Every pitcher believes he has enough gas for one more strike-out, but an invention from NJIT Associate Professor Tao Han might forever change that old stare-down between players and coaches on the mound. A coach wearing a mixed-reality headset could receive real-time statistics and facial interpretation data to evaluate whether the pitcher is right to […]
Science Now
An interdisciplinary team developed a new method to characterize disorder in 2D materials
When players try to solve word games, they attempt to put together clues to find the solution. Sure, it helps to have a strong vocabulary, but finding the right answers to those puzzles is as much about logic and strategy as it is about being a wordsmith. Using a surprisingly comparable process, an interdisciplinary team […]
Sharks may be closer to the city than you think, new study shows
The world’s coastlines are rapidly urbanizing, but how this increased human presence may impact species living in the ocean is not fully understood. In a new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, researchers tracked the movements of three shark species, bull, nurse and great […]
Researcher discovers that military cannot rely on AI for strategy or judgment
Using artificial intelligence (AI) for warfare has been the promise of science fiction and politicians for years, but new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology argues only so much can be automated and shows the value of human judgment. “All of the hard problems in AI really are judgment and data problems, and the […]
Study finds a signaling pathway involving neurons responsible for how we understand thermal pain
The world has changed since 1664, when French philosopher and scientist Rene Descartes first claimed the brain was responsible for feeling the sensation of pain. However, a key question remains: How exactly does the human brain feel pain? Specifically, thermal pain—like that experienced when touching an open flame or a hot pan while cooking. A […]
Scientist paves the way for faster computers, longer-lasting batteries
University of Queensland scientists have cracked a problem that’s frustrated chemists and physicists for years, potentially leading to a new age of powerful, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies. Using quantum mechanics, Professor Ben Powell from UQ’s School of Mathematics and Physics has discovered a ‘recipe’ which allows molecular switches to work at room temperature. “Switches […]
Powerful Magnets Put New Twist On Phonons
Phonons are collective atomic vibrations, or quasiparticles, that act as the main heat carriers in a crystal lattice. Under certain circumstances, their properties can be modified by electric fields or light. But until now, nobody noticed they can respond to magnetic fields as well. That may be because it takes a powerful magnet. Rice University […]
Can’t Find Your Keys? You Need A Chickadee Brain
For the first time, researchers have shown that there is a genetic component underlying the amazing spatial memories of Mountain Chickadees. These energetic half-ounce birds hide thousands of food items every fall and rely on these hidden stores to get through harsh winters in the mountains of the West. To find these caches, chickadees use […]
How to Throw an Eco-Friendly Event
If you have been put in charge of throwing an eco-friendly event, you can be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed. Organising a formal event is challenging enough, but it can seem like an insurmountable task when you add sustainability into the mix. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. From hiring the right […]
Measuring Brain Blood Flow And Activity With Light
A new, noninvasive method for measuring brain blood flow with light has been developed by biomedical engineers and neurologists at the University of California, Davis, and used to detect brain activation. The new method, functional interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, or fiDWS, promises to be cheaper than existing technology and could be used for assessing brain […]