Monday - September 18 2023, 12:46 UTC - 1 year ago

This week's Hubble Picture reveals Arp 107, a pair of galaxies undergoing a collision located at an approximate distance of 465 million light-years from our planet. Hubble's recent observation of Arp 107 was part of a special program aimed at bridging an observational 'gap' and to furnish the public with captivating images of remarkable and somewhat elusive galaxies.

Monday - September 18 2023, 08:17 UTC - 1 year ago

A new study has revealed a parasite known as the lancet liver fluke that turns ants into zombies, manipulating their behavior. This flatworm infects the brains of ants and makes them climb up blades of grass where they are likely to be eaten by other animals, thus completing its life cycle. Furthermore, it can sense the temperature and adjust the ant's behavior accordingly. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, was published in the journal Behavioral Ecology.

Monday - September 18 2023, 04:06 UTC - 1 year ago

The US goverment is investing over US$7 billion to try to manage the nation's escalating wildfire crisis, and a new study has identified high-risk areas with potential payoff for forest treatments. These areas are where forest treatments can do the most to simultaneously protect communities and protect the forests and the climate by preventing wildfires from turning into disasters and keeping stored carbon out of the atmosphere.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 23:51 UTC - 1 year ago

The question of whether AI is ushering in a generation of machines that are self-conscious is stirring lively discussion. A test to detect when large language models (LLMs) begin displaying self-awareness was developed by Lukas Berglund and seven colleagues, who showed that the model could recognize information from earlier training sessions and apply it to an unrelated testing situation with an accurate and witty response. The debate continues about the sentience potential of large language models.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 19:45 UTC - 1 year ago

Mustafa Suleyman has put his money where his mouth is in his quest to build an AI chatbot that can do more than just chat. He has a new billion-dollar company, Inflection, with a roster of top talent plucked from DeepMind, Meta and OpenAI, and he is an advocate for AI regulation. He started Muslim Youth Helpline when he was 19 and he wants to use AI to make better trade-offs for society.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 15:06 UTC - 1 year ago

The University of Utah Health researchers have found that Metformin, a common drug that’s been used in diabetes treatment for more than half a century, is not only effective in treating metabolic issues, but it can also help reduce muscle atrophy and fibrosis, especially in the elderly. These findings could bring Metformin closer to FDA approval as an anti-ageing drug.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 10:32 UTC - 1 year ago

Research from the University of Michigan has found that large-scale structures in the universe are expanding slower than previously expected, due to the attenuating effect of dark energy that is counteracting the forces of gravity. By studying how these structures have been clustering and growing, researchers can better understand the nature of gravity and dark energy.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 05:39 UTC - 1 year ago

Researchers have used atom combinatorics and DFT+U calculations to uncover the most thermodynamically favorable structures of (1×1×2) Pb10−xCux(PO4)6O with x=1, where Cu atoms replace Pb(2a) and Pb(1b) sites, with a Cu-Cu distance of 3.692 A. This suggests the possibility of pressure-induced superconductivity, leading to a new avenue for the studies of high-temperature superconductivity in LK-99 compounds.

Sunday - September 17 2023, 01:02 UTC - 1 year ago

Skoltech and other institutions have developed a new algorithm which requires no manual labor for introducing new goods at a supermarket. Through the PseudoAugment approach, the neural network can be retrained quickly and accurately when new types of produce arrive. This innovation can be utilized in other contexts such as conveyors for grain or solid waste.

Saturday - September 16 2023, 20:08 UTC - 1 year ago

The Octopus Garden off Monterey, California, is an underwater mountain where thousands of pearl octopuses (Muusoctopus robustus) have been discovered breeding. Warmer temperatures near these thermal springs is speeding up embryo development for octopuses, allowing them to survive better and even move into colder climates. Through research, scientists have been able to identify how to protect these nurseries and successfully understand the behavior of cephalopods.

Saturday - September 16 2023, 15:01 UTC - 1 year ago

Scientists have designed an algorithm to create a custom 3D shape, called a trajectoid, that can be rolled along a predefined path. The trajectoids are designed using a basketball-shaped base material covered in flexible, trimmable material. By strategically removing portions of the cover material that make contact with the table, a unique shape can be created which will follow the same path when rolling along independently.

Saturday - September 16 2023, 10:09 UTC - 1 year ago

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a halt to Chinese tourism abroad. A large factor in this is due to the current real estate crisis in China. The market has been cooling due to more stringent regulations and Chinese homeowners have had to tighten their belts, resulting in less money spent on global travel. As of April 2023, Chinese tourism to Japan was down 85% since 2019, and travel to France has dropped by 94%.

Saturday - September 16 2023, 05:21 UTC - 1 year ago

Researchers have developed a technique which allows classical computers to predict quantum behavior and understand the quantum universe better. The process involves constructing a "shadow" which conveys information about the quantum system. This method allows researchers to escape the exponential complexity of full quantum system modeling.

Saturday - September 16 2023, 00:56 UTC - 1 year ago

Using human stem cells, scientists have created lab-grown embryo-like structures inside petri dishes that form major 'layers' of tissues defining the early stages of human development. The Hanna lab have now extended the timeline of lab-gestation to at least 14 days post-implantation, which could help couples struggling to conceive. Their research has advanced two techniques: reverted stem cells to a completely naïve state, and an electronically-controlled device that bathes the embryoids in waves of nutrients simulating the conditions in the womb.

Friday - September 15 2023, 20:18 UTC - 1 year ago

Researchers have developed a technique to identify lipoprotein particles in the central nervous system, which are much more diverse than previously thought. These particles are rich in proteins that affect wound healing, the immune response, and the creation and nurturing of brain cells called neurons. Of the three commonly studied forms of APOE, the form known as APOE4 puts people at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. APOE reigns supreme, serving as a scaffold to hold lipids and other proteins. It transports these pathways and collections of molecular collaborators through the nervous system to perform various tasks.

Friday - September 15 2023, 15:25 UTC - 1 year ago

Pharmacogenomics, or PGx, is the study of how genes affect your response to medications. There are commercially available PGx tests and over 80 medications with prescribing recommendations based on PGx results; however, the usefulness of PGx testing is limited as it only looks for a limited number of genes and variants strongly linked to specific drugs and there are times when the medication's effectiveness is due to factors outside of the genes.

Friday - September 15 2023, 11:17 UTC - 1 year ago

Covid case numbers have been rising across the United States since mid-July, so the updated covid-19 shots from Moderna and Pfizer comming as a relief. The new vaccine has been recommended to those six months and older, with higher risk of serious illness and death given to those immunocompromised and with existing conditions. Nearly all Americans have some sort of immunity for covid, so those without boosted immunity still have high levels of protection against severe illness.

Friday - September 15 2023, 06:20 UTC - 1 year ago

Scientists have discovered a new method to target and kill cancer cells in hard-to-treat brain tumors using electrically charged molecules to trigger self-destruction, that could be developed into a spray treatment used during surgery. The bio-nanoantennae were able to specifically target glioblastoma cells with an unprecedented level of precision and the team has now secured MRC impact acceleratory funding and filed for a patent to begin translating the technology to its eventual clinical application.

Friday - September 15 2023, 02:16 UTC - 1 year ago

Apple was asked to cease selling its iPhone 12 model in France due to newly-discovered elevated radiation levels. Possible health implications from prolonged use have been the subject of extensive investigation, with some of them finding a connection between high SAR values and certain forms of cancer. The French government's decision could have influence in other countries in the European Union. Dedicated iPhone users who refuse to give up their devices can take the following steps to reduce RF exposure.