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Rolling for science: Mars orbiter learns new moves after nearly 20 years in space

After nearly 20 years of operations, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is on a roll, performing a new maneuver to squeeze even more science out of the busy spacecraft as it circles the Red Planet. Engineers have essentially taught the probe to roll over so that it’s nearly upside down. Doing so enables MRO to look deeper underground as it searches for liquid and frozen water, among other things.

The new capability is detailed in a paper recently published in The Planetary Science Journal documenting three “very large rolls,” as the mission calls them, that were performed between 2023 and 2024.

“Not only can you teach an old spacecraft new tricks, you can open up entirely new regions of the subsurface to explore by doing so,” said one of the paper’s authors, Gareth Morgan of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona.

Texas Tech, Fermi America announce world’s largest AI energy campus near Pantex

“This collaboration will not only position Texas Tech to address the evolving demands of the energy and technology sectors, but will also create meaningful educational opportunities for our students and research possibilities across many disciplines,” said Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec.

In addition to internships and training programs, the project includes a dedicated academic and research facility with classrooms, offices and conference space for students and faculty across the university system.

Fermi America has also pledged to support a long-term excellence fund to advance research, promote academic priorities and expand student success initiatives throughout all five institutions in the Texas Tech University System.

Does Using Artificial Intelligence Ruin Your Actual Intelligence? Scientists Investigated

Since ChatGPT appeared almost three years ago, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on learning has been widely debated. Are they handy tools for personalised education, or gateways to academic dishonesty?

Most importantly, there has been concern that using AI will lead to a widespread “dumbing down”, or decline in the ability to think critically. If students use AI tools too early, the argument goes, they may not develop basic skills for critical thinking and problem-solving.

Is that really the case? According to a recent study by scientists from MIT, it appears so. Using ChatGPT to help write essays, the researchers say, can lead to “cognitive debt” and a “likely decrease in learning skills”

From Turing’s conception of machine intelligence to the evolution of AI in early childhood education: conceptual, empirical, and practical insights

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly permeating many aspects of our everyday lives and nearly every sector of society. In education, AI innovations are increasingly recognized for their transformative potential for enhancing teaching and student learning. In this article, I focus specifically on the evolution of AI in early childhood education (ECE), serving children from birth to age 8. To shed light on this phenomenon, I synthesize pertinent literature to yield conceptual, empirical, and practical insights. I begin with a historical perspective, tracing the origins of Turing’s conception of machine intelligence and the term “AI” to the current practical applications of AI in ECE and AI use by, for, and with children. I then examine developmental appropriateness and ethical considerations surrounding AI use. Next, I identify new opportunities and challenges for early childhood teachers, offering practical recommendations for education leaders and proposing future research directions. Finally, I conclude by reimagining an AI-powered future of ECE, emphasizing the need for supportive practices, active engagement, and the cultivation of positive dispositions among all key stakeholders, who must keep pace with the evolving AI landscape by navigating new opportunities, emerging challenges, and innovative developments. Additionally, I reimagine a transformative educational landscape enriched by student-centered, innovative teaching practices that catalyze learning in an AI-child interactive environment. In this reimagined and progressive educational landscape, the children are empowered with equal opportunities and equitable resources to naturally learn about and from developmentally appropriate AI tools as well as leverage them in ethical and responsible ways to enhance their learning.

Using ChatGPT to write essays may be eroding critical thinking skills

A team of neurologists and AI specialists at MIT’s Media Lab has led a study looking into the brain impacts of large language model (LLM) use among people who engage with them for study or work. They report evidence that the use of LLMs may lead to an erosion of critical thinking skills. In their study, posted on the arXiv preprint server, the researchers asked groups of volunteers to write essays while connected to EEG monitors.

Over the past few years, the use of LLMs such as ChatGPT has become commonplace. Some use them for fun, while others use them to help with school or work responsibilities, and the team at MIT wondered what sort of impact LLM use might have on the brain.

To find out, they recruited 54 volunteers. The initial group was then split into three , all of whom were asked to write a 20-minute on the topic of philanthropy—one group was asked to use ChatGPT for help, the second was asked to use Google Search, and the third “Brain-only” group was given no tools or resources at all. The participants remained in these same groups for three writing sessions.

Super Humanity | How AI Will Transform Us

Super Humanity — Imagine if your brain could interface directly with AI.
Super Humanity explores the revolutionary intersection of neuroscience and technology, revealing a future where artificial intelligence integrates effortlessly with human thought.

Super Humanity (2019)
Director: Ruth Chao.
Writers: Ruth Chao, Paula Cons, Alphonse de la Puente.
Genre: Documentary, Sci-Fi.
Country: Portugal, Spain.
Language: English.
Release Date: December 27, 2019 (Spain)

Synopsis:
The convergence of human brains and AI will create a new breed of humanity—often described as ‘super-humanity.’

By enabling brain-machine interfaces, human cognitive powers will be amplified, marking the dawn of enhanced humans. Connected minds will unlock advanced synthetic telepathy, offering not only the ability to perceive others’ thoughts but also to influence them. Yet, what are the advantages and dangers posed by these groundbreaking advancements?

Neurotechnology stands at the threshold of a societal transformation, reshaping our concepts of identity and reality itself. The establishment of neuro-rights will be crucial, requiring laws that protect the privacy of our conscious and even subconscious minds.

Mind Forward delves deeply into the potential of this new frontier.

This is the BOMB to worry about | Neutronium Bomb —The Unseen Threat to Humanity

In this intriguing video, we delve into the hypothetical scenario of the effects of a neutronium bomb on Earth. 🌎💥 Join us as we explore the scientific speculation surrounding this catastrophic event! Discover the potential impact and aftermath of such a powerful bomb in this thought-provoking analysis. Remember, this video is for educational and speculative purposes only. If you find scientific speculation and hypothetical scenarios fascinating, you don’t want to miss this! Don’t forget to like 👍 and share this video with fellow science enthusiasts! #NeutroniumBomb #HypotheticalScenario #ScientificSpeculation.

OUTLINE:

00:00:00 The Mysterious Neutronium Bomb.
00:01:39 Unpacking the Science.
00:03:40 Anatomy of a Neutronium Bomb.
00:05:33 The Aftermath.
00:07:36 Wrapping Up.

#Australia #Norway #UK #Austria #Germany #Switzerland.
#Brazil #Italy #NewZealand #Marshal islands #Netherlands #Antilles #Denmark #Switzerland #SouthAfrica #Singapore #Finland #Canada #Maldives, #Turkey #Slovenia #Georgia #Argentina #Thailand #SriLanka #SouthKorea #Russia #Romania #Philippines #Mauritius #India #Colombia #China #Ukraine #Tunisia #Mozambique #Jordan #Indonesia #Fiji #Albania #Vietnam #Uruguay #Uganda #Serbia #Montenegro #Nepal #Moldova #Macedonia #FYROM #Cyprus

The Ezra Klein Show

I honestly don’t know how I should be educating my kids. A.I. has raised a lot of questions for schools. Teachers have had to adapt to the most ingenious cheating technology ever devised. But for me, the deeper question is: What should schools be teaching at all? A.I. is going to make the future look very different. How do you prepare kids for a world you can’t predict?

And if we can offload more and more tasks to generative A.I., what’s left for the human mind to do?

Rebecca Winthrop is the director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. She is also an author, with Jenny Anderson, of “The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better.” We discuss how A.I. is transforming what it means to work and be educated, and how our use of A.I. could revive — or undermine — American schools.

00:00 Intro.
03:03 The future of education?
11:20 Modes of engagement.
17:27 Personalizing education.
26:25 The case for A.I. in schools.
35:09 Who gets left behind?
46:07 How A.I. can increase equity.
49:35 Becoming more human.
55:54 Willpower, literacy, and regulation.
01:01:10 Advice for parents.
01:05:20 Book recommendations.