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Scientists from Rice University have discovered a titanium alloy that’s better than titanium at being a medical implant, and it is four times harder than titanium and a vast majority of steels.

When it comes to bone replacements, the go-to material is still titanium. Hard, wear-resistant, and compatible to the body, titanium looks like the best alternative to actual bone, maybe even better. Who knew that you could improve the ‘gold standard’ by just adding actual gold?

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Yesterday, El Mercurio (A major paper in Chile and Latin America with abt 300,000 copies) published a big feature on #transhumanism that starts with my work and interview. I believe 2018 will continue the fast growing trend of international major media covering how the transhumanism movement is changing the world: http://impresa.elmercurio.com/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?dt=2017&…2&bodyid=6 #transhumanismo #Spanish

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What will 2018 bring? No one knows for sure. But as we did for 2017, we asked top scientists and thought leaders in innovation what they expect to see in the new year. Here, lightly edited, are their predictions.


What scientific discoveries will 2018 bring? We asked leaders in science, technology, and innovation what they think we can expect to see in the new year.

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A material known as gallium nitride (GaN), poised to become the next semiconductor for power electronics, could also be essential for various space applications. Yuji Zhao, an expert in electrical and computer engineering at Arizona State University (ASU), plans to develop the first ever processor from gallium nitride, which could revolutionize future space exploration missions.

Gallium nitride is a semiconductor compound commonly used in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The material has the ability to conduct electrons more than 1,000 times more efficiently than silicon. It outstrips silicon in speed, temperature, power handling, and is expected to replace it when silicon-based devices will reach their limits.

Besides LEDs, GaN can be used in the production of semiconductor power devices as well as RF components. Now, Yuji Zhao aims to use this material to develop a high-temperature microprocessor for space applications. He received a three-year $750,000 grant from NASA’s Hot Operating Temperature Technology (HOTTech) program for his project.

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