🤖 Tech & Computer Science

Tesla Robotaxi reveal: What to expect

Hurricane Milton, now a Category 5 storm, rapidly intensified from Category 1 within hours, marking it as the third-fastest Atlantic hurricane to do so. Satellite imagery from NOAA's GOES-East and the ISS captures its strength as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico. Following the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene, the National Hurricane Center is urging Florida residents to prepare for Milton's potentially severe impact.

TurtleBench: Evaluating Top Language Models via Real-World Yes/No Puzzles

TurtleBench is a dynamic benchmark for LLMs, using real user guesses from a puzzle platform to assess reasoning. It avoids static dataset biases, enhancing evaluation reliability. Testing nine LLMs, TurtleBench found OpenAI o1 models underperformed, suggesting that longer Chain-of-Thought (CoT) techniques may add noise.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

A new gold standard in selective nitrobenzene hydrogenation

Researchers in China have developed a gold cluster catalyst that selectively converts nitrobenzene to p-aminophenol through a unique mechanism, bypassing traditional multi-step and costly methods. This catalyst, created by Yan Zhu’s team at Nanjing University, simplifies the process by using a single adsorption step, making production more efficient and less expensive compared to conventional platinum-based systems.

Detecting Planck-scale dark matter by leveraging quantum interference

Researchers at Aix-Marseille University and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information propose detecting Planck-scale dark matter using gravity-mediated quantum phase shifts. Their study, inspired by Alejandro Perez and published in Physical Review Letters, outlines a protocol using Josephson junctions to detect these elusive particles, potentially linking dark matter detection with quantum gravity effects.

Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries

MIT engineers have developed a solar-powered desalination system that adapts in real-time to changes in sunlight, eliminating the need for batteries or grid power. Tested in New Mexico, the system efficiently uses over 94% of solar energy to produce up to 5,000 liters of water daily, regardless of weather variations. This innovation offers a sustainable way to create drinking water from renewable sources, directly syncing with the sun’s rhythms.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Injured comb jellies can fuse into a single organism

Comb jellies, or ctenophores, are ancient marine creatures with unique regenerative abilities. Not only can they quickly heal from injuries, but they can also fuse with parts from other injured comb jellies, integrating these parts seamlessly into their bodies. This remarkable ability was observed by Kei Jokura, a marine researcher at the University of Exeter, who noted a fused specimen with doubled anatomical features in a recent Current Biology study.

New 'biological aging' test predicts your odds of dying within the next 12 months

A new test called CheekAge, which analyzes cells from the inside of the cheek, may predict the risk of death within a year. In a study of adults aged 69 to 101, increases in CheekAge were linked to a 21% higher risk of death. CheekAge, an epigenetic clock, measures "biological age" by examining DNA chemical patterns, potentially offering insights into aging beyond chronological years.

Studying yeast could unlock new ways to make cancer cells more vulnerable

Scientists at EMBL have found that when yeast cells, like S. pombe, face starvation, their ribosomes attach to the mitochondria and enter a hibernation state, ceasing protein production. This adaptation helps cells conserve energy during nutrient deprivation. The purpose of this ribosome-mitochondria attachment is still unclear, but it may protect mitochondria or prepare for rapid energy production when food becomes available. The way ribosomes attach also challenges previous understanding, surprising researchers.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

Dragon's-eye view: Astronaut captures amazing shots of Hurricane Milton from space (photos)

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shared a dramatic timelapse of Hurricane Milton from the window of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour, which is currently docked to the ISS. The hurricane, approaching Florida through the Gulf of Mexico, has delayed Crew-8's return to Earth, now rescheduled for October 13 at the earliest due to safety concerns over the storm's impact on the splashdown zone.

Tissue Chips Accurately Model Organs in Space

The ISS's microgravity environment allows researchers to study human cell behavior outside the body using tissue chips, which mimic tissue and organ functions. Heart tissue chips revealed impaired contractions and increased stress in microgravity, which could model spaceflight's effects on the heart. Muscle-on-a-chip technology demonstrated reduced muscle regeneration in space but responded to drugs promoting regeneration. These findings could help develop treatments for muscle loss in space and age-related decline on Earth.

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