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Researchers develop an AI-driven video analyzer capable of detecting human actions in video footage with precision and intelligence.

Atmospheric blocking events are persistent, high-impact weather patterns that occur when large-scale high-pressure systems become stationary and divert the jet stream and storm tracks for days to weeks, and can be associated with record-breaking flooding or heat waves, such as in Europe in 2023. Scientists used a deep learning model to infer the frequency of blocking events over the past 1,000 years and shed light on how future climate change may impact these significant phenomena.

Scientists developed a way of using artificial intelligence to check for skin cancer with the AI tool, which was trained on data from 53,601 skin lesions from 25,105 patients, outperforming existing methods in a new study.

With viral outbreaks spreading more quickly, faster responses and quicker development of new vaccines has become crucial. However, production of the mRNA used in vaccines is hindered by its production, which involves both chemical synthesis and a slower enzyme-mediated process. A team of researchers has successfully developed a cutting-edge technology for the production of fully chemically synthesized mRNA with high purity that cuts out the need for enzymes. Using this innovative technique, mRNA can be made faster and purer, making it possible to respond more swiftly to virus outbreaks and emerging diseases at an earlier stage.

In a new study, humans displayed sympathy towards and protected AI bots who were excluded from playtime.

In a new study, humans displayed sympathy towards and protected AI bots who were excluded from playtime.

Researchers have developed a novel training protocol for brain-computer interfaces in a study with rhesus monkeys. The method enables precise control of prosthetic hands using signals from the brain alone. Researchers were able to show that the neural signals that control the different hand postures in the brain are primarily important for this control, and not, as previously assumed, signals that control the movement's velocity. The results are essential for improving the fine control of neural hand prostheses, which could give paralyzed patients back some or all of their mobility (Neuron).

Researchers have developed a novel training protocol for brain-computer interfaces in a study with rhesus monkeys. The method enables precise control of prosthetic hands using signals from the brain alone. Researchers were able to show that the neural signals that control the different hand postures in the brain are primarily important for this control, and not, as previously assumed, signals that control the movement's velocity. The results are essential for improving the fine control of neural hand prostheses, which could give paralyzed patients back some or all of their mobility (Neuron).

Researchers introduce an innovative approach to image luminescence lifetimes. This simple approach uses readily-available cost-effective equipment, paving the way for advanced studies of chemical dynamics in environmental and biological systems. For example, it allows to record oxygen dynamics with much higher temporal and spatial precision.

Novel chemical compounds from a fungus could provide new perspectives for treating colorectal cancer, one of the most common and deadliest cancers worldwide. Researchers have reported on the isolation and characterization of a previously unknown class of metabolites (terpene-nonadride heterodimers). One of these compounds effectively kills colorectal cancer cells by attacking the enzyme DCTPP1, which thus may serve as a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer and a therapeutic target.

Scientists have discovered toxic 'Forever Chemicals' present in samples of drinking water from around the world.

Scientists found that cellulose diacetate foam (CDA) is the fastest degrading bioplastic in an ocean environment. This new foam material is demonstrated to be a viable replacement for Styrofoam products and single-use plastics, like food packaging trays, as it achieves all the benefits of plastic but doesn't contribute to plastic pollution. This biodegradable bioplastic foam was evaluated in a flow-through seawater tank. After 36 weeks, the CDA foam lost 65-70% of its mass, and the degradation rate of the CDA foam was 15 times faster than solid CDA.

In a pilot study, researchers have used artificial intelligence to detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This is an important first step toward integrating GPT-4 into clinical diagnostics.

A new study opens the door to cutting-edge solutions that could contribute to the realization of a system capable of processing quantum information in a simple yet powerful way. The work presents a method for manipulating the photonic states of light in a never-before-seen way, offering greater control over the evolution of photon propagation. This control makes it possible to improve the detection and number of photon coincidences, as well as the efficiency of the system.

A new study opens the door to cutting-edge solutions that could contribute to the realization of a system capable of processing quantum information in a simple yet powerful way. The work presents a method for manipulating the photonic states of light in a never-before-seen way, offering greater control over the evolution of photon propagation. This control makes it possible to improve the detection and number of photon coincidences, as well as the efficiency of the system.

By combining visible light and electrochemistry, researchers have enhanced the conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable products and stumbled upon a surprising discovery. The team found that visible light significantly improved an important chemical attribute called selectivity, opening new avenues not only for CO2 conversion but also for many other chemical reactions used in catalysis research and chemical manufacturing.

It is usually not possible to look inside cloudy liquids, but researchers have now managed to do so.

Imagine tires that charge a vehicle as it drives, streetlights powered by the rumble of traffic, or skyscrapers that generate electricity as the buildings naturally sway and shudder. These energy innovations could be possible thanks to researchers developing environmentally friendly materials that produce electricity when compressed or exposed to vibrations.

UPDATE:  The verification is almost complete. From the Times of Israel:

Channel 12 publishes what it says is a police document showing that one of the identification tests conducted earlier today regarding the body of a dead terrorist, apparently on the basis of photographic dental comparisons, found a “full match” to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

This is amazing, and, given reports that the head of Hamas was scuttling around Gaza’s tunnels surrounded by hostages (and a bunch of explosives to blow them all up if the IDF tried to get Sinwar), it’s doubly striking—as well as heartening.  Click to read from the Times of Israel: (it’s also reported in the NYT):

From the ToI:

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday it was working to confirm that one of three terrorists its forces had killed in Gaza was Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar, as a senior Israeli official said it was very likely that a body found at the scene was that of the October 7 mastermind.

The official said that the security establishment assesses that there was a “high likelihood” that the terrorist killed by the IDF was Sinwar.

“At this time, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed,” the IDF said in a statement.

However, since the IDF is very cautious about these things, the “high likelihood” statement carries some weight.  There’s a bit more:

Hebrew media reports said the IDF troops were not targeting Sinwar and did not know he might be in the building where they were operating.

The army noted that there were no hostages present in the area where the three terrorists were killed. There have been reports that Sinwar has been hiding among hostages throughout the war, using them as human shields.

“The IDF and Shin Bet forces operating in the area continue to operate under the necessary caution,” the army said.

The terrorists were killed when troops opened fire on a group of combatants on the ground floor of a Gaza building in an incident that began on Wednesday.

A strike was ordered against the building, which partially collapsed the structure. When the soldiers subsequently entered the building, they realized that one of the dead terrorists “looked very much like” Sinwar.

If it was Sinwar, it is serendipity, and the fact that no hostages were present in the area is fantastic.  The NYT adds this:

The Israeli military said on Thursday that it was assessing whether Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and a mastermind of last year’s Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel, had been killed. Eliminating Mr. Sinwar has been a major goal of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, and his death would be a watershed in almost 13 months of fighting that have reshaped the Middle East.

The military released no further details. But four Israeli officials said the military was taking the body of a slain militant to a laboratory in Israel in order to assess whether its DNA matches that of Mr. Sinwar, who is in his early 60s. Three of the officials said the militant had been killed on Wednesday in a firefight with Israeli soldiers.

For months, Mr. Sinwar has escaped Israeli efforts to find and kill him, even as many of his top allies — including much of the leadership of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s former political leader — have been assassinated.

Mr. Sinwar’s death, if confirmed, could raise hopes for an end to the conflict in Gaza, by encouraging Hamas to agree to Israeli demands or by providing Israel with a victory that could push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ease its negotiating stance. Hamas and the Israeli government have remained far apart on key issues during months of negotiations over a truce.

Here is a photo from the Polish website balconik.com showing the match of Sinwar’s teeth when he was alive (left) with the teeth of the body (other gruesome bits omitted). It’s a pretty good match. (You can see more photos, some you might find disturbing, here.)

This is the best chance yet for an end to the war–assuming that Hamas will fold given that both its political and military leaders have been killed by the IDF.  I would hope that Hamas would surrender unconditionally and release all the hostages, as they have no credible leadership.

As an addendum, remember that Sinwar (now 61) was an Israeli prisoner, doing a life sentence for multiple murder of both Israelis and Palestinians suspected of collaboration.  He got a brain tumor, and an Israeli doctor saved his life by removing it. He was then released in a prisoner swap when over a thousand Palestinian terrorists were exchanged for a single Israeli soldier, Gilat Shalit. No matter that an Israeli doctor saved his life, for Sinwar vowed to kill him and his countrymen after release.

This is still a developing story, but I am optimistic that, if true, this portends an end to the war in Gaza and the release of the hostages. Fingers crossed!

A mouse's tumours, scales from a butterfly's wings and a smiling cross-section of a bracken fern are some of the incredible images from the Nikon Small World photography competition