Lifeboat Foundation

Inspired by the half-human, half-horse creatures that are part of Ancient Greek mythology, the field of astronomy has its own kind of centaurs: distant objects orbiting the sun between Jupiter and Neptune. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has mapped the gases spewing from one of these objects, suggesting a varied composition and providing new insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system.

Centaurs are former trans-Neptunian objects that have been moved inside Neptune’s orbit by subtle gravitational influences of the planets in the last few million years, and may eventually become short-period comets. They are “hybrid” in the sense that they are in a transitional stage of their orbital evolution: Many share characteristics with both trans-Neptunian objects (from the cold Kuiper Belt reservoir), and short-period comets, which are objects highly altered by repeated close passages around the sun.

Since these small icy bodies are in an orbital transitional phase, they have been the subject of various studies as scientists seek to understand their composition, the reasons behind their outgassing activity—the loss of their ices that lie underneath the surface—and how they serve as a link between primordial icy bodies in the outer solar system and evolved comets.

Researchers at McGill University have made a significant advance in the development of all-solid-state lithium batteries, which are being pursued as the next step in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology.

By addressing a long-standing issue with battery performance, this innovation could pave the way for safer, longer-lasting EVs. The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.

The challenge lies in the resistance that occurs where the ceramic electrolyte meets the electrodes. This makes the battery less efficient and reduces how much energy it can deliver. The research team has discovered that creating a porous ceramic membrane, instead of the traditional dense plate, and filling it with a small amount of polymer can resolve this issue.

Estrogen, the major female ovarian hormone, can trigger nerve impulses within milliseconds to regulate a variety of physiological processes. At Baylor College of Medicine, Louisiana State University and collaborating institutions, researchers discovered that estrogen’s fast actions are mediated by the coupling of the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) with an ion channel protein called Clic1.

Clic1 controls the fast flux of electrically charged chloride ions through the cell membrane, which neurons use for receiving, conducting and transmitting signals. The researchers propose that interacting with the ER-alpha-Clic1 complex enables estrogen to trigger fast neuronal responses through Clic1 ion currents. The study appears in Science Advances.

“Estrogen can act in the brain to regulate a variety of physiological processes, including female fertility, sexual behaviors, mood, reward, stress response, cognition, cardiovascular activities and body weight balance. Many of these functions are mediated by estrogen binding to one of its receptors, ER-alpha,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Yong Xu, professor of pediatrics—nutrition and associate director for basic sciences at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor.

Science And Engineering For Humanity — Dr. David Agus, MD — Founding Director & Co-CEO, Ellison Institute of Technology.

Dr. David B. Agus (https://davidagus.com/) is one of the world’s leading doctors and pioneering biomedical researchers.

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Dr. Onik had pioneered a new therapy called intra-tumor immunotherapy.

After a metastatic prostate cancer diagnosis, Dr. Gary Onik used his own technique to destroy his tumors. Five years post-recovery, his intra-tumor immunotherapy has treated nearly 200 patients with every kind of tumor.

Scientifically reviewed by: Amanda Martin, DC, in November 2024. Written by: Laurie Mathena.

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MIT’s Yang Center shows how light can control muscles with low fatigue, but human use needs more work.

MIT researchers have demonstrated how light could control muscles without causing much fatigue. Their new approach can help people with amputation or paralysis regain limb control in the future.

Altman has teased that Orion is coming.

Disney is uniquely poised to integrate AI into its operations, as one of the most diversified and data-intensive entertainment companies on earth, producing countless models and collecting tons of data about everything from the way that guests of its theme parks spend their money (and time) to what you’re watching on Disney+, the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform.

An imminent announcement of an AI partnership will surely produce blowback from the creative community, especially if the initiative will mean cuts to creative departments that are already feeling the pinch. The company eliminated more than 4,000 staff members (“cast members” in Disney-speak) in the spring of 2023 and increased its target to 8,000. (It ended up with about 7,000 layoffs by the end of the year.) The last round of layoffs happened in September and impacted roughly 300 people.

While AI is commonly utilized in Disney productions – everything from calculating the way that Ember’s fire moved in “Elemental” to creating a more lifelike young Luke Skywalker in “The Mandalorian” – a concerted effort from Disney to use the technology in all aspects of production is significant shift.

Businesses are embracing AI agents that ‘don’t eat’ and can work 24/7.