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Dec 22, 2022

The Disturbing Reality of Cobalt Mining for Rechargeable Batteries

Posted by in categories: sustainability, transportation

The truth about Cobalt. The demand for colbalt is on the rise as we transition to electric vehicles is at an all time high.


Taken from JRE #1914 w/Siddharth Kara:

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Dec 22, 2022

De novo birth of functional microproteins in the human lineage

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, evolution, genetics

Human microproteins encoded by small ORFs have been found to be functional. By comparing the corresponding sequences across vertebrate genomes, Vakirlis et al. show that a number of these originated “from scratch” from noncoding sequences, including two very recent cases unique to humans. These cases demonstrate the rapid evolution of genetic novelty.

Dec 22, 2022

Glass act: Scientists reveal secrets of frog transparency

Posted by in category: neuroscience

WASHINGTON (AP) — Now you see them, now you don’t.

Some frogs found in South and Central America have the rare ability to turn on and off their nearly transparent appearance, researchers report Thursday in the journal Science.

During the day, these nocturnal frogs sleep by hanging underneath tree leaves. Their delicate, greenish transparent forms don’t cast shadows, rendering them almost invisible to birds and other predators passing overhead or underneath.

Dec 22, 2022

Biotech company aims to treat sudden hearing loss with early-stage drug

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

While there isn’t a drug on the market to restore hearing, a company called Frequency Therapeutics is testing a potential treatment for the condition commonly known as sudden deafness.

Dec 22, 2022

Behold! This gorgeous galaxy image merges Hubble and Webb data in stunning detail

Posted by in category: cosmology

NGC 1,566 is a rare bird among galaxies: Gas and dust are still falling into the supermassive black hole at its center, fueling powerful outbursts of radiation that, in shorter wavelengths of light, make the galaxy’s center blaze brighter than all the rest of its stars combined.

Of the thousands of galaxies astronomers have found, cataloged, and studied so far — and the tens of billions in the universe — only about 10 percent have actively-feasting supermassive black holes at their centers. And NGC 1,566 is the second-brightest of these. At 40 million light years from Earth, it’s also one of the closest, making it a prime target for astronomers.

Hubble’s Wide Field Camera captured a near-infrared view of NGC 1,566 back in 2014, which revealed long, swirling arms ablaze with stars and laced with dark strands of interstellar dust. Even in visible and near-infrared light, the galaxy’s core is bright.

Dec 22, 2022

Watch this robot bird use a talon-like claw to land safely on a perch

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

A talon-like claw with sharp ends and a softer middle helps this flying robot grasp onto thin perches just like a bird.

Dec 22, 2022

Visible Activity Tracking App Being Tested for People with Long COVID and Other Chronic Illnesses

Posted by in category: futurism

The Visible app tracks heart rate variability as a primary symptom of Long COVID. Data collected is shared with Imperial College London.

Dec 22, 2022

Transparent ‘Grätzel’ solar cells achieve a new efficiency record

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability

EPFL

According to a report by Euronews, researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have discovered a way to create transparent photosensitizers, molecules that can be activated by light and adsorb light across the entire visible light spectrum. Previous versions of DSCs were largely dependent on direct sunlight.

Dec 22, 2022

Billionaires are investing in brain-computer-interface systems. Here’s why

Posted by in categories: computing, neuroscience

The technology has significantly progressed in the past 50 years.

Earlier this month, we reported that Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos-backed foundations (Gates Frontier and Bezos Expeditions) joined other companies.

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Dec 22, 2022

Virtual reality can work for those with one functional eye

Posted by in categories: internet, virtual reality

Modern-day headsets and apps could be the key.

Virtual reality (VR) may soon be the way we use the internet. There are misconceptions about who can and cannot use the technology. Trying out headsets and apps is a great way to know if the technology suits your needs.

If you or someone you know only has one functional eye, and this has been keeping you away from exploring the world of virtual reality, then here’s a little surprise for you. VR experiences are not majorly affected if you do not use both of your eyes.

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