Thursday - September 7 2023, 16:06 UTC - 1 year ago

This study aims to settle the debate about the connection between hormone therapy (HT) and a heightened risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in postmenopausal women. Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, confirming a link between past or present HT use and GERD. All five studies reported a significant association between estrogen use and GERD, as well as between GERD and HT containing a combination of estrogen plus a progestogen. Women who received combined estrogen-progestogen therapies had a lower risk of GERD symptoms compared with HT containing estrogen alone or progestogen alone.

Thursday - September 7 2023, 12:03 UTC - 1 year ago

Koyejo and Li recently presented their research exploring the trustworthiness of GPT models on eight aspects, namely toxicity, stereotype bias, adversarial robustness, etc. They found that these models reduced toxic output compared with other models, and also reduced bias when given strict prompts. However, they are still easily misled into generating toxic and biased outputs, and leaking private information.

Thursday - September 7 2023, 07:45 UTC - 1 year ago

Retired football player Michael Oher recently alleged he was under a court-imposed conservatorship instead of an adoption with Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Conservatorships and adoptions are two very different legal proceedings and the resulting relationships are distinct. Conservatorships are for people who can not care for themselves or manage their finances and one must consent for adoption, which also requires the severance of any existing parental rights.

Thursday - September 7 2023, 03:37 UTC - 1 year ago

Marijuana use is correlated with metal contamination in the blood and urine, which could lead to long-term health problems. A survey of over 7,000 people revealed that marijuana users had higher levels of lead and Cadmium in their blood and urine than non-users. Despite numerous states legalizing marijuana, this substance is still prohibited at the federal level in the United States.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 23:34 UTC - 1 year ago

MIT Technology Review has published a new list recognizing companies making progress on one of society's most pressing challenges: climate change. The 15 selected companies were chosen based on their track record of implementing solutions and their potential to reduce emissions and address the threats of global warming. Attendees of the upcoming ClimateTech Conference will be the first to learn the names of the selected companies.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 19:02 UTC - 1 year ago

The University of Bath recently conducted a study that found people with vivid imaginations are more likely to believe they truly inhabit the worlds they visit in virtual reality. The study focused on how imaginative suggestibility affects an individual's ability to experience a presence in VR. Researchers hypothesized that imaginative suggestibility plays a significant role in the development of presence in VR and that the easier it is for a person to imagine a scenario, the more present they are in the virtual world.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 14:19 UTC - 1 year ago

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft imaged the Chandrayaan-3 landing site on the Moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-3 is the third mission in the Chandrayaan program, launched on July 14, 2023. The mission consists of a lunar lander named Vikram and a lunar rover named Pragyan, both developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). LRO is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Arizona State University manages and operates LROC.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 09:19 UTC - 1 year ago

We studied the role of lipids and skin bacteria in maintaining the skin barrier in the Gallo Lab at the University of California, San Diego. Our research showed that C. acnes triggers certain skin cells to significantly increase production of lipids that are important to maintaining the skin barrier, and produces a type of short-chain fatty acid called propionic acid which creates an acidic skin environment which provide a number of benefits such as limiting pathogen growth, reducing staph infections and contributing to anti-inflammatory effects.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 05:14 UTC - 1 year ago

Mercedes Benz have unveiled a Concept CLA Class offering more range than a Tesla Model 3 at 446 miles (750 kilometers). BMW also debuted the "Vision Neue Klasse" at the IAA Mobility Motor Show. Both companies are introducing EV platforms to meet the needs of future buyers and feature improved rapid charging, battery cell chemistry, and high energy efficiency.

Wednesday - September 6 2023, 00:40 UTC - 1 year ago

Switching from combustion-engine cars to electric vehicles is important for using renewable energy, but the grid isn't quite there yet. One small loophole is solar cars, and now a Swedish manufacturer is taking the concept to the trucking industry. The Scania solar truck has solar panels covering 100 square meters, a 560 horsepower engine, and can provide up to 8,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy per year in Sweden. However, solar technology must improve before it can be practical for widespread use.

Tuesday - September 5 2023, 20:19 UTC - 1 year ago

Research team co-led by the Monell Chemical Senses Center and start-up Osmo have discovered a machine-learning model which has achieved human-level proficiency at describing, in words, how chemicals might smell. The resulting map of these interactions is essentially groupings of similarly smelling odors, like floral sweet and candy sweet. The study could ultimately enable researchers to identify novel scents for functional uses such as mosquito repellent or malodor masking.

Tuesday - September 5 2023, 16:02 UTC - 1 year ago

In 1983, Guion Bluford became the first African American to fly in space, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-8 mission which followed was the sixth flight of the Space Shuttle program - it lasted for 145 hours with 98 orbits of the Earth before landing on September 5, 1983. The mission deployed the first Indian National Satellite, operated the Canadian-built Remote Manipulator System, conducted medical measurements to understand biophysiological effects of spaceflight, and activated four "Getaway Special" canisters. Bluford's career was an exemplar of determination and courage, paving the way for future generations and symbolizing a huge stride forward for the civil rights movement.

Tuesday - September 5 2023, 11:23 UTC - 1 year ago

AI language models are not humans and yet we judge them as if they were, using tests like the bar exam and US Medical Licensing Examinations. We have little understanding as to how they function under the hood and what they generate, from stories to images. Despite their glimmers of human-like intelligence, humans can still out-compete AI models in certain scenarios. MIT Technology Review is currently hiring for an AI reporter based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Tuesday - September 5 2023, 07:21 UTC - 1 year ago

Computer simulations of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) suggest the existence of an as-yet undiscovered Kuiper Belt Planet (KBP) 1.5 - 3 times the mass of Earth in the outer solar system. The proposed KBP is compatible with the existence of stable resonant TNO populations in the distant Kuiper Belt, and its perturbations can explain the distribution of detached, high-inclination, and extreme TNOs. Further observation of the Kuiper Belt may reveal or rule out the existence of the KBP.

Tuesday - September 5 2023, 02:40 UTC - 1 year ago

A preprint paper written by neuroscientists, philosophers, and computer scientists proposed a list of indicators of consciousness that could be used for determining whether an AI agent exhibits sentience. Tests based on a comparison between the indicator properties of AI and those of humans revealed that, although artificial consciousness might be achievable in the near future, current AI systems are not conscious.

Monday - September 4 2023, 21:44 UTC - 1 year ago

Two international teams have cracked the mysterious Y chromosome, the holdout of the human genome sequence that was first constructed two decades ago. This marks a monumental step in deciphering our genetic landscape and an important resource for analyzing Y chromosome evolution and behavior, which has been linked to various health issues. In addition, it could be a useful tool for diagnosing and treating rare genetic disorders.

Monday - September 4 2023, 17:43 UTC - 1 year ago

CATL of China is mass producing generation 1 sodium ion batteries starting next month. With the future low price of sodium ion, these batteries would make for insanely cheap fixed storage products like the Tesla Megapack and Powerwalls. CATL's batteries would last 10-15 years and cost around $4/kWh, making them ten times cheaper than current energy storage batteries. With all these benefits, it is easy to see why CATL's batteries are receiving such positive attention.

Monday - September 4 2023, 12:55 UTC - 1 year ago

Scania, Uppsala University, Eksjö Maskin & Truck, Midsummer, Ernsts Express, and Dalakraft have been collaborating for the last two years to produce an innovative plug-in hybrid truck covered with solar panels. The vehicle is currently in the testing stages on public roads in Sweden. If approved and put into mass production, the solar powered trucks could help lessen expensive and polluting fuel costs.

Monday - September 4 2023, 08:16 UTC - 1 year ago

ChatGPT and other large language models are reliant on large amounts of human labor input for their functioning. Training them on fallible and inconsistent datasets is a challenge, and they can't compare, analyze and evaluate arguments without being told what is good and bad through feedback from users, developers and contractors.