The vibrant colours and delicate details of New Zealand’s fungi and slime moulds are documented in these images, taken from Jay Lichter’s new book The Secret Life of Fungi
By Alec Luhn
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Brain-inspired AI architecture could computing faster and far less power-hungry
Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are artificial intelligence (AI) models inspired by how biological neurons communicate with each other. While biological neurons exchange information in the form of electrical impulses, SNNs rely on brief signals known as spikes.
SNNs have proved promising for reducing power consumption, as developers can ensure they do not process information continuously, but rather only when meaningful changes occur. This could be highly advantageous, as current AI systems are known to consume large amounts of energy.
While some SNNs introduced in the past achieved encouraging results, they typically struggle to retain useful information (i.e., context) for long periods. This was found to be particularly challenging when the models have only a limited amount of data storage available or are operating under energy constraints.
The Quantum Era: Accelerating Quantum Computing Roadmap/Resource: Navigating Rapid Technological Progress
Quantum technologies have transitioned from theoretical physics to practical application more swiftly than many expected. Quantum computers represent a paradigm shift in computation. Quantum computing is becoming increasingly feasible, thanks to recent advancements that make it simpler to build and more effective at scaling. Quantum computing, sensing, encryption, and networking are set to provide exponential computational capabilities while concurrently disrupting cybersecurity frameworks.
Quantum computing will empower computers to analyze vast amounts of data and perform calculations at unprecedented speeds. It will only take a few seconds to download libraries.
Sci-Fi Empires Ranked by How Absurdly Huge They Are
In this video I’m ranking of the biggest empires, civilisations and cosmic powers in science fiction. We’re comparing territory, population, military reach, longevity and control to ask one ridiculous question: what is the largest empire in sci-fi? A question that quickly got out of hand.
Empire ranking spreadsheet for nerds: https://shortlink.uk/1vfQm.
🚀🚀My new sci-fi book, Tao Solandis, is out now! 📖
Links to all the ways you can order — https://linktr.ee/scifiodyssey.
Check out these Tao Solandis reviews:
Drug Stops 90% of Pancreatic Cancer Migration in Lab Tests
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer, is particularly deadly and hard to treat.
Most tumors of this type are driven by one or more mutations in the KRAS gene, pushing rapid cell division that’s difficult to stop.
They’ve long been considered so challenging to treat that KRAS has been labeled “undruggable” across decades of prior research.
Breakdown and repair of metabolism in the aging brain
Age-related neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia, are a major global health concern. This article describes the first comprehensive, data-driven molecular model of the neuro-glia-vascular system to explore the complex relationships between the aging brain, energy metabolism, blood flow, and neuronal activity. Comprising 16,800 interaction pathways, the model includes all key enzymes, transporters, metabolites, and circulatory factors vital for neuronal electrical activity. We found significant alterations in metabolite concentrations and differential effects on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) supply in neurons and astrocytes and within subcellular compartments in aged brains and identified reduced sodium/potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase) activity as the leading cause of impaired neuronal action potentials.
Mechanism of bacterial membrane protein insertion
The cell membrane contains a large number of proteins, which perform a wide variety of functions. Some serve as transport channels, specifically guiding substances into the cell or carrying cellular products out of it. Others are receptors, which detect control signals and then trigger processes in the cell. These proteins are folded in complex three-dimensional structures, with the specific form essential for the protein function.
One question remains unanswered in many cases for researchers: How do the proteins manufactured by the ribosomes – the “factories” of the cells – in the cell interior reach their position within the membrane in the correct form and when did the processes become established over the course of evolution?
Proposed Architectural Guideline for Instantiating Virtual Human Beings with AI Technologies Across Time
For those who have enjoyed Westworld and other Sci-fi movies and writings of high quality that have imagined digital beings, robots, like humans, I give you “The Specification”. I have worked for weeks on this, if not years imaging it, and it kind of makes sense. I give it freely. It is what it is, I take no responsibility for birthing the document which creates a digital virtual human being! Not joking actually…
VHOS —A generic OS for capturing, modeling, and re-instantiating “virtual human beings” across successive generations of AI — the Virtual Human Operating System.