🤖 Computer Science

Multi-Modal Generative Embedding Model

Most multi-modal tasks involve generation or embedding, typically handled by separate text decoders and encoders. This work introduces a Multi-Modal Generative Embedding Model (MM-GEM), integrating both tasks into one Large Language Model. A PoolAggregator is also proposed to boost efficiency and enable fine-grained tasks. Surprisingly, combining these objectives does not cause significant conflicts.

Low-latency automotive vision with event cameras

Current driver assistance systems face bandwidth-latency trade-offs with RGB cameras. Event cameras offer high temporal resolution and lower latency but lack accuracy. A new hybrid detector combines event and frame-based data, achieving efficient, high-rate object detection with reduced latency, matching the performance of high-speed cameras without sacrificing accuracy.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

New wind speed sensor uses minimal power for advanced weather tracking

Researchers have introduced a breeze wake-up anemometer (B-WA) using a rolling-bearing triboelectric nanogenerator (RB-TENG) for low-energy environmental monitoring. This innovation autonomously and efficiently operates in varying wind conditions, significantly advancing sustainable environmental monitoring. Traditional anemometers face high maintenance and operational costs, especially in remote locations, due to high power consumption and battery dependence.

Lilly to invest $5.3 billion in Indiana to ramp up production of Zepbound, Mounjaro

Eli Lilly and Company will double its investment in a new drug manufacturing site in Lebanon, Indiana, adding $5.3 billion for a total of $9 billion. This expansion will boost production of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the weight-loss and antidiabetes drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro. Construction began in 2023, with manufacturing set to start in 2026. The fully operational facility will employ 900 workers.

Research team demonstrates modular, scalable hardware architecture for a quantum computer

MIT and MITRE researchers have developed a scalable, modular hardware architecture for quantum computers, integrating thousands of interconnected qubits onto a customized chip, termed a "quantum-system-on-chip" (QSoC). This innovation enables precise control of dense qubit arrays, with potential to connect multiple chips via optical networking, advancing large-scale quantum communication networks.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

‘Smart’ antibiotic can kill deadly bacteria while sparing the microbiome

Scientists have developed a new antibiotic called lolamicin that targets harmful Gram-negative bacteria, which are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, without harming beneficial gut bacteria. This "smart" antibiotic has shown promise in mice and could significantly impact human health if it proves effective in humans. However, its long-term usefulness depends on whether bacteria develop resistance to it. The study was published in Nature.

How people without 'inner voices' could help reveal the mysteries of consciousness

Aphantasia, the inability to conjure visual images in the mind, extends beyond visual sensations to other imagined experiences, such as tastes, smells, and internal monologues. A recent study has provided insights into the challenges faced by those who cannot hear their own internal monologue, identifying specific tasks that may be more difficult for them.

Study Findings Suggest Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Psoriasis Treatment

Black patients with psoriasis are less likely to change biologic therapies compared to patients from other racial and ethnic groups, suggesting potential differences in treatment patterns.

Heart-healthy habits keep you biologically young, study shows

Better heart health may be linked to positive effects on biological aging, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

Updated Formula on Alien Intelligence Suggests We Really Are Alone in the Galaxy

Astronomer Frank Drake's 1961 equation estimates the number of communicative civilizations in the Milky Way, but broad assumptions lead to overly optimistic values, fueling the Fermi Paradox. New research in Scientific Reports proposes two adjustments to the equation, potentially explaining the Great Silence.

Starliner capsule's 1st astronaut mission cleared for June 1 liftoff

Boeing's new Starliner capsule has been cleared for its first astronaut launch on June 1. After a readiness review on May 29, teams from Boeing, NASA, and United Launch Alliance confirmed all systems and teams are ready for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission.

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