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Russia is building an AI-powered missile that can think for itself

Today’s most advanced weapons are already capable of “making decisions” using built-in smart sensors and tools.

However, while these weapons rely on some sort of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, they typically don’t have the ability to choose their own targets.

Creating such weapons is now Russia’s goal, according to the country’s defense officials and weapons developers.

Hyperloop One had its first full-system test of ultrafast transportation system

Hyperloop One completed the first full-scale test of its hyperloop technology in a vacuum environment on May 12th, the company announced today. In the test, the company’s hyperloop vehicle — which uses magnetic levitation, or mag-lev, technology — pulled 2 Gs while reaching 70 miles per hour down the length of the company’s test track in Nevada.

Hyperloop One also shared images of its new pod with The Verge. The aerodynamic pod is 28 feet long and constructed of structural aluminum and carbon fiber. Using electromagnetic propulsion and mag-lev technology, it’s designed to carry both cargo and human passengers at near supersonic speeds, Hyperloop One says.

Prof. George Church: CRISPR and Technologies For Effective Global Altruism

Link to Prof. George Church’s website.

Prof. Chuch’s Bio

George Church is Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of Personal Genome Project, the world’s only open-access information on human Genomic, Environmental & Trait data (GET). Prof. Chruch recieved his PhD in 1984 at Harvard University, his PhD thesis included the first methods for direct genome sequencing, molecular multiplexing & barcoding.

Physics of bubbles could explain language patterns

Language patterns could be predicted by simple laws of physics, a new study has found.

Dr James Burridge from the University of Portsmouth has published a theory using ideas from physics to predict where and how dialects occur.

He said: “If you want to know where you’ll find dialects and why, a lot can be predicted from the physics of bubbles and our tendency to copy others around us.