Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Environmental: Ecosystems Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Woolly mammoths evolved smaller ears and woolier coats over the 700,000 years that they roamed the Siberian steppes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers compared the genomes of woolly mammoths with modern day elephants to find out what made woolly mammoths unique, both as individuals and as a species. The investigators report that many of the woolly mammoth's trademark features -- including their woolly coats and large fat deposits -- were already genetically encoded in the earliest woolly mammoths, but these and other traits became more defined over the species' 700,000+ year existence. They also identified a gene with several mutations that may have been responsible for the woolly mammoth's miniscule ears.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

AI-equipped eyeglasses read silent speech      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a silent-speech recognition interface that uses acoustic-sensing and artificial intelligence to continuously recognize up to 31 unvocalized commands, based on lip and mouth movements.

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

Robots predict human intention for faster builds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Humans have a way of understandings others' goals, desires and beliefs, a crucial skill that allows us to anticipate people's actions. Taking bread out of the toaster? You'll need a plate. Sweeping up leaves? I'll grab the green trash can. This skill, often referred to as 'theory of mind,' comes easily to us as humans, but is still challenging for robots. But, if robots are to become truly collaborative helpers in manufacturing and in everyday life, they need to learn the same abilities. Computer science researchers aim to teach robots how to predict human preferences in assembly tasks, so they can one day help out on everything from building a satellite to setting a table.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology
Published

Elephants as a new model for understanding human evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human culture and language may be the result of 'self-domestication': an evolutionary process that leads to less aggressive and more prosocial individuals. A research team argues that elephants -- like humans and bonobos -- may also be self-domesticated. Elephants show many traits associated with self-domestication, such as prosocial behavior, playfulness and complex communication skills. This makes elephants an interesting new animal model for the evolution of prosociality.

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

New cyber software can verify how much knowledge AI really knows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With a growing interest in generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems worldwide, researchers have created software that is able to verify how much information an AI farmed from an organization's digital database.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

One of Swedish warship Vasa's crew was a woman      (via sciencedaily.com) 

When the human remains found on board the Swedish warship Vasa (1628) were investigated, it was determined that the skeleton designated G was a man. New research now shows that the skeleton is actually from a woman. About thirty people died when Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm, 1628. We cannot know who most of them were, only one person is named in the written sources. When the ship was raised in 1961 it was the scene of a comprehensive archaeological excavation, in which numerous human bones were found on board and examined.

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

Origami-inspired robots can sense, analyze and act in challenging environments      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A multidisciplinary team has created a new fabrication technique for fully foldable robots that can perform a variety of complex tasks without relying on semiconductors.

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

Robotic hand can identify objects with just one grasp      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Newly created soft-rigid robotic fingers incorporate powerful sensors along their entire length, enabling them to produce a robotic hand that could accurately identify objects after only one grasp.

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

Forgive or forget: What happens when robots lie?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Student researchers investigate how intentional robot deception affects trust, examining the effectiveness of apologies after robots lie.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Yak milk consumption among Mongol Empire elites      (via sciencedaily.com) 

For the first time, researchers have pinpointed a date when elite Mongol Empire people were drinking yak milk, according to a new study.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Researchers use 21st century methods to record 2,000 years of ancient graffiti in Egypt      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers are learning more about ancient graffiti -- and their intriguing comparisons to modern graffiti -- as they produce a state-of-the-art 3D recording of the Temple of Isis in Philae, Egypt.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry
Published

New, exhaustive study probes hidden history of horses in the American West      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Indigenous peoples as far north as Wyoming and Idaho may have begun to care for horses by the first half of the 17th Century, according to a new study by researchers from 15 countries and multiple Native American groups.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Can AI predict how you'll vote in the next election?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Artificial intelligence technologies like ChatGPT are seemingly doing everything these days: writing code, composing music, and even creating images so realistic you'll think they were taken by professional photographers. Add thinking and responding like a human to the conga line of capabilities. A recent study proves that artificial intelligence can respond to complex survey questions just like a real human.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General
Published

Ancient DNA reveals Asian ancestry introduced to East Africa in early modern times      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The largest-yet analysis of ancient DNA in Africa, which includes the first ancient DNA recovered from members of the medieval Swahili civilization, has now broken the stalemate about the extent to which people from outside Africa contributed to Swahili culture and ancestry.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General
Published

Ancient African empires' impact on migration revealed by genetics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Traces of ancient empires that stretched across Africa remain in the DNA of people living on the continent, reveals a new genetics study.

Anthropology: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

A reconstruction of prehistoric temperatures for some of the oldest archaeological sites in North America      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists often look to the past for clues about how Earth's landscapes might shift under a changing climate, and for insight into the migrations of human communities through time. A new study offers both by providing, for the first time, a reconstruction of prehistoric temperatures for some of the first known North American settlements.

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

Preschoolers prefer to learn from a competent robot than an incompetent human      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers found that preschoolers prefer learning from what they perceive as a competent robot over an incompetent human. This study is the first to use both a human speaker and a robot to see if children deem social affiliation and similarity more important than competency when choosing which source to trust and learn from.

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

New in-home AI tool monitors the health of elderly residents      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Engineers are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and wireless technology to unobtrusively monitor elderly people in their living spaces and provide early detection of emerging health problems.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Energy: Technology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robot caterpillar demonstrates new approach to locomotion for soft robotics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have demonstrated a caterpillar-like soft robot that can move forward, backward and dip under narrow spaces. The caterpillar-bot's movement is driven by a novel pattern of silver nanowires that use heat to control the way the robot bends, allowing users to steer the robot in either direction.

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

Biodegradable artificial muscles: Going green in the field of soft robotics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have developed fully biodegradable, high-performance artificial muscles. Their research project marks another step towards green technology becoming a lasting trend in the field of soft robotics.