Menu

Blog

Page 7833

Feb 11, 2020

Blenheim student selling his home-made nuclear fusion reactor on TradeMe

Posted by in category: nuclear energy

O.o.


The device’s maker says it could produce neutrons — a type of ionising radiation.

Feb 11, 2020

Boeing Has Patented a Plasma ‘Force Field’ to Protect Against Shock Waves

Posted by in category: military

Circa 2015


As weapons get more sophisticated, researchers are trying to build defence systems that can keep pace, and what’s better than a force field?

Aerospace and defence giant Boeing has been awarded a patent to develop a force field-like system that could protect military vehicles from shockwaves following explosions from missiles or improvised explosive devices.

Continue reading “Boeing Has Patented a Plasma ‘Force Field’ to Protect Against Shock Waves” »

Feb 11, 2020

Nick Bostrom on Superintelligence and the Future of AI

Posted by in categories: futurism, robotics/AI

Circa 2019


The brink of superintelligence could pose serious threats to the human race. This philosopher is attempting to fathom the future of AI so we can be ready.

Feb 11, 2020

These engineers are developing artificially intelligent hackers

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, security

Circa 2016


In a sign of the autonomous security of the future, a $2m contest wants teams to build a system that can exploit rivals’ vulnerabilities while fixing its own.

Feb 11, 2020

A Robot Has Just Passed a Classic Self-Awareness Test For The First Time

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI

https://youtube.com/watch?v=95aYLmG0wt8

Circa 2015


A researcher at Ransselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US has given three Nao robots an updated version of the classic ‘wise men puzzle’ self-awareness test… and one of them has managed to pass.

Continue reading “A Robot Has Just Passed a Classic Self-Awareness Test For The First Time” »

Feb 11, 2020

Brits build plasma-powered 100,000 MPH rocket engine halving Mars travel time

Posted by in category: space travel

A PROTOTYPE of a British-built plasma-powered rocket engine which could propel spacecraft at 100,000mph, thus halving journey times to Mars, has been tested successfully in the UK.

Feb 11, 2020

AlphaFold: Using AI for scientific discovery

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI

Could automatically find the coronavirus vaccine.


We research and build safe AI systems that learn how to solve problems and advance scientific discovery for all. Explore our work: deepmind.com/research

Feb 11, 2020

Mathematicians Are Studying Planet-Sized Quantum Computers With God-Like Powers

Posted by in categories: computing, mathematics, quantum physics

O.o.


New research has exploded the space of problems that quantum computers can efficiently verify, simultaneously knocking down milestone problems in quantum physics and math.

Feb 11, 2020

William Gerstenmaier joins SpaceX, and that’s a really big deal

Posted by in category: space travel

For example, less than an hour after CNBC first reported Gerstenmaier’s hiring, the head of Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, tweeted his congratulations: “I wish my friend success in his new job!”

In his new position, Gerstenmaier is reporting to Hans Koenigsmann, the vice president of mission assurance at SpaceX. Although the role is officially a consultancy, it is expected to become a full-time position. SpaceX is poised to launch the first crewed mission of its Dragon spacecraft by June of this year. Gerstenmaier will play a key role in ensuring the safety of those missions and helping SpaceX secure certification for the Crew Dragon vehicle.

The hiring could have longer-term implications as well. Few people in the global aerospace community have as much gravitas as Gerstenmaier or as much understanding of how to build coalitions to explore space. As SpaceX seeks partners—including NASA—to work with it on developing Starship to take humans to the Moon and Mars, Gerstenmaier is well-positioned to offer advice, stitch together mission plans, and open key doors.

Feb 11, 2020

Could the Black Death protect against HIV?

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

From 2001… I wonder how much this how been studied since?


People who survived the Black Death could have passed on a mutation that prevents the human immunodeficiency virus entering cells.