- The Techno-Optimist.
- Posts
- Preparing Robotic Heart Surgeries, Lab-Grown Algae, and Spicy Mustard Seeds.
Preparing Robotic Heart Surgeries, Lab-Grown Algae, and Spicy Mustard Seeds.
Jae Lee
May 10, 2024
Humans are like prairie dogs. Always have been.
We dig, they dig.
We multiply. They multiply.
Our biggest difference—we pass on knowledge, they don’t.
this is basically a human.
Imagine a world where we had to re-learn all the techniques used by our ancestors; we’d still be at the surface.
Farmers would still be using their hands and we’d hardly get any decent harvests—instead, we invented the plough.
Artists would still be doing cave paintings of buffalos and stick figures—instead, we started carving figurines.
Chefs would still be cooking the same bland dishes over and over again—instead, we tried new recipes and discovered new flavours.
Everything we do, we do on the shoulders of all that came before us.
We’ve come to a point where a person can get handsomely paid for their highly specialized profession.
A site reliability engineer that maintains the infrastructure of an HR data analytics tech startup.
An agricultural scientist that determines how certain soil can affect spice levels of mustard seeds grown in different regions.
A bartender that specializes in high-end whiskey cocktails that infuses the authentic tradition of New York Rye by using zero corn in their mash bills.
We’ve dug quite a bit to get to where we are, but we’ve still got a long way to go.
With the impending AI revolution, it’ll be like being handed a turbo-charged excavator for every human on earth.
What are you digging?
What’s On The Menu?
Robotic heart surgery performed for first time in Spain.
6G antenna breakthrough could revolutionize communications.
Lab-grown algae a game-changer for carbon emission reductions.
“Bran-like” computer with artificial synapse experiment proved.
Mustard seed spiciness influenced by soil microbes, scientists claim.
Spanish Doctors Pioneer Robotic Heart Surgery for Teenagers.
TL;DR:
Spanish doctors have successfully performed robotic heart surgeries on teenagers with congenital heart disorders, marking the first use of such technology on paediatric patients in Spain.
Unlike traditional open-heart surgery, this robotic approach involves only small incisions, reducing recovery time and aesthetic impacts.
This technique follows Spain's innovation in robotic surgeries, such as the first robot-performed lung transplant last year.
So what…?
This advancement in robotic surgery not only minimizes the physical burden on young patients but also paves the way for more precise and safer paediatric cardiac operations, potentially transforming how congenital heart diseases are treated worldwide.
Once these types of procedures become more routine, it can become systematized and distributed more democratically throughout the world.
“oh, you’re a biological doctor?… uh, can i request the robo-doc instead? no offence -patients of the future“
Breakthrough 6G Antenna Could Revolutionize Communication and Holography.
TL;DR:
Researchers have developed the world's first 6G antenna capable of operating in the 60 GHz millimeter-wave band, which significantly enhances communication speeds and efficiency.
This new dynamic metasurface antenna, controlled by a field programmable gate array, offers advantages like precisely directing signals, reducing energy use and data collisions.
It promises to enhance indoor IoT networks, enable detailed 3D holographic imaging, and support advanced sensing applications.
Big whoop, and…?
This antenna technology marks a critical step towards 6G networks, which could be a thousand times faster than 5G, transforming how we connect, communicate, and interact with technology on a daily basis, bringing us closer to more integrated smart city and IoT applications.
These types of speeds are so blazingly fast, we’ll wonder how we ever got excited for 5G.
“back in my day, we used to wait a whole 2 seconds for a webpage to load, and sometimes we’d even have to refresh!“
Lab-Grown Algae: A Game-Changer for Carbon Emission Reduction.
source: https://c3newsmag.com/lab-grown-algae-could-play-a-pivotal-role-in-reducing-global-emissions/
TL;DR:
Brilliant Planet, a UK-based climate technology firm, is pioneering the use of lab-grown algae to significantly reduce carbon emissions at a fraction of the cost of other methods.
By mimicking natural algal blooms on land, the company enhances algae's inherent rapid growth and carbon absorption capabilities.
This process is powered sustainably by seawater and sunlight, and is proving to be more efficient and less land-intensive than traditional forestry-based carbon sinks.
Who cares…?
This innovative approach not only promises a substantial reduction in the cost and land use associated with carbon sequestration but also offers a scalable solution to one of the most pressing issues of our time—climate change.
“wet plant > smoke plant“
First Experimental Proof for Brain-Like Computer with Water and Salt.
TL;DR:
Researchers from Utrecht University and Sogang University have developed an artificial synapse that operates using water and salt, similar to the brain's method.
This new technology demonstrates that “iontronic neuromorphic” computing can mimic human brain functionality, potentially leading to more energy-efficient computers.
The device utilizes a cone-shaped channel that adjusts its conductivity based on the movement and concentration of ions, akin to how synapses work in the brain.
Why does this matter…?
This innovation not only brings us closer to creating computers that operate more like the human brain, reducing energy consumption, but also opens new pathways in technology that could revolutionize how we process information and interact with the world.
“*licks brain* hmm, needs more salt“
Influence of Soil Microbes on Mustard Spiciness.
TL;DR:
A study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that soil microbes, including bacteria and fungi, may influence the flavour of mustard seeds by affecting their chemical compositions.
Researchers grew mustard plants in controlled environments with different soil microbiomes, discovering a potential link between these microbes and the spiciness of the seeds due to variations in glucosinolate concentrations.
And that means…?
This knowledge could revolutionize how we grow and flavour food, offering new methods to enhance crop resilience and taste.
“does this have glucosinolate concentrations in it? i’m glucosinolate concentrations free“
That’s it for this week!
If you were forwarded this e-mail and enjoyed this issue, please subscribe to The Techno-Optimist here!
Cheers,
Jae
Reply