Two artificial intelligences talk to each other

Performing a new task based solely on verbal or written instructions, and then describing it to others so that they can reproduce it, is a cornerstone of human communication that still resists artificial intelligence (AI). A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has succeeded in modelling an artificial neural network capable of this cognitive … Read more

Bodycams in court get broad police approval, according to survey

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In the courtroom, Quebec provincial police officers seem to be broadly in favor of having images captured by body-worn cameras used as evidence, but are also concerned about some of the potential consequences for the pursuit of justice. They’d expect the footage to serve as visual evidence, to replace portions of … Read more

Cuba protests US comments following protests against power blackouts, food shortages

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Cuba’s government on Monday protested as interventionist comments from the U.S. Embassy on the island following demonstrations against power blackouts and food shortages by hundreds of people in … Read more

Backyard insect inspires invisibility devices, next gen tech

Leafhoppers, a common backyard insect, secrete and coat themselves in tiny mysterious particles that could provide both the inspiration and the instructions for next-generation technology, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. In a first, the team precisely replicated the complex geometry of these particles, called brochosomes, and elucidated a better understanding … Read more

Cacao plants’ defense against toxic cadmium unveiled

Graphical Abstract. Credit: Environmental and Experimental Botany (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2024.105713 Researchers from the University Grenoble Alpes (UGA), France, together with the ESRF, the European Synchrotron located in Grenoble, France, used ESRF’s bright X-rays to unveil how cacao trees protect themselves from toxic metal cadmium. This knowledge is relevant as new EU regulations restrict cadmium concentration … Read more

Appeals panel asks West Virginia court whether opioids distribution can cause a public nuisance

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails A federal appeals court asked West Virginia’s highest court Monday whether opioid distributions can cause a public nuisance as it reviews a landmark lawsuit against three major U.S. … Read more

Tanks of the Triassic: New crocodile ancestor identified

Dinosaurs get all the glory. But aetosaurs, a heavily armored cousin of modern crocodiles, ruled the world before dinosaurs did. These tanks of the Triassic came in a variety of shapes and sizes before going extinct around 200 million years ago. Today, their fossils are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Scientists use … Read more

Livestock farming is responsible for up to a quarter of air pollution in Lombardy region: Study

Livestock presence – Eurostat NUTS2 level. Credit: Environmental Impact Assessment Review (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2024.107456 Agricultural activities and livestock farming are key contributors to the concentrations of hazardous pollutants for health and the environment in the atmosphere, but the potential action in these sectors is often overlooked in public debate. The recent pollution alarm in Northern … Read more

Star wars: Sri Lanka’s powerful astrologers split over auspicious dates | Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s government-backed traditional astrologers have failed to unanimously agree on the best date for new year rituals, with squabbling seers warning of “disaster” and accusing rivals of misinterpreting the position of stars. Astrologers are hugely influential figures consulted by the island’s Buddhist and Hindu communities, and their advice for auspicious dates guides everything from … Read more