Results for: Science

Google’s new AI tool, ‘AI Overviews,’ has garnered attention for generating erroneous information. Reports on social media and news outlets have documented instances where the tool advised users to consume rocks, add glue to pizza, and clean washing machines with dishwasher detergent. The tool was released in the U.S. ahead of a planned worldwide launch later this year. Google announced the experimental feature on May 14 at its I/O conference. However, it has faced criticism after allegedly sourcing content from satirical websites like The Onion and comedic Reddit posts. The tool, which summarizes search results using an AI model, has been accused of providing incorrect information, such as claiming that Barack Obama was a founding father, John Adams graduated from the University of Wisconsin, and that a dog played in the Super Bowl. In response, Google representatives stated that the examples seen were uncommon queries and do not represent most users’ experiences.

Under the harmonious influence of Venus, Taurus natives can expect a calming and fruitful day. Whether it’s indulging in life’s pleasures or tackling practical tasks, the day offers opportunities for growth and balance. Communication flows smoothly, fostering understanding and strengthening connections. Health-wise, self-care and physical activity are emphasized for overall well-being.

Today, Aries, the celestial energies align to enhance your creativity and communication skills. Harness this opportunity to foster relationships and explore innovative ideas professionally. However, pay attention to potential misunderstandings in personal connections. In your career, an opportunity for advancement may arise; consider long-term benefits when making decisions. For your well-being, prioritize mental and physical balance through relaxation and activity. Embrace the day’s possibilities with a balanced approach for a rewarding outcome.

Chinese scientists at Hebei Medical University have engineered a deadly Ebola virus using a glycoprotein found in the virus that wiped out a group of hamsters within three days. The study, published in Science Direct, found that the hamsters developed severe systemic diseases similar to those observed in human Ebola patients, including multi-organ failure. The researchers used a contagious disease of livestock and added a protein found in Ebola, which allows the virus to infect cells and spread throughout the human body. After the injection, some hamsters developed scabs over the surface of their eyeballs, affecting their vision. The researchers said that their aim was to reproduce the symptoms of Ebola in a laboratory so as to better understand the condition and prevent its spread. They used a different virus called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to carry Ebola glycoprotein which plays a crucial role in helping the virus enter and infect cells of its host.

AI and GenAI are proving to be catalysts for digital transformation across a wide range of industries in India, from finance to manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Executives from various sectors shared their experiences with AI and GenAI at the recent Mint Digital Innovation Summit, highlighting the benefits they’ve seen in areas such as workflow automation, robust decision-making, drug safety, cost reduction, and innovative product design.

On June 3, six planets will align in a celestial event dubbed a “planetary parade.” However, due to their positions, most of them will not be visible to the naked eye. Only Mars and Saturn will be visible before dawn, while the others (Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune) will be too dim or obscured by sunlight. Despite the limited visibility, a crescent moon will be present near Mars and Saturn, offering a captivating sight. For those interested in tracking the alignment, online tools like Stellarium and Sky Safari can provide viewing information.

Scientists have created miniature models of the human brain that include the organ’s protective blood-brain barrier (BBB). The models, which are about the size of a sesame seed, could be used to study neurological diseases and develop new treatments.

Researchers have discovered that carrion crows possess the remarkable ability to count out loud between one and four. This is the first time animals have been definitively shown to count using distinct vocalizations. The findings suggest that crows have numeracy skills similar to human toddlers, leveraging an approximate number system shared by humans and animals. These novel insights provide valuable evidence for vocal counting abilities in the animal kingdom.

India has the potential to become a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) for non-English markets by developing new multilingual models that can overcome the complexity of the country’s diverse languages. This was the vision shared by Pranav Mistry, founder and CEO of Two Platforms Inc., at the Mint Digital Innovation Summit 2024 in Mumbai. According to Mistry, Indian startups can drive this change by fine-tuning existing models and developing new ones that do not require training from scratch. Two Platforms and South Korea’s Naver Corp. have already released Sutra, a multilingual large language model designed specifically for the Indian market. Sutra has its own tokenizer that includes all Indian languages in a balanced manner and has been outperforming other local Indian LLMs as well as models like GPT3.5,4 and llama.

Southwestern China is home to a unique karst landscape dotted with numerous giant sinkholes known as ‘tiankeng.’ These ‘heavenly pits’ are formed by the gradual erosion of limestone bedrock over hundreds of thousands of years, creating enormous pits with steep sides and often harboring pristine ecosystems. Xiaozhai Tiankeng, located in southern-central China, is the deepest sinkhole on Earth, measuring over 100 meters deep. China is home to around 200 tiankeng, with the highest proportion of surface area affected by karst formations globally. Recent discoveries, such as a 630-foot-deep sinkhole in Guangxi, have expanded our understanding of these unique geological features.