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Neuroscientist Moran Cerf has found people’s brain activity aligns when they’re in each other’s company. The finding can be used to maximize happiness.

The process of manually colorizing an image is usually cumbersome, time consuming and requires significant skill, which makes it a prime target for automation. Researchers at UC Berkeley led by Alexei A. Efros, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, have released a paper that outlines a new method for using deep neural networks to help aid in the colorization of images.

Aided by these deep neural networks almost anyone, even those completely lacking any artistic ability, can easily create convincing colorized images.

Continue reading “Deep Neural Networks Now Let Anyone Do High Quality Image Colorization” »

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“He learns to manage his image in the minds of others, and finds himself reflected, as in a mirror, through the interface of language and non-verbal communication […] The self is not unitary and separate from others; peopling occurs in the context of mutual-mental-modeling relationships, which continue to affect each person when he is alone…” sarah perry.

DNA testing is not new to consumers, but it’s a one-shot deal. You send in your sample, then you get to see ancestry and health data provided by the company you chose to use for testing. Some new insights might be added over time, but there’s not much else you can do with that genetic data. A startup called Helix is counting on people being curious enough to drop cash in its DNA app store on a regular basis. The initial testing costs $80, and after that you can buy the applications you want.

Helix uses a type of genetic testing called DNA sequencing. Other companies like 23andme are using the far simpler genotyping; Helix is actually finding the pattern of nucleic acids (using flow cells like the one above) in your DNA for around 20,000 different genes, known as the exome. A genotyping test only tells you which variant you have of specific genes, so a full sequence generates about 100 times as much data. Helix is taking this approach because the company is not deciding what sort of data to show users. Instead, that’s all up to third-parties that decide to sell DNA apps to people in the Helix store, and the full sequence includes more precision.

Continue reading “The First App Store For Your DNA Is Here” »

Credit: Hashem Al-Ghaili
Research papers are here:
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v14/n2/full/nn.2726.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4211412/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2776393/

Continue reading “Here is what music does to your body” »

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