Category: Science and Nature

  • What Trump’s election victory could mean for AI, climate and more

    What Trump’s election victory could mean for AI, climate and more

    From repealing climate policies to overturning guidance on the safe development of artificial intelligence (AI), Republican Donald Trump made plenty of promises during his presidential campaign that could affect scientists and science policy. But fulfilling all of his pledges won’t be easy. The US is the world’s science superpower — but for how long? Trump,…

  • Should Alzheimer’s be diagnosed without symptoms? Proposal to rely on blood tests roils scientists

    Should Alzheimer’s be diagnosed without symptoms? Proposal to rely on blood tests roils scientists

    Cognitive tests would be used less often to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease under a proposal by some scientists.Credit: Burger/Phanie/Science Photo Library Controversy has erupted among researchers over an effort to adopt blood tests and brain scans for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, rather than the cognitive screening that has been used for decades. Proponents of the change say…

  • Planetary Boundaries guide humanity’s future on Earth

    Planetary Boundaries guide humanity’s future on Earth

    Abstract Human pressures have pushed the Earth system deep into the Anthropocene, threatening its stability, resilience and functioning. The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework emerged against these threats, setting safe levels to the biophysical systems and processes that, with high likelihood, ensure life-supporting Holocene-like conditions. In this Review, we synthesize PB advancements, detailing its emergence and…

  • Quantitative phase imaging endoscopy with a metalens

    Quantitative phase imaging endoscopy with a metalens

    Abstract Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) recovers the exact wavefront of light from intensity measurements. Topographical and optical density maps of translucent microscopic bodies can be extracted from these quantified phase shifts. We demonstrate quantitative phase imaging at the tip of a coherent fiber bundle using chromatic aberrations inherent in a silicon nitride hyperboloid metalens. Our…

  • The zettabyte era is in our DNA

    The zettabyte era is in our DNA

    Abstract This Perspective surveys the critical computational challenges associated with in vitro DNA-based data storage. As digital data expand exponentially, traditional storage media are becoming less viable, making DNA a promising solution due to its density and durability. However, numerous obstacles remain, including error correction, data retrieval from large volumes of noisy reads, and scalability.…

  • Physicists Stir a Supersolid For First Time, Proving Its Bizarre Dual Nature

    Physicists Stir a Supersolid For First Time, Proving Its Bizarre Dual Nature

    Scientists on Wednesday said that they have successfully stirred a strange matter called a “supersolid” – which is both rigid and fluid – for the first time, providing direct proof of the dual nature of this quantum oddity. In everyday life, there are four states of matter – solid, liquid, gas, and the rarer plasma.…

  • Why do wet dogs shake themselves dry? Neuroscience has an answer

    Why do wet dogs shake themselves dry? Neuroscience has an answer

    Experiments with mice have revealed the neuroscience of why dogs shake their wet fur.Credit: Nat NT/Getty When a dog shakes water off its fur, the action is not just a random flurry of movements — nor a deliberate effort to drench anyone standing nearby. This instinctive reflex is shared by many furry mammals including mice,…

  • A probable ancient nearshore zone in southern Utopia on Mars unveiled from observations at the Zhurong landing area

    A probable ancient nearshore zone in southern Utopia on Mars unveiled from observations at the Zhurong landing area

    Abstract The Chinese Mars rover Zhurong successfully landed in southern Utopia Planitia on Mars in May 2021. Previous research suggested a Hesperian ocean may have existed in the northern lowland on Mars. Recent research observed water-related features at the Zhurong landing site from in situ data. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive geomorphological analysis…

  • Ultra-fast light-field microscopy with event detection

    Ultra-fast light-field microscopy with event detection

    Abstract The event detection technique has been introduced to light-field microscopy, boosting its imaging speed in orders of magnitude with simultaneous axial resolution enhancement in scattering medium. As lift science has rapidly developed in the last decades, the demand for novel optical instruments is becoming increasingly urgent, helping discover new biomedical phenomena and mechanisms with…

  • Equestrian Documentary “Horses & the Science of Harmony” Examines the Nature of Harmony Between Horse and Rider – The Plaid Horse Magazine

    Equestrian Documentary “Horses & the Science of Harmony” Examines the Nature of Harmony Between Horse and Rider – The Plaid Horse Magazine

    Through the Eyes of Bubby Upton and Through the Lens of Cutting-Edge Science Edited Press Release Fairfield, CA Oct 25, 2024 – “Horses and the Science of Harmony,” produced by UK equine performance specialist Dr. Sue Dyson and US-based Kathryn Lauritzen of Padma Video is available free to watch online on YouTube and Smart TV…