Despite a holiday week in the U.S., there were several top stories you won’t want to miss. A hacked Kinect controller becomes a game-changer for Parkinson’s; insight into unification of General Relativity and quantum mechanics; deep web searching in the name of science; how infections affect your IQ; the legacy of John Nash; Pope Francis on moral justification to fight global warming; how a robot revolution is creating a visionary world and more are among the top hits.
Robot Revolution Explores Visionary World through Cutting-edge Robots
“They’re here … to help and improve our lives,” The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago announces on its Web site. MSI is hosting a new national touring exhibit, Robot Revolution, which explores how robots, created by human ingenuity, will ultimately be our companions and colleagues, changing how we play, live and work together. It allows guests to step into a visionary world where robots are not just a curiosity, but a vital asset
Pope Francis, Once a Chemist, to Issue Document Laying out Moral Justification to Fight Global Warming
From Galileo to genetics, the Roman Catholic Church has danced with science, sometimes in a high-tension tango but more often in a supportive waltz. Pope Francis is about to introduce a new twist: global warming. Pope Francis, once a chemist, will soon issue an authoritative church document laying out the moral justification for fighting global warming, especially for the world’s poorest billions.
The Legacy of John Nash and His Equilibrium Theory
The mathematician John Nash, who died in a taxi accident at the weekend, is probably best known to the wider public through Russell Crowe’s portrayal of him in the 2001 movie A Beautiful Mind. Although his achievements spanned a huge number of fields in the mathematical sciences, he will likely be best remembered for his work in the development of game theory.
Infections can affect your IQ
Anyone can suffer from an infection, for example in their stomach, urinary tract or skin. However, a new Danish study shows that a patient’s distress does not necessarily end once the infection has been treated. In fact, ensuing infections can affect your cognitive ability measured by an IQ test.
‘Deep Web’ Searching in the Name of Science
The Internet contains a vast trove of information — sometimes called the “Deep Web” — that isn’t indexed by search engines: information that would be useful for tracking criminals, terrorist activities, sex trafficking and the spread of diseases. Scientists could also use it to search for images and data from spacecraft.
Quantum Entanglement provides Insight into Unification of General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics
A collaboration of physicists and a mathematician has made a significant step toward unifying general relativity and quantum mechanics by explaining how spacetime emerges from quantum entanglement in a more fundamental theory. Physicists and mathematicians have long sought a Theory of Everything (ToE) that unifies general relativity and quantum mechanics…
Hacked Kinect Computer Games Controller a Game-changer for Parkinson’s
Scientists have developed a system for Parkinson’s sufferers to counter two of the most common and distressing symptoms of the degenerative disease. They have turned Microsoft’s Kinect computer games controller into a system that can be installed into a patient’s own home.