In this week's Science Saturday, from X-57 Maxwell to American whiskeys, let's take a look at what's making news in the science world.

NASA reveals its first all-electric airplane

NASA has unveiled an early model of its first all-electric aircraft. At approximately three-thousand pounds, the X-57 Maxwell is powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It comes with a cruise speed of 172 miles per hour at 8,000 feet. The aircraft is expected to take its maiden flight in the third quarter of this year.

Scientists discover distinct web-like patterns from American whiskeys' residues

Coffee droplets typically leave ring-like patterns when they dry up on a surface. Now, what about whiskey droplets?

Scientists have discovered that different types of American bourbon leave different web-like patterns. As the liquid evaporates, its chemical compounds form a mono-layer that crumbles and buckles. Researchers say the web patterns vary, depending on the brand of whiskey. But, interestingly, they found that this is only applicable to American whiskeys, after conducting similar experiments on their Canadian and Scottish counterparts. Scientists say the study could help in identifying whiskey counterfeits in the future.

Scientists show images of bacteria colonies on human tongue

Our mouths are home to over 700 species of bacteria. And scientists have released images, using fluorescence technology to help us get a picture of this. The photos reveal how various kinds of bacteria can form "colonies" on our tongues, with each species represented by a different color. The research also explores those small bumps on our tongues. It suggests that those bumps exist to allow bacteria to produce nitric oxide, which is an important chemical for controlling blood pressure.

Nobel Laureate Philip Anderson dies at 96

The U.S. physicist Philip Warren Anderson passed away on Sunday at the age of 96 in New Jersey. Dr. Anderson was one of the most celebrated condensed-matter physicists of his generation. His theoretic research into electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems has improved the understanding of metals and insulators. For this significant contribution, he, along with British physicist Nevill Francis Mott and another America's John Hasbrouck van Vleck were awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize for Physics. 

"Science Saturday" is part of CGTN's science and technology series "Tech It Out." The segment brings you the latest news about innovations and technological breakthroughs in the past two weeks from across the world.