Science X Newsletter Wed, Apr 24

Dear manoj dole,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 24, 2024:

Technology news

	Emulating neurodegeneration and aging in artificial intelligence systems In recent years, developers have introduced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can simulate or reproduce various human abilities, such as recognizing objects in images, answering questions, and more. Yet in contrast with the human mind, which can deteriorate over time, these systems typically retain the same performance or even improve their skills over time.
	Salt battery harvests osmotic energy where the river meets the sea Estuaries—where freshwater rivers meet the salty sea—are great locations for birdwatching and kayaking. In these areas, waters containing different salt concentrations mix and may be sources of sustainable, "blue" osmotic energy.
	A simple 'twist' improves the engine of clean fuel generation Researchers have found a way to super-charge the 'engine' of sustainable fuel generation—by giving the materials a little twist.
	New research demonstrates potential of thin-film electronics for flexible chip design The mass production of conventional silicon chips relies on a successful business model with large "semiconductor fabrication plants" or "foundries." New research by KU Leuven and imec shows that this "foundry" model can also be applied to the field of flexible, thin-film electronics. Adopting this approach would give innovation in the field a huge boost.
	Why can't robots outrun animals? Robotics engineers have worked for decades and invested many millions of research dollars in attempts to create a robot that can walk or run as well as an animal. And yet, it remains the case that many animals are capable of feats that would be impossible for robots that exist today.
	Storing and utilizing energy with innovative sulfur-based cathodes Electric vehicles and portable electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones are unthinkable without lithium-ion batteries. The problem is highly toxic materials such as cobalt are often used for the cathodes of these batteries, which jeopardize the environment and the health of people in the countries where they are mined. In addition, the reserves of these metals are very limited.
	Microsoft claims that small, localized language models can be powerful as well Microsoft has announced the development of a small, locally run family of AI language models called Phi-3 mini. In their Technical Report posted on the arXiv preprint server, the team behind the new SLM describes it as more capable than others of its size and more cost effective than larger models. They also claim it outperforms many models in its class and even some that are larger.
	Securing competitiveness of energy-intensive industries through relocation: The pulling power of renewables Countries with limited potential for renewables could save up to 20% of costs for green steel and up to 40% for green chemicals from green hydrogen if they relocated their energy-intensive production and would import from countries where renewable energy is cheaper, finds a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
	Ultra-thin, flexible solar cells demonstrate their promise in a commercial quadcopter drone Whether on Earth or in space, autonomous energy is critical in order to keep power systems running independently for extended periods of time, particularly in remote or unpredictable environments.
	Going with the flow: Research dives into electrodes on energy storage batteries As a grid-scale energy storage system, flow batteries have gained increasing attention as a means to address the challenges associated with fluctuations and intermittency in renewable energy sources.
	Scientists pioneer new X-ray microscopy method for data analysis 'on the fly' A new streaming technique allows playback of data while it is being generated. When scientists want to look at a tiny structure in a material, even one just a few atoms in size, they frequently turn to X-ray microscopy.
	New insights lead to better next-gen solar cells For Michael Saliba and Mahdi Malekshahi, it was one of those moments in science when good experimental results raised more questions. The University of Stuttgart researchers recently developed a new process to make solar cells with perovskites—advanced crystalline materials with the potential to revolutionize solar technology. Their cells were very efficient and stable, but there was one catch: they did not have a detailed understanding of why this process worked so well.
	Virtual sensors help aerial vehicles stay aloft when rotors fail No crystal ball is needed to envision a future that engineers have in mind, one in which air taxis and other flying vehicles ferry passengers between urban locations, avoiding the growing gridlock on the ground below. Companies are already prototyping and testing such hybrid electric "flying cars" that take off and land vertically but soar through the air like winged aircraft to enable efficient flight over longer distances.
	High-energy-density capacitors with 2D nanomaterials could significantly enhance energy storage In the quest for more efficient and sustainable energy solutions, a multi-university research team has reached a significant milestone in capacitor technology. Researchers from the University of Houston, Jackson State University and Howard University have developed a new type of flexible high-energy-density capacitor, which is a device that stores energy.
	Research team develops novel metric for evaluation of risk-return tradeoff in off-policy evaluation Reinforcement learning (RL) is a machine learning technique that trains software by mimicking the trial-and-error learning process of humans. It has demonstrated considerable success in many areas that involve sequential decision-making. However, training RL models with real-world online tests is often undesirable as it can be risky, time-consuming, and importantly, unethical. Thus, using offline datasets that are naturally collected through past operations is becoming increasingly popular for training and evaluating RL and bandit policies.
	Tesla 1Q profit falls 55%, but stock jumps as company moves to speed production of cheaper vehicles Tesla's first-quarter net income plummeted 55%, but its stock price surged in after-hours trading Tuesday as the company said it would move up production of new, more affordable vehicles.
	Australia's top spy urges big tech to unravel encrypted chats Australia's top spy on Wednesday urged greater cooperation from the big tech companies, asking them to break a long-held industry taboo by providing access to encrypted messages.
	China, future HQ: New ASML boss faces bulging in-tray Frenchman Christophe Fouquet takes the reins of Dutch chip giant ASML on Wednesday with a daunting to-do list, top of which will be steering business with China as semiconductors become a geopolitical battleground.
	Italy fines Amazon over 'recurring' purchase option Italy's competition authority said Wednesday it had fined two Amazon companies 10 million euros ($10.6 million) for unfair commercial practices that push customers into agreeing to "recurring" rather than "one-time" purchases online.
	Volkswagen revamps its approach in China in bid to overtake upstart EV makers As auto giant Volkswagen AG races to catch up with upstart Chinese competitors, it has drivers like 26-year-old Ren Yiling in mind.
	Researchers develop deep learning alternative to monitoring laser powder bed fusion Many things can go wrong when additively manufacturing (AM) metal and without in-situ process monitoring, defects can only be detected and characterized after a product is built. Most commonly, manufacturers will use a high-speed camera to keep an eye on the melt pool geometry and its variation during a short period of the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process.
	Single-walled carbon nanotubes doped with 'nitrogen' enhance the performance of secondary battery anode Researchers have developed a new manufacturing technique for "silicon/nitrogen-doped carbon composite anode materials." These materials aim to enhance the capacity and stability of lithium-ion battery anodes.
	Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss Troubled aviation giant Boeing reported a first-quarter loss of $343 million on Wednesday, reflecting recent safety troubles that have slowed production and deliveries.
	Microsoft and Amazon face scrutiny from UK competition watchdog over recent AI deals British competition regulators said Wednesday they'll scrutinize recent artificial intelligence deals by Microsoft and Amazon over concerns that the moves could thwart competition in the AI industry.
	EU lawmakers approve scaled-back rules for app worker rights The European Parliament on Wednesday endorsed rules to strengthen the rights of workers in the gig economy on digital platforms such as Uber and Deliveroo.
	Why Germany ditched nuclear before coal—and why it won't go back One year ago, Germany took its last three nuclear power stations offline. When it comes to energy, few events have baffled outsiders more.
	New tech could help traveling VR gamers experience 'ludicrous speed' without motion sickness Vehicle passengers using VR headsets to pass the time during travel could be set to enjoy games which move at 'ludicrous speed' without experiencing motion sickness, researchers say.
	New survey finds positive perceptions of solar projects As solar energy development accelerates, how do Americans actually feel about those large scale solar, or LSS, farms they see along the highway or near their neighborhood? A new survey has found that for residents living within three miles of a large-scale solar development, positive attitudes outnumbered negative attitudes by almost a 3–to–1 margin.
	Advancing the safety of AI-driven machinery requires closer collaboration with humans An ongoing research project at Tampere University aims to create adaptable safety systems for highly automated off-road mobile machinery to meet industry needs. Research has revealed critical gaps in compliance with legislation related to public safety when using mobile working machines controlled by artificial intelligence.
	Using liquid metal to develop energy storage systems with 100 times better heat transfer The industrial production of steel, concrete, or glass requires more than 20% of Germany's total energy consumption. Up to now, 90% of the fuels used for these processes have been of fossil nature.
	On the trail of deepfakes, researchers identify 'fingerprints' of AI-generated video In February, OpenAI released videos created by its generative artificial intelligence program Sora. The strikingly realistic content, produced via simple text prompts, is the latest breakthrough for companies demonstrating the capabilities of AI technology. It also raised concerns about generative AI's potential to enable the creation of misleading and deceiving content on a massive scale.
	Rubber-like stretchable energy storage device fabricated with laser precision Researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in developing a small-scale energy storage device capable of stretching, twisting, folding, and wrinkling. Their study is published in the journal npj Flexible Electronics.
	Study shows potential of super grids when hurricanes overshadow solar panels When hurricanes threaten tropical shores, "super grids" could come to the rescue.
	Research team accelerates multi-physics simulations with El Capitan predecessor systems Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have achieved a milestone in accelerating and adding features to complex multi-physics simulations run on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), a development that could advance high-performance computing and engineering.
	Child pedestrians, self-driving vehicles: What's the safest scenario for crossing the road? Crossing a busy street safely typically is a result of a social exchange. Pedestrians look for cues—a wave, a head nod, a winking flash of the headlights, and, of course, a full vehicle stop—to know it's safe to cross.
	Q&A: How TikTok's 'black box' algorithm and design shape user behavior TikTok's swift ascension to the upper echelons of social media is often attributed to its recommendation algorithm, which predicts viewer preferences so acutely it's spawned a maxim: "The TikTok algorithm knows me better than I know myself." The platform's success was so pronounced that it has seemed to spur other social media platforms to shift their designs. When users scroll through X or Instagram, they now see more recommended posts from accounts they don't follow.
	Chinese sellers go to TikTok school to reach buyers abroad Donning hijabs and floor-length abaya gowns over shorts and tank tops, Chinese students at an e-commerce school perform into a smartphone camera as they learn how to sell the clothes to overseas TikTok users.
	Cisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AI Tech giant Cisco Systems on Wednesday joined Microsoft and IBM in signing onto a Vatican-sponsored pledge to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically and to benefit the common good.
	JFK Airport parking lot to become biggest solar array in New York The future is looking sunny for Kennedy Airport's long-term parking lot No. 9. Construction began on April 23 on a solar array meant to cover some 21 acres of the lot while maintaining the car park beneath.
	TikTok to fight US ban law in courts TikTok's CEO vowed Wednesday to fight in the courts to overturn a newly signed US law that could see the popular app banned due to allegations it is controlled by the Chinese government.
	TikTok suspends rewards program after EU probe TikTok on Wednesday announced the suspension of a feature in its spinoff TikTok Lite app in France and Spain that rewards users for watching and liking videos, after the European Union launched a probe.
	Swedish research project makes several advancements toward the autonomous airport of the future A three-year research project at Mid Sweden University has made several advancements in creating the airport of the future with safe and cost-effective solutions, including autonomous measurements of the runway surface as well as more opportunities to monitor vehicles and drones at airports.
	Oracle's Larry Ellison says planned Nashville campus will be company's 'world headquarters' Oracle Corp.'s planned campus in Nashville, Tennessee, will serve as the business software giant's world headquarters, placing it in a city that's a center for the U.S. health care industry, CEO Larry Ellison said.
	What next for TikTok in the US? TikTok on Wednesday said it will fight a new US law that orders the popular video sharing app to break away from its Chinese owners or face an outright ban in the United States.
	Students build low-cost cold spray metal 3D printer prototype A team of Rice University students has developed a cold spray metal 3D printing device that relies on pressure and velocity rather than temperature to create a metal part. Their work could help expand the repertoire of metal additive manufacturing techniques, bringing down cost and enhancing the quality of making or repairing one-off complex metal parts.
	Team helps rebuild WW2 Spitfire lost for 76 years in Norwegian wilderness Engine parts from a rare Second World War Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire that was shot down by German armed forces in 1942 and lost until being recovered from a Norwegian peat bog 76 years later are being rebuilt at the University of Sydney.

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