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Jul 14, 2021

Scientists predict an out-of-this-world kind of ice

Posted by in categories: chemistry, computing, space travel

Circa 2012 One day ice from could be transformed to metal the be transported anywhere even into space.


Researchers have combined high-powered computing and ‘chemical intuition’ to discover new phases of ice at extremely high pressures nonexistent on Earth, but probably abundant elsewhere in the solar system. (Jan. 16, 2012)

Jul 14, 2021

Tachyonic inflation in loop quantum cosmology

Posted by in categories: cosmology, evolution, quantum physics

A tachyon field might be responsible for cosmological inflation at an early time and contribute to cosmological dark matter at a later time. We investigate tachyonic inflation by analyzing a tachyon field with different potentials in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. No matter which tachyon field energy dominates at the bounce, the evolution of the background can be divided into three phases: super-inflation, damping, and slow-roll inflation. The duration of each phase depends on the initial condition. During the slow-roll inflation, when the initial condition is $$V(T_\mathrm{B})/\rho _\mathrm{c}\ge 10^{-6}$$ V(TB)/ρc≥10–6, the number of e-folds is very high ($$N\gg 60$$ N≫60) for $$V\propto T^{-n}$$ V∝T-n with $$n=1$$ n=1 and 1 / 2. For an exponential potential, to get enough e-folds, $$V(T_\mathrm{B})/\rho _\mathrm{c}$$ V(TB)/ρc should be greater than $$7.802\times 10^{-4}$$7.

Jul 14, 2021

FAA approves Blue Origin launch with Bezos, others aboard

Posted by in category: space travel

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially approved Jeff Bezos Jeffrey (Jeff) Preston BezosFAA approves Blue Origin launch with Bezos, others aboard Richard Branson’s launch changes the way we look at space Branson, Bezos and Musk: A new space race for a new generation MORE ’s highly anticipated spaceflight next week aboard a rocket developed by his aerospace company, Blue Origin.

The license, which was approved by the FAA on Monday and is valid through August, comes as Bezos, along with his brother and two others, are scheduled to launch into space next Tuesday on the New Shepard rocket.

The flight is part of an effort by billionaire-owned technology and transportation companies to make space flight a commercially available experience.

Jul 14, 2021

Unpatched Critical RCE Bug Allows Industrial, Utility Takeovers

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

The ‘ModiPwn’ bug lays open production lines, sensors, conveyor belts, elevators, HVACs and more that use Schneider Electric PLCs.

A critical remote code-execution (RCE) vulnerability in Schneider Electric programmable logic controllers (PLCs) has come to light, which allows unauthenticated cyberattackers to gain root-level control over PLCs used in manufacturing, building automation, healthcare and enterprise environments.

If exploited, attackers could impact production lines, sensors and conveyor belts in factory settings, according to the researchers at Armis who discovered the bug – as well as affect devices familiar to the everyday consumer, such as elevators, HVACs and other automated devices.

Jul 14, 2021

Highlights of the day: TSMC mulls more overseas fabs

Posted by in category: computing

TSMC is mulling setting up more fabs overseas, apart from its exsiting facility in Nanjing, China and the one being built in the US. TSMC is looking at building new fabs in Japan and Germany for 28nm and 12/16nm chip output. Apple is keen on adopting miniLED backlighting for its devices, and is likely to add China-based Luxshare as a second supplier of SMT services for miniLED BLUs. Meanwhile, notebook component suppliers are turning cautious about building up inventory amid mixed signals about the notebook market’s outlook.

TSMC mulls 28nm, 12/16nm process capacity expansion overseas: TSMC will soon disclose plans to build additional 28nm and 12/16nm process fabrication lines at new fabs, in addition to its Nanjing fab expansion, according to industry sources.

Luxshare to become second SMT service provider for miniLED backlighting for Apple: Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology (SMT) is currently the only provider of SMT services for Apple’s miniLED backlighting applications, but China-based Luxshare Precision Industry is expected to become a second provider in fourth-quarter 2021 at the earliest, according to industry sources.

Jul 14, 2021

Elon Musk’s Table Salt Lithium Extraction Now Has A Tesla Patent

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, sustainability, transportation

We hear about EV battery breakthroughs all the time, but they don’t seem to pan out. Perhaps Tesla’s new lithium extraction method will be the exception.

Jul 14, 2021

Superfluid raises $9M To Build the Real-Time Finance Economy

Posted by in categories: economics, finance, internet

When thinking of the crypto community, or any other movement for that matter, it’s common to think of where it is now. Hundreds of projects, thousands of developers, millions of users. But crypto started, not so long ago, with a nobody, Satoshi Nakamoto.

By building a small, but incredibly dedicated community of supporters, crypto has become an unstoppable force which will define this century, changing the core of our economic system: money itself.

Continue reading “Superfluid raises $9M To Build the Real-Time Finance Economy” »

Jul 14, 2021

Optical singularities could be used for a wide range of applications from super resolution imaging to optical trapping

Posted by in categories: cosmology, particle physics, robotics/AI, singularity

When we think about singularities, we tend to think of massive black holes in faraway galaxies or a distant future with runaway AI, but singularities are all around us. Singularities are simply a place where certain parameters are undefined. The North and South Pole, for example, are what’s known as coordinate singularities because they don’t have a defined longitude.

Optical singularities typically occur when the phase of with a specific wavelength, or color, is undefined. These regions appear completely dark. Today, some optical singularities, including optical vortices, are being explored for use in optical communications and particle manipulation but scientists are just beginning to understand the potential of these systems. The question remains—can we harness darkness like we harnessed light to build powerful, new technologies?

Now, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a new way to control and optical singularities. The technique can be used to engineer singularities of many shapes, far beyond simple curved or straight lines. To demonstrate their technique, the researchers created a singularity sheet in the shape of a heart.

Jul 14, 2021

Scientists just discovered long-sought-after ‘grandmother neurons’

Posted by in category: neuroscience

After 50 years of searching, neuroscientists have found what could be called “grandmother neurons,” they are reporting.

Jul 14, 2021

Russia’s space chief wishes his oligarchs invested in space like Branson and Musk

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, space travel

After Sir Richard Branson’s spaceflight this weekend, the leader of Russia’s main space corporation, Roscosmos, offered some kind words about the achievement on Twitter. Dmitry Rogozin called the flight a “landmark” in terms of technology development and expanding the number of humans able to see Earth from space.

Then Rogozin went a step further, lamenting the fact that Russia’s “billionaire oligarchs” spend their money on yachts and vanity projects rather than the development of space technology and increasing humanity’s knowledge of space.

This is a notable comment from Rogozin, who in the past has been critical of one particular billionaire spending his money developing space technology: SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Among other remarks, Rogozin has said that NASA should not get too cocky about its newfound access to space in case SpaceX’s Crew Dragon vehicle “breaks.” He has also said that SpaceX is “gentle” for getting to work in the balmy conditions of South Texas, while Russian engineers and technicians work in the depths of Siberia during the winter.