Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Key role of ice age cycles in early human interbreeding      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recent paleogenomic research revealed that interbreeding was common among early human species. However, little was known about when, where, and how often this hominin interbreeding took place. Using paleoanthropological evidence, genetic data, and supercomputer simulations of past climate, a team of international researchers has found that interglacial climates and corresponding shifts in vegetation created common habitats for Neanderthals and Denisovans, increasing their chances for interbreeding and gene flow in parts of Europe and central Asia.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General
Published

China's oldest water pipes were a communal effort      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of complex engineering feats without the need for a centralized state authority, finds a new study.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Paleontology: Climate
Published

A climate-orchestrated early human love story      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that past changes in atmospheric CO2 and corresponding shifts in climate and vegetation played a key role in determining when and where early human species interbred.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

How a massive North Atlantic cooling event disrupted early human occupation in Europe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that around 1.12 million years ago a massive cooling event in the North Atlantic and corresponding shifts in climate, vegetation and food resources disrupted early human occupation of Europe.

Anthropology: General Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Ancient DNA reveals an early African origin of Cattle in the Americas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using ancient DNA, researchers have determined cattle were imported from Africa to the Americas much earlier in the process of European colonization than documented. The first records of African cattle in the Americas date back to the 1800s, leading some historians to conclude that early colonists relied entirely on a small stock of European cattle initially shipped to the Caribbean Islands. DNA from archaeological specimens pushes the introduction of African cattle back by more than 100 years.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Self-supervised AI learns physics to reconstruct microscopic images from holograms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence-based model for computational imaging and microscopy without training with experimental objects or real data. The team introduced a self-supervised AI model nicknamed GedankenNet that learns from physics laws and thought experiments. Informed only by the laws of physics that universally govern the propagation of electromagnetic waves in space, the researchers taught their AI model to reconstruct microscopic images using only random artificial holograms -- synthesized solely from 'imagination' without relying on any real-world experiments, actual sample resemblances or real data.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Modified virtual reality tech can measure brain activity      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The research team at The University of Texas at Austin created a noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor that they installed in a Meta VR headset that can be worn comfortably for long periods. The EEG measures the brain's electrical activity during the immersive VR interactions.

Anthropology: General
Published

Researchers discuss the ethical challenges of studying DNA from a 18th--19th century African American community      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A population genetics team recently identified the genetic relationship between over 40,000 23andMe users and a population of enslaved and free African Americans that lived in Catoctin Furnace, Maryland between 1776--1850. Over the course of this study, the researchers considered how best to inform descendants and other genetic relatives of their genetic connection to the site.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Optics
Published

New photocatalytic system converts carbon dioxide to valuable fuel more efficiently than natural photosynthesis      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team recently developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that is more efficient than natural photosynthesis. The new system mimics a natural chloroplast to convert carbon dioxide in water into methane, a valuable fuel, very efficiently using light. This is a promising discovery, which could contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robots cause company profits to fall -- at least at first      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found that robots can have a 'U-shaped' effect on profits: causing profit margins to fall at first, before eventually rising again. The researchers studied industry data from the UK and 24 other European countries between 1995 and 2017, and found that at low levels of adoption, robots have a negative effect on profit margins. But at higher levels of adoption, robots can help increase profits.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robotic grippers offer unprecedented combo of strength and delicacy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New robotic grippers are flexible enough to handle soft and fragile objects as well as heavier ones.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Reinforcement learning allows underwater robots to locate and track objects underwater      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team has shown that reinforcement learning -i.e., a neural network that learns the best action to perform at each moment based on a series of rewards- allows autonomous vehicles and underwater robots to locate and carefully track marine objects and animals.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

This 3D printed gripper doesn't need electronics to function      (via sciencedaily.com) 

This soft robotic gripper is not only 3D printed in one print, it also doesn't need any electronics to work.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published

Researchers develop low-cost sensor to enhance robots' sense of touch      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed an L3 F-TOUCH sensor to enhance tactile capabilities in robots, allowing it to 'feel' objects and adjust its grip accordingly.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Fossils
Published

New insights into the origin of the Indo-European languages      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of linguists and geneticists has achieved a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the origins of Indo-European, a family of languages spoken by nearly half of the world's population.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published

A simpler method for learning to control a robot      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new machine-learning technique can efficiently learn to control a robot, leading to better performance with fewer data.