New discoveries in science. New technologies will make it possible to grow organs. Metallic hydrogen created
Payment systems with facial recognition: already widely used
Facial recognition systems are used in many countries to search for criminals, control access to sensitive facilities, and in some countries to confirm payments in online banking. Since 2014, the Chinese company Alibaba Group has been testing facial recognition algorithms developed by Face++. They are going to be used for identification and confirmation of orders in payment system Alipay. The accuracy of the algorithm has already reached 80%.
In the case of the amazing discovery of physicist, Henry Becquerel, they were declared due to bleach, which pulled out the radioactivity of the world. Becquerel was fascinated by two things: natural fluorescence and the newly invented X-rays. He conducted a series of experiments to find out whether naturally occurring fluorescent minerals emit X-rays after tanning. The problem was that the experiments were carried out in winter. A week passed when the clouds stopped clearing from the sky. Becquerel took his equipment into the closet and waited for a sunny day.
Another company that is gradually introducing facial recognition is . It uses the Selfie Pay feature, which allows you to confirm online payments using a selfie. In order for the application to take a photo, you need to nod or blink - this way the algorithm will make sure that it is a live client and not his photo. The system is already being tested in the Netherlands, USA, Canada and EU countries. This year MasterCard promises to expand the list of countries.
When he returned to work, he saw that the uranium salts he had left in the closet had been printed on a photographic plate without having been exposed to the sun before. There was clearly something special about uranium. It was radioactivity. Industrialists have gone to great lengths to import expensive shellac produced by South Asian beetles. Chemist Leo Hendrik Beckland decided he could drink it if he created an alternative to Shellac.
Instead, however, the result of his experiments was an easy-to-develop material that could withstand high temperatures without distortion. Baekeland decided that his "Bakelite" could be used for phonographic recordings, but it soon became clear that the product had thousands of applications. Today's plastic is a derivative of Bakelite and is used for everything from phones to jewelry.
Panoramic selfie: now
The first amateur camera, Panono Explorer Edition, which allows you to take photos with a 360-degree view, appeared on the market in 2015 and ushered in a new era in photography. After that, many panoramic cameras costing up to $500 from Kodak, Samsung, Sony and other companies appeared on the market. Journalists from the world's leading publications use such cameras to film reports from hot spots. For example, journalists from The New York Times on Samsung camera Gear 360 filmed a video from a refugee camp in Niger.
Recent results from various studies constantly surprise scientists. Here are 5 of the most unusual things you may not know. An interesting variety of fish have been caught in the American South in Michigan. This reddish specimen is striking in many ways. It belongs to the piranha family, but it only eats plants. It is distinguished by strong, powerful teeth that deceptively remind people - they have no problem breaking down nuts and seeds. Although appearance Quite fish repellent, it is a popular aquarium species.
Recently the Finnish Research Institute made interesting discovery. His collaborators showed that trees have a cycle that allows them to regain strength after a long day of biochemical work such as photosynthesis. Scientists observed trees and their movements using laser scanners during the day. However, their awakening begins in the morning when they begin to receive the first suns.
The format of 360-degree photos and videos makes it possible to show what is happening most authentically, and in the future, it may become a standard for news materials.
Panoramic videos are already used to create virtual reality. For example, the British alcohol manufacturer Diageo produced a VR video called “Decisions”, warning about the dangers of driving while intoxicated.
The brightest galaxy with a black hole in the middle
This shows that trees "live" on a circadian rhythm - just like us. More than 12 billion light-years from Earth, it was considered the brightest galaxy in the Universe. A group of scientists claim that the reason for its powerful impact is a colossal black hole that absorbs and heats enormous amounts of light. For comparison, the galaxy is brighter than the Sun, almost 300 billion times.
An amazing squid was recently spotted by scientists on the southern coast of California. This adorable creature with a stinging eye that resembles a child's toy has delighted a team of researchers. Below you will find material that represents it in its natural environment.
Gene therapy 2.0: already now
Photo: Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library
Gene therapy is a set of biotechnological and medical methods aimed at treating diseases caused by mutations in the DNA structure or damage to DNA by viruses, using editing of the genetic apparatus. Gene therapy was initially considered a cure for inherited genetic diseases, but researchers now hope to use it to combat a wide range of diseases: Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, heart failure and cancer. In May, the European Union approved the use of gene therapy for severe combined immunodeficiency in children.
One of the most promising gene therapy technologies is CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. This technology was discovered in 2013 as a mechanism for bacterial immunity using viral DNA. Scientists call it “molecular scissors” because it allows you to cut and change sections of DNA of any organisms directly in living cells with high precision. In October, Chinese scientists conducted the world's first adult human experiment using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Sichuan University researchers injected modified T lymphocytes into a patient with lung cancer. This is expected to start the process of destroying cancer cells in his body.
Botnet of things: already now
In the early 2000s, hackers learned how to hack computers connected to the Internet and organize them into a network for massive attacks to a specific server. With the spread of the “Internet of Things” - inexpensive connected cameras, printers and scanners - hackers increasingly began to target vulnerable smart devices. Through them, cybercriminals gain control of equipment local networks, modems, network storage, video surveillance systems and even industrial control systems.
In September, the website of the hosting company OVH was hit by a record-breaking botnet. The total power of the attacks reached 1 Tb/s, the highest power of one of them was 799 Gb/s.
Reinforcement learning: will spread in 1–2 years
Artificial intelligence AlphaGo, based on reinforcement learning, beat world champion Lee Sedol at Go
Reinforcement learning is a type of machine learning in which a system learns by interacting with its environment. The most promising research in this area is being conducted by the DeepMind laboratory, a division of Alphabet. In 2016, her AlphaGo program beat world champion Lee Sedol 4:1 in ancient Chinese Go. board game, which was considered inaccessible for a long time artificial intelligence.
DeepMind employees suggest that the prospects for reinforcement learning are much broader than gaming artificial intelligence. For example, it will allow robots to learn to walk and manipulate unfamiliar objects without extensive prior instructions, and self-driving cars to learn from each trip.
Practical quantum computer: in 4–5 years
Quantum computer D-Wave Systems.
A quantum computer is a computing device that uses the phenomena of quantum superposition and quantum entanglement to transmit and process data. The basic unit of calculation in it is the quantum bit, which, unlike a bit, can mean 1 and 0 at the same time. This allows a quantum computer to perform calculations 100 million times faster than a standard computer.
Last May, IBM made its quantum computer available at its Yorktown Heights lab through the IBM Quantum Experience cloud platform. On this moment about 40 thousand users conducted more than 275 thousand experiments using IBM Quantum Experience. The computer's processor consists of five qubits, and IBM hopes to increase the power to 50 qubits in the future. On March 6, the company announced the creation of a new division, IBM Q, which will develop a quantum computer model.
In addition to IBM, this year several companies - Google, Inte, Microsoft - as well as the Research Institute of the Netherlands and the Delft Technical Institute promise to present practical developments in the field of quantum computing.
Neurochips for the paralyzed: in 10–15 years
A paralyzed patient plays Guitar Hero using a neurochip. Photo: Battelle Memorial Institute
In recent years, scientists have made great strides in developing neural interfaces that restore motor functions in patients with spinal cord injuries. If in 2015 it was mainly about experiments on animals - rats and primates - now laboratories in different countries testing new technologies on human volunteers.
In April 2016, staff at The Ohio State University and Battelle Memorial Institute made significant progress in treating a patient with quadriplegia - paralysis of all limbs. Thanks to a microchip implanted in the motor cortex of the brain, which transmits decoded signals to the muscles of the hand using electrical stimulators, he was able to relearn how to move his fingers and even play Guitar Hero.
In the future, scientists also hope to create wireless neurochips that can restore neural connections in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Driverless trucks: in 5–10 years
The Otto driverless truck made its first commercial flight on October 20, 2016. Photo: Anheuser-Busch, Otto
The advent of autonomous trucks on the road is predicted to have a stronger and more controversial impact on society than the advent of passenger cars. In the long term, driverless technology will make freight transportation cheaper, but in the short term it will lead to a surge in unemployment. According to a White House report, there are approximately 1.7 million truck drivers employed in the US alone.
The developers suggest that the introduction of autonomous trucks will help reduce the number of accidents, since more than 90% of them occur due to driver errors.
The first commercial delivery by a driverless truck took place on December 20. It was carried out by Otto, a company owned by Uber, which develops autonomous control systems for freight transport. A driverless truck traveled 200 kilometers from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs at a speed of 88 kilometers per hour and delivered 45,000 cans of Budweiser beer to the Anheuser-Busch brewing corporation.
Cellular atlas: after 5 years
Illustration: Genome Research Limited
An international consortium of scientists from the US, UK, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan is set to create a detailed 3D map of human cells, visualizing for the first time what makes up the human body. To do this, we will have to catalog 37.2 trillion microscopic images of cells in the human body, determining the molecular signature of each cell and assigning it “ geographical coordinates» location in the human body. “Cell Atlas” is a priority project on the list of medical research in which Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan are going to invest $3 billion. Scientists expect that this project will have a significant impact on biology and medicine over the next few decades, helping to understand the causes of cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as developing effective drugs for their treatment.
Solar thermophotovoltaic batteries: in 10–15 years
Nanophotonic solar thermophotovoltaic cell. Photo: MIT
Standard silicon solar cells capture only visible light ranging from violet (380 nanometers) to red (780 nanometers) and can convert a limited amount of light into electricity. Currently the majority solar panels operate with an efficiency of 20%, and, according to scientists, even in theory it cannot exceed 32%. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are working to create a thermophotovoltaic converter (STPV), which will make it possible to obtain energy not only from light, but also from converted heat.
The element consists of several layers of carbon nanotubes that absorb thermal radiation, and a photonic emitter crystal that converts it into visible light and redirects it to a solar cell, which converts the energy into electricity. This installation is at least twice as efficient as conventional solar cells.
EAST NEWS
On July 27 in Portland, Oregon, scientists made a significant breakthrough in gene editing technology. Using CRISPR, they successfully removed human embryo gene associated with heart disease.
2. Metallic hydrogen created
Harvard University
On January 27, scientists created metallic hydrogen for the first time in science by applying nearly five million atmospheres of pressure to liquid hydrogen. In its metallic state, hydrogen can act as a true superconductor, a technology that will revolutionize many fields from energy storage to rocket science.
3. A habitable planet has been discovered
NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle
On April 19, scientists from the European Organization for Astronomical Research found the best planet for extraterrestrial life. LHS 1140b was discovered in the habitable zone of a dim star 40 light-years from Earth.
4. CRISPR edited genes inside the human body
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
On June 1, scientists first used CRISPR gene editing technology (the most accessible gene editing technique) in human body. The new study aimed to remove human papillomavirus (HPV) from 60 women by using a gel containing the necessary DNA coding for the cervix to disable the tumor's growth mechanism.
5. New technologies will allow growing organs
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
On May 1st, advances were made in the field of regenerative medicine. The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is currently leading projects to grow human organs and tissues. Its researchers' discoveries could help repair nerve damage and even regrow entire limbs and internal organs.
6. Google taught AI to adapt to complex environments
DeepMind/YouTube
On July 11, Google's artificial intelligence division, DeepMind, published a paper illustrating how its experts train AI algorithms to adapt to complex and changing environments.
7. SpaceX relaunched a “spent” rocket
SpaceX
On March 30, SpaceX successfully launched and landed a previously used Falcon 9 rocket. This breakthrough further increased availability space launches- savings of more than $18 million per launch.
8. An artificial uterus was created
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
On April 26, doctors at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were able to simulate a woman's uterus using a synthetic device to prevent death and illness in prematurely born babies under 37 weeks in a newborn lamb.