Science News Recap 07/29/2024
- Study tracks exposure to air pollution through the day Abstract: For people moving through the Bronx at different times, exposure to particulate matter 2.5 microns or bigger rises by about 2.4 percent when daily travel patterns are taken into account, according to a new study.
- AI method radically speeds predictions of materials’ thermal properties Abstract: Researchers developed a machine-learning framework that can predict a key property of heat dispersion in materials that is up to 1,000 times faster than other AI methods, and could enable scientists to improve the efficiency of power generation systems and microelectronics.
- Fresh light on the path to net zero Abstract: Researchers have used magnetic fields to reveal the mystery of how light particles split. Scientists are closer to giving the next generation of solar cells a powerful boost by integrating a process that could make the technology more efficient by breaking particles of light photons into small chunks.
- Researchers develop state-of-the-art device to make artificial intelligence more energy efficient Abstract: Engineering researchers have demonstrated a state-of-the-art hardware device that could reduce energy consumption for artificial intelligent (AI) computing applications by a factor of at least 1,000.
- ‘Kink state’ control may provide pathway to quantum electronics Abstract: The key to developing quantum electronics may have a few kinks. According to researchers, that’s not a bad thing when it comes to the precise control needed to fabricate and operate such devices, including advanced sensors and lasers. The researchers fabricated a switch to turn on and off the presence of kink states, which are electrical conduction pathways at the edge of semiconducting materials.
- Artificial blood vessels could improve heart bypass outcomes Abstract: 3D-printed blood vessels, which closely mimic the properties of human veins, could transform the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Strong, flexible, gel-like tubes — created using a novel 3D printing technology — could improve outcomes for heart bypass patients by replacing the human and synthetic veins currently used in surgery to re-route blood flow, experts say.
- Method enables fast, accurate estimates of cardiovascular state to inform blood pressure management Abstract: A new mathematical method, validated with experimental animal data, provides a fast, reliable and minimally invasive way of determining how to treat critical blood pressure changes during surgery or intensive care.
- Space-trekking muscle tests drugs for microgravity-induced muscle impairment Abstract: A gentle rumble ran under a researcher’s feet as a rocket carrying her research — live, human muscle cells grown on scaffolds fixed on tiny chips — lifted off, climbed, and disappeared into the sky to the International Space Station National Laboratory. These chips would help her better understand muscle impairment, often seen in astronauts and older adults, and test drugs to counter the condition.
- Next-gen cooling system to help data centers become more energy efficient Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now. Also hot: the data centers that power the technology. And keeping those centers cool requires a tremendous amount of energy. The problem is only going to grow as high-powered AI-based computers and devices become commonplace. That’s why researchers are devising a new type of cooling system that promises to dramatically reduce energy demands.
- The sun could capture rogue planets from 3.8 light years away Abstract: A mathematical model suggests there is an unusual region of space where objects can get pulled into the sun’s orbit – meaning we may have to redraw the boundary of the solar system
- SpaceX prepares for Starship flight with first ‘chopstick’ landing Abstract: SpaceX is gearing up for the fifth launch of its massive Starship rocket, following four increasingly successful tests. What is the company hoping for, and what can we expect?
- DeepMind AI gets silver medal at International Mathematical Olympiad Abstract: AlphaProof, an AI from Google DeepMind, came close to matching the top participants in a prestigious competition for young mathematicians
- Space travel may make muscles age extremely quickly Abstract: Muscle cells that spent a week on the International Space Station revealed changes in gene expression that suggest microgravity can speed up ageing
- We’re ignoring easy ways to encourage children to be physically active Abstract: Events like the Olympics and Paralympics can be inspiring. But to get more kids moving, we need to address the “enjoyment gap” by shifting the emphasis from competitive sport to activity and play
- Can solar panels designed for space boost clean energy on Earth? Abstract: Efficient solar panels have helped make solar power the cheapest form of energy on the planet, and new designs based on space-age technology are going further
- How diseases like smallpox survived long ocean voyages Abstract: Modern mathematical tools reveal the conditions pathogens needed to remain active in a ship’s population for the duration of a historical journey
- Google AI slashes computer power needed for weather forecasts Abstract: A weather and climate model that fuses artificial intelligence and physics simulations can match state-of-the-art performance while slashing the required computer power, say Google researchers
- How to unsnarl a tangle of threads, according to physics Abstract: A jiggling robot has revealed the ideal vibrating speed to free jumbled fibres
- Are animals conscious? We’re finally realising that many species are Abstract: Science is at last confirming what many people have long suspected – that mammals, birds and perhaps some invertebrates have elements of consciousness
- NASA’s cancelled moon rover calls 2026 crewed landing into question Abstract: The VIPER moon rover was due to launch in 2025 but NASA has suddenly cancelled it, citing budgetary issues, despite the spacecraft being fully built
- Many people think AI is already sentient – and that’s a big problem Abstract: A survey of people in the US has revealed the widespread belief that artificial intelligence models are already self-aware, which is very far from the truth
- Denisovan DNA may help modern humans adapt to different environments Abstract: Highland and lowland populations in Papua New Guinea have different gene variants derived from Denisovan archaic humans, indicating possible adaptations for lower oxygen levels and higher malaria risk
- Astronauts could drink their own urine with water-recycling spacesuit Abstract: When astronauts go on a spacewalk, their urine is collected by what is essentially a large diaper before being thrown away, and they have less than a litre of drinking water available – but a new kind of spacesuit could solve both issues
- You can turn any random sequence of events into a clock Abstract: A set of mathematical equations can help turn apparently random observations into a clock – and then measure its accuracy
- The plague may have wiped out most northern Europeans 5000 years ago Abstract: DNA evidence from tombs in Sweden and Denmark suggests major plague outbreaks were responsible for the Neolithic decline in northern Europe
- Woolly mammoth DNA exceptionally preserved in freeze-dried ‘jerky’ Abstract: A complete genome has been extracted from a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth, which might bring us closer to resurrecting the species
- Speed of decision-making reflects our biases Abstract: Within a group of decision-makers, the longer it takes someone to make a choice, the less likely they are to be influenced by their inherent biases according to a mathematical model
- Governments bans on quantum computer exports have no basis in science Abstract: Several nations around the world have placed arbitrary limits on the export of quantum computers, despite today’s devices having little practical use. The restrictions are counterproductive and at odds with the scientific method
- Inside the political struggle at the IPCC that will determine the next six years of climate science Abstract: The UN’s climate science advisory group, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is currently meeting in Bulgaria to decide on a timeline for its next “cycle” of reports over the rest of this decade. That decision should have been taken in January, but government divisions arose over aligning IPCC outputs with UN climate negotiations, at a meeting that the IPCC chair described as “one of the most intense” he had experienced.
- The world experienced 36 conflict contexts in 2023, the highest number in ten years Abstract: The UAB School for a Culture of Peace (Escola de Cultura de Pau, ECP) publishes its Alert 2024! Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding, a study analyzing the state of conflicts and peacebuilding around the world in 2023. Among its conclusions are the existence of 36 conflicts, the highest number since 2014.
- A camera trap for the invisible—a solution to difficult pattern recognition problem in experimental particle physics Abstract: It sounds fantastical, but it’s a reality for the scientists who work at the world’s largest particle collider.
- NASA, JAXA bounce laser beam between moon’s surface and lunar orbit Abstract: NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has twice transmitted a laser pulse to a cookie-sized retroreflector aboard JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) SLIM lander on the moon and received a return signal.
- Would you send your child to school in a skyscraper? Vertical schools could revitalize our cities Abstract: When we think of what Australian schools look like, we probably think of large grounds with single or double-story buildings. They’re usually in suburban areas on relatively flat blocks.
- New lettuce cultivar ‘Zhongsheng No. 1’ developed using advanced plant factory technology Abstract: A research team has demonstrated that using plant factory technology (PFT) to precisely control environmental factors can significantly enhance vegetable quality. By cultivating a new lettuce cultivar in a PFT system, they achieved higher nutritional content in a shorter period compared to traditional open-field cultivation.
- Researchers realize multi-heterojunctioned plastics with high thermoelectric figure of merit Abstract: Organic thermoelectric materials hold great promise as flexible energy sources for the Internet of Things and wearable electronics. However, their relatively low dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) compared to traditional materials has been a major obstacle, limiting their use in thermoelectric power generation and solid-state cooling.
- Animals are also suffering from stress and anxiety due to the war Abstract: A new study conducted at Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History reveals that the Israel-Hamas war has had a severe impact on animals.
- ‘Russian doll’ packaging could boost drug delivery Abstract: New technology, which is in the early stages of development, has the potential to significantly enhance the effectiveness and reduce the side effects of drugs and vaccines.
- New opportunities for organic synthesis under superheated flow conditions Abstract: Research programs from the Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis of the University of Liège (Belgium), demonstrate the many opportunities offered by micro/mesofluidic technologies to explore new reaction spaces.
