333 articles from WEDNESDAY 2.9.2020

Nasal swab followed by antibody test may catch incorrect Covid-19 diagnoses

Use of dual testing could help as swabs miss around 30%-50% of infections, say UK researchersCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTesting people twice for the coronavirus, with a nasal swab followed by an antibody finger prick test, would catch most of those people who fail to get the right Covid-19 diagnosis, researchers believe.Nose and throat swabs miss around 30% to...

Featured Session: Global Technology for Data in the Cloud

2020 has brought global disruption of societies, customer behavior, and economies. The businesses that survive and thrive will need to make fast, smart decisions about how to pivot in today’s world.  In this session, you’ll hear from Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec, global vice president for block and object storage at Amazon Web Services, about how those smart decisions will be...

Exclusive: Brazil Amazon fires likely worst in 10 years, August data incomplete, government researcher says

The official August data on the number of fires in Brazil's Amazon needs to be corrected and will likely show an increase over last year, meaning that blazes surged to a decade high, a scientist responsible for the figures told Reuters on Wednesday. Brazilian media has reported that fires in Brazil's section of the Amazon rainforest fell by 5% in August, citing data currently on the website of...

AI Advances and Applications

Is AI at an impasse? The growth of AI to date has been fueled by massive amounts of data and exponential gains in processing efficiency. But are these gains sustainable and if not, what is going to take us to the next level?  Join us virtually at EmTech MIT as we look at the status quo and the road ahead for AI. We’ll examine how today’s AI tools are being used to solve real-world...

Political ads have little persuasive power, study finds

Every four years, U.S. presidential campaigns collectively spend billions of dollars flooding TV screens across the country with political ads. But a new study shows that, regardless of content, context, or audience, those pricey commercials do little to persuade voters.

Asphalt adds to air pollution, especially on hot, sunny days

Asphalt is a near-ubiquitous substance -- it's found in roads, on roofs and in driveways -- but its chemical emissions rarely figure into urban air quality management plans. A new study finds that asphalt is a significant source of air pollutants in urban areas, especially on hot and sunny days.

Gamifying interventions may improve mental health

A new randomized control trial has found that turning mobile mental health intervention into a smartphone game can potentially improve well-being. The five-week study shows that gamifying the content of mobile interventions improved resilience, a key character trait that reduces the susceptibility to depression, stress, and anxiety.