Curating the Internet: Science and technology micro-summaries for October 6, 2019

in #rsslog5 years ago (edited)

A Steem essay on the scientific research around sleep and circadian rhythms; IEEE Spectrum's weekly selection of awesome robot videos; Game of Thrones language creator argues that language is humanity's greatest invention; Vanguard Group testing blockchain for a currency market; and A youtube visit to see the assembly of the world's largest digital camera


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  1. STEEM Sleep for your life: The reason why light in the night kills your energy! - In this post, @chappertron summarizes recent research on sleep. According to the summary, recent research - including a Nobel prize in 2017 - has found that night time is the best time for sleep because of the effect that sunlight has on the human circadian rhythm. This is because sunlight synchronizes the "tiny clocks" in neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is located in the hypothalmus. Perhaps surprisingly, this also happens in blind mice or even in a petri dish. The post goes on to discuss Weinrich et al. 2019, which found that respiration peaks at mid-day, and ATP production declines through the day. At night time, it says, "the mitochondrial function is low and glycolysis peaks.". This process can be interrupted by exposure to light, but this has consequences on the body's circadian rhythm. Adding that poor sleep can accelerate aging, the post suggests that we should make sleep - at night - one of our highest priorities. Reminds me of this, which although it was updated in February, I originally read ten or fifteen years ago. (A 10% beneficiary setting has been applied to this post for @chappertron.)

  2. Video Friday: Caltech's Drone With Legs Takes First Steps - IEEE Spectrum's weekly selection of awesome robot videos includes: a thruster-powered biped robot that can balance and walk, the Skydio 2 autonomous drone for consumer use, robot kits for holiday gifts, a shape-changing bot that acts collectively, in swarms, drones that are used for filmmaking and water sampling, and more.

    Here is my favorite, a prosthetic foot that the wearer can feel:


  • Why language is humanity's greatest invention - In this TED talk, David Peterson - creator of the Game of Thrones Dothraki and High Valerian languages, argues that language is the greatest invention because it enabled pretty-much all the other inventions. He also takes on the argument that people don't need to learn or create additional languages, arguing that language is not just a tool, but it's also a way of conveying who we are as humans. He says that this is hard to accomplish with just one language, because all languages have unique strengths and weaknesses.

  • Vanguard Group Tests Blockchain Platform for Trading Currencies - According to a Bloomberg report, the Vanguard Group has launched a blockchain-based currency trading platform in order to go after a piece of the $6 trillion market that is currently dominated by JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank AG. The report says that the platform has been live for several months, and has already hosted some number of trades. A Vanguard spokesman said the firm is, "currently piloting a project focused on improving the efficiency and reducing the risk of FX hedging".

  • World’s Largest Optical Lens - YouTube's Physics Girl witnesses the unveiling of the optical lenses that will be attached to the world's largest digital camera. The camera is being assembled in a warehouse in California, and it will be used as a telescope in the Chilean mountains.

    Here is the video:

  • h/t RealClear Science



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    I agree on @chappertron's post being really good! I am ashamed I didn't manage to find a good comment to make on it. It was so clear... :)



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