Science X Newsletter Thu, Apr 11

Dear manoj dole,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 11, 2024:

Technology news

	Discovery brings all-solid-state sodium batteries closer to practical use The pursuit of greener energy also requires efficient rechargeable batteries to store that energy. While lithium-ion batteries are currently the most widely used, all-solid-state sodium batteries are attracting attention as sodium is far more plentiful than lithium. This should make sodium batteries less expensive, and solid-state batteries are thought to be safer, but processing issues mean mass production has been difficult.
	Tiny AI-trained robots demonstrate remarkable soccer skills A team of AI specialists at Google's DeepMind has used machine learning to teach tiny robots to play soccer. They describe the process for developing the robots in Science Robotics.
	Adding a telescopic leg beneath a quadcopter to create a hopping drone A team of biomedical, mechanical, and aerospace engineers from City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has developed a hopping robot by attaching a spring-loaded telescopic leg to the underside of a quadcopter. Their paper is published in the journal Science Robotics.
	New open-source generative machine learning model simulates future energy-climate impacts As countries worldwide transition to more wind and solar generation and electrify energy end uses, societies are becoming more intertwined with weather conditions. Meanwhile, the climate is rapidly changing and making extreme weather events the "new normal."
	Researchers show electrical pulses can control thermal resistance in devices Controlling heat flow is key to enhancing performance in a wide variety of systems. In electronic devices, such as mobile phones or any type of processor, overheating decreases their performance and reduces their lifetime. All these technologies are based on materials with a certain resistance to the heat that flows through them.
	Engineers quicken the response time for robots to react to human conversation Talking to a robot often feels stilted or delayed, thanks to computer software trying to keep up with the conversation. However, new research from the University of Waterloo has improved the ability for humans to communicate naturally with humanoid robots.
	Engineers recreate Star Trek's Holodeck using ChatGPT and video game assets In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Captain Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise leverage the Holodeck, an empty room capable of generating 3D environments, of preparing for missions and entertaining them, simulating everything from lush jungles to the London of Sherlock Holmes.
	New computer vision tool can count damaged buildings in crisis zones and accurately estimate bird flock sizes A team of computer scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst working on two different problems—how to quickly detect damaged buildings in crisis zones and how to accurately estimate the size of bird flocks—recently announced an AI framework that can do both. The framework, called DISCount, blends the speed and massive data-crunching power of artificial intelligence with the reliability of human analysis to quickly deliver reliable estimates that can quickly pinpoint and count specific features from very large collections of images.
	Agency probes Philadelphia fatal crash involving Ford that may have been running on automated system The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a March crash near Philadelphia that killed two people and involved a Ford electric vehicle that may have been operating on a partially automated driving system.
	Bumpy ride for electric cars in Europe Electric cars are a key part of Europe's green transition plans but the road ahead remains littered with obstacles with 10 years to go before a crucial milestone.
	Bitcoin miners face survival test in 'halving' Miners of bitcoin will soon face a halving of the reward for operating the most popular cryptocurrency, in a pivotal event that is a test of survival, industry commentators say.
	Meta turns to AI to protect minors from 'sextortion' on Instagram Meta said on Thursday it was developing new tools to protect teenage users from "sextortion" scams on its Instagram platform, which has been accused by US politicians of damaging the mental health of youngsters.
	Smart droplets: Elevating tiny tech with a liquid metal signal-switching mechanism A new methodology developed by scientists from Japan allows for the precise activation of integrated sensors by manipulating the droplets' locations, thus detecting capacitance changes to estimate their positions without the need for visual confirmation. Such a strategy is invaluable in scenarios such as internal body examinations, where direct visibility is obstructed, where it outperforms conventional techniques by ensuring meticulous control over the droplets' maneuvers.
	Premier League to use semi-automated offside technology from next season The Premier League will use AI-based player tracking technology to make offside calls from next season in a move that should reduce the time it takes officials to reach their decisions.
	Aston Martin to make petrol cars 'for as long as allowed' British luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda will continue to produce traditional combustion-engine vehicles for as long as legally possible, its boss told UK media this week.
	Wake-up call: Reducing road accidents with customized driver alerts EU researchers are coming up with advanced technologies to spot early signs of fatigue and erratic behavior in people behind the wheel.
	Best Buy lays off some Geek Squad, phone support workers amid shift to AI Best Buy, in a shift toward AI, laid off Geek Squad field agents, home-theater repair technicians and phone support specialists, according to current and former employees.
	Proud seafarers have strong doubts about the safety of autonomous ships Despite their great trust in on-board autopilots, bridge officers do not believe that autonomous ships will make shipping safer. Moreover, the greater the professional commitment and pride of the bridge officers, the less confidence they have in automation increasing safety at sea.
	Integrating battery storage into electrical grids can sometimes increase emissions due to market forces An electricity market analysis found adding battery storage to enhance grid reliability caused power generation markets to favor coal over natural gas.
	Apple plans to overhaul entire Mac line with AI-focused M4 chips Apple Inc., aiming to boost sluggish computer sales, is preparing to overhaul its entire Mac line with a new family of in-house processors designed to highlight artificial intelligence.
	Amazon adds Andrew Ng, a leading voice in artificial intelligence, to its board of directors Amazon is adding artificial intelligence visionary Andrew Ng to its board of directors, a move that comes amid intense AI competition among startups and big technology companies.
	The US might ban TikTok: Record labels are cutting ties, what's music's Plan B? In February, Universal Music Group, the largest record label conglomerate in the world, pulled its catalog from TikTok. Videos using music from Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny suddenly fell silent. After a contentious U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing about ByteDance, the app's Chinese parent firm, and its potential risks for data security and political influence, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill in March that could force a sale or ban TikTok (President Joe Biden has said he's open to signing that bill). The Senate has held closed-door meeting on the topic, and TikTok urged its users to contact Congress to protest.
	Will AI be listening in on your future job interview? On law, technology and privacy The law and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications need to be better aligned to ensure our personal data and privacy are protected. Ph.D. candidate Andreas Häuselmann can see opportunities with AI, but dangers if this does not happen.
	Harnessing quantum technology for industry: Cutting-edge simulations for Industry 4.0 High-quality, defect-free, and perfectly dimensioned metal components. Quantum computing power looks set to optimize production processes in the metalworking industry.

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