Lifeboat News: The Blog – Safeguarding Humanity

We’re About to Cross The ‘Quantum Supremacy’ Limit in Computing

Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in computing, particle physics, quantum physics

Sep 2
2017

The 4th International Conference on Quantum Technologies held in Moscow last month was supposed to put the spotlight on Google, who were preparing to give a lecture on a 49-qubit quantum computer they have in the works.

A morning talk presented by Harvard University’s Mikhail Lukin, however, upstaged that evening’s event with a small announcement of his own – his team of American and Russian researchers had successfully tested a 51-qubit device, setting a landmark in the race for quantum supremacy.

Quantum computers are considered to be part of the next generation in revolutionary technology; devices that make use of the odd ‘in-between’ states of quantum particles to accelerate the processing power of digital machines.

Crippled water system, chemical plant blaze, vivid examples of Harvey’s cascading effects

Posted by Mark Larkento in climatology, sustainability

Sep 1
2017

Climate change, they didn’t listen then, perhaps they’ll listen now.

Crippled water system, chemical plant blaze, vivid examples of Harvey’s cascading effects.

Authorities said at least 45 people were killed due to the storm, a number expected to increase.

Facebook reveals map showing where EVERY human on the planet lives

Posted by Carse Peel in internet, mapping

Sep 1
2017

Facebook has created a map showing where every single person on the planet lives, it has been revealed.

The internet giant hopes the map will help it to offer internet access to more people by creating an ‘internet in the sky’.

The mapping technology, which Facebook says it developed itself, can pinpoint any man-made structures in any country on Earth to a resolution of 15 feet.

Artificial Intelligence Can Pretend to Love Us, But is that Dangerous for Children?

Posted by Müslüm Yildiz in futurism, robotics/AI

Sep 1
2017

Creators of artificial intelligence measure how well machines can imitate human qualities like empathy, listening, affirmation, and love. Don’t reciprocate, says Sherry Turkle. Turkle’s latest book is “Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age”

“I have very strong feelings about a future in which robots become the kind of conversational agent that pretend to have emotional lives. Shortly after I finished we can make reclaiming conversation I was interviewed for an article in the New York Times about Hello Barbie. So Hello Barbie comes out of the box and says, now I’m just paraphrasing, the jest hi I’m Hello Barbie. I have a sister. You have a sister. I kind of hate my sister. I’m jealous of your sister. Do you hate your sister? Let’s talk about how we feel about our sisters. In other words it just kind of knows stuff about you and is ready to talk about the arc of a human life and sibling rivalry as though it had a life, a mother, the feelings of jealousy about a sister and was ready to relate to you on that basis. And it doesn’t. It’s teaching pretend empathy. It’s asking you to relate to an object that has pretend empathy.”

Fighting Aging and Hurricane Harvey: AgeMeter Campaign Extension and Matching Funds Announced

Posted by Steve Hill in life extension

Sep 1
2017

Great news! The AgeMeter campaign (https://www.lifespan.io/agemeter) has been extended by 2 weeks; partly because the project lead Elliott Small has been called in by FEMA to help with Hurricane Harvey. We are also happy to announce 2 sources of matching funds to help carry this important project to victory)!

Please check the campaign updates or our post for all the details: http://www.leafscience.org/fighting-aging-and-hurricane-harvey/

Introducing MouseAGE, the first visual biomarker of aging in mice

Posted by Steve Hill in life extension, robotics/AI

Sep 1
2017

Using the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning the project is developing a free to use application to help speed up research and reduce animal suffering.

For more info and to find out how you can help please visit:

https://www.lifespan.io/campaigns/mouseage-photographic-aging-clock-in-mice/

Six global banks join forces to create digital currency

Posted by Derick Lee in bitcoin, finance

Sep 1
2017

Hyder Jaffrey, head of strategic funding and fintech innovation at UBS, stated: “We have been in discussions with central banks and regulators and we will continue that over the next 12 months with the aim of a limited ‘go live’ at the back end of 2018.”

‘Utility settlement coin’ aims to launch next year for blockchain settlements.

Nanomachines that drill into cancer cells killing them in just 60 seconds developed by scientists

Posted by Klaus Baldauf in biotech/medical, nanotechnology

Aug 31
2017

Nanomachines which can drill into cancer cells, killing them in just 60 seconds, have been developed by scientists.

The tiny spinning molecules are driven by light, and spin so quickly that they can burrow their way through cell linings when activated.

In one test conducted at Durham University the nanomachines took between one and three minutes to break through the outer membrane of prostate cancer cell, killing it instantly.