Computer Science: General Physics: Optics
Published

Smartphone attachment could increase racial fairness in neurological screening      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new smartphone attachment could enable people to screen for a variety of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury, at low cost -- and do so accurately regardless of their skin tone. The attachment fits over a smartphone's camera to capture clear video of pupil size changes, which can offer clues about an individual's neurological functions. The device helps the camera see the pupil easily in dark eye colors. 

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General
Published

Adaptive optical neural network connects thousands of artificial neurons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists working with computer specialists have developed a so-called event-based architecture, using photonic processors. In a similar way to the brain, this makes possible the continuous adaptation of the connections within the neural network.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Pivotal breakthrough in adapting perovskite solar cells for renewable energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A huge step forward in the evolution of perovskite solar cells will have significant implications for renewable energy development.

Computer Science: General
Published

Eyes may be the window to your soul, but the tongue mirrors your health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 2000-year-old practice by Chinese herbalists -- examining the human tongue for signs of disease -- is now being embraced by computer scientists using machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Engineering: Nanotechnology Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

International team develops novel DNA nano engine      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists has recently developed a novel type of nano engine made of DNA. It is driven by a clever mechanism and can perform pulsing movements. The researchers are now planning to fit it with a coupling and install it as a drive in complex nano machines.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Physical theory improves protein folding prediction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Proteins are important molecules that perform a variety of functions essential to life. To function properly, many proteins must fold into specific structures. However, the way proteins fold into specific structures is still largely unknown. Researchers have developed a novel physical theory that can accurately predict how proteins fold. Their model can predict things previous models cannot. Improved knowledge of protein folding could offer huge benefits to medical research, as well as to various industrial processes.

Computer Science: General Physics: Optics
Published

From square to cube: Hardware processing for AI goes 3D, boosting processing power      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A breakthrough development in photonic-electronic hardware could significantly boost processing power for AI and machine learning applications. The approach uses multiple radio frequencies to encode data, enabling multiple calculations to be carried out in parallel. The method shows promise for outperforming state-of-the-art electronic processors, with further enhancements possible.

Computer Science: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How to build greener data centers? Scientists say crank up the heat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Colder is not always better for energy-hungry data centers, especially when it comes to their power bills. A new analysis says that keeping the centers at 41°C, or around 105°F, could save up to 56% in cooling costs worldwide. The study proposes new temperature guidelines that may help develop and manage more efficient data centers and IT servers in the future.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

World may have crossed solar power 'tipping point'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The world may have crossed a 'tipping point' that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, new research suggests.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Harnessing molecular power: Electricity generation on the nanoscale      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Solar design would harness 40% of the sun's heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have designed a system that can efficiently produce 'solar thermochemical hydrogen.' It harnesses the sun's heat to split water and generate hydrogen -- a clean fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions. 

Computer Science: General
Published

Physicists demonstrate powerful physics phenomenon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new breakthrough, researchers have used a novel technique to confirm a previously undetected physics phenomenon that could be used to improve data storage in the next generation of computer devices.   

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

The effects of preheating on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions appear minimal      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study found that the benefits of car preheating for both fuel economy and emissions are minimal. The researchers focused on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions under cold winter conditions. Of particular interest were cold start emissions and their relation to preheating.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published

Self-correcting quantum computers within reach?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Quantum computers promise to reach speeds and efficiencies impossible for even the fastest supercomputers of today. Yet the technology hasn't seen much scale-up and commercialization largely due to its inability to self-correct. Quantum computers, unlike classical ones, cannot correct errors by copying encoded data over and over. Scientists had to find another way. Now, a new paper illustrates a quantum computing platform's potential to solve the longstanding problem known as quantum error correction.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published

Exploring parameter shift for quantum fisher information      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a technique called 'Time-dependent Stochastic Parameter Shift' in the realm of quantum computing and quantum machine learning. This breakthrough method revolutionizes the estimation of gradients or derivatives of functions, a crucial step in many computational tasks.

Computer Science: General Physics: Optics
Published

New easy-to-use optical chip can self-configure to perform various functions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed an easy-to-use optical chip that can configure itself to achieve various functions. The positive real-valued matrix computation they have achieved gives the chip the potential to be used in applications requiring optical neural networks.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published

A new way to erase quantum computer errors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated a type of quantum eraser. The physicists show that they can pinpoint and correct for mistakes in quantum computing systems known as 'erasure' errors. 

Computer Science: General Environmental: General
Published

Powering AI could use as much electricity as a small country      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Artificial intelligence (AI) comes with promises of helping coders code faster, drivers drive safer, and making daily tasks less time-consuming. But a recent study demonstrates that the tool, when adopted widely, could have a large energy footprint, which in the future may exceed the power demands of some countries.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The new modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using closed-loop pumped storage hydropower, cutting dam construction costs by one-third and reducing construction schedules by half.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Researchers create a neural network for genomics -- one that explains how it achieves accurate predictions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of computer scientists has created a neural network that can explain how it reaches its predictions. The work reveals what accounts for the functionality of neural networks--the engines that drive artificial intelligence and machine learning--thereby illuminating a process that has largely been concealed from users.