Menu

Blog

Page 6299

Jul 16, 2020

Cells die in 2 ways — scientists may have found a life-extending workaround

Posted by in category: life extension

Interesting.


Cells naturally follow two highways to the grave, but scientists may have found a scenic route that extends the cell cycle. This may help extend human longevity.

Jul 16, 2020

Important cultural burn program starts ahead of upcoming bushfire season

Posted by in category: futurism

A traditional burning program has started on the Far South Coast following weeks of preparation, and a wait for ideal weather conditions.

Jul 16, 2020

Bacteria that eats metal accidentally discovered by scientists

Posted by in categories: chemistry, food

(CNN) — Scientists have discovered a type of bacteria that eats and gets its calories from metal, after suspecting they exist for more than a hundred years but never proving it.

Now microbiologists from the California Institute of Technology (or Caltech) accidentally discovered the bacteria after performing unrelated experiments using a chalk-like type of manganese, a commonly found chemical element.


(CNN)Scientists have discovered a type of bacteria that eats and gets its calories from metal, after suspecting they exist for more than a hundred years but never proving it.

Jul 16, 2020

DARPA Pays $1 Million For An AI App That Can Predict An Enemy’s Emotions

Posted by in categories: military, robotics/AI

The science of using AI to detect and predict emotions is shaky but the U.S. military and a handful of well-funded startups are hoping to prove the doubters wrong, whatever the risks.

Jul 16, 2020

Hybrid solar converter harvests both sunlight and heat at 85% efficiency

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

Engineers have developed a new type of hybrid solar energy converter, which uses energy from the Sun to create both electricity and steam. The device reportedly has high efficiency and runs at low cost, allowing industry to make use of a wider spectrum of solar energy.

The most common way of collecting energy from the Sun is through photovoltaics. These solar cells produce electricity from sunlight, and they’re so simple that they’re built into everything from garden lights to the grid itself.

But it’s not the only way. Solar concentrators collect heat instead of light, focusing the Sun’s rays to heat up a contained fluid. This can then be used to generate electricity – say as steam turning a turbine – or more directly, to heat homes or for other industrial processes.

Jul 16, 2020

Neuroscientists identify the brain cells that help humans adapt to change

Posted by in categories: engineering, neuroscience

There are 86 billion neurons, or cells, in the human brain. Of these, an infinitely small portion of them handle cognitive flexibility—our ability to adjust to new environments and concepts.

A team of researchers with interdisciplinary expertise in psychology, informatics (the application of information science to solve problems with data) and engineering along with the Vanderbilt Brain Institute (VBI) gained critical insights into one of the biggest mysteries in neuroscience, identifying the location and critical nature of these neurons.

The article was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) on July 13. The discovery presents an opportunity to enhance researchers’ understanding and treatment of mental illnesses rooted in cognitive flexibility.

Jul 16, 2020

Australia’s Fires Will Rage Again. Here’s How the Government Can Prepare

Posted by in categories: futurism, government

Warming temperatures mean that Australia will likely continue to suffer from massive bushfires. To reduce future damage, the government must act.

Jul 16, 2020

Wildfire near Evergreen about 75% contained, all evacuations lifted

Posted by in category: habitats

The Elephant Butte Fire was reported off Upper Bear Creek Road near Evergreen the afternoon of 7/13/20, and up to 1,000 homes received evacuation notices.

Jul 16, 2020

Dr. Anthony Fauci on the coronavirus pandemic

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Dr. Anthony Fauci: “When you’re dealing with something that’s changing in real time—that’s really the nature of science.”

“As the information changes, then you have to be flexible enough—and humble enough—to be able to change how you think about things.” abcn.ws/32pBD6L

Jul 16, 2020

Apollo 11 Launch

Posted by in category: space

#OTD 51 years ago, Apollo 11 launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with NASA Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard. Four days later, Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the Moon’s surface, while Collins orbited overhead in the Command Module: https://go.nasa.gov/3j7tRV0