Latest News Releases 14 April

Researchers at Pitt have produced the most detailed image to date of a bacteriophage–phage for short–that has allowed them to see for the first time the structural makeup of the part of the phage that directly attaches to its target Mycobacterium cell.

Ambisonic rendering is a way to simulate the precise locations of sounds in 3D, and an ambisonics algorithm has allowed researchers to create rich virtual “soundscapes.” In JASA, researchers decided to test the limits of ambisonic sound reproduction through their “AudioDome” loudspeaker array. Humans’ spatial acuity is high in front of our faces but decreases around the sides of our head, and the researchers’ experiments obtained very similar results from listeners in the AudioDome, proving that the loudspeaker array can reproduce sound locations at a spatial scale beyond the human limits of perception.

In AIP Advances, researchers share a model that identifies the optimal location for bowling ball placement. Employing a system of six differential equations derived from Euler’s equations for a rotating rigid body, their model creates a plot that shows the best conditions for a strike. The model accounts for a variety factors, including the thin layer of oil applied to bowling lanes, the motion of the subtly asymmetric bowling ball, and a “miss-room” to allow for human inaccuracies.

Previous research has suggested the potential of copper-based fungicides to control ASR, inconsistent results left many growers uncertain about the products’ reliability. Now, a decade-long study provides conclusive evidence that copper fungicides offer a dependable solution.

New research has uncovered how a simple circadian clock network demonstrates advanced noise-filtering capabilities, enhancing our understanding of how biological circuits maintain accuracy in dynamic natural environments.

A recent study by Concordia University researchers reveals that social media platforms are highly susceptible to manipulation by relatively simple AI techniques. By employing reinforcement learning and systems theory, the researchers demonstrated how bots can be strategically placed to exploit platform algorithms, intensifying polarization with minimal intervention. The study aims to enhance detection mechanisms and raise awareness among policymakers and tech companies about the vulnerabilities inherent in current social media infrastructures.​