In a move signaling a more relaxed regulatory approach to the booming AI sector, UK regulators announced they would not investigate Google’s $2 billion investment in AI startup Anthropic. The move mirrors a similar decision regarding Amazon’s earlier $4 billion stake. This green light comes as Amazon doubles, bringing its total investment in Anthropic to…
Oak Ridge National Lab leads R&D 100 Awards with 218 wins since 1979
An analysis of 45 years of R&D 100 Awards reveals a clear leader: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), with more than two hundred winning products. National labs dominate the top ranks, demonstrating the staying power of consistent government investment in R&D. All of the top 10 organizations since 2010 are federally-backed entities. ORNL Frequently featured…
This week in R&D: BMW & Toyota’s hydrogen EV alliance, Moderna’s R&D spending scrutinized, and Nvidia’s AI data center investment
The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending September 6, 2024, closed at 3,811.42 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was down -3.99% (or -158.42 basis points). Two RDWI members gained value last week from 0.37% (Oracle) to 2.61% (Sanofi SA). Twenty-three RDWI members lost value the previous week from -0.52%…
Robots run the lab, biologists design the experiments
Parallel Bio’s head of technology shares a vision for faster, cheaper, and better biological research with human organoids. Ari Gesher, Parallel Bio’s new head of technology, may be new to biotech, but that’s not stopping him from thinking big about disrupting the status quo in biological research. The biotech startup is betting on automation and…
Researchers discover the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus ever observed
The STAR Collaboration, an international team of scientists using the STAR detector at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), has announced the first observation of an antimatter hypernucleus, antihyperhydrogen-4. Published in Nature, the research describes the hypernucleus, the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus found to date. It is composed of an antiproton, two antineutrons, and…
Y Combinator-backed Stempad tackles challenges in scientific note-taking
What began as a personal project by Ralph Rouhana to accelerate his own note-taking while studying computer and electrical electronics engineering at the University of Waterloo has blossomed into a Y Combinator–backed startup. Stempad, now part of the YC S24 batch, is developing an online text editor and platform designed for fast scientific writing and…
Why data scientists are the new architects of product innovation
From predicting market trends to personalizing user experiences, data scientists are increasingly focused not just on analytics and insights but also on playing a role in building the core technologies and intelligent features that will define next-generation products and services. The title is steadily transforming from a behind-the-scenes analytical function to a driving force shaping…
Where America’s STEM and R&D jobs are and what pays the most
While economic uncertainty and inflation continue to make headlines, the broader STEM job market remains resilient, channeling LL Cool J’s line: “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.” Yes, there have been a wave of layoffs in the tech sector in 2023 and 2024, but the demand for STEM and R&D talent…
Glowing rocks, a new sport, and what we can learn about different approaches
I’ve discovered a new sport, one made possible by Erik Rintamaki. No, he’s not the inventor of pickleball — and the sport I found is not the fastest growing in the U.S. My new sport is a bit more scientific and, for R&Ders, it comes with a useful allegory. The sport I discovered is Yooperlite…