Author Archives: Nick Lavars

“SuperAger” brains defy tau tangles associated with Alzheimer’s

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The brains of

Although the definitive causes of Alzheimer’s diseases aren’t yet fully understood, one of the leading suspects is the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain that impinges on the activity of the neurons. Scientists at Northwestern University have explored this phenomenon in a group of elderly individuals with excellent memory, known as SuperAgers, and found them to be far more resistant to the troublesome buildup of some of these proteins, shedding further light on how the disease may take hold.

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AI uses “ugly duckling” technique to spot melanoma with high accuracy

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Artificial intelligence is starting to combine with smartphone technology in ways that could have profound impacts on the way we monitor health, from tracking blood volume changes in diabetics to detecting concussions by filming the eyes. Using the tec… Continue reading AI uses “ugly duckling” technique to spot melanoma with high accuracy→

Electronic nose uses machine learning to mimic a dog’s sense of smell

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Inspired by the incredible olfactory senses of dogs, scientists have been developing and demonstrating different types of “electronic noses” that can sniff out things like cancer, nerve gases or even explosives. A new example of this is claimed to up t… Continue reading Electronic nose uses machine learning to mimic a dog’s sense of smell→

Air-powered robot needs no electronics to walk like a turtle

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Soft robots are gaining a lot of attention in research circles, largely due to the safety benefits for humans who might need to work in their vicinity. Soft robots are gaining a lot of attention in research circles, and from an engineering lab at the U… Continue reading Air-powered robot needs no electronics to walk like a turtle→

Adding kinks to graphene strips creates the world’s tiniest microchip

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Graphene itself has some incredibly useful properties, as an ultra-strong, ultra-thin and flexible conductor of heat and electricity. By making alterations to the underlying structure of this wonder material, scientists at the University of Sussex have… Continue reading Adding kinks to graphene strips creates the world’s tiniest microchip→

Gait analysis of dementia patients reliably identifies Alzheimer’s

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Doctors might soon be able to differentiate between dementia types in older patients by analyzing the way they walk

The progression of a range cognitive conditions is often associated with a deterioration in motor control, and recently we’re seeing how the finer details of this physical decline can help us tell one type of dementia from another. A new study has demonstrated how this might work in distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from other types of dementia, by focusing on one specific difference in the patient’s gait.

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Lead-based anode for lithium batteries doubles energy storage capacity

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When it comes to expanding the capabilities of today’s lithium-ion batteries, all kinds of alternative materials are on the table, from salt, to silicon, to microwaved plastics. Owing to its abundance, low cost and familiarity in battery systems, lead … Continue reading Lead-based anode for lithium batteries doubles energy storage capacity→

Coffee found to boost aerobic capacity and fat-burning during exercise

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Scientists in Spain have published a paper examining the fat-burning potential of coffee before exercise, and how its consumption at different times of the day may influence the end result. Albeit small, the study indicates that drinking a strong coffe… Continue reading Coffee found to boost aerobic capacity and fat-burning during exercise→

Supercomputer-developed AI predicts tsunami flooding in real-time on a PC

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As a region that is subject to a high degree of seismic activity, tsunamis are a real and ever-present threat for the people of Japan. The teams tasked with managing and responding to these risks may soon have a powerful new tool at their disposal, in … Continue reading Supercomputer-developed AI predicts tsunami flooding in real-time on a PC→