Self-driving revolution hampered by a lack of accurate simulations of human behavior

Algorithms that accurately reflect the behavior of road users -- vital for the safe roll out of driverless vehicles -- are still not available, warn scientists. They say there is 'formidable complexity' in developing software that can predict the way people behave and interact on the roads, be they pedestrians, motorists or bike riders. To improve the modelling, a research team has developed a simulation of how people behave on the roads based on key cognitive theories.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230620113736.htm

Bridging traditional economics and econophysics

How do asset markets work? Which stocks behave similarly? Economists, physicists, and mathematicians work intensively to draw a picture but need to learn what is happening outside their discipline. A new paper now builds a bridge.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230619120152.htm

Jupiter's moon Europa may have had a slow evolution

Europa may have a metamorphic origin for the ocean. While some scientists speculated this, a research team shows that if Europa indeed formed from hydrated rocks (i.e., rocks have hydrogen and oxygen), then enough of Europa's interior should get hot enough to release water directly from the hydrated rocks to form the ocean and ice shell.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230617004432.htm

Indirect effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict revealed: global food supply at risk

192 countries and 125 different foods: A recent study reveals interdependencies in the global food supply. Here, the researchers have uncovered the profound -- also indirect -- effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230615183223.htm

First hominin muscle reconstruction shows 3.2 million-year-old 'Lucy' could stand as erect as we can

Digital modelling of legendary fossil's soft tissue suggests Australopithecus afarensis had powerful leg and pelvic muscles suited to tree dwelling, but knee muscles that allowed fully erect walking.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230614220724.htm

Study explains unusual deformation in Earth's largest continental rift

Computer models confirm that the African Superplume is responsible for the unusual deformations, as well as rift-parallel seismic anisotropy observed beneath the East African Rift System.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230613190839.htm

DESI early data release holds nearly two million objects

The first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument is now available for researchers to explore. Taken during the experiment's 'survey validation' phase, the data include distant galaxies and quasars as well as stars in our own Milky Way.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230613110102.htm

Marine environment at risk due to ship emissions

Researchers used four different types of port environments to investigate the levels of contaminants emitted from five different sources. They found that the combined emissions of metals and environmentally hazardous substances is putting the marine environment at risk. Ninety per cent of the harmful emissions came from ships fitted with scrubbers, whose purpose is to clean their exhaust gases.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230613110059.htm

Entrepreneurs' brains: Researchers reveal increased cognitive flexibility

In a pioneering study involving serial entrepreneurs and managers, a multidisciplinary research team, combining entrepreneurship researchers and brain specialists, found evidence of increased neuronal connectivity in the brains of entrepreneurs, which may contribute to distinct cognitive attributes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230613110035.htm

Four-legged robot traverses tricky terrains thanks to improved 3D vision

Researchers have developed a new model that trains four-legged robots to see more clearly in 3D. The advance enabled a robot to autonomously cross challenging terrain with ease -- including stairs, rocky ground and gap-filled paths -- while clearing obstacles in its way.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230612200423.htm

Researchers uncover why light-to-moderate drinking is tied to better heart health

A new study offers an explanation for why light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with lower risk of heart disease. For the first time, researchers found that alcohol, in light to moderate quantities, was associated with long-term reductions in stress signaling in the brain.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230612200347.htm

Geologists challenge conventional view of Earth's continental history, stability with new study

The seemingly stable regions of the Earth's continental plates -- the so-called stable cratons -- have suffered repetitive deformation below their crust since their formation in the remote past, according to new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This hypothesis defies decades of conventional plate tectonics theory and begs to answer why most cratons have remained structurally stable while their underbellies have experienced significant change.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230612114738.htm

Liquid metal sticks to surfaces without a binding agent

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Everyday materials such as paper and plastic could be transformed into electronic 'smart devices' by using a simple new method to apply liquid metal to surfaces, according to scientists. The study demonstrates a technique for applying a liquid metal coating to surfaces that do not easily bond with liquid metal. The approach is designed to work at a large scale and may have applications in wearable testing platforms, flexible devices, and soft robotics.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230609160620.htm