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Oxidative Stress May Drive Repetitive Behaviors Linked to Autism, OCD

Stereotypies are abnormal, repetitive, and seemingly goal-less behaviors that are prevalent within the animal kingdom. They have been documented in nearly every captive mammal and bird species, including laboratory animals, zoo animals, and farm animals.

In addition, they are a core feature of several human neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Despite well documented environmental risk factors associated with stereotypies in captive animals, the developmental origins of these behaviors remain elusive.

Japan’s vision for AI robots to empower humans

What if instead of replacing us in our jobs, AI-enabled robots were to help us become the best versions of ourselves? Prompted by the ageing crisis and a projected shortfall of carers, a research team in Japan is seeking to create a new robotic paradigm, where AI-enabled robots help us to help ourselves.

“By 2050, I’d like to realize a smarter, more inclusive society, where everyone will be able to use AI robots anytime and anywhere,” says Yasuhisa Hirata, a mechanical engineer at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan1. Hirata is the project manager on the ‘Adaptable AI-enabled Robots to Create a Vibrant Society’ project of the Japanese Government’s Moonshot Research and Development Program.

He envisages future AI-enabled robots functioning somewhere between a carer and a coach — a tool that can provide support, but which makes users feel as though they are performing tasks independently rather than being assisted by a robot. Such tasks might range from people standing up out of a chair, lifting a heavy object, or expressing themselves through dance.

Experts warn of wider health impact of tropical cyclones in a warming climate

Beyond direct injuries, exposure to tropical cyclones is associated with higher risks of death across a range of causes including kidney, heart and lung diseases, neuropsychiatric conditions, and diabetes, finds a study published in The BMJ’s climate issue.

Risks were substantially higher in deprived communities and areas that have previously experienced fewer tropical cyclones, suggesting an urgent need to integrate more evidence on into disaster response plans, say the authors.

Tropical cyclones are one of the most devastating and costly extreme weather events, affecting an average of 20.4 million people a year with direct economic losses of US$51.5 billion over the past decade.

Novel memristor wafer integration technology paves the way for brain-like AI chips

A research team led by Professor Sanghyeon Choi from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at DGIST has successfully developed a memristor, which is gaining recognition as a next-generation semiconductor device, through mass-integration at the wafer scale.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, proposes a new technological platform for implementing a highly integrated AI semiconductor replicating the , overcoming the limitations of conventional semiconductors.

The human brain contains about 100 billion neurons and around 100 trillion synapses, allowing it to store and process enormous amounts of information within a compact space.

Human-centric photo dataset aims to help spot AI biases responsibly

A database of more than 10,000 human images to evaluate biases in artificial intelligence (AI) models for human-centric computer vision is presented in Nature this week. The Fair Human-Centric Image Benchmark (FHIBE), developed by Sony AI, is an ethically sourced, consent-based dataset that can be used to evaluate human-centric computer vision tasks to identify and correct biases and stereotypes.

Computer vision covers a range of applications, from autonomous vehicles to facial recognition technology. Many AI models used in were developed using flawed datasets that may have been collected without consent, often taken from large-scale image scraping from the web. AI models have also been known to reflect that may perpetuate sexist, racist, or other stereotypes.

Alice Xiang and colleagues present an image dataset that implements for a number of factors, including consent, diversity, and privacy. FHIBE includes 10,318 images of 1,981 people from 81 distinct countries or regions. The database includes comprehensive annotations of demographic and physical attributes, including age, pronoun category, ancestry, and hair and skin color.

Xpeng’s Robot Revolution: Mass-Producing Humanoids by 2026

Xpeng Motors has accelerated its humanoid robot ambitions, unveiling the advanced IRON model with solid-state batteries and aiming for mass production by end-2026. Paralleling Tesla, the Chinese EV maker is also launching robotaxis, blending automotive and robotics tech for future dominance. This move signals a transformative shift in AI and automation.

Therapeutic brain implants that travel through blood defy the need for surgery

What if clinicians could place tiny electronic chips in the brain that electrically stimulate a precise target, through a simple injection in the arm? This may someday help treat deadly or debilitating brain diseases, while eliminating surgery-related risks and costs.

MIT researchers have taken a major step toward making this scenario a reality. They developed microscopic, wireless bioelectronics that could travel through the body’s circulatory system and autonomously self-implant in a target region of the brain, where they would provide focused treatment.

In a study on mice, the researchers showed that after injection, these minuscule implants can identify and travel to a specific brain region without the need for human guidance. Once there, they can be wirelessly powered to provide electrical stimulation to the precise area. Such stimulation, known as neuromodulation, has shown promise as a way to treat and diseases like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

CRISPR Screening Made Easy with the Revvity Dharmacon™ All-in-One Lentiviral Platform

Revvity’s Dharmacon All-in-one lentiviral platform has expanded to include whole-genome library options for CRISPR knockout (CRISPRko), CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), and CRISPR activation (CRISPRa). Like the individual All-in-one reagents, the whole-genome libraries utilize a single vector lentiviral system with all components necessary for CRISPRko, CRISPRa, and CRISPRi whole-genome pooled screening.

The Quantum Dance: Discovery of Polarons Solves a Decades-Old Mystery in Condensed Matter Physics

In a breakthrough that reshapes our understanding of quantum materials, an international team of physicists has finally solved a decades-old mystery about how certain materials suddenly lose their ability to conduct electricity. The answer lies in an elusive quantum phenomenon known as a polaron — a quasiparticle formed when an electron becomes tightly coupled to the vibrations of the surrounding crystal lattice. This subtle “dance” between electrons and atoms can transform a good conductor into a perfect insulator.

The discovery, made by researchers from Kiel University and the DESY research center in Germany, including Professor Kai Rossnagel and Dr. Chul-Hee Min, provides the first direct evidence of polarons in a rare-earth compound composed of thulium, selenium, and tellurium (TmSe1–x Tex). Their findings, published in Physical Review Letters, illuminate one of quantum physics’ most puzzling phenomena: how subtle atomic vibrations can “kill” electrical conductivity.

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