Leo Wilson

Researchers identify key mechanisms, novel materials for biologically inspired information processing

by
Researchers identify key mechanisms, novel materials for biologically inspired information processing

Basic principles of biological information processing. Credit: Materials Today (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2023.07.019 Every search engine query, every AI-generated text and developments such as autonomous driving: In the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, computers and data centers consume a lot of energy. By contrast, the human brain is far more energy-efficient. In order … Read more

Human tears contain substance that eases aggression, says study | Science

by
Human tears contain substance that eases aggression, says study | Science

Human tears carry a substance that dampens down aggression, according to researchers, who believe the drops may have evolved over time to protect wailing babies from harm. Sniffing emotional tears from women reduced male aggression by more than 40% in computerised tests, and prompted corresponding changes in the brain, though the scientists behind the study … Read more

Your Money Is Funding Fossil Fuels Without You Knowing It

by
Your Money Is Funding Fossil Fuels Without You Knowing It

When you drop money in the bank, it looks like it’s just sitting there, ready for you to withdraw. In reality, your institution makes money on your money by lending it elsewhere, including to the fossil fuel companies driving climate change, as well as emissions-heavy industries like manufacturing. So just by leaving money in a … Read more

The good and the bad of the U.S. CPI

by
The good and the bad of the U.S. CPI

Gas prices are seen at a Chevron gas station in Los Angeles on September 28, 2023.  Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. … Read more

David Grusch: Congress' pared-down UAP measure a 'total failure'

by
David Grusch: Congress' pared-down UAP measure a 'total failure'

(NewsNation) — Whistleblower David Grusch is admonishing Congress for what he says is a “total failure” to get more public transparency about what the government knows about unidentified aerial phenomena. Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence officer, made headlines when he said the U.S. government is covering up a UFO, or unidentified flying object, retrieval program. The … Read more

Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field

by
Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field

Ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings have yielded important insights into a mysterious anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field 3,000 years ago, according to a new study involving UCL researchers. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), describes how changes in the Earth’s magnetic field imprinted on … Read more

The tough job of calculating the carbon stocks and fluxes of a forest

by
The tough job of calculating the carbon stocks and fluxes of a forest

by Nicolas Barbier, Bonaventure Sonké, Le Bienfaiteur Sagang, Pierre Ploton and Stéphane Momo Takoudjou, The Conversation Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain “Green lungs” is the term often used to describe rainforests due to their ability to use photosynthesis to capture CO2, the planet’s primary greenhouse gas. That makes them a key component of global climate regulation, … Read more

Scientists are on the verge of a male birth-control pill. Will men take it? | Jill Filipovic

by
Scientists are on the verge of a male birth-control pill. Will men take it? | Jill Filipovic

Trials are under way in Britain for the first-ever male contraceptive pill. It’s a promising medication, one that puts more power in men’s hands to prevent unwanted pregnancy with high reliability and, so far, few reported side-effects. The trials seek to answer a basic medical question: is this drug safe and effective? But the manufacturers … Read more