🤖 Tech & Computer Science

And the winner of Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2024 is . . . Salva Health

At TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield, 20 top startups competed for the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000. After three days of pitching and rigorous judging, five finalists emerged: Gecko Materials, Luna, MabLab, Salva Health, and Stitch3D. These finalists presented to a panel of top VCs, and now the winner of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2024 is announced.

AMD confirms its next-gen RDNA 4 GPUs will launch in early 2025

In AMD’s Q3 2024 earnings call, CEO Lisa Su confirmed the launch of RDNA 4 GPUs for early 2025, marking the first official announcement of these next-gen GPUs, which promise better gaming and ray tracing performance along with new AI features. Rumors suggest AMD may unveil RDNA 4 at CES 2025 alongside other gaming products. While gaming revenue remains low for AMD, the company's primary focus is on data centers and its goal to become an end-to-end AI leader.

⚛️ Physics and Chemistry

Professor calculates optimal glass shape for preserving chill in beer glasses

Professor Claudio Pellegrini from the Federal University of São João del-Rei has calculated the optimal shape for a beer glass to keep it cold longer, focusing solely on the effects of glass shape on heat transfer. His study, now on arXiv, excludes external factors like hand warmth or glass material, aiming to find the best shape purely based on physics principles.

Novel polypeptide-based molecules could pave the way for enhanced polymer design

A study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society outlines a high-throughput approach for designing novel polypeptide-based molecules with stable secondary structures, useful for biology and materials science. Researchers screened over 200,000 combinations of 130 non-biological amino acids, discovering unique, low-energy structures. The research was led by Gaetano Montelione at RPI and David Baker at the University of Washington, who recently received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for advances in de novo protein design.

🧬 Biology & Medicine

Ultra-precise 3D maps of cancer cells unlock secrets of how tumours grow

The Human Tumor Atlas Network published 12 studies in Nature, mapping hundreds of thousands of cells across multiple cancers to better understand their development and treatment responses. These detailed 3D cell maps reveal how different regions within the same tumor may react differently to drugs. This single-cell resolution approach offers new insights into cancer progression and could guide more effective treatments.

Can Fish Skin Grafts Heal Diabetic Foot Ulcers?

A multicenter clinical trial across Europe found that intact fish skin grafts from Atlantic cod significantly outperformed standard wound care in healing deep diabetic foot ulcers. Among 255 diabetic patients with severe ulcers, 44% of those treated with fish skin grafts achieved complete closure by 16 weeks, compared to 26.4% with standard care. The fish skin grafts maintained their superior effectiveness at 20 and 24 weeks.

AI shows promise for predicting embryonic health without invasive testing

A study in eClinicalMedicine reviewed the use of AI algorithms to non-invasively predict embryonic aneuploidy from images, an alternative to the costly, invasive preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A) used in IVF. With aneuploidy affecting 25–40% of early embryos, especially in older mothers, AI offers a promising, accessible solution, though further research is needed to improve its reliability. The study followed rigorous reporting guidelines and reviewed literature across major medical and scientific databases.

🔭 Space & Astronomy

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida (video, photos)

SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on Oct. 30, with a Falcon 9 rocket lifting off at 5:10 p.m. EDT. The rocket's first stage successfully landed on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean, marking its 14th launch and landing.

Hello Earth? Space Calling

Astronaut Nick Hague is participating in the ISS Ham Radio program, also known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), which has been active since November 2000. This educational initiative has engaged over 1,700 events, connecting students and listeners from 49 U.S. states and 63 countries, fostering interest in STEM. Applications for educational institutions to host events in summer or fall 2025 are open until Nov. 17, 2024, with local amateur radio clubs assisting in preparations.

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