Scientists discover a way to extend a mouse’s memory while it sleeps

Why it matters to you

Research could one day help humans improve their memory while they slumber.

Have you ever fallen asleep desperately trying to remember something, only to wake up in the morning with the memory readily available to you? No, it’s not just you this has happened to — and nor is it a fluke. In fact, a new research project by South Korea’s Institute for Basic Science’s Center for Cognition and Sociality builds on the insight that a good night’s sleep can help us remember what we have studied or experienced the day before.

In doing so, researchers have discovered that the triggering of specific brain waves during sleep can almost double long-term memory. Although, sadly, it’s not available to humans just yet.

Previous studies have shown that several brain rhythms — cortical slow wave, thalamic spindle, and hippocampal sharp-wave-ripples (SWR) — take place during sleep, and that these are involved in memory consolidation. These phases of sleep alternate with REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming. The researchers focused on spindles, which come from a part of the brain called the thalamic reticular nucleus, and spike at a rate of around seven to 15  per second. The number of spindles increases after a day with plenty of learning and also decline in elderly people — suggesting a strong link with memorization.

In an experiment, mice were implanted with a fear memory by putting them in a special cage and then giving them a mild electric shock after playing atonal noise. The day after this was done, the mice had their memories tested by seeing how they responded to either the cage or the same noise. By using different levels of light stimulations on the mice the night before the test, the researchers were able to manipulate the number of overnight spindles — thereby either increasing or reducing memory of the fear memory.

“The results were dramatic,” Dr. Hee-Sup Shin, director of the Center for Cognition and Sociality, told Digital Trends. “Inducing extra amount of spindles in the brain during sleep after fear conditioning helped the mice remember better the fear memory, twice as strongly, when assayed next day. Importantly, only the group of mice that received spindle induction in-phase with cortical slow waves revealed enhanced memory, while the two control groups did not.”

Long-term, the hope is that the work could be used for brain-training in humans. “In the current experiments done in the mouse, we use optogenetic tools which involve expressing a foreign gene and implanting an optic cable in the thalamic reticular nucleus of the mouse,” Shin said. “These tools may not be used for humans. In the future, however, when non-invasive tools are developed for manipulating brain rhythms in humans, a similar approach may be tried in humans to improve memory for whatever purposes.”

Hey, when it comes to next generation sleep trackers — from wearable devices to smart mattresses — we’d totally be on board for something that can help us better revise for our exams!

Lightweight flying squirrel drone could soon carry out military scout missions

Why it matters to you

This scout drone could be an invaluable part of future military missions.

When you hear that the U.S. Army Research Laboratory is building military drones inspired by a particular flying critter, you might assume it’s some fearsome creature like a golden eagle or a pterodactyl. In fact, it is based on an altogether cuter animal: The humble flying squirrel. That does not make the finished product — which weighs just over half a pound — any less cool, though!

“This vehicle has the ability to hover and the agility of a quad rotor, but also has the increased efficiency and endurance of a traditional fixed wing aircraft,” David McNally, who handles public affairs for the Army Research Lab, told Digital Trends. “It does all this with just two motor rotor pairs, thus reducing its weight relative to the many multi-rotor vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in this size class. Ultimately, this makes the aircraft much more efficient and versatile, something crucial to soldiers.”

Eventually, the hope is that such drones will be used for carrying out military surveillance and reconnaissance missions. This requires a great degree of flexibility for the drone — since it must not only possess the ability to fly long distances but also be able to navigate urban or indoor environments.

Reaching that point will take a lot more work. For example, the drone’s creators want to also give it the added ability to perch on an object before continuing its flight. That means better abilities to assess its environment at very high speeds and figure out how best to interact with it.

For now, though, what the Army Research Lab achieved is pretty darn impressive in its own right.

“[Currently] this drone is a proof of concept, and part of the continuing work at ARL on small autonomous vehicles,” McNally said. “We are working towards creating intelligent systems which can effectively team with soldiers. In the context of small vehicles like this, that means that these platforms will need to adapt to the needs of a squad during an evolving mission and operate without manual control.”

So, the potential of a flying squirrel-inspired, voice-operated spy drones, then? The James Bond fan in us can totally get on board with that!

Moto G5S Plus reportedly has a new design and upgraded cameras

Marketing material for Motorola’s upcoming Moto G5S Plus found its way over to VentureBeat and it looks like the model’s getting a couple of upgrades. For starters, unlike the G5 and G5 Plus, which have all-plastic frames with a sheet of thin metal glued to their backs, the G5S Plus frame is made from anodized aluminum — a major departure from the Moto G’s roots. The phone’s display is also getting bumped up to 5.5 inches.

The biggest change though is the phone’s camera setup. Both versions of the G5 had single rear cameras, but the G5S Plus will reportedly have a dual rear camera module with 13-megapixel sensors for both color and black-and-white imaging. The front-facing camera is also getting upgraded to 8 megapixels from the G5’s and G5 Plus’ 5 megapixels.

It’s a bit surprising that the new Moto G version is being released so soon after the G5 and G5 Plus, but it’s likely to be just one of a few phones expected to be discussed at Motorola’s recently announced July 25th launch event. Other anticipated models that may be a part of the event include the non-Plus G5 special edition, the Moto X4 and the Moto Z2 Force.

Source: VentureBeat

ESPN’s X Games will stream live in VR on Samsung headsets

Next week at its July 13th to 16th Minneapolis competition, the X Games will livestream its first event in VR. Thanks to its partnership with Samsung, though, it seems you’ll only be able to watch it on a Samsung Gear VR headset through its dedicated app. Feature segments and commentary will be spliced between coverage of three events — Skateboard Vert, BMX Street and Skateboard Street Amateurs — and broadcast to Gear VR headsets in 48 countries.

ESPN’s X Games are just the latest event to be broadcast in VR, live or otherwise. The NCAA streamed several rounds of March Madness, while in May, The PGA Tour streamed a single hole of The Players Championship and Fox Sports aired the Championship League final.

Not all big events have fully implemented the tech, as this year’s Superbowl was screened in a “VR suite” where viewers could watch the 2D broadcast in a 3D virtual lounge. But Samsung’s clearly keen to get alternative sports content on to its Gear VR platform, as this X Games partnership follows up on the company’s plans to add UFC fights to the headset and app’s broadcasting schedule.

Source: ESPN

Tencent’s hit game ‘Honor of Kings’ might come to US and Europe

Tencent has been taking on the Western video game market for some time now. The Chinese-based company has a stake in Activision, which in turn owns King, the maker of Candy Crush and an upcoming mobile iteration of Call of Duty. It also bought Supercell, the developer of massive hit, Clash of Clans, last year and purchased a majority stake in League of Legends‘ developer, Riot Games. Tencent also makes movies and is currently building an eSports complex and has plans for an Honor of Kings theme park. This last game is a massive hit in China, grabbing more than 50 million active users since its debut in 2015; the title brings in an estimated RMB 3 billion ($435 million) every month. According to Bloomberg, Tencent is making a move to bring Honor of Kings to the West, which could end up as serious competition for the mobile games the company also owns.

Bloomberg‘s sources say that bringing Honor of Kings to markets that include the US, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. The title has already launched as Strike of Kings in other non-China Markets, including Turkey and Thailand. The sources attribute the move to more western markets as a way to diversify its revenue base beyond WeChat, Tencent’s popular non-gaming app. The publisher, which committed to building in-game time limits for kids into Honor of Kings in China, could also just be looking to find a ton of new customers with a gaming title that’s already a huge hit. We’ve reached out to Tencent for comment and will update this post when we hear back.

Source: Bloomberg

Facebook and Google join net neutrality ‘day of action’

July 12th has been declared a “day of action” on the topic of net neutrality. The non-profit group Battle for the Net’s event has been backed by a range of tech companies and advocates, including Amazon, the ACLU, Etsy, Kickstarter, the Electric Frontier Foundation, Mozilla, Vimeo, Greenpeace and Reddit. The protest comes as the FCC seems to want to destroy net neutrality, and will now be supported by two previously silent technology giants, Facebook and Google, according to a report in Forbes.

Having both big internet players stepping up to the net neutrality debate could be crucial to avoiding an FCC-led crash and burn. While neither company told Forbes what their specific plans were, both Facebook and Google confirmed participation in the event. We’ve reached out to both and will update this post when we hear back.

Source: Forbes

Robots will soon be writing news stories for the U.K.’s Press Association

Why it matters to you

If you thought human journalists were too biased in their reporting, maybe robots will be better.

We rejoiced when automation meant the more efficient production of the Ford Model T. We applauded when artificial intelligence bested humans at games and trivia. We nodded solemnly as machines began to replace fast-food workers and supermarket cashiers. And now, we may not know exactly how to react as computers take over our jobs as news writers. Few jobs these days are truly safe from the rise of AI and the latest industry to be affected is journalism. Google awarded the Press Association (PA) news wire 706,000 Euros ($805,000) to fund a project known as “Reporters and Data and Robots” or RADAR that, as one might expect, involves robots writing no fewer than 30,000 stories for local media publications every month.

The Press Association is a national news agency and supplies publishes in both the U.K. and Ireland with content. It will partner with news startup Urbs Media for the robot project, with hopes of creating “a stream of compelling local stories for hundreds of media outlets.”

RADAR is slated to launch in 2018 and robots will depend upon open data sets on the internet to find stories, and use Language Generation (NLG) software to write them. The data sets, however, will be run by a team of five human writers and will be populated by information that comes from government departments, local authorities, NHS Trusts, and more. Ultimately, the goal is to meet an “increasing demand for consistent, fact-based insights into local communities” for regional media outlets, independent publishers, and small sits and blogs, according to PA.

But don’t worry, journalists. This isn’t to say that you will be left without a job. Rather, according to PA’s editor-in-chief Peter Clifton, human writers will still be responsible for pitching and writing stories — AI will just be there to lend a helping hand and up the levels of content. “Skilled human journalists will still be vital in the process, but Radar allows us to harness artificial intelligence to scale up to a volume of local stories that would be impossible to provide manually,” he told the Guardian. “It is a fantastic step forward for PA.”

Robots will soon be writing news stories for the U.K.’s Press Association

Why it matters to you

If you thought human journalists were too biased in their reporting, maybe robots will be better.

We rejoiced when automation meant the more efficient production of the Ford Model T. We applauded when artificial intelligence bested humans at games and trivia. We nodded solemnly as machines began to replace fast-food workers and supermarket cashiers. And now, we may not know exactly how to react as computers take over our jobs as news writers. Few jobs these days are truly safe from the rise of AI and the latest industry to be affected is journalism. Google awarded the Press Association (PA) news wire 706,000 Euros ($805,000) to fund a project known as “Reporters and Data and Robots” or RADAR that, as one might expect, involves robots writing no fewer than 30,000 stories for local media publications every month.

The Press Association is a national news agency and supplies publishes in both the U.K. and Ireland with content. It will partner with news startup Urbs Media for the robot project, with hopes of creating “a stream of compelling local stories for hundreds of media outlets.”

RADAR is slated to launch in 2018 and robots will depend upon open data sets on the internet to find stories, and use Language Generation (NLG) software to write them. The data sets, however, will be run by a team of five human writers and will be populated by information that comes from government departments, local authorities, NHS Trusts, and more. Ultimately, the goal is to meet an “increasing demand for consistent, fact-based insights into local communities” for regional media outlets, independent publishers, and small sits and blogs, according to PA.

But don’t worry, journalists. This isn’t to say that you will be left without a job. Rather, according to PA’s editor-in-chief Peter Clifton, human writers will still be responsible for pitching and writing stories — AI will just be there to lend a helping hand and up the levels of content. “Skilled human journalists will still be vital in the process, but Radar allows us to harness artificial intelligence to scale up to a volume of local stories that would be impossible to provide manually,” he told the Guardian. “It is a fantastic step forward for PA.”

Cryptocurrency mining is placing real demands on the electrical grid

Why it matters to you

That ultra-powerful Bitcoin or Ethereum mining system you’re running uses enough electricity to power a U.S. household for days.

Today’s cryptocurrencies are worth a great deal of “real” money. Both Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two most widely adopted cryptocurrencies, are close to their all-time highs in value, and that’s creating some real consequences that might not be completely obvious and intuitive at first glance. Two such consequences are based entirely on the fact that mining cryptocurrency is incredibly compute-intense and requires powerful components to be profitable.

The first such impact has been to devastate the supply of the midrange and high-end GPUs that are used for mining and to dramatically increase their prices if available inventory can be located. The other impact is that the use of ultra-powerful mining systems with multiple GPUs sucks down some serious electricity and is resulting in some pretty impressive statistics, as Digiconomist reports.

According to Digiconomist, Bitcoin and Ethereum mining taken together consume more power than countries like Jordan, Iceland, and Syria, with the two combined ranking 71st among all countries. This is based on Ethereum mining consuming 4.69 terawatt-hours (TWh) of power and Bitcoin mining consuming 14.54 TWh.

Digiconomist

It’s also interesting to note how Bitcoin and Ethereum mining compares in power consumption to the largest traditional financial services company, Visa. According to this statistic, the number of U.S. households that could be powered by the electricity consumed by Bitcoin mining alone exceeds a 1.25 million. Another way to look at it is that roughly 27 times as much energy is consumed by Bitcoin mining as is consumed by the entire Visa network.

Digiconomist

Finally, Bitcoin is far more power intensive than Ethereum when looking at a single transaction, at 163 kilowatt-hours (KWh) versus 49 KWh. That means that a single Bitcoin transaction could power the typical U.S. household for roughly 5.5 days as compared to the 1.5 days of a single Ethereum transaction.

Digiconomist

Given that cryptocurrencies could potentially continue to rise in value, it’s likely that these statistics will continue to rise as well. Ethereum is working to alter its proof-of-work algorithm to reduce energy consumption, which would reduce the load on the electrical grid. However, Bitcoin is more amenable to industrialization while Ethereum mining favors GPU-based systems. That means that you have Ethereum to blame for your difficulty in buying that new GPU, while Bitcoin is more likely to put more of a burden on your local electric company.

Check out 25 of the best iPhone games you need to be playing

If you’re a gamer, there is no better phone to buy than the iPhone. Both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus brought bigger screens to iOS, but it’s the success of the App Store that makes the iPhone such a great platform for gaming. With more than a million apps, the gaming options on the iPhone are nearly limitless. But finding the best iPhone games isn’t always easy.

Not every game in Apple’s massive library is worth a $1 — or your time, for that matter. Lucky for you, we’ve taken on the burden of sorting through the sea of titles to bring you some of our best iPhone games, whether you’re looking for a casual puzzler or something a bit more biblical. For more ideas, check out the best Android games, because most of them are available for the iPhone as well, and if you want to switch off that screen, the best board games could offer a welcome alternative.

Action & Adventure games

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ($15)

This Legend of Zelda-inspired dungeon crawler, from the creator of Super Meat Boy, follows young Isaac as he escapes to the basement in an effort to avoid being sacrificed by his crazy mother. The arcade-y game’s fast pace, deep pool of power-ups, and dark soundtrack make it an excellent choice, even when you consider the lofty price tag.

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iTunes

Love You To Bits ($4)

When a tiny human explorer’s robot girlfriend is sucked into space and dismembered (in a totally PG way), you’ve got to scour the galaxy to rebuild her. This endearing adventure game boasts clever puzzles, incredibly cute artwork, and a storyline that will tug at your heart strings.

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iTunes

The Silent Age

When custodian Joe Average encounters a dying man, he finds himself in the midst of a time travel plot to save mankind. It’s an understated thriller with a unique paper aesthetic and a series of enthralling, atmospheric settings. Oh, and there are puzzles, too.

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iTunes

Limbo ($4)

A terrific, touch-controlled platform game, Limbo is a stunning saga of a boy who wanders through a haunting industrial jungle. There’s no explanation, no dialogue, and no shortage of horrendous surprises. It’s the kind of game that stumps you for hours until something clicks and you suddenly realize how simple the answer was.

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iTunes

Oxenfree ($5)

Being a teenager is hard, and it can only made harder by getting trapped on an old military island with nothing but a radio, the supernatural, and your friends to keep you company. Fans of Stranger Things (season 2 is on the way) and Scooby Doo will immediately take to Oxenfree‘s cast of believable teenagers, who, alongside the usual teenage drama and bickering, traverse the island in an attempt to discover what’s going on and try to escape. You, as Alex, will influence the story and your relationship with your friends through a unique dialogue system. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll all make it out of this alive and whole.

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iTunes

Horizon Chase

Here’s a nostalgia-inducing racer that still plays like a dream, while incorporating some modern elements into the mix. From the game’s aesthetics to its soundtrack, Horizon Chase admirably harks back to classic racers like Outrun and Top Gear.

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iTunes

Vikings: an Archer’s Journey ($3)

In Vikings: an Archer’s Journey you control the character Nott, a Valkyrie who has been sent to the Underworld by the Viking gods. You must use your keen archery skills to conquer the enemies you encounter along the way.

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iTunes

To the Moon ($5)

To the Moon originally debuted on PC, but was recently ported to iOS. It’s a beautiful story about memory, life, and having no regrets, one centered around two scientists who dive into the memories of a dying patient to help him achieve his last wish. While the game may appear to be an RPG like Secret of Mana, it actually has more in common with a point-and-click adventure title. It’s purely story-driven, but it will surely stick with you long after you’ve finished playing. The outstanding soundtrack just makes it even more worthwhile.

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iTunes

Old Man’s Journey ($5)

Like To the Moon, Old Man’s Journey is a game that sets out to tell a very specific story about life and the choices we make (or don’t). You follow the titular Old Man as he travels across the country, aiding him along the way by altering the hills and landscapes in front of him, and interacting with the objects and people he meets. Gorgeous locations, brought to life with hand-drawn art and animations, will ensure your attention never diverts from the story being told. It’s short, simple, and may be a welcome change of pace from other games that have debuted this year.

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iTunes

Puzzle games

Poly Bridge ($5)

There’s something satisfying about coming up with a design for a bridge, building it, then sending a car to the other side without your bridge comically collapsing. Of course, it’s also just as entertaining to see how ridiculous your crashes can be, and how absurd your bridge designs can get. Fortunately, Poly Bridge lets you accomplish all of these things, and you can compare your bridges and achievements to other players around the world, because surely someone made something better (or worse) than you.

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iTunes

Deus Ex Go ($2)

The Makers of Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go turn their Go series of games into a trilogy with Deus Ex Go, which brings the turn-based, complex puzzle solving mechanics of the previous two games to the world of Deus Ex. Naturally, you play as Adam Jensen, and you must sneak, hack, and occasionally fight your way across 50 increasingly challenging levels to uncover the conspiracy, or just to be the greatest secret agent. And once you’ve mastered that, take to making your own levels to see how well you can stump other Go players out there.

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iTunes

TypeShift

Part word search, part crossword puzzle, part anagram, TypeShift challenges your vocabulary and your ability to recognize words in jumbled letters. It presents rows and columns of letters that can be “shifted” up and down to form words between three and seven characters long. In the game’s traditional mode, all letters need to be used at least once before you can progress, while the more difficult Clue Puzzles provides a crossword-style list of hints to guide you to the proper answers. If you’re a fan of crosswords, word searches, or simply discovering new words, TypeShift is a game you need to check out.

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iTunes

Monument Valley 2 ($5)

The sequel to 2014’s Monument Valley, Monument Valley 2 puts players in control of Ro, as she guides her child through overwhelmingly beautiful, yet impossible architectural structures that continue to be inspired by the likes of M.C. Escher. You don’t need to play the first game to enjoy its successor, which is sure to captivate, amaze, and leave you puzzled for hours. Read our Monument Valley 2 review to learn more.

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iTunes

PinOut!

Sometimes old school analog games make the digital transition seamlessly. Don’t be fooled, however; this isn’t your classic pinball app. PinOut features an array of pinball layouts that are as visually appealing as they are difficult to master.

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iTunes

Scribblenauts Unlimited ($5)

Use your magic notebook and your imagination to conjure helpful things and creatures into existence and solve a series of increasingly tricky puzzles. You can summon almost anything you can imagine (literally), from cows made of chocolate to giant toasters. This is a God dream.

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iTunes

Cut the Rope: Magic ($1)

This sequel sees Om Nom taking on an evil wizard to claim his candy, bringing new layers of complexity to the physics-based puzzles. Here, you’ll transform Om Nom into several different forms, using new abilities to eat candy, and stuff. Pretty good for just $1.

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iTunes

Roofbot: Puzzler On The Roof ($3)

This is one of the most popular puzzle games on the app store at the moment. Unlike many other puzzle based apps, the map changes with each consequential move. This means any given action can either help achieve your objective or actually trap you within your own configuration. Still, naming the protagonist “roofie” was a bold move.

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iTunes

Role-playing games

Banner Saga 2 ($10)

Banner Saga 2 continues the story of Banner Saga, and maintains the art direction, tone, and gameplay that made the first game such a hit. It carries over the choices, consequences, and characters you came to know in the first game, and you get to know the new characters and the Horseborn race, who join you in your perilous journey across the country.

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iTunes

Fire Emblem Heroes

The long-running Nintendo series makes its way to iOS devices with Fire Emblem Heroes, and brings with it a new tale that brings together characters new and old. Fan favorites Marth, Lucina, Camilla, Lyn, and many others can join the fray in this role-playing title, but unlike the main entries the series is known for, you won’t have to worry about permanently losing your characters when you make a poor choice in the middle of a battle. As the legendary summoner, you must test your luck as you try to call forth the strength you need to save the Kingdom of Askr.

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iTunes

Evoland ($5)

Evoland is an enjoyable modern adventure RPG. The game starts out in full monochrome. As you progress through the game, your character unlocks new technologies and game play systems. This improves the initial monochrome to full 3D graphics allowing you to in essence “live” the evolution of gaming.

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iTunes

Platforming games

Super Mario Run

Nintendo’s first official release for iOS sees the mustachioed marvel in a new role — namely, flying through levels at maximum velocity. The free version is a bit lacking, but a one-time investment of $10 unlocks the whole Mushroom Kingdom for your speed-running pleasure.

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iTunes

Robot Unicorn Attack 2

The second installment of the tongue-in-cheek Robot Unicorn Attack sports more than just updated visuals. New challenges and customization add depth to the endless runner, one set to Erasure’s “Always.”

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iTunes

Strategy games

Hearthstone (Free)

Fantasy card games will never go out of style, and the existence and popularity of Hearthstone proves it. What Blizzard has done with Hearthstone is create a collectible card game (CCG) that’s easy to learn and pick up, but harder to master. The game eases you into its mechanics and various heroes and their abilities, and once you get past that, you can begin building you own personal decks and discover new card combinations and strategies. Best of all, the collection you build on your iPhone easily carries over to your iPad or other devices Hearthstone supports, and it’s all digital, so you don’t need to find space in your home for physical cards and binders.

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iTunes

SteamWorld Heist ($10)

In this unique, turn-based strategy game, you won’t choose abilities from a boring static list. Instead, you’ll aim your weapons at walls and ceilings, looking to ricochet ridiculous shots into robotic space pirates. Shoot ‘n’ loot has never felt so rewarding.

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iTunes

Clash of Clans

Build up your settlement, plan your defenses, raise an army, and guide your tribe to victory against nasty goblins or other clan leaders. It’s a good combination of slow planning and quick, chaotic battles. Unfortunately, the pay-to-win structure is irksome.

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iTunes

Update: We added Monument Valley 2, Deus Ex Go, Oxenfree, Hearthstone, and Poly Bridge.