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Hair-loss treatment found in cinnamon
Cinnamic acid, a component of Chinese cinnamon, promoted hair growth in the lab. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 27 – A component of the aromatic spice cinnamon caused hair follicles to sprout in the lab, with researchers now set on developing a …
NVIDIA to create AI ‘agents’ that outperform human nurses
NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered healthcare agents. NVIDIA/Hippocratic AI – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 25 – NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered ‘healthcare agents’ that have already been shown to outperform other large language models and …
Kuru: unravelling the mystery disease that left entire Papua New Guinean villages without women
A typical native village of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea in 1972. Photograph: Keystone Features/Getty Images Papua New Guinea New genetic analysis sheds light on the epidemic caused by the practice of mortuary feasting in the Eastern Highlands of PNG …
Why would Islamic State attack Russia and what does this mean for the terrorism threat globally?
Burning Crocus City Hall concert venue on evening of 2024 Mar 22. Courtesy of EPA/VASILY PRUDNIKOV – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation; Scholar-In-Residence Asia Society Australia, Deakin University Published: 2024 Mar 23 – …
Generative AI could leave users holding the bag for copyright violations
How can users of AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora video generator be sure they aren’t producing copyright-violating content? Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images – By Anjana Susarla, Professor of Information Systems, Michigan State University Published: 2024 Mar 22 – Generative artificial intelligence has …
Northrop Grumman wins DARPA contract for a railway on the Moon
The planned lunar railroad definitely won’t look as fanciful as this AI rendering. AI-generated by DALL-E – By David Szondy 2024 Mar 21 – In preparation for a permanent human colony on the Moon, DARPA has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman to develop …
ADHD medications deliver surprise bonus benefits
ADHD medications improve more than just the symptoms of the disorder. Depositphoto – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 20 – ADHD medications do more than alleviate the symptoms of the condition; they boost overall mental health by improving the symptoms of coexisting psychiatric conditions …
Omnidirectional tripedal robot scoots, shuffles and climbs
The SKOOTR bot gets around on three motorized legs, with a large freely rotating sphere providing additional stability. University of Michigan/Hung, Adu and Moore – By Paul Ridden 2024 Mar 19 – A small research group from the University of Michigan has developed a …
Fast, reliable test measures potency of psilocybin mushrooms
A new technique determines the potency of magic mushrooms. UTA – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 19 – Laws are opening up to support the use of medicinal psilocybin – and that requires new technology to ensure accurate, consistent dosing. Researchers have now developed …
Another common bacteria implicated in stomach cancer
A common, usually harmless bacteria caused stomach cancer in mice. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 18 – A common, usually harmless bacteria have a significant role in causing stomach cancer, a new study has found. It joins the better-known, at least in …
Next-gen AI software developer spawns and trains its own AIs
Cognition Labs has unveiled Devin, an extraordinary end-to-end software developing AI. Cognition Labs – By Loz Blain 2024 Mar 13 – It can autonomously plan and execute thousand-step tasks. It can build and deploy entire software projects all by itself. It can research and …
Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell
Eugene Debs, center, imprisoned at the Atlanta Federal Prison, was notified of his nomination for the presidency on the socialist ticket by a delegation of leading socialists who came from New York to Atlanta. George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images – By Thomas Doherty, …
How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology
Oregon’s Umpqua Dunes inspired the desert planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune.’ VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images – By Devin Griffiths, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Published: 2024 Mar 15 – “Dune,” …
Microbes stomp daffodils in creating valuable anti-Alzheimer’s drug
A microbial fermentation process proved better than daffodil extract at creating an important anti-dementia drug. AI generated by DALL-E – By Michael Franco 2024 Mar 15 – Using an AI-based approach, researchers found a better way to create the drug galantamine, commonly prescribed to …
Newly found monster Martian volcano might be hiding an icy secret
The newly discovered volcano has monster-sized company in the form of three other gigantic Martian volcanoes. Background image: NASA Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) digital elevation model. Geologic interpretation & annotations by Pascal Lee and Sourabh Shubham 2024 – View …
Transgenic cows boost human insulin production by 10X
Cash cows: Transgenic cattle could boost insulin production and lower its cost. Depositphotos. View 4 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 13 – A genetically modified cow has produced milk containing human insulin, according to a new study. The proof-of-concept achievement could be …
All-terrain teardrop micro-camper preps meals over Maxtrax boards
The Dropy camper launched last fall and is available now with many different options. Drop Campers. View 16 Images – By C.C. Weiss 2024 Mar 11 – A tailgate-free tear/squaredrop trailer built to escape city and suburb, the Dropy from Spain’s Drop Campers brings …
Video: 3D images of over 13,000 museum specimens now free to everyone
The openVertebrate (oVert) project allows free access to images of over 13,000 vertebrates. Florida Museum of Natural History View 7 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 10 – The completion of the openVertebrate (oVert) project is a significant milestone for natural history museums, …
Centuries after Christine de Pizan wrote a book railing against misogyny, Taylor Swift is building her own ‘City of Ladies’
An illustration from Christine de Pizan’s ‘The Book of the City of Ladies.’ Fine Art Images/Heritage Images via Getty Image – By Jill R. Fehleison, Professor of History and Interdisciplinary Studies, Quinnipiac University Published: 2024 Mar 08 – In her work, Taylor Swift …
5 blue-chip “digital age” collectible bargains the world missed
This article lists five of the most important bits of world history, let alone “digital age” history, that have sold for comparative “peanuts.” This is one of them – the first coin earned by the world gaming industry, retrieved from the first prototype …
Cancer vaccine for dogs almost doubles survival rates in clinical trial
Hunter, an 11-year-old golden retriever, has lived two years cancer-free after his treatment with Yale’s cancer vaccine for dogs. Deana Hudgins – By Michael Irving 2024 Mar 05 – The biggest tragedy of pet ownership is that they just don’t live long enough. Thankfully …
Solar panels in your eyeballs: Self-powered bionics are on the way
Tiny solar panels implanted into the eye may restore vision to people with incurable eye diseases. Original image from Depositphotos. View 4 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 06 – Implanting tiny solar panels into people’s eyeballs may sound like science fiction, but …
Magnetite pollution is damaging our brains and causing Alzheimer’s
A little-known and hard-to-filter pollutant has been linked to elevated Alzheimer’s risk. The only solution may be decarbonization. Depositphotos – By Rich Haridy 2024 Mar 06 – Air pollution in urban environments has long been associated with poor health. Breast cancer, immune dysfunction, osteoporosis, …
Oppenheimer’s Manhattan Project report goes to auction
The Manhattan_Project document is dated 1 July 1945 and entitled “Atomic Bombs: A General Account of the Development of Methods of Using Atomic Energy for Military Purposes Under the Auspices of the United States Government, 1940-1945.” It is signed by all the key …
Bizarre time crystal oscillates for an unprecedented 40 minutes
Scientists have created time crystals that last millions of times longer than previous versions. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Mar 04 – Time crystals are a strange state of matter with properties that sound impossible, but they have been created. Now, German scientists …
Pulling gold out of e-waste suddenly becomes super-profitable
Using a food industry byproduct, researchers have extracted 22-karat gold from old motherboards. AI-generated by DALL-E – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 03 – A new method for recovering high-purity gold from discarded electronics is paying back US$50 for every dollar spent, according to …
‘Bad’ cholesterol gene silenced without altering the DNA sequence
Epigenetic editing has been used to silence a cholesterol-regulating gene in mice. AI-generated by DALL-E – By Paul McClure 2024 Feb 28 – By silencing the gene responsible for regulating ‘bad’ cholesterol without altering the primary DNA sequence, researchers have shown that it’s possible …
UFO hotspots revealed in analysis of 100,000 sightings
One of the most famous photographs of an alleged UFO – though this one has been thoroughly debunked. National Archives, Records of Headquarters US Air Force – By Michael Irving 2024 Feb 28 – UFOs are having a bit of a renaissance lately, moving …
Electric Sheep’s jolly AI-powered garden bot edges, trims and blows
Electric Sheep will add the AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot to its automated outdoor maintenance solutions from Q2 2024. Electric Sheep Robotics – By Paul Ridden 2024 Feb 29 – Robotic garden helpers have been keeping lawns in trim for decades, but none are as …
Asteroid-redirecting DART probe made a splash slamming into Dimorphos
Simulation of the DART impact. Raducan et al. View 7 Images. – By David Szondy 2024 Feb 27 – When NASA’s DART deep space probe smashed into the asteroid Dimorphos, it didn’t leave a crater. Instead, there was a splash, where the asteroid was …
I SAID, HALF-INCH FISH COMMUNICATES AT 140 DECIBELS!!!
Scientists have identified a tiny fish with a “voice” as loud as a jet engine. AI generated by DALL-E – By Michael Irving 2024 Feb 27 – A tiny, newly-discovered minnow has measured louder than gunshots, jet engines or most competition-grade car stereos on …
First synthetic protein motor creates its own fuel as it ‘mows’
‘The Lawnmower’ is the first synthetic molecular motor that propels itself using the energy it harnesses when it cuts through proteins. AI-generated using DALL-E. – By Paul McClure 2024 Feb 27 – The body uses protein-based molecular motors to perform functions essential to life. …
Ultrathin, wireless, light-operated pacemaker cuts invasive surgery
Pengju Li, a researcher on the study, holds a prototype pacemaker that’s only 1 micrometer thick, and operated by light pulses. Jean Lachat – By Michael Irving 2024 Feb 26 – Scientists at the University of Chicago have developed a new pacemaker that’s thinner …
Fears of employee displacement as Amazon brings robots into warehouses
Digit, which can walk forwards, backwards and sideways and crouch, is 5ft 9in and carries up to 35lb. Photograph: Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images – Amazon Digit will begin its time on the floor by shifting empty tote boxes amid concerns humans will be shifted …
Forest Service warns of budget cuts ahead of a risky wildfire season – what that means for safety
Members of the Snake River Hotshot crew monitor a prescribed fire near Roberts, Idaho. Austin Catlin/BLM – By Camille Stevens-Rumann, Associate Professor of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University And by Jude Bayham, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State …
Early COVID-19 research is riddled with poor methods and low-quality results − a problem for science the pandemic worsened but didn’t create
The pandemic spurred an increase in COVID-19 research, much of it with methodological holes. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images – By Dennis M. Gorman, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University Published: 2024 Feb 23 – Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers …
What is Alaskapox? A microbiologist explains the recently discovered virus that just claimed its first fatality
Red-backed voles may be harboring Alaskapox. iNaturalist Ecuador, CC BY-NC-SA – By Raúl Rivas González, Catedrático de Microbiología. Miembro de la Sociedad Española de Microbiología, Universidad de Salamanca – Published: 2024 Feb 21 – Alaskapox, a virus in the same family as smallpox, …
ADHD linked to evolutionary success in ancient humans
It’s hypothesized that certain genetic ADHD traits may have benefited nomadic tribes by increasing exploratory behaviors. AI-generated by DALL-E – By Rich Haridy 2024 Feb 20 – While current diagnostic definitions of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are relatively new, the general condition has been …
Replacement brain cells, grown to order
Researchers created specific brain cells from stem cells using differently charged hydrogels. AI generated by DALL-E – By Paul McClure 2024 Feb 21 – Damaged brain tissue can be re-grown using a new method that lets researchers guide stem cells into exactly the type …
Bumpy solar cells could harvest up to 66% more energy
A new solar cell design consisting of “hemispheres” on the surface, like braille dots, could improve efficiency. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Feb 18 – Solar cell efficiency may get a bump from bumps. New research suggests that building tiny domes into the …
Hair-loss treatment found in cinnamon
Cinnamic acid, a component of Chinese cinnamon, promoted hair growth in the lab. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 27 – A component of the aromatic spice cinnamon caused hair follicles to sprout in the lab, with researchers now set on developing a …
NVIDIA to create AI ‘agents’ that outperform human nurses
NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered healthcare agents. NVIDIA/Hippocratic AI – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 25 – NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered ‘healthcare agents’ that have already been shown to outperform other large language models and …
Kuru: unravelling the mystery disease that left entire Papua New Guinean villages without women
A typical native village of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea in 1972. Photograph: Keystone Features/Getty Images Papua New Guinea New genetic analysis sheds light on the epidemic caused by the practice of mortuary feasting in the Eastern Highlands of PNG …
Why would Islamic State attack Russia and what does this mean for the terrorism threat globally?
Burning Crocus City Hall concert venue on evening of 2024 Mar 22. Courtesy of EPA/VASILY PRUDNIKOV – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation; Scholar-In-Residence Asia Society Australia, Deakin University Published: 2024 Mar 23 – …
Generative AI could leave users holding the bag for copyright violations
How can users of AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora video generator be sure they aren’t producing copyright-violating content? Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images – By Anjana Susarla, Professor of Information Systems, Michigan State University Published: 2024 Mar 22 – Generative artificial intelligence has …
Northrop Grumman wins DARPA contract for a railway on the Moon
The planned lunar railroad definitely won’t look as fanciful as this AI rendering. AI-generated by DALL-E – By David Szondy 2024 Mar 21 – In preparation for a permanent human colony on the Moon, DARPA has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman to develop …
ADHD medications deliver surprise bonus benefits
ADHD medications improve more than just the symptoms of the disorder. Depositphoto – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 20 – ADHD medications do more than alleviate the symptoms of the condition; they boost overall mental health by improving the symptoms of coexisting psychiatric conditions …
Omnidirectional tripedal robot scoots, shuffles and climbs
The SKOOTR bot gets around on three motorized legs, with a large freely rotating sphere providing additional stability. University of Michigan/Hung, Adu and Moore – By Paul Ridden 2024 Mar 19 – A small research group from the University of Michigan has developed a …
Fast, reliable test measures potency of psilocybin mushrooms
A new technique determines the potency of magic mushrooms. UTA – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 19 – Laws are opening up to support the use of medicinal psilocybin – and that requires new technology to ensure accurate, consistent dosing. Researchers have now developed …
Another common bacteria implicated in stomach cancer
A common, usually harmless bacteria caused stomach cancer in mice. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 18 – A common, usually harmless bacteria have a significant role in causing stomach cancer, a new study has found. It joins the better-known, at least in …