Biomimetic hybrid robotic prosthetic hand with tactile sensing precisely detects textures and compliantly grasps objects.
Deterioration of the hippocampus precedes and leads to memory impairment in late adulthood (1, 2). Strategies to fight hippocampal loss and protect against the development of memory impairment has become an important topic in recent years from both scientific and public health perspectives. Physical activity, such as aerobic exercise, has emerged as a promising low-cost treatment to improve neurocognitive function that is accessible to most adults and is not plagued by intolerable side effects often found with pharmaceutical treatments (3). Exercise enhances learning and improves retention, which is accompanied by increased cell proliferation and survival in the hippocampus of rodents (4– 6); effects that are mediated, in part, by increased production and secretion of BDNF and its receptor tyrosine kinase trkB (7, 8).
Aerobic exercise training increases gray and white matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (9) of older adults and increases the functioning of key nodes in the executive control network (10, 11). Greater amounts of physical activity are associated with sparing of prefrontal and temporal brain regions over a 9-y period, which reduces the risk for cognitive impairment (12). Further, hippocampal and medial temporal lobe volumes are larger in higher-fit older adults (13, 14), and larger hippocampal volumes mediate improvements in spatial memory (13). Exercise training increases cerebral blood volume (15) and perfusion of the hippocampus (16), but the extent to which exercise can modify the size of the hippocampus in late adulthood remains unknown.
To evaluate whether exercise training increases the size of the hippocampus and improves spatial memory, we designed a single-blind, randomized controlled trial in which adults were randomly assigned to receive either moderate-intensity aerobic exercise 3D/wk or stretching and toning exercises that served as a control. We predicted that 1 y of moderate-intensity exercise would increase the size of the hippocampus and that change in hippocampal volume would be associated with increased serum BDNF and improved memory function.
About 100 trillion neutrinos are passing through your body at this very second. The particles are the second most abundant form of matter in the universe (behind light), but they interact very, very rarely. That property makes them ideal objects for studying the fundamentals of quantum mechanics; however, it also complicates measurements.
For example, neutrinos were discovered in the 1950s, but their properties are still obscure. New research, published in Nature by a team including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists, introduces an experimental technique to constrain the size of the neutrino’s wavepacket.
Imagine measuring a neutrino like finding a needle in a haystack. The particles are so elusive that, previously, researchers didn’t even know where on Earth the haystack was located. Now, they’ve identified the haystack, or, scientifically, the size of the neutrino’s “wavepacket.” This measurement doesn’t say exactly where the neutrino is located or how big it is, but it does constrain what those answers could be.
The world of wireless communications is on the brink of a major leap forward. With 6G promising blazing speeds and near-zero latency, the future of connectivity is closer than ever. However, harnessing terahertz waves—which could deliver these unmatched data rates—has been hampered by interference issues. A team of researchers has now turned the tide with a revolutionary electromagnetic absorber.
In today’s AI news, Investor interest in AI coding assistants is exploding. Anysphere, the developer of AI-powered coding assistant Cursor, is in talks with venture capitalists to raise capital at a valuation of nearly $10 billion, Bloomberg reported. The round, if it transpires, would come about three months after Anysphere completed its previous fundraise of $100 million at a pre-money valuation of $2.5 billion.
And, there’s a new voice model in town, and it’s called Sesame. As he so often does, John Werner got a lot of information on this new technology from Nathaniel Whittemore at AI Daily Brief, where he covered interest in this conversational AI. Quoting Deedy Das of Menlo Ventures calling Sesame “the GPT-3 moment for voice,” Whittemore talked about what he called an “incredible explosion” of voice-based models happening now.
In other advancements, along with the new M4 MacBook Pro series Apple is releasing, the company is also quite proud of the new Mac mini. The Mac mini is arguably the more radical of the two. Apple’s diminutive computer has now received its first major design overhaul in 13 years. And this new tiny computer is the perfect machine for experimenting with and learning AI.
S biggest defense tech startups by valuation, raising $240 million at a $5.3 billion valuation in its latest round. Shield AI, the San Diego defense tech startup that builds drones and other AI-powered military systems, has raised a $240 million round at a $5.3 billion valuation, it announced today.” + In videos, while he hardly needs an introduction, few leaders have shaped the future of technology quite like Satya Nadella. He stepped into Microsoft’s top job at a catalytic moment—making bold bets on the cloud, embedding AI into the fabric of computing, all while staying true to Microsoft’s vision of becoming a “software factory.”
T just think, it delivers results. Manus excels at various tasks in work and life, getting everything done while you rest. + Then, join Boris Starkov and Anton Pidkuiko, the developers behind GibberLink, for a fireside chat with Luke Harries from ElevenLabs. On February 24, Georgi Gerganov, the creator of the GGwave protocol, showcased their demo at the ElevenLabs London hackathon on X, garnering attention from around the world—including Forbes, TechCrunch, and the entire developer community.
“Information and the Nature of Reality: From Physics To Metaphysics” by Paul Davies and Niels Henrik Gregersen Book Link: https://amzn.to/41GMVl6 (Affiliate link: If you use this link to buy something, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.) Playlist: • Two AI’s Discuss: The Quantum Physics… This collection of essays, “Information and the Nature of Reality,” explores the evolving role of information from physics to metaphysics. It examines how the concept of matter has shifted historically, particularly with advances in quantum physics, and considers materialism’s limitations as a worldview. The texts propose that information may be as fundamental as matter and energy in understanding the universe, investigating its influence on biology, consciousness, and computation. Several contributions consider the theological implications, pondering God as an ultimate source of information and discussing the relationship between divine action and natural processes. Ultimately, the text argues for interdisciplinary dialogue between science, philosophy, and theology to form an adequate theory of the natural world. • Paul Davies and Niels Henrik Gregersen in the introduction introduce the central question of whether information matters in understanding reality, setting the stage for the book’s interdisciplinary exploration. • Ernan McMullin traces the historical evolution of the concept of matter in philosophy and its relationship to physics in his essay. • Philip Clayton in his contribution, Unsolved dilemmas: the concept of matter in the history of philosophy and in contemporary physics, explores the persistent challenges and transformations in understanding matter across philosophical history and modern physics. • Paul Davies in Universe from bit discusses the idea that the universe may fundamentally be based on information. • Seth Lloyd in The computational universe presents the concept of the universe as a vast quantum computer. • Henry Stapp in Minds and values in the quantum universe examines the role of consciousness and values within the framework of quantum mechanics. • John Maynard Smith in The concept of information in biology investigates the application and implications of information concepts within biological systems, particularly in genetics and evolution. • Terrence W. Deacon in What is missing from theories of information? argues that the crucial aspect of information is its inherent reference to something absent. • Bernd-Olaf Küppers in Information and communication in living matter explores the semantic dimensions of information and its fundamental role in biological processes. • Jesper Hoffmeyer in Semiotic freedom: an emerging force proposes a biosemiotic perspective, emphasizing the importance of signs and interpretation in understanding life. • Holmes Rolston, III in Care on Earth: generating informed concern examines the evolutionary basis and significance of caring and concern in the natural world. • Arthur Peacocke in The sciences of complexity: a new theological resource? explores how the sciences of complexity can offer new insights for theological understanding. • Keith Ward in God as the ultimate informational principle posits that God can be understood as the fundamental source and sustainer of information in the universe. • John F. Haught in Information, theology, and the universe explores the relationship between information, theology, and our understanding of the cosmos. • Niels Henrik Gregersen in God, matter, and information: towards a Stoicizing Logos Christology proposes a theological framework that integrates the concepts of God, matter, and information, drawing on Stoic philosophy and Christian theology. #InformationReality #PhysicsMetaphysics #NatureOfReality #QuantumInformation #BiologicalInformation #PhilosophyOfScience #ScienceAndTheology #CosmicInformation #OriginOfLife #UltimateReality #MeaningOfInformation #ComplexSystems #HistoryOfScience #Interdisciplinary #SciencePhilosophy #deepdive #skeptic #podcast #synopsis #books #bookreview #ai #artificialintelligence #booktube #aigenerated #history #alternativehistory #aideepdive #ancientmysteries #hiddenhistory #futurism #videoessay