Lifeboat Foundation

Nutritional deprivation triggers a switch from a saprotrophic to predatory lifestyle in soil-dwelling nematode-trapping fungi (NTF). In particular, the NTF Arthrobotrys oligospora secretes food and sex cues to lure nematodes to its mycelium and is triggered to develop specialized trapping devices. Captured nematodes are then invaded and digested by the fungus, thus serving as a food source. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic response of A. oligospora across the stages of sensing, trap development, and digestion upon exposure to the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. A. oligospora enacts a dynamic transcriptomic response, especially of protein secretion–related genes, in the presence of prey. Two-thirds of the predicted secretome of A. oligospora was up-regulated in the presence of C. elegans at all time points examined, and among these secreted proteins, 38.5% are predicte.

The fourth quarter is past its midway point, and Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, seems like it’s still going full speed ahead. During a recent drone flyover of the site, a fleet of 332 Megapack batteries was spotted in the facility’s staging areas.

The Tesla Megapack may not be as visually compelling as the Cybertruck or the Model 3 Highland, but it is a key product in Tesla’s portfolio. Designed for grid use, the Megapack has the potential to disrupt the energy sector. The battery has been performing well so far, as it has been deployed successfully in high-profile projects like the 182 MW/730 MWh battery farm in Moss Landing, California, and the 150 MW/300 MWh system in New South Wales, Australia.

The Megapack is available in two variants: a 2-hour version that offers 1.9 MW of power and 3.9 MWh of energy and a 4-hour variant that features 1 MW of power and 3.9 MWh of energy. The grid-scale battery is priced at $1,908,590 for the four-hour variant with installation and $2,123,590 for the two-hour variant with installation. Without installation charges, the Megapack is priced at $1,321,390 for the two-hour variant and $1,270,310 for the four-hour version.

The 100MW/200MWh Chinchilla battery in Queensland, Australia, has been registered and connected to the grid. Expectations are high that the massive battery farm’s commissioning will begin soon.

The Chinchilla battery features 80 Tesla Megapack batteries. It is also the first battery farm that will be built by state-owned generator CS Energy, as noted in a Renew Economy report. The facility was committed as part of the state’s response to an explosion at the Callide coal-fired generator — an incident that helped convince the state to accelerate its adoption of sustainable solutions.

The 80 Tesla Megapack batteries are situated next to the Kogan Creek coal-fired generator, which also happens to be owned by CS Energy. The 750MW Kogan Creek coal-fired generator is among the largest coal-fired facilities in Australia. As per local reports, CS Energy is looking to develop a clean energy hub around Kogan Creek, so the Tesla Megapack farm could be considered part of the state-owned generator’s initiatives in the area.

More information about TITA robot:
🔗 Official Website: https://shop.directdrive.com/products/tita?utm_source=prorobots.
🔗 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@directdrivetech4558

Meet the fast-legged TITA robot, which made its first appearance at the ICRA 2023 Robotics Show. Easily switching between wheeled and walking modes, the robot with eight degrees of freedom is able to move quickly on any terrain. In addition, the developers report that TITA combines exceptional perceptual abilities with advanced decision-making capabilities. Its maneuverability, sleek design, modular construction and ability to quickly swap payloads and accessories make it a true Swiss knife in the world of security and service robots. TITA also has exceptional fall resistance, improved self-healing capabilities, instant response time and enhanced obstacle avoidance ability. The robot easily adapts to difficult terrain and, importantly, supports secondary development in multiple modes. The latter not only allows you to control it at any level using RPC, but also allows you to program the robot for your tasks. If TITA has captured your heart as well as ours, you can learn more about the robot and even buy it for yourself by using the QR code on the screen.

Continue reading “Tech Titans Clash DARPA’s AI Robots, GPT’s Creation & NASA’s Trillion Dollar Quest! | Pro Robots” »

“A society where you only have to work three days a week, that’s probably OK,” Bill Gates said.

On the 17th of August 2021, the EU authorized the use of insects as feed for farmed animals such as chickens and pigs. This was a disastrous decision for sentient beings, as it may greatly increase the number of beings who will suffer in animal agriculture. Sadly, this was just one in a series of disastrous decisions that the EU has made regarding insect farming in the last couple of years. Most recently, in February 2022, they authorized the farming of house crickets for human consumption, after having made similar decisions for the farming of mealworms and migratory locusts in 2021.

Many such catastrophic decisions probably lie ahead, seeing that the EU is currently reviewing applications for the farming of nine additional kinds of insects. This brief posts reviews some reflections and potential lessons in light of these harmful legislative decisions.

EPFL scientists have crafted a biological system that mimics an electronic bandpass filter, a novel sensor that could revolutionize self-regulated biological mechanisms in synthetic biology.

Synthetic biology holds the promise of enhancing and modifying biological systems into innumerable new technologies for the benefit of society. This engineering approach to biology has already reaped benefits in the fields of drug delivery, agriculture, and energy production.

In a paper published in Nature Chemical Biology, EPFL researchers at the Laboratory of Protein Design and Immunoengineering (LPDI) at the School of Engineering have taken an important step in designing more performative biological systems.

Back in 2021, a test of cephalopod smarts reinforced how important it is for us humans to not underestimate animal intelligence.

Cuttlefish were given a new version of the marshmallow test, and the results may demonstrate that there’s more going on in their strange little brains than we knew.

Their ability to learn and adapt, the researchers said, could have evolved to give cuttlefish an edge in the cutthroat eat-or-be-eaten marine world they live in.

Scientists teach parrots to trade metal rings for walnuts.

Animals often share food, but these birds understand that metal rings can be exchanged for treats, and they share the rings with no promise of reward.

Continue reading “Parrots Will Share Currency to Help Their Pals Purchase Food” »