ScienceDaily: Technology - October 28, 2024
Top technology research news
'With a grain of salt': How humans learn from others
When we make decisions, we are often guided by the opinions and experiences of those around us. Yet we actually have quite different preferences, tastes and goals. A research team investigated how we learn from others despite individual differences. The scientists found that humans tend to treat social information as a recommendation -- with some skepticism. They also use it to save themselves costly exploration. The results open up new paths to incorporate similar learning principles into artificial intelligence (AI).
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Successful experiment paves the way for new element
Scientists have found an alternative way to produce atoms of the superheavy element livermorium. The new method opens up the possibility of creating another element that could be the heaviest in the world so far: number 120.
Advancement in 3D-printed concrete promises strength, durability and lower carbon emissions
Researchers have created a graphene-enhanced, 3D-printable concrete that improves strength and reduces carbon emissions by 31%, advancing sustainable construction.
Researchers unlock a 'new synthetic frontier' for quantum dots
Watershed moment: Engineers invent high-yield atmospheric water capture device for arid regions
As a megadrought stresses the water supply throughout the Southwest, revolutionary research is answering this problem with a groundbreaking technology that pulls large amounts of water from the air in low humidities.
Saturn's moon Titan has insulating methane-rich crust up to six miles thick
A new study has revealed that methane gas may be trapped within the icy surface of Saturn's moon Titan, forming a distinct crust up to six miles thick, which warms the underlying ice shell and may also explain Titan's methane-rich atmosphere.
Developing new high-performance and recyclable materials
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking new material poised to advance high-sensitivity recyclable sensor technology. The team created a recyclable high-sensitivity sensor based on the dynamic polymer network. This next-generation material is garnering attention for its ability to combine environmental sustainability with high performance.
Ultra-sensitive electronic skin modeled after the human brain
Researchers have successfully developed an ultra-sensitive pressure sensor for electronic skin modeled after the nervous system in the human brain. This technology is applicable to future devices, including AI-based digital healthcare devices, and is expected to be utilized across various fields, such as transparent displays and wearable devices, due to its transparency and physical flexibility.
Next-generation solar cells become more powerful with silver (Ag) doping technology
Researchers have significantly improved the performance of kesterite (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells. They developed a new method for doping silver (Ag) in solar cells to suppress defects that hinder cell performance and promote crystal growth, thereby dramatically increasing efficiency and paving the way for commercialization.
- DGIST, KAIST, and Korea University collaborated to develop a three-dimensional device with reversible heating/cooling based on the thermal radiation phenomenon -- Research published as a cover article in Advanced Materials
A new spectroscopy reveals water's quantum secrets
Researchers have exclusively observed molecules participating in hydrogen bonds in liquid water, measuring electronic and nuclear quantum effects that were previously accessible only via theoretical simulations.
Pushing the boundaries of traditional ceramic techniques
Art and science are sometimes poles apart, but that isn't the case in a new research project. For this work, an interdisciplinary team merged scientific research, technological advancements and artistic exploration to experiment with the production, properties and application of a new kind of ceramic.
New optical technique could revolutionize medical diagnostics
A researcher has developed a new technique using light which could revolutionize non-invasive medical diagnostics and optical communication. The research showcases how a type of light called the Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) can be harnessed to improve imaging and data transmission through skin and other biological tissues.
Researcher trains AI to predict diarrheal outbreaks related to climate change
Climate change-related extreme weather, such as massive flooding and prolonged drought, often result in dangerous outbreaks of diarrheal diseases particularly in less developed countries, where diarrheal diseases is the third leading cause of death among young children. Now a study offers a way to predict the risk of such deadly outbreaks using AI modeling, giving public health systems weeks or even months to prepare and to save lives.
Ripples of colonialism: Decarbonization strategies perpetuate inequalities in human rights
A new study of a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo finds that the necessary process of decarbonization is repeating and recreating colonial inequalities.
New AI model could make power grids more reliable amid rising renewable energy use
Researchers use AI to manage the growing complexity of modern power grids.
Researchers develop low-cost device that detects cancer in an hour
Researchers have created a portable device that can detect colorectal and prostate cancer more cheaply and quickly than prevailing methods. The team believes the device may be especially helpful in developing countries, which experience higher cancer mortality rates due in part to barriers to medical diagnosis.
Scientists discover molecules that store much of the carbon in space
A distant interstellar cloud was found to contain an abundance of pyrene, a type of large carbon-containing molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This suggest pyrene may have been the source of much of the carbon in our solar system.
A new hydrogel semiconductor represents a breakthrough for tissue-interfaced bioelectronics
The ideal material for interfacing electronics with living tissue is soft, stretchable, and just as water-loving as the tissue itself--in short, a hydrogel. Semiconductors, the key materials for bioelectronics such as pacemakers, biosensors, and drug delivery devices, on the other hand, are rigid, brittle, and water-hating, impossible to dissolve in the way hydrogels have traditionally been built. Scientists have now solved this challenge that has long stymied researchers, reimagining the process of creating hydrogels to build a powerful semiconductor in hydrogel form. The result is a bluish gel that flutters like a sea jelly in water but retains the immense semiconductive ability needed to transmit information between living tissue and machine.
Researchers created MobiPrint, a mobile 3D printer that can automatically measure a room and print objects onto the floor. The team's graphic interface lets users design objects in a space that the robot has mapped out. The prototype, which the team built on a modified consumer vacuum robot, can add a range of objects to rooms.
Fire-risk blocking self-powered hydrogen production system
By using a water-splitting system with an aqueous electrolyte, this system is expected to block fire risks and enable stable hydrogen production.
Scientists develop grain-sized soft robots controlled by magnetic fields for targeted drug delivery
A team of scientists has developed grain-sized soft robots that can be controlled using magnetic fields for targeted drug delivery, paving the way to possible improved therapies in future.
Non-electric touchpad takes sensor technology to extreme conditions
Researchers have developed the world's first soft touchpad that can sense the force, area and location of contact without electricity. The device utilizes pneumatic channels, enabling its use in environments such as MRI machines and other conditions that are unsuitable for electronic devices. Soft devices like soft robots and rehabilitation aids could also benefit from this new technology.
Scientists have used high-performance computing at large scales to analyze a quantum photonics experiment. In specific terms, this involved the tomographic reconstruction of experimental data from a quantum detector.
New method of flexing on electronics
If a phone or other electronic device was made of soft materials, how would that change its use? Would it be more durable? If hospital health monitoring equipment was made of less rigid components, would it make it easier for patients to wear? While electronics of that type may still be far in the future, researchers have developed an innovative method for constructing the soft electronic components that make them up.
Key to low-cost, long-lasting renewable batteries for electric vehicles
Lithium-sulfur batteries have never lived up to their potential as the next generation of renewable batteries for electric vehicles and other devices. But mechanical engineers have now found a way to make these Li-S batteries last longer -- with higher energy levels -- than existing renewable batteries.
No significant PFAS emissions caused by waste incineration, study finds
Fluoropolymers have become an integral part of modern society, both in industrial and consumer applications. When these high-performance materials reach the end of their useful life, they can end up in both industrial and household waste. Researchers analyzed the contribution of waste incineration of fluoropolymers to the release of low-molecular, non-polymeric fluorinated compounds. Their experiments showed nearly complete destruction of fluoropolymers in combustion at the temperatures and residence times typical of European incinerators.
AI-generated news is harder to understand, study finds
Readers find automated news articles poorer than manually-written texts in relation to word choice and use of numbers.
Researchers improve speed and accuracy of 3D surface measurements
Researchers have developed a faster and more accurate method for acquiring and reconstructing high-quality 3D surface measurements. The approach could greatly improve the speed and accuracy of surface measurements used for industrial inspection, medical applications, robotic vision and more.
AI in medicine: New approach for more efficient diagnostics
Researchers have developed a new AI tool that uses imaging data to also detect less frequent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Young people's moods directly affected by social media 'likes'
Young people today are growing up in a social media-saturated world where technology plays a central role in shaping most of their experiences. And the rapid rise of social media use has consequently created parental and societal fears about young people's social and psychological well-being. Now, a team of researchers has used real social media data to show that young people may indeed be more sensitive to social media feedback (likes) than adults, and that this directly impacts their engagement and their mood.
Unnoticeable electric currents could reduce skin infections
Using a few zaps of electricity to the skin, researchers can stop bacterial infections without using any drugs. For the first time, researchers designed a skin patch that uses imperceptible electric currents to control microbes.
Assessing the real climate costs of manufacturing
Producing materials such as steel, plastics and cement in the United States alone inflicts $79 billion a year in climate-related damage around the world, according to a new study by engineers and economists. Accounting for these costs in market prices could encourage progress toward climate-friendly alternatives.
Engineers unveil AI model for predicting, controlling pandemic spread
A team of engineers has published a study on how international air travel has influenced the spread of COVID-19, finding Western Europe, the Middle East and North America as leading regions in fueling the pandemic.
Dandelion-shaped supernova and zombie star
A historical supernova documented by Chinese and Japanese astronomers in 1181 has been lost for centuries, until very recently. Yet, the newly found remnant shows some stunning characteristics that are puzzling astronomers. Now, it surrenders its secrets. A team provides the first detailed study of the supernova's structure and speed of expansion in 3D.
New tool helps scientists spot patterns in mountains of data
The new visualization tool developed by researchers at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus helps scientists uncover activity patterns in large-scale neural recordings -- the first step in the development of new theories about how individual neurons and circuits enable behavior.
Room temperature electrical control could heat up future technology development
An old physical phenomenon, known as the Hall effect, has revealed some new tricks. New findings have potential implications for understanding fundamental physics of quantum materials and developing applied technologies such as quantum communication and harvesting energy via radio frequencies.
NRL coronagraph captures unique images of a dusty comet
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) imaging instruments on three sun-orbiting observatories have captured sequences of comet C/2023 A3, known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, as it passed between the Earth and the Sun during the beginning of October 2024.
Implantable device may prevent death from opioid overdose
A team has developed a device that may rescue people from overdose without bystander help. In animal studies, the researchers found that the implantable device detects an overdose, rapidly delivers naloxone to prevent death and can alert emergency first responders.
Robotic automation, AI will speed up scientific progress in science laboratories
Science laboratories across disciplines--chemistry, biochemistry and materials science--are on the verge of a sweeping transformation as robotic automation and AI lead to faster and more precise experiments that unlock breakthroughs in fields like health, energy and electronics.
Adapting GenAI for the next generation of learning
A new study by learning analytics researchers presents key considerations for generative AI (GenAI) educational tools so they are carefully developed to support, rather than replace, human learning.
Taking the 'vibrational fingerprints' of molecules got 100 times faster
Researchers increased by a 100-fold the measurement rate of Raman spectroscopy, a common technique for measuring the 'vibrational fingerprint' of molecules in order to identify them. As the measurement rate has been a major limiting factor, this improvement contributes to advancements in many fields that rely on identifying molecules and cells, such as biomedical diagnostics and material analytics.
Listening skills bring human-like touch to robots
Researchers give robots a sense of touch by 'listening' to vibrations, allowing them to identify materials, understand shapes and recognize objects just like human hands. The ability to interpret the world through acoustic vibrations emanating from an object -- like shaking a cup to see how much soda is left or tapping on a desk to see if it's made out of real wood -- is something humans do without thinking. And it's an ability that researchers are on the cusp of bringing to robots to augment their rapidly growing set of sensing abilities.
Femtosecond-fieldoscopy accesses molecules fingerprints at near-infrared spectral range
In a breakthrough that could revolutionize biomarker detection, researchers have developed a novel technique called 'femtosecond-fieldoscopy'. This method enables the precise measurement of minute liquid quantities, down to the micromolar level, with unmatched sensitivity in the near-infrared region. It opens up new possibilities for label-free bio-imaging and the detection of target molecules in aqueous environments, paving the way for advanced biomedical applications.
New method for producing innovative 3D molecules
Chemists have synthesized so-called heteroatom-substituted cage-like 3D molecules. The innovative structures are created by precisely inserting a triatomic unit into the strained ring of a reaction partner. They could help address key challenges in drug design by serving as more stable alternatives to traditional, flat, aromatic rings.
Thread-like, flexible thermoelectric materials applicable for extreme environments
A team of researchers developed a thermoelectric material that can be used in wearable devices, such as smart clothing, and while maintaining stable thermal energy performance even in extreme environments.
Data security: Breakthrough in research with personalized health data
The European research project 'Federated Secure Computing' presents a new approach that allows patient data from different institutions to be analysed securely and anonymously.
Rocky planets orbiting small stars could have stable atmospheres needed to support life
A sequence of events during the evolution of certain rocky planets orbiting M-dwarfs, the most common stars in the universe, creates an atmosphere that would be stable over time. This is true for more temperate planets, orbiting a bit farther from the central star.
A multi-level breakthrough in optical computing
Until now, researchers have been limited in developing photonic memory for AI processing -- gaining one important attribute like speed while sacrificing another like energy usage. An international team demonstrates a unique solution that addresses current limitations of optical memory that have yet to combine non-volatility, multibit storage, high switching speed, low switching energy, and high endurance in a single platform.
Researchers develop new coatings to boost turbine engine efficiency
A multidisciplinary research group has formulated new protective coatings to allow turbine engines to run hotter -- with potential dividends for the environment and people.
Researchers flip genes on and off with AI-designed DNA switches
Researchers have used artificial intelligence to design thousands of new DNA switches that can precisely control the expression of a gene in different cell types. Their new approach opens the possibility of controlling when and where genes are expressed in the body, for the benefit of human health and medical research, in ways never before possible.
Physicists discover first 'black hole triple'
A surprising discovery about the black hole V404 Cygnus is expanding our understanding of black holes, the objects they can host, and the way they form.
A 'chemical ChatGPT' for new medications
Researchers have trained an AI process to predict potential active ingredients with special properties. Therefore, they derived a chemical language model -- a kind of ChatGPT for molecules. Following a training phase, the AI was able to exactly reproduce the chemical structures of compounds with known dual-target activity that may be particularly effective medications.
Capturing carbon from the air just got easier
In the face of rising CO2 levels, scientists are searching for sustainable ways of pulling carbon dioxide out of the air, so-called direct air capture. A new type of porous material, a covalent organic framework (COF) with attached amines, stands out because of its durability and efficient adsorption and desorption of CO2 at relatively low temperatures. The material would fit into carbon capture systems currently used for point source capture.
Ultra-small spectrometer yields the power of a 1,000 times bigger device
Researchers are designing new ways to make spectrometers that are ultra-small but still very powerful, to be used for anything from detecting disease to observing stars in distant galaxies.
A research team has used nitrogen isotope analysis to demonstrate that 385 million years old corals from the Eifel and Sauerland regions had symbionts. This finding represents the earliest evidence of photosymbiosis in corals. Photosymbiosis might explain why ancient coral reefs grew to massive sizes despite being in nutrient-poor environments.
Researchers develop method to 'hear' defects in promising nanomaterial
An international research team has pioneered a new technique to identify and characterize atomic-scale defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a two-dimensional (2D) material often dubbed 'white graphene' for its remarkable properties. This advance could accelerate the development of next-generation electronics and quantum technologies.
NASA reveals prototype telescope for gravitational wave observatory
NASA has revealed the first look at a full-scale prototype for six telescopes that will enable, in the next decade, the space-based detection of gravitational waves.
A fully automated AI-based system for assessing IVF embryo quality
A new artificial intelligence-based system can accurately assess the chromosomal status of in vitro-fertilized (IVF) embryos using only time-lapse video images of the embryos and maternal age, according to a new study.
Reaction conditions tune catalytic selectivity
Chemists have developed a new theoretical framework for more accurately predicting the behavior of catalysts. The study reveals how conditions such as temperature and pressure can change a catalyst's structure, efficiency, and even the products it makes -- and can potentially be used to control reaction outcomes.