181 articles from THURSDAY 5.5.2022

Researchers investigate quantum network solutions, by ground and by air

While quantum computers represent a revolution in computation, they can't communicate with each other the way regular computers can—over the internet. If quantum computers could be connected through a quantum network, they could facilitate perfectly secure communication between more than two parties or combine computing power to solve much harder problems than one quantum computer could do...

New shape memory alloy discovered through artificial intelligence framework

Researchers from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University have used an Artificial Intelligence Materials Selection framework (AIMS) to discover a new shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy showed the highest efficiency during operation achieved thus far for nickel-titanium-based materials. In addition, their data-driven framework offers proof of concept for...

Cell division in moss and animals more similar than previously thought

For a new plant to grow from a seed, cells need to divide numerous times. Daughter cells can each take on different tasks and sometimes vary in size. How plants determine the plane of cell division in this process, known as mitosis, is currently being researched. Working with Physcomitrella -- a moss plant, they have now identified how the mitotic apparatus is localized in the plant cell: "Using...

A surging glow in a distant galaxy could change the way we look at black holes

Something strange is afoot in the galaxy known as 1ES 1927+654: In late 2017, and for reasons that scientists couldn't explain, the supermassive black hole sitting at the heart of this galaxy underwent a massive identity crisis. Over a span of months, the already-bright object, which is so luminous that it belongs to a class of black holes known as active galactic nuclei (AGN), suddenly grew a lot...

From Weather Forecasting to Climate Change, NASA’s AIRS Builds a Legacy

Portal origin URL: From Weather Forecasting to Climate Change, NASA’s AIRS Builds a LegacyPortal origin nid: 479397Published: Thursday, May 5, 2022 - 14:58Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder helps researchers predict weather, analyze air pollution, monitor volcanoes, and track a changing climate. And there’s...

How our brains influence language change

Our language is changing constantly. Researchers of the University of Vienna found that, over centuries, frequently occurring speech sound patterns get even more frequent. The reason for this development is that our brain can perceive, process and learn frequent, and thus prototypical sound patterns more easily than less frequent ones. The results of the study were published in the journal...

Misperceptions can threaten scientific advancement

Misperceptions of marginalized and disadvantaged communities' level of concern regarding COVID-19, as well as other issues such as climate change, constitutes a form of social misinformation that may undermine cooperation and trust needed to address collective problems, according to new Cornell-led research.

Single photon emitter takes a step closer to quantum tech

To get closer to quantum technology we need to develop non-classical light sources that can emit a single photon at a time and do so on demand. Scientists at EPFL have now designed one of these "single photon emitters" that can work at room temperature and is based on quantum dots grown on cost-effective silicon substrates.

New research on Pacific climate pattern may lead to improved cyclone forecasting

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the climate pattern involving warming or cooling sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, has immense influence on the formation of tropical cyclones globally. A new study involving Florida Tech shows that in the Bay of Bengal, that influence is geographically confined, a discovery that should help extend the lead time of seasonal predictions for cyclones that...

Heart attack mortality rate higher in the US compared to other high-income countries

When it comes to treating heart attacks, U.S. hospitals may have the latest tech and low readmission rates, but the country's mortality rate is one of the highest among the nations included in a new study. The study found substantial differences in care for heart attack patients across six high income countries despite international agreement on how heart attacks should be treated.

Breaking the shield that protects pancreatic cancer from immunotherapy

Scar-like cells that make up a sizable portion of malignant pancreatic tumors and shield these cancers from immune attack are derived from mesothelial cells that line tissues and organs, a new study suggests. The findings could offer a new strategy to fight pancreatic cancer, a deadly disease for which no truly effective treatments exist.

Using AI to analyze large amounts of biological data

Researchers are applying a form of artificial intelligence (AI) -- previously used to analyze how National Basketball Association (NBA) players move their bodies -- to now help scientists develop new drug therapies for medical treatments targeting cancers and other diseases.

'Metalens' could disrupt vacuum UV market

Photonics researchers have created a potentially disruptive technology for the ultraviolet optics market. Solid-state 'metalens' transform long-wave UV into focused 'vacuum UV,' a type of light used in semiconductor manufacturing that is costly, in part because it is absorbed by almost all types of glass used to make conventional lenses.

New shape memory alloy discovered through artificial intelligence framework

Researchers used an Artificial Intelligence Materials Selection framework (AIMS) to discover a new shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy showed the highest efficiency during operation achieved thus far for nickel-titanium-based materials. In addition, their data-driven framework offers proof of concept for future materials development.

Why hungry worms take risks

Whether it's making rash decisions or feeling grumpy, hunger can make us think and act differently -- 'hangry,' even. But little is known about how hunger signals in the gut communicate with the brain to change behavior. Now, scientists are using worms as a model to examine the molecular underpinnings and help explain how hunger makes an organism sacrifice comfort and make risky decisions to get a...

How the brain says 'oops!'

Researchers have uncovered how signals from a group of neurons in the brain's frontal lobe simultaneously give humans the flexibility to learn new tasks -- and the focus to develop highly specific skills.