MI weekly selection #593

Prosthetic hand mimics human touch

Engineers at Johns Hopkins University developed a prosthetic hand that mimics human touch by blending soft and rigid parts with touch-sensitive technology. The hand uses forearm muscle signals and machine learning to adjust its grip on various objects, achieving 99.69% accuracy in tests. “We want to give people with upper-limb loss the ability to safely and freely interact with their environment, to feel and hold their loved ones without concern of hurting them,” said researcher Sriramana Sankar.

Full Story: Science

Oldest meteorite crater discovered in Australia

The oldest meteorite crater on Earth has been found in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, dating back 3.5 billion years. Shatter cones found at the site indicate a massive impact event, which may have influenced crust formation and created environments conducive to microbial life.

Full Story: Popular Science

New microbe species found in ocean depths

Researchers have discovered 7,564 new microbe species in the hadal zone of the ocean, including the Mariana Trench, with nearly 90% being previously unknown to science. This study highlights the extreme conditions these microbes endure, such as freezing temperatures and immense pressure.

Full Story: ScienceAlert

Supersolid created from laser light for first time

Researchers have developed a method to transform laser light into a supersolid, marking the first instance of using light rather than atoms to create a supersolid, which behaves as both a solid and a fluid. The process involved directing laser light at a ridged piece of gallium arsenide, forming polaritons that structured themselves into a supersolid.

Full Story: PhysOrg

Bone tools show hominin ingenuity from 1.5M years ago

A study reveals that ancient hominins were crafting bone tools up to 1.5 million years ago, according to findings from Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge site. Researchers identified 27 tools made from large mammal bones, suggesting early hominins had an understanding of tool-making earlier than previously thought.

Full Story: Popular Science