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Origami Robotics: Scientists Push the Boundaries of Autonomous Capabilities

Lead Image: An origami-inspired robot designed by a UCLA-led team that can reverse direction when either of its antennae senses an obstacle. Credit: Wenzhong Yan/UCLA A team led by UCLA created autonomous OrigaMechs without chips, utilizing conductive materials. Roboticists have adopted a method resembling the traditional art of paper folding to fabricate autonomous machines from thin, pliant sheets. These lightweight robots are more straightforward and cost-effective to manufacture, and their more compact form makes them more convenient for storage and transportation. However, the conventional requirement of rigid computer chips, which enable advanced capabilities such as sensing, analyzing, and adapting to…

Dreaming Away Dementia: Berkeley Research Shows Deep Sleep Alleviates Alzheimer’s Memory Loss

Lead Image: UC Berkeley sleep scientists have found that deep sleep, also known as non-REM slow-wave sleep, may protect against memory decline in older adults with high amounts of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Disrupted sleep has been associated with a faster accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain, which is linked to memory loss caused by dementia. However, this new research suggests that higher levels of deep sleep can act as a cognitive reserve factor, increasing resilience against the effects of beta-amyloid protein. By practicing good sleep hygiene, older adults may be able to benefit from this compensatory function against Alzheimer’s…

New Study: Gene Therapy Can Effectively Eliminate HIV Infection

Lead Image: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight off infections and diseases. HIV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact, sharing of needles, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. If left untreated, HIV can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can be fatal. Researchers from Temple University and UNMC collaborate in a study recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Gene-editing therapy targeting both HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS, and CCR5, the co-receptor assisting viral entry…

Astronomers Witness a Star Devouring a Planet – “We Are Seeing the Future of the Earth”

This artist’s impression shows a doomed planet skimming the surface of its star. Astronomers used a combination of telescopes to spot the first direct evidence of an aging, bloated sun-like star, like the one pictured here, engulfing its planet. These telescopes included the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, the W.M. Keck Observatory, and NASA’s NEOWISE mission. Credit: Image: K. Miller/R. Hurt (Caltech/IPAC) Earth will meet a similar fate in 5 billion years. As a star runs out of fuel, it will billow out to a million times its original size, engulfing any matter — and planets —…

Nanoscale Changes Reveal Clues To Boost Solid-State Battery Performance

Lead Image: An international research team discovered nanoscale changes in solid-state batteries that could lead to improved performance. They identified high-frequency vibrations at the electrolyte-electrode interface that hinder lithium ion movement, potentially paving the way for new strategies to enhance ionic conductivity. A global team of scientists, including nanoengineers from the University of California San Diego, has discovered nanoscale changes within solid-state batteries that could provide new insight into enhancing battery efficiency. By utilizing computer simulations and X-ray experiments, the researchers were able to “see” in detail why lithium ions move at a slow pace within a solid electrolyte, particularly…