Science

In a Manhattan sushi bar, a bold experiment unfolded as high-profile guests sampled foie gras crafted from quail cells grown in a bioreactor. (Source: wired.com ) Yes, that's right - biogenetically engineered meat used for human consumption. 'Sounds ... delicious,' you say? Keep reading. The event, hosted by Australian cultivated meat company Vow and curated by renowned chef Masa Takayama, marked the launch of a product pitched as a luxury alternative to traditional foie gras. But beneath the glamour and culinary innovation lies a deeper question: is cultivated meat a revolutionary solution--or a ... (view more)

A supercomputer that can process data in the same way and at the same speed as a human will be operational next year. It's a claim that's far more impressive than it might sound. Unlike most supercomputers, DeepSouth's main purpose is to help ... scientists understand more about how the brain operates as a "low power device". While even the most basic computers can carry out calculations extremely quickly (and far faster than a human), they can't operate in the same way. In simple terms, that's because a single computer processor can only do one thing at a time. A brain uses a network of neurons ... (view more)

Researchers say smartwatches could predict people getting Parkinson's disease up to seven years before they developed symptoms. The next steps could be as much an ethical challenge as a technical one. The finding came from researchers who looked at ... data from the UK's Biobank project. That's a database that tracks anonymized health data from half a million volunteers. The idea is that the sheer amount of data makes it easier to spot patterns and connections between different health factors and conditions. As part of the project, just over 100,000 people agreed to wear a smart watch for a seven ... (view more)

A period of increased risk to communication and the Internet could hit earlier than expected. The dangers of a solar storm are genuine, though one expert says she regrets using the term "Internet apocalypse." The risk is that intense solar activity ... could increase the levels of electromagnetic radiation hitting the Earth's atmosphere. That could damage Internet infrastructure such as undersea cables. The risk increases during a period called "solar maximum" where the sun's magnetic field reverses. During this process, the magnetic field around the sun becomes inconsistent, leading to ... (view more)

A startup company called Energy Vault is developing a system that uses gravity to store renewable energy generated by wind and solar panels. The system works by hoisting hundreds of large 24-ton bricks made of compressed dirt up the side of a ... building. It hoists the gigantic brick batteries using energy previously generated by solar panels or wind turbines, then stores them inside the structure. (Source: cnet.com ) When power is needed, the bricks are lowered, spinning electrical power generators in the process. The bricks are abundant and cheap to make, and replace the need to purchase ... (view more)

Is it possible to reverse aging in human beings - or at least, slow down the aging process? American entrepreneur and investor Bryan Johnson seems to think so. Johnson is the founder of Kernel, a startup that develops brain-machine interfaces and ... other neuroscience technologies. Prior to founding Kernel, he founded Braintree, a payments company that was later acquired by PayPal for $800 million. $2 Million Regimen Consists of Diet, Exercise and Rigorous Testing Johnson recently made headlines for his unusual approach to aging, which involves adhering to a strict diet and exercise regimen, as ... (view more)

Human brain cells could power computers of the future, according to a new study. Researchers say they've already seen a bunch of brain cells in a petri dish learn to play the old video game Pong. The bizarre-sounding concept already has a name: ... organoid intelligence, or OI for short. It's already prompted questions about the ethics involved. While the concept sounds pretty disturbing, the reality wouldn't be quite as unsettling as it might seem. There's no suggestion we'll be sticking human skulls inside the desktop computer in our living room. Instead, the idea is that brain cells, generated ... (view more)

How can businesses use artificial intelligence (AI) effectively? Undoubtedly, the most widely used application is virtual assistants such as Alexa or Google whereby the customer can speak to a smartphone or listening device and have the action ... interpreted and carried out. Another great example is the use of Chatbots; these are parts of artificial intelligence designed to help customers resolve common issues while interacting with a website - including performing standard operations like money transfers, for example. Apart from that, BPOs are using AI . Business process outsourcing (BPO) is ... (view more)

Android phones could help make weather forecasts more accurate under a new project. The problem is its hard to see much incentive for people to take part. Although some high-end smartphones have sensors for temperature or air pressures, they aren't ... needed for this project. Instead its all about the signal strength and satellite navigation data. The project, dubbed Camaliot, is the work of the European Space Agency, though it's looking for participants from all over the world as this will make the results more useful. (Source: androidpolice.com ) Water Vapor The Key The idea is to collect data ... (view more)

Samsung is working on TV sets that viewers can control with their brains. It's aimed more at people with disabilities than it is the average lazy viewer. "Project Pontis" research is being conducted with the help of the Center of Neuroprosthetics at ... Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. The initial aim is for users to be able to change channels and control volume without using a remote control. Some sets and remotes do already allow voice commands, so this is both an alternative for disabled users in general, and a solution for people whose disabilities prevent ... (view more)