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A Billion Degrees of [Science]

24567101

Posts

  • EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    Truly we are about to live i a dystopian hellscape

  • Mr_RoseMr_Rose 83 Blue Ridge Protects the Holy Registered User regular
    Enc wrote: »
    Truly we are about to live i a dystopian hellscape

    But only in our heads. If you install that software.

    ...because dragons are AWESOME! That's why.
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  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    'Neural dust' is here. Tiny, implantable sensors converting ultrasound signals from outside the body into electricity to control a nerve or muscle fibre. Currently they're a little large (around 1mm) - but UC Berkeley is trying to bring them down to around 50um.

    http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/08/03/sprinkling-of-neural-dust-opens-door-to-electroceuticals/
    A major hurdle in brain-machine interfaces (BMI) is the lack of an implantable neural interface system that remains viable for a substantial fraction of a primate lifetime. Recently, sub-mm implantable, wireless electromagnetic (EM) neural interfaces have been demonstrated in an effort to extend system longevity. However, EM systems do not scale down in size well due to the severe inefficiency of coupling radio waves at mm and sub-mm scales.

    We propose an alternative wireless power and data telemetry scheme using distributed, ultrasonic backscattering systems to record high frequency (~kHz) neural activity. Such systems will require two fundamental technology innovations: 1) thousands of 10 – 100 um scale, free-floating, independent sensor nodes, or neural dust, that detect and report local extracellular electrophysiological data via ultrasonic backscattering, and 2) a sub-cranial ultrasonic interrogator that establishes power and communication links with the neural dust.

    nervemote750-410x273.jpg

    Among many other things, this means we could finally have feasible, precise BCI. What a time to be alive!

    As an idiot that knows 4/5ths of fuckall about these kinds of things, could tech like that have an implementation in restoring movement ability after nerve damage?

  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited August 2016
    as someone who knows a bit but definitely not a huge amount about these things, yes absolutely. Why not.

    tynic on
  • denihilistdenihilist Ancient and Mighty Registered User, Moderator mod
    Someone call Ramez Naam and tell him I'm changing all of my Gibson was Right posts to Naam

  • denihilistdenihilist Ancient and Mighty Registered User, Moderator mod
    Nvrmnd I'll just tell him on Facebook.

  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    'Neural dust' is here. Tiny, implantable sensors converting ultrasound signals from outside the body into electricity to control a nerve or muscle fibre. Currently they're a little large (around 1mm) - but UC Berkeley is trying to bring them down to around 50um.

    http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/08/03/sprinkling-of-neural-dust-opens-door-to-electroceuticals/
    A major hurdle in brain-machine interfaces (BMI) is the lack of an implantable neural interface system that remains viable for a substantial fraction of a primate lifetime. Recently, sub-mm implantable, wireless electromagnetic (EM) neural interfaces have been demonstrated in an effort to extend system longevity. However, EM systems do not scale down in size well due to the severe inefficiency of coupling radio waves at mm and sub-mm scales.

    We propose an alternative wireless power and data telemetry scheme using distributed, ultrasonic backscattering systems to record high frequency (~kHz) neural activity. Such systems will require two fundamental technology innovations: 1) thousands of 10 – 100 um scale, free-floating, independent sensor nodes, or neural dust, that detect and report local extracellular electrophysiological data via ultrasonic backscattering, and 2) a sub-cranial ultrasonic interrogator that establishes power and communication links with the neural dust.

    nervemote750-410x273.jpg

    Among many other things, this means we could finally have feasible, precise BCI. What a time to be alive!

    What's BCI?

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    oh shit! real cyborg stuff!

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    Resistance is futile.

  • Mr_RoseMr_Rose 83 Blue Ridge Protects the Holy Registered User regular
    Right, one little thing though; has anyone studied the impact of long term ultrasonic exposure on human tissue?

    ...because dragons are AWESOME! That's why.
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  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    Resistance is futile.

    I'd better meditate on this.

    ohm...

    ohm...

  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Mr_Rose wrote: »
    Right, one little thing though; has anyone studied the impact of long term ultrasonic exposure on human tissue?

    ... yes?

    http://scitation.aip.org/content/asa/journal/jasa/52/2B/10.1121/1.1913156
    http://brl.illinois.edu/Publications/1971/Dunn-IEEEBME-253-1971.pdf
    http://files.dermatofuncional.com.es/200000637-92dc993d6e/Bio-effects and safety of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasonic exposure.pdf
    http://scitation.aip.org/content/asa/journal/jasa/102/1/10.1121/1.419737
    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Armen_Sarvazyan/publication/12913173_Shear_wave_elasticity_imaging_A_new_ultrasonic_technology_of_medical_diagnostics/links/547322f50cf216f8cfae9e0c.pdf
    http://scitation.aip.org/content/asa/journal/jasa/48/6B/10.1121/1.1912301

    Yes, tissue responses to various types of ultrasonic dosage have been studied fairly extensively over the last forty years. But I'm also completely sure that we'll see a lot more studies about this particular tech before it's anywhere close to going live commercially.

    I mean, I'm not going to say it's NOT going to turn you into a mutant supervillain ...

  • TheStigTheStig Registered User regular
    You can't prove it won't!

    bnet: TheStig#1787 Steam: TheStig
  • EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    Resistance is futile.

    I'd better meditate on this.

    ohm...

    ohm...

    We are all one inside the iris.

  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    You know that one star? The one that definitely probably doesn't have alien megastructures around it?

    It's fading. It apparently has been for a century, and it faded by 4% over the course of 4 years. Including a 2% nosedive that took place over 200 days.

    My bet's on a Star Forge, but I'm also open to the possibility of a Starkiller Base.

    Probably not a Dark Phoenix, though. That would just be silly.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • HobnailHobnail Registered User regular
    I like how when I google "KIC 8462852" the second result is "KIC 8462852: Alien megastructure Dyson sphere star baffles scientists further"

    Top shelf

    Broke as fuck in the style of the times. Gratitude is all that can return on your generosity.

    https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Listen, a prudent wait-and-see attitude is just what those filthy aliens want.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • HobnailHobnail Registered User regular
    ALIEN MEGASTRUCTURE DYSON SPHERE STAR LAUNCHES ARMADA OF NIBIRUS

    Broke as fuck in the style of the times. Gratitude is all that can return on your generosity.

    https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
  • Dis'Dis' Registered User regular
    Hobnail wrote: »
    ALIEN MEGASTRUCTURE DYSON SPHERE STAR LAUNCHES ARMADA OF NIBIRUS

    Well in about 2700 years we'll start seeing how they react to radio signals from earth - a sudden increase in brightness as the berserkers get launched would be pretty interesting.

  • Kane Red RobeKane Red Robe Master of Magic ArcanusRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    Brain-Computer interfacing

    eg
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogBX18maUiM

    Ah. I always preferred the warrior's bland acronym MMI or mind machine interface.

    ...and now I'm going to go play Alpha Centauri again.

  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    Well this is slightly disheartening.

    https://youtu.be/42QuXLucH3Q

  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Now that he points it out, it's kind of nuts that the same scientist who came up with a theory is in charge of interpreting the data. It seems like a good idea to have the experiment conducted and interpreted by a peer who has no idea whether the experiment is testing a new idea, replicating a previous one, or testing some old bullshit made up by undergrads as a control.

    Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the scientific field, and this is probably completely unworkable.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2016
    Very few studies get proper replication, and there are a looooooooooot of garbage journals out there, too.

    a5ehren on
  • DedwrekkaDedwrekka Metal Hell adjacentRegistered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    Now that he points it out, it's kind of nuts that the same scientist who came up with a theory is in charge of interpreting the data. It seems like a good idea to have the experiment conducted and interpreted by a peer who has no idea whether the experiment is testing a new idea, replicating a previous one, or testing some old bullshit made up by undergrads as a control.

    Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the scientific field, and this is probably completely unworkable.

    That's what peer review journals are about isn't it?

  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited August 2016
    Peer reviewing is about checking the work for obvious flaws, not replicating the experiment or blind interpreting the data.

    And it's not really workable to remove the raw research from the analysis, no. Logistical issues aside, It would essentially mean doubling up on personnel, with no increase in actual output. Science funding is already bare bones as it is.

    Edit: but all that said, published data is not meant to be 'correct'. It is meant to be replicable, and avoid as many potentially confounding errors as possible, and in practice it also needs to be novel, interesting and scientifically innovative in some way. But all that doesn't mean it's RIGHT, it just means "this is as right as we can currently see." Published research is part of a dialogue, not an ultimate statement on reality.

    tynic on
  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    Now that he points it out, it's kind of nuts that the same scientist who came up with a theory is in charge of interpreting the data. It seems like a good idea to have the experiment conducted and interpreted by a peer who has no idea whether the experiment is testing a new idea, replicating a previous one, or testing some old bullshit made up by undergrads as a control.

    Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the scientific field, and this is probably completely unworkable.

    Nate Silver has a thing about how, shockingly, studies tend to just make the p value required to validate the premise rather than just miss it. It's like totally weird how that works out in studies just barely having a point instead of just barely finding no support for their thesis.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    There's a movement in the experimental sciences to move away from p values as a metric because not only are they too easy to tweak, their value is commonly misinterpreted even by scientists.

  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Speaking of peer review, I need to finish reviewing this paper. Is it correct? I honestly have no idea. That would take literally months of work to figure out.

    But have they given me enough information to replicate the results if I wanted to? is it based on an accurate interpretation of previous results? Is the maths correct? Can they tie the results into valid experimental data observed by other people? Are their conclusions reasonable given the results? So far, yes to all the above, so I'll vote to accept it.

  • Sir PlatypusSir Platypus Registered User regular
    Is anyone where they can see the meteor shower tonight? I was in the yard for about an hour and a half and saw about sixteen. Decent for the amount of light pollution around me.

  • GvzbgulGvzbgul Registered User regular
    Question: so experiments have shown that our brains flip our vision round the right way if we wear glasses that flip our vision around the wrong (right) way. But what about if our vision is broken up into pieces and rearranged? Would our brains be able to handle that?

  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    Is anyone where they can see the meteor shower tonight? I was in the yard for about an hour and a half and saw about sixteen. Decent for the amount of light pollution around me.

    It's been super clear here the last two nights and I spent an hour or so outside then, but unfortunately it's bucketing rain tonight so I'm not seeing anything tonight.

    Tomorrow, however, I'm supposed to be in the Fijian Islands, so I'm hoping I might find some clear dark sky for whatever is left of the show.

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • Ashaman42Ashaman42 Registered User regular
    Gvzbgul wrote: »
    Question: so experiments have shown that our brains flip our vision round the right way if we wear glasses that flip our vision around the wrong (right) way. But what about if our vision is broken up into pieces and rearranged? Would our brains be able to handle that?

    Or what about having one eye's vision flipped and the other normal?

  • DecomposeyDecomposey Registered User regular
    Gvzbgul wrote: »
    Question: so experiments have shown that our brains flip our vision round the right way if we wear glasses that flip our vision around the wrong (right) way. But what about if our vision is broken up into pieces and rearranged? Would our brains be able to handle that?

    I can tell you from experience that our brains can do the opposite, break up vision into pieces and rearrange them. You can do an experiment to see this for yourself, just bash the back of your skull against the ground until swelling starts to press on your occipital lobe.
    Don't do this

    Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Is anyone where they can see the meteor shower tonight? I was in the yard for about an hour and a half and saw about sixteen. Decent for the amount of light pollution around me.

    I saw about maybe a dozen good ones in the hour I was outside last night in the Pacific NW. Going back out tonight for longer. It was fun!

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • GvzbgulGvzbgul Registered User regular
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/11/400-year-old-greenland-shark-is-the-oldest-vertebrate-animal
    She was born during the reign of James I, was a youngster when René Descartes set out his rules of thought and the great fire of London raged, saw out her adolescent years as George II ascended the throne, reached adulthood around the time that the American revolution kicked off, and lived through two world wars. Living to an estimated age of nearly 400 years, a female Greenland shark has set a new record for longevity, scientists have revealed.


    Forget Nessie, now is the time to spot basking sharks in Scottish waters
    Read more
    The discovery places the lifespan of the Greenland shark far ahead of even the oldest elephant in captivity, Lin Wang, who died aged 86. It is also far longer than the official record for humans, held by 122-year-old Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment.

    “It kicks off the bowhead whale as the oldest vertebrate animal,” said Julius Nielsen, lead author of the research from the University of Copenhagen, pointing out that bowhead whales have been known to live for 211 years.

    But the Greenland shark doesn’t scoop all the gongs – the title of the world’s longest-lived animal is held by Ming, an Icelandic clam known as an ocean quahog, that made it to 507 years before scientists bumped it off.

  • HobnailHobnail Registered User regular
    Wait how come they killed that clam

    Broke as fuck in the style of the times. Gratitude is all that can return on your generosity.

    https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    Hobnail wrote: »
    Wait how come they killed that clam

    Chowdah.

  • PsykomaPsykoma Registered User regular
    edited August 2016
    They put it in a freezer. It wasn't until it died that they were sure of it's age, apparently.


    http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/1115/Scientists-discover-world-s-oldest-clam-killing-it-in-the-process

    Following a fair bit of outrage about how badly Ming’s first contact with humans had panned out, the team pointed out to the BBC that ocean quahog clams are used in clam chowder all the time and that these soup clams might also be hundreds of years old. None of the other 200 clams dredged up in their climate change research got names, they also said.

    Ocean quahog clams are well known to live to be very, very old, but it’s not certain why that is. Like other long-lived animals, such as the naked mole rat, the animal has been a subject of much research, in hopes of applying their long-life secrets to humans.

    Psykoma on
  • DedwrekkaDedwrekka Metal Hell adjacentRegistered User regular
    So hey guys, more moon talk again. The US government approved the first ever private company expedition to the moon.
    A bit on some of the entities involved in this.

    Google Lunar X Prize
    The Google Lunar X prize is an award of $20 million to the first private organization to land a robotic lander on the moon, travel 500 meters above, below, or on the lunar surface, and transmit high-definition video and images back to earth. The current deadline for this is December 2017, but it has been pushed back before from it's original deadline of December 2015 on the stipulation that at least one team had to secure a launch contract by December 2015. Two of them did, being the Israeli Space IL and the US Moon Express.
    There are additional bonuses to be awarded on completion of certain conditions, like the filming of areas of the Apollo missions.

    The Outer Space Treaty
    In accordance with the Outer Space Treaty, states must approve and monitor private space missions that happen within their jurisdiction.
    While the treaty disallows governments from claiming extraterrestrial resources, it does not specifically disallow private entities from doing so. However it does state that States that launch objects into space retain ownership of that object are are responsible for damages by that object. What that entails or even means in practice is not well stated.

    Moon Express
    moon_express_2017_0816.jpg
    The company Moon Express started in 2010 with the ultimate goal of winning Google's Lunar X prize and establishing infrastructure for sending media to and from the moon, as well as mining it for resources like Niobium, Yttrium, and Helium-3. They have invested over $500,000 in NASA through a program (granted via the "Space Act" of 1958) whereby they have been able to commercialize NASA facilities and technology.
    Reimbursable Agreements - Agreements where NASA's costs associated to the activity are reimbursed by the Agreement Partner (in full or in part). NASA undertakes Reimbursable Agreements when it has unique goods, services, and facilities that are not currently being fully utilized to accomplish mission needs. These may be made available to others on a noninterference basis and consistent with the Agency's missions and policies.
    They had a working prototype of a lunar lander within a year of their founding, at least partially due to their ability to share resources with NASA.
    They're contracted with New Zealand's Rocket Lab for three launches on their Electron Rocket (brand name, not an indication of the kind of rocket).
    They're also contracted with NASA for lunar data services, which is valued in the millions of dollars.
    They're also contracted with the ILOA for assistance establishing the International Lunar Observatory.

    International Lunar Observatory Association
    The ILOA is an international organization that plans to advance human knowledge through placement of observatories on the moon. Currently the ILO-X 7cm optical telescope is contracted to be landed on the moon with Moon Express's first launch (MX-1). They have already landed the Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope on the lander of the Chang’e-3, with additional contracts to land more telescopes on the lunar surface with Chang'e-4/5/6.

    Rocket Lab
    Rocket Lab, founded in 2006, will be providing the use of its Electron Launch Vehicle to Moon Express. The ELV is a two-stage vehicle using Rutherford engines. Rutherford engines use battery powered motors to control the pumps that combine the fuel and the oxidizer, removing the need for a secondary engine. It's also almost entirely 3D printed via electron beam melting process.

    The US Government
    The FAA, the NOIA, NASA, the DoD, the White House, the FCC, and the Department of State all had to sign off on the mission, which first sought approval in April 2015, and received it's final approval last month. It's worth noting that there's no official process for this, which has led to a really long and drawn out phase in the planning as multiple agencies were required to work together on this. This has prompted the feds to try and come up with a licensing process for future missions, though it's still unclear who exactly would be in-charge. However as of July 2016 Moon Express has become the first company to receive approval for private space missions beyond Earth's orbit.

    SpaceIL
    moon.jpg?w=600
    SpaceIL is an Israeli non-profit who have secured reservations with SpaceX for a launch in 2017. Instead of a tracked or wheeled vehicle their lander will travel the requisite 500 meters for the XPrize by hopping from its landing site to its secondary site via rocket propulsion. Of their 200+ members they are 95% volunteers, which makes them unique among the competition. Especially as they're one of only two teams to currently have launches contracted and it was their team's contract with SpaceX that secured the extension on the XPrize to 2017.


    http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/08/the-federal-government-just-approved-first-private-mission-to-the-moon/

This discussion has been closed.