Taiwan’s chip industry is bracing for upheaval as President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office casts doubt on the CHIPS and Science Act, a signature initiative of outgoing President Joe Biden. The law aimed to boost domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing in the US, but Trump has blasted the legislation as “so bad” and accused Taiwan…
Astronomers have made significant breakthroughs in understanding the surface features of distant stars, including the red giant Betelgeuse. Using high-speed photography and modern data processing, scientists have been able to suppress the effects of star twinkling, revealing large-scale hot and cold regions that may be convection currents in the star’s atmosphere. Recent observations have confirmed…
Researchers at Zeta Surgical have developed an algorithm that optimizes the placement of single-element focused transducers in transcranial focused ultrasound treatments, minimizing defocusing and focus shift. This breakthrough has the potential to make brain treatments safer and more successful, particularly for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The algorithm uses patient CT scans and simulations to…
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Poisonous Plant Research Lab have discovered that earwax from sheep can reveal if they have eaten poisonous plants, specifically death camas. This breakthrough could lead to the development of a simpler and more effective method for detecting toxic forage in livestock. The team’s findings suggest that earwax may…
Researchers at Cornell University have developed magnetically controlled microbots that can operate at the visible-light diffraction limit, allowing them to interact with and shape light effectively. These tiny robots, measuring 5-2 microns in size, can perform up-close imaging and control diffracted light, opening up new possibilities for medical imaging, endoscopic procedures, and high-resolution microscopy. Forecast…
A group of philosophers and computer scientists are calling for AI companies to assess their systems for consciousness and put in place policies for treating them if they become conscious. This move marks a significant shift in the industry, with some experts warning that neglecting AI welfare could lead to harm or suffering. As AI…
Australia is set to introduce a minimum age limit of 16 for social media platforms, making it the highest in the world. The move aims to protect children from cyberbullying, scams, and adult content. However, researchers argue that there is minimal evidence to suggest that such bans will keep children safe online. The Australian government’s…
Scientists have successfully trained a machine learning algorithm to identify the top five flavor notes in various whiskies, matching the expertise of human Whiskey Masters. The algorithm combined molecular composition data with odor predictions to achieve this feat. This breakthrough could revolutionize the way we analyze and understand complex flavors in the future. Forecast for…
Google DeepMind, the AI research lab of Google, has announced Veo 2, a next-generation video-generating AI model that can create two-minute-plus clips in resolutions up to 4k. This model surpasses OpenAI’s Sora in terms of resolution and duration, and is expected to be available on Google’s Vertex AI developer platform soon. Veo 2 has improved…
A team of international researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery at the Jefferson Lab in the US, successfully probing the internal structure of the neutron using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS12). The experiment measured generalized parton distributions, providing a detailed picture of how the neutron’s constituent quarks contribute to its momentum and spin. This…
