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

First hominin muscle reconstruction shows 3.2 million-year-old 'Lucy' could stand as erect as we can      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Digital modelling of legendary fossil's soft tissue suggests Australopithecus afarensis had powerful leg and pelvic muscles suited to tree dwelling, but knee muscles that allowed fully erect walking.

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.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geology Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Earth was created much faster than we thought: This makes the chance of finding other habitable planets in the Universe more likely      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Over the past decades, researchers thought Earth was created over a period of more than 100 million years. However, a new study from suggests that the creation of Earth was much more rapid, and that water and other essential ingredients for life were delivered to Earth very early on.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

The life below our feet: Team discovers microbes thriving in groundwater and producing oxygen in the dark      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A survey of groundwater samples drawn from aquifers beneath more than 80,000 square miles of Canadian prairie reveals ancient groundwaters harbor not only diverse and active microbial communities, but also unexpectedly large numbers of microbial cells. Strikingly, some of these microbes seem to produce 'dark oxygen' (in the absence of sunlight) in such abundance that the oxygen may nourish not only those microbes, but may leak into the environment and support other oxygen-reliant microbes that can't produce it themselves.

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.

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

Remains at Crenshaw site are local, ancestors of Caddo      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hundreds of human skulls and mandibles recovered from the Crenshaw site in southwest Arkansas are the remains of ancestors of the Caddo Nation and not foreign enemies, according to a new study.

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

The Viking disease can be due to gene variants inherited from Neanderthals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Many men in northern Europe over the age of 60 suffer from the so-called Viking disease, which means that the fingers lock in a bent position. Now researchers have used data from over 7,000 affected individuals to look for genetic risk factors for the disease. The findings show that three of the strongest risk factors are inherited from Neanderthals.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

First side-necked turtle ever discovered in UK      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The first side-necked turtle ever to be found in the UK has been discovered by an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologists.

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.

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

Lingering effects of Neanderthal DNA found in modern humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recent scientific discoveries have shown that Neanderthal genes comprise some 1 to 4% of the genome of present-day humans whose ancestors migrated out of Africa, but the question remained open on how much those genes are still actively influencing human traits -- until now.

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?

Archaeology: General Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: General
Published

New dino, 'Iani,' was face of a changing planet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A newly discovered plant-eating dinosaur may have been a species' 'last gasp' during a period when Earth's warming climate forced massive changes to global dinosaur populations.

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.