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Dec 27, 2023

Probing when dCas9 tolerates DNA mismatches

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Sensing changes in ionic current as barcoded DNA translocates through solid-state nanopores allows the study of how nucleotide sequences alter the DNA-binding specificity of the catalytically inactive Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex.

Dec 27, 2023

The worlds first slime robot can go places that no other robot can travel

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Slime robots can go places that other robots can’t and could have valuable applications in everything from healthcare to the utilities sector.

Dec 27, 2023

High-sensitivity terahertz detection by 2D plasmons in transistors

Posted by in categories: computing, internet

A research group from Tohoku University and RIKEN has developed a high-speed, high-sensitivity terahertz-wave detector operating at room temperature, paving the way for advancements in the development of next generation 6G/7G technology.

Details of their breakthrough were published in the journal Nanophotonics on November 9, 2023.

The enhancement of current communications speeds will rely on terahertz (THz) . THz waves are within the THz range, which falls between the microwave and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically spanning frequencies from 300 gigahertz to 3 THz.

Dec 27, 2023

Bill Gates predicts a ‘massive technology boom’ from AI coming soon

Posted by in categories: innovation, robotics/AI

The use of artificial intelligence by the general population in developed countries such as the US to a “significant” degree will start to take place in the next 18 to 24 months, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates in his year-end letter released last week.

The impact on things such as productivity and innovation could be unprecedented, says Gates.

“Artificial intelligence is about to accelerate the rate of new discoveries at a pace we’ve never seen before,” wrote Gates on his blog.

Dec 27, 2023

Why ‘resurrection biology’ is gaining traction around the world

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, existential risks, genetics

Resurrection biology — attempting to bring strings of molecules and more complex organisms back to life — is gaining traction in labs around the world.

The work is a far cry from the genetically engineered dinosaurs that escape in the blockbuster movie “Jurassic Park,” although for some scientists the ultimate goal is de-extinction and resurrecting animals and plants that have been lost.

Other researchers are looking to the past for new sources of drugs or to sound an alarm about the possibility of long-dormant pathogens. The field of study is also about recreating elements of human history in an attempt to better understand how our ancestors might have lived and died.

Dec 27, 2023

Unveiling the Mystery of “Unseeing” — New Research Sheds Light on Visual Masking Phenomenon

Posted by in category: neuroscience

A recent study published in Nature Neuroscience has made significant strides in understanding visual masking, a phenomenon that plays a crucial role in how we perceive, or rather “unsee,” things. This study not only illuminates aspects of conscious perception in the brain but also demonstrates that this phenomenon occurs in both humans and mice.

Visual masking occurs when a person does not consciously perceive an image because another image is shown in quick succession. For effective masking, the first image must appear and disappear swiftly, followed by the second image within approximately 50 milliseconds.

Dec 27, 2023

Startups: AI chatbots will eventually become your coworkers

Posted by in categories: employment, robotics/AI

Comment Large language models seem poised to evolve from AI chatbots generating synthetic content on your screen to virtual agents that are capable of performing actions on your PC right at your desk.

Instead of answering questions or creating animated stickers, AI will soon be able to follow instructions and help you tick stuff off your to-do list at work. A new wave of AI agent startups are building products that can automate parts of your day-to-day employment. Correctly, one hopes.

Continue reading “Startups: AI chatbots will eventually become your coworkers” »

Dec 27, 2023

Talking to Animals with Artificial Intelligence

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Cat meowing]

Harper: Well, powerful new technologies are helping researchers decode animal communication. And even begin to talk back to nonhumans.

Bushwick: Advanced sensors and artificial intelligence might have us at the brink of interspecies communication.

Dec 27, 2023

Lost in space? Just use relativity

Posted by in category: space travel

One of the hardest things for many people to conceptualize when talking about how fast something is going is that they must ask, “Compared to what?” All motion only makes sense from a frame of reference, and many spacecraft traveling in the depths of the void lack any regular reference from which to understand how fast they’re going.

There have been several different techniques to try to solve this problem, but one of the ones that have been in development the longest is StarNAV—a way to navigate in space using only the stars.

Continue reading “Lost in space? Just use relativity” »

Dec 27, 2023

New Genomics Databases Could Drive Major Breakthroughs

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics

The projects are poised to offer unprecedented insights into human genetic diversity and improve treatment of disease.