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Categories: Computer Science: General, Offbeat: Earth and Climate
Published New AI model could streamline operations in a robotic warehouse



Researchers applied deep-learning approaches from vehicle routing to streamline planning trajectories for robots in an e-commerce warehouse. Their method breaks the problem down into smaller chunks and then predicts the best chunks to solve with traditional algorithms.
Published The West is best to spot UFOs



Researchers identified environmental factors that explain why reports of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) are more common in certain regions of the country. Most sightings occur in the American West where proximity to public lands, dark skies and military installations afford more opportunities to see strange objects in the air. Understanding the environmental context of these sightings will make it easier to find explanations for their occurrence and help identify truly anomalous objects that may be a legitimate threat.
Published Creepy crawlies protect apples when flowers are planted on farms



Bugs including hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds play an important role in keeping Britain's apples healthy, a new study has shown.
Published Microbial comics: RNA as a common language, presented in extracellular speech-bubbles



Decoding the conversations between microbes of hypersaline environments reveals deep insights into the origins of complex life.
Published Robots, monitoring and healthy ecosystems could halve pesticide use without hurting productivity



Smarter crop farming that combats weeds, insect pests and plant diseases by integrating modern technologies like AI-based monitoring, robotics, and next-generation biotechnology with healthy and resilient agricultural ecosystems.
Published Predatory fish use rapid color changes to coordinate attacks



Striped marlin are some of the fastest animals on the planet and one of the ocean's top predators. When hunting in groups, individual marlin will take turns attacking schools of prey fish one at a time. Now a new study helps to explain how they might coordinate this turn-taking style of attack on their prey to avoid injuring each other. The key, according to the new work, is rapid color changes.
Published Researchers harness 2D magnetic materials for energy-efficient computing



Researchers used ultrathin van der Waals materials to create an electron magnet that can be switched at room temperature. This type of magnet could be used to build magnetic processors or memories that would consume far less energy than traditional devices made from silicon.
Published Method identified to double computer processing speeds



Scientists introduce what they call 'simultaneous and heterogeneous multithreading' or SHMT. This system doubles computer processing speeds with existing hardware by simultaneously using graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), or digital signal processing units to process information.
Published Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats has long been in flux



It has been long assumed that Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats was formed as its ancient namesake lake dried up 13,000 years ago. But new research has gutted that narrative, determining these crusts did not form until several thousand years after Lake Bonneville disappeared, which could have important implications for managing this feature that has been shrinking for decades to the dismay of the racing community and others who revere the saline pan 100 miles west of Salt Lake City. Relying on radiocarbon analysis of pollen found in salt cores, the study concludes the salt began accumulating between 5,400 and 3,500 years ago, demonstrating how this geological feature is not a permanent fixture on the landscape.
Published Science fiction meets reality: New technique to overcome obstructed views



Using a single photograph, researchers created an algorithm that computes highly accurate, full-color three-dimensional reconstructions of areas behind obstacles -- a concept that can not only help prevent car crashes, but help law enforcement experts in hostage situations, search-and-rescue and strategic military efforts.
Published Plasma scientists develop computer programs that could reduce the cost of microchips and stimulate American manufacturing



Fashioned from the same element found in sand and covered by intricate patterns, microchips power smartphones, augment appliances and aid the operation of cars and airplanes. Now, scientists are developing computer simulation codes that will outperform current simulation techniques and aid the production of microchips using plasma, the electrically charged state of matter also used in fusion research. These codes could help increase the efficiency of the manufacturing process and potentially stimulate the renaissance of the chip industry in the United States.
Published Researchers develop AI that can understand light in photographs



Despite significant progress in developing AI systems that can understand the physical world like humans do, researchers have struggled with modelling a certain aspect of our visual system: the perception of light.
Published Giant new snake species identified in the Amazon



A team of scientists on location with a film crew in the remote Amazon has uncovered a previously undocumented species of giant anaconda.
Published Giant Antarctic sea spiders reproductive mystery solved



Instead of carrying the babies until they hatched, as in most species of sea spiders, one parent (likely the father) spent two days attaching the eggs to the rocky bottom where they developed for several months before hatching as tiny larvae.
Published New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed



Engineers have developed a new chip that uses light waves, rather than electricity, to perform the complex math essential to training AI. The chip has the potential to radically accelerate the processing speed of computers while also reducing their energy consumption.
Published A new design for quantum computers



Creating a quantum computer powerful enough to tackle problems we cannot solve with current computers remains a big challenge for quantum physicists. A well-functioning quantum simulator -- a specific type of quantum computer -- could lead to new discoveries about how the world works at the smallest scales. Quantum scientists have developed a guide on how to upgrade these machines so that they can simulate even more complex quantum systems.
Published 'Scientists' warning' on climate and technology



Throughout human history, technologies have been used to make peoples' lives richer and more comfortable, but they have also contributed to a global crisis threatening Earth's climate, ecosystems and even our own survival. Researchers have suggested that industrial civilization's best way forward may entail embracing further technological advancements but doing so with greater awareness of their potential drawbacks.
Published Artificial intelligence: Aim policies at 'hardware' to ensure AI safety, say experts



Chips and datacentres -- the 'compute' power driving the AI revolution -- may be the most effective targets for risk-reducing AI policies as they have to be physically possessed, according to a new report.
Published Fundamental equation for superconducting quantum bits revised



Physicists have uncovered that Josephson tunnel junctions -- the fundamental building blocks of superconducting quantum computers -- are more complex than previously thought. Just like overtones in a musical instrument, harmonics are superimposed on the fundamental mode. As a consequence, corrections may lead to quantum bits that are 2 to 7 times more stable. The researchers support their findings with experimental evidence from multiple laboratories across the globe.
Published By growing animal cells in rice grains, scientists dish up hybrid food



From lab-grown chicken to cricket-derived protein, these innovative alternatives offer hope for a planet struggling with the environmental and ethical impacts of industrial agriculture. Now, scientists add a new recipe to the list -- cultured beef rice -- by growing animal muscle and fat cells inside rice grains. The method results in a nutritious and flavorful hybrid food that, once commercialized, could offer a more affordable protein alternative with a smaller carbon footprint.