Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Wearables capture body sounds to continuously monitor health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

From heart beats to stomach gurgles, sounds hold important health information. New wireless devices sit on skin to continuously capture these sounds, then stream data to smartphones or tablets in real time. In pilot studies, devices accurately tracked sounds associated with cardiorespiratory function, gastrointestinal activity, swallowing and respiration. The devices are particularly valuable for premature babies, who can experience apneas and gastrointestinal complications, which are accompanied by sounds.

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

Realistic talking faces created from only an audio clip and a person's photo      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers has developed a computer program that creates realistic videos that reflect the facial expressions and head movements of the person speaking, only requiring an audio clip and a face photo.   DIverse yet Realistic Facial Animations, or DIRFA, is an artificial intelligence-based program that takes audio and a photo and produces a 3D video showing the person demonstrating realistic and consistent facial animations synchronised with the spoken audio (see videos).

Biology: Botany Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Plants that survived dinosaur extinction pulled nitrogen from air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ancient cycad lineages that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs may have done so by relying on symbiotic bacteria in their roots to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The finding came from an effort to understand ancient atmospheres, but became an insight into plant evolution instead.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Hemp cannabinoids may have evolved to deter insect pests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Cannabinoids, naturally occurring compounds found in hemp plants, may have evolved to deter pests from chewing on them, according to new research that showed higher cannabinoid concentrations in hemp leaves led to proportionately less damage from insect larvae.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Genetic discovery promises high-iron vegetables and cereals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A genetic breakthrough has opened new opportunities for iron-fortified vegetables and cereal crops to help address the global health issue of anemia.

Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Printed robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. The new technology makes it possible to 3D print special plastics with elastic qualities in one go. This opens up completely new possibilities for the production of soft robotic structures.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature
Published

New deep learning AI tool helps ecologists monitor rare birds through their songs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new deep learning AI tool that generates life-like birdsongs to train bird identification tools, helping ecologists to monitor rare species in the wild.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Geography
Published

Non-native species likely to continue spreading in North America, Australia and Europe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Naturalized species, which are not native but have established themselves in new locations, have the potential to spread even further to suitable habitats in many parts of the world, reports a new study.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

When we feel things that are not there      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The discovery of the phantom touch illusion provides insights into human perception and opens up new perspectives for interaction with virtual reality technology.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Research provides crucial insights into moss growth under elevated CO2 levels that may benefit climate change models      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Approximately 12,000 species of mosses exist and cover close to four million square miles of earth, equivalent to the size of Canada, and are ecologically and evolutionarily important. Mosses play an essential role in rainwater retention, decreasing plant pathogens and increasing carbon sequestration in soil, thus improving the overall soil health. Mosses also protect long-term carbon storage systems, such as bogs and permafrost. 

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

A tale of two proteins: Fundamental research could make growing better crops like clockwork      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Rhomboid-like protein 10, or RBL10, is thought to be an enzyme that degrades other proteins in the chloroplast membrane, but its function is largely unknown. Researchers are studying how RBL10 affects photosynthetic membrane lipid metabolism, an essential process in photosynthesis.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New study indicates C4 crops less sensitive to ozone pollution than C3 crops      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have studied the effects of elevated O3 on five C3 crops (chickpea, rice, snap bean, soybean, wheat) and four C4 crops (sorghum, maize, Miscanthus × giganteus, switchgrass). Their findings indicate that C4 crops are much more tolerant of high O3 concentrations than C3 crops.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

How to use AI for discovery -- without leading science astray      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In the same way that chatbots sometimes 'hallucinate,' or make things up, machine learning models designed for scientific applications can sometimes present misleading or downright false results. Researchers now present a new statistical technique for safely using AI predictions to test scientific hypotheses.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

New AI noise-canceling headphone technology lets wearers pick which sounds they hear      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed deep-learning algorithms that let users pick which sounds filter through their headphones in real time. Either through voice commands or a smartphone app, headphone wearers can select which sounds they want to include from 20 classes, such as sirens, baby cries, speech, vacuum cleaners and bird chirps.

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

How human faces can teach androids to smile      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team used 125 physical markers to understand the detailed mechanics of 44 different human facial motions. The aim was to better understand how to convey emotions with artificial faces. Beyond helping with the design of robots and androids, this research can also benefit computer graphics, facial recognition, and medical diagnoses.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Identifying a silicon transporter to improve the yield of rice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers identify a membrane transporter in rice that regulates the accumulation and localization of silicon in the leaves.