Archaeology: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate
Published

Climate change likely led to violence in early Andean populations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Climate change in current times has created problems for humans such as wildfires and reduced growing seasons for staple crops, spilling over into economic effects. Many researchers predict, and have observed in published literature, an increase in interpersonal violence and homicides when temperatures increase. Violence during climatic change has evidence in history, anthropology researchers say.

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

AI helps show how the brain's fluids flow      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new, AI-based technique for measuring fluid flow in the brain could lead to treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's.

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

Hybrid AI-powered computer vision combines physics and big data      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have laid out a new approach to enhance artificial intelligence-powered computer vision technologies by adding physics-based awareness to data-driven techniques. The study offered an overview of a hybrid methodology designed to improve how AI-based machinery sense, interact and respond to its environment in real time -- as in how autonomous vehicles move and maneuver, or how robots use the improved technology to carry out precision actions.

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

Four-legged robot traverses tricky terrains thanks to improved 3D vision      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new model that trains four-legged robots to see more clearly in 3D. The advance enabled a robot to autonomously cross challenging terrain with ease -- including stairs, rocky ground and gap-filled paths -- while clearing obstacles in its way.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

The chatbot will see you now      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Results from a study of the use of a chatbot in the consent process show that it encourages inclusivity, and leads to faster completion and high levels of understanding. Whereas the traditional method of consenting does not have a mechanism to verify understanding objectively, the chat-based method can test comprehension. It does not allow users who do not show understanding to give consent; rather, it puts them in touch with a genetic counsellor to figure out why knowledge transmission did not occur. It could be accessed at any time; more than half the patients interacted with the bot during these times, and this shows its utility in decreasing the barriers to entry to trials.

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

Mori3: A polygon shape-shifting robot for space travel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

By combining inspiration from the digital world of polygon meshing and the biological world of swarm behavior, the Mori3 robot can morph from 2D triangles into almost any 3D object. The research shows the promise of modular robotics for space travel.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

MethaneMapper is poised to solve the problem of underreported methane emissions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

MethaneMapper is an artificial intelligence-powered hyperspectral imaging tool that researchers have developed to detect real-time methane emissions and trace them to their sources. The tool works by processing hyperspectral data gathered during overhead, airborne scans of the target area.

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

Greenhouse gas emissions at 'an all-time high' -- and it is causing an unprecedented rate of global warming, say scientists      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human-induced warming, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels, reached an average of 1.14°C for the most recent decade (2013 to 2022) above pre-industrial levels. This is up from 1.07°C between 2010 and 2019. Human-induced warming is now increasing at a pace of over 0.2°C per decade. The analysis also found that greenhouse gas emissions were 'at an all-time high', with human activity resulting in the equivalent of 54 (+/-5.3) gigatonnes (or billion metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere on average every year over the last decade (2012-2021). Given the speed at which the global climate system is changing, the scientists argue that policymakers, climate negotiators and civil society groups need to have access to up-to-date and robust scientific evidence on which to base decisions.

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

Chatgpt designs a robot      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Poems, essays and even books -- is there anything the OpenAI platform ChatGPT can't handle? These new AI developments have inspired researchers to dig a little deeper: For instance, can ChatGPT also design a robot? And is this a good thing for the design process, or are there risks?

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Energy: Technology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New superconducting diode could improve performance of quantum computers and artificial intelligence      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team has developed a more energy-efficient, tunable superconducting diode -- a promising component for future electronic devices -- that could help scale up quantum computers for industry and improve artificial intelligence systems.

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

Shining a light on neuromorphic computing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

AI, machine learning, and ChatGPT may be relatively new buzzwords in the public domain, but developing a computer that functions like the human brain and nervous system -- both hardware and software combined -- has been a decades-long challenge. Engineers are exploring how optical "memristors" may be a key to developing neuromorphic computing.

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

Quantum computers are better at guessing, new study demonstrates      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated a quantum speedup over the most efficient classical computer algorithm possible for what is believed to be the first time.  The accomplishment was performed on an IBM Montreal Quantum Falcon r4 27-qubit device.

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

New method improves efficiency of 'vision transformer' AI systems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Vision transformers (ViTs) are powerful artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that can identify or categorize objects in images -- however, there are significant challenges related to both computing power requirements and decision-making transparency. Researchers have now developed a new methodology that addresses both challenges, while also improving the ViT's ability to identify, classify and segment objects in images.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

The clams that fell behind, and what they can tell us about evolution and extinction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study examined how bivalves -- the group that includes clams, mussels, scallops, and oysters -- evolved among many others in the period of rapid evolution known as the Cambrian Explosion. The team found that though many other lineages burst into action and quickly evolved a wide variety of forms and functions, the bivalves lagged behind. The study has implications for how we understand evolution and the impact of extinctions.

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

Robot centipedes go for a walk      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers show how their multilegged walking robot can be steered by inducing a dynamic instability. By making the couplings between segments more flexible, the robot changes from walking straight to moving in a curved path. This work can lead to more energy-efficient and reliable robotic navigation of terrain.

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

Effective as a collective: Researchers investigate the swarming behavior of microrobots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Miniaturization is progressing rapidly in just any field and the trend towards the creation of ever smaller units is also prevalent in the world of robot technology. In the future, minuscule robots used in medical and pharmaceutical applications might be able to transport medication to targeted sites in the body. Statistical physics can contribute to the foundations for the development of such technologies.

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

Robots and Rights: Confucianism Offers Alternative      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As robots assume more roles in the world, a new analysis reviewed research on robot rights, concluding that granting rights to robots is a bad idea. Instead, the article looks to Confucianism to offer an alternative.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Volcanoes Paleontology: Climate
Published

Extinct offshore volcano could store gigatons of carbon dioxide      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study concludes that an extinct volcano off the shore of Portugal could store as much as 1.2-8.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of ~24-125 years of the country's industrial emissions. For context, in 2022 a total of 42.6 megatons (0.0426 gigatons) of carbon dioxide was removed from the atmosphere by international carbon capture and storage efforts, according to the Global CCS Institute. The new study suggests that carbon capture and storage in offshore underwater volcanoes could be a promising new direction for removal and storage of much larger volumes of the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.