The John Dewey Professor at Columbia University has authored landmark publications on multiple topics ranging from the philosophy of biology and the origins of ethics to the role of science in democratic societies. The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Humanities category has gone in this seventeenth edition to the Anglo-American philosopher Philip Kitcher, described by the committee as a “humanistic intellectual” whose trailblazing work addresses a broad spectrum of the core questions of our time. The John Dewey…
SmoothDetector’s multimodal approach uses probabilistic models and deep learning to spot misleading information Fake news across social media is becoming ever easier to spread and more difficult to detect. That’s thanks to increasingly powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and cuts to fact-checking resources by major platforms. This is especially concerning during elections, when local and international actors can use images, text, audio and video content to spread misinformation. However, just as AI and algorithms can propagate fake news, they can be…
The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is pleased to announce Vasumitra “Vasu” Rao, M.S., Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Engineering program at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA), as the 2025 SLAS Graduate Education Fellowship Grant recipient. Rao’s innovative work at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), laboratory automation and microbiology exemplifies SLAS’s mission to support emerging leaders in quantitative biosciences through the grant. The awarded funding will enable Rao to continue his research under advisor…
Research findings could lead to treatments for frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer’s Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine have discovered a new way that neurons act in neurodegeneration by using human neural organoids – also known as “mini-brain” models – from patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Understanding this new pathway could help researchers find better treatments for FTLD and Alzheimer’s, the two most common forms of dementia that lead to cognitive decline….
Researchers conduct batch adsorption testing in different soil types to understand the adsorption and aggregation behavior of nanoplastics in soil Plastics are everywhere—from packaging and textiles to electronics and medical devices. As plastic waste breaks down, it releases microscopic particles that can penetrate our ecosystems, hinder plant growth, and potentially transfer harmful pollutants to organisms, including humans. Therefore, these plastic particles are a potential threat to the ecosystem, especially in their nanoparticulate form (1–100 nm diameter), which can penetrate the…
Researchers explore transition metal-free strategies to reduce environmental impact and enhance efficiency in pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries Coupling reactions are among the most transformative tools in organic chemistry, enabling the formation of crucial chemical bonds in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced materials. Since their introduction, they have been one of the backbones of modern organic synthesis. However, these methods have long relied on environmentally taxing transition metal catalysts, such as palladium, which are often scarce, costly, and generate unwanted byproducts….
Andrew Iams saw something strange while looking through his electron microscope. He was examining a sliver of a new aluminum alloy at the atomic scale, searching for the key to its strength, when he noticed that the atoms were arranged in an extremely unusual pattern. “That’s when I started to get excited,” said Iams, a materials research engineer, “because I thought I might be looking at a quasicrystal.” Not only did he find quasicrystals in this aluminum alloy, but he…
Despite its uniquely rich inventory of organic molecules, the moon may be able to support only a minuscule amount of biomass, a bioenergetic modeling study suggests. Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, is a strange, alien world. Covered in rivers and lakes of liquid methane, icy boulders and dunes of soot-like “sand,” its topography has long fascinated scientists and invited speculation on whether lifeforms might lurk beneath the moon’s thick, hazy atmosphere. An international team of researchers co-led by Antonin Affholder at…
New Australian technology is set to transform the way that gastrointestinal cancers are detected and treated with precise, minimally invasive surgery. Backed by the Federal Government’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite Grant, researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) are using quantum technology to develop a first-of-its-kind laparoscopic probe that will allow surgeons to accurately map the spread of tumours. The technology has the potential to improve cancer survival rates and patient quality of life worldwide. Led by Dr Nicole…
A new study maps how specific lactic acid bacteria can enhance both the flavour and nutritional quality of plant-based dairy alternatives. The findings may have wide-reaching perspectives for the further development of sustainable foods. Plant-based dairy alternatives – such as soy, oat, and almond drinks – are produced without animal ingredients for consumers seeking plant-based substitutes for milk and yoghurt. However, many of these products have the similar shortcomings: flavours that do not always appeal to consumers, and nutritional profiles…
Published in Scientific Reports, Haikubox community science study finds significant bird song decline only where more than 99% solar obscuration occurred A new study published today in Scientific Reports reveals how birds responded to the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse across North America. The study finds bird vocalizations significantly declined only where more than 99% solar obscuration occurred. Researchers from Loggerhead Instruments, Inc. and the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology analyzed…
UTSA researchers recently completed one of the most comprehensive studies to date on the risks of using AI models to develop software. In a new paper, they demonstrate how a specific type of error could pose a serious threat to programmers that use AI to help write code. Joe Spracklen, a UTSA doctoral student in computer science, led the study on how large language models (LLMs) frequently generate insecure code. His team’s paper has been accepted for publication at the USENIX…
Research highlights the potential utility of predictable movement stimuli as a behavioral marker for early autism spectrum disorder screening Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience social communication impairments and engage in restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Early identification of these symptoms is critical for timely intervention, but detecting RRBs, in particular, remains a challenge. Previous studies using eye-tracking methods have revealed that children with ASD tend to favor non-social stimuli over social ones, a preference that aligns with…
A study recently published in Nature indicates that human activities have a negative effect on the biodiversity of wildlife hundreds of kilometres away. A research collaboration led by the University of Tartu assessed the health of ecosystems worldwide, considering both the number of plant species found and the dark diversity – the missing ecologically suitable species. For the study, over 200 researchers among them one scientist from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Centre for Integrative…
Medicine: Publication in Science Advances Damage to the mitochondria, the “power plants” of the cells, contributes to many diseases. Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) and the University of Cologne led by HHU professor of medicine Dr David Pla-Martín, now describe in the scientific journal Science Advances how cells with defective mitochondria activate a special recycling system to eliminate damaged genetic material. Damage to the genetic material of mitochondria – the mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA for short – can…
The UMass Amherst-led team challenges the conventional wisdom that perfect fillers are better for making thermally conductive polymers The UMass Amherst-led team challenges the conventional wisdom that perfect fillers are better for making thermally conductive polymers In the quest to design the next generation of materials for modern devices – ones that are lightweight, flexible and excellent at dissipating heat – a team of researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst made a discovery: imperfection has its upsides. This…
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