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Researchers suggest how to make space telescopes cheaper and better

The JWST is just the beginning of a new era of space astronomy.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been a spectacular success so far, revealing new insights into the cosmos with its powerful vision. But the JWST also has a history of cost overruns, delays, and near-cancellations that have raised questions about the feasibility of future space telescopes.


Source: Northrop Grumman/NASA via Flickr.

Is there a way to make space telescopes more affordable?

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI

DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman wants to build a chatbot that does a whole lot more than chat. In a recent conversation I had with him, he told me that generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI: bots that can carry out tasks you set for them by calling on other software and other people to get stuff done. He also calls for robust regulation —and doesn’t think that’ll be hard to achieve.

Suleyman is not the only one talking up a future filled with ever more autonomous software. But unlike most people he has a new billion-dollar company, Inflection, with a roster of top-tier talent plucked from DeepMind, Meta, and OpenAI, and—thanks to a deal with Nvidia—one of the biggest stockpiles of specialized AI hardware in the world. Suleyman has put his money—which he tells me he both isn’t interested in and wants to make more of—where his mouth is.

Detecting Depression: A 1-Minute EEG Test Reveals Mood Shifts

Summary: Depression, a challenging condition to diagnose early, may now be detected more promptly using a simple 1-minute Electroencephalogram (EEG) test at home.

This study revealed a relationship between EEG results and the severity of participants’ depressive moods over several weeks. Phase resetting, where brain waves from different regions synchronize, correlated with mood intensity.

The discovery could revolutionize early depression detection and future treatments.

Spotify’s newest feature allows songwriters to promote their work

Spotify announced today the launch of “Songwriter Promo Cards,” a promotional tool for songwriters to highlight their songs and get discovered by new listeners and potential collaborators.

Songwriter Promo Cards are customizable social media assets that songwriters can create on promocards.byspotify.com. Songwriters search for their name, select their profile and choose a background color to fit their aesthetic. The promo card is linked to the songwriter’s Spotify page and can be directly shared on social media.

Plus, the creation site doesn’t require a login so anyone can make a card, meaning fans have a new way of sharing and celebrating their favorite songwriters.

For All Mankind Season 4 Teaser | ‘Helios Recruitment’

Check out the new For All Mankind Season 4 Teaser starring Joel Kinnaman!

► Shop Rotten Tomatoes: http://bit.ly/3m59uhu.

US Air Date: November 10, 2023
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Wrenn Schmidt, Krys Marshall.
Network: Apple TV+
Synopsis: Rocketing into the new millennium in the eight years since Season 3, Happy Valley has rapidly expanded its footprint on Mars by turning former foes into partners. Now 2003, the focus of the space program has turned to the capture and mining of extremely valuable, mineral-rich asteroids that could change the future of both Earth and Mars. But simmering tensions between the residents of the now-sprawling international base threaten to undo everything they are working towards.

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Plant-based glue bonds even better when placed underwater

Getting glue to stick in dry conditions is relatively easy, but having it maintain a bond underwater is much more difficult. That said, a new bio-based glue not only works underwater, it actually gets stronger when immersed.

The nontoxic adhesive is being developed by Assoc. Prof. Gudrun Schmidt and colleagues at Indiana’s Purdue University. It’s made mainly of zein – which is a protein extracted from corn – and tannic acid, which is obtained from galls in oak tree bark.

When the glue is sandwiched between two objects which are subsequently placed underwater, a thin skin initially forms on it. That skin can be broken simply by piercing it with a finger or something similarly pokey. The surrounding water is then able to get into the glue, increasing its bond strength. Maximum bonding takes place at a water temperature of about 30 ºC (86 ºF).

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