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Apr 7, 2023

This is Why the ChatGPT Founder is Investing $180M in Life Extension

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, robotics/AI

Aging is something that we all have to go through. Or at least we thought it was before tech CEOs started investing billions of dollars in anti-aging and longevity research start-ups. Sam Altman of ChatGPT fame turned out to be the mysterious $180 million investor that kickstarted Retro Sciences’ research on the topic.

A biotech company based in Silicon Valley, Retro Biosciences has taken on the mission of adding 10 more years to human life and they are planning to do so by using their collective knowledge of cellular reprogramming, autophagy, and plasma-inspired therapeutics. But they have an ace up their sleeve. They are going to use machine-learning-based computational biology and lab automation to help with the project. This must’ve sparked the interest of the OpenAI CEO if he went on to invest a good chunk of his liquid net worth in the project. This is not the first case of a tech billionaire investing in longevity and anti-aging.

Continue reading “This is Why the ChatGPT Founder is Investing $180M in Life Extension” »

Apr 6, 2023

Are robot waiters the future? Some restaurants think so

Posted by in categories: food, robotics/AI

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — You may have already seen them in restaurants: waist-high machines that can greet guests, lead them to their tables, deliver food and drinks and ferry dirty dishes to the kitchen. Some have cat-like faces and even purr when you scratch their heads.

But are robot waiters the future? It’s a question the restaurant industry is increasingly trying to answer.

Many think robot waiters are the solution to the industry’s labor shortages. Sales of them have been growing rapidly in recent years, with tens of thousands now gliding through dining rooms worldwide.

Apr 6, 2023

China launches inspection of ships in Taiwan Strait | DW News

Posted by in category: futurism

China launched a three-day special joint patrol and inspection operation in the central and northern parts of the Taiwan Strait that includes moves to board ships. The move comes amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan.

Taiwan’s President has met with the US House Speaker in a historic meeting in California. Tsai Ing-Wen and Kevin McCarthy’s talks were the first in the United States in decades. The brief visit came despite warnings from China, which doesn’t recognise Taiwan’s independence — and views the island as part of its own territory. It deems any contact between the US and Taiwan as a challenge to its authority.

Continue reading “China launches inspection of ships in Taiwan Strait | DW News” »

Apr 6, 2023

Using Photons as Neurotransmitters to Control the Activity of Neurons

Posted by in categories: chemistry, neuroscience

Summary: Researchers present a new system that uses photons instead of chemical neurotransmitters to control neural activity.

Source: ICFO

Our brains are made of billions of neurons, which are connected forming complex networks. They communicate between themselves by sending electrical signals, known as action potentials, and chemical signals, known as neurotransmitters, in a process called synaptic transmission.

Apr 6, 2023

Tesla teases 3 next-gen vehicles, each in different segments

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, sustainability, transportation

The idea of a Tesla makes sense now that the company has started manufacturing and delivering its heavy-duty battery electric truck: the Semi. The Tesla Semi’s availability on the market hints that Tesla has solved certain constraints—including battery constraint issues—that prevented it from delivering heavy-duty vehicles.

In its Master Plan Part 3, Tesla notes that its electric bus will use 300 kWh battery packs using LFP cells.

Tesla’s Master Plan Part 3 teases a new direction for the company with its next-generation platform. Tesla’s new adventure will likely feature some challenging obstacles and more meme-worthy moments from Elon Musk. And more fun for Tesla investors and supporters.

Apr 6, 2023

The ‘Manhattan Project’ Theory of Generative AI

Posted by in categories: military, robotics/AI

Both advocates and critics of generative AI have compared it to the atom bomb. Here’s where that comparison breaks down.

Apr 6, 2023

Before the Artemis II crew can go to the moon, they need to master flying high above Earth

Posted by in category: space travel

NASA’s flight commander for the Artemis II lunar mission, Reid Wiseman, explains what the crew will be testing on the Orion spacecraft.

Apr 6, 2023

Walmart to add EV charging to thousands of stores by 2030

Posted by in category: futurism

Walmart plans to add the EV charging stations to stores coast-to-coast, more than quadrupling its current network of roughly 280 locations.

Apr 6, 2023

Starship/SuperHeavy

Posted by in category: space travel

After years of prototype testing, crash landings, and explosions, the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage are ready for the inaugural flight. This test flight will pave way for future missions to the Moon and Mars, but first, SpaceX must get Starship off the ground.

Due to the nature of this test flight, the launch date and time are fickle and subject to great change as SpaceX will take all precautions necessary to ensure Starship/SuperHeavy collects as much data as possible during its flight.

The vehicles set to perform this inaugural test flight are Booster 7 and Ship 24. The last ship to complete a test flight was SN15, which survived its short suborbital test hop. All of the prior ships and boosters are detailed in the History section of this article. For a comprehensive log of all testing done on Ship 24 and Booster 7, check out our Starship Orbital Launch Timeline Checklist [S24 and B7] | Live Updates article!

Apr 6, 2023

Alzheimer’s disease: Deep brain stimulation may help improve symptoms

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Deep brain stimulation is a surgical procedure where electrodes are placed in specific areas of the brain. The electrodes are connected by wires to a small device, similar to a pacemaker, that is placed under the skin in the chest area.

The electrodes create electrical pulses that override abnormal signals that could cause neurological issues.

There has also recently been a move toward developing less invasive methods for deep brain stimulation.