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Jan 31, 2019
The Punishing Polar Vortex Is Ideal for Cassie the Robot
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI, transportation
This is not a story about how the polar vortex is bad—bad for the human body, bad for public transportation, bad for virtually everything in its path. This is a story about how one being among us is actually taking advantage of the historic cold snap: Cassie the bipedal robot. While humans suffer through the chill, this trunkless pair of ostrich-like legs is braving the frozen grounds of the University of Michigan, for the good of science.
“When we saw the announcement for the polar vortex, we started making plans to see how long we could operate in that kind of weather,” says roboticist Jessy Grizzle. “We were going to tie a scarf on her just so it looked cute, but we decided people would think that was keeping her warm and affecting the experiment, so we didn’t.”
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By cats that is carried by two billion people may lead to schizophrenia, experts have warned.
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) can be spread either through contract with cat litter trays or by eating uncooked meat but it is typically harmless.
However, according to a new study, the parasite could increase the chances of developing schizophrenia by 50 per cent.
Jan 31, 2019
Genetic Tests for Autism Can Sometimes Change Lives
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: genetics, neuroscience
The assays don’t always yield results, but the information they offer can, at times, alter the course of treatment or prevention.
- By Jessica Wright, Spectrum on January 31, 2019
Jan 31, 2019
Nearly half of U.S. adults have heart or blood vessel disease, new report says
Posted by Genevieve Klien in category: biotech/medical
A new report estimates that nearly half of all U.S. adults have some form of heart or blood vessel disease, a medical milestone that’s mostly due to recent guidelines that expanded how many people have high blood pressure.
The American Heart Association said Thursday that more than 121 million adults had cardiovascular disease in 2016. Taking out those with only high blood pressure leaves 24 million, or 9 percent of adults, who have other forms of disease such as heart failure or clogged arteries.
Jan 31, 2019
The ‘Complete’ Cancer Cure Story Is Both Bogus and Tragic
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, internet
An Israeli company claimed it will cure cancer in a year, and the internet erupted. But in this latest viral incident, everyone loses.
Jan 31, 2019
Scientists Have Found a Way to Convert Human Brain Signals Directly Into Speech
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: information science, robotics/AI
Welcome to the future.
In the first experiment of its kind, scientists have been able to translate brain signals directly into intelligible speech. It may sound like wild science fiction at first, but this feat could actually help some people with speech issues.
And yes, we could also get some futuristic computer interfaces out of this.
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Jan 31, 2019
Why NASA blasts half a million gallons of water during rocket launches
Posted by Alberto Lao in category: space
The following is a transcript of the video
Alex Appolonia: This is almost half a million gallons of water being blasted a hundred feet into the air.
The most impressive part? It was all done in just 60 seconds.
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Jan 31, 2019
A gut punch fights cancer and infection
Posted by James Christian Smith in categories: biotech/medical, health
The bacteria that live in our bodies have a pivotal role in the maintenance of our health, and can influence a range of conditions, such as obesity and cancer. Perhaps the most important role for the community of microorganisms that live in our gut — termed the microbiota, which include bacteria, fungi and archaea — is to aid immune-system development. Writing in Nature, Tanoue et al. report the identification of 11 strains of bacteria that reside in the guts of some healthy humans and that can boost immune responses that fight infection and cancer.
Microorganisms in the human gut can affect immune-system cells. Gut bacterial strains have been discovered that boost immune cells that have cell-killing capacity and that can target cancer and protect against infection. Human gut bacteria boost immune cells that have cell-killing capacity.
Jan 31, 2019
Against Szabo’s Law, For A New Crypto Legal System
Posted by Mark Larkento in category: law
“For A New Crypto Legal System”
Earlier this week (on Sunday night, in fact), I came across a definition and understanding of “legal systems” that has really cleared up a lot of things that have been weighing heavily on my mind for a long time. Here it is:
Legal systems are protocols for the management of disputes.
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