Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geology
Published

Heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Episodes of heavy snowfall and rain likely contributed to a swarm of earthquakes over the past several years in northern Japan, researchers find. Their study shows climate conditions could initiate some earthquakes.

Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Pore pressure diffusion led to microseismicity at Illinois basin carbon sequestration site      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Pore pressure diffusion generated by carbon dioxide injected underground at a carbon storage site in the Illinois Basin is the likely cause of hundreds of microearthquakes that took place at the site between 2011 and 2012, according to a new analysis.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

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.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology
Published

Researchers show that slow-moving earthquakes are controlled by rock permeability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research group explores how the makeup of rocks, specifically their permeability -- or how easily fluids can flow through them -- affects the frequency and intensity of slow slip events. Slow slips' role in the earthquake cycle may help lead to a better model to predict when earthquakes happen.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Random robots are more reliable      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New algorithm encourages robots to move more randomly to collect more diverse data for learning. In tests, robots started with no knowledge and then learned and correctly performed tasks within a single attempt. New model could improve safety and practicality of self-driving cars, delivery drones and more.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
Published

This highly reflective black paint makes objects more visible to autonomous cars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Driving at night might be a scary challenge for a new driver, but with hours of practice it soon becomes second nature. For self-driving cars, however, practice may not be enough because the lidar sensors that often act as these vehicles' 'eyes' have difficulty detecting dark-colored objects. New research describes a highly reflective black paint that could help these cars see dark objects and make autonomous driving safer.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Geography
Published

Do earthquake hazard maps predict higher shaking than actually occurred?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team studied earthquake hazard maps from five countries and found that all the maps seemed to overpredict the historically observed earthquake shaking intensities. In analyzing the possible causes, the researchers discovered the issue was with the conversion equations used in comparing the maps predicting future quakes with actual shaking data, rather than systemic problems with the hazard modeling itself.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Zoology Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Trotting robots reveal emergence of animal gait transitions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A four-legged robot trained with machine learning has learned to avoid falls by spontaneously switching between walking, trotting, and pronking -- a milestone for roboticists as well as biologists interested in animal locomotion.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

The end of the quantum tunnel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Quantum mechanical effects such as radioactive decay, or more generally: 'tunneling', display intriguing mathematical patterns. Researchers now show that a 40-year-old mathematical discovery can be used to fully encode and understand this structure.

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

Why can't robots outrun animals?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Robotics engineers have worked for decades and invested many millions of research dollars in attempts to create a robot that can walk or run as well as an animal. And yet, it remains the case that many animals are capable of feats that would be impossible for robots that exist today.

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

Holographic displays offer a glimpse into an immersive future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have invented a new optical element that brings us one step closer to mixing the real and virtual worlds in an ordinary pair of eyeglasses using high-definition 3D holographic images.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Researchers show it's possible to teach old magnetic cilia new tricks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Magnetic cilia -- artificial hairs whose movement is powered by embedded magnetic particles -- have been around for a while, and are of interest for applications in soft robotics, transporting objects and mixing liquids. However, existing magnetic cilia move in a fixed way. Researchers have now demonstrated a technique for creating magnetic cilia that can be 'reprogrammed,' changing their magnetic properties at room temperature to change the motion of the cilia as needed.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Hey Dave, I've got an idea for you: What's the potential of AI-led workshopping?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Sure, ChatGPT can write a poem about your pet in the style of T.S Eliot, but generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have a potentially more useful role to play in idea generation according to a new study.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Geology
Published

Scientists trigger mini-earthquakes in the lab      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Earthquakes and landslides are famously difficult to predict and prepare for. By studying a miniature version of the ground in the lab, scientists have demonstrated how these events can be triggered by a small external shock wave. Bring a flotation device: it involves the ground briefly turning into a liquid!

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

How 3D printers can give robots a soft touch      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Soft skin coverings and touch sensors have emerged as a promising feature for robots that are both safer and more intuitive for human interaction, but they are expensive and difficult to make. A recent study demonstrates that soft skin pads doubling as sensors made from thermoplastic urethane can be efficiently manufactured using 3D printers.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes
Published

Rock permeability, microquakes link may be a boon for geothermal energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using machine learning, researchers have tied low-magnitude microearthquakes to the permeability of subsurface rocks beneath the Earth, a discovery that could have implications for improving geothermal energy transfer.