NextBigFuture.com

The head of Facebook’s AI, Yann LeCun, says AI still has a long, long way to go before it approaches anything near the intelligence of a baby, or even an animal. LeCun thinks the keys are * machines that can build, through learning, their own internal models of the world, so they can simulate the world faster than real time * virtual assistants really are going to be the big thing. Current assistants are entirely scripted, with a tree of possible things they can tell you. So that makes the creation of bots really tedious, expensive, and brittle, though they

Lawmakers in Catalonia declared independence from Spain on Friday in a defiant move that divided the breakaway region and sharply escalated a confrontation for control with Madrid. The central...

Fully automated mining and factories and advanced robotics on the moon and asteroids could be leveraged for the exponential development of space. Here we review some of the developments of robotics for mining and factories on earth. Robotic mining Rio Tinto has 73 self driving trucks hauling iron ore 24 hours a day at four mines in Australia. They also use robotic rock drilling rigs. They are starting to use self driving trains that will be loaded and unloaded automatically. Driverless locomotives hae been tested extensively in 2017 and will be fully deployed by 2018. BHP Billiton, the world’s largest

When it comes to entirely new, faster, more powerful computers, Majorana fermions may be the answer. These hypothetical particles can do a better job than conventional quantum bits (qubits) of light or matter. Why? Because of the spooky way Majorana fermions interact with each other at a distance. When two fermions interact, they usually dissipate energy, whereas two Majoranas are entangled and preserve the quantum state. But where to find these unique particles? Scientists observed a unique state on the surface of a superconducting material made of equal parts bismuth and palladium. While it didn’t host the long sought-after hypothetical

Almost 60 percent of supply from world’s planned large lithium projects through about the next five years will be added in Australia. Australia will cement its position as the top supplier of lithium according to CRU Group. The biggest mines due to enter production next year are both about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Port Hedland. Pilbara Minerals Ltd. is targeting shipments to start in the second quarter of 2018 from its Pilgangoora project and advancing work on a potential expansion. Altura Mining is on schedule to start output in the first quarter and is also preparing to rapidly boost

Nvidia Corp chief executive Jensen Huang said on Thursday artificial intelligence would enable fully automated cars within 4 years, but sought to tamp down expectations for a surge in demand for its...

(Korea Herald) South Korea’s military on Oct 19, 2017 announced a plan to develop “Frankenmissile” to counter North Korea’s escalating missile and nuclear capabilities in a bid to overwhelm the North...

Sarcos has a snake bot and force multiplying robotic arms. Guardianâ„¢ GT is a human-controlled, force-multiplying robotic system with one or two highly dexterous arms mounted on a track or wheeled...

Vijay Pande, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, sees a big shift in Quantum computing. For the last two decades, we had been trying to work out the fundamental science of quantum computing but...

When a galaxy is hidden behind another galaxy, we can sometimes see the hidden one around the front system. This phenomenon is called a gravitational lens, because it emerges from Einstein’s...

The company LUNATIX was created by the eight participants of SpaceTech 2016. The SpaceTech Master Programme of the Technical University of Graz, Austria, is aimed at international, mid-career professionals seeking expertise in space systems and business engineering. There is a 36 page plan presented at SpaceTech 2016. Lunatix wants to be the creative leader in lunar mobility and they propose two types of mobility platforms. Above – The Lunatix nanobot. Image: Lunatix/European Space Agency 1. they are designing a series of Small Mobile Platforms (SMPs also called Nanobots), equipped with video cameras, that will be mainly dedicated to entertainment and

India will make its second mission to the moon in 2018, the Indian Space Research Organization announced this week. The Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft consists of an orbiter, lander and rover configuration...

Amazon will launch its new in-home delivery service as of November 8. There, customers who purchase an Amazon Cloud Cam, own a compatible smart lock, and download the accompanying Amazon Key app can...

It is likely that the US will be integrating combat lasers onto planes, ships and vehicles over the next ten years and deploying hypersonic missiles. However, China, Russia and other nations are roughly keeping pace with US development of hypersonic missiles and planes and are not that far behind in combat lasers. China is at 60% of the US economy on an exchange rate basis and 120% on a purchasing power parity basis. China’s economy will continue to grow faster than the USA and will likely be about 150% to double the size of the US economy on an exchange

The Carnival of Space 532 is up at Everyday Spacer. Universe Today – More Evidence Presented in Defense of Planet 9 Universe Today – Flowing Water on Mars Likely Cold and Frosty, Says New...

Two Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Quantum Information Science Group teams received more than $10 million over five years to both assess the feasibility of quantum architectures in addressing big...

On October 18, 2017, DuPont Pioneer and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard reached an agreement to jointly provide non-exclusive licenses to foundational CRISPR-Cas9 intellectual property under...

D-Wave system shows quantum computers can learn to detect particle signatures in mountains of data, but doesn’t outpace conventional methods — yet. A team has shown that a quantum circuit can learn...

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) Consortium has released a blueprint for the international initiative’s efforts to create a comprehensive reference map of all human cells, a project that will form the basis for a deeper understanding of human health and for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease. The consortium today also announced the impending release of gene expression profiles from the first one million immune cells collected under the HCA, toward an initial milestone of collecting at least 30 million cells representing several tissues and organs for the atlas’ first draft. These data, to be posted on an online repository by

Clearing old zombie cells in mice has been shown to restore fitness, fur density and kidney function. It has also improved lung disease and even mended damaged cartilage. And in a 2016 study, it...

New DNA base editing platform holds potential for reversing the most common class of disease-associated DNA point mutations. Scientists at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of MIT and...

New Broad Institute ‘REPAIR’ system edits RNA, rather than DNA; has potential to treat diseases without permanently affecting the genome. The Broad Institute and MIT scientists who first harnessed...

Rice grown on a commercial scale in diluted seawater has, for the first time, made it into the rice bowls of ordinary Chinese people after a breakthrough in food production following more than four...

Researchers have developed a new type of cooling system for high-performance radars and supercomputers that circulates a liquid coolant directly into electronic chips through an intricate series of...

“In-memory computing” or “computational memory” is an emerging concept that uses the physical properties of memory devices for both storing and processing information. This is counter to current von...

Engineers at UBC have developed a type of seismic-resistant concrete that can withstand earthquakes with magnitudes as high as 9.1, like the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan in 2011. The material...

Our rapidly evolving energy future – packed with electric vehicles, massive energy storage solutions and nanotechnology – requires more tech-grade graphite than it does lithium and...

Saudi Arabia will build a megacity called “NEOM,” will operate independently from the “existing governmental framework” with investors consulted at every step during development. The project will be...

China’s Air Force released on its weibo social media account two pictures, which show four J-20 stealth fighter jets flying in formation. As of 2017, it is reported that control system, stealth...

See-through solar materials that can be applied to windows represent a massive source of untapped energy and could harvest as much power as bigger, bulkier rooftop solar units, scientists report...

Scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick have learned how to tame the unruly electrons in graphene, paving the way for the ultra-fast transport of electrons with low loss of energy in novel...

The total current population of high income countries (per World Bank definition) is 1.22 billion. A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a country with a gross national income per...

Spacex has been awarded a $40,766,512 modification (P00007) for the development of the Raptor rocket propulsion system prototype for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. Work will be...

A Northwestern University and MIT study of automation and unemployment risks suggests that small cities will be less resilient than large cities in weathering the impacts of automation. Cities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants will experience more disruption. Smaller cities have proportional more jobs that are routine clerical work, such as cashier and food service jobs, which are more susceptible. The city has proven to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms:

5,000 firefighters remain on the frontlines of 10 active Northern California wildfires, many of which are projected to be fully contained within the next few days. Firefighters continue to extinguish...

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will be providing $20 million of funding for projects to identify and develop innovative technologies for lower cost and safer advanced nuclear reactors as part of...

Small RNA molecules originally developed as a tool to study gene function trigger a mechanism hidden in every cell that forces the cell to commit suicide, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study,...

China should become a high income country by the World Bank definition by about 2023. A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a country with a gross national income per capita US$12,236...

IsureMyTesla is a comprehensive insurance plan developed in cooperation with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Designed for Tesla cars, InsureMyTesla enhances the customer experience with the following benefits: New Car ReplacementTM – Allows for a brand new car within the first year in case of a total loss1 Rate guaranteed for one year Genuine Replacement Parts Optional 24-Hour Roadside Assistance beyond the Tesla Warranty Optional Rental Car Reimbursement to pay your rental costs for as long as it takes to fix your Tesla Claims Valet ServiceTM to drop off a rental car at the scene or schedule a swap at an

After two years of research on Ground X-Vehicle Technologies, Honeywell brings “out-the-window views” and enhanced awareness to closed-cockpit environments. Honeywell has successfully...

Intel acquired several Artificial Intelligence companies including Saffron Technologies. Saffron was acquired in October 2015. Saffron Technologies develops cognitive computing systems that use...

Marcus Weiberger at Defense One reports that the US Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed B52 bombers back on 24-hour ready alert, a status not seen since the Cold War ended in 1991. Gen. David...

In July, 2017 Elon Musk said he was verbally approved to build a New York to DC Hyperloop. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has tweeted and stated his support for the Boring Company and the Hyperloop...

MonolithIC 3D offers multiple paths to silicon-based Monolithic 3D-ICs using building blocks well-known to the semiconductor industry. Qualcomm will be using Monolithic 3d for their smartphone chips....

Tesla has a preliminary deal with the Shanghai municipal government that will give Tesla ownership of a new Tesla factory in Shanghai’s free trade zone. The preliminary deal still offers Tesla...

The most powerful rocket this generation has ever seen, SpaceX’s new Falcon Heavy rocket, launches no earlier than this November, 2017. Kennedy Space Center’s historic launch pad 39A has not...

Navy hypervelocity projectile tests from Navy ships will start soon. The Hyper Velocity Projectile (HVP) is a next-generation, common, low drag, guided projectile capable of executing multiple...

HRL Laboratories, LLC, researchers have determined how non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could increase performance of associative learning. The researchers found that when...