Futurism – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Nov 1
2023

Combining cell types may lead to improved cardiac cell therapy following heart attack

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Academia Sinica of Taiwan have harnessed a combination of lab-grown cells to regenerate damaged heart muscle.

The study is published in Circulation. It addresses major challenges of using heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, grown from stem cells, and takes a crucial step toward future clinical applications.

Previous research has shown that transplanting cardiomyocytes made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can replace muscle in the hearts of mammals. Researchers have struggled to bring the treatment to the clinic, in part because the implanted cells haven’t developed enough life-sustaining blood vessels to survive very long.

Oct 31
2023

Ankylosing Spondylitis: How to Manage Back Pain

From medication to therapy, see how you can relieve back pain caused by ankylosing spondylitis of the spine.

Oct 31
2023

There was a heavy dose of the future at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show

The latest trend in auto shows around the world is to convince us that they aren’t auto shows. The car show is out and the mobility show is in, and that means different things for different markets. The Frankfurt International Auto Show, for example, is now IAA Mobility; it has moved to Munich and features loads of bicycles. The Japan Motor Show is now the Japan Mobility Show, but instead of bicycles, it’s packed with surreal and sci-fi-ready ways to get you around, some of which are available now.

Here’s a look at the most interesting products from this year’s show.

Oct 31
2023

Newly Discovered Crocodile Newt Looks Like a Vibrant Jack-O-Lantern

Despite its recent discovery in Vietnam, the newt is considered endangered. Learn more about crocodile newts and this recent research.

Oct 31
2023

Are ghosts real? A social psychologist examines the evidence

In an article for The Conversation, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky looks at people’s belief in ghosts.

Is it possible for there to be ghosts? — Madelyn, age 11, Fort Lupton, Colorado

Certainly, lots of people believe in ghosts — a spirit left behind after someone who was alive has died.

Oct 30
2023

How Different Animals React to Zero Gravity 😱 #frog #dog #cat #mice #pigeons #animals

Randomly Interesting.

Dog floats, cats frefall, pigeons try to fly but at some point one floats, frog goes crazy…and rats/mice create their own “gravity”.

Comments are funny and one pointed that the rats seem to have created their own collider.

Oct 29
2023

Candidates, take this AI election pledge. Or 2024 might break us

New York Mayor Eric Adams doesn’t speak Spanish. But it sure sounds like he does. He’s been using artificial intelligence software to send prerecorded calls about city events to residents in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Urdu and Yiddish. The voice in the messages mimics the mayor but was generated with AI software from a company called ElevenLabs.

“People stop me on the street all the time and say, ‘I didn’t know you speak Mandarin,’” Adams said at a news conference this month.

Experts have warned for years that AI will change our democracy by distorting reality. That future is already here. AI is being used to fabricate voices, fundraising emails and “deepfake” images of events that never… More.

The first AI election is here. Our tech columnist proposes some ground rules for candidates’ use of artificial intelligence.

Oct 29
2023

Shape-shifting fiber can produce morphing fabrics

MIT researchers have created FibeRobo, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fiber that responds to cold or hot thermal stimuli.

Imagine a fiber that changes its shape when it gets warm and being able to use this fiber to make clothes that can quickly and silently change its shape.

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Northeastern University have created FibeRobo, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fiber that responds to cold or hot thermal stimuli.

FibeRobo is a liquid crystal elastomer fiber that can change its shape in response to thermal stimuli. Compatible with existing textile manufacturing machinery, it could be used to make morphing textiles, like a jacket that changes its insulating properties.

Oct 28
2023

Making the Invisible Visible

The MIT Alumni Association seeks to engage and inspire the MIT global community to make a better world. It provides a lifelong community for MIT graduates, a launching pad for students, and growing connection among MIT friends.

Oct 28
2023

Green IT: AI chip with potential

Modern chips: many steps, low energy consumption.

These key requirements for a chip are summed up mathematically by the parameter TOPS/W: “tera-operations per second per watt”. This can be seen as the currency for the chips of the future. The question is how many trillion operations (TOP) a processor can perform per second (S) when provided with one watt wordpress of power. The new AI chip, developed in a collaboration between Bosch and Fraunhofer IMPS and supported in the production process by the US company GlobalFoundries, can deliver 885 TOPS/W. This makes it twice as powerful as comparable AI chips, including a MRAM chip by Samsung. CMOS chips, which are now commonly used, operate in the range of 10–20 TOPS/W. This is demonstrated in results recently published in Nature.

In-memory computing works like the human brain.