Daily Innovation News

July 27^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇺🇸 US researchers explore fly-inspired scent-detecting drones for chemical leak detection

Researchers at the University of Nevada have discovered that flies use a "sink and circle" behavior, involving altitude drops and rapid, consistent turns, to detect chemical scents in still air. By studying Drosophila melanogaster, they developed an optogenetic method to simulate olfactory experiences, revealing that flies adjust their search strategies based on wind presence. This research, published in Current Biology, could lead to the development of drones that mimic these behaviors to efficiently track chemical leaks.

⚡️ Energy

🇨🇳 China to launch world's first thorium molten salt nuclear power station in 2025

China is set to build the first thorium molten salt nuclear power station in the Gobi Desert, aiming for operation by 2025. This innovative reactor uses thorium, a more abundant and environmentally safer liquid fuel than uranium, and operates at normal pressure without needing water for cooling. The thorium reactor's design reduces the risk of meltdowns and generates less toxic and short-lived radioactive waste, showcasing China's commitment to advancing energy technology and reducing carbon emissions.

🪖 Military

🇨🇳 China uses drone swarms and robot dogs in counter-terror exercise

In the "Interaction-2024" joint counter-terrorism exercise held in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) demonstrated its commitment to combating terrorism. This drill marked the first time all SCO member states participated in a live-force joint exercise, featuring advanced technologies like drone swarms and robot dogs alongside fully armed soldiers. The exercise aimed to showcase the SCO's unified stance and capabilities in addressing significant terrorist threats.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

🇺🇸 US researchers develop device to make AI 1,000 times more energy efficient

Engineering researchers have created a hardware device that significantly reduces energy consumption for AI computing applications by keeping data within memory during processing. This new computational random-access memory (CRAM) model can save energy by eliminating the need for data transfer between logic and memory, which is a major power drain in traditional AI systems. Published in npj Unconventional Computing, this innovation could drastically cut AI's growing energy demands.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 US researchers successfully implant titanium heart powered by maglev technology

The first successful implantation of the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH), which uses magnetic levitation (maglev) technology, has been performed at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center. This titanium-based heart, designed to minimize blood trauma and enhance performance, employs a magnetically levitated rotor to efficiently pump blood. The TAH serves as a bridge-to-transplant solution for patients with severe heart failure, aiming to support them while they await a donor heart.

🇺🇸 US researchers develop 'dancing molecules' to heal cartilage damage

Scientists have created a new therapy using synthetic nanofibers with fast-moving "dancing molecules" that mimic a protein crucial for cartilage formation and maintenance. This treatment activates gene expression necessary for cartilage regeneration within four hours and produces essential protein components in just three days. The therapy, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, shows promise for treating osteoarthritis, affecting nearly 530 million people globally, by potentially offering a regenerative solution.

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