systems

Election outcomes are notoriously difficult to predict. In 2016, for example, most polls suggested that Hillary Clinton would win the presidency, but Donald Trump defeated her. Researchers cite multiple explanations for the unreliability in election forecasts -- some voters are difficult to reach, and some may wish to remain hidden. Among those who do respond to surveys, some … [Read more...] about Researchers look to human ‘social sensors’ to better predict elections and other trends

Spatial reasoning ability in small children reflects how well they will perform in mathematics later. Researchers from the University of Basel recently came to this conclusion, making the case for better cultivation of spatial reasoning. Good math skills open career doors in the natural sciences as well as technical and engineering fields. However, a nationwide study on basic … [Read more...] about Thinking in 3D improves mathematical skills

University of Colorado Boulder researchers have discovered that minuscule, self-propelled particles called "nanoswimmers" can escape from mazes as much as 20 times faster than other, passive particles, paving the way for their use in everything from industrial clean-ups to medication delivery. The findings, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of … [Read more...] about Speedy nanorobots could someday clean up soil and water, deliver drugs

When you think about trade and market relationships, you might think about brokers yelling at each other on the floor of a stock exchange on Wall Street. But it seems one of the basic functions of a free market is quietly practiced by fungi. New research from a Rice University economist suggests certain networks of fungi embrace an important economic theory as they engage in … [Read more...] about Fungi embrace fundamental economic theory as they engage in trading

Knowing the weight of a commodity provides an objective way to value goods in the marketplace. But did a self-regulating market even exist in the Bronze Age? And what can weight systems tell us about this? A team of researchers from the University of Göttingen researched this by investigating the dissemination of weight systems throughout Western Eurasia. Their new simulation … [Read more...] about Bronze Age: how the market began: Spread of weighing systems across Western Eurasia 4,000 years ago

Research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has found a missing piece in the puzzle of optical quantum computing. Jung-Tsung Shen, associate professor in the Preston M. Green Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, has developed a deterministic, high-fidelity two-bit quantum logic gate that takes advantage of a new form of … [Read more...] about A new piece of the quantum computing puzzle: An efficient two-bit quantum logic gate has been out of reach, until now

A recent proof-of-concept study finds that a low-cost training program can reduce hazardous driving in older adults. Researchers hope the finding will lead to the training becoming more widely available. "On-road training and simulator training programs have been successful at reducing car accidents involving older drivers -- with benefits lasting for years after the training," … [Read more...] about Computer training program for seniors can reduce hazardous driving

Predicting what someone is about to do next based on their body language comes naturally to humans but not so for computers. When we meet another person, they might greet us with a hello, handshake, or even a fist bump. We may not know which gesture will be used, but we can read the situation and respond appropriately. In a new study, Columbia Engineering researchers unveil a … [Read more...] about AI learns to predict human behavior from videos