ScienceDaily: Technology - June 10, 2024
Top technology research news
The United States has enough biomass potential to produce 35 billion gallons per year of aviation biofuel by 2050, a new report confirms.
Lake under Mars ice cap unlikely
Researchers have provided a simple and comprehensive -- if less dramatic -- explanation for bright radar reflections initially interpreted as liquid water beneath the ice cap on Mars' south pole.
Image: Fordelse Stock/Shutterstock.com
Changes Upstream: RIPE team uses CRISPR/Cas9 to alter photosynthesis for the first time
Scientists used CRISPR/Cas9 to increase gene expression in rice by changing its upstream regulatory DNA. While other studies have used the technology to knock out or decrease the expression of genes, this study, is an unbiased gene-editing approach to increase gene expression and downstream photosynthetic activity. The approach is more difficult than transgenic breeding, but could potentially preempt regulatory issues by changing DNA already within the plant, allowing the plants to get in the hands of farmers sooner.
A team of researchers has developed a wirelessly activated device that mimics the wavelike muscular function in the esophagus and small intestine responsible for transporting food and viscous fluids for digestion.
Frozen? Let it melt with efficient new de-icer friendly to the environment
A research team has found a de-icing mixture with high effectiveness and low environmental impact after using machine learning to analyze ice melting mechanisms of aqueous solutions of 21 salts and 16 organic solvents.
Perturbations simplify the study of 'super photons'
Thousands of particles of light can merge into a type of 'super photon' under suitable conditions. Physicists call such a state a photon Bose-Einstein condensate. Researchers have now shown that this exotic quantum state obeys a fundamental theorem of physics. This finding now allows one to measure properties of photon Bose-Einstein condensates which are usually difficult to access.
Digital babies created to improve infant healthcare
Researchers have created digital babies to better understand infants' health in their critical first 180 days of life. The team created 360 advanced computer models that simulate the unique metabolic processes of each baby.
With programmable pixels, novel sensor improves imaging of neural activity
New camera chip design allows for optimizing each pixel's timing to maximize signal to noise ratio when tracking real-time visual indicator of neural voltage.
Earth and space share the same turbulence
Researchers have discovered that the turbulence found in the thermosphere -- known as the gateway to space -- and turbulence in the troposphere, here closer to sea level, follow the same physical laws despite having drastically different atmospheric compositions and dynamics.
Scientists 'read' the messages in chemical clues left by coral reef inhabitants
What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information. But in underwater environments, invisible compounds create a complex 'soup' that is hard for scientists to decipher. Now, researchers have demonstrated a way to extract and identify these indicator compounds in seawater. They found metabolites previously undetected on reefs, including three that may represent different reef organisms.
Diagnosing damaged infrastructure from space
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing systems allow researchers to inspect and characterize pavements, retaining walls, and embankments from space and can help determine if there are flaws that should be further inspected for repair.
Potential treatment for fibrosis
Researchers are developing a new therapeutic approach that uses nanoparticles for the treatment of skin and lung fibrosis, conditions that can result in severe damage to the body's tissues.
Discovery highlights 'critical oversight' in perceived security of wireless networks
A research team has uncovered an eavesdropping security vulnerability in high-frequency and high-speed wireless backhaul links, widely employed in critical applications such as 5G wireless cell phone signals and low-latency financial trading on Wall Street.
Newly developed material logs and stores stress information of infrastructure
A new material may be the key to quickly flag damaged infrastructure. This material offers a way to reduce the manpower required to regularly monitor structures that undergo daily use such as bridges. Compared to previous methods, this environmentally friendly material boasts the ability to operate without a power supply, and store information about previous incidents of mechanical stress. The application of this mechanoluminescent material is expected to make it easier and less costly to assess the safety of structures we may use in our everyday lives.
A research team has developed a liquid metal-based electronic logic device that mimics the intelligent prey-capture mechanism of Venus flytraps. Exhibiting memory and counting properties, the device can intelligently respond to various stimulus sequences without the need for additional electronic components. The intelligent strategies and logic mechanisms in the device provide a fresh perspective on understanding 'intelligence' in nature and offer inspiration for the development of 'embodied intelligence'.
Nanoparticles: Risk for babies in the womb
Little is yet known about the health effects of nanoparticles on pregnancy. An interdisciplinary team is currently analyzing the risks for babies in the womb. Using a lab model, the researchers were able to determine that certain nanoparticles impair the release of chemical messengers in the placenta and thus the formation of blood vessels.
Better farming through nanotechnology
Advanced technologies enable the controlled release of medicine to specific cells in the body. Scientists argue these same technologies must be applied to agriculture if growers are to meet increasing global food demands.
Novel diamond quantum magnetometer for ambient condition magnetoencephalography
A highly sensitive diamond quantum magnetometer utilizing nitrogen-vacancy centers can achieve millimeter-scale resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG). The novel magnetometer, based on continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance, marks a significant step towards realizing ambient condition MEG and other practical applications.
Crystal engineering modifies 2D metal halide perovskites into 1D nanowires
Engineers have created a patent-pending method that creates layered perovskite nanowires with exceptionally well-defined and flexible cavities that exhibit a wide range of unusual optical properties beyond conventional perovskites.
The unexpected origins of a modern finance tool
Surprisingly, the origins of financial discounting began with 17th-century English clergymen.
Researchers upend theory about the formation of the Milky Way Galaxy
Research reveals a shocking discovery about the history of our universe: the Milky Way Galaxy's last major collision occurred billions of years later than previously thought.
Study offers a better way to make AI fairer for everyone
Scientists show a new way of thinking about the fair impacts of AI decisions. They draw on a well-established tradition known as social welfare optimization, which aims to make decisions fairer by focusing on the overall benefits and harms to individuals. This method can be used to evaluate the industry standard assessment tools for AI fairness, which look at approval rates across protected groups.
How do you know where a fish goes?
An acoustic transmitter -- or tag -- emits unique signals or 'pings' when scientists want to study the long-distance movement of marine animals. However, this method has limitations. Using a movement model, researchers reconstructed animal tracks and leveraged an iterative process to measure the accuracy and precision of these reconstructions from acoustic telemetry data. Results demonstrate how researchers can apply these techniques and measure the accuracy and precision of the methods to their study sites.
Exotic black holes could be a byproduct of dark matter
In the first quintillionth of a second, the universe may have sprouted microscopic black holes with enormous amounts of nuclear charge, MIT physicists propose. The gravitational pull from these tiny, invisible objects could potentially explain all the dark matter that we can't see today.
People feel more connected to 'tweezer-like' bionic tools that don't resemble human hands
Some say the next step in human evolution will be the integration of technology with flesh. Now, researchers have used virtual reality to test whether humans can feel embodiment -- the sense that something is part of one's body -- toward prosthetic 'hands' that resemble a pair of tweezers. They report that participants felt an equal degree of embodiment for the tweezer-hands and were also faster and more accurate in completing motor tasks in virtual reality than when they were equipped with a virtual human hand.
Novel AI method could improve tissue, tumor analysis and advance treatment of disease
Researchers developed a new computational method to analyze complex tissue data that could transform our current understanding of diseases and how we treat them.
Pushing an information engine to its limits
The molecules that make up the matter around us are in constant motion. What if we could harness that energy and put it to use? Over 150 years ago Maxwell theorized that if molecules' motion could be measured accurately, this information could be used to power an engine. Until recently this was a thought experiment, but technological breakthroughs have made it possible to build working information engines in the lab. Researchers have now teamed up to build an information engine and test its limits.
Artificial intelligence blood test provides a reliable way to identify lung cancer
Using artificial intelligence technology to identify patterns of DNA fragments associated with lung cancer, researchers have developed and validated a liquid biopsy that may help identify lung cancer earlier.
Seeking social proximity improves flight routes among pigeons
A new study looked at the social influences on pigeon flight routes. Comparing the flight patterns of pairs of pigeons to a computer model, the researcher found that flight paths are improved as younger birds learn the route from older birds and also make route improvements, leading to overall more efficient routes over generations.
Planet-forming disks around very low-mass stars are different
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of astronomers studied the properties of a planet-forming disk around a young and very low-mass star. The results reveal the richest hydrocarbon composition seen to date in a protoplanetary disk, including the first extrasolar detection of ethane and a relatively low abundance of oxygen-bearing species. By including previous similar detections, this finding confirms a trend of disks around very low-mass stars to be chemically distinct from those around more massive stars like the Sun, influencing the atmospheres of planets forming there.
Oral insulin drops offer relief for diabetes patients [UPDATED 2024-06-07]
Diabetes rates continue to rise. Scientists have now created a pain-free drug delivery method to help people with diabetes manage the disease and maintain their health more easily. Researchers have developed oral insulin drops that when placed under the tongue are quickly and efficiently absorbed by the body, potentially replacing the need for insulin injections. [Editor's Note: This post has been updated in response to a request for correction of statements regarding other insulin products.]
US public opinion on social media is warming to nuclear energy, but concerns remain
The U.S. public displays more positive than negative sentiment toward nuclear energy but concerns remain about waste, cost and safety, according to an analysis of 300,000 posts on social media.
Flapping frequency of birds, insects, bats and whales described by universal equation
A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, researchers report in a new study.
AIs are irrational, but not in the same way that humans are
Large Language Models behind popular generative AI platforms like ChatGPT gave different answers when asked to respond to the same reasoning test and didn't improve when given additional context, finds a new study.
Olivine unlocks the secrets of the Moon's interior
New partitioning coefficients of first-transition row elements, Ga and Ge between olivine and silicate melt have been reported. New high-temperature experiments have investigated the effects of oxygen fugacity and iron content on these partition coefficients. This newly compiled dataset offers insights into interpreting trace elements found in olivine phenocrysts within lunar basalts, shedding light on the deep interior composition of the Moon.
Fighting fires from space in record time: How AI could prevent devastating wildfires
Scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery.
Novel method of detecting high-frequency gravitational waves in planetary magnetospheres
A groundbreaking method of detecting high-frequency gravitational waves (HFGWs) has been proposed. The team's innovative approach may enable the successful detection of HFGWs by utilizing existing and technologically feasible astronomical telescopes in planetary magnetosphere, opening up new possibilities for studying the early universe and violent cosmic events in an effective and technically viable way.
Scientists detect slowest-spinning radio emitting neutron star ever recorded
Scientists have detected what they believe to be a neutron star spinning at an unprecedentedly slow rate -- slower than any of the more than 3,000 radio emitting neutron stars measured to date.
Uptake of tire wear additives by vegetables grown for human consumption
Car tires contain hundreds of chemical additives that can leach out of them. This is how they end up in crops and subsequently in the food chain. Researchers have now detected these chemical residues in leafy vegetables for the first time. Although the concentrations were low, the evidence was clear, a finding that is also known for drug residues in plant-based foods.
Babies use 'helpless' infant period to learn powerful foundation models, just like ChatGPT
Babies' brains are not as immature as previously thought, rather they are using the period of postnatal 'helplessness' to learn powerful foundation models similar to those underpinning generative Artificial Intelligence, according to a new study.
A cracking discovery -- eggshell waste can recover rare earth elements needed for green energy
A collaborative team of researchers has made a cracking discovery with the potential to make a significant impact in the sustainable recovery of rare earth elements (REEs), which are in increasing demand for use in green energy technologies. The team found that humble eggshell waste could recover REES from water, offering a new, environmentally friendly method for their extraction.
Top IT industry managers are divided on the need for face-to-face communication in the workplace
Many managers are currently seeking a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. A recent study shows that top IT industry managers have different views on when and for what purposes face-to-face communication in the workplace is needed.
New method of DNA testing: Expanding scientific innovation
A team of researchers has developed a new method for target DNA sequence amplification, testing and analysis.
Great news, parents: You do have power over your tweens' screen use
For many parents, it can feel like curbing kids' screen use is a losing battle. But new research has found the parenting practices that work best to curb screen time and addictive screen behavior: restricting screens in bedrooms and at mealtimes and modeling healthy practices at home.
AI approach elevates plasma performance and stability across fusion devices
Fusion researchers have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful plasma edge instabilities without sacrificing plasma performance.
Largest-ever antibiotic discovery effort uses AI to uncover potential cures in microbial dark matter
Almost a century ago, the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin revolutionized medicine by harnessing the natural bacteria-killing abilities of microbes. A study suggests that natural-product antibiotic discovery is about to accelerate into a new era, powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Electrified charcoal 'sponge' can soak up CO2 directly from the air
Researchers have developed a low-cost, energy-efficient method for making materials that can capture carbon dioxide directly from the air. Researchers used a method similar to charging a battery to instead charge activated charcoal, which is often used in household water filters.
'Weird' new planet retained atmosphere despite nearby star's relentless radiation
A rare exoplanet that should have been stripped down to bare rock by its nearby host star's intense radiation somehow grew a puffy atmosphere instead -- the latest in a string of discoveries forcing scientists to rethink theories about how planets age and die in extreme environments. Nicknamed 'Phoenix' for its ability to survive its red giant star's radiant energy discovered planet illustrates the vast diversity of solar systems and the complexity of planetary evolution -- especially at the end of stars' lives.
Accelerating the R&D of wearable tech: Combining collaborative robotics, AI
Engineers have developed a model that combines machine learning and collaborative robotics to accelerate the design of aerogel materials used in wearable heating applications.
Internet addiction affects the behavior and development of adolescents
Adolescents with an internet addiction undergo changes in the brain that could lead to additional addictive behavior and tendencies, finds a new study.
A new way of designing auxetic materials
Auxetics defy common sense, widening when stretched and narrowing when compressed. Researchers have now made the process of using them much easier, paving the way for new types of auxetic products -- from better sneaker insoles to blast-resilient buildings.
Researchers use machine learning to detect defects in additive manufacturing
Researchers have developed a new method for detecting defects in additively manufactured components.
Smart thermostats provide sleep insights at home
A new study offers a framework for an objective, non-invasive and zero-effort sleep monitoring system utilizing smart thermostats equipped with motion sensors.
Using AI to decode dog vocalizations
Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is trying to say to you? Researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI, developing tools that can identify whether a dog's bark conveys playfulness or aggression.
New model allows a computer to understand human emotions
Researchers have developed a model that enables computers to interpret and understand human emotions, utilizing principles of mathematical psychology. In the future, the model can help the computer to adapt its own behavior and guide an irritated or anxious user in different ways. The implications of such technology are profound, offering a glimpse into a future where computers are not merely tools, but empathetic partners in user interaction.
Tin toughens bioimplant titanium alloys through the cocktail effect
Previous research has demonstrated that adding tin to beta-type titanium alloys improves their strength. But scientists have yet to understand the reasons for this. Now, a research team has pinpointed the exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon.
Flow research on the outskirts of space
For years, various models have been developed to describe an important class of mixing effects that occur, for example, in the flow in a chemical reactor. Experimental validation, however, has lagged far behind due to the superimposition of gravity effects. Scientists have now closed this gap with experiments conducted under weightlessness.
New open-source platform allows users to evaluate performance of AI-powered chatbots
Researchers have developed a platform for the interactive evaluation of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT. A team of computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians and cognitive scientists developed an open-source evaluation platform called CheckMate, which allows human users to interact with and evaluate the performance of large language models (LLMs).
Some countries could meet their total electricity needs from floating solar panels
Floating solar photovoltaic panels could supply all the electricity needs of some countries, new research has shown. The researchers calculated the daily electrical output for floating photovoltaics (FPV) on nearly 68,000 lakes and reservoirs around the world, using available climate data for each location.
Towards next-gen functional materials: direct observation of electron transfer in solids
Nanoscale electron transfer (ET) in solids is fundamental to the development of multifunctional materials. However, ET in solids is not yet clearly understood. Now, researchers achieved a direct observation of solid-state ET through X-ray crystal analysis by fabricating a novel double-walled non-covalent crystalline nanotube, which can absorb electron donor molecules and maintain its crystalline structure during ET. This innovative approach can lead to the design of novel functional materials soon.