Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 5/26/25. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 5/26/25. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
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As more employees receive crypto salaries, new challenges can emerge. According to Kozyakov, workers paid in crypto may ask what they can do next with their funds. “You won’t invest everything and just wait. You need to use it for everyday purchases,” Kozyakov told Cointelegraph.
This is where practical spending options are needed. Kozyakov said that crypto earners are looking for ways to use their digital asset incomes in daily life scenarios, whether buying coffee, going out for drinks or settling utility bills.
As crypto becomes an option for employee salaries, there has also been a growing acceptance of crypto in employee contracts in some jurisdictions. In August 2024, a Dubai court recognized crypto as a valid form of salary payment.
The executive also told Cointelegraph that Mercuryo views crypto as more than just a speculative asset but a powerful tool for moving and storing value. “Crypto is not only an asset; it’s the perfect rail to move money and store money. And it is essential to be able to spend it.”
The executive said that in practice, spending crypto can still be complex. He said it takes a few steps, including moving it to an exchange, sending it to a bank account and answering “weird” questions from banks.
Carbyne, which had previously only been detected in a single tube, exhibits controllable electronic properties vital for semiconductor technology and may be the strongest known material in terms of tensile strength. But, during the experiment, the team observed a puzzling vibrational system state that couldn’t be explained by existing models and was completely misunderstood at the time.
That has now changed, after researchers, led by Emil Parth, MSc, a University of Vienna physicist, and lead author of the study, took a closer look at the previously unexplained state, and finally found answers. They now used an innovative theoretical model enabled by recent breakthroughs in machine learning.
Despite the result appearing contradictory at first, the team was ultimately able to explain the newly found interactions between the carbon chain and the nanotube.
“Although the chain and the nanotube are electronically isolated and therefore do not exchange electrons, they are subject to an unexpectedly strong coupling between the vibrations of the two nanostructures,” Parth, said.
The physicist explained that carbyne and the nanotube interact electronically while remaining electronically isolated at the same time. While it may seem like this kind of quantum mechanical coupling is usually negligible, it is remarkably strong in this situation, due to the chain’s intrinsic electronic properties and structural instability.
!summarize #carbonnanotube #materialsscience #technology
The project represents a three-year collaboration between Yang’s lab and Protochips Inc., a North Carolina-based industry partner that helped in the development of the TEM instrument.
“We’ve also been designing nanocatalysts for carbon emissions reduction to sustainable liquid fuels, efforts which help address the global problem of climate change,” Yang continued.
Yang stated that the work is not only a major upgrade in EV battery diagnostics, but also represents a meaningful step forward in the broader fight against climate change.
Solid-state batteries could determine the viability of flying eVTOL taxis. In November, another firm from China, EHang, launched a flight test of an eVTOL aircraft using solid-state batteries.
During those tests, it achieved a flight time of 48 minutes, representing a roughly 60 percent increase over previous tests.
However, there is still a long way to go. eVTOL taxis were expected to fly passengers for the first time at the Paris Olympics, courtesy of German firm Volocopter. The technology has hit a number of hurdles, key of which is high battery demand.
Electric vehicle sales, meanwhile, have slowed down in the last year. Many consumers have opted instead for hybrid vehicles, which combine internal combustion engines and electric motors. According to auto data firm Motor Intelligence, 1.9 million hybrid vehicles were sold in the US last year compared with 1.3 million all-electric models.
To combat potential infection, the turtle is currently being treated with high-powered antibiotics. The team is dedicated to her healing and swift return to the ocean.
“Luckily, right now, her neurologic exam shows that all those nerves are intact. And that is a great sign for her. We’re very excited about that and we’ll just be rechecking to make sure that we have no progression of the disease, and as soon as we feel like that wound is healed well enough, she can go back out into the wild,” Barron told Associated Press.
On May 19, during "police week," Trump presented Alexandria Diaz, daughter of Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, with the Medal of Sacrifice during an Oval Office ceremony. The awkward moment with Trump and the fallen deputy's daughter, as it was dubbed online, went viral on social. Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, and his wife, Fox News host Lara Trump, also attended the Medals of Sacrifice ceremony.
On May 24, an episode of Lara Trump's show, "My View with Lara Trump," spotlights Paez, Waller and Diaz and their extensive career as first responders. Lara Trump interviews Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida) and the family members of the late Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies.
Nvidia’s “remaining edge lies primarily in its ability to integrate AI clusters with its CUDA platform,” he added.
CUDA is Nvidia’s programming architecture that engineers rely on to develop AI models and applications on its GPUs. Its widespread adoption and the robust ecosystem built around it make developers strongly inclined to stay with Nvidia.
A look at history
Nvidia’s market share in China took a turn for the worse from 95 percent to 50 percent in recent years. CEO Jensen Huang has already raised an alarm regarding the issue, warning more Chinese customers would buy Huawei’s chips if the export curbs don’t stop.
Following the U.S. ban on the H20 in April, Nvidia initially explored creating a downgraded version of the chip specifically for the Chinese market, according to sources.
However, that plan ultimately fell through. CEO Jensen Huang has stated that the H20’s underlying Hopper architecture can no longer be adjusted to meet the latest U.S. export restrictions. The name of the new GPU, expected to launch as early as June, has not yet been confirmed by Reuters.
Nvidia’s attempts towards making this chip feels more like necessity rather than innovation. With U.S. export curbs tightening around Nvidia and Huawei growing rapidly, Nvidia’s rushed attempt to push a watered-down GPU into the Chinese market highlights how vulnerable even tech giants can be when geopolitics trumps engineering.
Crypto spending will grow, but fiat isn’t going anywhere: Mercuryo CEO
Mercuryo CEO Petr Kozyakov told Cointelegraph that seamless crypto payment options will drive broader crypto adoption.
Petr Kozyakov, CEO of crypto payments platform Mercuryo, told Cointelegraph that the future of finance may not be a winner-takes-all scenario but a blend of digital assets and fiat, each used where it makes the most sense.
In a Cointelegraph interview, Kozyakov said that while crypto payments are seeing an increase in adoption and demand, the asset class won’t be fully replacing fiat money anytime soon. He said the two asset classes will coexist, with people choosing the more convenient payment option in different situations.
“We don’t think crypto will replace fiat,” Kozyakov told Cointelegraph. “They will coexist, and people will turn to crypto when it’s the easier, more practical option, whether that’s for payroll, yield or money transfers.”
Crypto as a salary payment option is no longer a novelty. Kozyakov told Cointelegraph that more companies are settling employee salaries with crypto assets.
“That is a growing trend,” Kozyakov said. “I see a lot of businesses that are starting to settle with their full-time employees and with their gig employees all over the world, in crypto.”
!summarize #ai #apple #intelligence #technology
Atomic riddle solved: Carbyne emerges as powerful quantum sensor after nearly a decade
ML breakthrough enables researchers to model and explain the paradoxical interactions between carbyne and nanotubes.
Researchers have resolved a puzzling vibrational phenomenon that has baffled the scientific community for years, after discovering a strange quantum link between carbyne and carbon nanotubes.
Led by the University of Vienna in Austria, along with researchers from Italy, France, China, and Japan, the study sheds new light on how carbynes, crystalline forms of carbon linked in chains with alternating single and triple bonds, interact with nanotubes on a quantum level.
For the research, the scientists relied on Raman spectroscopy, a non-destructive chemical analysis technique which is commonly used in research to identify molecules by their unique structural fingerprint.
After additionally applying innovative theoretical models, as well as machine learning, they were able to demonstrate the universal applicability of carbyne as a sensor due to its sensitivity to external influences.
Understanding how matter behaves at the atomic scale is crucial for developing the materials of the future. According to the scientists, quantum mechanical effects, such as electron movement, atomic vibrations, and energy band structures, shape how materials conduct electricity, respond to magnetic fields, transmit light, or withstand mechanical stress.
To better understand these mechanisms, the scientists revisited a surprising discovery made nine years ago by Thomas Pichler, PhD, a physics professor at the University of Vienna, and head of the research group.
At the time, Pichler and his team managed to stabilize carbyne, an ultra-thin chain of carbon atoms, inside carbon nanotubes, for the first time, marking a breakthrough that stunned the scientific community.
First-ever ‘movie’ of EV battery failing under stress recorded by US scientists
The new method enabled the scientists to watch chemistry in action and film how energy materials react to temperature changes.
Researchers in the US have used electron microscopy to capture electric vehicle (EV) battery failure on film for the first time showing how lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries deteriorate when exposed to severe heat or cold.
Led by Yao Yang, PhD, a chemistry and chemical biology assistant professor at University of Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, the team came up with the innovative solution in a bid to diagnose the mechanisms behind battery degradation in extreme climates.
The method, which the scientists referred to as operando electrochemical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reportedly allowed them to watch chemistry in action and collect real-time movies revealing what happens to energy materials during temperature changes.
“We now have an opportunity to investigate battery operation down to minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit), as in extremely cold Arctic climates, and catalyst activation and degradation up to 300 degrees Celsius (572 degrees Fahrenheit) as in many industrial catalysts and every car’s catalytic converter,” Yang pointed out.
China’s battery giants target EV and air taxi revolution with solid-state tech
China develops more than 60 percent of the world’s EVs as well as 80 percent of the batteries that power them.
Solid-state batteries have the potential to provide higher energy density while also being cheaper and safer than lithium-ion batteries.
The technology could improve electric vehicle performance and boost EV adoption, which has slowed down in the last year.
Last week, Chinese battery firm Ganfeng Lithium announced it had established a full-chain layout for solid-state batteries, a report from China Daily reveals. The new development reflects China’s ambitious plans to revolutionize electric transportation on the road and in the skies.
Ganfeng Lithium has reportedly achieved 420 Wh/kg energy density with its existing products. The firm also developed samples reaching 500 Wh/kg.
It isn’t the only firm in China pushing the boundaries of solid-state battery innovation. In May, battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech also started the first road tests for its next-gen all-solid-state batteries. This came after the company completed China’s first fully localized 0.2 gigawatt-hour pilot line.
Gotion High-Tech also launched the G-Yuan battery, which has a 300-watt-hours-per-kilogram energy density. According to Gotion chief scientist Zhu Xingbao, this battery will boost range and performance for new flying taxis, EVs, and humanoid robots.
CATL, meanwhile, reported this month that its solid-state batteries can achieve an energy density of 500 Wh/kg. The company is developing an electric commercial passenger aircraft.
Giant pregnant turtle hit by boat gets life-saving CT scan in machine for horses
The imaging revealed that Pennywise sustained bone damage around her spinal cord.
TThe azure waters off Florida’s Atlantic coast are home to some of the ocean’s most magnificent creatures. But even in this tranquil environment, danger can lurk.
A 302-pound (137 kilograms) loggerhead sea turtle, named Pennywise, was found injured by a boat strike off Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Reportedly, the turtle was brought to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach after being discovered injured by the Inwater Research Group.
But Pennywise presented a unique challenge. At her size, she was too large for the turtle hospital’s equipment. Even a human CT scan at the nearby Jupiter Medical Center proved impossible.
The veterinary team, led by Chief Science Officer Heather Barron, had to think fast.
When standard veterinary equipment proved too small, the team quickly arranged for Pennywise to undergo a CT scan at an equine clinic using horse-sized machinery at Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington.
The imaging revealed that Pennywise sustained bone damage around her spinal cord.
And what they discovered was a wonderful surprise — Pennywise carrying eggs.
This is particularly significant since loggerheads are endangered and typically produce multiple clutches during a single nesting season.
The hope now is to get her healthy and back into the wild so she can lay those precious eggs.
Iron guardians: Humanoid robots to douse fires, rescue lives in Singapore by 2027
Initially remote-controlled, the robots will use AI to operate autonomously by 2029, handling complex tasks with little human input.
Humanoid robots designed to assist in high-risk emergency operations will begin working alongside Home Team officers in Singapore as early as mid-2027.
These advanced machines, developed by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), are built to handle tasks such as firefighting, hazardous materials response, and search-and-rescue missions, reports an online media outlet.
Initially controlled remotely, the robots are expected to operate autonomously by 2029, using artificial intelligence to navigate complex scenarios with minimal human input. Four prototypes were unveiled on May 26 at the opening of the AI TechXplore exhibition.
Three of the humanoid robots showcased at the AI TechXplore exhibition stand at about 1.7 metres tall, while a fourth, more compact model measures 1.2 metres.
To control this smaller robot, HTX engineers developed a wearable exosuit that mirrors the operator’s movements in real time. The operator also uses a virtual reality headset linked to the robot’s cameras, enabling precise task execution through immersive visual feedback, reports Straits Times (ST).
In addition to the robots, HTX introduced Phoenix, its in-house developed large language model. Trained specifically for the Singaporean and Home Team environment, Phoenix is proficient in all four of Singapore’s official languages and will serve as the core of the Home Team’s AI infrastructure.
Welsh hydropower project that prevents UK grid crashes to get 25-year-life extension
In just 75 seconds, the plant can generate 1,800 MW of power on demand.
IIn 1984, the Dinorwig hydropower plant in North Wales was built to store low-cost energy produced at night and supply it during the day. More than four decades later, the power plant plays a crucial role in keeping the lights on when the UK’s electrical grid faces power outages and can swing into action in just 75 seconds to prevent a major blackout.
Hydroelectric power uses the flow of water to move turbines and generate electricity. The technology is over a century old and has been used to power homes and industries in various parts of the world. Most of these projects were built using dams on rivers. Still, with changing climate and rainfall patterns, hydroelectric power plants have become less reliable for generating regular power.
In the UK, hydropower contributes just two percent of overall energy production. Still, with the rise of renewable energy projects, a modified version of the hydropower project is rapidly becoming the top choice for long-term energy storage, which the Dinorwig project has repeatedly achieved.
Long-term renewable energy storage
While conventional hydropower plants work by generating electricity from water flowing through dams, projects like Dinorwig have mechanisms to pump back water that has passed the turbines back to higher reservoirs where it can be used to generate electricity once again.
The recent rise of wind and solar energy projects has also created a demand for energy storage solutions that can power the grid when the supply is low. Much of this is being delivered through the use of chemical batteries, which are great in the short run but cannot support long-term energy storage.
Nvidia plans cheaper Blackwell AI GPUs for Chinese markets in light of US curbs
The U.S. tech giant is trying its best to remain afloat in the Chinese markets amidst the trade war impact.
The trade war between US and China is hardly showing any sings of slowing down, and tech giants NVIDIA are already bearing the brunt of this war.
However, the company is making all possible attempts to circumvent the political turmoil and add stability to their position in the Chinese markets.
As per latest reports from Reuters, NVIDIA will launch a new AI chipset for China at lower price points. The chipset will be significantly lower than its restricted H20 model, with mass production rumored to start in as early as June.
The GPU, also known as Graphic Processing Unit, is one of Nvidia’s latest Blackwell-architecture AI processors.
It’s expected to be priced in the bracket of $6,500 to $8,000, below the usual $10,000-$12,000 range. The lower pricing is a testament to the chipset’s low specifications and simpler manufacturing requirements.
The new chipset is also rumored to be based on Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D, while it will use the traditional GDD$7 memory instead of more advanced high bandwidth memory. The sources also confirmed that the chips won’t use Taiwan Seminconductor Manufacturing CoWoS packaging technology.
The exact price, production timing, and other minute details haven’t yet been confirmed.