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Asahi Shimbun
29-07-2025
- Science
- Asahi Shimbun
Yamagata researchers find additional 248 Nazca geoglyphs
A newly discovered geoglyph depicts what Yamagata University professor Masato Sakai believes to be a priest carrying a human head, with a line being inserted to emphasize the figure for easy identification. (Provided by Yamagata University) Through the magic of artificial intelligence, Yamagata University announced the discovery of an additional 248 ancient geoglyphs depicting humans and animals in the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Peru. University researchers made the announcement on July 28 after utilizing AI along with IBM Research of the United States. The centuries-old etchings in the desert appear to have been arranged according to specific themes, possibly intended to convey stories or messages. Yamagata University professor Masato Sakai, who led the research team, detailed the findings at a news conference held at the Peru Pavilion in the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue in Osaka. 'The geoglyphs were not randomly placed. By combining and aligning multiple geoglyphs, they may have served as a kind of 'media' intended to convey the faith and memory of the community,' he said. Sakai, whose expertise is cultural anthropology, conducted a six-month field survey from 2023 to 2024. The team found the 248 geoglyphs on the Nazca Plateau, which stretches about 20 kilometers (east-west) by 15 km (north-south). The average length of each geoglyph is around 10 meters. Of the 248 newly discovered geoglyphs, 160 are figurative, depicting things such as a priest, a scene of decapitation and animal-like condors. In addition, 88 are geometric shapes. These findings have brought the total of figurative geoglyphs to 893. Of the 893, 781 were discovered by Yamagata University's joint research project with IBM using aerial photographs. What was notable about the latest research was that it revealed that certain geoglyphs were arranged along more than 100 narrow paths on the plateau, according to specific themes. For example, one path features four geoglyphs themed around human sacrifice, including images of human heads, and a priest carrying a human head. Another included only depictions of domesticated animals such as llamas. There was also a path where there were only figures of birds of prey, such as condors. From July 28 through the end of the expo, visitors can view a photo exhibition of the geoglyphs discovered by Yamagata University, along with videos introducing various geoglyphs, at the Peru Pavilion. In early August, earthenware from the era when the Nazca culture flourished will be on display for the first time in Japan.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
AI is going to get cheaper and applicable across domains: Sriram Raghavan, Vice President at IBM Research
Sriram Raghavan, Vice President at IBM Research said AI is going to get cheaper and broadly applicable across domains. 'The current era of generative AI is exciting because of the ability to build and rapidly adopt which we never had in previous generations of AI,' he said in a conversation on Saturday with R. Anand, Director, Chennai International Centre (CIC) on the topic, demystifying the AI revolution. 'The amount of progress in making AI cheaper is enormous. You should assume that whatever task you are doing will get cheaper every six months for the next five plus years,' Mr. Raghavan said. 'There is almost no domain where you should assume that AI is not eventually not going to make an impact. The rate and pace might vary across sectors,' he said. For enterprises looking to adopt AI, Mr. Raghavan advised them to pick a domain in which they would have a huge multiplicative factor. Picking one domain and going deep versus spreading yourself thin in various domains has been the distinguishing factor between companies that have started to make use of AI and those who are doing 100 of pilots, he said. Enterprises should think AI as a transformation project and should reimagine work and there should be top down commitment, Mr. Raghavan said. He also said that enterprises should not sit back and wait, but jump into the AI game, and at the same time play the long-term one. Data would be the key differentiator for enterprises, Mr. Raghavan said. He said domains in which there was maturity of data would adopt AI much faster, while it would be much slower in safety critical areas. Mr. Raghavan said he was dismissive of the narrative that AI was super intelligent and would take over the world. He said the key risks which needed to be addressed were misinformation, deep fakes and cyber security threats which regulations should address. Mr. Raghavan said like any technology AI also would have an impact on jobs. 'The reason why it feels different is earlier technologies automated physical aspects of human beings, but AI is trying to substitute cognitive aspects. Also since it is digital the adoption would be faster, so reskilling would become a challenge,' he said.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
IBM develops AI-powered PFAS screening tool
This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. IBM has developed and implemented an artificial intelligence-powered PFAS screener tool that helps identify and eliminate fluorochemicals from its research operations, according to a June 13 blog post. Dubbed the Safer Materials Advisor, the technology also suggests alternatives the company can use in place of 'forever chemicals,' if there are viable substitutes available. While the screener cannot guarantee the product is PFAS-free, it reduces errors and frees up IBM employees' time to do other tasks, Angela Hutchinson, a chemical coordinator at IBM Research's headquarters in Yorktown, New York, said in the blog post. Hutchinson is tasked with reviewing chemical requests related to research being conducted at IBM's internal lab. Researchers within the company submit chemical requests linked to research IBM's lab, from semiconductors to quantum computing. Usually, chemical coordinators must review each chemical request, which consists of reviewing a substance safety data sheet. The sheet contains a chemical's data, including toxicity, procedures for spills and leaks, storage guidelines, first-aid and firefighting measures and regulatory information, according to the University of California San Diego. They must also check that the chemicals are not restricted or banned within the company, or on the local, state or federal level. The Safety Materials Advisor can put the chemical through up to three screenings to provide the same information, which also helps find alternatives for other toxic substances. The AI-powered tool can be adapted to new hazardous chemicals. IBM Research has been leveraging AI and advanced computing for years to make data processing more sustainable, in part, through its AI family of models for materials research, according to the blog post. The PFAS screener tool was accelerated with the launch of 'PFACTS,' a collaboration led by IBM Research and involving Cornell University, Digital Science, Numat and the University of Pittsburgh. The ongoing project was funded by the National Science Foundation in December 2023 and developed a resource for anyone seeking to replace, redesign or remediate forever chemicals. In March, the group launched pfasID, an open-source screening tool hosted by ChemForward, a science non-profit that supports collaboration for safer chemistry. The web-based tool helps companies, researchers and policymakers simplify the process of identifying fluorochemicals, according to a March press release. The screener's process includes assessing multiple PFAS definitions, generating reports for supply chain partners as well as access to the company's entire supply chain. Recommended Reading IBM to invest $150B in US manufacturing, R&D Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IBM Announces Quantum Milestone
Jerry Chow, IBM Fellow and Director of Quantum Systems at IBM Research, explains the company's latest milestone in its effort to build the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer. Chow speaks with Caroline Hyde on "Bloomberg Tech."
Bloomberg
20-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
IBM Announces Quantum Milestone
Jerry Chow, IBM Fellow and Director of Quantum Systems at IBM Research, explains the company's latest milestone in its effort to build the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer. Chow speaks with Caroline Hyde on 'Bloomberg Tech.' (Source: Bloomberg)
