Beijing’s Laser Starcom enhances #satellite communication with ultra-fast laser links. The company achieved a 400 Gbps connection between two satellites, highlighting precision tracking and high data rates. This advancement supports #China’s growing space ambitions and reduces reliance on ground stations.
Potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases may already be out there in the form of drugs prescribed for other conditions. A team of researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to try to find them.
Clinical trials for new drugs can take up to 5–7 years, so repurposing existing drugs is one of the best ways to deliver treatments quickly. AI/ML can make it even faster. By analyzing long-term electronic health records (EHRs) of patients with ALS, the team can identify drugs — or combinations of drugs — prescribed for other conditions that may influence the progression of the disease. The drugs’ “off-target” effects may not only affect patient survival but also provide insight into how neurodegenerative diseases work and inform better therapies.
“If you talk to any ALS caregiver, you will be moved because the disease has such a grim prognosis, so being able to do something is tremendously motivating,” said Priyadip Ray, a staff scientist in LLNL’s Computational Engineering Division (CED) who leads the effort.
By flying closer to the Sun than ever, Parker Solar Probe reveals the chaotic birthplace of solar wind and space storms, offering clues that may boost Earth’s defenses.
New high-resolution images of protoplanetary disks in the Ophiuchus star-forming region, created with improved analysis. The resolution is shown by the white ellipse in the lower left of each panel, with a smaller ellipse indicating higher resolution. The white line in the lower right of each panel indicates a scale of 30 au. The evolution stage of the central stars progresses from left to right, and from top to bottom in the same row. (Credit: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), A. Shoshi et al.)
In a stellar nursery 460 light-years away, astronomers sharpened old ALMA data and spotted crisp rings and spirals swirling around 27 infant stars—evidence that planets start taking shape just a few hundred thousand years after their suns ignite, far earlier than anyone expected.
Signs of planet formation may appear earlier than expected around still-forming baby stars, according to new results of higher resolution images produced using new improved techniques to reanalyze radio astronomy archive data. These newly discovered signs of planet formation will provide a better understanding of when it begins around a young star, thereby elucidating the process that leads to planet formation, including habitable planets like Earth.
Massimo Pigliucci, Roman Yampolskiy, Anders Sandberg, and Nadine Dijkstra discuss the latest developments in neuroscience and computer programming.
Can we upload our minds to computers?
With a free trial, you can watch the full debate NOW at https://iai.tv/video/consciousness-in-the-clouds?utm_source=…escription.
The idea of uploading our minds to the digital cloud has not only been taken seriously by Silicon Valley, but turned into a detailed business plan. Elon Musk claims digitising consciousness will revolutionise humanity, and the industry is estimated to be worth $50 billion by 2030. But it’s unknown whether, in principle, we can replicate minds with computer code, or whether we should seek to do so. Critics argue we have no idea how a machine could create consciousness, and neuroscientists have yet to provide an explanation for how the brain does so. A survey of specialists by Nature found the majority thought it unlikely AI would achieve consciousness anytime soon.
Should we see talk of uploading our minds to the cloud as implausible tech marketing nonsense? Should we conclude that if thought and consciousness are unobservable, it will not be possible to replicate the mind with silicon chips? Or is digital immortality such a profound and important sea change in our lives and potential that we should pursue it at all costs?
#consciousness #ai #artificialintelligence #elonmusk #neuralink #neuroscience.
Questions to inspire discussion.
🚀 Q: How might Elon Musk’s diverse projects contribute to Tesla’s value? A: Musk’s involvement in AI, energy, transportation, and communication through projects like Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink demonstrates his capacity to make progress on multiple fronts, potentially creating significant value for Tesla.
Political Involvement and Economic Strategy.
🏛️ Q: Why is Elon Musk getting involved in politics? A: Musk’s political involvement aims to create a better political system on Earth, addressing the unsustainability of US government spending and debt to avoid a fiscal doom loop.
📊 Q: What is Musk’s strategy to improve the US economy? A: Musk plans to accelerate GDP growth through AI-driven growth, humanoid bots, and reducing government spending and waste, potentially breaking free from the constant 7% growth line of the US stock market.
💰 Q: How could reducing government spending benefit the economy? A: By cutting wasteful spending and implementing a balanced budget requirement, the US could potentially grow its economy faster than its spending, reducing interest costs and freeing up money for other investments.