Science X Newsletter Tue, Oct 17

Dear manoj dole,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 17, 2023:

Technology news

	Study unveils a new partially disordered phase in Li- and Mn-rich cathode materials Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are among the most widespread battery technologies worldwide, due to their light weight, high energy densities, easy fabrication process, rapid charging times and other advantageous properties. Identifying strategies that could boost their performance further or facilitate their future upscaling has been the focus of numerous recent studies.
	Fire-inhibiting, nonflammable gel polymer electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries A collaborative research team has achieved a milestone in battery technology. Their achievement in developing a non-flammable gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is set to revolutionize the safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by mitigating the risks of thermal runaway and fire incidents.
	Researchers develop soft-packaged, portable rehabilitation glove Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have proposed a soft-packaged and portable rehabilitation glove with fine movement training. It is expected to serve the fine motor rehabilitation and daily living assistance for tens of millions of patients with hand dysfunction around the world.
	New material could allow devices to turn wasted heat into useful electricity more efficiently Scientists have discovered a way to design materials that improve energy efficiency, in a breakthrough that could help the fight against climate change, make manufacturing greener, and could even take the hassle out of charging your smart watch.
	New computing hardware needs a theoretical basis, says study There is an intense, worldwide search for novel materials to build computer microchips with that are not based on classic transistors but on much more energy-saving, brain-like components. However, whereas the theoretical basis for classic transistor-based digital computers is solid, there are no real theoretical guidelines for the creation of brain-like computers.
	New recipe for efficient, environmentally friendly battery recycling Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have found a new and efficient way to recycle metals from spent electric car batteries. The method allows recovery of 100% of the aluminum and 98% of the lithium in electric car batteries. At the same time, the loss of valuable raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and manganese is minimized. No expensive or harmful chemicals are required in the process because the researchers use oxalic acid—an organic acid that can be found in the plant kingdom.
	World may have crossed solar power 'tipping point,' study suggests The world may have crossed a "tipping point" that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, new research suggests.
	New technique helps robots pack objects into a tight space Anyone who has ever tried to pack a family-sized amount of luggage into a sedan-sized trunk knows this is a hard problem. Robots struggle with dense packing tasks, too.
	Miniaturized free-space optical breakthrough unlocks high-speed wireless communication anywhere In a world that relies on high-speed internet and seamless communication, the absence of a reliable fiber connection can be a significant hurdle. Fortunately, a cutting-edge technology known as free-space optical communication (FSO) offers a flexible solution for field-deployable high-speed wireless communication in areas where fiber connections are unavailable.
	Chinese search engine company Baidu unveils Ernie 4.0 AI model, claims that it rivals GPT-4 Chinese search engine and artificial intelligence firm Baidu on Tuesday unveiled a new version of its artificial intelligence model, Ernie 4.0, claiming that it rivals models such as GPT-4 in the U.S.
	Remaking an old Swedish oil depot into a giant underground 'thermos' Work lights strung up along railings illuminate a dank cavern where workers are preparing to transform a former oil depot into a hot water "thermos" to heat a Swedish town.
	Novel framework improves resilience to extreme weather Electricity production and distribution in the U.S. currently depends on more than 10,000 power plants, 642,000 miles of high voltage lines, 56,000 substations and 6.3 million miles of local distribution lines. Much of that infrastructure is over 30 years old.
	Amazon, Tripadvisor and other companies team up to battle fake reviews while FTC seeks to ban them Some of the most used platforms for travel and online shopping said Tuesday they're going to team up to battle fake reviews.
	Engine maker Rolls-Royce to axe up to 2,500 jobs Rolls-Royce, the British manufacturer of aircraft engines, said Tuesday it plans to axe up to 2,500 jobs worldwide, or about six percent of its staff, to further slash costs.
	Where did the cars go? How heavier, costlier SUVs and 'utes' took over Australia's roads If we're upset about the price of petrol, why do we drive the vehicles we do?
	Australia has fined X Australia over child sex abuse material concerns. How severe is the issue? What happens now? Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Grant, has found X (formerly Twitter) guilty of serious non-compliance to a transparency notice on child sex abuse material. The commissioner has issued X with an infringement notice for A$610,500.
	What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains After nearly two decades of stagnation, U.S. electricity demand is surging, driven by growing numbers of electric cars, data centers and air conditioners in a warming climate. But traditional power plants that generate electricity from coal, natural gas or nuclear energy are retiring faster than new ones are being built in this country. Most new supply is coming from wind and solar farms, whose output varies with the weather.
	The move to a cashless society isn't just a possibility, it's well underway When was the last time you used cash? For many Australians using cash or even swiping a card has become a rare event.
	AI is closer than ever to passing the Turing test for 'intelligence'. What happens when it does? In 1950, British computer scientist Alan Turing proposed an experimental method for answering the question: can machines think? He suggested if a human couldn't tell whether they were speaking to an artificially intelligent (AI) machine or another human after five minutes of questioning, this would demonstrate AI has human-like intelligence.
	High-performance magnesium-air primary battery with nitrogen-doped nanoporous graphene as air electrodes In pursuit of a carbon-neutral society, advancement of the battery technology becomes imperative. Primary batteries, though non-rechargeable, hold promise as power sources for sensors and disaster scenarios because of their cost-effective production and voltage stability. However, most of these batteries employ expensive metal electrodes, such as lithium electrodes, necessitating exploration of alternative electrode materials.
	Lack of ambition and attention risks making electricity grids the weak link in clean energy transitions: Report Efforts to tackle climate change and ensure reliable supplies of electricity could be put at risk unless policymakers and companies quickly take action to improve and expand the world's electricity grids, according to a special report released today by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
	Apple CEO Tim Cook makes surprise visit to China Apple chief Tim Cook made a surprise visit to China this week, greeting gamers in the southwestern city of Chengdu as his company faces slumping phone sales in its biggest market.
	US tightens curbs on AI chip exports to China The United States on Tuesday said it was tightening curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to China, sending the share price of Nvidia and other semiconductor companies plummeting on Wall Street.
	EU states strike deal on electricity market reform EU member states reached an agreement to reform its electricity market after months of sparring between France and Germany over state support for nuclear energy, the European Council said Tuesday.
	General Motors delays electric pickup truck production at plant near Detroit as US EV demand slows General Motors will delay electric pickup truck production at a factory near Detroit due to slowing U.S. demand for electric vehicles, to better manage its capital investments, and to make some engineering changes.
	Q&A: Researchers aim to improve accessibility with augmented reality Big Tech's race into augmented reality (AR) grows more competitive by the day. This month, Meta released the latest iteration of its headset, the Quest 3. Early next year, Apple plans to drop its first headset, the Vision Pro. The announcements for each platform emphasize games and entertainment that merge the virtual and physical worlds: a digital board game imposed on a coffee table, a movie screen projected above airplane seats.

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