Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

AI systems are already skilled at deceiving and manipulating humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Many artificial intelligence (AI) systems have already learned how to deceive humans, even systems that have been trained to be helpful and honest. Researchers describe the risks of deception by AI systems and call for governments to develop strong regulations to address this issue as soon as possible.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
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Good vibrations: New tech may lead to smaller, more powerful wireless devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What if your earbuds could do everything your smartphone can, but better? A new class of synthetic materials could allow for smaller devices that use less power.

Ecology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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Transformation of ocean management is underway      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Despite its benefits and recognition as a keystone practice of ocean stewardship and conservation, adoption of ecosystem-based management has been slow to take hold. To support this change in ocean management, a group of researchers and practitioners investigated the global progress of marine EBM initiatives.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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Ocean biodiversity work needs improvement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international collaboration says the world's largest marine protected areas aren't collectively delivering the biodiversity benefits they could be because of slow implementation of management strategies and a failure to restrict the most impactful human activities.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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A better way to control shape-shifting soft robots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new machine-learning technique can train and control a reconfigurable soft robot that can dynamically change its shape to complete a task. The researchers also built a simulator that can evaluate control algorithms for shape-shifting soft robots.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Generative AI that imitates human motion      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Walking and running is notoriously difficult to recreate in robots. Now, a group of researchers has overcome some of these challenges by creating an innovative method that employs central pattern generators -- neural circuits located in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic patterns of muscle activity -- with deep reinforcement learning. The method not only imitates walking and running motions but also generates movements for frequencies where motion data is absent, enables smooth transition movements from walking to running, and allows for adapting to environments with unstable surfaces.

Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has looked into the potential effects of increased rainfall in regions being earmarked for expansion of temperate rainforests. Amid global calls for more trees to be planted as part of efforts to combat climate change, this study highlights the importance of factoring in soil conditions when looking at where and how to create the temperate rainforests of the future.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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'Digital afterlife': Call for safeguards to prevent unwanted 'hauntings' by AI chatbots of dead loved ones      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers lay out the need for design safety protocols that prevent the emerging 'digital afterlife industry' causing social and psychological harm.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
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Human activity is making it harder for scientists to interpret oceans' past      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research shows human activity is significantly altering the ways in which marine organisms are preserved, with lasting effects that can both improve and impair the fossil record.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Climate resilience strategies in urban, rural areas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Local decision-makers looking for ways to reduce the impact of heat waves on their communities have a valuable new capability at their disposal: a new study on vegetation resilience. Scientists completed a study of how well vegetation survived extreme heat events in both urban and rural communities across the country in recent years. The analysis informs pathways for climate mitigation, including ways to reduce the effect of urban heat islands.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Stilling the quantum dance of atoms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a way to stop the quantum dance of atoms 'seen' by electrons in carbon-based organic molecules. This development will help improve the performance of light emitting molecules used in displays and bio-medical imaging.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General
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Scientists find ancient, endangered lamprey fish in Queensland, 1400 km north of its previous known range      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have confirmed the identity of an unusual, ancient and Endangered species of fish that is living in the coastal rivers of Queensland, about 1400 km north of where it was previously known to live.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Limited adaptability makes freshwater bacteria vulnerable to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from European lakes, researchers uncovered specific evolutionary strategies that shape these bacteria's lifestyles. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of aquatic microbial communities is key to safeguarding ecosystem services.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Caterbot? Robatapillar? It crawls with ease through loops and bends      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers created a catapillar-shaped robot that splits into segments and reassembles, hauls cargo, and crawls through twisting courses.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Oceanography
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Stony coral tissue loss disease is shifting the ecological balance of Caribbean reefs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study shows stony coral tissue loss disease is causing drastic changes in the Caribbean's population of corals, which is sure to disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and threaten marine biodiversity and coastal economies.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
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Stretchable e-skin could give robots human-level touch sensitivity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A stretchy electronic skin could equip robots and other devices with the same softness and touch sensitivity as human skin, opening up new possibilities to perform tasks that require a great deal of precision and control of force.

Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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For microscopic organisms, ocean currents act as 'expressway' to deeper depths      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some of the ocean's tiniest organisms get swept into underwater currents that act as a conduit that shuttles them from the sunny surface to deeper, darker depths where they play a huge role in affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystem, according to new research.