Bizarre Quantum Universe
Bizarre quantum dynamics underpin our view of reality: Time travels forward for us, but in the quantum world, it may flow in two directions. Gravity itself may follow quantum rules. Quantum mechanics supports the possibility of alternative universes, but even if they exist, we can't access them (and probably shouldn't anyway). Some physicists argue that quantum rules dictate that everything in the universe is preordained, making free will an illusion, so we might as well accept our current reality.
These insights are fueling tremendous scientific innovation. The strongest force in nature, which binds together quarks inside protons and neutrons, may be dictated by quantum interactions. Scientists have found that electrons swarm in a soup of quantum entanglement in a recently discovered class of materials called strange metals. An experiment housed deep underground in a Sardinian mine is designed to determine the weight of empty space —yes, it weighs something—and thereby isolate particles predicted by quantum field theory. To better understand the most inexplicable behavior of quantum particles, physicists have created lattices out of light waves that simulate solid materials.
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If many universes exist, the stars and planets that were able to form in ours could be the best evidence for them. But even how matter exists in the first place is a mystery to physicists. The universe seems stable, but an unlikely shift in the Higgs field, a quantum field that pervades all of space, could trigger a bubble that passes through the universe, annihilating all matter.
Perhaps the most tangible application of quantum discovery is in computing. The key to quantum computing is the qubit, and it promises to make electronic machines obsolete. In a type of computing arms race, researchers are trying to build systems that can withstand the might of future quantum-armed hackers. Despite the hype and parade of press announcements from big tech, however, so far no company has achieved 'quantum advantage' —that is, a quantum computer able to solve a problem no classical computer can.
For corporeal creatures such as humans, grappling with a universe that might not be singular, time that moves in many directions, and matter that both does and does not exist is mind-bending, to say the least. Two giants in early quantum theory, Werner Heisenberg and John Bell, speculated that because we perceive as we do, the mind, in a sense, defines quantum interactions. Its implications are cosmic, but the quantum realm is definitively a human one.
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Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Associated Press
Ai4 2025 Ignites AI Innovation at MGM Grand, Las Vegas - August 11-13
Over 8,000 AI Leaders Converge for Three Days of Groundbreaking Insights, High-Impact Networking, and Future-Shaping Conversations LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Ai4, North America's largest artificial intelligence industry event, successfully concluded its 8th conference this week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, drawing over 8,000 executives, technologists, startups, investors, policymakers, and researchers from more than 85 countries. Over the course of three days, attendees explored AI's transformative impact across industries-including finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, government, and education-through 600+ speakers, 250+ exhibitors, and 50 dedicated tracks. 'The future of AI in America isn't coming-it's already here,' said Michael Weiss, Co-Founder of Ai4. 'Over the last three days, we welcomed leaders from every corner of the globe to explore what's next. Breakthroughs in self-driving cars, drug discovery, and software development are not theoretical-they are happening right now. The conversations at Ai4 are shaping the future. Just as we adapted to computers, smartphones, and the internet, it's time to do the same with AI, because AI will touch every part of our lives.' The conference opened with a powerful keynote from Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), interviewed by Jason Abbruzzese of NBC News. Speaking to a packed audience in the MGM Grand Arena, Weingarten outlined the AFT's strategy to safeguard education from AI-related risks-emphasizing state-level regulation in the absence of federal legislation. 'I think it's going to be state by state,' she noted, citing concerns over chatbot security, privacy rights, deepfake content, and the erosion of critical thinking skills in students. She also highlighted the AFT's successful push to prevent a proposed 10-year moratorium on state AI legislation, ensuring near-term safeguards could be enacted. On day two Geoffrey Hinton, 2024 Nobel Prize winner and widely recognized as the 'Godfather of AI,' delivered a sobering vision of AI's trajectory. Warning that AI could surpass human intelligence within 5-20 years, Hinton proposed programming AI with 'maternal instincts' to ensure it cares for humanity rather than controls it. 'If it's not going to parent me, it's going to replace me,' Hinton warned, stressing that without such safeguards, human control over superintelligent AI may prove impossible. On Day three Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Stanford Professor and Co-Director of the Human-Centered AI Institute, offered a more optimistic perspective-seeing AI as a partner in human potential. In conversation with Matt Egan of CNN, she emphasized empathy, curiosity, and responsibility as core drivers, focusing on strong oversight and human-first design over simulated day also featured Jeetu Patel, Cisco's President & Chief Product Officer, in a fireside chat with Egan on 'The Catalyst for Driving an Agentic AI Revolution,' exploring how enterprises can secure and scale autonomous AI systems. Other featured voices include Congressman Robert Bresnahan Jr. who addressed the rising electricity demands of AI, advocating for accelerated infrastructure development while protecting consumers from cost burdens-especially in districts experiencing major data center expansion. Ai4 2025 offered a breadth of specialized programming, including: Over 250 cutting-edge AI vendors showcased solutions spanning AI applications and agents, cloud infrastructure, security and governance, industry-specific transformation tools, and generative capabilities. Live demos-including the crowd-favorite Unitree robotics display-brought AI innovations to life, allowing attendees to engage directly with product teams. Participants praised Ai4 2025 for its quality, diversity, and scale: 'It's been amazing to see Ai4 grow from a 300-person gathering in Brooklyn into the world's leading AI industry event with nearly 8,000 in attendance,' said Marcus Jecklin, Co-Founder of Ai4. 'This community continues to inspire us, and we can't wait to build on this momentum next year.' About Ai4 Ai4 2025 reaffirmed its position as the AI industry's marquee event-a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and real-world AI adoption. The conference returns August 4-6, 2026, at The Venetian in Las Vegas. For more information, visit Founded in 2018 by Michael Weiss and Marcus Jecklin, Ai4 is North America's premier artificial intelligence conference series, annually bringing together business leaders, AI practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to explore AI's real-world impact across every major sector. # # # For further information, contact: Amy Riemer, Communications Director 978-502-4895 (mobile) [email protected] SOURCE: Ai4 2025 press release
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
The Next Tech Supercycle Is Shaping The Future Of Financial Services
Some questions are always the same; it's the answers that change, as our understanding evolves when new knowledge and perspectives emerge. One such question is about the future of AI. The reference to Albert Einstein's famous quip on why some questions are timeless served as the opening statement at the recent SAP and SAP Fioneer Forum for Financial Services event presented by TAC Insights in Munich. It was meant to remind the audience of financial experts that AI is shaking up the world as they know it. The importance of continuous learning and adapting to new information, rather than relying heavily on past knowledge, has never been more important. 'At SAP, we see AI as the defining force of the next technology supercycle – one that will deeply transform how enterprises operate,' said Dominik Asam, CFO and member of the Executive Board, SAP SE, during his opening keynote. 'AI is a must-win area for SAP,' he emphasized. 'The transition to AI will determine success in enterprise tech, and the cloud is a prerequisite for AI to work at scale.' Asam noted that this AI wave is bigger than any previous supercycles such as mainframes, the internet, and cloud computing. AI isn't just a product – it's a platform technology, underpinning and enhancing other innovations, including automation, robotics, analytics, personalized customer experiences and autonomous systems Asam explained SAP's strategy to put AI first, integrating AI into every business process, transforming how people work and enhancing the productivity, profitability, and growth ambitions of its customers. This involves hundreds of AI features and agents embedded directly into SAP solutions, covering areas from supply chain management to customer experience. SAP's AI copilot Joule serves as the new user interface in the age of AI – embedded everywhere, from the SAP Business Suite to mobile devices and even integrated with third-party assistants. Asam sees financial services as one of the sectors most impacted by AI, and SAP is aligning its solutions accordingly. That's because financial services demand accuracy and auditability. AI must improve, not compromise, control functions. AI is already being used to detect anomalies in real time, automate reconciliation and reporting, and reduce compliance risk and audit failures. "In finance, you can't afford hallucinations. AI must beat the assurance level of a human," said SAP's CFO, highlighting AI's role in strengthening, not replacing, human oversight. However, Generative AI is only as strong as the data that powers it. One issue some financial institutions face is that their HR, finance, risk, and customer data are all housed in separate silos. SAP offers a seamless integration of applications, data, and AI in one ecosystem. With Business AI, financial institutions can enhance forecasting and planning. Now, for example, banks can use HR data such as attrition and recruiting to refine cost forecasts, and automate bottom-up budget models instead of relying on subjective, top-down estimates. This leads to faster and more objective forecasting. Joule for finance When it comes to Business AI for finance and spend management, it's all about efficiency. AI-copilot Joule partners with SAP Document and Reporting Compliance to translate complex e-invoicing errors into natural language. This way, error misunderstandings will be a thing of the past. Joule enhancements in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition will increase efficiency with proactive sales order fulfillment monitoring, direct fixed asset master data creation, and price adjustment suggestions. And for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, Joule helps users with field logistics, cash management, contract analysis, and streamlines convergent invoicing processes. The first Joule agents are now available in spend management. 'Regardless of the use case, we are placing special focus on trust, explainability, and control,' said Asam. Last fall, SAP updated its Global AI Ethics Policy to ground it in the human-rights centered approach of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. 'We do this to deliver Business AI that drives relevant outcomes, activates reliable insights, and scales responsibly.' The bottom line SAP sees this supercycle as a chance to rewire the enterprise for agility, accuracy, and control. Financial services organizations that embrace AI with the right governance and integration strategy will: 'This is not optional – we work every day, day in and day out, to make sure businesses benefit from this tremendous opportunity,' Asam underlined. For SAP and its financial services clients, AI is a now-or-never moment. Many SAP customers in the financial service industry are heeding the call. During his keynote at the same event, Stephan Paxmann, Chief Innovation Officer, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW), corroborated Asam's view that AI is a now-or-never-moment. 'AI in fintech is already pervasively integrated, quietly reshaping our lives,' said Paxmann, expanding on the topic in a recent article on SAP BrandVoice. 'It's transforming financial services, not with sudden disruption, but through a gradual, pragmatic shift that empowers people, augments human tasks, and requires thoughtful, responsible integration—especially around data, usability, and trust.' In closing, both financial experts agree that AI is not just another tech trend – it's a tectonic shift. Those who understand and adapt early will be best positioned to ride the wave.
Scientific American
2 days ago
- Scientific American
How RNA Unseated DNA as the Most Important Molecule in Your Body
In 1957, just four years after Francis Crick and other scientists solved the riddle of DNA's structure—the now famous double helix—Crick laid out what he called the 'central dogma' of molecular biology, which his colleague James Watson later said implied that biological information flows inexorably from DNA to RNA to proteins. Although Watson was oversimplifying, the message was that the purpose of the double helix in our chromosomes is to hold, in encoded form, blueprints for the proteins that build and maintain our bodies. DNA's chemical cousin, RNA, was the messenger that carries DNA instructions from the double helix in the cell's nucleus to the protein-making machinery, called the ribosome, scattered around the cell. Molecular biology's mission, it seemed, was to decipher those genetic instructions. But in recent years researchers have discovered a dizzying array of 'noncoding' RNA (ncRNA) molecules that do something other than ferry DNA instructions for proteins. They perform a surprisingly wide range of biochemical functions. It now seems that our genome may be at least as much a repository of plans for vital, noncoding RNA as it is for proteins. This shift in thinking has been 'revolutionary,' says Thomas Cech, who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman for discovering RNA molecules, called ribozymes, that can catalyze biochemical reactions. 'DNA is old stuff, 20th-century stuff,' Cech says. 'It's a one-trick pony. All it does is store biological information, which it does exquisitely well. But it's inert—it can't do anything without its children, RNA and proteins.' RNA is created when an enzyme called RNA polymerase reads a DNA sequence and builds a corresponding RNA molecule—a process known as transcription. The discovery, over the past three decades, of thousands of previously unknown noncoding RNAs 'has been mind-blowing,' says Maite Huarte, a molecular biologist at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Noncoding RNA plays many roles, often involving the regulation of other genes—for example, determining whether protein-coding genes get transcribed to messenger RNA (mRNA) and how (or if) that molecule is edited and then translated into a protein. In this case, RNA seems to control how cells use their DNA. These functions turn the popular central dogma, which was a one-way street from DNA to mRNA to proteins, into an open system with information flowing in all directions among DNA, proteins, cells and organism. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Equally fascinating, Huarte says, is that ncRNAs don't belong to just one family of molecules. 'RNA is highly versatile, and nature exploits this versatility,' she says. Scientists have known since the 1950s that ribosomes contain ribosomal RNA and use transfer RNA to collect amino acids that are stitched together in proteins. But for a long time those seemed like anomalies. Then, in the 1980s, Cech and Altman discovered a new type of ncRNA: ribozymes that cleave and edit themselves and other RNAs. And in the 1990s researchers began to find human ncRNAs that had regulatory functions. A gene called XIST, involved in the 'silencing' of one of the two X chromosomes in the cells of chromosomal females, encoded not a protein but a long noncoding RNA that appears to wrap around the chromosome and prevent its transcription. 'Textbooks 25 years ago confidently stated that RNA consisted of [three types]. Now there are hundreds, likely many thousands, of other types.' —Thomas Cech University of Colorado Boulder Meanwhile molecular biologists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun found short noncoding RNA molecules that interact with mRNA to silence a corresponding gene. This extra layer of gene regulation—controlling whether an mRNA is used to make a protein—seems to be an essential feature in the growth of complex organisms. Scientists have linked genetic mutations that hinder gene regulation by ncRNAs to a wide range of diseases, including cancers. 'We're getting closer to some really exciting biomedical applications,' Huarte says. 'From new diagnostic tools to innovative, targeted therapies, the potential of ncRNAs is huge.' Cech says it was a 'big surprise' RNA could perform such diverse roles. That surprise was apparent in 2012 when scientists working on an international project called ENCODE reported that as much as 80 percent of our DNA has biochemical function in some cells at some point, and much of that DNA is transcribed into RNA, challenging the long-held belief that most of our genome is 'junk' accumulated over the course of evolution. This is not a consensus view. Some researchers argue that, on the contrary, most of the RNA transcribed from DNA but not translated into protein is 'noise,' made because the transcription machinery is rather indiscriminate. Such noise will indeed be the end result for some transcription. It now appears that known noncoding genes outnumber genes encoding proteins by a factor of about three, according to some estimates. It's often hard, however, to figure out just what the RNA is doing. Some of these molecules might get transcribed only in particular types of cells or at a particular stage in embryonic development, so it would be easy to miss their moment of action. 'They are incredibly cell-type specific,' says molecular biologist Susan Carpenter of the University of California, Santa Cruz. But because of that, she says, 'the more we look, the more we find.' Ambiguities notwithstanding, the rise of RNA has transformed molecular biology. 'Textbooks 25 years ago confidently stated that RNA consisted of messenger RNA, transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA,' Cech says. 'Now there are hundreds, likely many thousands, of other types.' The 21st century, he says, 'is the age of noncoding RNA.' We have much more to learn. We don't know how much functional ncRNA there is, let alone what the many varieties do. And 'when we answer one question, it raises 10 new ones,' Carpenter says. As scientists discover more about the many types and roles of RNA, medical researchers may discover potential therapeutic applications, yet the more profound implications are about how life works. For complex organisms to be viable, it's simply not enough to have a 'genetic blueprint' that gets read. They need to be able to change, on the fly, how their genes get used. RNA seems to offer incredibly responsive and versatile ways of doing that.
