🤖 Computer Science

A new model offers robots precise pick-and-place solutions

Pick-and-place machines automate object placement but often lack flexibility and accuracy across multiple tasks. SimPLE, a solution developed by Maria Bauza Villalonga and her team at Google DeepMind, addresses this by providing a flexible, precise approach to pick-and-place tasks, overcoming the limitations of current solutions.

How Base 3 Computing Beats Binary

The number 3 holds unique significance across various contexts, from stories to mathematical systems. While we commonly use base 10 or binary systems for counting, mathematicians have also explored base 3, or ternary, which uses the digits 0, 1, and 2.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Kirigami cubes make a novel mechanical computer

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new mechanical computer made from interconnected plastic cubes inspired by kirigami. This device stores, retrieves, and erases data by manipulating the cubes' positions. Unlike electronic computers, this mechanical system offers stability and potential for use in high-density memory, encryption, and 3D displays.

Researchers discover new material for optically-controlled magnetic memory

Researchers at the University of Chicago discovered that a material called MnBi2Te4 can have its magnetic properties altered quickly and easily with light, paving the way for a new, energy-efficient optical memory. This unexpected finding highlights how fundamental science can lead to innovative engineering applications.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Blood test uses ‘protein clock’ to predict risk of Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Researchers have developed an age "clock" using around 200 blood proteins that can predict the risk of 18 chronic illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's. This could lead to a single test for assessing a person's risk of multiple chronic conditions. The study was published in Nature Medicine.

Cannabis use linked to head and neck cancer risk

A new study suggests that heavy, regular cannabis use may significantly increase the risk of head and neck cancers. The research, which analyzed 20 years of medical records from over 116,000 U.S. adults with cannabis use disorder (CUD), found that these individuals were 3.5 to five times more likely to develop cancers in areas like the mouth, throat, and voice box compared to those without CUD. The study was published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

New Study Links Sweetener to Heart Risk:

Cleveland Clinic research suggests that erythritol, a common sugar-free sweetener, may increase blood clotting risk, potentially raising the chance of heart attacks and strokes.

Can how often you eat meat raise your risk of colorectal cancer?

A study in Nutrients found that while red meat wasn't linked to increased colorectal neoplasm risk, consuming processed meats more than once per week significantly raised the risk, highlighting the need to limit processed meat intake, especially for those with a genetic predisposition.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches for record-tying 22nd time, sending Arctic broadband satellites to orbit

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched for the 22nd time on August 11, carrying two satellites for the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) to provide broadband coverage in the Arctic. The rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, piercing through coastal fog.

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