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Bamboo, Transparent and Fire/Water-Resistant, Offers Glass Alternative

Scientists in China have created a transparent material from old bamboo, which is resistant to fire, water, and smoke suppression. However, silica glass, a sand-based building material, commonly serves as transparent, strong windows, but it lacks sustainability and can be heavy and brittle.

The Most Efficient Hydrogen System in the World Scales up for Mass Production

Hysata guarantees the world's most affordable hydrogen with a groundbreaking device that splits water into H2 and O2 at 95% efficiency, which is about 20% more efficient than the top conventional electrolyzers. The company has secured US$111 million to expand production.Hydrogen production typically wastes 20-30% of renewable energy, contributing to high costs. Australian company...

Google Debuts AI-Generated Search Results, Ushering in a New Era

Credit: PixabayOn Tuesday, Google announced plans to introduce AI-generated answers to online queries, marking one of the most significant updates to its leading search engine in 25 years."I'm thrilled to share that we will start rolling out this completely revamped experience, 'AI overviews,' to everyone in the US this week," said Google CEO Sundar...

This Ancient Ice Block Unveils Current CO2 Levels

This ancient ice block is helping tell the true story of global warmingOSUAlthough there's increasing evidence suggesting that we're experiencing unparalleled levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, our limited historical understanding has impeded our ability to contextualize current CO2 emissions over the long term. What if we could utilize the Earth's natural historical records to...

AI tool Detects Gender-Based Differences in Brain Structure

Credit: PixabayA recent study reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) software analyzing MRI scans can detect differences in the cellular organization of the brains of men and women. Researchers observed these distinctions in the white matter, which primarily resides in the innermost layer of the human brain and facilitates communication between different brain regions.Men and...

GPT-4o Processes Text, Audio, or Images for Instant Chat Responses

GPT-4o helps solve a handwritten algebra equation as part of today's demoOpenAIOpenAI's ChatGPT platform has taken a significant leap forward with the introduction of GPT-4o. This premier model can analyze audio, visual, and text inputs, delivering responses through a real-time conversation with an AI agent that sounds remarkably human.Unveiled during an online launch event...

Scientists Discover Gigantic Planet with a Texture Resembling Cotton Candy

Located 1,232 light-years away, WASP-193b is an exoplanet nearly 50 percent larger than Jupiter. Surprisingly, its density is comparable to that of cotton candy, being just over 1 percent of Earth's density. Described as an "absolute dandelion puff-ball of a world," it's one of the most peculiar discoveries in the galaxy.

New Method Cuts Costs by 30% in Converting CO2 to High-Value Chemicals

NUS researchers, led by Assistant Professor Lum Yanwei, have developed a groundbreaking technique to address rising CO2 emissions and their impact on climate change. Their method greatly improves the conversion of waste CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels, directly from treated industrial flue gas. This innovation turns CO2 into key raw materials like ethylene...

Volcanic Ash: Efficient and Budget-Friendly Solar Storage

Pyroclastic flow and clouds of volcanic ash as Krakatoa eruptsDepositphotosWhen a region finds itself covered in volcanic ash, it's usually not a positive development. However, researchers from the University of Barcelona have uncovered a unique set of beneficial characteristics in volcanic ash, rendering it remarkably valuable as an energy storage medium.We've discussed both incredibly...

The Rise and Fall of Programming Languages

Credit:CanvasIn the fast-paced world of technology, programming languages come and go. Let's delve into the top 10 dying programming languages of 2024, why they're fading away, and what this means for the future of coding.1. Visual Basic 6Visual Basic 6, developed by Microsoft in the 1990s, was once popular for building Windows desktop apps....