Science X Newsletter Mon, Feb 12

Dear manoj dole,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 12, 2024:

Technology news

	A scalable photoelectrochemical system for green hydrogen production If realized using solar energy or other renewable energy, water splitting could be a promising way of sustainably producing hydrogen (H2) on a large-scale. Most photoelectrochemical water splitting systems proposed so far, however, have been found to be either inefficient, unstable, or difficult to implement on a large-scale.
	Using thermotropic liquid crystals to enhance the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar modules Solar panels and photovoltaics (PVs) are becoming increasingly widespread, contributing to ongoing efforts aimed at decarbonizing electricity production. Solar cells based on perovskites, a class of minerals that can leverage parts of the solar spectrum, have recently achieved highly promising energy conversion efficiencies and stabilities.
	Widespread machine learning methods behind 'link prediction' are performing very poorly, researchers find As you scroll through any social media feed, you are likely to be prompted to follow or friend another person, expanding your personal network and contributing to the growth of the app itself. The person suggested to you is a result of link prediction: a widespread machine learning (ML) task that evaluates the links in a network—your friends and everyone else's—and tries to predict what the next links will be.
	Engineers build robot swarm that can assemble and repair its shape in a distributed manner Researchers have proposed a new strategy for the shape assembly of robot swarms based on the idea of mean-shift exploration: When a robot is surrounded by neighboring robots and unoccupied locations, it actively gives up its current location by exploring the highest density of nearby unoccupied locations in the desired shape.
	Novel robot mimics insects' optics-to-neurons pathway With a brain the size of a pinhead, insects perform fantastic navigational feats. They avoid obstacles and move through small openings. How do they do this with their limited brain power? Understanding the inner workings of an insect's brain can help us in our search towards energy-efficient computing; physicist Elisabetta Chicca of the University of Groningen demonstrates with her most recent result: a robot that acts like an insect.
	Are shape-shifting 'soft machines' in our future? Scientists advance light-responsive material Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have furthered a new type of soft material that can change shape in response to light, a discovery that could advance "soft machines" for a variety of fields, from robotics to medicine.
	Research pinpoints factors for better battery design You've probably experienced the dread of a suddenly dead phone that is glacially slow to recharge. Add to that earbuds or laptops that die at the most inconvenient times. And perhaps you've delayed shopping for an electric car because of limited cruise range (or high price). These battery breakdowns and charge collapses are because of shortcomings in the lithium-ion batteries powering today's technology.
	There is no proof that AI can be controlled, researcher warns There is no current evidence that AI can be controlled safely, according to an extensive review, and without proof that AI can be controlled, it should not be developed, a researcher warns.
	How ancient sea creatures can inform soft robotics Soft robotics is the study of creating robots from soft materials, which has the advantage of flexibility and safety in human interactions. These robots are well-suited for applications ranging from medical devices to enhancing efficiency in various tasks. Additionally, using different forms of robotic movement may also serve us well in exploring the ocean or space, or doing certain jobs in those environments.
	How secure is your security camera? Hackers can spy on cameras through walls, new research finds When it comes to protecting a bank or even your home, security cameras are on one of the first lines of defense. But what if those cameras aren't as secure as we all think?
	Keeping it real: How to spot a deepfake In a world where you can create a virtual clone of a person in a matter of minutes, how do we know what's real? It may sound like dystopian science fiction, but deepfakes are a reality causing serious social, financial and personal harm.
	AI in the developing world: How 'tiny machine learning' can have a big impact The landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications has traditionally been dominated by the use of resource-intensive servers centralized in industrialized nations. However, recent years have witnessed the emergence of small, energy-efficient devices for AI applications, a concept known as tiny machine learning (TinyML).
	From doinks to SpongeBob, technology to play a huge role in the CBS presentation of the Super Bowl Inspiration sometimes happens, or in this case, doinks, at the most opportune times.
	Elon Musk's Neuralink moves legal home to Nevada after Delaware judge invalidates his Tesla pay deal Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink has moved its legal corporate home from Delaware to Nevada after a Delaware judge struck down Musk's $55.8 billion pay package as CEO of Tesla.
	Jeff Bezos sells nearly 12 million Amazon shares worth at least $2 billion, with more to come Jeff Bezos filed a statement with federal regulators indicating his sale of nearly 12 million shares of Amazon stock worth more than $2 billion.
	Fitness trackers find new symptom of depression—body temperature When a group of California researchers started a COVID-19 study in 2020 using fitness tracking rings, they didn't know they would make a leap forward for an entirely different condition.
	Quantum research sheds light on the mystery of high-temperature superconductivity An international team of scientists has made a new discovery that may help to unlock the microscopic mystery of high-temperature superconductivity and address the world's energy problems.
	Innovative coating prevents limescale formation Hot water tanks, washing machines, kettles: limescale forms in every domestic appliance that comes into contact with (hot) water—especially in areas where the water is hard, meaning high in calcium. Often the only thing that helps is to use vinegar or a special descaler to dissolve the rock-hard deposits and restore the appliance's functionality.
	AI is everywhere—including countless applications you've likely never heard of Artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly everywhere. Right now, generative AI in particular—tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, Gemini (previously Bard) and others—is at the peak of hype.
	AI: A way to freely share technology and stop misuse already exists There are lots of proposed ways to try to place limits on artificial intelligence (AI), because of its potential to cause harm in society, as well as its benefits.
	US 'pause' on future liquefied gas exports throws doubt on fossil fuel's place in energy transition Since the first cargo of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) left a terminal on the Gulf of Mexico bound for Brazil in February 2016, US exports of the fuel have boomed. In 2023 the US was both the world's largest producer of natural gas and its largest exporter of LNG, with exports that year totaling 86 million tons.
	Mobileye CEO Shashua expects more autonomous vehicles on the road in 2 years as tech moves ahead Six years ago, automakers and tech companies thought they were on the cusp of putting thousands of self-driving robotaxis on the street to carry passengers without a human driver.
	France suspends subsidized electric car scheme after surge The French government said Monday it was suspending a scheme to lease electric cars from just 100 euros ($109) a month after subsidizing more than double the number of vehicles planned for 2024.
	'Better than a real man': young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends Twenty-five-year-old Chinese office worker Tufei says her boyfriend has everything she could ask for in a romantic partner: he's kind, empathetic, and sometimes they talk for hours.
	Chile on green hydrogen investment hunt in Europe Chile is embarking on a European hunt for investors in solar, wind and green hydrogen technologies as it looks to decarbonize copper mines and other industries reliant on fossil fuels.
	How automation is assisting forensic scientists in shoe print identification On the morning of Dec. 21, 1999, William Fyfe went to a clothing drop-off at Trinity Church in Toronto and left three pairs of running shoes. An undercover Ontario Provincial Police officer was tailing him, and retrieved the shoes for forensic analysis.
	Pure Storage, Google trim Bay Area jobs in widening tech industry cuts High-profile tech companies, including Google and Pure Storage, have decided to conduct a fresh round of Bay Area job cuts that will affect hundreds of jobs in the region, state records show.
	Amazon lands an exclusive NFL playoff game for streaming next season Amazon is getting its turn to exclusively stream an NFL playoff game.
	Elon Musk must testify in SEC Twitter probe, court rules A federal court in California is enforcing a subpoena for Elon Musk to testify before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding potential violations of federal securities laws in connection with his purchase of Twitter.

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