Computer Science: General Physics: General
Published

'Surprising' hidden activity of semiconductor material spotted by researchers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research suggests that materials commonly overlooked in computer chip design actually play an important role in information processing, a discovery which could lead to faster and more efficient electronics. Using advanced imaging techniques, an international team found that the material that a semiconductor chip device is built on, called the substrate, responds to changes in electricity much like the semiconductor on top of it.

Computer Science: Encryption Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Breakthrough promises secure quantum computing at home      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The full power of next-generation quantum computing could soon be harnessed by millions of individuals and companies, thanks to a breakthrough guaranteeing security and privacy. This advance promises to unlock the transformative potential of cloud-based quantum computing.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Oxidant pollutant ozone removes mating barriers between fly species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers show that ozone levels, such as those found in many places on hot summer days today, destroy the sex pheromones of fruit fly species. As a result, some natural mating boundaries maintained by species-specific pheromones no longer exist. The research team has shown in experiments that flies of different species mate when exposed to ozone and produce hybrid offspring. Since most of these offspring are unable to reproduce, the results could provide another explanation for the global decline of insects.

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

A faster, better way to prevent an AI chatbot from giving toxic responses      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new technique can more effectively perform a safety check on an AI chatbot. Researchers enabled their model to prompt a chatbot to generate toxic responses, which are used to prevent the chatbot from giving hateful or harmful answers when deployed.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Waterproof 'e-glove' could help scuba divers communicate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When scuba divers need to say 'I'm okay' or 'Shark!' to their dive partners, they use hand signals to communicate visually. But sometimes these movements are difficult to see. Now, researchers have constructed a waterproof 'e-glove' that wirelessly transmits hand gestures made underwater to a computer that translates them into messages. The new technology could someday help divers communicate better with each other and with boat crews on the surface.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

'Teacher Toads' can save native animals from toxic cane toads      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists from Macquarie University have come up with an innovative way to stop cane toads killing native wildlife by training goannas to avoid eating the deadly amphibians.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Do some mysterious bones belong to gigantic ichthyosaurs?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Several similar large, fossilized bone fragments have been discovered in various regions across Western and Central Europe since the 19th century. The animal group to which they belonged is still the subject of much debate to this day. A study could now settle this dispute once and for all: The microstructure of the fossils indicates that they come from the lower jaw of a gigantic ichthyosaur. These animals could reach 25 to 30 meters in length, a similar size to the modern blue whale.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: General
Published

A pulse of innovation: AI at the service of heart research      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers unveiled BeatProfiler, a groundbreaking new tool -- a comprehensive software that automates the analysis of heart cell function from video data. It's the first system to integrate the analysis of different heart function indicators, such as contractility, calcium handling, and force output into one tool, speeding up the process significantly and reducing the chance for errors. BeatProfiler enabled the researchers to not only distinguish between different diseases and levels of their severity but also to rapidly and objectively test drugs that affect heart function.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Encryption Computer Science: General Physics: General
Published

Protecting art and passwords with biochemistry      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new molecular test method helps to prove the authenticity of works of art. The new method could also help to make passwords secure against quantum computers.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Mediterranean marine worm has developed enormous eyes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists are amazed at the discovery of a bristle worm with such sharp-seeing eyes that they can measure up to those of mammals and octopuses. The researchers suspect that these marine worms may have a secretive language, which uses UV light only seen by their own species. The advanced vision of such a primitive creature helps to finally settle an epic debate about the evolution of eyes.

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

New privacy-preserving robotic cameras obscure images beyond human recognition      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a bid to restore privacy, researchers have created a new approach to designing cameras that process and scramble visual information before it is digitized so that it becomes obscured to the point of anonymity.

Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Computer scientists show the way: AI models need not be SO power hungry      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The development of AI models is an overlooked climate culprit. Computer scientists have created a recipe book for designing AI models that use much less energy without compromising performance. They argue that a model's energy consumption and carbon footprint should be a fixed criterion when designing and training AI models.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Giant phage holds promise as treatment for lung infections      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a new bacterial killer that can target common lung infection caused by Burkholderia bacteria that has exciting potential for biotechnological applications.

Computer Science: Encryption Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

100 kilometers of quantum-encrypted transfer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have taken a big step towards securing information against hacking. They have succeeded in using quantum encryption to securely transfer information 100 kilometers via fiber optic cable -- roughly equivalent to the distance between Oxford and London.

Computer Science: General
Published

I spy with my speedy eye: Scientists discover speed of visual perception ranges widely in humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using a blink-and-you'll-miss-it experiment, researchers have discovered that individuals differ widely in the rate at which they perceive visual signals. Some people perceive a rapidly changing visual cue at frequencies that others cannot, which means some access more visual information per timeframe than others. This discovery suggests some people have an innate advantage in certain settings where response time is crucial, such as in ball sports, or in competitive gaming.

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

Revolutionary biomimetic olfactory chips to enable advanced gas sensing and odor detection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has addressed the long-standing challenge of creating artificial olfactory sensors with arrays of diverse high-performance gas sensors. Their newly developed biomimetic olfactory chips (BOC) are able to integrate nanotube sensor arrays on nanoporous substrates with up to 10,000 individually addressable gas sensors per chip, a configuration that is similar to how olfaction works for humans and other animals.