Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 10, 2024
Technological advancements like superfast levitating trains, long-range lossless power transmission, and faster MRI machines hinge on the development of materials that superconduct electricity at room temperature. Researchers have now published findings in the May 10 issue of Science that deepen our understanding of superconductivity in materials known as cuprates, which have confounded sc

London, UK (SPX) May 07, 2024
A new device developed at the University of Birmingham allows for the rapid production of nanomaterial libraries using eco-friendly mechanochemical methods. Dr. Jason Stafford, a researcher at the School of Engineering, designed the system to foster highly controlled reaction environments, streamlining the extensive time traditionally required for material production in labs. This be

Boston MA (SPX) May 10, 2024
Imagine a slime-like robot that can seamlessly change its shape to squeeze through narrow spaces, which could be deployed inside the human body to remove an unwanted item. While such a robot does not yet exist outside a laboratory, researchers are working to develop reconfigurable soft robots for applications in health care, wearable devices, and industrial systems. But how can one c

Washington (AFP) May 10, 2024
Experts have long warned about the threat posed by artificial intelligence going rogue - but a new research paper suggests it's already happening. Current AI systems, designed to be honest, have developed a troubling skill for deception, from tricking human players in online games of world conquest to hiring humans to solve "prove-you're-not-a-robot" tests, a team of scientists argue in the

Boston MA (SPX) May 11, 2024
Scientists often label cells with proteins that glow, allowing them to track the growth of a tumor, or measure changes in gene expression that occur as cells differentiate. While this technique works well in cells and some tissues of the body, it has been difficult to apply this technique to image structures deep within the brain, because the light scatters too much before it can be detect

London, UK (SPX) May 10, 2024
The prospect of interacting with digital avatars of deceased individuals, facilitated by advancements in artificial intelligence, poses potential psychological risks, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge. Researchers at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence have raised concerns about the emerging field of "digital afterlife," where AI-powered chatbots, known a

Princeton NJ (SPX) May 10, 2024
Not all magnets are the same. When we think of magnetism, we often think of magnets that stick to a refrigerator's door. For these types of magnets, the electronic interactions that give rise to magnetism have been understood for around a century, since the early days of quantum mechanics. But there are many different forms of magnetism in nature, and scientists are still discovering the mechani

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 02, 2024
In February and March 2024, the Manta Ray uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) prototype, developed by Northrop Grumman, underwent comprehensive in-water testing off Southern California's coast. The tests assessed the UUV's hydrodynamic performance, including submerged operations employing its various propulsion and steering modes such as buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces. "Our succe

Tallinn (AFP) May 8, 2024
Estonia on Wednesday summoned Russia's charge d'affaires over GPS interference, which the NATO member said was Russian "hybrid activity" that had disrupted civilian air traffic. Estonia and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania last month warned that widespread Russian GPS jamming increased the threat of an aviation accident. "Today we summoned (the) Russian charge d'affaires over GP

Washington (AFP) May 12, 2024
Auroras lit up skies across swaths of the planet for the second night in a row on Saturday, after already dazzling Earthlings from the United States to Tasmania to the Bahamas the day before. A powerful solar storm - which could continue into Sunday - has triggered spectacular celestial shows usually confined to the far northern reaches of the planet, hence their nickname of the "northern