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Dec 20, 2024

Optimization algorithm improves safety of transcranial focused ultrasound treatments

Posted by in categories: information science, neuroscience

Algorithm finds the optimal transducer location to focus ultrasound through the skull onto a target in the brain.

Dec 20, 2024

The Magnetic North Pole Has Officially Changed Position

Posted by in category: transportation

It’s time to recalibrate the navigation systems on ships, airplanes, and (given the time of year) Santa’s sleigh: the position of the magnetic North Pole is officially being changed, continuing its shift away from Canada and towards Siberia.

Experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) have joined forces – as they do every five years – to produce a new, more accurate World Magnetic Model (WMM).

While the geographical North Pole stays fixed in place (at the very summit of the Earth’s rotational axis), the WMM pinpoints the magnetic North Pole – where Earth’s magnetic field points straight down, a perfectly vertical magnetic field.

Dec 20, 2024

Calling for Reinforcements: A New Way to Recruit Immune System Helpers Could Lead to Better Flu Vaccines

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Each year, flu causes hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of hospitalizations worldwide. Although the best way to protect against serious illness is annual vaccination, the influenza vaccine’s effectiveness is far from perfect. In the past decade, CDC estimates of flu vaccine effectiveness have ranged from a low of 19% to a high of 48%, spurring calls for development of more effective flu vaccines. Now, NIH-funded researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have taken a new approach to crafting flu vaccines that resulted, both in mice and human tonsil tissue, in a more broadly protective immune response compared to currently available flu vaccines. The studies were led by Mark M. Davis, Ph.D., and the findings appeared in Science.

The trouble with current vaccines

Currently, flu vaccines are formulated annually to contain up to four strains of human influenza virus that are predicted to circulate widely in the coming season. For example, the 2024–2025 seasonal flu vaccine contains two strains of the influenza viurs A subtype and one of influenza virus B subtype. Each virus strain includes a viral protein called hemagglutinin (HA) that the virus uses to attach to and enter human cells. The immune system recognizes and responds to components of a virus or a vaccine—the antigens—by generating protective antibodies and T cells. On exposure to the flu virus, a subset of flu-specific T cells, called CD4+ helper T cells, provides signals to generate and activate antibody-producing B cells. Ideally, a swarm of HA-matched antibodies is produced following vaccination and will protect the vaccinated person from infection by flu virus strains represented in that year’s vaccine.

Dec 20, 2024

Antiviral Medication Use Is Associated With Reduced Dementia Risk: Amy Proal, PhD

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, life extension, neuroscience

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Continue reading “Antiviral Medication Use Is Associated With Reduced Dementia Risk: Amy Proal, PhD” »

Dec 20, 2024

New class of magnets promises to supercharge tech speeds by 1000X

Posted by in category: materials

For the first time, scientists have imaged an entirely new form of magnetism called altermagnetism.

The researchers used cutting-edge x-ray techniques to visualize and fine-tune this novel magnetic material, which is very different from the kind of magnets we know in day-to-day life.

Their findings, published in Nature, demonstrate that altermagnetic materials can be precisely controlled in microscopic devices, marking a major step forward in magnetic and material science.

Dec 20, 2024

Japanese Semiconductor Firm Rapidus To Rival TSMC With Its 2nm Process, Potentially Seeing Adoption From NVIDIA

Posted by in category: electronics

Rapidus becomes the first Japanese firm to announce 2nm trial production and integrate ASML’s EUV equipment, potentially gaining a place in NVIDIA’s supply chain.

Rapidus Announces 2nm Trial Production To Occur By 2025, Commercial Production Slated For 2027, Almost Two Years After TSMC

When you look at the general semiconductor dynamics, it won’t be wrong to say that TSMC has a wide lead, taking in orders from all the big tech giants out there. Competition from the likes of Intel Foundry and Samsung isn’t looking too good, given that both companies are witnessing organizational flaws, which has given TSMC a clear edge. However, Rapidus, which is said to be an emerging semiconductor player, has announced the integration of ASML’s EUV scanners in a facility in Japan and has also revealed that 2nm production is on track, ready to compete with TSMC.

Dec 20, 2024

Firefly, ispace lunar landers to share Falcon 9 launch

Posted by in category: space travel

WASHINGTON — Japanese lunar lander developer ispace has confirmed that its second mission to the moon will launch on the same SpaceX Falcon 9 as Firefly Aerospace’s first lunar lander.

In an online presentation late Dec. 17 to discuss preparations for its Resilience lander, Takeshi Hakamada, founder and chief executive of ispace, said that his company’s mission would launch during a six-day window in mid-January on the same rocket launching Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 mission.

Continue reading “Firefly, ispace lunar landers to share Falcon 9 launch” »

Dec 20, 2024

Here’s what you need to know about the drug linked to living longer

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension

Groundbreaking studies in mice have sparked a frenzy among longevity enthusiasts—but human trials are still in their infancy.

Dec 20, 2024

Elon Musk hints at building stripped-down Gmail alternative — billionaire first revealed Xmail intentions back in February

Posted by in category: Elon Musk

But a simple plain text DM-style email system might be too basic for the mass market.

Dec 20, 2024

Not To Be Outdone By OpenAI, Google Releases Its Own “Reasoning” AI Model

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking is Google’s take on so-called AI reasoning models.

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