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Categories: Engineering: Biometric, Offbeat: General
Published Astronomers make rare exoplanet discovery, and a giant leap in detecting Earth-like bodies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have made the rare discovery of a small, cold exoplanet and its massive outer companion -- shedding light on the formation of planets like Earth.
Published Prehistoric person with Turner syndrome identified from ancient DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new technique to measure the number of chromosomes in ancient genomes more precisely, using it to identify the first prehistoric person with mosaic Turner syndrome (characterized by one X chromosome instead of two [XX]), who lived about 2500 years ago.
Published NASA's Webb discovers dusty 'cat's tail' in Beta Pictoris System
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Beta Pictoris, a young planetary system located just 63 light-years away, continues to intrigue scientists even after decades of in-depth study. It possesses the first dust disk imaged around another star -- a disk of debris produced by collisions between asteroids, comets, and planetesimals. Observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope revealed a second debris disk in this system, inclined with respect to the outer disk, which was seen first. Now, a team of astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to image the Beta Pictoris system (Beta Pic) has discovered a new, previously unseen structure.
Published New study pinpoints the weaknesses in AI
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source ChatGPT and other solutions built on Machine Learning are surging. But even the most successful algorithms have limitations. Researchers have now proven mathematically that apart from simple problems it is not possible to create algorithms for AI that will always be stable. The study may lead to guidelines on how to better test algorithms and reminds us that machines do not have human intelligence after all.
Published Is there a common link between the physical and social worlds? Two brothers think so
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A Rutgers biophysical chemist and his brother, a political scientist on the West Coast, have joined intellectual forces, realizing a long-standing dream of co-authoring an article that bridges their disciplines involving cells and society. In their paper, they have proposed that powerful parallels exist between the microscopic, natural world of cells and molecules and the human-forged realm of organizations and political systems.
Published Integrating dimensions to get more out of Moore's Law and advance electronics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers suggest a way to fit more transistors on a chip by seamlessly implementing 3D integration with 2D materials.
Published Special brain cells react to unexpected situations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience shows that chandelier cells, a specific type of brain cell, become active during unexpected situations. 'Researchers have been wondering about the functionality of these cells for a long time'.
Published Study on lamprey embryos sheds light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have investigated lamprey embryos using cutting-edge microscopic techniques to reveal interesting insights about vertebrate head evolution, clarifying an unresolved mystery in basic science.
Published AI discovers that not every fingerprint is unique
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have built a new AI that shatters a long-held belief in forensics -- that fingerprints from different fingers of the same person are unique. It turns out they are similar, only we've been comparing fingerprints the wrong way!
Published Observing macroscopic quantum effects in the dark
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Be fast, avoid light, and roll through a curvy ramp: This is the recipe for a pioneering experiment proposed by theoretical physicists. An object evolving in a potential created through electrostatic or magnetic forces is expected to rapidly and reliably generate a macroscopic quantum superposition state.
Published Largest diversity study of 'magic mushrooms' investigates the evolution of psychoactive psilocybin production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The genomic analysis of 52 Psilocybe specimens includes 39 species that have never been sequenced. Psilocybe arose much earlier than previously thought -- about 65 million years ago -- and the authors found that psilocybin was first synthesized in mushrooms in the genus Psilocybe. Their analysis revealed two distinct gene orders within the gene cluster that produces psilocybin. The two gene patterns correspond to an ancient split in the genus, suggesting two independent acquisitions of psilocybin in its evolutionary history. The study is the first to reveal such a strong evolutionary pattern within the gene sequences underpinning the psychoactive proteins synthesis.
Published NASA's Webb finds signs of possible aurorae on isolated brown dwarf
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have found a brown dwarf (an object more massive than Jupiter but smaller than a star) with infrared emission from methane, likely due to energy in its upper atmosphere. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf, W1935, is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source for the upper atmosphere energy. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae.
Published Unlocking the secrets of a 'Hot Saturn' and its spotted star
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of astronomers has unraveled the enigmatic atmosphere of the exoplanet HAT-P-18 b, shedding light on its intriguing blend of gases, clouds, and even the effects of its star's activity.
Published 'Blob-like' home of farthest-known fast radio burst is collection of seven galaxies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In summer 2022, astronomers detected the most powerful and most distant fast radio burst (FRB) ever observed. Now, astronomers have pinpointed the extraordinary object's birthplace -- and it's rather curious, indeed. Using images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the researchers traced the FRB back to not one galaxy but a group of at least seven galaxies.
Published With only the pawprints, researchers study elusive bobcat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With DNA recovered from animal tracks, scientists revealed information about the ancestry and microbial community of bobcats without having to sample the animal directly.
Published Stranger than friction: A force initiating life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their interior to undergo developmental changes after conception.
Published New study uses machine learning to bridge the reality gap in quantum devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study has used the power of machine learning to overcome a key challenge affecting quantum devices. For the first time, the findings reveal a way to close the 'reality gap': the difference between predicted and observed behavior from quantum devices.
Published Final supernova results from Dark Energy Survey offer unique insights into the expansion of the universe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the culmination of a decade's worth of effort, scientists analyzed an unprecedented sample of more than 1,500 supernovae classified using machine learning. They placed the strongest constraints on the expansion of the universe ever obtained with the DES supernova survey. While consistent with the current standard cosmological model, the results do not rule out a more complex theory that the density of dark energy in the universe could have varied over time.
Published How did the bushpig cross the strait? A great puzzle in African mammal biogeography solved by genomics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Africa has a huge diversity of large mammals, but their evolutionary relationships and movement across the continent over time often remain a mystery. A new scientific study sheds light on longstanding questions about the interplay between evolution and geography in one of these mammals, namely the iconic African bushpig, and helps settle a major question regarding prehistoric human activities shaping biodiversity patterns in Africa.
Published New soft robots roll like tires, spin like tops and orbit like moons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new soft robot design that engages in three simultaneous behaviors: rolling forward, spinning like a record, and following a path that orbits around a central point. The device, which operates without human or computer control, holds promise for developing soft robotic devices that can be used to navigate and map unknown environments.