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Aug 31, 2021

Young visually impaired Southampton fans finally see football clearly thanks to Virgin Media

Posted by in category: wearables

Two young visually impaired Southampton fans were finally able to be mascots and watch their beloved Saints in action against Manchester United at the weekend thanks to life-changing wearable technology provided by Virgin Media.

Florence and Joshua both experience issues with their eyesight, meaning that they have never been able to clearly see their favourite team play. Back in March 2,020 Virgin Media gave them cutting-edge technology before they were due to take on the role of mascots for the game against Manchester City.

Aug 31, 2021

Scientists discover quantum mechanical switching in ferritin structures similar to those found in neural tissue

Posted by in categories: biological, neuroscience, particle physics, quantum physics

Quantum mechanics generally refers to the wave-like properties of things that are commonly considered to be particles, such as electrons. This article discusses evidence of a quantum mechanical switching function that is performed by strictly biological structures—ferritin protein layers that are found in cells including neural tissue.

Many scientists are investigating quantum biology, which is the application of quantum mechanics to investigate biological functions. It has recently been used to answer a number of previously unanswered questions, such as the mechanisms behind photosynthesis and the way birds can perceive magnetic fields. These quantum biological effects generally involve electrons hopping or tunneling over distances of several nanometers, behavior that is incompatible with particles but which makes sense with waves.

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Aug 31, 2021

Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ contaminate indoor air at worrying levels, study finds

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, food

Science from industry, federal agencies and independent researchers now links 6:2 FTOH to kidney disease, cancer, neurological damage, developmental problems, mottled teeth and autoimmune disorders, while researchers also found higher mortality rates among young animals and human mothers exposed to the chemicals.


Experts previously considered food and water to be the two main routes by which humans are exposed to PFAS, but the study’s authors note that many humans spend about 90% of their time indoors, and the findings suggest that breathing in the chemicals probably represents a third significant exposure route.

“It’s an underestimated and potentially important source of exposure to PFAS,” said Tom Bruton, a co-author and senior scientist at Green Science.

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Aug 31, 2021

Synthetic biology enables microbes to build muscle

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biological, chemistry

Would you wear clothing made of muscle fibers? Use them to tie your shoes or even wear them as a belt? It may sound a bit odd, but if those fibers could endure more energy before breaking than cotton, silk, nylon, or even Kevlar, then why not?

Don’t worry, this muscle could be produced without harming a single animal.

Researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a synthetic chemistry approach to polymerize proteins inside of engineered microbes. This enabled the microbes to produce the high molecular weight muscle protein, titin, which was then spun into fibers.

Aug 31, 2021

Crafting the Next Generation of AI — Deci Is Looking to Change How We Build Artificial Intelligence

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

It’s Friday and we’re taking a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence! Yonatan Geifman (Co-founder and CEO – Deci) joins me this week to discuss how we can use AI itself to craft the next generation of AI. We also chat about how developers can streamline artificial intelligence development and where AI is headed in the next couple years and decades to come. Also this week, I take a closer look at new research from an international group of researchers that aims to answer the question: What if photonics can help us better recognize patterns for machine learning?

Aug 31, 2021

Kuo: iPhone 13 to Feature LEO Satellite Communications to Make Calls and Texts Without Cellular Coverage

Posted by in categories: mobile phones, satellites

The iPhone 13 will feature low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication connectivity to allow users to make calls and send messages in areas without 4G or 5G coverage, according to the reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a note to investors, seen by MacRumors, Kuo explained that the ‌iPhone 13‌ lineup will feature hardware that is able to connect to LEO satellites. If enabled with the relevant software features, this could allow ‌iPhone 13‌ users to make calls and send messages without the need for a 4G or 5G cellular connection.

Aug 31, 2021

Liz Parrish considerations on gene therapy (excerpts from an interview) (con S/T en Español)

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension

This is a truly enlightening 5 min. excerpt by Liz Parrish on gene therapy and its suitability to achieve radical life extension. Among other important aspects, Liz tells us about how regulatory constrains are delaying progress in this important vehicle to treat incurable diseases and aging itself. I added subtitles in Spanish. Don’t miss it!!! In the description of the video is the link to the entire interview.

Este es un extracto muy esclarecedor por parte de Liz Parrish sobre la terapia génica y su idoneidad para lograr una prolongación radical de la vida. Entre otros aspectos importantes, Liz nos cuenta cómo las restricciones regulatorias están retrasando el progreso de este importante vehículo, para tratar enfermedades incurables y el envejecimiento en sí mismo. Le he agregado subtítulos en español. No te lo pierdas!!! En la descripción del video está el enlace a toda la entrevista.

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Aug 31, 2021

Study shows that rewarded life experiences are replayed and consolidated during sleep

Posted by in category: neuroscience

Past neuroscience studies have consistently showed that sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation. For instance, some neuroimaging research showed that the brain regions that are activated while humans are encoding waking experiences can later be reactivated during sleep, particularly during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.

Interestingly, the same regions are also associated with increased local slow-wave activity (SWA). Interestingly, the activation of these brain regions and SWA are known to be associated with two mechanisms related to memory optimization, namely neural replay and synaptic homeostasis. These mechanisms are typically associated with improvements in behavior over time.

Researchers at University of Geneva in Switzerland have recently carried out a study aimed at investigating the ways in which the brain selects memories that will be reprocessed during sleep. Their findings, presented in a paper published in Nature Communications, suggest that the brain tends to prioritize the consolidation of memories or with high motivational relevance, namely those associated with rewards.

Aug 31, 2021

Flexible carbon nanotube fibers woven into clothing gather accurate EKG, heart rate

Posted by in categories: chemistry, nanotechnology

There’s no need to don uncomfortable smartwatches or chest straps to monitor your heart if your comfy shirt can do a better job.

That’s the idea behind “” developed by a Rice University lab, which employed its conductive nanotube thread to weave functionality into regular apparel.

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Aug 31, 2021

ARROW, a reconfigurable fiber optics network, aims to take on the end of Moore’s law

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, information science, mobile phones, robotics/AI

Wide Area Networks (WANs), the global backbones and workhorses of today’s internet that connect billions of computers over continents and oceans, are the foundation of modern online services. As COVID-19 has placed a vital reliance on online services, today’s networks are struggling to deliver high bandwidth and availability imposed by emerging workloads related to machine learning, video calls, and health care.

To connect WANs over hundreds of miles, fiber optic cables that transmit data using light are threaded throughout our neighborhoods, made of incredibly thin strands of glass or plastic known as optical fibers. While they’re extremely fast, they’re not always reliable: They can easily break from weather, thunderstorms, accidents, and even animals. These tears can cause severe and expensive damage, resulting in 911 service outages, lost connectivity to the internet, and inability to use smartphone apps.

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