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Are animals smart? – Deron

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It is an enchanting query that thousands and thousands of animal owners, animal lovers, veterinarians and scientists all around the world fascinate: How clever are animals?

Scientists once believed that a brain with billions of neurons was a prerequisite for intelligence. That is why you’ll be able to think – neurons are the nerve cells within the brain that connect and Translated messages together.

The human brain has roughly for recording 86 billion neurons. For comparison, dogs and cats have lower than a billion.

But the more that Scientists like me study animal emotions and knowledge – The ability to learn through experience and considering – the more we discover that individuals are usually not very special in any respect. Many non -human species can do these items too.

At the moment there is no such thing as a agreement on how a certain animal species is intelligent. Most scientists who examine animal cognition have observed, nevertheless, that many animals are in a position to solve problems, use tools, to recollect vital details about their surroundings and to acknowledge themselves within the mirror.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vfyyz8zpho

Tool maker bears and crows

The memory is a marker of intelligence. People of all animals have the Precise and complicated memory. But elephants can recognize as many as 30 travel companions at the identical time. You will even learn to wander away from drought -after areas, based on Memories of previous droughts.

This style of recall – often called episodic memory – is the flexibility to recollect an event, including when and where it happened. Until recently, scientists thought that only people had it. But now researchers have learned that some birds, cats, rats, monkeys and dolphins have it.

Animals may not remember every experience – not even humans – but they remember things which can be critical of their survival. For example, birds know Where they kept food. Monkeys know them Presence of a predator.

Scientists were once intended to make use of the tool, was only a human ability, but that shouldn’t be the case. Use chimpanzees Sticks to catch termites And Stones to open nuts. Crows will be even Manufacture of tools. By bending a wire you’ll be able to make a hook to get a food reward that’s otherwise unreachable.

The researchers presented eight prisoner brown bears With this food challenge: Three objects – a big protocol, a small tree trunk and a box – were placed in an outer housing. A food reward was suspended above them. Six of the eight bears were in a position to move the protocols and box in positions with which they may get the reward. Essentially they used the three objects as tools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbfbbbfcixry

Delphin, chimpanzee communication

Language is one other degree of intelligence. Of course, people have extremely highly developed communication skills. But dolphins Have complex dialects Squeaks and whistles in the shape of crackers. Many researchers say that Noises are a language. Chimpanzees and gorillas have used sign language to Express emotions and ask about things of individuals.

Self-confidence of the flexibility to acknowledge intelligence as a person. Babies don’t recognize themselves within the mirror until they’re About one and a half years old. Until then, you’ll likely think that the reflection you see is one other baby.

Many other species, including dolphins, ravens and elephants, are recognized within the mirror. Researchers put chimpanzees under anesthesia a red dye. Once awake, the chimpanzees saw their reflection in a mirror. Instead of touching the red brand in its reflection within the glass touched the red brand on itselfSpecification of self -recognition.

Just because animals cannot do certain things doesn’t mean that they’re unintelligent. After all, people cannot fly like a bird or swim like a fish. There can also be no one which now we have to have that Incredible sense of smell that has a dog. We would sniff a whole bunch of various smells from miles – the scents manufactured from perfumes and pollution, gardens and garbage. From an evolutionary standpoint, that wouldn't help us much. We would even be fed up in a short time.

But all animals, including people, have developed a big selection of skills in order that they will be successful in the realm by which they live. Simply put, all of us use our brain. This is intelligent.

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Enzymes are molecular machines that perform the chemical reactions that maintain the whole life, a capability to draw attention Scientists like me.

Consider muscle movements. Your body releases a molecule called acetylcholine to trigger your muscle cells for pulling together. If acetylcholine lasts too long, it could possibly paralyze your muscles – including your heart muscle cells and that. Here is the enzyme here Acetylcholinesterase Come in. This enzyme can reduce hundreds of acetylcholin molecules per second to make sure that muscle contraction is stopped, paralysis is avoided and life continues. Without this enzyme, it could take a month for a molecular acetylcholine to collapse – over 10 billion times slower.

You can imagine why enzymes are of particular interest to scientists who want to resolve modern problems. What if there was a technique to dismantle plastic, catch carbon dioxide or destroy cancer cells as quickly as acetylcholinesterase breaks acetylcholine? If the world has to take measures quickly, enzymes are a convincing candidate for the job – if only researchers could design them with a view to take care of these challenges if crucial.

Designing enzymes is unfortunately very difficult. It is like working with a Lego set with nuclear size, however the instructions were lost and the thing won’t hold together unless it’s perfectly assembled. Newly published research on our team Build these complex molecular structures exactly.

What is an enzyme?

Let's take a more in-depth have a look at what makes an enzyme.

Enzymes are proteins -Insized molecules that do the work behind the scenes that keep all living things alive. These proteins consist of amino acids, quite a few constructing blocks that may be sewn together to form long strings which can be knotted in certain shapes.

The specific structure of a protein is the important thing to its function in addition to the types of on a regular basis objects. Similar to how a spoon is designed to maintain liquid in order that a knife simply cannot, the enzymes which can be connected to moving their muscles aren’t well fitted to photosynthesis in plants.

In order for an enzyme to work, a shape is used that completely corresponds to the molecule that processes it, just like A The lock corresponds to a key. The unique grooves within the enzyme – the lock – that interact with the goal molecule – the important thing – are situated in a region of the enzyme, which is generally known as an energetic center.

The energetic center of the enzyme orientates exactly amino acids to interact with the goal molecule when it occurs. This makes it easier for the molecule to undergo a chemical response to show into one other, which makes the method faster. After the chemical response has been carried out, the brand new molecule is released and the enzyme is able to process one other.

How do you design an enzyme?

For many years, scientists have spent designing their very own enzymes to provide recent molecules, materials or therapeutic agents. But enzymes that look and go as quickly as those present in nature is incredibly difficult.

Enzymes have complex, irregular forms that consist of a whole bunch of amino acids. Each of those constructing blocks should be placed perfectly since the enzyme slowed down or completely switched off. The difference between a speed racer and a Slowpoke enzyme generally is a distance of lower than the width of a single atom.

Initially, scientists focused on Modification of the amino acid sequences of existing enzymes to enhance your speed or stability. Early successes with this approach primarily improved the soundness of enzymes and enabled them to catalyze chemical reactions at a better temperature range. However, this approach was less useful to enhance the speed of enzymes. To date, the design of latest enzymes is mostly not an efficient technique to improve natural enzymes by modifying individual amino acids.

The researchers found that using a process was called Director EvolutionIn which the amino acid sequence of an enzyme is modified randomly until it could possibly perform a desired function, proved to be way more fertile. For example, studies have shown that a directed evolution can improve chemical response speed and thermostability and even generate enzymes with properties that aren’t visible in nature. However, this approach will likely be labor -intensive: you might have to ascertain many mutants to seek out one which does what you would like. In some cases, this method cannot work in any respect if there isn’t any good enzyme.

Both approaches are limited by their dependence on natural enzymes. This signifies that the restriction of your design to the types of natural proteins is prone to limited the forms of chemistry that could make enzymes easier. Remember you possibly can't eat a soup with a knife.

Is it possible to make enzymes from scratch as an alternative of modifying the recipe of nature? Yes, with computers.

Designing enzymes with computers

The first attempts to design enzymes in a mathematical manner Enzyme -active places in natural proteins.

This approach is comparable to the attempt to seek out a suit in a second -hand business, it’s unlikely that the fixed structure (a suit with random measurements) will take it perfectly. The resulting enzymes from these efforts were much slower than those present in nature, which require further optimization with the directed development with a view to achieve speeds which can be common in natural enzymes.

The recent progress in deep learning has dramatically modified the landscape of designing enzymes with computers. Enzymes can now be generated in addition to AI models resembling Chatgpt and Dall-E and so they shouldn’t have to make use of native protein structures to support their energetic center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs71k2u0ama

Our team showed this once we demand a KI model, called Rf diffusionWith the structure and the amino acid sequence of an energetic center, it could possibly create the remainder of the enzyme structure that may support you perfectly. This is synonymous with causing chatt to jot down a whole short story based on a request that only says that they “never appeared the line”.

We used this AI model specifically to generate enzymes Serin hydrolasesA gaggle of proteins which have potential applications in medicine and plasticecycling. After designing the enzymes, we mixed them with their intended molecular goal to find out whether or not they could catalyze their collapse. Many of the designs we tested were encouraging break the moleculeAnd higher than previously designed enzymes for a similar response.

To see exactly how our computer constructions were, we used a technique called X -ray crystallography to find out the shapes of those enzymes. We found that lots of them were a Almost perfect match to what we’ve designed digitally.

Our results are a vital progress in enzyme design and show how AI scientists might help to tackle complex problems. Machine -learning tools could help more researchers access enzyme design and use the total potential of enzymes to resolve modern problems.

The practice of medication has undergone an incredible, if incomplete, transformation over the past 50 yearsand is steadily moving from a field based totally on expert opinion and the anecdotal experience of individual clinicians to a proper scientific discipline.

The emergence of evidence-based medicine This meant that doctors identified probably the most effective treatment options for his or her patients based on high-quality evaluations of the most recent research. Now, Precision medicine allows providers to make use of a patient's individual genetic, environmental and clinical information to further personalize their care.

The potential advantages of precision medicine also bring recent challenges. Importantly, the quantity and complexity of information available for every patient is rapidly increasing. How can doctors determine which data is helpful for a selected patient? What is probably the most effective strategy to interpret the info to pick out the perfect treatment?

These are precisely the challenges Computer scientists like me which we’re working to resolve. Working with experts in genetics, medicine, and environmental sciences, my colleagues and I develop computer-based systems that usually use artificial intelligence to assist clinicians integrate a wide range of complex patient data to make the perfect care decisions.

The rise of evidence-based medicine

Like recently like within the Nineteen SeventiesClinical decisions were based totally on expert opinion, anecdotal experience and theories about disease mechanisms, which were often not supported by empirical research. At the time, some pioneering researchers argued that clinical decision-making needs to be based on the perfect available evidence. In the Nineties the term evidence-based medicine was introduced to explain the discipline of integrating research and clinical expertise in making decisions about patient care.

The foundation of evidence-based medicine is a Hierarchy of evidence quality This determines what forms of information physicians should depend on most when making treatment decisions.

Randomized controlled trials Randomly assign participants to different groups to receive either an experimental treatment or a placebo. These studies, also called clinical trials, are considered the perfect individual sources of evidence because they permit researchers to check the effectiveness of treatment with minimal bias by ensuring that the groups are similar.

Observational studiesSome studies, resembling cohort and case-control studies, concentrate on the health outcomes of a gaggle of participants without researcher intervention. Although these studies are utilized in evidence-based medicine, they’re considered weaker than clinical trials because they don’t control for potential confounding aspects and bias.

Overall, systematic reviews that summarize the outcomes of multiple research studies provide the very best quality evidence. In contrast, individual case reports detailing a single person's experiences are weak evidence because they might not apply to a broader population. Personal reports and expert opinions alone are usually not supported by empirical data.

In practice, physicians can use the framework of evidence-based medicine to formulate a selected clinical query about their patient that may be clearly answered by reviewing the perfect available research. For example, a health care provider might ask whether statins could be more practical than eating regimen and exercise in lowering LDL cholesterol in a 50-year-old man with no other risk aspects. By integrating evidence, patient preferences and their very own expertise, they’ll develop diagnoses and treatment plans.

As you would possibly expect, collecting and compiling all of the evidence generally is a laborious process. As a result, physicians and patients often depend on clinical guidelines developed by Third resembling the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. These guidelines provide recommendations and standards of care based on a scientific and thorough assessment of obtainable research.

Beginning of precision medicine

At in regards to the same time that evidence-based medicine was gaining traction, two other transformative developments in science and healthcare were underway. These advances would result in the emergence of Precision medicinethat uses patient-specific information to tailor health care decisions to every person.

The first was this Human genome projectwhich officially began in 1990 and was accomplished in 2003. The goal was to create a reference map of human DNA, or the genetic information that cells use to operate and survive.

This map of the human genome allowed scientists to find genes linked to 1000’s of rare diseases, understand why people respond in a different way to the identical drug, and discover mutations in tumors that may be targeted with specific treatments. Doctors are increasingly analyzing a patient's DNA to discover genetic variations that influence their treatment.

The second was the event of electronic medical records to store the patient's medical history. Although researchers had been conducting pilot studies on digital health records for several years, the event of industry standards for electronic health records didn’t begin until the late Eighties. Acceptance only became widespread after 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Electronic medical records enable scientists to conduct large-scale studies of the relationships between genetic variants and observable characteristics that influence precision medicine. By storing data in an organized digital format, researchers also can use these patient records to coach AI models to be used in medical practice.

More data, more AI, more precision

On the surface, the thought of ​​using patient health information to personalize care isn’t recent. For example, the running thing Framingham Heart Studywhich began in 1948, provided a mathematical model for estimating a patient's risk of coronary heart disease based on their individual health information reasonably than the typical population risk.

However, a fundamental difference between efforts to personalize medicine now and before the Human Genome Project and electronic medical records is that the mental capability is required to research the quantity and complexity of individual patient data available today far exceeds that of the human brain. Each person has tons of of genetic variants, tons of to 1000’s of environmental exposures, and a clinical history that may include quite a few physiological measurements, laboratory values, and imaging results. In my team's ongoing work, we’re developing the AI ​​models Recognizing sepsis in infants Use dozens of input variables, many updated hourly.

Researchers like me are using AI to develop tools that help clinicians analyze all this data to tailor diagnoses and treatment plans to every individual. For example, some genes may influence how well certain medications work in several patients. Although genetic testing can reveal a few of these characteristics, it isn’t yet possible to screen every patient resulting from cost. Instead, AI systems can do that Analyze a patient's medical history to predict whether genetic testing will likely be of profit based on the likelihood of being prescribed a drug known to be influenced by genetic aspects.

Another example is diagnosis rare diseasesor diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people within the United States. Diagnosis could be very difficult because lots of the several thousand known rare diseases have overlapping symptoms and the identical disease can appear in a different way in several people. AI tools may also help by examining a patient's unique genetic characteristics and clinical characteristics to find out that are more likely to cause disease. These AI systems can include components that predict whether the patient's specific genetic variation is present has a negative effect on protein function and whether the patient The symptoms are similar to certain rare diseases.

Future of clinical decision making

New technologies will soon make it possible to routinely measure other forms of diseases biomolecular data beyond genetics. Wearable health devices can constantly monitor heart rate, blood pressure and other physiological characteristics and generate data that AI tools can use to diagnose diseases and personalize treatment.

Corresponding studies are already providing promising results Precision oncology and personalized healthcare. For example, researchers are developing one portable ultrasound scanner To detect breast cancer and engineers to develop skin-like sensors to detect changes in tumor size.

The research will proceed to expand our knowledge of genetics, the health effects of environmental exposures, and the way AI works. These developments will significantly change the best way physicians make decisions and deliver care over the subsequent 50 years.

Interacting with AI chatbots like ChatGPT may be fun and sometimes useful, but the subsequent level of on a regular basis AI goes beyond answering questions: AI agents complete tasks for you.

Major technology corporations including OpenAI, Microsoft, Google And Salesforcehave recently published or announced plans to develop and release AI agents. They claim that these innovations will bring recent efficiencies to the technical and administrative processes that underlie systems in healthcare, robotics, gaming and other businesses.

Simple AI agents may be taught to reply to plain questions sent via email. More advanced travelers can book airline and hotel tickets for transcontinental business trips. Google recently demonstrated it Project Mariner for Reporters, a browser extension for Chrome that may analyze the text and pictures in your screen.

In the demonstration the agent helped plan a meal by adding items to a shopping cart on a grocery chain's website and even finding substitutions when certain ingredients were unavailable. An individual still must be involved to finish the acquisition, however the broker may be instructed to take all of the obligatory steps as much as that time.

In a way, you might be an agent. You react to the stuff you see, hear, and feel in your world each day. But what exactly is an AI agent? As Computer scientistI offer this definition: AI agents are technological tools that may learn rather a lot about a specific environment after which – with a couple of easy prompts from a human – work to resolve problems or perform specific tasks in that environment.

Rules and goals

A wise thermostat is an example of a quite simple treatment. His ability to perceive his surroundings is restricted to a thermometer that shows him the temperature. When the temperature in a room drops below a certain level, the smart thermostat responds by increasing the heating.

A well known predecessor of today's AI agents is the Roomba. For example, the robot vacuum cleaner learns the form of a carpeted lounge and the way much dirt is on the carpet. Action is then taken based on this information. After a couple of minutes the carpet is clean.

The smart thermostat is an example of what AI researchers call a easy reflex agent. It makes decisions, but those decisions are easy and based only on what the agent perceives at that moment. The vacuum robot is a goal-oriented agent with a single goal: cleansing all the ground it could possibly reach. The decisions it makes – when to show around, when to boost or lower the brushes, when to return to the charging station – all serve this goal.

A goal-oriented agent is successful solely by achieving its goal by any means obligatory. However, goals may be achieved in quite a lot of ways, a few of which could also be roughly desirable than others.

Many of today’s AI agents are Utility basedwhich suggests they think more about tips on how to achieve their goals. They weigh the risks and advantages of every possible approach before deciding tips on how to proceed. They are also able to think about conflicting goals and choose which goal is more vital to attain. They transcend goal-oriented agents by choosing actions that keep in mind their users' individual preferences.

Make decisions, take actions

When tech corporations discuss AI agents, they don't mean chatbots or large language models like ChatGPT. Although chatbots that provide basic customer support on a web site are technically AI agents, their perceptions and actions are limited. Chatbot agents can perceive the words a user types, however the only motion they will take is to reply with text that can hopefully provide the user with an accurate or informative answer.

The AI ​​agents that AI corporations are referring to represent a big advance over large language models like ChatGPT because they’ve the power to take motion on behalf of the people and firms that use them.

According to OpenAI, agents will soon change into tools for people or corporations run independently over days or even weeks without the necessity to ascertain progress or results. researchers at OpenAI And Google DeepMind Let's say agents are one other step along the way in which Artificial general intelligence or “strong” AI – that’s, AI that surpasses human capabilities in quite a lot of areas and tasks.

The AI ​​systems that folks use today are taken under consideration narrow AI or “weak” AI. A system might be competent in a single area – perhaps chess – but when it were thrown right into a game of checkers, that very same AI would don’t know tips on how to function because its skills wouldn't transfer. An artificial general intelligence system can be higher in a position to transfer its capabilities from one domain to a different, even when it had never seen the brand new domain before.

Is the danger price it?

Are AI agents able to revolutionize the way in which people work? This will rely on whether technology corporations can exhibit that their agents are capable not only of completing the tasks assigned to them, but additionally of overcoming recent challenges and unexpected obstacles as they arise.

The adoption of AI agents also is dependent upon people's willingness to offer them access to potentially sensitive data: depending on what you would like your agent to do, it may have access to your web browser, email, calendar, and others Apps or systems are relevant for a particular task. As these tools change into more widely used, people have to take into consideration how much of their data they wish to share with them.

A breach of an AI agent's system could end in sensitive details about your life and funds being leaked fall into the fallacious hands. Are you okay with taking these risks if it could possibly save you’re employed for agents?

What happens if AI agents make a foul decision or make a call that the user wouldn't agree with? Currently, AI agent developers are keeping people informed and ensuring they’ve the chance to review an agent's work before final decisions are made. In the Project Mariner example, Google doesn't let the agent Make the ultimate purchase or accept the web site terms and conditions. By keeping you informed, the systems provide you with the power to back out of agent decisions that you simply don't approve of.

Like another AI system, an AI agent is subject to biases. This Prejudices can arise the information on which the agent is initially trained, the algorithm itself, or the way in which the agent's output is used. Keeping people informed is one solution to reduce bias by ensuring that decisions are vetted by people before implementation.

The answers to those questions will likely determine how popular AI agents change into and can rely on the extent to which AI corporations can improve their agents once people start using them.

The San Francisco-based social platform earned $29.9 million, or 16 cents per share, for the period led to September and reported revenue of $348.4 million, an amount below analysts' forecasts surpassed $312.8 million. Reddit also increased its every day users to 97.2 million, a 47% increase from the identical period last 12 months, in accordance with an organization statement.

In a letter to shareholders, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said its latest AI translation feature — which allows readers to convert posts between English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German — was a key driver of user growth, particularly internationally in countries similar to France, India and the Philippines. Huffman wrote that Reddit plans to expand this feature to over 30 countries by 2025.

“So far in 2024, 'Reddit' was the sixth most Googled word in the US, underscoring that people looking for answers, advice or community turn to Reddit,” Huffman wrote. “We saw this in real time when the White House came to Reddit to share critical information during recent hurricanes and reach people in affected areas with timely updates.”

While the corporate's promoting stays its primary income, Reddit notes in its earnings report that its recent data licensing deals are beginning to repay financially. Both Google and OpenAI have signed deals with Reddit to coach their artificial intelligence models on its content.

Reddit, whose investors include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, went public in March at $34 per share. The stock has since tripled, rising 34% to $110.20 in morning trading on Wednesday.

Of course, Bay Area libraries attract book lovers who frequent these literary spaces to read and borrow novels, nonfiction, and movie books. But these halls offer rather more. They offer free lending programs and have all the things from Wi-Fi hotspots to vegetable seeds, hammers, and climbing backpacks that locals with library cards can use.

Whether you're searching for equipment for a brand new hobby or pursuit, or to expand an existing one, listed here are some options, from tool libraries to seed collections, outdoor gear, park passes, and more.

Tool rental

If you go to Home Depot to check out home, carpentry or electrical equipment, consider adding this library service to your toolbox.

To reduce the fee barriers related to home improvement projects, tool lending libraries provide the community with free or low-cost access to tools and equipment. Some libraries, just like the Oakland Public Library, also offer workshops on plumbing repair 101 and power tool safety. And others, just like the Irvington Library in Fremont, have “makerspaces” where guests can tinker and construct.

“Libraries with tool rentals capture the public’s imagination and expand the boundaries of what public libraries can do for our communities,” says Jill Tokutomi, chief librarian of the Berkeley Public Library’s southern branch.

Tool lending libraries like Berkeley's, which exhibit mechanical tools, power tools, and cooking utensils, amongst other items, have existed for the reason that late Seventies.

“Even after 45 years, people are still speechless when they learn that they can use their library card to borrow tools – both home improvement and kitchen tools,” Tokutomi said.

Where: Tool collections may be present in many Bay Area libraries, including the Santa Clara Municipal Library, Oakland Public Library, Berkeley Public Library And Alameda County Library Branches.

What is obtainable: Everything from caulking guns and warmth guns to thermal imaging cameras, extension cords, drills, chainsaws, sledgehammers, ladders, baking pans and more.

Seed libraries

Do you will have a green thumb? At libraries in Moraga, Mountain View and beyond, you'll find drawers stuffed with free flower, fruit and vegetable seeds.

With greater than 500 seed lending libraries worldwide, it's a preferred solution to get people enthusiastic about gardening. According to librarians on the San Jose Public Library, which has stations in six branches, local gardens may help combat climate change and preserve genetic diversity.

In addition to distributing seeds, some libraries — resembling those in Clayton and Mountain View — welcome donations of seeds from private or public gardens to assist the gathering proceed to grow. These seeds often thrive higher than store-bought varieties because locally harvested seeds have adapted to the Bay Area's microclimate and soils, in keeping with librarians on the Contra Costa County Librarywhere 16 branches have a seed rental collection.

Where: Check out seeds on the San Jose Public Library, Santa Clara City Library, Oakland Public Library, Hayward Public Library, Menlo Park Public Library, Mountain View Public Library, Palo Alto Public LibraryContra Costa County Library, San Mateo County Public Library and more.

What is obtainable: Seeds for native wildflowers, vegetables, fruits, heirloom varieties and hybrids from California

Library of Things

Browsing a Library of Things collection is like shopping in a colourful mall—except all the things is free.

The term was popularized by a grassroots experiment that began in London in 2014 and was inspired by the concept of tool lending libraries. Over the last decade, such collections have sprung up in places like Palo Alto, Berkeley, and Brentwood.

Rather than household appliances or tools, these libraries are inclined to offer more unexpected items. At the Milpitas Library, which opened its Library of Things in November, cardholders can borrow medical equipment, karaoke equipment, specialty cake pans, telescopes, and sewing machines, amongst other things. For example, Fremont resident Elizabeth Leong borrowed a blood pressure monitor, sous-vide equipment, and a hot pot and grill from the library this spring.

Where: Milpitas Library, Palo Alto Library, Berkeley Public Library and a number of other branches of the Contra Costa County Library

What is obtainable: Sewing machines, Go Pros, Raspberry Pis, ukuleles, children's toys, reading sets, bike locks, bocce sets, Wi-Fi hotspots, Chromebooks and more

Hiking sets and park passes

Several library districts, including San Mateo and Contra Costa County, offer California State Park day passes that allow visitors to park without spending a dime at greater than 200 participating parks — though funding for them is shaky for 2024-25. The Santa Clara County Library offers free passes for automotive entry to twenty-eight regional parks, and locals can borrow the passes for a three-week period.

“We want to make sure that people who like to hike and get out into nature can do that,” said Rachel Hughes, Santa Clara city librarian. “They won't have to worry about the money. It won't be a barrier for them to go out there.”

Like many other Bay Area libraries, Santa Clara City offers climbing backpacks that hold fun and practical items like binoculars, bird and wildflower guides, a compass, magnifying lenses and more. But the fluffy, bear-shaped food storage container is exclusive to this library—and surprisingly popular, in keeping with Hughes.

“You put all your perfumed things in there and then the bears can't open them,” she said. “Sometimes people can't open them either.”

Where: Santa Clara City Library, Santa Clara County Library District, San Jose Public Library, San Mateo County Library, Alameda County Library, Contra County Library and more.

What is obtainable: Binoculars, field guides, climbing poles, magnifying glasses, compasses, backpacks and parking permits for the state and region of California

Chasing storms for science will be exciting and exhausting – we all knowBecause we do it. Furthermore, it was crucial for the event of today's understanding of the formation and behavior of tornadoes.

In 1996 the movie “Twister” brought storm chasing into the general public imagination, as scientists, played by Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, raced ahead of tornadoes to deploy their sensors and sometimes got here too near meThis film inspired a generation of atmospheric scientists.

With the latest film “Twisters,” which might be released on July 19, 2024, we’ve received questions on storm chasing – or storm interception, as we call it.

Here are some answers to what scientists who conduct this sort of field research plan to do once they race out after storms.

What does a day of storm chasing really appear to be?

The morning of a hunting day begins with a great breakfast, as there is probably not a possibility to eat a correct meal later within the day.

Before departure, the team checks the weather conditions, the National Weather Service computer forecast models And Forecasts from the Storm Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to find out the goal.

Our goal is to search out out where tornadoes are most probably to occur on that day. Temperature, humidity and wind, in addition to how these change with height above the bottom, provide clues.

There is a “hurry up and wait” rhythm on a storm chasing day. We wish to get into position quickly, but often find yourself waiting for storms to develop.

Storms often take a specific amount of time to develop and produce tornadoes, so we watch the storm closely on radar and with our eyes if possible, staying well ahead of it until it has developed. Often we watch multiple storms and search for signs that one among them is more more likely to produce tornadoes.

As soon because the mission scientist pronounces a mission, everyone tries to take their position.

We use many alternative instruments to trace and measure tornadoes, and there may be an art to determining the fitting time to make use of those instruments. If we’re too early, the tornado may not form where the instruments are. If we’re too late, we’ve missed it. Every instrument should be positioned at a particular location in relation to the tornado. Some should be deployed well upfront of the storm after which remain stationary. Others are mounted on cars and driven forwards and backwards inside the storm.

If all goes well, team members will give attention to the incoming data. Some will Launching weather balloons at different distances from the tornado, while others “Pods” with weather instruments directly in the trail of the tornado.

An entire Network of commentary stations Radar systems might be arrange throughout the storm area to gather data from multiple angles, photographers will photograph the storm from multiple angles, and vehicles equipped with instruments will travel over key areas of the storm.

Not all of our work focuses on the tornado itself. We often give attention to areas across the tornado or inside other parts of the storm to know how the rotation forms. Theories suggest that this rotation attributable to temperature fluctuations inside the precipitation region of the storm, possibly many miles from the placement where the tornado forms.

Throughout all of this, the teams stay in contact via text messages and software so we will see the position of all participants using the newest radar images. We also monitor the weather forecast for the following day so we will plan where to go next, find hotel rooms and hopefully a late dinner.

What do all these instruments inform you concerning the storm?

One of crucial tools in storm chasing is weather radar. It records what is occurring above the bottom by way of precipitation and wind.

We use several kinds of radarsoften mounted on trucks to assist us move quickly. Some transmit at an extended wavelength, which helps us see further right into a storm, but on the expense of a wider beam width, leading to a blurrier image. They are good for collecting data throughout the storm.

Radars with shorter wavelengths cannot penetrate as deeply into the precipitation, but they offer the high-resolution view needed to detect small-scale phenomena corresponding to tornadoes. We place these radar devices closer to the developing tornado.

We also monitor wind, air pressure, temperature and humidity on the bottom with various instruments Attaching them to moving vehicles or temporarily placing stationary arrays of those instruments upfront of the approaching storm. Some of them are designed to be hit by the tornado.

Weather balloon are also providing essential data. Some are designed to rise through the atmosphere and record conditions outside the storm. Others fly through the storm itself and measure the essential temperature changes within the rain-cooled air beneath the storm. Scientists at the moment are using drones in the identical way in parts of the storm.

All of this offers scientists insight into the processes that occur in the course of the storm before and in the course of the formation of the tornado, in addition to throughout the lifetime of the tornado.

How do you stay protected while chasing tornadoes?

Storms will be very dangerous and unpredictable, so it is vital to at all times control the radar and control the storm.

A storm can develop in cycles, so a brand new tornado develops behind the previous one. Tornadoes can change direction, especially as they die down or in the event that they have a fancy structure with multiple funnels. Storm chasers know to control the complete storm, not only the tornado, and to be on guard for other storms that may sneak up. An escape plan based on the expected movement of the storm and the road network is crucial.

Storm chasing involves scientists taking calculated risks – taking high risks to gather crucial data, but never putting their teams in an excessive amount of danger.

It seems that Driving is definitely probably the most dangerous part storm chasing, especially when roads are wet and visibility is poor – as is commonly the case at the tip of the day. While chasing, driving hazards will be exacerbated by the erratic driving of other storm chasers and congestion surrounding storms.

What happens to all the info you collect while storm chasing?

It could be nice to experience eureka moments immediately, but results take time.

After we collect the info, we spend years analyzing it. Combining the info from all of the instruments to get a whole picture of the storm and its evolution takes time and patience. But when we’ve data on wind, temperature, relative humidity, and pressure from many alternative angles and with many alternative instruments, we will test theories about how tornadoes form.

Although the evaluation process is slow, the discoveries are sometimes as exciting because the tornado itself.

AI – or artificial intelligence – is commonly used to summarize data and improve writing. However, AI tools are also a strong and efficient solution to analyze large amounts of text and search for patterns. In addition, AI tools may help develop research products that may be widely used.

In this sense Weas researchers in Social Sciencesdeveloped a brand new Database with AI tools for the realm. In the database, we compiled details about each tool and documented whether it is helpful for literature searches, data collection and evaluation, or dissemination of research results. We also provided information in regards to the costs, logins, and plug-in extensions available for every tool.

When asked about their perceptions of AI, many social scientists express caution or concern. In a sample of college and students from over 600 institutions, only 22% of university professors said they repeatedly use AI tools.

From sifting through long transcripts or text-based data to writing literature reviews and sharing the outcomes, we imagine AI may help social scientists—resembling those in psychology, sociology, and communications—and others get probably the most out of their data and share it with a wider audience.

Analyze text with AI

Qualitative research often involves combing through transcripts or written language to discover themes and patterns. While such a research is powerful, it’s also labor-intensive. Performance of AI platforms in crawling large data sets Not only saves researchers time, but may also help them analyze data that might not previously be analyzed as a result of the scale of the dataset.

In particular, AI can support social scientists by Identification of potential topics or common themes in large, text-based data that scientists can explore using qualitative research methods. For example, AI can analyze 15 million social media posts to discover themes in how persons are coping with COVID-19. These themes can then give researchers insights into larger trends in the info, allowing us to refine criteria for deeper, qualitative evaluation.

AI tools may also be used to regulate the language and word selection of scientists in research designs. In particular, AI can reduce bias by improving the wording of questions in surveys or Refine keywords is utilized in data collection on social media.

Identify knowledge gaps

Another necessary task of research is to look the sphere for previous work to discover knowledge gaps. AI applications are based on Systems that may synthesize textThis makes literature reviews—the section of a research paper that summarizes other research on the identical topic—and writing processes more efficient.

Research shows that human feedback to AI, resembling providing examples of easy logic, can significantly improve the tools' performance. Ability to attract complex conclusionsWith this in mind, we are able to continually revise our instructions to the AI ​​and refine its ability to retrieve relevant literature.

However, social scientists must watch out for false sources – major concern with generative AI. It is significant to examine all sources provided by AI tools to make sure they arrive from peer-reviewed journals.

Share research results

AI tools can summarize research results quickly and in a reader-friendly way by assisting with writing blogs, creating infographics, and producing presentation slides and even images.

Our database incorporates AI tools that may also help scientists present their results on social media. One tool value highlighting is BlogTweet. This free AI tool lets users copy and paste text from articles like this one to generate tweet threads and begin conversations.

Be aware of the prices of AI tools

Two-thirds of the tools within the database are paid. Our important goal was to search out probably the most useful tools for social scientists, but we also wanted to search out open source tools and have compiled a listing of 85 free tools that may help with literature research, writing, data collection, evaluation, and visualization.

In our evaluation of the associated fee of AI tools, we also found that a lot of them offer “freemium” access to tools. This means you may try a free version of the product. More advanced versions of the tool can be found by purchasing tokens or subscriptions.

With some tools, the prices may be somewhat hidden or unexpected. For example, a tool that appears to be open source at first glance may very well have rate limits, and users may find that they run out of free inquiries to ask the AI.

The way forward for the database

Since the publication of the Database for applications of artificial intelligence for social science research As of October 5, 2023, it has been downloaded over 400 times in 49 countries. In the database, we found 131 AI tools useful for literature research, summarizing, or writing. A complete of 146 AI tools are useful for data collection or evaluation, and 108 are useful for disseminating research results.

We proceed to update the database and hope that it may possibly help academic communities explore AI and stimulate recent conversations. The more social scientists use the database, the more they’ll work toward consensus, ethical approaches to using AI in research and evaluation.