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Categories: Computer Science: General, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published Not too big: Machine learning tames huge data sets


A machine-learning algorithm demonstrated the capability to process data that exceeds a computer's available memory by identifying a massive data set's key features and dividing them into manageable batches that don't choke computer hardware. The algorithm set a world record for factorizing huge data sets during a test run on the world's fifth-fastest supercomputer. Equally efficient on laptops and supercomputers, the highly scalable algorithm solves hardware bottlenecks that prevent processing information from data-rich applications in cancer research, satellite imagery, social media networks, national security science and earthquake research, to name just a few.
Published Super antifreeze in cells: The ability to survive in ice and snow developed in animals far earlier than we thought



More than 400 million years ago, an insect-like animal called the springtail developed a small protein that prevents its cells from freezing.
Published Floating sea farms: A solution to feed the world and ensure fresh water by 2050



The sun and the sea -- both abundant and free -- are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce fresh water for drinking and agriculture.
Published Magnetic whirls pave the way for energy-efficient computing


Researchers have been able to increase the diffusion of magnetic whirls, so called skyrmions, by a factor of ten.
Published AI can help write a message to a friend -- but don't do it


Using artificial intelligence applications to help craft a message to a friend is not a good idea -- at least if your friend finds out about the use of AI, a new study suggests.
Published 'Brainless' robot can navigate complex obstacles


Researchers who created a soft robot that could navigate simple mazes without human or computer direction have now built on that work, creating a 'brainless' soft robot that can navigate more complex and dynamic environments.
Published What do neurons, fireflies and dancing the Nutbush have in common?


Synchronicity is all around us, but it is poorly understood. Computer scientists have now developed new tools to understand how human and natural networks fall in and out of sync.
Published Fiber from crustaceans, insects, mushrooms promotes digestion



Crustaceans, insects and mushrooms are rich sources of the dietary fiber chitin, which activates the immune system and benefits metabolism, according to a new study in mice.
Published Online AI-based test for Parkinson's disease severity shows promising results


A new artificial intelligence tool can help people with Parkinson's disease remotely assess the severity of their symptoms within minutes. While expert neurologists performed slightly better than the AI model, the AI model outperformed the primary care physicians with UPDRS certification.
Published Researchers grow embryonic humanized kidneys inside pigs for 28 days



Researchers have successfully created chimeric embryos containing a combination of human and pig cells. When transferred into surrogate pig mothers, the developing humanized kidneys had normal structure and tubule formation after 28 days. This is the first time that scientists have been able to grow a solid humanized organ inside another species, though previous studies have used similar methods to generate human tissues such as blood or skeletal muscle in pigs.
Published Fossil spines reveal deep sea's past



Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought.
Published Human shoulders and elbows first evolved as brakes for climbing apes



Researchers report that the flexible shoulders and elbows that allow us to throw a football or reach a high shelf may have evolved as a natural braking system that let our primate ancestors get out of trees without dying. The researchers used sports-analysis software to compare the climbing movements of chimpanzees and small monkeys called mangabeys. While the animals climb up trees similarly, the researchers found that the shallow, rounded shoulder joints and shortened elbow bones that chimps have -- similar to humans -- allow them to fully extend their arms above their heads when climbing down, holding onto branches like a person going down a ladder to support their greater weight. When early humans left forests for the grassy savanna, these versatile appendages would have been essential for gathering food and using tools for hunting and defense. The findings are among the first to identify the significance of 'downclimbing' in the evolution of apes and early humans.
Published Researchers use AI to find new magnetic materials without critical elements


A team of scientists developed a new machine learning model for discovering critical-element-free permanent magnet materials based on the predicted Curie temperature of new material combinations.
Published Will it slip or will it grip: scientists ask, 'what is snail mucus?'



Scientists profile the mucus of Cornu aspersum -- a snail species used in beauty product formulation and eaten as escargot -- and detail the composition of three unique types of secretions -- one that hydrates and protects its skin, another that works as a glue-like adhesive, and another that lubricates to allow the animal to move freely across surfaces.
Published Better cybersecurity with new material


Digital information exchange can be safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly with the help of a new type of random number generator for encryption. The researchers behind the study believe that the new technology paves the way for a new type of quantum communication.
Published A system to keep cloud-based gamers in sync


A new technique can synchronize media streams from different networks to multiple devices with less than 10 milliseconds of delay. The technique was demonstrated on cloud gaming, but could also be applied in AR/VR applications.
Published New AI technology gives robot recognition skills a big lift


The day when robots can cook dinner, clear the kitchen table and empty the dishwasher is still a long way off. First, robots need to be able to recognize the many items of different sizes, shapes and brands in our homes. A team has now made a significant advance toward that technology with a robotic system that uses artificial intelligence to help robots better identify and remember objects.
Published Breathe! The shape-shifting ball that supports mental health


A soft ball designed to support mental health by 'personifying' breath has been invented by a computer science student.
Published Analog and digital: The best of both worlds in one energy-efficient system


We live in an analog world of continuous information flow that is both processed and stored by our brains at the same time, but our devices process information digitally in the form of discrete binary code, breaking the information into little bits (or bites). Researchers have revealed a pioneering technology that combines the potential of continuous analog processing with the precision of digital devices. By seamlessly integrating ultra-thin, two-dimensional semiconductors with ferroelectric materials, the research unveils a novel way to improve energy efficiency and add new functionalities in computing. The new configuration merges traditional digital logic with brain-like analog operations.
Published Bat study reveals how the brain is wired for collective behavior



Researchers used wireless neural recording and imaging devices to 'listen in' on the hippocampal brain activity of groups of Egyptian fruit bats as they flew freely within a large flight room. The researchers were surprised to find that, in this social setting, the bat's 'place' neurons encoded not only the animal's location, but also information about the presence or absence of other bats, and even the identity of bats in their path.