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At long last, a unified theory combining gravity with the other fundamental forces—electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces—is within reach. Bringing gravity into the fold has been the goal of generations of physicists, who have struggled to reconcile the incompatibility of two cornerstones of modern physics: quantum field theory and Einstein’s theory of gravity.

Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new quantum theory of which describes gravity in a way that’s compatible with the standard model of particle physics, opening the door to an improved understanding of how the universe began.

While the world of theoretical physics may seem remote from applicable tech, the findings are remarkable. Modern technology is built on such fundamental advances—for example, the GPS in your smartphone works thanks to Einstein’s theory of gravity.

Google is constantly releasing new Android Auto updates, but new features often feel few and far between. What’s on the roadmap? In this post, we’ll break down new features coming to Android Auto.

Timeline: More news at Google I/O

Officially confirmed by Google itself, Gemini is on its way to Android Auto.

The mechanism that stabilizes new ferroelectric semiconductors also creates a conductive pathway, which could make them suitable for use in high-power transistors. A new type of semiconductor that can store information using electric fields may lead to more energy-efficient computers, ultra-preci

Berkeley Humanoid Lite is an open-source, budget-friendly humanoid robot created by UC Berkeley researchers to make robotics research easier for everyone. It’s a customizable, 3D-printed robot designed for researchers, teachers, and hobbyists. Unlike expensive, closed-source commercial robots (often over $100,000), it costs less than $5,000 by using common parts and desktop 3D printers. The robot’s motors and body use 3D-printed cycloidal gearboxes, keeping costs low while staying sturdy. You can buy all parts from online stores, and the design works with a 3D printer that has at least a 200 × 200 × 200 mm build space. It’s 80 cm

The researchers discovered that AP2A1 seemed to be responsible for switching cells between their “young” and “old” states—senescent cells were rejuvenated by the suppression of the protein, and younger cells aged by its overexpression.

The scientists also found that the AP2A1 was frequently in close proximity to another protein: integrin β1, which aids cells in binding to the collagen scaffold that envelops them. Both proteins, the researchers described, travel along stress fibers within cells.

A new species of bacteria that functions like electrical wiring has recently been discovered on a brackish beach in Oregon. The species was named Candidatus Electrothrix yaqonensis in honor of the Yaquina tribe of Native Americans that once lived in and around Yaquina Bay, where the bacteria were found.

This species is a type of cable bacteria: rod-shaped microbes that are connected at both ends to one another to create a chain and which share an outer membrane, forming filaments several centimeters long. Cable bacteria are found in marine and freshwater sediments and, unusually among bacteria, are electrically conductive. This is due to their special metabolism, in which electrons generated by oxidizing sulfides in their deeper layers are sent to their surface layer, where they are received by oxygen and nitric acid.

Chinese researchers have developed a wireless, paper-thin patch that attaches to an organ to create a highway for drug delivery.

To solve an important problem in drug delivery, a research team that includes Beihang University and Peking University developed an electronic patch that acts like a band-aid for organs.

Traditional drug delivery systems send a vague package through the body that requires higher doses than necessary and might harm organs in the process of trying to find their destination. Large-molecule drugs, or biopharmaceuticals based on proteins, face an even greater challenge as the cell membrane often blocks these drugs, according to CGTN.