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May 18, 2020

Has the transhumanist movement lost its way? Nikola Danaylov interview

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, singularity, space, transhumanism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRJVCP4yeno&t=199s

You might like this interview I did with futurist writer Nikola Danaylov, who runs the Singularity Weblog and wrote ‘Conversations with the Future: 21 Visions for the 21st century’, on how advances in AI could utterly transform human society and the health of the global transhumanist movement.

I’m trying to grow my futurism YouTube channel (transhumanism, AI, space colonisation etr) so if this is of interest to you I’d be very grateful for any subscribers.

Continue reading “Has the transhumanist movement lost its way? Nikola Danaylov interview” »

May 18, 2020

NVIDIA Releases New Artificial Intelligence Hardware

Posted by in categories: entertainment, robotics/AI

New chip designs are coming, and the biggest announcements aren’t for video games.

May 18, 2020

Efficient, ‘green’ quantum-dot solar cells exploit defects

Posted by in categories: quantum physics, solar power, sustainability

Novel quantum dot solar cells developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory match the efficiency of existing quantum-dot based devices, but without lead or other toxic elements that most solar cells of this type rely on.

“This quantum-dot approach shows great promise for a new type of toxic-element-free, inexpensive that exhibit remarkable defect tolerance,” said Victor Klimov, a physicist specializing in semiconductor nanocrystals at Los Alamos and lead author of the report featured on the cover of the journal Nature Energy.

Not only did the researchers demonstrate highly efficient devices, they also revealed the mechanism underlying their remarkable defect tolerance. Instead of impeding photovoltaic performance, the defect states in copper indium selenide quantum dots actually assist the photoconversion process.

May 18, 2020

How SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission will work in 13 steps

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, space travel, sustainability

Here’s a step-by-step explainer of what will happen during the Demo-2 mission, from prelaunch preparations through the astronauts’ return to Earth.

In photos: SpaceX’s Demo-2 Crew Dragon test flight with astronauts

While NASA astronauts heading to their rockets on the day of a launch have traditionally traveled to their launchpads in a retro-style “Astrovan,” Demo-2 astronauts Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken will be rolling up to their Falcon 9 rocket in shiny Tesla Model X sports cars. This comes as no surprise to SpaceX fans; Elon Musk, the founder of both SpaceX and Tesla, famously launched a cherry-red Tesla Roadster into space on a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018.

May 18, 2020

SARS antibodies can block COVID-19 infection: study

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, innovation

Paris (AFP) — An antibody from a patient who recovered from SARS has been shown to block COVID-19 infection in a laboratory setting, researchers said Monday in another potential breakthrough in the search for coronavirus treatment.

Scientists based in Switzerland and the United States previously isolated the antibodies from the patient in 2003, following the SARS outbreak that killed 774 people.

They experimented with 25 different types of antibodies — which target specific protein spikes on viruses — to see if they could prevent cells becoming infected with COVID-19.

May 18, 2020

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine just showed signs of success in a preliminary study, raising early hopes in the fight against the pandemic

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, government

In a milestone moment in the race for a coronavirus vaccine, the first results in humans showed Moderna’s vaccine candidate led to antibody responses in a handful of healthy volunteers.

The Massachusetts biotech on Monday described the immune-system responses to the vaccine from this first, small study that was primarily focused on safety. The results don’t yet show whether the vaccine would prevent people from being infected with the novel coronavirus.

Finding an effective coronavirus vaccine has become a global priority in ending the pandemic. US government leaders have put forward the ambitious timeline to have one by the end of 2020. It typically takes several years to develop a vaccine.

May 18, 2020

AFSOC to finally mount a laser weapon on an AC-130 gunship

Posted by in category: military

After years of funding woes, Air Force Special Operations Command is on track to fire a high-powered laser weapon from an AC-130 gunship sometime in fiscal year 2022, officials said.

Speaking during the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference last week, Air Force Col. Melissa Johnson — program executive officer for fixed-wing programs at SOCOM — stated that the command is inching towards strapping a laser weapon aboard an AC-130J Ghostrider following a series of studies and ground tests.

May 18, 2020

Ford Patents Solar Charging Cocoon For Its Electric Car: Will It Be Sold?

Posted by in categories: sustainability, transportation

The guys from MachEClub.com found the patent drawings and shared them with us.

Ford has recently given two good news about the Mustang Mach-E. The first is that its charging will be 30 percent faster than previously thought. The second is that is fast charging infrastructure will be expanded. But what if you do not have how to charge at home? A patent shows a unique solution for that: a solar charging inflatable cocoon.

The patent revealed by the user machstang at MachEClub.com shows that Ford thinks the roof is too small for solar charging. With that in mind, Ford engineers conceived this inflatable cocoon that expands the solar charging surface available.

May 18, 2020

Scientists engineered mice that are 4 percent human

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Scientists at the University of Buffalo have created mouse embryos that contain a strangely high amount of human cells.

May 18, 2020

Nanotechnology: Life-Changing Innovation or Just Too Good to Be True?

Posted by in categories: innovation, nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is on the cutting edge of new modern technology; However, one question remains, as it’s not clear if it’ll change the world or be potential harm for humans.