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I spent too much time on the “pie” chart this week 😅.
Let me know what you think, it’s in Unnatural Selection!
—Steve 🥧
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Octo Ouch
Octopuses passed (failed?) the rubber arm test. Just like humans, the cephalopod shuttered when a fake tentacle near their own was hit.
Fake arm placed above the real thing
Both brushed at the same time
Striking only the fake arm induced stress and fleeing reactions
This suggests that octopuses have body awareness, something we were unsure of given their tentacles’ decentralized autonomy. Further research could influence soft robotics systems with distributed control. Also, octos must be GREAT at Twister.
Oh hey!Would you rather have… |
Check out last week’s results in “Unnatural Selection” below
Learning Outdoors
Your morning coffee can help nature. Well, the cost of it can when you donate to my Tin Mountain Conservation Center fundraiser!
Here’s what YOU get to provide:
$50: Butterfly and frog nets for summer campers
$100: Send a local elementary school on an environmental field trip
$250: One child attends a week of summer camp
I’m riding a bike over 4k feet up Mt. Washington to raise money, but the 231 mph winds make it hard to hold cash. So your online donation is our best bet! 👇️
*FUNraiser
Meta Bracelet
With a flick of the wrist, you could forward this email to a friend. That is, if you’re wearing Meta’s new bracelet.
Bracelet detects motor intent via surface sensors
Neural signals trigger in our forearm before muscles move
These signals are mapped to clicks, swipes, and keystrokes
After brief training, testers controlled the device without moving. Offering next-gen control for AR/VR and potential accessibility for users with limited mobility. Can’t wait to write casualSTEM without moving!
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Clickables
🤖 Uh oh, the robots can charge themselves
🏠️ 3D-printed dirt house “breaks ground”
🏓 Google’s robotic arms aim to ping pong forever
🚃 Robots ride trains to deliver 7-11 snacks
Unnatural Selection
Last week: “Do YOU love nature?”
Steve made this in Procreate
Some would say casualSTEM readers are naturally biased towards loving nature. Anyway, did you see the broccoli?!
Make sure you vote up top for next week’s “Unnatural Selection”!
st3v on site
Meta Sorting
Steve made this in Procreate
Even the Sorting Hat’s leading AI can’t say “leviosa”. But it CAN continue to answer most of st3v’s questions, which far exceeds most AI benchmarks today.
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