UConn researchers design a programmable metamaterial that can morph into more configurations than there are atoms in the universe, in a blink of an eye
Category: innovation
Soft robots harvest ambient heat for self-sustained motion
A warm hand is enough to drive motion in tiny Salmonella-inspired robots that harness molecular-level dynamic bonding.
A team of researchers from China and the U.S. came together to design soft robots with a coordination-motorized oscillator (CoMO) that can make self-sustained micromovements by harvesting small amounts of energy from sunlight or body heat. At the heart of this innovation is a new supramolecular polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastic polymer dynamically crosslinked by Eu3+ at the center.
The findings are published in Angewandte Chemie.
Hidden weakness makes prostate cancer self-destruct
Scientists found a hidden flaw in prostate cancer’s survival system. Researchers have discovered that prostate cancer depends on two key enzymes, PDIA1 and PDIA5, to survive and resist therapy. When blocked, these enzymes cause the androgen receptor to collapse, killing cancer cells and enhancing the effects of drugs like enzalutamide. They also disrupt the cancer’s energy system, striking it on multiple fronts. This breakthrough could open a new path to overcoming drug $resistance in advanced prostate cancer.
An international team of researchers has identified a new weakness in prostate cancer cells that could lead to more effective treatments for one of the most common cancers among men.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was led by scientists from Flinders University in Australia and South China University of Technology. Their findings highlight two enzymes, PDIA1 and PDIA5, that play a key role in helping prostate cancer cells grow, survive, and resist existing treatments.
90% of Gamers Have Played a Remake or Remaster, Finds New Report
According to MTM, many respondents said that they find remakes and remasters “help them reconnect with positive, comforting feelings and memories that they had when they first played the game.”
However, the firm noted that others raised concerns about studios “taking an easy, repetitive route to market” and that these remakes come at the cost of “sacrificing innovative, new experiences that could redefine the industry.”
“Our report shows that there is a strong appeal for remakes and remasters, but it’s a tight balancing act for studios to get right,” said Martin Bradley, head of gaming at MTM.” Many of these games are far out-selling their original release.
How ancient philosophers would shape AI | Brendan McCord
We made this video in partnership with the Cosmos Institute, a network of thinkers and builders advancing human flourishing in the AI era.
Read the Cosmos Institute Substack ► https://bit.ly/3XK5T7k.
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Artificial intelligence is transforming our world, prompting us to revisit fundamental philosophical questions about human existence and purpose. In this interview, Brendan McCord, founder of the Cosmos Institute, examines how philosophical insights from thinkers like Aristotle, John Stuart Mill, and Alexis de Tocqueville can inform our approach to AI, ensuring it enhances rather than undermines human flourishing.
McCord outlines three crucial steps to align AI with the principles of autonomy, reason, and decentralization. By drawing on ancient wisdom, we can navigate the complexities of modern technology and create a future where innovation and human values coexist.
Reflecting on the transformative ideas from Copernicus to Turing, this interview offers a roadmap for finding our place in the cosmos amidst the AI revolution. Explore how we can build a society that prioritizes human potential in the age of technology.
HD⁺ ions cooled to 18 mK yield most precise vibrational-rotational spectra to date
A research team from the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology (APM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made significant progress in precisely measuring the vibrational-rotational spectra of hydrogen molecular ions (HD⁺).
The researchers prepared a Be⁺-HD⁺ two-component ion Coulomb crystal at millikelvin temperatures in a linear ion trap. They developed an innovative quantum state preparation and spatially resolved fluorescence detection techniques and used these to measure the high-resolution vibrational-rotational transition spectra of HD⁺ molecular ions. Their findings were published in Physical Review A.
HD⁺ is the simplest heteronuclear molecular ion, composed of one proton, one deuteron, and one electron. Its vibrational-rotational transition energies can be precisely calculated, making it an ideal system for testing quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory and determining fundamental physical constants, such as the proton-electron mass ratio.