However, as with much of quantum physics, this “language”—the interaction between spins—is extraordinarily complex. While it can be described mathematically, solving the equations exactly is nearly impossible, even for relatively simple chains of just a few spins. Not exactly ideal conditions for turning theory into reality…
A model becomes reality
Researchers at Empa’s nanotech@surfaces laboratory have now developed a method that allows many spins to “talk” to each other in a controlled manner – and that also enables the researchers to “listen” to them, i.e. to understand their interactions. Together with scientists from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and the Technical University of Dresden, they were able to precisely create an archetypal chain of electron spins and measure its properties in detail. Their results have now been published in the renowned journal Nature Nanotechnology.
For our Medical Nanobots, in 5 to 10 years, once they are ready to go and wipe out all diseases.
Some bacteria deploy tiny spearguns to retaliate against rival attacks. Researchers at the University of Basel mimicked attacks by poking bacteria with an ultra-sharp tip. Using this approach, they have uncovered that bacteria assemble their nanoweapons in response to cell envelope damage and rapidly strike back with high precision.
The hosts discuss the 2014 film Transcendence by Wally Pfister and Jack Paglen. It depicts a world grappling with the implications of advanced artificial intelligence. The narrative follows a brilliant scientist whose consciousness is uploaded into a powerful computer system, leading to rapid technological advancements and sparking both hope and fear in humanity. As this AI evolves, questions arise about its intentions, its impact on society, and the very definition of life and consciousness, creating escalating conflict and raising profound ethical dilemmas. The screenplay excerpts depict a world grappling with the implications of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and nanotechnology, touching upon several ethical topics. Dr. Max Waters, an AI researcher, is central to the narrative. There’s evidence of mind uploading or the transfer of consciousness to machines, particularly concerning a character named Will (Johnny Depp). This raises fundamental ethical questions about the nature of consciousness, the definition of life, and the potential for a digital consciousness.
The development of a powerful AI and the proliferation of nanotechnology appear to lead to a technological singularity, a point where technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, raising fears of a dystopian future and tech gone wrong. An organization called the RIFT opposes this technological advancement, highlighting the ethical concerns surrounding uncontrolled technological progress.
The screenplay also features conflict and threats, suggesting the potential for misuse of advanced technology and raising questions about its impact on humanity. The involvement of the FBI indicates that this technology poses a significant threat to societal order. Furthermore, the presence of a computer virus as a plot device suggests the vulnerabilities and risks associated with highly interconnected technological systems. The narrative explores the complex ethical dilemmas arising from the creation of highly intelligent machines and the transformative power of nanotechnology, including the potential loss of human autonomy and the unpredictable consequences of the AISingularity. #artificialintelligence #Transcendence #SciFiThriller #AISingularity #Nanotechnology #MindUploading #FutureTech #DystopianFuture #TechGoneWrong #Consciousness #MovieScreenplay #ScienceFiction #TechnologicalSingularity #AI
Researchers from the Department of Physics have managed to experimentally develop a new magnetic state: a magneto-ionic vortex or “vortion.” The research, published in Nature Communications, allows for an unprecedented level of control of magnetic properties at the nanoscale and at room temperature, and opens new horizons for the development of advanced magnetic devices.
The use of Big Data has multiplied the energy demand in information technologies. Generally, to store information, systems utilize electric currents to write data, which dissipates power by heating the devices. Controlling magnetic memories with voltage, instead of electric currents, can minimize this energy expenditure.
One way to achieve this is by using magneto-ionic materials, which allow for the manipulation of their magnetic properties by adding or removing ions through changes in the polarity of the applied voltage. So far, most studies in this area have focused on continuous films, rather than on controlling properties at the nanometric scale in discrete “bits,” essential for high-density data storage.
Rodolfo Llinas tells the story of how he has developed bundles of nanowires thinner than spider webs that can be inserted into the blood vessels of human brains.
While these wires have so far only been tested in animals, they prove that direct communication with the deep recesses of the brain may not be so far off. To understand just how big of a breakthrough this is—US agents from the National Security Agency quickly showed up at the MIT laboratory when the wires were being developed.
What does this mean for the future? It might be possible to stimulate the senses directly — creating visual perceptions, auditory perceptions, movements, and feelings. Deep brain stimulation could create the ultimate virtual reality. Not to mention, direct communication between man and machine or human brain to human brain could become a real possibility.
Llinas poses compelling questions about the potentials and ethics of his technology.
A phone screen you can’t scratch no matter how many times you drop it; glasses that prevent glare; a windshield that doesn’t get dusty. These are all possibilities thanks to a new way to produce sapphire.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered techniques to bestow superpowers upon sapphire, a material that most of us think of as just a pretty jewel. But sapphire is seen as a critical material across many different areas, from defense to consumer electronics to next-generation windows, because it’s nearly impossible to scratch.
“Sapphire is such a high-value material because of its hardness and many other favorable properties,” said Chih-Hao Chang, associate professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and leader of the new research. “But the same properties that make it attractive also make it difficult to manufacture at small scales.”
A small international team of nanotechnologists, engineers and physicists has developed a way to force laser light into becoming a supersolid. Their paper is published in the journal Nature. The editors at Nature have published a Research Briefing in the same issue summarizing the work.
Supersolids are entities that exist only in the quantum world, and, up until now, they have all been made using atoms. Prior research has shown that they have zero viscosity and are formed in crystal-like structures similar to the way atoms are arranged in salt crystals.
Because of their nature, supersolids have been created in extremely cold environments where the quantum effects can be seen. Notably, one of the team members on this new effort was part of the team that demonstrated more than a decade ago that light could become a fluid under the right set of circumstances.
Researchers across 14 medical centers in China, including Peking University People’s Hospital, have found that an investigational drug, berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD1801), significantly lowered blood sugar levels and improved metabolic and liver health in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The findings and an invited commentary, both published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that HTD1801 could serve as a new oral treatment option for T2D and its related complications.
