Computer Science: General Mathematics: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

What do neurons, fireflies and dancing the Nutbush have in common?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

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.

Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Fiber from crustaceans, insects, mushrooms promotes digestion      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

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

Online AI-based test for Parkinson's disease severity shows promising results      (via sciencedaily.com) 

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.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Researchers grow embryonic humanized kidneys inside pigs for 28 days      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: General
Published

Fossil spines reveal deep sea's past      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Animals Ecology: Trees Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Human shoulders and elbows first evolved as brakes for climbing apes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Will it slip or will it grip: scientists ask, 'what is snail mucus?'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

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

An 'introspective' AI finds diversity improves performance      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An artificial intelligence with the ability to look inward and fine tune its own neural network performs better when it chooses diversity over lack of diversity, a new study finds. The resulting diverse neural networks were particularly effective at solving complex tasks.

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

New AI technology gives robot recognition skills a big lift      (via sciencedaily.com) 

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.

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

Tiny, shape-shifting robot can squish itself into tight spaces      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Imagine a robot that can wedge itself through the cracks in rubble to search for survivors trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed building. Engineers are working toward to that goal with CLARI, short for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Bat study reveals how the brain is wired for collective behavior      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

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.

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

Sensors harnessing light give hope in rehabilitation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team overcomes limitations of conventional strain sensors using computer vision integrated optical sensors.

Anthropology: General Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Zoology Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Three-eyed distant relative of insects and crustaceans reveals amazing detail of early animal evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists use cutting edge scanning technology to reconstruct 'fossil monster' that lived half a billion years ago. The creature's soft anatomy was well-preserved, allowing it to be imaged almost completely: It fills a gap in our understanding of the evolution of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Zoology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Curious and cryptic: New leaf insects discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or -- in the case of leaf insects -- leaves. This sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators as well as presenting a challenge to researchers. Genetic analysis enabled the researchers to discover 'cryptic species', which cannot be distinguished by their external appearance alone. The findings are not only important for the systematic study of leaf insects, but also for the protection of their diversity.

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

Brain signals transformed into speech through implants and AI      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have succeeded in transforming brain signals into audible speech. By decoding signals from the brain through a combination of implants and AI, they were able to predict the words people wanted to say with an accuracy of 92 to 100%.

Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Australian woman found with parasitic roundworm in her brain caught from carpet python      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The world's first case of a new parasitic infection in humans has been discovered by researchers who detected a live eight-centimeter roundworm from a carpet python in the brain of a 64- year-old Australian woman.

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

Pros and cons of ChatGPT plugin, Code Interpreter, in education, biology, health      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers see potential in educational settings for the newest official ChatGPT plugin, called Code Interpreter, they've found limitations for its use by scientists who work with biological data utilizing computational methods to prioritize targeted treatment for cancer and genetic disorders.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Move over pythons: These snakes are the real champion eaters      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Pythons have huge appetites, but which snake would win an eating contest? Surprisingly, it's a harmless little African snake that consumes eggs whole like an amuse-bouche.

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

AI helps robots manipulate objects with their whole bodies      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new AI technique enables a robot to develop complex plans for manipulating an object using its entire hand, not just fingertips. This model can generate effective plans in about a minute using a standard laptop.