Article archives

MI weekly selection #590

MI weekly selection #590

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Whale songs reveal similarities to human speech Two new studies reveal that whale songs share sophisticated similarities with human speech, challenging the uniqueness of human language. Researchers found that humpback whales exhibit communication efficiency akin to human languages, adhering to linguistic laws such as Menzerath’s and Zipf’s laws. Full Story: ScienceAlert Birds, mammals evolved complex […]

Unveiling the thermal secrets of tricalcium aluminate

Unveiling the thermal secrets of tricalcium aluminate

ChemistryDIPC Advanced materialsMaterials

By DIPC

Cement is a fundamental material in modern construction, used in everything from buildings to bridges. One of its key components, tricalcium aluminate (C₃A), plays a crucial role in determining cement’s setting time and durability. A recent study has provided new insights into how C₃A behaves under heat, combining computer simulations with experimental data to deepen […]

Does the universe really behave the same way everywhere?

Does the universe really behave the same way everywhere?

AstrophysicsCosmologyPhysics

By César Tomé

A new study presents a methodology to test the assumption of cosmic homogeneity and isotropy, known as the Cosmological Principle, by leveraging weak gravitational lensing—a light distortion effect described by general relativity—in astronomical images collected by new observatories such as the Euclid Space Telescope. Finding evidence of anomalies in the Cosmological Principle could have profound […]

AI misunderstands some people’s words more than others

AI misunderstands some people’s words more than others

Computer scienceEthicsLanguageSociology

By Invited Researcher

Author: Roberto Rey Agudo, Research Assistant Professor of Spanish and Portuguese, Dartmouth College The idea of a humanlike artificial intelligence assistant that you can speak with has been alive in many people’s imaginations since the release of “Her,” Spike Jonze’s 2013 film about a man who falls in love with a Siri-like AI named Samantha […]

MI weekly selection #589

MI weekly selection #589

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Earth experienced a surge in greenery in 2020 The year 2020 marked the greenest year in nearly two decades. While the COVID-19 pandemic’s reduced human activity slightly boosted vegetation, the primary drivers were increased carbon dioxide, warmer climates and reforestation projects, notably in China and India. Full Story: Earth Ancient cannibalism found in cave An […]

The effectiveness of the DNA origami method for placing molecules into plasmonic nanocavities

The effectiveness of the DNA origami method for placing molecules into plasmonic nanocavities

DIPCDIPC Photonics

By DIPC

In the realm of modern technology, controlling light at the smallest scales is crucial for advancements in areas like medical imaging, environmental sensing, and the development of new computing technologies. A recent study explores innovative methods to manipulate light emission from individual molecules, paving the way for significant progress in these fields. The role of […]

Closer to the truth (3):  Verisimilitude, seeming, and simulation.

Closer to the truth (3): Verisimilitude, seeming, and simulation.

EpistemologyPhilosophy of science

By Jesús Zamora Bonilla

For the problem of scientific realism, the most consequential implication of the ‘ugly duckling theorem’ we met in our last entry was that judgments of similarity seem to be not reducible to any kind of algorithmic definition that might tell in an objective way how much ‘similar’ is one thing to another, for these judgments […]

Printable molecule-selective nanoparticles enable mass production of wearable biosensors

Printable molecule-selective nanoparticles enable mass production of wearable biosensors

MaterialsNanotechnology

By Mapping Ignorance

The future of medicine may very well lie in the personalization of health care—knowing exactly what an individual needs and then delivering just the right mix of nutrients, metabolites, and medications, if necessary, to stabilize and improve their condition. To make this possible, physicians first need a way to continuously measure and monitor certain biomarkers […]