Science in telegram

The Confluence of the Rhône and the Arve Rivers in Geneva The Rhône River, originating on the slopes of the Aar-Gothard Massif and flowing out of Lake Geneva, is known for its striking turquoise waters. In contrast, the Arve River, which begins in the Graian Alps, is characterized by grayish, murky tones. These somber hues result from its turbulent flow, which churns up stones, silt, and mud from the riverbed. A fascinating natural contrast, where two rivers meet, yet their colors remain distinct. #nature #science

Google’s quantum chip, Willow, solved in just 5 minutes a problem that would have taken the most powerful supercomputer 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years. To put it in perspective, that’s longer than the age of the universe itself. What makes Willow truly groundbreaking is its ability to reduce errors as it scales—a feat that took 30 years of research to achieve. The chip also boasts a record-breaking 105 qubits, setting a new standard in quantum computing. But that’s not all. Willow will also be used to train neural networks, pushing the boundaries of AI even further. The entire tech industry is in awe, and IT giants, including OpenAI, are congratulating Google on this monumental achievement. The future is here. And it’s quantum. #science #quantum

🤖 Robots by Figure are Revolutionizing BMW Assembly Lines The robotics company Figure has unveiled their humanoid robots in action, training to assist with car assembly at BMW factories. These robots are now four times faster and seven times more precise than the early prototypes. The plan is for these humanoids to start real work on BMW production lines as early as 2025. #robots #science

Biomimetic Robots: The Future Is Here, Straight Out of “Westworld” Meet Clone Alpha, the world’s first humanoid robot with biomimetic architecture. Equipped with synthetic organs and artificial muscles powered by water, this innovation brings us a step closer to the sci-fi visions of “Westworld.” 🔬 What is Biomimetic Architecture? The term “biomimetic” refers to mimicking human biological systems. Here’s what makes Clone Alpha revolutionary: • Artificial Muscles (Myofibers): These water-powered muscles contract by up to 30% in less than 50 milliseconds, generating a kilogram of force from just 3 grams of material. • Polymer Skeleton: Mimicking the human body with 206 bone-like components, connected by joints and ligaments, all supported by a hydraulic vascular system driven by a compact 0.5-kilowatt pump. • Cybernetic Nervous System: Using “Cybernet” technology, Clone Alpha features a visual-motor system with four depth cameras for precise environmental tracking. These features enable unmatched speed, precision, and agility, making the android’s movements indistinguishable from those of humans. 🛠️ Behind the Scenes While Clone Alpha remains classified and has not yet been unveiled to the public, some details have been leaked: • The biomimetic hand has been showcased, demonstrating dexterity by lifting a 7-kilogram dumbbell with ease (Watch the demo here). • Orders are already being taken for the first 300 units, set to be delivered in early 2025. Pricing details remain speculative. Why It Matters A year ago, the idea of androids with such biomimetic architecture seemed like Hollywood fiction. Today, it’s on the brink of becoming reality. If Clone Alpha lives up to its promises, we could see projects akin to “Westworld” emerging as early as 2025. Want to explore more? Check out Clone Robotics’ official pages: • Clone Robotics Hand • Clone Robotics Android The countdown to the android revolution has begun! 🦾 #science #robotics

3D Simulation of the Sun: Turbulent Flows in Its Upper Layers Scientists have created a 3D simulation of the Sun, focusing on the turbulent flows in its upper layers. The movement of solar plasma resembles a boiling cauldron or the chaotic swirls of a school of fish, as material rises to the surface or sinks deeper. “Our simulations use what we call a realistic approach — this means incorporating everything currently known about solar plasma to replicate various phenomena observed by NASA’s space missions,” explained Irina Kitiashvili, a scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, who led the study. Leveraging advanced computational power, the team managed for the first time to simulate fine structures in the subsurface layer, which are also observed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. “Currently, we lack sufficient computational capacity to create realistic global models of the entire Sun due to its complexity,” noted Kitiashvili. “Instead, we model smaller regions or layers that reveal structures on the Sun’s surface and atmosphere — such as shock waves or tornado-like phenomena just a few miles across. These are far more detailed structures than any spacecraft can capture.” Such simulations provide invaluable insights into the dynamics of the Sun, offering a glimpse into processes that fuel solar activity and influence space weather. #science #space #sun

LLMs as the Secret Model of the Internet’s Future? Language models might just hold the key to predicting and shaping the future of the Internet. Enter “virtual intuition”—a groundbreaking approach set to revolutionize how we model and interact with complex, dynamic environments online. Just months ago, researchers discovered how to teach large language models (LLMs) to pause and “think” before answering questions, significantly improving their reasoning capabilities. But the latest breakthrough goes even further. Now, LLM-powered AI agents can mentally simulate interactions with websites before taking any real action online. By “imagining” potential outcomes—such as the results of clicking a button, confirming an order, or subscribing to a service—these agents can predict the consequences of their decisions, almost as if they’re glimpsing into the future. This revolutionary technique, called WEBDREAMER, is built on the validated hypothesis that LLMs can act as a kind of “world model” for navigating complex web environments. Rather than relying on trial and error, WEBDREAMER uses “virtual intuition” to model optimal actions at every step of a web interaction. Picture an experienced traveler plotting the best route in advance—this is how WEBDREAMER approaches online navigation. And the results are impressive: in tests across real-world websites, WEBDREAMER significantly outperformed traditional methods. This isn’t just about better automation. It’s about ushering in a new era of intelligent, strategic web agents. Key implications include: • Establishing a foundation for “thinking” web agents capable of deep, strategic interaction. • Transforming the paradigm of automated web interactions, making them more efficient and predictive. • Unlocking exciting new research opportunities to optimize LLMs for world modeling in dynamic environments and strategic planning. The future of AI-driven Internet interactions just got a whole lot smarter. #LLM #AIagents #WebDreamer

The final phase of testing for the HIV drug “Lenacapavir” has demonstrated 99% effectiveness, according to Emory University. The drug was developed by researchers at Gilead Sciences. Mass production and application of the medication are scheduled to begin in 2025. The main challenge remains its cost: a one-year treatment course is priced at $40,000. @science

💡 Turning off the lights with the power of thought. The inventor from the channel Basically Homeless 3D-printed a helmet equipped with electrodes that detect brainwave activity. The light switch was programmed to activate if alpha waves in the brain remain elevated for 9 seconds. 😁 Laziness truly drives progress!

Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment: Russian Scientists Lead the Way A groundbreaking oncological vaccine developed by Russian scientists has shown astonishing results in preclinical trials, as reported by Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

“We’ve observed melanoma tumors completely dissolve during preclinical tests—not just the primary tumor but also metastases. I believe we may soon see its potential even in patients with Stage IV cancer.”

The vaccine, a result of cutting-edge research, is set to be tested on other types of cancer, with oncology institutes collaborating on further studies. This innovative approach could revolutionize cancer treatment, offering hope for millions worldwide. Veronika Skvortsova, head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, announced that clinical use of the vaccine could begin as early as next year. During experiments on malignant intestinal adenocarcinoma in animals, the vaccine not only slowed tumor growth significantly but also reduced tumor volumes by 75–80%. #science

Happy Mathematics Day to everyone involved! May your gradient always point towards the global minimum, singularities vanish under the power of regularizations, and all your models converge faster than you can say “gradient descent.” 🤓 #math #science

Guardians of order: Leukocytes navigate between red blood cells, inspecting for pathogens. #science

Guardians of order: Leukocytes navigate between red blood cells, inspecting for pathogens. #science

A Glimpse of Extreme Weather in Siberia: How Life Looks Today in Tiksi, Russia. For those who think their local weather is harsh, here’s what residents in Tiksi, a remote settlement on the shore of a Siberian bay, are facing today. • Wind gusts: Reaching an incredible 38 m/s, according to regional meteorological data. • Temperature: A chilling -20°C. • Impact on daily life: Schools and kindergartens are closed, and local authorities have excused women not involved in critical industries from going to work. This snapshot reminds us of the resilience required to live in one of the coldest and harshest regions on Earth.

Landing on a comet! Let’s revisit the historic event of 2014, when the Philae lander separated from the Rosetta spacecraft, which was studying the Churyumov–Gerasimenko comet, and attempted a landing. Unfortunately, not everything went as planned: although Philae did reach the comet’s surface, it failed to anchor properly and bounced several times. This is an animation created from images captured during the landing. Agilkia was the designated landing site.

Implants Made from Blood Rapidly Heal Broken Bones Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking technology for creating implants that can be 3D-printed using a patient’s own biomaterial. These implants are introduced directly into the damaged area, kickstarting the regeneration process. Early results show that this innovative approach outperforms commercially available bone substitutes, accelerating healing to be twice as fast as the natural process. Learn more about this cutting-edge development: Read the article

On Green Energy: A Critical Look at LCOE LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity) is the average calculated cost of electricity generation over the entire lifecycle of a power plant. It’s a key metric often cited to promote solar and wind energy projects. However, it’s worth looking beyond these abstract numbers. If a salesperson for solar panels or wind turbines argues for the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy solely using LCOE, show them this graph: The expenses for electricity transmission and distribution increase exponentially with the integration of renewable energy sources. A look at the capital investments in the U.S. energy sector over the past 20 years reveals an interesting trend. Since 2008, investments in generation equipment—whether in thermal power plants (TPPs), nuclear power plants (NPPs), solar power plants (SPPs), or wind farms—have remained relatively stable, largely unaffected by the “green energy” trend. Meanwhile, spending on electricity transmission and distribution has surged by 2.5–3 times. Even more significant costs emerge in low-voltage networks when implementing renewable energy systems. Installing rooftop solar panels, for instance, requires smart meters, robust transformers, upgrades to local distribution networks, and battery installations. These costs are never accounted for in LCOE calculations but ultimately fall on the consumer, creating a hidden financial burden. In essence, green energy calculations are often cleverly designed, but the reality—until a true technological breakthrough or “singularity” occurs—is that renewable energy remains more expensive. For now, nuclear power stands as the only truly sustainable and “green” energy source.

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AI-Powered Headphones Create a “Sound Bubble” Around Users Researchers from the University of Washington have unveiled innovative AI-enabled headphones that filter ambient noise, creating a “sound bubble” to shield users from unwanted sounds. The device employs six microphones and a neural network to amplify nearby sounds while suppressing distant ones within a range of up to 2 meters. This technology allows users to focus on conversations even in noisy environments, such as restaurants or parties. The team is now working on integrating this breakthrough into smaller devices, including hearing aids. #science #tech