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Quantum Computing

What if scientists could use the peculiar world of quantum mechanics to design solutions once thought impossible — changing how we build, heal, and communicate?

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, researchers are developing quantum systems that could help us do just that. These machines think differently, tapping into the strange rules of quantum mechanics to simulate atomic interactions, unlock new materials, and reveal hidden patterns in nature. In this episode, we’ll explore how quantum computers work, why they need to be colder than deep space, and what it will take to bring their full potential to life.

(This is an Apple Podcast)

Podcast Episode · Big Ideas Lab · 06/03/2025 · 21m.

Things Tesla won’t tell you about Robotaxi (Highlights)

Questions to inspire discussion.

🛑 Q: How does the Robo Taxi handle blocked routes? A: The Robo Taxi demonstrates impressive rerouting capabilities, finding new paths when exits are blocked and making right-hand turns to circumvent blocked left-hand turn lanes.

🚦 Q: How does the Robo Taxi adapt to traffic situations? A: It shows human-like behavior by slowing down dramatically to enter the right-hand lane when a slower vehicle is ahead, and can accelerate and speed up to overtake slower vehicles.

💧 Q: How does the Robo Taxi handle standing water? A: The Robo Taxi demonstrates adaptability by avoiding standing water in parking lots, performing three-point turns to navigate around obstacles.

🔄 Q: How flexible is the Robo Taxi in changing its driving approach? A: It shows impressive adaptability by altering its method to slow down when encountering slower vehicles and changing again to make right-hand turns around blocked left-hand turn lanes.

Technical Considerations.

Continue reading “Things Tesla won’t tell you about Robotaxi (Highlights)” | >

“SuperAgers” Show Cognitive Decline Is Not an Inevitable Part of Aging

For 25 years, scientists at Northwestern Medicine have been studying people aged 80 years and older – dubbed “SuperAgers” – to uncover what makes them stand out.

In a new study, researchers show that these individuals display memory performance comparable to those at least 30 years younger, defying the long-held belief that cognitive decline is an unavoidable part of aging.

The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

EnsembleAge: enhancing epigenetic age assessment with a multi-clock framework

Several widely used epigenetic clocks have been developed for mice and other species, but a persistent challenge remains: different mouse clocks often yield inconsistent results. To address this limitation in robustness, we present EnsembleAge, a suite of ensemble-based epigenetic clocks. Leveraging data from over 200 perturbation experiments across multiple tissues, EnsembleAge integrates predictions from multiple penalized models. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that EnsembleAge outperforms existing clocks in detecting both pro-aging and rejuvenating interventions. Furthermore, we introduce EnsembleAge HumanMouse, an extension that enables cross-species analyses, facilitating translational research between mouse models and human studies. Together, these advances underscore the potential of EnsembleAge as a robust tool for identifying and validating interventions that modulate biological aging.

Acting NASA Administrator Reflects on Legacy of Astronaut Jim Lovell

The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy on the passing of famed Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. He passed away Aug. 7, in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97 years old.

NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades. Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.

From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

New “evolution engine” creates super-proteins 100,000x faster

Researchers at Scripps have created T7-ORACLE, a powerful new tool that speeds up evolution, allowing scientists to design and improve proteins thousands of times faster than nature. Using engineered bacteria and a modified viral replication system, this method can create new protein versions in days instead of months. In tests, it quickly produced enzymes that could survive extreme doses of antibiotics, showing how it could help develop better medicines, cancer treatments, and other breakthroughs far more quickly than ever before.

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