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Nov 17, 2024

Fusion breakthrough can enhance plasma confinement, reactor design

Posted by in categories: nuclear energy, particle physics

CIEMAT scientists advance fusion energy for efficient reactors.


For decades, scientists have been working to develop reactors that can achieve fusion to meet the increasing need for clean and limitless energy.

The success of such experiments depends on multiple key factors, including optimized magnetic fields that could display enhanced fusion plasma confinement.

Continue reading “Fusion breakthrough can enhance plasma confinement, reactor design” »

Nov 17, 2024

Designing urban spaces for humans and animals

Posted by in categories: climatology, sustainability

Animals and plants also live and thrive on public squares. This creates opportunities for greater biodiversity and well-being for the human population. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have studied at 103 locations in Munich how various factors affect flora and fauna.

They advocate a close examination of local conditions and a more nature-focused approach to the design of public spaces. Their results are published in Nature Cities.

Biodiversity is the foundation of functional ecosystems: diverse ecosystems are more stable and have greater resiliency to the effects of climate change. However, humans also benefit directly from having a wide range of plant and animal life in their surroundings.

Nov 17, 2024

Meet Evo, an AI model that can predict the effects of gene mutations with ‘unparalleled accuracy’

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, robotics/AI

Evo is a large language model that is not trained on words but on the genomes of millions of microbes. It can accurately predict the effects of mutations.

Nov 17, 2024

America’s Particle Physics Plan Spans the Globe — and the Cosmos

Posted by in categories: government, humor, particle physics

RALEIGH, N.C. — Particle physicist Hitoshi Murayama admits that he used to worry about being known as the “most hated man” in his field of science. But the good news is that now he can joke about it.

Last year, the Berkeley professor chaired the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel, or P5, which drew up a list of multimillion-dollar physics experiments that should move ahead over the next 10 years. The list focused on phenomena ranging from subatomic smash-ups to cosmic inflation. At the same time, the panel also had to decide which projects would have to be left behind for budgetary reasons, which could have turned Murayama into the Dr. No of physics.

Continue reading “America’s Particle Physics Plan Spans the Globe — and the Cosmos” »

Nov 17, 2024

From Homo Sapiens to Holo Syntellectus: A Journey into the Cybernetic Singularity

Posted by in categories: biological, life extension, robotics/AI, singularity, transhumanism

Step Into the Future with The Cybernetic Singularity: The Syntellect Emergence 🎧 The groundbreaking third volume of The Cybernetic Theory of Mind series by Alex M Vikoulov is now available as an audiobook!


Ecstadelic Media Group releases a new non-fiction audiobook The Cybernetic Singularity: The Syntellect Emergence, in addition to a previously published Kindle eBook, part of The Cybernetic Theory of Mind series. Written by Alex M. Vikoulov; Narrated by Virtual Voice; Foreword by Antonin Tuynman, PhD; Format: Audible audiobook (Press Release, Burlingame, CA, USA, November 16, 2024 09.23 AM PST)

Continue reading “From Homo Sapiens to Holo Syntellectus: A Journey into the Cybernetic Singularity” »

Nov 17, 2024

Neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny cars. They took them out on ‘joy rides.’

Posted by in categories: education, neuroscience

Natural forms of opiates and dopamine — key players in brain pathways that diminish pain and enhance reward — seem to be telltale ingredients of the elevated tails in our anticipation training program. Observing tail posture in rats adds a new layer to our understanding of rat emotional expression, reminding us that emotions are expressed throughout the entire body.

While we can’t directly ask rats whether they like to drive, we devised a behavioral test to assess their motivation to drive. This time, instead of only giving rats the option of driving to the Froot Loop Tree, they could also make a shorter journey on foot — or paw, in this case.

Continue reading “Neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny cars. They took them out on ‘joy rides.’” »

Nov 17, 2024

Unlocking GABA Receptors

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Summary: New research has revealed the diverse assembly and regulation of Type-A GABA receptors (GABAARs), which are crucial for balancing brain activity. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, researchers identified over 324,000 potential receptor structures, shaped by subunit combinations and their relative arrangement.

These variations influence receptor function, drug binding, and the brain’s response to stressors like pregnancy or chronic drug use. The findings pave the way for targeted therapies that enhance receptor-specific functions without inducing tolerance or dependence.

Nov 17, 2024

Laser Storms: Physicists Create “Light Hurricanes” for 16x Faster Data Transmission

Posted by in categories: climatology, computing, physics

Scientists discovered a way to encode more data into light by creating light vortices with quasicrystals. This method could potentially increase data transmission rates through optic fibers by up to 16 times, marking a significant advancement in telecommunications technology.

Modern life relies heavily on efficiently encoding information for transmission. A common method involves encoding data in laser light and sending it through fiber optic cables. As demand for data capacity grows, finding more advanced encoding methods is essential.

Breakthrough in Light Vortex Creation.

Nov 17, 2024

Our brains are vector databases — here’s why that’s helpful when using AI

Posted by in categories: mathematics, robotics/AI

The parallels between human memory and vector databases go deeper than simple retrieval. Both excel at compression, reducing complex information into manageable patterns. Both organize information hierarchically, from specific instances to general concepts. And both excel at finding similarities and patterns that might not be obvious at first glance.

This isn’t just about professional efficiency — it’s about preparing for a fundamental shift in how we interact with information and technology. Just as literacy transformed human society, these evolved communication skills will be essential for full participation in the AI-augmented economy. But unlike previous technological revolutions that sometimes replaced human capabilities, this one is about enhancement. Vector databases and AI systems, no matter how advanced, lack the uniquely human qualities of creativity, intuition, and emotional intelligence.

The future belongs to those who understand how to think and communicate in vectors — not to replace human thinking, but to enhance it. Just as vector databases combine precise mathematical representation with intuitive pattern matching, successful professionals will blend human creativity with AI’s analytical power. This isn’t about competing with AI or simply learning new tools — it’s about evolving our fundamental communication skills to work in harmony with these new cognitive technologies.

Nov 17, 2024

Beyond Plaques and Tangles: Scientists Discover Key to Halting Brain Damage in Alzheimer’s

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Alzheimer’s disease is marked by the gradual degeneration of nerve cells, resulting in memory and cognitive decline. A research team at KU Leuven and VIB investigated the molecular sequence driving this cellular breakdown, discovering specific inhibitors that can prevent nerve cell loss in various mouse models of the disease.

The findings open up new research avenues in the search for therapies that could halt or prevent the accumulation of brain damage occurring in Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia, affects over 55 million people worldwide. The disease is characterized by the buildup of amyloid-beta plaques and tau protein tangles in the brain, which disrupt cell communication and lead to the widespread death of nerve cells. The consequences of this massive cell loss are the heartbreaking cognitive decline and memory loss for which the condition is well known.

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