and named 16 honorable mentions in its contest for science and technology ideas addressing problems in the Arab world. The selected topics include earthquake records, rare diseases, and damaged soil in southern Lebanon.
Researchers combined satellite radar, underground electrical surveys, and a small excavation to investigate an ancient building at Buto in Egypt. They also found a thick sand layer beneath its mudbrick walls.
A Tunisian study estimates that brine at Chott el-Jerid may contain 142,500 tonnes of lithium. The estimate is not a confirmed extractable reserve, and further research is needed to assess feasibility and environmental effects.
Umm Al-Qura University announced a U.S.-registered patent for a system that can reorganize knowledge for different tasks. The university described possible uses in healthcare and finance; practical deployment was not established in the announcement.
Eight youth teams designed, tested, and launched water rockets in Constantine on October 10 during World Space Week. The hands-on challenge introduced participants to basic ideas in physics and engineering.
A KAUST-led study found that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation affects Red Sea salinity through changes in winds, water inflow, and evaporation. Understanding these links may support research on the sea and efforts to protect coral reefs.
Researchers at KAUST developed an artificial-intelligence tool to support mineral exploration in Saudi Arabia. Ma’aden signed a 30-month contract to help test the prototype using Saudi geological data.
Researchers at Sultan Qaboos University tested whether water harvested from the air can support hydroponic farming with solar energy. The trial greenhouse produced stronger tomato plants and larger lettuce leaves, but the system still needs technical improvements.
The American University of Beirut and CMA CGM have established a $10 million partnership for a new artificial intelligence and data science institute. Its research will include logistics, forecasting, automation, and sustainable operations.
A newly published study by researchers at two Moroccan universities describes AdaptVote, a low-power digital-voting prototype that can store votes during internet outages. The researchers stress that it remains an academic prototype rather than an official electoral system.
