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Nov 27, 2023

Paradox of ultramassive black hole formation solved by supercomputer

Posted by in categories: cosmology, evolution, supercomputing

With a gravitational field so strong that not even light can escape its grip, black holes are probably the most interesting and bizarre objects in the universe.

Due to their extreme properties, a theoretical description of these celestial bodies is impossible within the framework of Newton’s classical theory of gravity. It requires the use of general relativity, the theory proposed by Einstein in 1915, which treats gravitational fields as deformations in the fabric of space-time.

Black holes are usually formed from the collapse of massive stars during their final stage of evolution. Therefore, when a black hole is born, its mass does not exceed a few dozen solar masses.

Nov 27, 2023

Pet geneticists use AI to visualize how dogs will look in 10,000 years

Posted by in categories: genetics, robotics/AI

Veterinarian experts at Basepaws, a genetics testing company for pets in California, looked into the possibilities of how dog breeds of today will evolve 10,000 years down the line. The experts give their inputs to neural networks to generate some interesting visualizations.

Take a moment to see if you can recognize the breeds in the images below.

It is well known that modern-day dogs evolved from wolves that got friendly with humans. The exact timeline of when this friendship began is up for debate in the scientific community. But now that it has been established, it is unlikely that the bond will be shaken by anything in the future.

Nov 27, 2023

James Webb Space Telescope detects Water Vapor, Sulfur Dioxide and Sand Clouds in the Atmosphere of a nearby Exoplanet

Posted by in categories: chemistry, particle physics, space

European astronomers, co-led by researchers from the Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven, used recent observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope to study the atmosphere of the nearby exoplanet WASP-107b. Peering deep into the fluffy atmosphere of WASP-107b they discovered not only water vapour and sulfur dioxide, but even silicate sand clouds. These particles reside within a dynamic atmosphere that exhibits vigorous transport of material.

Astronomers worldwide are harnessing the advanced capabilities of the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to conduct groundbreaking observations of exoplanets – planets orbiting stars other than our own Sun. One of these fascinating worlds is WASP-107b, a unique gaseous exoplanet that orbits a star slightly cooler and less massive than our Sun. The mass of the planet is similar to that of Neptune but its size is much larger than that of Neptune, almost approaching the size of Jupiter. This characteristic renders WASP-107b rather ‘fluffy’ when compared to the gas giant planets within our solar system. The fluffiness of this exoplanet enables astronomers to look roughly 50 times deeper into its atmosphere compared to the depth of exploration achieved for a solar-system giant like Jupiter.

The team of European astronomers took full advantage of the remarkable fluffiness of this exoplanet, enabling them to look deep into its atmosphere. This opportunity opened a window into unravelling the complex chemical composition of its atmosphere. The reason behind this is quite straightforward: the signals, or spectral features, are far more prominent in a less dense atmosphere compared to a more compact one. Their recent study, now published in Nature, reveals the presence of water vapour, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and silicate clouds, but notably, there is no trace of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4).

Nov 27, 2023

Elon Musk’s Neuralink raises more cash ahead of human trials next year

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, neuroscience

Elon Musk’s controversial brain implant company Neuralink has raised more funding as it gears up to start human trials.

Neuralink has just collected a further $43 million, according to an SEC filing last week. The fresh funding brings the amount raised to more than $323 million, SEC filings show.

Nov 27, 2023

Team uses gold nanowires to develop wearable sensor that measures two bio-signals

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, information science, nanotechnology, wearables

A research team led by Professor Sei Kwang Hahn and Dr. Tae Yeon Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) used gold nanowires to develop an integrated wearable sensor device that effectively measures and processes two bio-signals simultaneously. Their research findings were featured in Advanced Materials.

Wearable devices, available in various forms like attachments and patches, play a pivotal role in detecting physical, chemical, and electrophysiological signals for disease diagnosis and management. Recent strides in research focus on devising wearables capable of measuring multiple bio-signals concurrently.

However, a major challenge has been the disparate materials needed for each signal measurement, leading to interface damage, complex fabrication, and reduced device stability. Additionally, these varied signal analyses require further signal processing systems and algorithms.

Nov 27, 2023

India’s EMotorad rides high with $20M investment for global e-bike push

Posted by in categories: energy, transportation

EMotorad, an Indian startup manufacturing electric bikes, raised $20 million in a Series B round as it aims to disrupt China’s market domination and expand its presence in global markets.

The three-year-old startup has raised more than $22.5 million in total funding, with Singapore’s Panthera Growth Partners leading the latest round, along with participation from Alteria Capital, xto10x Technologies, and Green Frontier Capital — the startup’s existing investor. Additionally, the fresh funding round includes a debt of $2.5 million.

The demand for e-bikes is growing in markets beyond China and India as people seek to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, ease traffic congestion on the roads and find alternative transportation options that do not require rigorous physical activity throughout their daily commute. In 2021, the World Bank predicted (PDF) that as many as 300 million e-bikes will circulate in cities across the globe by 2023. However, despite growing demand worldwide, e-bike supplies rely heavily on Chinese manufacturers. EMotorad is striving to overturn this trend by establishing its manufacturing operations in India.

Nov 27, 2023

Fresh perspectives on antibiotic resistance

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Easy navigation in a rugged fitness landscape.

Nov 27, 2023

Tesla exec shares Cybertruck first delivery event details

Posted by in categories: sustainability, transportation

Tesla Investor Relations (IR) Head Martin Viecha has provided some key details about the upcoming Cybertruck first delivery event, which is scheduled to be held at Gigafactory Texas this Thursday, November 30, 2023. Contrary to other Tesla events like the Cyber Rodeo, the Cybertruck’s first deliveries will be starting notably earlier.

As noted by Martin Viecha, the Tesla Cybertruck delivery event will be starting at 1 p.m. CT (11 a.m. PST). Expectations are high that Tesla will be live-streaming the event, though the executive has not provided information about when the livestream for the occasion will go live.

“The Cybertruck delivery event starts at around 1 p.m. CT on Thursday, in case someone’s unsure. I’ve noticed that few people thought it’s an evening event,” Viecha clarified on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Nov 27, 2023

Scientists 3D Print a Complex Robotic Hand With Bones, Tendons, and Ligaments

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, robotics/AI

The approach uses machine vision to 3D print structures with multiple materials, from hard, bone-like substances to stuff that’s more like soft tissues.

Nov 27, 2023

Study identifies key markers for early detection of fatty liver disease in obese and non-obese individuals

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers compare whether insulin-and non-insulin-based insulin resistance (IR) markers could predict the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese and non-obese individuals with no history of diabetes or hepatitis.

Study: Markers of insulin resistance associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in non-diabetic population. Image Credit: Jo Panuwat D / Shutterstock.com.