New particle accelerator magnet broke a record

A new humanoid robot has the most advanced and realistic facial expressions yet, Microsoft’s new molecular controller makes DNA writing 1,000 times faster Dec 03, 2021 [View on browser]( Good morning to a day closer to next-gen particle accelerators than any before, thanks to physicists who developed a magnet that allowed them to demonstrate the world's fastest ramping rates for a particle accelerator. Speaking of breakthroughs, Microsoft developed a novel method that allows it to read and write in DNA format 1,000 times faster, bringing us a step deeper into the zettabyte era. Will that era also have the extremely realistic humanoid robot that you’ll see in a minute? We have mixed feelings. This is The Blueprint. Keep reading. SCIENCE [A New Particle Accelerator Magnet Just Broke the Ramping Speed Record]( [New particle accelerator magnet.]( Magnets play a massive role in the bleeding edge of scientific research, if you can believe it. And more powerful magnets mean more breakthroughs in nuclear fusion or particle physics. - Now, physicists at the Fermi National Particle Accelerator Laboratory [have developed a magnet]( that allowed them to demonstrate the world's fastest ramping rates for a particle accelerator. What’s that? A magnet's ramping rate is the time it takes to generate its magnetic field once it receives electrical current. The higher the energy of the particles speeding through a particle accelerator, the stronger the magnetic fields needed to keep the experiment in operation. While superconducting magnets give superior magnetic strength, the fastest-ramping high-energy particle accelerators actually use room-temperature copper conductors. These produce a weaker peak magnetic field. - How did they solve it? To find a solution for slow ramping rates in superconducting materials, the researchers created a magnet out of a superconducting material called yttrium barium copper oxide. The new magnet was successfully ramped up at 290 tesla per second, and attained a peak magnetic field intensity of roughly 0.5 tesla. Why should you care? The peak magnetic field strength could be increased by upping the electrical current running through the material. So this is a breakthrough that could enable particle accelerators [like the Large Hadron Collider]( (LHC) to run using higher energy levels than ever before, and, in turn, reveal more of the universe's secrets. [Read More]( INNOVATION [A New Humanoid Robot Has the Most Advanced and Realistic Facial Expressions Yet]( [The robot in its teaser video.]( A U.K.-based company Engineered Arts [has developed a humanoid robot]( that can display human-like expressions with ease. - Say hello to Ameca. In a short video, the company shows off its most advanced humanoid, dubbed Ameca, which is an early-stage platform for testing robotic technologies. Uncanny valley. The humanoid appears to awake in a robotic laboratory while an actual human is busy working in the background. The robot moves its arms, shows a flurry of expressions in a matter of seconds, and even shows what looks like genuine wonder at how its hands and fingers' fluid motion. It’s stunningly (and scarily) realistic. - But if you’re haunted by images of Ameca chasing you, don’t plan your escape route yet. Its lower half is non-functional at the moment, so it can't walk. While the company has researched this possibility, it has yet to integrate locomotive capabilities into the robot. But Engineered Arts uses a modular architecture for building its robots. So, sooner or later, Ameca will walk, and however scary it seems, we can’t deny what an incredibly stunning example this is of [how far robotics has come](. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Microsoft's New Molecular Controller Makes DNA Writing 1,000 Times Faster]( [The zettabyte era.]( DNA storage has gained increased traction in recent years as it is a system that won't become antiquated like the floppy discs and CDs of decades past — each of us, after all, is a living embodiment of DNA computing's data capacity and computational power. - What’s new? Now, Microsoft Research [has developed a new method]( that allows it to read and write much faster in DNA format, which will help the computing industry meet the challenge of humanity's exponentially growing need for data storage. The big obstacle to DNA storage so far is that scientists have only been able to successfully synthesize small amounts of DNA, and at slow speeds. A step forward. Microsoft’s new molecular controller successfully demonstrated the ability to "pack DNA-synthesis spots three orders of magnitude more tightly than before," meaning it is one thousand times faster than previous examples. - The novel approach boosts writing throughput, lowering the cost of generating synthetic DNA code significantly. This is crucial, as prices for synthesizing 1 megabit of information can reach up to $3,500. DNA storage does still have a long way to go. In fact, there's no guarantee that commercial DNA storage will ever come to fruition. To this end, Microsoft's Project Silica is developing holographic data storage, which promises to expand [our sojourn into the zettabyte era](. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Do you think technology is advancing faster than our society can handle? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Yes! Slow down.]( [No, there shouldn’t be a brake.]( [Society can adapt to service technology.]( [Calm down. It’s probably fine.]( Yesterday’s Results And now the answers to yesterday’s question! We asked you whether we can feasibly transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050. And 41% believe it is a realistic goal that can be achieved if we push for it, while 22% think we are on the right track already. However, 21% believe that we should go nuclear instead, and if not we might as well eat ice cream. We’re sorry to say we’re fresh out of Häagen-Dazs, but have you seen our referral program? You can grab some cool IE and become the envy of your office. Yes, but we have to push. 41% Yep! We’re on the right track. 22% Give me nuclear, or give me ice cream. 21% No way, they’re too unreliable. 16% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ This is the essence of emergence: tiny units of matter operating collectively to become something much more than themselves, to enable the cosmos to know itself. ” Ann Druyan in 'Cosmos: Possible Worlds' [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [What Happens When Birds Hit Plane Engines]( Every year, bird strikes cause up to $1.2 billion in damage to planes around the world. [What Happens When Birds Hit Plane Engines]( AND ANOTHER THING... - Can transient plasma ignition [save the internal combustion engine]( So far, it boosts efficiency by up to 50 percent. - Elon Musk [confirmed SpaceX’s bankruptcy risk]( saying it’s “unlikely, not impossible.” “Only the paranoid survive,” he said. - A treasure trove of fossils of a herd of 11 dinosaurs [has been identified for the first time in Italy]( including the biggest and most complete dinosaur skeleton ever found in the country. (The Guardian) - An advanced new perching drone [can literally snatch objects from the air](. But don’t worry, you’re safe. - Dozens of printers across the world are printing out a manifesto that encourages workers to discuss their pay with coworkers. [It’s, of course, hackers](. (VICE) - SpaceX is planning on [bringing space-based internet service to aircraft]( “as soon as possible.” - Turns out, monogamy is the latest victim of climate change. Warming oceans are forcing monogamous seabirds to go further out in search of food, putting stress on their breeding and [prompting some to ditch their partners](. (Smithsonian Magazine) - [Here is your chance to compete in a spelling competition]( All 15 words in this competition have appeared in The Times recently, and at the end, they’ll tell you how you stack up against other readers. Good luck! (The New York Times) The Blueprint is always competing against itself to become better every day. But it can't win without your expert feedback. 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