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Categories: Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ecology: Animals
Published How risk-averse are humans when interacting with robots?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How do people like to interact with robots when navigating a crowded environment? And what algorithms should roboticists use to program robots to interact with humans? These are the questions that a team of mechanical engineers and computer scientists sought to answer in a recent study.
Published Wild plants and crops don't make great neighbors, research finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Native plants and non-native crops do not fare well in proximity to one another, attracting pests that spread diseases in both directions, according to two new studies.
Published AI Chatbots have shown they have an 'empathy gap' that children are likely to miss
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have frequently shown signs of an 'empathy gap' that puts young users at risk of distress or harm, raising the urgent need for 'child-safe AI', according to a new study. The research urges developers and policy actors to prioritize AI design that take greater account of children's needs. It provides evidence that children are particularly susceptible to treating chatbots as lifelike, quasi-human confidantes, and that their interactions with the technology can go awry when it fails to respond to their unique needs and vulnerabilities. The study links that gap in understanding to recent reports of cases in which interactions with AI led to potentially dangerous situations for young users.
Published Lion with nine lives breaks record with longest swim in predator-infested waters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A record-breaking swim by two lion brothers across a predator-infested African river has been documented in a new study. The researchers say the 1km swim is another example of iconic wildlife species having to make tough decisions to find homes and mates in a human-dominated world.
Published A new twist on artificial 'muscles' for safer, softer robots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have developed a new soft, flexible device that makes robots move by expanding and contracting -- just like a human muscle. To demonstrate their new device, called an actuator, the researchers used it to create a cylindrical, worm-like soft robot and an artificial bicep. In experiments, the cylindrical soft robot navigated the tight, hairpin curves of a narrow pipe-like environment, and the bicep was able to lift a 500-gram weight 5,000 times in a row without failing.
Published Wolves' return has had only small impact on deer populations in NE Washington
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wolves returned to Washington state in 2008. A new study shows that, despite their rising numbers, wolves are not having much of an impact on white-tailed deer, one of their primary prey. Scientists report that the biggest factor shaping white-tailed deer populations in northeast Washington is the quality of habitat available, which is largely determined by human activity. Cougars were second in their impact. Wolves were a distant third.
Published Tackling the challenge of coca plant ID: Wild vs cultivated for cocaine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new paper reveals that it's not as straightforward as it might seem. Despite decades of data collection by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which has been valuable to monitor changes in areas occupied by illegal coca plantations in South America, there is no reliable scientific method to distinguish between different types of coca plants.
Published Researchers listen to the hearts of bats in flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Unique recordings show that bats can ramp up heart rate from 6 to 900 b.p.m within minutes.
Published Global database reveals large gaps in our knowledge of four-footed animals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers developed TetrapodTraits -- a global database of animals with four feet -- which can now be applied for better ecology, evolution and conservation research.
Published First local extinction in the US due to sea level rise, study suggests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The United States has lost its only stand of the massive Key Largo tree cactus in what researchers believe is the first local extinction of a species caused by sea level rise in the country.
Published Cracking open a tasty menu for captive marsupials to sink their teeth into
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source From sifting through topsoil for native truffles to cracking open hard shells of seeds and nuts to munch on the tasty kernels, Australia bettongs and potoroos are described as 'ecosystem engineers' in a two-way relationship between their rich diet and environmental health. However, with native ecosystems and potoroid marsupial numbers in decline, ecology and evolution experts are working to understand how difficult it is to bite into the foods these leading foragers seek out.
Published Restored oyster sanctuaries host more marine life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Oysters sanctuaries in Chesapeake Bay are working for more than just oysters. Compared to nearby harvest areas, sanctuaries contain more abundant populations of oysters and other animal life--and the presence of two common parasites isn't preventing that.
Published Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolution trend
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The largest animals do not have proportionally bigger brains -- with humans bucking this trend -- a new study has revealed.
Published A genetic algorithm for phononic crystals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers tested phononic nanomaterials designed with an automated genetic algorithm that responded to light pulses with controlled vibrations. This work may help in the development of next-generation sensors and computer devices.
Published Blue and great tits deploy surprisingly powerful memories to find food
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Blue and great tits recall what they have eaten in the past, where they found the food and when they found it, a new study shows. In the first experiment of its kind to involve wild animals, blue and great tits demonstrated 'episodic-like' memory to cope with changes in food availability when foraging. The same study may suggest that humans leaving out seeds and nuts for garden birds could be contributing to the evolution of these memory traits.
Published Giant salamander-like creature was a top predator in the ice age before the dinosaurs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Meet Gaiasia jennyae, the swamp creature with a toilet seat-shaped head. It lived 40 million years before the first dinosaurs, and it was the top predator in its ecosystem.
Published Spotted apex predator being pressured by spotted pack hunters -- and it's our fault
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Leopards, who are already in decline, can't keep up with hyenas when people are around. As we humans move into the their territories more and more, we are helping to disturb and unbalance ecosystems. This has been shown in a new study where researchers used camera traps to observe both large carnivore species.
Published Ocean acidification turns fish off coral reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study of coral reefs in Papua New Guinea shows ocean acidification simplifies coral structure, making crucial habitat less appealing to certain fish species.
Published Genetic patterns of world's farmed, domesticated foxes revealed via historical deep-dive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Domesticated animals play a prominent role in our society, with two-thirds of American families enjoying the companionship of pets and many others relying on animal products for their nutritional needs. But the process of domestication remains a bit of a mystery.
Published New and improved camera inspired by the human eye
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Computer scientists have invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time.