09 Oct Physicists develop a method to improve gravitational wave detector sensitivity by removing quantum backaction

Gravitational wave detectors have opened a new window to the universe by measuring the ripples in spacetime produced by colliding black holes and neutron stars, but they are ultimately limited by quantum fluctuations induced by light reflecting off of mirrors. LSU Ph.D. physics alumnus Jonathan Cripe and his team of LSU researchers have conducted a new experiment with scientists from Caltech and Thorlabs to explore a way to cancel this quantum backaction and improve detector sensitivity.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: phys.org

09 Oct New Cargo Ship: Wind-Powered Sailboat Can Carry 7,000 Cars

A wind-powered super sailboat could change how we ship cargo—and seriously slash carbon emissions. Here’s what it looks like.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.popularmechanics.com

07 Oct Cool Physics Experiment Proves Dice Like to be Shaken, Not Stirred

Turns out that dice like to be shaken, not stirred. Don’t believe us? See for yourself in this cool physics experiment with 25,000 miniature dice.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: mymodernmet.com

02 Oct Destination Earth : Europe is building a ‘digital twin’ of Earth to revolutionize climate forecasts

Ingesting more data than ever, exascale model will simulate the impact of climate change on humans

The European Union is finalizing plans for an ambitious “digital twin” of planet Earth that would simulate the atmosphere, ocean, ice, and land with unrivaled precision, providing forecasts of floods, droughts, and fires from days to years in advance.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.sciencemag.org

02 Oct Gateway to the Past: An Adventure into Computer Tech History

Explore the history of computers + micro-electronics technology at the virtual museum called Chips etc. — 1,000 rare parts from the world’s foremost electronics + semi-conductor companies.

People from every generation have a fascination with the evolution of computers: whether it’s chips, computer hardware, or ephemera. Both specialists and amateurs — hobbyist, makers, historians, engineers, and scientists — enjoy vintage computer parts. Since computing first began in the 20th century, the field has been progressing in leaps + bounds — making these historic markers of the past even more interesting. 

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.kurzweilai.net

02 Oct NASA/ESA: New Hubble Data Suggests There is an Ingredient Missing from Current Dark Matter Theories

Observations by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile have found that something may be missing from the theories of how dark matter behaves. This missing ingredient may explain why researchers have uncovered an unexpected discrepancy between observations of the dark matter concentrations in a sample of massive galaxy clusters and theoretical computer simulations of how dark matter should be distributed in clusters. The new finding indicates that some small-scale concentrations of dark matter produce lensing effects that are 10 times stronger than expected.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.spacetelescope.org

02 Oct New Artificial Intelligence Platform Uses Deep Learning to Diagnose Dystonia with High Accuracy in Less Than One Second

Researchers at Mass Eye and Ear have developed a unique diagnostic tool that can detect dystonia from MRI scans, the first technology of its kind to provide an objective diagnosis of the disorder. Dystonia is a potentially disabling neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions, leading to abnormal movements and postures. It is often misdiagnosed and can take people up to 10 years to get a correct diagnosis.

In a new study published September 28 in PNAS, researchers developed an AI-based deep learning platform -called DystoniaNet – to compare brain MRIs of 612 people, including 392 patients with three different forms of isolated focal dystonia and 220 healthy individuals. The platform diagnosed dystonia with 98.8 percent accuracy. During the process, the researchers identified a new microstructural neural network biological marker of dystonia. With further testing and validation, they believe DystoniaNet can be easily integrated into clinical decision-making.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.newswise.com

26 Sep Time Travel Is Possible: Math Proves Paradox-Free Time Travel

A college student has mathematically proven the physical feasibility of paradox-free time travel. Does this mean we can all go back to 2019?

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.popularmechanics.com

25 Sep Covid-19 Long-Term Effects: Some Patients Need Very Long-Term Care

Like many other illnesses, Covid-19 can cause enduring problems. Some victims report serious symptoms weeks and months after infection, even many who were never ill enough to be hospitalized. Nearly 100 different long-term problems, detailed in the chart below, were reported to Indiana University Medical School researcher Natalie Lambert, in a survey of more than 1,500 patients. Some of these issues go well beyond typical Covid-19 symptoms.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.bloomberg.com

25 Sep Most Americans to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by July 2021, CDC chief expects

A top U.S. health official told a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday that he expects COVID-19 vaccinations to take place over many months and that most Americans could be vaccinated by July of 2021 at the latest.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Robert Redfield said he expects there to be about 700 million doses of vaccines available by late March or April, enough for 350 million people. “I think that’s going to take us April, May, June, you know, possibly July, to get the entire American public completely vaccinated,” Redfield told the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.reuters.com