World Top Scientists Awards

Technology continues to change how we work, and gen AI is the latest, greatest disruptor. But real productivity happens only when companies holistically rethink how they do business. As generative AI (gen AI) grips the attention of business, corporate leadership can support their companies’ growth most by prioritizing the needs of their workers while simultaneously standardizing the use of cutting-edge tech. In this episode of the At the Edge podcast, economist and Stanford professor Erik Brynjolfsson speaks with McKinsey’s Lareina Yee about how gen AI differs from previous technological innovations, why it will likely augment more jobs than it replaces, and why keeping humans in the loop is essential. An edited transcript of the discussion follows. For more conversations on cutting-edge technology, follow the series on your preferred podcast platform. Why gen AI is spreading faster than previous technologies Lareina Yee: Erik, let’s start with your research, which over the last three

Scientists have discovered a new virus in China called the Wetland Virus, which is carried by ticks. They are concerned about its potential effects on human health because it can lead to serious neurological (brain-related) complications. Discovery and Initial Case The first case of the Wetland Virus was found in June 2019 when a 61-year-old man became very ill after being bitten by ticks in a northern Chinese wetland park. He had severe symptoms like fever, headaches, and vomiting. This case led scientists to investigate the virus further. The Wetland Virus is classified as Orthonairovirus, a type of virus that is often spread through tick bites. This scientific classification helps researchers understand which group of viruses it belongs to and how it may behave. Symptoms and Effects At least 17 people in China who were bitten by ticks have shown symptoms of the Wetland Virus. These symptoms include Fever, Dizziness, Headache, Tiredness (malaise), Joint pain (arthritis), Back pain,

NASA’s DART mission made history by successfully crashing a spacecraft into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos. This marked a major step forward in protecting Earth from possible asteroid impacts by testing ways to change the direction of threatening space objects. What is Dimorphids: The First Human-Made Meteor Shower? As a result of the DART mission’s impact, debris from Dimorphos has been scattered into space. Scientists believe that more than 2 million pounds of this material could eventually reach Earth and Mars. If this happens, it could create a meteor shower, known as the “Dimorphids,” in the next 10 to 30 years, leading to periodic meteor displays. NASA’s DART Mission Explained The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was launched in 2021 as NASA’s first attempt to move an asteroid from its path. The idea behind the mission was to see if a spacecraft could deflect an asteroid by crashing into it—this technique is called “kinetic impact.” DART’s goal was to show that this metho

Researchers have made an important discovery in trying to combine two areas of physics—classical gravity and quantum mechanics. They found a new type of uncertainty relation, which comes from the noise made by gravitons. Gravitons are hypothetical particles that scientists believe may carry the force of gravity. Studying these particles could help us understand quantum gravity, which has been a difficult problem in physics for a long time. Difference Between Classical and Quantum Physics Classical physics explains how large objects like planets, cars, or people behave using well-known rules, such as Newton’s laws. Quantum physics, on the other hand, deals with the strange behaviors of tiny particles, like atoms and electrons, which follow different rules. The challenge for scientists is to create a theory that works for both big objects (classical physics) and tiny particles (quantum physics), especially in extreme places like black holes or around neutron stars. What is Quantum Gravi

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Sweden became the first country outside of Africa to report a case of the emerging clade I variant of mpox, on August 15, 2024. Due to the rapid spread of clade 1b, a variant of clade 1, the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). In the United States, mpox has been detected in wastewater at three locations, mainly in California and Illinois, linked to clade II, which was part of the 2022 outbreak. The more dangerous clade I, common in Africa, has not been detected in the US. Statistics and Spread: In 2024, over 2,100 confirmed mpox cases and 13 deaths were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and eleven other countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, and Nigeria. This marks a significant increase from the previous year, which saw 1,145 confirmed cases and seven deaths. Vaccine Development: In response to the outbreak, the WHO is fast-tracking the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) process for mpox

Scientists from the United States have made a remarkable discovery of over 1,700 ancient viruses in ice core samples taken from the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau. Some of these viruses are over 40,000 years old. The study, led by Zhi-Ping Zhong of Ohio State University, offers valuable insights into how viruses have evolved and survived in response to changing climates. Ice Core Sampling Ice cores are cylindrical samples drilled from glaciers, which allow scientists to study layers of ice that have built up over thousands of years. Each layer holds important environmental information, including preserved microorganisms like viruses. The ice core from the Guliya Glacier is 310 meters long and provides samples from different climatic periods, making it a valuable resource for studying ancient climates and viral history. Genomic Analysis The research team used advanced techniques to extract DNA and sequence the genomes of the viruses found in the ice. They identified 1,705 differ