Thursday 16 May 2019

SpaceX set to launch first satellites of its internet network

SpaceX is targeting Thursday night for the launch of 60 satellites into low-Earth orbit, the first of potentially thousands in its Starlink project to beam broadband internet across the planet.

* This article was originally published here

'Foldable' PC? Lenovo ThinkPad laptop screen bends in half like a book

Samsung has gained a lot attention lately for its Galaxy Fold hybrid smartphone/tablet, though given the recent display snags that have prompted a delay in the product's release, not necessarily for all the right reasons.

* This article was originally published here

Scientists find new type of cell that helps tadpoles' tails regenerate

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered a specialised population of skin cells that coordinate tail regeneration in frogs. These 'Regeneration-Organizing Cells' help to explain one of the great mysteries of nature and may offer clues about how this ability might be achieved in mammalian tissues.

* This article was originally published here

Exploring people's perception of geometric features, personalities and emotions in videos with virtual humans

Researchers at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul have recently carried out a study aimed at evaluating people's perceptions of geometric features, personalities and emotions presented in video sequences with virtual humans. Their study, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, merges computer science tools with psychology research practices.

* This article was originally published here

Policy makers must attend to menstrual stigma to improve wellbeing, study finds

Researchers have found that addressing attitudes to menstruation may be necessary to improve well-being in low and middle-income countries, far more than simply better access to sanitary products.

* This article was originally published here

Using information technology to promote health equity

An innovative health information technology (IT) program helps primary care providers to detect and manage depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in traumatized refugees, reports a study in a special June supplement to Medical Care.

* This article was originally published here

WhatsApp flaw let spies take control with calls alone (Update)

Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of targeted phones without any user interaction.

* This article was originally published here

Bowel cancer rising among young adults in Europe

The rate of bowel cancer—otherwise known as colorectal cancer or CRC—is rising among adults aged 20-49 in Europe, suggests research published online in the journal Gut today.

* This article was originally published here

New laws of robotics needed to tackle AI: expert

Decades after Isaac Asimov first wrote his laws for robots, their ever-expanding role in our lives requires a radical new set of rules, legal and AI expert Frank Pasquale warned on Thursday.

* This article was originally published here

Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works

The Houston Astros' José Altuve steps up to the plate on a 3-2 count, studies the pitcher and the situation, gets the go-ahead from third base, tracks the ball's release, swings ... and gets a single up the middle. Just another trip to the plate for the three-time American League batting champion.

* This article was originally published here

Electric car switch on for health benefits

Could the health benefits and reduced costs to healthcare systems be enough to justify subsidizing charging infrastructure to allow society to switch from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles faster than current trends predict?

* This article was originally published here

Early exposure to banking influences life-long financial health

Growing up in a community with or without banks or financial institutions has a long-term effect on how you build and manage credit, according to a new Iowa State University study.

* This article was originally published here

Why adults at risk for Huntington's choose not to learn if they inherited deadly gene

As many as 90 percent of individuals who have a parent with Huntington's disease (HD) choose not to take a gene test that reveals if they will also develop the fatal disorder—and a new study details the reasons why.

* This article was originally published here

Just like toothpaste: Fluoride radically improves the stability of perovskite solar cells

Solar cells made of perovskite hold much promise for the future of solar energy. The material is cheap, easy to produce and almost as efficient as silicon, the material traditionally used in solar cells. However, perovskite degrades quickly, severely limiting its efficiency and stability over time. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, energy research institute DIFFER, Peking University and University of Twente have discovered that adding a small amount of fluoride to the perovskite leaves a protective layer, increasing stability of the materials and the solar cells significantly. The solar cells retain 90 percent of their efficiency after 1000 hours operation at various extreme testing conditions. The findings are published today in the leading scientific journal Nature Energy.

* This article was originally published here

Largest study of sickness in pregnancy launches

Women with severe sickness during pregnancy are being invited to join the largest study of the condition in Europe, led by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London.

* This article was originally published here

Study points to 'policy blueprint' for AI and machine-learning

At a time of rapidly changing industry, with potentially huge consequences for society, governments face a dilemma of how to incentivise entrepreneurship and innovation while at the same time ensuring that innovation benefits society as a whole.

* This article was originally published here

Genomic collision may explain why many kidney transplants fail

A genomic collision could explain why many kidney transplants fail, even when donors and recipients are thought to be well-matched, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. This genomic collision is a genetic incompatibility between kidney donor and recipient, causing the recipient to mount an immune attack against the donor protein.

* This article was originally published here

NASA's GRACE: What researchers have learned from water in motion

When you hear news about ice loss from Greenland or Antarctica, an aquifer in California that is getting depleted, or a new explanation for a wobble in Earth's rotation, you might not realize that all these findings may rely on data from one single mission: the U.S.-German Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). GRACE data, collected from 2002 to 2017 while the mission was active, are still being used to improve our understanding of water in motion and its sometimes surprising effects on our planet. A new paper brings together newly calculated and existing summaries of the major results GRACE has generated, showcasing the breadth of topics the mission has illuminated over the years.

* This article was originally published here

Flying cars mooted for Paris' public transport network

European aerospace giant Airbus and Paris underground operator RATP will study the viability of adding flying vehicles to the city's urban transport network, the companies said Wednesday.

* This article was originally published here

UN chief concerned nuclear 'coffin' leaking in Pacific

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres raised concerns Thursday that a concrete dome built last century to contain waste from atomic bomb tests is leaking radioactive material into the Pacific.

* This article was originally published here

A work patch for better nursing home care

Placing a loved one in a nursing home can be a traumatic experience for the entire family with concerns about the care and attention they will receive. Imagine if those concerns were eased, simply by some changes in the way the schedules are done for the staff at that facility.

* This article was originally published here

New strategy of reprogramming regulatory T cells may improve cancer therapies

While therapies that harness the power of the immune system against cancer have made remarkable progress against certain types of tumors, they still remain ineffective in most cancer patients. A new study from the Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases (CIID) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) describes a method of reprogramming the regulatory T cells that usually suppress immune responses into inflammatory cells that not only permit but also intensify an antitumor immune response. Their paper is receiving advance online release in Nature.

* This article was originally published here

China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia

Beijing has broadened its block of online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions, an internet censorship research group reported just weeks ahead of China's most politically explosive anniversary.

* This article was originally published here