Category archives: Technology

Machine learning cracked the protein-folding problem and won the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry

Machine learning cracked the protein-folding problem and won the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry

BiochemistryBiologyChemistryComputer science

By Invited Researcher

Author: Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College The 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry recognized Demis Hassabis, John Jumper and David Baker for using machine learning to tackle one of biology’s biggest challenges: predicting the 3D shape of proteins and designing them from scratch. This year’s award stood out because it honored research that originated […]

New linear optics of particle accelerators using Moebius transformation

New linear optics of particle accelerators using Moebius transformation

MathematicsParticle physicsPhysics

By Invited Researcher

The propagation of light -observed and governed since ancient times by simple lens construction- has long been described through classical geometrical optics. However, in particle accelerators we do not transport photons but beams of electrically charged particles subjected to repulsive forces that tend to unpack the particle beams. Optics of particle accelerators require electromagnetic lenses […]

Long-term, low-dose THC can improve cognitive decline in mice

Long-term, low-dose THC can improve cognitive decline in mice

HealthPharmacy

By Rosa García-Verdugo

One of the hallmarks of aging is cognitive decline. New research in mice shows that long-term administration with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psicoactive component of marihuana, at low doses can have antiaging-effects, particularly on cognitive decline. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates various bodily and brain functions, including sleep, memory and learning, the immune system and […]

AI pareidolia: Can machines spot faces in inanimate objects?

AI pareidolia: Can machines spot faces in inanimate objects?

Computer scienceNeurosciencePsychology

By Mapping Ignorance

Author: Rachel Gordon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology In 1994, Florida jewelry designer Diana Duyser discovered what she believed to be the Virgin Mary’s image in a grilled cheese sandwich, which she preserved and later auctioned for $28,000. But how much do we really understand about pareidolia, the phenomenon of seeing faces and patterns in objects […]

Liquid crystals in motion mimic biological systems

Liquid crystals in motion mimic biological systems

ChemistryCondensed matterMaterials

By Mapping Ignorance

Liquid crystals are all around us, from cell phone screens and video game consoles to car dashboards and medical devices. Run an electric current through liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and they generate colours, thanks to the unique properties of these fluids: rearrange their shape, and they reflect different wavelengths of light. As the lab of […]

AINU, a powerful AI tool for studying cell heterogeneity

AINU, a powerful AI tool for studying cell heterogeneity

BiologyComputer scienceDIPC SupercomputingGenetics

By DIPC

Chromatin is a complex of DNA and histone, a protein, in the nucleus of a cell. One of the main functions of chromatin is to help DNA packing. Cellular phenotypic heterogeneity is a key determinant of many biological functions; yet, it is still not clear whether it stems from the modifications of the chromatin structure […]

Why do materials get stronger when they are deformed?

Why do materials get stronger when they are deformed?

Condensed matterMaterials

By Mapping Ignorance

Author: Leah Burrows, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences The earliest blacksmiths in the Bronze and Iron Ages figured out that when they deformed metal through bending or hammering, it became stronger. This process, known as work or strain hardening, is still used widely in metallurgy and manufacturing today to increase […]

Inducing an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at a hybrid metal–organic interface

Inducing an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at a hybrid metal–organic interface

Condensed matterDIPC InterfacesMaterialsNanotechnologyQuantum physics

By DIPC

Molecular spintronics is an emerging field that combines ferromagnetic materials with organic or metal–organic semiconductors. It benefits from the unique and exceptional properties of organic molecules, which go beyond inorganic ones. The strong response of many organic molecules to electrical, optical, ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic stimuli bring new potential functionalities to the spintronic device. An effective […]

A cheaper way to make green hydrogen, using AI

A cheaper way to make green hydrogen, using AI

Chemical engineeringChemistryComputer science

By Mapping Ignorance

Researchers at the University of Toronto are using artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific breakthroughs in the search for sustainable energy. They have used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to confirm that an AI-generated “recipe” for a new catalyst offered a more efficient way to make hydrogen fuel . To […]