Computer America Show

Show Notes 9 May 2025Story 1: World’s first railway track-mounted solar plant open to rail trafficSource: PV MagazineLink: https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/04/28/sun-ways-inaugurates-removable-pv-plant-on-railway-tracks/See research paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772671123001249#fig0002See also: https://www.sun-ways.ch/enStory 2: New electronic “skin” could enable lightweight night-vision glassesSource: MIT NewsLink: https://news.mit.edu/2025/new-electronic-skin-could-enable-lightweight-night-vision-glasses-0423See research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08874-7Story 3: Gold Injections in The Eye May Be the Future of Vision PreservationSource: Science AlertLink: https://www.sciencealert.com/gold-injections-in-the-eye-may-be-the-future-of-vision-preservationSee research paper here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.4c14061Story 4: Lab-grown teeth could offer an alternative to fillings and implants, scientists saySource: Live ScienceLink:

Show Notes 2 May 2025Story 1: US to unleash robot swarms to build smart aircraft with speed, precision, safetySource: Interesting Engineering Story by Jijo MalayilLink: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/robot-swarms-to-build-smart-aircraft?group=test_aSee also: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/03/3055273/0/en/H2-Clipper-Transforms-Aviation-and-Aerospace-Manufacturing-with-Patented-Swarm-Robotics-Innovation.htmlNote – read/see the patent here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11851214B2/en**Story 2: This little nuclear battery could mean never needing to charge your phone again - **The prototype uses carbon-14, an unstable and radioactive form of carbon.Source: Industrial Equipment News Announcement from American Chemical SocietyLink: https://www.ien.com/product-development/news/22937027/this-little-nuclear-battery-could-mean-never-needing-to-charge-your-phone-againStory 3: Wheel-less helical ring-based soft robot can move reliably in all directionsSource: TechXplore.com Story

Popzara.com. Nathan Evans, Managing Editor.Throughout Popzara you’ll find views on gaming, movies, technology, cultural icons and so much more. Reviews and previews, in-depth analyses, opinion pieces, conversations, and a regularly updated Podcast keep things interesting and always entertaining. Our diverse editorial staff is committed to bringing this cornucopia of editorial goodness in fair-minded and positive ways, with minimal snark and maximum fun. A little bit of everything for the discriminating reader and curious listener is what you’ll find at Popzara.Topics:  Sinners (2025) | Movie Reviews | Popzara Press Perplexity is building a browser in part to collect customer data for targeted ads OpenAI wants to buy Chrome and make it an “AI-first” experience - Ars Technica Microsoft rolls Windows Recall out to the public nearly a year after announcing it - Ars Technica 4chan has been offline for over a week, and it's probably not coming back | TechSpot Threads is moving to threads.com and adding a bunc

Show Notes 25 April 2025Story 1: Scientists turn gunshot residue into glowing semiconductors to crack shooting casesSource: Interesting Engineering Story by Aamir KhollamLink: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/forensic-tech-makes-gun-residue-glowSee research paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073825000532Story 2: Lab-grown chicken nuggets have been cooked up in a robotic bioreactorSource: IFL Science Story by Maddy ChapmanLink: https://www.iflscience.com/lab-grown-chicken-nuggets-have-been-cooked-up-in-a-robotic-bioreactor-78848See also: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1080163Story 3: Scientists develop record cold refrigerator that could unlock full potential of quantum computersSource: Euro News Story by Roselyne MinLink: https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/03/20/scientists-develop-record-cold-refrigerator-that-could-unlock-full-potential-of-quantum-coStory 4: A Grain of Brain, 523 Million Synapses, and the Most Complicated Neuroscience Experiment Ever Att

Show Notes 18 April 2025Story 1: Kawasaki unveils hydrogen-powered robotic horse that you can rideSource: Robotics & Automation News, Story by David EdwardsLink: https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2025/04/06/kawasaki-unveils-hydrogen-powered-robotic-horse-that-you-can-ride/89601/See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQDhzbTz-9k&t=1sStory 2: Light-based computers are getting close to a commercial launchSource: New Scientist, Story by Matthew SparkesLink: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475302-light-based-computers-are-getting-close-to-a-commercial-launch/Story 3: The Shape-Shifting Battery That Powers the Future of Wearable TechSource: SciTechDaily, News from Linköping University in SwedenLink: https://scitechdaily.com/the-shape-shifting-battery-that-powers-the-future-of-wearable-tech/Story 4: Scientists Just Built a Mini Human Nervous System That Can Process Pain in a Dish in World FirstSource: ZME Science, Story by Tibi PuiuLink: https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/mind-and-brain/s

Show Notes 11 April 2025Story 1: A flexible robot can help emergency responders search through rubbleSource: MIT NewsLink: https://news.mit.edu/2025/sprout-flexible-robot-help-emergency-responders-search-rubble-0402See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaMCTH4qZTEStory 2: Charging electric vehicles 5x faster in subfreezing tempsSource: University of Michigan NewsLink: https://news.umich.edu/charging-electric-vehicles-5x-faster-in-subfreezing-temps/Story 3: Early Study Shows Promise for Eye-Surgery Robot Invented at the University of UtahSource: University of Utah websiteLink: https://www.price.utah.edu/2025/02/19/early-study-shows-promise-for-eye-surgery-robot-invented-at-the-university-of-utahSee video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpHt-put4t8See research paper here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adp7700Story 4: World’s smallest pacemaker is activated by light - Tiny device can be inserted with a syringe, then dissolves after it’s no longer neededSource: Northwestern Unive

Show Notes 4 April 2025Story 1: These smart contact lens prototypes could convince future me to ditch my glasses thanks to wireless power transfer and eye health biosensingSource: TechRadar.com Story by Stephen WarwickLink: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/these-smart-contact-lens-prototypes-could-convince-future-me-to-ditch-my-glasses-thanks-to-wireless-power-transfer-and-eye-health-biosensingSee also: https://xpanceo.com/Story 2: Wearable ring translates sign language into text - SpellRing is trained on 20,000 words in American Sign Language.Source: Popular Science Story by Andrew PaulLink: https://www.popsci.com/technology/sign-language-translator-ring/See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUtRk-oUeIcStory 3: Terabytes of data in a millimeter crystal - University of Chicago researchers created a "quantum-inspired” revolution in microelectronics, storing classical computer memory in crystal gaps where atoms should beSource: Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering news posting, University

Show Notes 28 March 2025Story 1: Ultra-Accurate Optical Atomic Clocks Could Enable True Self-Driving CarsSource: TopSpeed.com Story by Craig ColeLink: https://www.topspeed.com/ultra-accurate-optical-atomic-clocks-could-enable-true-self-driving-cars/See Chalmers University of Technology news article here: https://www.chalmers.se/en/current/news/mc2-microcomb-chips-help-pave-the-way-for-thousand-times-more-accurate-gps-systems/Story 2: This is the first quantum computer you can actually buy (and use, and power): Equal1's Bell-1 uses a standard power socketSource: TechRadar.com Story by Efosa UdinmwenLink: https://www.techradar.com/pro/this-is-the-first-quantum-computer-you-can-actually-buy-and-use-and-power-equal1s-bell-1-uses-a-standard-power-socketSee also: https://www.equal1.com/post/equal1-launches-bell-1-the-first-quantum-system-purpose-built-for-the-hpc-eraStory 3: Shape-shifting robot that swims now explores Mariana Trench, reaching a depth of 34,776-ftSource: InterestingEngineering.com Story by Jijo Mal

Show Notes 21 March 2025Story 1: Lithium needed for the battery revolution could be harvested from salt-lake brines or geothermal brine solutionsSource: Imperial College announcement by Ian MundellLink: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/261774/lithium-needed-battery-revolution-could-harvested/See also: https://techxplore.com/news/2025-03-lithium-battery-revolution-harvested-saltwater.htmlSee research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00398-8Story 2: Nanoparticle breakthrough could bring 'holy grail' of solar power within reachSource: LiveScience.com Story by Ben TurnerLink: https://www.livescience.com/chemistry/nanoparticle-breakthrough-could-bring-holy-grail-of-solar-power-within-reachSee the research paper here: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/el/d4el00029cStory 3: Mimicking Human Skin, This Self-Healing Gel Could be Applied to Soft RoboticsSource: Discover Magazine Story by Monica CullLink: https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/mimicking-human-skin-this-self-hea

Show Notes 14 March 2025Story 1: No Fiber Needed: New Chip Uses Light to Beam 10Gig Speeds Through the AirSource: PC Magazine Story by Michael KanLink: https://www.pcmag.com/news/no-fiber-taara-chip-uses-light-to-beam-10gig-speeds-through-the-airSee also: https://www.wired.com/story/plaintext-google-taara-chip-internet-by-light/Side note - for more about the Taara Project, see: https://x.company/projects/taara/Story 2: Self-healing Asphalt Could Prevent Potholes and Save Costs on Vehicle RepairsSource: ZME Science Story by Tibi PuiuLink: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/self-healing-asphalt-could-prevent-potholes-and-save-costs-on-vehicle-repairs/Story 3: A protein from tiny tardigrades may help cancer patients tolerate radiation therapySource: MIT News Website Story by Anne TraftonLink: https://news.mit.edu/2025/tiny-tardigrades-protein-may-help-cancer-patients-tolerate-radiation-therapy-0226Story 4: New Implant May Help Patients Regenerate Their Own Heart ValvesSource: Georgia Tech News Annou

Show NotesStory 1: US team creates ‘holey’ battery with 180-degree flexibility for wearablesSource: InterestingEngineering.com Story by Christopher McFaddenLink: https://interestingengineering.com/energy/holey-battery-for-wearablesStory 2: Stretchable, flexible, recyclable. This plastic is fantasticSource: Princeton Engineering Story by John SullivanLink: https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2024/12/12/stretchable-flexible-recyclable-plastic-fantasticStory 3: NASA's 'SPHEREx' infrared space telescope is launching this week [note, launched on February 28]. Here's why it's a big dealSource: Space.com Story by Sharmila KuthunurLink: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/nasas-spherex-infrared-space-telescope-is-launching-this-week-heres-why-its-a-big-dealStory 4: The US military wants to explore blood biohacks to boost warfighter performance in extreme conditionsSource: Business Insider Story by Kelsey BakerLink: https://www.businessinsider.com/darpa-exploring-how-blood-biohacks-could-help-warfighte

Computer America Stories 02/28/2025The next chapter: Skype Endshttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/02/28/the-next-chapter-moving-from-skype-to-microsoft-teams/ Microsoft launches native Mac app for Copilothttps://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-launches-native-mac-app-for-copilot-235945829.html Amazon’s subscription-based Alexa+ looks highly capable—and questionablehttps://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/amazons-subscription-based-alexa-looks-highly-capable-and-questionable/ Apple Launches the iPhone 16ehttps://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/apple-iphone-16e-preorder-rcna193702  Misc. Movie Time! The Best, Worst, and Everything Else Movies of 2024https://www.popzara.com/podcast/movie-time-the-best-worst-and-everything-else-movies-of-2024/

Show Notes 28 February 2025Story 1: This Chip Could Be the Massive Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting for in Quantum ComputingSource: Popular Mechanics Story by Darren OrfLink: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a63872181/majorana-1-topological-qubit/See Microsoft’s official announcement here: https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/innovation/microsofts-majorana-1-chip-carves-new-path-for-quantum-computing/See Mircosoft’s video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHmygPQukQ&t=18sSee also: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/quantum/2025/02/19/microsoft-unveils-majorana-1-the-worlds-first-quantum-processor-powered-by-topological-qubits/See also: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/microsoft-s-majorana-1-what-a-new-state-of-matter-means-for-quantum-computing/ar-AA1znhjkStory 2: Scientists Reveal "Artificial Leaf" That Turns Carbon into Sustainable FuelsSource: Futurism.com Story by Noor Al-SibaiLink: https://futurism.com/artificial-leaf-carbon-sustainable-fuelSee research paper here: http

Story 1: Scientists develop a compact camera that can identify objects at the speed of lightSource: Digital Camera World Story by Leonie HelmLink: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/scientists-develop-a-compact-camera-that-can-identify-objects-at-the-speed-of-lightSee the research paper here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp0391See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfgzAGpwHv4Story 2: This Solar-Powered Reactor Sucks CO2 From the Air and Turns It into FuelSource: Gizmodo.com Story by Margherita BassiLink: https://gizmodo.com/this-solar-powered-reactor-sucks-co2-from-the-air-and-turns-it-into-fuel-2000563558See the research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-025-01714-yStory 3: Engineers develop a soft robot that crawls, climbs, and shape-shifts to move in new directionsSource: TechXplore.com Story from Seoul National UniversityLink: https://techxplore.com/news/2025-02-soft-robot-climbs-shifts.html#google_vignetteSee also the research paper here: https://www.cell

Show Notes 14 February 2025Story 1: New fabric can heat up more than 50 degrees to keep people warm in ultracold weatherSource: LiveScience.com Story by Victoria AtkinsonLink: https://www.livescience.com/chemistry/new-fabric-can-heat-up-almost-50-degrees-to-keep-people-warm-in-ultracold-weatherSee the team’s research paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42114-024-00994-4Story 2: MIT engineers develop breakthrough technology that could change the way we process \[recycled\] aluminumSource: Yahoo\!Tech "Today in Tech" Story by Jeremiah BudinLink: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/mit-engineers-develop-breakthrough-technology-110053323.html?guccounter=1See also: https://www.techexplorist.com/capturing-recycling-aluminum-manufacturing-waste/95378/See also: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c07268Story 3: Machine Learning Designs Materials as Strong as Steel and as Light as FoamSource: Technology Networks Story from University of TorontoLink: https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-scie

Show Notes 7 February 2025Story 1: More Sustainable Tires in Sight as Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Bridgestone Team UpSource: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Story by JoAnna WendelLink: https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/more-sustainable-tires-sight-pnnl-and-bridgestone-teamStory 2: Scientists Develop Printable Droplet Laser DisplaysSource: Photonics SpectraLink: https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Scientists_Develop_Printable_Droplet_Laser/a70594Story 3: US firm to bury nuclear reactors 1-mile underground to power data centersSource: InterestingEngineering.com Story by Aman TripathiLink: https://interestingengineering.com/energy/bury-nuclear-reactor-1-mile-undergroundSee also: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/why-this-startup-wants-to-bury-nuclear-reactors-a-mile-underground/See also: https://deepfission.com/Story 4: New biomaterial offers treatment for central nervous system injuriesSource: ScientistLive.comLink: https://www.scientistlive.com/content/new-biomaterial-offers-trea

Show Notes 31 January 2025Story 1: Scientists use plasma to enable futuristic 3D-printed food — here's how it could revolutionize an industrySource: The Cool Down Story by Leslie SattlerLink: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/scientists-use-plasma-to-enable-futuristic-3d-printed-food-here-s-how-it-could-revolutionize-an-industry/ar-AA1wXca4See also: https://phys.org/news/2024-12-3d-pea-gels-potential-food.htmlSee also: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212429224004802?via%3DihubStory 2: Koreans Create EV Battery That Puts Out Its Own Fires and Holds 87% Power After 1000 CyclesSource: CarScoops.com Story by Brad AndersonLink: https://www.carscoops.com/2025/01/korean-researches-create-ev-battery-that-can-extinguish-itself-in-a-fire/See also: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smll.202406200Story 3: Quantum computers that are actually useful and 1 step closer thanks to new silicon processor that could pack millions of qubitsSource: LiveScience.com Story by Owen HughesLink:

Show Notes 10 January 2025Story 1: A new catalyst can turn methane into something useful - MIT chemical engineers have devised a way to capture methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and convert it into polymers.Source: MIT News Story by Anne TraftonLink: https://news.mit.edu/2024/new-catalyst-can-turn-methane-into-something-useful-1204See the research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41929-024-01251-zStory 2: Balloon system can produce localized solar electricity for the ground belowSource: TechXplore.com Story by Bob YirkaLink: https://techxplore.com/news/2024-11-balloon-localized-solar-electricity-ground.htmlSee also: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/11/21/balloon-integrated-pv-system-for-emergency-power-needs-at-low-altitude/See also: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S036054422403500X?via%3DihubStory 3: Future robots could one day tell how you're feeling by measuring your sweat, scientists saySource: LiveScience.com Story by Owen HughesLink: https://www.livescience.com/technolo

Show Notes 3 January 2025Story 1: Solar-powered plasma technology offers a sustainable solution for seed germination challengesSource: Phys.org Story by Frontiers JournalsLink: https://phys.org/news/2024-12-solar-powered-plasma-technology-sustainable.htmlSee also: https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/10.15302/J-FASE-2024573Story 2: Circuit boards made from leaves could green up electronics’ actSource: Anthropocene Story by Anthropocene TeamLink: https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2024/12/circuit-boards-made-from-leaves-could-green-up-electronics-act/See also: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq3276Story 3: Artificial photosynthesis could transform power generationSource: Earth.com Story by Rodielon PutolLink: https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-photosynthesis-could-transform-power-generation/  Story 4: 'Electronic' scalp tattoos could be next big thing in brain monitoringSource: LiveScience.com Story by Emily CookeLink: https://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/electronic-scalp-tattoos-coul

Computer America Stories 12/13/2024Throughout Popzara you’ll find views on gaming, movies, technology, cultural icons and so much more. Reviews and previews, in-depth analyses, opinion pieces, conversations, and a regularly updated Podcast keep things interesting and always entertaining. Our diverse editorial staff is committed to bringing this cornucopia of editorial goodness in fair-minded and positive ways, with minimal snark and maximum fun. A little bit of everything for the discriminating reader and curious listener is what you’ll find at Popzara. LG stops making Blu-ray playershttps://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/lg-stops-making-blu-ray-players-marking-the-end-of-an-era-limited-units-remain-while-inventory-lasts Microsoft kills off Skype credits and phone numbers in favor of subscriptionshttps://www.theverge.com/2024/12/13/24320322/skype-credit-number-discontinued-microsoft Bluesky now has more than 25 million usershttps://www.theverge.com/2024/12/13/24320334/bluesky-now-has-more-than-25-million-