It’s interesting to note that one of humanity’s most devastating diseases that had ever been inflicted upon us is rather innocuously named.

Smallpox.

But at its ravaging peak back in the 18th century, it had many more apt names.

The Speckled Monster. The Red Plague. The Great Scourge. The Angel of Death.

With these names, it’s no wonder people feared it. And with no cure in sight, it was widely believed the disease was an act of God and most just accepted their fate.

Its name has now been reduced back to smallpox. And just like it’s harmless name, it’s disease was diminished after the advent of the vaccine in 1796 by British physician Edward Jenner.

We have another disease inflicting us today.

It’s called Alzheimer’s disease.

Colloquially, some call it Dementia. Senile Decay. The Long Goodbye.

The names are gradually becoming more fear-inducing.

People are left to believe that there is no cure for this disease. That it is merely an “unfortunate but natural” end to humans.

If I were to say that Alzheimer's might be cured within our lifetimes, would you scoff and remain fearful, or would you smile, hopeful about a brighter future?

What’s On The Menu?

1. Gravity-free magnetic levitation closer to reality.

2. ‘Goldene’, a new gold material creation, has many applications.

3. Banquet hall in Pompeii discovered found with intricate fescoes.

4. New Alzheimer’s blood test receive FDA status.

5. Cheaper memory innovation on the verge of discovery.

Gravity-Free Levitation Breakthrough Unveils Technology's Potential.

source: https://www.earth.com/news/magnetic-levitation-breakthrough-unlocks-gravity-free-technology/

TL;DR:

A scientific advancement in magnetic levitation has been achieved by the Quantum Machines Unit of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

Researchers have developed a levitating platform independent of external power sources, unlocking new potentials in gravity-defying technology.

This technology utilizes graphite and magnets within a vacuum, marking significant progress towards the creation of incredibly sensitive sensors.

So what…?

As our technological world advances, this development holds the potential to revolutionize sectors ranging from transportation to scientific sensors and measurements, pushing for faster, more efficient and highly precise systems.

Plus, it’ll be swell to see levitating stoplights and sculptures around the city.

“finally, i can re-enact this in my living room“

Scientists Make ‘Goldene’, A New Gold Material.

source: https://au.news.yahoo.com/scientists-finally-goldene-potentially-breakthrough-091730445.html?guccounter=1

TL;DR:

Cutting-edge research has led to the creation of a new material, 'goldene', which is a one-atom thick layer of gold akin to graphene.

This discovery happened when gold was accidentally placed amid layers of titanium and carbon, and needed to be extracted through a method inspired by ancient Japanese smiths called “Murakami’s reagent.”

Similar methods could potentially apply to other metals, opening up a wide variety of possibilities in the material science field.

Big whoop, and…?

The properties of 'goldene' could revolutionize various industries, including environmental technology, water treatment, semiconductors, and communication, which signifies an exciting frontier in applied science and could drastically influence everyday life.

“goldene, goldene, goldene, goldene
I'm beggin' of you, please just don’t become a new spray tan“

Archaeologists Uncover Luxurious Banquet Hall in Pompeii.

source: https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/archaeologists-excavating-new-sites-in-pompeii-uncover-sumptuous-banquet-hall-1612527.html

TL;DR:

Archaeologists have discovered an elaborate banquet hall in Pompeii, featuring black walls and intricate frescoes inspired by the Trojan War, that spans back to at least AD 79.

The banquet hall was most likely used for entertaining guests and featured mythological figures painted on the walls to provide for conversation starters.

This part of an ongoing project aimed at supporting the boundaries between the excavated and non-excavated areas of Pompeii. The black walls were a strategic design choice to mask smoke from oil lamps.

Who cares…?

This discovery provides unique insights into the lifestyle, entertainment, and architectural advancements of the ancient times, enhancing our understanding of history.

Roche Receives FDA Breakthrough Status for New Alzheimer’s Blood Test.

source: https://www.medtechdive.com/news/roche-eli-lilly-fda-breakthrough-alzheimers-blood-test/713011/

TL;DR:

The FDA has awarded a breakthrough device designation to Roche's plasma biomarker test, aiming to aid in early detection of Alzheimer's disease; a test being developed in partnership with Eli Lilly.

The biomarker pTau217 is found to be a key fragment that is known to distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from other neurodegenerative disorders, making it an important discovery in the health field.

At present, there are no FDA-authorized blood tests for Alzheimer’s, and the new test could improve diagnosis and treatment access.

Why does this matter…?

It is shown that early detection of Alzheimer's could lead to a significant slowing of the progression and a much more effective treatment for patients.

With over 75% of dementia cases currently undiagnosed, this test represents a critical step forward for public health.

“oh yeahhhh, i totally forgot we had alzheimer’s disease back then“

Scientists Inch Closer To Cheaper Memory Technology Innovation.

source: https://www.techradar.com/pro/scientists-inch-closer-to-holy-grail-of-memory-breakthrough-producing-tech-that-combines-nand-and-ram-features-could-be-much-cheaper-to-produce-and-consume-far-less-power

TL;DR:

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are shaping a new memory device that merges key features of DRAM and NAND flash memory.

The device leverages next-gen phase change memory technology. It notably retains data when power is off and operates at high speeds, overcoming past issues of high power consumption and reduced manufacturing cost by 15 times less than prior models.

And that means…?

Get ready for one petabyte microSD cards some day.

This development potentially heralds a new era for memory storage, offering more cost-effective and energy-efficient options. It could redefine memory systems, revolutionizing computation and potentially benefiting AI systems.

“did you know computers used to only have 512 GBs on them? - child of the future“

That’s it for this week!

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Cheers,
Jae