Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Meteorites likely source of nitrogen for early Earth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Micrometeorites originating from icy celestial bodies in the outer Solar System may be responsible for transporting nitrogen to the near-Earth region in the early days of our solar system.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Discovery of planet too big for its sun throws off solar system formation models      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The discovery of a planet that is far too massive for its sun is calling into question what was previously understood about the formation of planets and their solar systems.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Researchers develop novel deep learning-based detection system for autonomous vehicles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Autonomous vehicles require object detection systems to navigate traffic and avoid obstacles on the road. However, current detection methods often suffer from diminished detection capabilities due to bad weather, unstructured roads, or occlusion. Now, a team of researchers has developed a novel Internet-of-Things-enabled deep learning-based end-to-end 3D object detection system with improved detection capabilities even under unfavorable conditions. This study marks a significant step in autonomous vehicle object detection technology.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Blasts to clear World War II munitions could contaminate the ocean      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

World War II concluded decades ago, but live mines lurking on the ocean floor still pose threats, potentially spewing unexpected geysers or releasing contaminants into the water. Experts conduct controlled explosions to clear underwater munitions, but concerns have arisen over the environmental impacts from these blasts. New results show that the contamination produced by detonation depends on the blast type, with weaker explosions leaving behind more potentially toxic residues.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Building blocks for life could have formed near new stars and planets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While life on Earth is relatively new, geologically speaking, the ingredients that combined to form it might be much older than once thought. The simplest amino acid, carbamic acid, could have formed alongside stars or planets within interstellar ices. The findings could be used to train deep space instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope to search for prebiotic molecules in distant, star-forming regions of the universe.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Nearly 400,000 new compounds added to open-access materials database      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New technology often calls for new materials -- and with supercomputers and simulations, researchers don't have to wade through inefficient guesswork to invent them from scratch.

Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Network of robots can successfully monitor pipes using acoustic wave sensors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An inspection design method and procedure by which mobile robots can inspect large pipe structures has been demonstrated with the successful inspection of multiple defects on a three-meter long steel pipe using guided acoustic wave sensors.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: Statistics Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

How do you make a robot smarter? Program it to know what it doesn't know      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have come up with a new way to teach robots to know when they don't know. The technique involves quantifying the fuzziness of human language and using that measurement to tell robots when to ask for further directions. Telling a robot to pick up a bowl from a table with only one bowl is fairly clear. But telling a robot to pick up a bowl when there are five bowls on the table generates a much higher degree of uncertainty -- and triggers the robot to ask for clarification.

Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Composition of asteroid Phaethon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Asteroid Phaethon, which is five kilometers in diameter, has been puzzling researchers for a long time. A comet-like tail is visible for a few days when the asteroid passes closest to the Sun during its orbit. However, the tails of comets are usually formed by vaporizing ice and carbon dioxide, which cannot explain this tail. The tail should be visible at Jupiter's distance from the Sun.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Solar activity likely to peak next year      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a new relationship between the Sun's magnetic field and its sunspot cycle, that can help predict when the peak in solar activity will occur. Their work indicates that the maximum intensity of solar cycle 25, the ongoing sunspot cycle, is imminent and likely to occur within a year.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Researchers engineer a material that can perform different tasks depending on temperature      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers report that they have developed a new composite material designed to change behaviors depending on temperature in order to perform specific tasks. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Alien haze, cooked in a lab, clears view to distant water worlds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have simulated conditions that allow hazy skies to form in water-rich exoplanets, a crucial step in determining how haziness muddles important telescope observations for the search of habitable worlds beyond the solar system.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

New method uses crowdsourced feedback to help train robots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new technique enables an AI agent to be guided by data crowdsourced asynchronously from nonexpert human users as it learns to complete a task through reinforcement learning. The method trains the robot faster and better than other approaches.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Autonomous excavator constructs a 6-meter-high dry-stone wall      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers taught an autonomous excavator to construct dry stone walls itself using boulders weighing several tons and demolition debris.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Physics: Optics
Published

AI for perovskite solar cells: Key to better manufacturing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells. In order to make this technology ready for the market, further improvements with regard to stability and manufacturing processes are required. Researchers have succeeded in finding a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells: Assisted by Machine Learning and new methods in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Hydrogen detected in lunar samples, points to resource availability for space exploration      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered solar-wind hydrogen in lunar samples, which indicates that water on the surface of the Moon may provide a vital resource for future lunar bases and longer-range space exploration.

Engineering: Robotics Research Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

AI finds formula on how to predict monster waves      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using 700 years' worth of wave data from more than a billion waves, scientists have used artificial intelligence to find a formula for how to predict the occurrence of these maritime monsters. Long considered myth, freakishly large rogue waves are very real and can split apart ships and even damage oil rigs.

Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Investigating the contribution of gamma-ray blazar flares to neutrino flux      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Gamma-ray flares from blazars can be accompanied by high-energy neutrino emission. To better understand this phenomenon, an international research team has statistically analyzed 145 bright blazars. They constructed weekly binned light curves and utilized a Bayesian algorithm, finding that their sample was dominated by blazars with low flare duty cycles and energy fractions. The study suggests that high-energy neutrinos of blazars might be produced mainly during the flare phase.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Breakthrough in tackling increasing demand by 'internet of things' on mobile networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A novel technology to manage demands on mobile networks from multiple users using Terahertz frequencies has been developed by computer scientists.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Morphing cones under compression: New research uncovers surprises for soft robotic actuators      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers investigating the load-bearing capacity of conical shells, made from soft materials, have discovered performance-limiting weaknesses that could have implications for soft robotics -- affecting the ability of morphing cones to perform fundamental mechanical tasks.