Lifeboat Foundation

The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for its ability to tolerate drought conditions, but researchers report in the journal The Innovation that it can also survive freezing temperatures as low as −196°C, high levels of gamma radiation, and simulated Martian conditions involving these three stressors combined. In all cases, prior dehydration seemed to help the plants cope.

“Our study shows that the environmental resilience of S. caninervis is superior to that of some of highly stress-tolerant microorganisms and tardigrades,” write the researchers, who include ecologists Daoyuan Zhang and Yuanming Zhang and botanist Tingyun Kuang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“S. caninervis is a promising candidate pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments, laying the foundation for building biologically sustainable human habitats beyond Earth.”

ISRO Chairman S Somanath stressed on commercial viability in space activities, emphasized the need for enhanced industrial capacity to produce launchers, and announced GSAT-20’s mid-August launch on Falcon 9.

Exposure to extreme temperatures during early life is associated with alterations in children’s brain white matter microstructure, particularly in lower socioeconomic status neighborhoods, highlighting potential vulnerability to climate change impacts.

South Korea’s SK Hynix is betting $74.6 billion on a move that could reshape the semiconductor industry and the future of AI computing.

Adapted from the new book The Singularity is Nearer: When We Merge With AI by Ray Kurzweil.

By Julia Robinson 2024–06-24T12:55:00

Researchers are on a quest to outsmart and overcome the sophisticated security system of the brain. Julia Robinson reports on some of the approaches being studied.

What is the future of generative AI compute?

— The future of generative AI compute involves embedding AI algorithms into the physics of the world to push the limits of density, spatial efficiency, and speed for AI, creating a full stack of software and hardware specifically designed for AI from first principles.

Brighter with Herbert.

Chinese researchers say their innovation could lead to hybrid human-robot intelligence.

Researchers at China’s Tianjin University and the Southern University of Science and Technology have reportedly developed a robot with a lab-grown artificial brain.

Brain-on-chip technology has been used to train the machine to perform various tasks, according to local media.

Continue reading “Robot with lab-grown brain developed in China, performs critical tasks” »