Science

Quantum Entropy Arrow Of Time Reversal

Brazilian scientists have performed a quantum experiment that appears to be reverse the thermodynamic arrow of time. The experiment starts with two quantum correlated particles with a high degree of entropy (quantum superposition).

Science

Read more about Quantum Entropy Arrow Of Time Reversal

Musical Chemical Detector

#124

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered the chemical detection abilities of an African musical instrument called a mbira. The instrument uses metal times connected to a wooden sounding board which produce a musical tone when plucked. The research has discovered that using a hallow U-shaped tine filled with different liquids produce notes of different frequencies. These differences can be used to detect different liquid samples such as sodium chloride or non-toxic glycerol.

Innovation

Music

Science

Read more about Musical Chemical Detector

SuperMemo & The Spacing Effect

#123

This is an interesting piece by Wired on Piotr Wozniak, a Polish scientist, experimenter and founder of SuperMemo. The spacing effect is a phenomenon discovered by Hermann Ebbinghaus circa 1885 which results in dramatically improved learning by correctly spacing practice sessions.

Innovation

Science

Read more about SuperMemo & The Spacing Effect

Concrete Crane Energy Storage

#122

A startup called Energy Vault is using a 120 meter crane to store potential energy in a tower of concrete blocks that weight 35 metric tons each. The tower can store 20 megawatt hours of power and has a round-trip energy efficiency rate of 85%.

Innovation

Science

Read more about Concrete Crane Energy Storage

Cool Thing Of The Week: Printed Paper Actuator

#121

Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University's Morphing Matter Lab have created printed paper actuators. By coating paper with conductive thermoplastic, the paper can bend, fold or flatten in response to an electric current. The video demonstrates some interesting uses for this technology, as interface controllers and as a moving publishing medium. (H/T to Mikael for sharing this.)

Innovation

Science

Read more about Cool Thing Of The Week: Printed Paper Actuator

Wireless Communication Water Air Barrier

#121

Researchers at MIT have figured out how to break the water air barrier for wireless communication. The solution involves using a sonar transmitter to vibrate the surface of the water and an airborne receiver to detect and decode the vibrations. The system produced data rates at hundreds of bits per second in tests done in two MIT swimming pools.

Innovation

Science

Read more about Wireless Communication Water Air Barrier

AI Proves Fibromyalgia Exists

#120

Researchers have used machine learning and AI to identify a brain signal model that characterises Fibromyalgia, despite the some doctors believing that Fibromyalgia does not exist. The signature model can be used for assessing therapeutic mechanisms and predicting treatment response at an individual patient level.

AI & ML

Innovation

Science

Read more about AI Proves Fibromyalgia Exists

Optical Neural Network

#118

Reseachers at UCLA have developed an all optical neural network system, which uses specially etched plates to diffract incoming light to perform calculations. A number of plates are layered together to create teh Diffractive Deep Neural Network (D2NN) which can perform calculations at the speed of light.

AI & ML

Innovation

Science

Read more about Optical Neural Network

Pleistocene Worms Revived

#118

40,000 year old worms found frozen in samples taken from the permafrost in Siberia have been revived. The worms were warmed gradually in a Petri dish full of enrichment culture and E. coli food for a few weeks. They are the first multi-cellular organisms to survive such a long cryobiosis.

Science

Read more about Pleistocene Worms Revived

Entrepreneurial Parasite

#117

A parasite found on cats may make you more entrepreneurial. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that students infected with Toxoplasma Gondii were 1.4 times more likely to major in business and 1.7 times more likely to to pursue a management and entreprenurial pathway. It is thought that the parasite encourages risk taking behaviour in the host in an attempt to increase the chances of it spreading to other cats.

Business

Science

Read more about Entrepreneurial Parasite

Science

Pages