Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public DomainWhat makes people brain distinct from that of all other animals-- including also our closest primate relatives? In an analysis of cell kinds in the prefrontal cortex of 4 primate species, Yale researchers identified species-specific-- particularly human-specific-- features, they report on Aug. 25th in the journal Science.And they discovered that what...
Daran-Lapujade’s lab took human DNA (in red) encoding core functions in muscle cells, and inserted it into the DNA (chromosomes in purple) of a yeast cell (in yellow). The humanized yeast can be used as a tool for medical studies, for example in drug screening and cancer research. Credit: Ella Maru Studio / Pascale...
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public DomainMachine learning models have consistently struggled with topics like multivariable calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra, which many MIT students can easily master.Best VersionThe best versions have only been able to answer elementary or high-school-level mats questions, and they do not always find the correct solutions. At present, a group...
Credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty ImagesA recent study published in the journal Nature suggests that when we experience surprise, our brains are more likely to be attentive. Researchers, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discovered that a hormone called noradrenaline can impact brain activity and behavior in response to unexpected events. Noradrenaline is one of several chemicals...
A new working paper attempts to quantify the importance of more powerful computers for improving outcomes across society. In it, researchers analyzed five areas where computation is critical, including weather forecasting, oil exploration, and protein folding (important for drug discovery). Credit: MITQ&A: MIT's Neil Thompson on Calculating Power and InnovationTechnology in many industries has...
The complex cells of organisms known as eukaryotes, such as the animal cell pictured here, arose more than 1.5 billion years ago. Biologists have long known that back then, one simple, bacteria-like cell engulfed another, and the new arrival settled into its host cell to eventually become what we know as the energy-generating mitochondrion. But...
Kristina Armitage for Quanta MagazineThree computer scientists have actually posted a proof of the NLTS opinion, showing that systems of knotted particles can remain challenging to analyze even away from extremes.A striking new proof in quantum computational complexity could best be comprehended with a lively idea experiment. Run a bath; after that dispose a...
A small implant that wraps around nerves and cools them has been shown to deliver targeted pain relief in rats. If it is as safe and reliable in human beings, the "nerve cooler" could assist individuals in managing pain without addicting opioids.Why it is crucialApproximately 20% of Americans live with chronic pain, and millions...
Credit: Sharon McCutcheon/UnsplashA new study proposes that artificial intelligence (AI) can devise approaches to wealth distribution that are more popular than systems developed by people.The discoveries made by a group of researchers at UK-based AI firm DeepMind show that machine learning systems are not just proficient at fixing complicated physics and biology issues but...
Identifying how neural activity changes with learning is anything but black and white. Recently, some have presumed that learning in the brain, or biological learning, may be visualized in terms of optimization, which is how learning happens in artificial networks like computers or robots.A new approaches piece co-authored by Carnegie Mellon University and University...
