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Feb 14, 2022

Physicists Argue That Black Holes From the Big Bang Could Be the Dark Matter

Posted by in categories: cosmology, physics

Circa 2020


It was an old idea of Stephen Hawking’s: Unseen “primordial” black holes might be the hidden dark matter. A new series of studies has shown how the theory can work.

Feb 14, 2022

‘Expensive’ energy from biomass plant will cost three times that of solar power and drive up bills

Posted by in categories: government, solar power, sustainability

Poor value of long-delayed biomass project leads Tory peer to say ‘the Government is backing a dead horse’ in sustainability drive.

Feb 14, 2022

What’s inside a black hole? Physicist uses quantum computing, machine learning to find out

Posted by in categories: cosmology, quantum physics, robotics/AI

The thing is, it could be—and a University of Michigan physicist is using quantum computing and machine learning to better understand the idea, called holographic duality.

Feb 14, 2022

Shape-shifting material morphs robot from driving to flying

Posted by in categories: drones, robotics/AI

A new shape-shifting material out of Virginia Tech can be used to give robots the power to transform smoothly between different shapes — like going from a drivable robot to a flying drone.

The challenge: Most of today’s robots are really good at one function — drones are designed to fly, but they can’t swim, and wheeled bots can drive, but they can’t fly.

The few exceptions typically use complex systems of motors, gears, and hinges to reconfigure themselves into different shapes suited for different tasks, but every extra part is a new potential point of failure.

Feb 14, 2022

Are lifelike digital humans the future of customer experience?

Posted by in categories: futurism, robotics/AI

Soul Machines, a New Zealand-based company that uses CGI, AI and natural language processing to create lifelike digital people who can interact with humans in real time, has raised $70 million in a Series B1 round, bringing its total funding to $135 million. The startup will put the funds toward enhancing its Digital Brain technology, which uses a technique called “cognitive modeling” to recreate things like the human brain’s emotional response system in order to construct autonomous animated characters.

The funding was led by new investor SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with additional participation from Cleveland Avenue, Liberty City Ventures and Solasta Ventures. Existing investors Temasek, Salesforce Ventures and Horizons Ventures also participated in the round.

Continue reading “Are lifelike digital humans the future of customer experience?” »

Feb 14, 2022

In the Process of Solving a Decades-Long Mystery, Scientists Discover Where Schizophrenia May Originate in the Brain

Posted by in category: neuroscience

Researchers studying a protein that is strongly linked to the psychiatric disorder are the first to determine the protein’s function, tracing it to a structure in the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus.

In the process of solving a decades-long mystery about a particular protein, scientists have identified a specific location in the brain where schizophrenia may originate.

The news: Despite the identification of many genes that show some link to schizophrenia, identifying a part of the brain that is likely responsible for the disorder with a high level of certainty has proven to be extremely difficult — until now.

Feb 14, 2022

The DeLorean Is Officially Back, And It’s Electric

Posted by in categories: sustainability, transportation

The DeLorean is returning in 2022 as an electric vehicle, reviving the brand made famous by Back to the Future.

Feb 14, 2022

Out-of-control rocket crashing into the moon comes from China, not SpaceX

Posted by in category: space travel

A rocket set to slam into the moon next month, initially identified as belonging to SpaceX, has now been identified as a Chinese rocket.

Last month.

Feb 14, 2022

SpaceX’s Polaris mission could kickstart a new era for private spaceflight

Posted by in category: space travel

The first private spacewalk!


The Polaris program could push SpaceX’s private crew missions to new heights. In the missions’ reveal, the company hints at a Starship crewed orbital flight and more.

Feb 14, 2022

Billionaire who flew into orbit last year funds another SpaceX mission, this time even higher up

Posted by in category: space travel

While some of the criticism of late about billionaires going to space is valid — Virgin Galactic CEO’s 10 seconds of BARELY sub orbital jaunt, and Bezo’s midlife crisis flight and jacket photo-op — Musk is getting things DONE. I love the idea of billionaires funding entire missions, not for their own self gratification, but to Get. Things. Done. (with a touch of personal gratification, but it’s being in SPACE, who can blame them for a small bit of joy when it comes with so much benefit to all? That’s what separates Musk from his lesser peers.)


Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman announced Monday that he will make another private spaceflight launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, alongside two SpaceX engineers and a former Air Force fighter pilot.