From New Scientist: Intelligence is strongly genetic, that doesn’t mean it cannot be improved. “It’s just the opposite,” says Richard Haier, of the University of California, Irvine, who works with Thompson. “If it’s genetic, it’s biochemical, and we have all kinds of ways of influencing biochemistry.” Myelin integrity is an especially promising target for manipulation, …
Here is a 12 page pdf with supplemental information to the research paper on “Lesion Mapping of Cognitive Abilities Linked to Intelligence”. They identified the parts of the brain that are used for verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, working memory and processing speed. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) assesses a wide range of cognitive abilities …
CRNano Increased Technical Content With Chris PhoenixChris Phoenix describes robotic control of molecular manufacturing without computation. In high-volume molecular manufacturing, computers can’t be used to control robots handling individual molecules, because computation requires too much power. However, computer-like control can be achieved without the use of computers, which means that robots can still be used …
China ended 2008 with a GDP of 30.1 trillion yuan, which is $4.4 trillion at current exchange rates 6.84 to 1 USD. Japan’s GDP for 2008 was 510.2 trillion yen [@98 yen to 1 USD this is $5.2 trillion.] Japan’s GDP dropped at an annual pace of 12.7 percent in the October-December, 2008 period. Japan …
If everything goes smoothly, China will launch Tiangong-1 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at the end of 2010, said Zhang Jianqi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of China’s Manned Space Engineering Program. Space.com reports that China is openly acknowledging that the new Tiangong outpost will involve military space operations and technology development. Tiangong-1, weighing about 8.5 tons, …
A 49 page pdf from January 2009 shows the vision of Masdar City. A city that will put together, gather real data on a collection of technologies for a more environmentally friendly and efficient city of the future. It will be more efficient with energy. It will be 100,000 people only using personal rapid transit, …
Reconstituting ribosomes: Shown here is a parts list for creating a synthetic, self-replicating ribosome. Proteins are shown in purple, RNA in red, and DNA in blue. The list includes 54 ribosomal proteins, as well as RNA-based enzymes involved in protein production, and other molecules that interact with ribosomes. Credit: George Church and Mike Jewett Church …
Caustic Graphics Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.) is a startup company that claims to have made a breakthrough in the hardware acceleration of ray-traced graphics. Caustic claims a 20 times speedup for better graphics algorithms hardcoded into silicon now and 200 times faster for next generation in 2010. Caustic said it’s first-generation technology will deliver an …
Previously this site has discussed nanotechnology progress: Significant recent developments with nanotechnology. Self Assembly and directed assembly could take over from lithography for the next stage of computer miniturization to reach 1-2 nanometer features. The self assembly of 10-100 terabit per square inch magnetic memory. They have self assembled several square centimeters and the process …
A new method has been developed which prepares the body to use new stem cells to replace defective cells and tissue in the body. H/T Futurepundit.com The world-first procedure has been successfully used to regrow muscles in a mouse model, but it could be applied to all tissue-based illnesses in humans such as in the …
University of Cincinnati researchers have taken 25-micron carbon nanotube thread and created a dipole antenna using double-sided transparent tape and silver paste. They were immediately successful in transmitting radio signals. “It transmitted almost as well as the copper did, but at about one ten-thousandth of the weight,” says. They transmitted both AM and FM in …