Robots can now learn from humans by watching 'how-to' videos Robots have long struggled with flexibility. Until now, even the most advanced robotic systems have required massive amounts of data and painstaking instruction to complete basic tasks. If a robot dropped a tool or failed to follow a script precisely, it would typically shut down or fail completely. However, a new breakthrough from Cornell University might change that dynamic entirely. A team of computer scientists has recently developed a new AI-powered framework called RHyME (Retrieval for Hybrid Imitation under Mismatched Execution). Robots learning from humans The new technology allows robots to learn complex, multi-step tasks by watching just a single human demonstration, even if the way humans perform a task differs significantly from how robots do. “One of the annoying things about working with robots is collecting so much data on the robot doing different tasks. That’s not how humans do tasks. We loo...
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Biomass launched to count forest carbon
Biomass launched to count forest carbon 29/04/2025 ESA’s groundbreaking Biomass satellite, designed to provide unprecedented insights into the world’s forests and their crucial role in Earth’s carbon cycle, has been launched. The satellite lifted off aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 29 April at 11:15 CEST (06:15 local time). Less than an hour after launch, Biomass separated from the rocket’s upper stage. At 12:28 CEST, the satellite controllers at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Germany received the all-important first signal, relayed via the Troll ground station in Antarctica, that Biomass is working as expected in orbit. Biomass s Controllers will spend the coming days carrying out the ‘launch and early orbit’ phase, meticulously verifying that all systems are functioning correctly. This critical phase also involves a series of intricate manoeuvres to deploy the satellite’s 12-metre-wide mesh reflector supported by a 7.5-metr...
Scientists 'Tattoo' Tardigrades in Nanotechnology Breakthrough A tiny tattooed tardigrade. (Zhao et al., Nano Lett. , 2025) A new technique has allowed researchers to tattoo patterns onto the tiny bodies of living tardigrades. The aim wasn't to make the microscopic animals even cooler than they already are , if that is possible. Rather, it could help scientists make teeny-tiny biocompatible devices, such as sensors, integrated circuits, and even nanoscale living robots. Plus, the process sheds light on tardigrades' remarkable resilience: some, but not all, of the critters survived the experience, to waddle around all tatted up like tiny badasses. "Through this technology, we're not just creating micro-tattoos on tardigrades," explains optical engineer Ding Zhao of the Technical University of Denmark, "we're extending this capability to various living organisms, including bacteria." Some of the patterns tattooed on...
What if a giant asteroid had not wiped out the dinosaurs? News By Sarah Wells published February 22, 2025 Nonavian dinosaurs have been extinct for 66 million years, but what would have happened if they'd survived? Comments ( 5 ) When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works . A catastrophic asteroid impact 66 million years ago wiped out 75% of species on Earth, including the nonavian dinosaurs. (Image credit: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images) One fateful day 66 million years ago, the dinosaurs — which had inhabited Earth for about 165 million years — got a nasty surprise: A roughly 9-mile-wide (15 kilometers) asteroid crashed into what is now Mexico, triggering tsunamis, wildfires and acid rain and causing vast amounts of debris to block out the sun. As a result, 75% of species on Earth, including the nonavian dinosaurs, died off wit...