Science Spectrum

 Understanding the energy needs of a building, a neighborhood, a city, this would really allow the city to become intelligent, overcoming some of its energy waste problems. Consuming less, consuming better, is a matter of individual awareness in the service of the collective, but it is also the objective set by brand new intelligent modeling tools. In France, PowerDIS is one of the assets of communities in defining their territorial energy strategy. Let’s understand what it’s all about! What is PowerDIS? Positioning itself as a reference software in urban energy simulation, PowerDIS was launched in early 2022 by its creators, Efficacity and the CSTB. This tool undoubtedly drives a completely new approach to energy optimization, since it makes it possible to identify precise scenarios for the energy efficiency of buildings based on key information collected during the pre-project phase. More concretely, the software couples the simulations of energy needs with the actual consumption...

Credit/ NASA To observe our planet, extraterrestrial probes would need a solid anchor point in orbit, capable of easily hiding them. In this sense, Earth's quasi-satellites could be the ideal place to hide. Imagine this: 80 million years ago, an advanced civilization detected signatures of life on our planet. It sends signals, but receives nothing in return. It then adopts another approach, and sends a robotic probe directly to the site. The goal: to observe what is happening on this strange planet, without intervening. See, without being seen . To do this, these extraterrestrial probes would then need to settle into orbit around our planet. Not too close nor too far. We would also have to find a way to go unnoticed. For the American physicist James Benford, these “hiding places” exist. There are a few around the Earth. Quasi-satellites  They are also called co-orbital objects . These objects perform orbital loops around the Sun similar to those of the Earth's orbital structure...

On July 4, 2012, the world learned of the discovery of the Higgs boson. Exactly ten years after this historic event, the LHC facilities - which have just completed a three-year makeover - are preparing for a new data collection, twice as large as the previous ones. Enough to lift the veil a little more on the secrets of elementary matter. This time it's there, after three years of shutdown for maintenance, the LHC ( Large Hadron Collider ), the giant particle collider at Cern, near Geneva, has restarted. One hundred meters underground, in its ring of 27 kilometers in circumference, protons are again accelerated in both directions to a speed close to that of light, before being projected against each other within the four detectors – Alice, Atlas, CMS, LHCb – placed along their trajectory. The result is a concentrate of kinetic energy which, by virtue of the equivalence between energy and mass, transforms into sheaves of particles which bear witness to the processes at work in the i...

Credits: FiledIMAGE / iStock Recently, in Japan, researchers used artificial intelligence to better understand the meaning of the different sounds that chickens make. This is an advanced AI technique using what we call emotional learning. According to scientists, this research could allow breeders to improve their production. An AI to better interact with chickens After using virtual reality to calm cows , here is artificial intelligence to understand the language of chickens . A study published on the Research Square platform on June 8, 2023 describes this innovation for breeders. According to researchers at the University of Tokyo (Japan), this should make it easier for professionals to interact with their poultry. Remember that chickens produce different sounds depending on the time of day and their mood. These sounds vary, among other things, in the event of the presence of a predator, the laying of an egg or even in the event of hatching of fertilized eggs, for example. For breed...

Alternating current and direct current are the two types of electric current that we encounter in particular for the transport and distribution of electricity, up to the consumption of electricity in our daily lives. However, alternating current and direct current do not have the same characteristics or the same applications. The focus of this article is on the specificities of these two electrical currents, the type of current used in daily life (heating, lighting, domestic hot water, etc.), and the possible impact on the price of an electricity offer. Operation of alternating and direct currents Alternating current and direct current come from two different modes of production. But before detailing these points, it is useful to remember the definition of electric current. Principle of electric current What we call electricity or electric current is the energy produced by the movement of electrons (carriers of mostly negative electric charges) within a conductive material. As a remind...

Credits: M. Abrahams and EM Bordy, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293021. Tridactyl bird-like footprints discovered at the Maphutseng site in Lesotho are believed to be around 60 million years older than the oldest known bird body fossils. These tracks were made by an unknown animal, probably a primitive dinosaur. When did the first birds appear? The morphology of fossilized footprints directly reflects the anatomy of the foot of the organism that left the trace, thus providing tangible evidence of its behavior. Therefore, analyzing fossil footprints can infer information about the past diversity, ethology, and evolutionary trends of a species. This approach is particularly relevant for ancient periods of history where knowledge about an animal group often depends on limited fossilized skeletal material. This is especially true for birds . We know in fact that their origin is undeniably linked to the theropod dinosaurs of the Maniraptora group. However, the precise date of their emergence ...

 Illuminate the natural world . Bioluminescence: illuminating the natural world Bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to produce and emit light, is a fascinating phenomenon that has captivated scientists and nature lovers. From the enchanting radiance of fireflies on a summer evening to the mysterious blue glow emitted by deep-sea creatures, bioluminescence is a remarkably exceptional characteristic present in a diverse array of organisms. In this section, we'll delve into the world of bioluminescence, exploring its origins, functions, and various manifestations in the natural world. . The origins of bioluminescence Bioluminescence has evolved independently many times throughout evolutionary history, with over 700 known species capable of producing light. Although the exact origins of bioluminescence remain a subject of scientific research, it is believed to have first appeared in the marine environment, where it continues to be most prevalent. Some theories suggest that...

All charge carriers that are accelerated or decelerated emit electromagnetic fields that spread through space. The strengths of the electric and magnetic fields change periodically both in space and time and therefore have the properties of waves. They are called electromagnetic waves. All charge carriers that are accelerated or decelerated emit electromagnetic fields that spread through space. The strengths of the electric and magnetic fields change periodically both in space and time and therefore have the properties of waves. They are called electromagnetic waves . Generation of electromagnetic waves A dipole (e.g. long straight wire) in which the direction of current flow is periodically changed can be the starting point for electromagnetic waves. When the direction of the current changes, the charge carriers in the conductor wire are accelerated. The creation of the electromagnetic wave can be understood in the following way: A periodically changing current flows in the dipole. Wh...

 Did you know that the technological developments of the last 100 years have been greater than all of the historical processes before them? Yes, technology is racing at an incredible pace, pushing some professions to the sidelines. Moreover, in this situation, it's not just technology; scientific, social, cultural, environmental, and economic developments are also highly influential. Every passing day, we encounter brand new technologies and concepts of artificial intelligence that we haven't heard of before, and we meet devices that have embraced this technology. While we acquaint ourselves with these technologies and devices, some professions bid farewell and embark on a journey into the unknown. On the other hand, aunties asking 'What do you do for a living, my dear?' during holiday visits are becoming more accustomed to hearing professions they were previously unaware of as answers. Of course, we can say they will hear them more often shortly because the most desira...