💡 Fact-based optimistic news from July
🐝 Insects in Sweden have not decreased. 👮 Crime continues to decline in major American cities. 📞 Chatbots used to trick phone scammers. 🐳 AI has been used to identify a phonetic alphabet in whales
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Summer pace for me, so slightly fewer news items during July. But there are still a couple of gems.
We've all heard about the death of bees, the insect apocalypse, a mass extinction of insects and so on. Then comes the news that no, that's not the case at all. Not in Sweden at least, according to a 35-year research study.
However, the news that fascinated me the most was that we might soon be able to talk to whales, or at least understand what they are saying to each other. With the help of AI, researchers have analyzed and mapped the sounds of sperm whales, and there is something that resembles a phonetic alphabet. Imagine if we will be able to understand what animals are saying to each other and to us?
Scroll down a bit and you'll find all of this month's fact-based optimistic news.
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
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💡 Fact-based optimistic news
🐳 AI has been used to identify a phonetic alphabet in sperm whales
CETI is a research project aimed at understanding whale communication. Sperm whale vocalizations show a structure similar to human language. They have now discovered 156 distinct coda types instead of the previously known 21.
👩🏫 AI teaching tool Khanmigo now free for all US teachers
Khanmigo, an AI tool for teachers, is now free for all teachers in the USA. The tool helps teachers with over 20 different tasks and can save more than 50% of their preparation time. Microsoft and Khan Academy are collaborating to improve math education with small language models.
🔭 Solar telescope tracks the source of the solar wind for the first time
Solar Orbiter has made the first direct measurement of the solar wind and traced it back to its source. Measurements show that the solar wind comes from areas with sunspots where the magnetic field is intense. The discovery could improve predictions of solar storms that affect Earth.
🌒 Space probe returns with samples from the far side of the moon - for the first time
The Chang'e 6 probe has successfully retrieved rock and soil samples from the far side of the moon. The samples are expected to contain 2.5 million-year-old volcanic rock. This is the first time samples from the far side of the moon have been collected.
🦾 AI-designed proteins work in stem cell study
AI-designed proteins have successfully transformed stem cells into blood vessel cells. The proteins helped build regenerative tissues and worked in animal transplants. The technology can potentially be used to repair damaged tissue and treat diseases.
📞 Chatbots used to trick phone scammers
Researchers have developed AI bots that trick scammers to prevent crime. The chatbots gather information about scams and keep scammers busy. The goal is to disrupt the business model of organized crime in phone scams.
🍲 Food begins to be produced from air and solar power
Finnish Solar Foods has started production of protein from carbon dioxide and electricity. The factory can produce 160 tons of food per year. The Solein protein can be used in meat alternatives, cheese, and milkshakes.
👮 Crime continues to decline in major American cities
New data shows significant decreases in several crime categories in 49 medium and large American cities. Murders, car thefts, and burglaries decreased by over 22 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Statistically significant decreases were also noted for robberies and assaults.
🐝 Insects in Sweden have not decreased according to new study
A new study shows no decrease in insects in Sweden over the past 35 years. In one location in Skåne, the number of insects has even increased. The study is based on data from four different locations in Sweden.
📉 C02 emissions from energy in advanced economies at lowest level since 1974
Emissions in advanced economies fell by 4.5% during 2023. At the same time, GDP in advanced economies grew by approximately 1.7%. Coal use in advanced economies is down to the same level as in 1900.
🧬 Newly discovered system allows researchers to edit DNA using RNA
Researchers at Arc Institute have discovered a completely new molecular system for editing DNA using RNA. The system enables programmable DNA changes such as inserting, removing or inverting DNA sequences.
🔋 Battery prices continue to drop, lowering the cost of electric vehicles
The price of lithium-ion batteries in China has decreased by 51 percent in the past year. Lower battery prices make electric vehicles cheaper than fossil fuel cars in many segments, and large-scale battery solutions in energy systems become more profitable.
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