Science X Newsletter Thu, Oct 26

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 26, 2023:

Technology news

	Engineers develop breakthrough 'robot skin' Smart, stretchable and highly sensitive, a new soft sensor developed by UBC and Honda researchers opens the door to a wide range of applications in robotics and prosthetics.
	Shape-shifting fiber can produce morphing fabrics Instead of needing a coat for each season, imagine having a jacket that would dynamically change shape so it becomes more insulating to keep you warm as the temperature drops.
	Study shows same movement patterns used by wide range of organisms, with implications for cognition and robotics An electric knifefish shimmies in the water for the same reason a dog sniffs or a human glances around a new place—to make sense of their surroundings. For the first time, scientists demonstrate that a wide range of organisms, even microbes, perform the same pattern of movements in order to sense the world.
	Acoustic touch: Vision via sound for the blind Australian researchers have developed cutting-edge technology known as "acoustic touch" that helps people "see" using sound. The technology has the potential to transform the lives of those who are blind or have low vision.
	Introducing the trimmed helicoid, a soft robot arm that's based on an elephant's trunk At EPFL's CREATE lab, under the guidance of Josie Hughes, a breakthrough has been made in the realm of soft robotics. Drawing inspiration from the versatile movement of elephant trunks and octopus tentacles, the team introduced the trimmed helicoid—a novel robotic structure that promises greater compliance and control in robotic designs.
	A potentially cheaper and 'cooler' way to transport hydrogen In the continued effort to move humanity away from fossil fuels and towards more environmentally friendly energy sources, researchers in Japan have developed a new material capable storing hydrogen energy in a more efficient and cheaper manner.
	AI can alert urban planners and policymakers to cities' decay More than two-thirds of the world's population is expected to live in cities by 2050, according to the United Nations. As urbanization advances around the globe, researchers at the University of Notre Dame and Stanford University said the quality of the urban physical environment will become increasingly critical to human well-being and to sustainable development initiatives.
	Researchers develop way to prevent damage that plagues next-gen lithium batteries University of Maryland researchers studying how lithium batteries fail have developed a new technology that could enable next-generation electric vehicles (EVs) and other devices that are less prone to battery fires while increasing energy storage.
	Design improvements boost efficiency of III-V solar cells Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) were able to squeeze some extra efficiency out of their solar cells through careful design of the materials in the cell stack.
	Exploring the details of an energy-saving AI chip Hussam Amrouch has developed an AI-ready architecture that is twice as powerful as comparable in-memory computing approaches. As reported in the journal Nature Communications, the professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) applies a new computational paradigm using special circuits known as ferroelectric field effect transistors (FeFETs). Within a few years, this could prove useful for generative AI, deep learning algorithms and robotic applications.
	New phone case provides workaround for inaccessible touch screens A new smartphone case could soon enable folks with visual impairments, tremors and spasms to use touch screens independently. Developed at the University of Michigan, BrushLens could help users perceive, locate and tap buttons and keys on the touch screen menus now ubiquitous in restaurant kiosks, ATM machines and other public terminals.
	Breakthrough synthesis method improves solar cell stability Solar cell efficiency has soared in recent years due to light-harvesting materials like halide perovskites, but the ability to produce them reliably at scale continues to be a challenge.
	Hyundai to hold software-upgrade clinics across the US for vehicles targeted by thieves Hyundai said Wednesday that it will set up "mobile clinics" at five U.S. locations to provide anti-theft software upgrades for vehicles now regularly targeted by thieves using a technique popularized on TikTok and other social media platforms.
	Japan show provides glimpse of robots as future of rescue efforts With a drone camera, a survivor is spotted in the rubble. A robot on tracks brings him water while rescuers in exoskeletons clear an escape route for an autonomous stretcher to take her to safety.
	Elon Musk teases audio and video calls at X X is tinkering with video and audio calling at the platform formerly known as Twitter, according to a post Wednesday by owner Elon Musk.
	Thanks to AI, the last new Beatles song, 'Now And Then,' will be released next week Sixty years after the onset of Beatlemania and with two of the quartet now dead, artificial intelligence has enabled the release next week of what is promised to be the last "new" Beatles song.
	How sustainable, livable and resilient housing can help us adapt to a changing future This summer, Canada experienced wildfires, extreme heat, drought and flooding. Other regions of the world faced similar events.
	Transition from fossil to clean energy will reduce global mining activities: Study A wide range of metals need to be mined for solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Researchers from Leiden University have shown that this 'mining burden' does not outweigh the final gain: the overall mining activity is set to decrease as clean energy replaces fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas.
	3D-printed ceramic structures will improve fuel cells to make better use of natural gas Skoltech researchers have used an inexpensive 3D-printing technique to demonstrate the manufacturing of a ceramic part of a highly complex shape, which could be used in fuel cells, a promising technology for efficient and environmentally friendly electrical power generation.
	Right-wing social media benefited from high-profile suspensions on mainstream platforms, says study Following the ban of prominent political figures from Twitter, such as former US President Donald Trump, many alt-tech platforms—offering uncensored speech and popular with the far-right—have gained significant influence across the digital media ecosystem.
	Invertible neural network tool helps optimize airfoil design Humans have always developed tools or technologies to help us surmount challenges. Obstacles encourage people to innovate.
	How a small 'gap' brings green energy storage through electrolysis closer Green hydrogen is a serious contender to become a renewable energy carrier. For example, we could use it to store solar and wind energy during peaks in order to utilize the energy when the sun is no longer shining and the wind is calm. This would require more electrolyzers that can efficiently and flexibly handle fluctuations in power supply.
	Apple's Safari browser is still vulnerable to Spectre attacks, researchers show Modern processors come with a fundamental vulnerability in their hardware architecture that allows attackers to hijack sensitive data. This insight emerged from the so-called Spectre attack reported in 2018.
	New inspection method increases confidence in laser powder bed fusion 3D printing Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have improved flaw detection to increase confidence in metal parts that are 3D-printed using laser powder bed fusion.
	Discovery of a major factor causing deviation in apartment impact sound insulation Impact sounds, such as footsteps or items dropping from neighboring units, are particularly bothersome in apartment complexes. Such noises can invade one's personal space. In newly built apartments, soundproofing structures like floating floors are employed to minimize these disturbances. The choice of materials and structural designs can significantly dampen sounds, resulting in a more peaceful living environment.
	The smart home tech inside your home is less secure than you think, research finds Our homes are getting smarter every day. The next time you buy a toaster, fridge or dishwasher, setup might involve connecting to your home WiFi network and downloading an app on your phone.
	Robot stand-in mimics your movements in VR Researchers from Cornell and Brown University have developed a souped-up telepresence robot that responds automatically and in real-time to a remote user's movements and gestures made in virtual reality.
	Mercedes profits fall due to lower sales German carmaker Mercedes-Benz said Thursday that its profits fell in the third quarter due to a drop in vehicle deliveries amid shortages of some parts.
	Jeep maker Stellantis plans to invest 1.5 billion euros in Chinese EV manufacturer Leapmotor Stellantis plans to invest about 1.5 billion euros, or about $1.6 billion, in Leapmotor, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, the companies said late Wednesday.
	Australian hydrogen company outlines US expansion in New Mexico, touts research An Australia-based company plans to build a campus in New Mexico to expand its research into hydrogen fuel as a heat source for industry, touting a proprietary chemical process without greenhouse gas emissions.
	A year after Musk's Twitter takeover, X remains mired in turmoil A year ago Elon Musk purchased X, formerly known as Twitter, taking the platform on a journey that has resulted in lost money, advertisers and trust.
	US auto workers union reaches preliminary deal with Ford The US auto workers union reached a tentative agreement with Ford late Wednesday, a breakthrough in a 41-day stoppage on Detroit's "Big Three" car manufacturers.
	Amazon injuries more widespread than thought, study says More than two-thirds of Amazon.com Inc. U.S. warehouse workers surveyed by researchers reported that they took unpaid time off to recover from pain or exhaustion sustained on the job.
	Siemens Energy seeks state help as wind unit crisis deepens Siemens Energy said Thursday it was in talks with the German government about receiving financial help as it battles problems in its wind power unit, sending the firm's shares crashing.
	'New dangers and fears': Sunak outlines AI risks ahead of summit UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Thursday that governments must be "honest" about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, as he prepares to host a global summit on the issue in Britain next week.
	Too many products are easier to throw away than fix—consumers deserve a 'right to repair' There was a time when the family washing machine would last decades, with each breakdown fixed by the friendly local repair person. But those days are long gone.
	Bankman-Fried to testify at his US crypto trial Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, plans to make another high-stakes gamble and testify in his own defense at his criminal fraud trial.
	Beyond Juukan Gorge: How First Nations people are taking charge of clean energy projects on their land Many of the big wind and solar farms planned to help Australia achieve net zero emissions by 2050 will be built on the lands and waters of First Nations peoples. More than half of the projects that will extract critical minerals to drive the global clean energy transition overlap with Indigenous-held lands.
	Developments in deep-sea oil and gas resources: Hybrid mooring system for dual-platform operations With the sustainable development of marine resources, dual-platform joint operations have garnered increasing attention. These operations require minimal relative movement between the two sub-platforms. To meet this requirement, Dr. Shen Zhongxiang proposed a new hybrid mooring system. The work has been published in China Ocean Engineering.
	New research reveals alarming privacy and security threats in smart homes An international team of researchers, led by IMDEA Networks and Northeastern University in collaboration with NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, IMDEA Software, University of Calgary, and the International Computer Science Institute, has unveiled findings on the security and privacy challenges posed by the ever-growing prevalence of opaque and technically complex Internet of Things (IoT) devices in smart homes.
	Report: Car buyers are more likely to consider an electric vehicle if their neighbors drive one A new report from Generation180, a national, clean energy nonprofit, finds that car buyers are more likely to consider an electric vehicle if their neighbors drive one. While multiple factors can influence purchasing decisions, this analysis of new EV retail registrations over a five-year period finds that EV ownership is highly concentrated in key hotspots—indicating the influence of a "neighborhood effect" on EV adoption.
	Design strategies for rechargeable aqueous metal-ion batteries Rechargeable aqueous metal-ion batteries (AMBs) have attracted extensive scientific and commercial interest due to their potential for cost-effective, highly safe, and scalable stationary energy storage. However, their limited output voltage, inadequate energy density, and poor reversibility of ambiguous electrode reactions in aqueous electrolytes strongly limits their practical viability.

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