New Scientist covers progress in understanding how to speed up the brain. Van den Heuvel’s team to build connectivity networks for each volunteer, and to measure the efficiency of each network. “It more or less reflects how many steps a [brain] region has to take to send information from one region to another,” he says. …
CNN reports that 8 people have died from swine flu, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. [April 25, 2009] The presence of swine flu in Mexico and the United States is “a serious situation” that could develop into a pandemic, the World Health Organization’s director-general said Saturday. “This is an animal …
A Tel Aviv University researcher’s fingertip (bottom right) points to a “Smart Dew” droplet. Proposed smart dust designs were of comparable size. More advanced concepts exist for even smaller version of smart dust but this is the smallest and cheapest to date. A new invention from Tel Aviv University — a network of tiny sensors …
1. Multi qubit synchronization of compound Josephson junction rf-SQUIDs is discussed in a research paper. It is one of the key components of Dwave Systems adiabatic quantum computer. In the comments, CTO Geordie Rose reveals that after – another rev (some tweaks) of the 128 qubit design, they will 95% likely be selling the 128 …
J Storrs Hall, President of the Foresight Institute, posited that a technological singularity where artificial human or greater than human intelligence becomes very cheap would mean an early retirement for all people. I propose that although some people may early retire others would be running corporations that take advantage of wave after wave of outsourcing. …
Alberta has several large scale pilot projects to perform many more oil refining and combustion steps underground and coal gasification underground. The advantages can be significantly lower costs and improved environmental effects. This site has covered the work of Petrobank to develop the THAI (Toe-to-Heel Air Injection)and CAPRI processes for upgrading oilsand bitumen underground for …
There are Do It Yourself (DIY) Segway projects where people can spend about $1000-1200 and build their own Segway vehicle. Now University of Louisiana Students have made a crawling version of a DIY Segway that is more stable but has a top speed of 3 mph. One of the more advanced DIY Segways is the …