SciTech Digest - 14/2017.
SciTech Digest - 14/2017.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/04/stretchy-neural-implants-blackest.html
Stretchy neural implants, Blackest blacker black, First rocket re-use, Human teaching for AIs, Boosting DNA repair, Better solar cells, RNA zika vaccine, Colloidal crystal proof, Smallest polymer features, Bitcoin botnet protocol.
1. Stretchy Neural Implants
A rubber-like flexible polymer fiber functions as an effective neural implant for forming both optical and electrical connections with neurons for stimulation and recording, and which has mechanical properties compatible with tissues http://news.mit.edu/2017/stretching-boundaries-neural-implants-0331.
2. Blackest Blacker than Black Material
A spray-on form of Vantablack has been developed, which despite not being quite as black and only blocking 99.8% of all light (instead of 99.96%), it can be used to coat just about any object to make it appear like a two-dimensional hole http://www.sciencealert.com/this-object-has-been-sprayed-with-the-world-s-blackest-pigment-and-it-s-freaking-us-out. Vantablack achieves this by comprising a tangled forest of 20nm carbon nanotubes that absorbs all light.
3. First Re-Use of SpaceX Booster
SpaceX successfully re-launched a rocket booster that had been previously recovered from a successful barge landing after its first launch; after delivering its payload to orbit the rocket was again recovered via a barge landing http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39451401.
4. Teaching Virtual Agents Like Humans
Baidu’s AI group successfully taught a virtual AI agent to navigate a simply environment in a similar manner to how humans are taught things; using natural language commands through positive and negative reinforcement and instilling a zero-shot learning ability and a basic sense of grammar https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/30/baidus-ai-team-taught-a-virtual-agent-just-like-a-human-would-their-baby/?ncid=rss. In related news deep neural networks can now transfer the style of one photo to another http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/30/15124466/ai-photo-style-transfer-deep-neural-nets-adobe.
5. Boosting DNA Repair to Slow & Reverse Aging
The NAD signalling molecule has been revealed as a key regulator of DNA repair enzymes, which was demonstrated in mice treated with NAD to mitigate both age-related and radiation-induced DNA damage http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/03/harvard-scientists-pinpoint-critical-step-in-dna-repair-cellular-aging/. Human trials are expected later this year.
6. Better Solar Cells
First, copper oxide on silicon solar cells are projected to reach 40% energy efficiency; watch this space http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/a-copper-oxide-solar-cells-on-top-of.html. Second, commercial plants look set to begin producing spray-on solar cells next year http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/pilot-commercial-plants-for-spray-on.html.
7. RNA Zika Vaccine
A programmable mRNA vaccine that encodes Zika virus proteins packaged in virus-sized dendrimer nanoparticles that can enter cells appears to produce a strong and effective immune response against the Zika virus http://news.mit.edu/2017/rna-nanoparticles-zika-vaccine-0329.
8. Prove Mermin-Wegner Fluctuations
A model colloidal system has provided a proof of the Mermin-Wegner theorem that states it is impossible for long-range ordering and crystal formation of particles in lower (one- and two-) dimensional atomic structures https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/university/news-and-media/current-announcements/news/news-in-detail/das-anwachsende-ende-der-ordnung/. The positions of particles naturally deviate from perfect lattice sites.
9. Smallest Ever Polymer Features
New techniques with block copolymers facilitate controlled fabrication of sub-10 nanometer features including the complex patterning required for chips http://news.mit.edu/2017/self-assembly-smaller-microchip-patterns-0327.
10. Bitcoin Botnet Internet of Things Protocol
NeuroMesh claims to have developed a bitcoin-based “unhackable” botnet product intended to support security applications for internet-of-things devices and protocols http://www.coindesk.com/this-bitcoin-botnet-is-vying-to-be-future-of-secure-iot/.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/04/stretchy-neural-implants-blackest.html
Stretchy neural implants, Blackest blacker black, First rocket re-use, Human teaching for AIs, Boosting DNA repair, Better solar cells, RNA zika vaccine, Colloidal crystal proof, Smallest polymer features, Bitcoin botnet protocol.
1. Stretchy Neural Implants
A rubber-like flexible polymer fiber functions as an effective neural implant for forming both optical and electrical connections with neurons for stimulation and recording, and which has mechanical properties compatible with tissues http://news.mit.edu/2017/stretching-boundaries-neural-implants-0331.
2. Blackest Blacker than Black Material
A spray-on form of Vantablack has been developed, which despite not being quite as black and only blocking 99.8% of all light (instead of 99.96%), it can be used to coat just about any object to make it appear like a two-dimensional hole http://www.sciencealert.com/this-object-has-been-sprayed-with-the-world-s-blackest-pigment-and-it-s-freaking-us-out. Vantablack achieves this by comprising a tangled forest of 20nm carbon nanotubes that absorbs all light.
3. First Re-Use of SpaceX Booster
SpaceX successfully re-launched a rocket booster that had been previously recovered from a successful barge landing after its first launch; after delivering its payload to orbit the rocket was again recovered via a barge landing http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39451401.
4. Teaching Virtual Agents Like Humans
Baidu’s AI group successfully taught a virtual AI agent to navigate a simply environment in a similar manner to how humans are taught things; using natural language commands through positive and negative reinforcement and instilling a zero-shot learning ability and a basic sense of grammar https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/30/baidus-ai-team-taught-a-virtual-agent-just-like-a-human-would-their-baby/?ncid=rss. In related news deep neural networks can now transfer the style of one photo to another http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/30/15124466/ai-photo-style-transfer-deep-neural-nets-adobe.
5. Boosting DNA Repair to Slow & Reverse Aging
The NAD signalling molecule has been revealed as a key regulator of DNA repair enzymes, which was demonstrated in mice treated with NAD to mitigate both age-related and radiation-induced DNA damage http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/03/harvard-scientists-pinpoint-critical-step-in-dna-repair-cellular-aging/. Human trials are expected later this year.
6. Better Solar Cells
First, copper oxide on silicon solar cells are projected to reach 40% energy efficiency; watch this space http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/a-copper-oxide-solar-cells-on-top-of.html. Second, commercial plants look set to begin producing spray-on solar cells next year http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/pilot-commercial-plants-for-spray-on.html.
7. RNA Zika Vaccine
A programmable mRNA vaccine that encodes Zika virus proteins packaged in virus-sized dendrimer nanoparticles that can enter cells appears to produce a strong and effective immune response against the Zika virus http://news.mit.edu/2017/rna-nanoparticles-zika-vaccine-0329.
8. Prove Mermin-Wegner Fluctuations
A model colloidal system has provided a proof of the Mermin-Wegner theorem that states it is impossible for long-range ordering and crystal formation of particles in lower (one- and two-) dimensional atomic structures https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/university/news-and-media/current-announcements/news/news-in-detail/das-anwachsende-ende-der-ordnung/. The positions of particles naturally deviate from perfect lattice sites.
9. Smallest Ever Polymer Features
New techniques with block copolymers facilitate controlled fabrication of sub-10 nanometer features including the complex patterning required for chips http://news.mit.edu/2017/self-assembly-smaller-microchip-patterns-0327.
10. Bitcoin Botnet Internet of Things Protocol
NeuroMesh claims to have developed a bitcoin-based “unhackable” botnet product intended to support security applications for internet-of-things devices and protocols http://www.coindesk.com/this-bitcoin-botnet-is-vying-to-be-future-of-secure-iot/.
SciTech Tip Jar: http://www.scitechdigest.net/p/donate.html
Comments
Post a Comment