Alle afleveringen
373 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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How the Brain Creates a Timeline of the Past
19 december 2019 · 16 min
The brain can’t directly encode the passage of time, but recent work hints at a workaround for putting timestamps on memories of events. Lees meer
The post How the Brain Creates a Timeline of the Past first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Foundations Built for a General Theory of Neural Networks
5 december 2019 · 17 min
Neural networks can be as unpredictable as they are powerful. Now mathematicians are beginning to reveal how a neural network’s form will influence its function. Lees meer
The post Foundations Built for a General Theory of Neural Networks first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Brain Maps Out Ideas and Memories Like Spaces
21 november 2019 · 25 min
Emerging evidence suggests that the brain encodes abstract knowledge in the same way that it represents positions in space, which hints at a more universal theory of cognition. Lees meer
The post The Brain Maps Out Ideas and Memories Like Spaces first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Milestone Experiment Proves Quantum Communication Really Is Faster
7 november 2019 · 11 min
In a Paris lab, researchers have shown for the first time that quantum methods of transmitting information are superior to classical ones. Lees meer
The post Milestone Experiment Proves Quantum Communication Really Is Faster first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Mathematical Simplicity May Drive Evolution’s Speed
31 oktober 2019 · 19 min
Some researchers are using a complexity framework thought to be purely theoretical to understand evolutionary dynamics in biological and computational systems. Lees meer
The post Mathematical Simplicity May Drive Evolution’s Speed first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Should Evolution Treat Our Microbes as Part of Us?
26 september 2019 · 25 min
How does evolution select the fittest “individuals” when they are ecosystems made up of hosts and their microbiomes? Biologist debate the need to revise theories. Lees meer
The post Should Evolution Treat Our Microbes as Part of Us? first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Universal Law for the ‘Blood of the Earth’
26 september 2019 · 15 min
Simple physical principles can be used to describe how rivers grow everywhere from Florida to Mars. Lees meer
The post A Universal Law for the ‘Blood of the Earth’ first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Amateur Mathematician Finds Smallest Universal Cover
6 september 2019 · 12 min
Through exacting geometric calculations, Philip Gibbs has found the smallest known cover for any possible shape. Lees meer
The post Amateur Mathematician Finds Smallest Universal Cover first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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In the Nucleus, Genes’ Activity Might Depend on Their Location
29 augustus 2019 · 15 min
Using a new CRISPR-based technique, researchers are examining how the position of DNA within the nucleus affects gene expression and cell function. Lees meer
The post In the Nucleus, Genes’ Activity Might Depend on Their Location first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room
15 augustus 2019 · 12 min
A visual prank exposes an Achilles’ heel of computer vision systems: Unlike humans, they can’t do a double take. Lees meer
The post Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The New Science of Seeing Around Corners
1 augustus 2019 · 20 min
Computer vision researchers have uncovered a world of visual signals hiding in our midst, including subtle motions that betray what’s being said and faint images of what’s around a corner. Lees meer
The post The New Science of Seeing Around Corners first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Major Quantum Computing Advance Made Obsolete by Teenager
18 juli 2019 · 14 min
18-year-old Ewin Tang has proven that classical computers can solve the “recommendation problem” nearly as fast as quantum computers. The result eliminates one of the best examples of quantum speedup. Lees meer
The post Major Quantum Computing Advance Made Obsolete by Teenager first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Math Theory for Why People Hallucinate
5 juli 2019 · 24 min
Psychedelic drugs can trigger characteristic hallucinations, which have long been thought to hold clues about the brain’s circuitry. After nearly a century of study, a possible explanation is crystallizing. Lees meer
The post A Math Theory for Why People Hallucinate first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Closed Loophole Confirms the Unreality of the Quantum World
20 juni 2019 · 18 min
A quickly closed loophole has proved that the “great smoky dragon” of quantum mechanics may forever elude capture. Lees meer
The post Closed Loophole Confirms the Unreality of the Quantum World first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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To Remember, the Brain Must Actively Forget
6 juni 2019 · 20 min
Researchers find evidence that neural systems actively remove memories, suggesting that forgetting may be the default mode of the brain. Lees meer
The post To Remember, the Brain Must Actively Forget first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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The Peculiar Math That Could Underlie the Laws of Nature
23 mei 2019 · 26 min
New findings are fueling an old suspicion that fundamental particles and forces spring from strange eight-part numbers called “octonions.” Lees meer
The post The Peculiar Math That Could Underlie the Laws of Nature first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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To Make Sense of the Present, Brains May Predict the Future
9 mei 2019 · 30 min
A controversial theory suggests that perception, motor control, memory and other brain functions all depend on comparisons between ongoing actual experiences and the brain’s modeled expectations. Lees meer
The post To Make Sense of the Present, Brains May Predict the Future first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Finally, a Problem That Only Quantum Computers Will Ever Be Able to Solve
25 april 2019 · 12 min
Computer scientists have been searching for years for a type of problem that a quantum computer can solve but that any possible future classical computer cannot. Now they’ve found one. Lees meer
The post Finally, a Problem That Only Quantum Computers Will Ever Be Able to Solve first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Why Earth’s Cracked Crust May Be Essential for Life
11 april 2019 · 27 min
Life needs more than water alone. Recent discoveries suggest that plate tectonics has played a critical role in nourishing life on Earth. The findings carry major consequences for the search for life elsewhere in the universe. Lees meer
The post Why Earth’s Cracked Crust May Be Essential for Life first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Overtaxed Working Memory Knocks the Brain Out of Sync
28 maart 2019 · 14 min
Researchers find that when working memory gets overburdened, dialogue between three brain regions breaks down. The discovery provides new support for a larger concept about how the brain works. Lees meer
The post Overtaxed Working Memory Knocks the Brain Out of Sync first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A New World’s Extraordinary Orbit Points to Planet Nine
14 maart 2019 · 9 min
Astronomers argue that there’s an undiscovered giant planet far beyond the orbit of Neptune. A newly discovered rocky body has added evidence to the circumstantial case for it. Lees meer
The post A New World’s Extraordinary Orbit Points to Planet Nine first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Thermodynamic Answer to Why Birds Migrate
28 februari 2019 · 17 min
New modeling studies suggest that birds migrate to strike a favorable balance between their input and output of energy. Lees meer
The post A Thermodynamic Answer to Why Birds Migrate first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Machine Learning’s ‘Amazing’ Ability to Predict Chaos
14 februari 2019 · 20 min
In new computer experiments, artificial-intelligence algorithms can tell the future of chaotic systems. Lees meer
The post Machine Learning’s ‘Amazing’ Ability to Predict Chaos first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Decades-Old Graph Problem Yields to Amateur Mathematician
31 januari 2019 · 9 min
By making the first progress on the “chromatic number of the plane” problem in over 60 years, an anti-aging pundit has achieved mathematical immortality. Lees meer
The post Decades-Old Graph Problem Yields to Amateur Mathematician first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Oxygen and Stem Cells May Have Reshaped Early Complex Animals
3 januari 2019 · 17 min
An unlikely team offers a controversial hypothesis about what enabled animal life to get more complex during the Cambrian explosion. Lees meer
The post Oxygen and Stem Cells May Have Reshaped Early Complex Animals first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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To Test Einstein’s Equations, Poke a Black Hole
3 januari 2019 · 17 min
Two teams of researchers have made significant progress toward proving the black hole stability conjecture, a critical mathematical test of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Lees meer
The post To Test Einstein’s Equations, Poke a Black Hole first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Physicists Find a Way to See the ‘Grin’ of Quantum Gravity
6 december 2018 · 21 min
A recently proposed experiment would confirm that gravity is a quantum force. Lees meer
The post Physicists Find a Way to See the ‘Grin’ of Quantum Gravity first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Quanta Writers and Editors Discuss Trends in Science and Math
22 november 2018 · 1 uur 6 min
On November 16, 2018, more than 200 readers joined writers and editors from Quanta Magazine for a wide-ranging panel discussion that examined the newest ideas in fundamental physics, biology and mathematics research. Lees meer
The post Quanta Writers and Editors Discuss Trends in Science and Math first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Why Don’t Patients Get Sick in Sync? Modelers Find Statistical Clues.
8 november 2018 · 11 min
The long, variable times that some diseases incubate after infection defies simple explanation. An idealized model of tumor growth offers a statistical solution. Lees meer
The post Why Don’t Patients Get Sick in Sync? Modelers Find Statistical Clues. first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Why Artificial Intelligence Like AlphaZero Has Trouble With the Real World
25 oktober 2018 · 21 min
The latest artificial intelligence systems start from zero knowledge of a game and grow to world-beating in a matter of hours. But researchers are struggling to apply these systems beyond the arcade. Lees meer
The post Why Artificial Intelligence Like AlphaZero Has Trouble With the Real World first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Scant Evidence of Power Laws Found in Real-World Networks
11 oktober 2018 · 22 min
A new study challenges one of the most celebrated and controversial ideas in network science. Lees meer
The post Scant Evidence of Power Laws Found in Real-World Networks first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Smart Swarms Seek New Ways to Cooperate
27 september 2018 · 16 min
New algorithms show how swarms of very simple robots can be made to work together as a group. Lees meer
The post Smart Swarms Seek New Ways to Cooperate first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How the Universe Got Its Bounce Back
30 augustus 2018 · 22 min
Cosmologists have shown that it’s theoretically possible for a contracting universe to bounce and expand. The new work resuscitates an old idea that directly challenges the Big Bang theory of cosmic origins. Lees meer
The post How the Universe Got Its Bounce Back first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Domesticated Dingo? No, but Some Are Getting Less Wild
9 augustus 2018 · 17 min
Near an Australian desert mining camp, wild dingoes are losing their fear of humans. Their genetic and behavioral changes may echo those from the domestication of dogs. Lees meer
The post A Domesticated Dingo? No, but Some Are Getting Less Wild first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Fossil Discoveries Challenge Ideas About Earth’s Start
5 juli 2018 · 20 min
A series of fossil finds suggests that life on Earth started earlier than anyone thought, calling into question a widely held theory of the solar system’s beginnings. Lees meer
The post Fossil Discoveries Challenge Ideas About Earth’s Start first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Mathematicians Find Wrinkle in Famed Fluid Equations
21 juni 2018 · 17 min
Two mathematicians prove that under certain extreme conditions, the Navier-Stokes equations output nonsense. Lees meer
The post Mathematicians Find Wrinkle in Famed Fluid Equations first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Light-Triggered Genes Reveal the Hidden Workings of Memory
7 juni 2018 · 16 min
Nobel laureate Susumu Tonegawa’s lab is overturning old assumptions about how memories form, how recall works and whether lost memories might be restored from "silent engrams." Lees meer
The post Light-Triggered Genes Reveal the Hidden Workings of Memory first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Secret Link Uncovered Between Pure Math and Physics
31 mei 2018 · 20 min
An eminent mathematician reveals that his advances in the study of millennia-old mathematical questions owe to concepts derived from physics. Lees meer
The post Secret Link Uncovered Between Pure Math and Physics first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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How Bacteria Help Regulate Blood Pressure
10 mei 2018 · 9 min
Kidneys sniff out signals from gut bacteria for cues to lower blood pressure after meals. Our understanding of how the symbiotic microbes affect health is becoming much more molecular. Lees meer
The post How Bacteria Help Regulate Blood Pressure first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law
26 april 2018 · 15 min
The oldest law of genetics says that gametes combine randomly, but experiments hint that sometimes eggs select sperm actively for their genetic assets. Lees meer
The post Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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A Zombie Gene Protects Elephants From Cancer
12 april 2018 · 10 min
Elephants did not evolve to become huge animals until after they turned a bit of genetic junk into a unique defense against inevitable tumors. Lees meer
The post A Zombie Gene Protects Elephants From Cancer first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Best-Ever Algorithm Found for Huge Streams of Data
29 maart 2018 · 16 min
To efficiently analyze a firehose of data, scientists first have to break big numbers into bits. Lees meer
The post Best-Ever Algorithm Found for Huge Streams of Data first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Newfound Wormhole Allows Information to Escape Black Holes
15 maart 2018 · 16 min
Physicists theorize that a new “traversable” kind of wormhole could resolve a baffling paradox and rescue information that falls into black holes. Lees meer
The post Newfound Wormhole Allows Information to Escape Black Holes first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Brainless Embryos Suggest Bioelectricity Guides Growth
13 maart 2018 · 21 min
Researchers are building a case that long before the nervous system works, the brain sends crucial bioelectric signals to guide the growth of embryonic tissues. Lees meer
The post Brainless Embryos Suggest Bioelectricity Guides Growth first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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New Theory Cracks Open the Black Box of Deep Learning
1 maart 2018 · 16 min
A new idea is helping to explain the puzzling success of today’s artificial-intelligence algorithms — and might also explain how human brains learn. Lees meer
The post New Theory Cracks Open the Black Box of Deep Learning first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Clever Machines Learn How to Be Curious
16 februari 2018 · 19 min
Computer scientists are finding ways to code curiosity into intelligent machines. Lees meer
The post Clever Machines Learn How to Be Curious first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Mathematicians Tame Rogue Waves, Lighting Up Future of LEDs
1 februari 2018 · 14 min
The mathematician Svitlana Mayboroda and collaborators have figured out how to predict the behavior of electrons — a mathematical discovery that could have immediate practical effects. Lees meer
The post Mathematicians Tame Rogue Waves, Lighting Up Future of LEDs first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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Interspecies Hybrids Play a Vital Role in Evolution
18 januari 2018 · 18 min
Hybrids, once treated as biological misfits, play a vital role in the evolution of many animal species. Now conservationists are trying to reconcile that truth with policies. Lees meer
The post Interspecies Hybrids Play a Vital Role in Evolution first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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What Made the Moon? New Ideas Try to Rescue a Troubled Theory
17 november 2017 · 21 min
Textbooks say that the moon was formed after a Mars-size mass smashed the young Earth. But new evidence has cast doubt on that story, leaving researchers to dream up new ways to get a giant rock into orbit. Lees meer
The post What Made the Moon? New Ideas Try to Rescue a Troubled Theory first appeared on Quanta Magazine
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In Game Theory, No Clear Path to Equilibrium
12 oktober 2017 · 16 min
John Nash’s notion of equilibrium is ubiquitous in economic theory, but a new study shows that it is often impossible to reach efficiently. Lees meer
The post In Game Theory, No Clear Path to Equilibrium first appeared on Quanta Magazine