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Brains rising above the neural noise

Researchers analyzed brain activity in mice to find that neural scaling laws allow information to grow beyond a ceiling imposed by shared noise. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that brains can process more information than previously thought.

SourceKyoto University·JournalScience Advances·TypeObservational study·DateSep 25, 2026

Scientists unveil technique to build ultra-thin material stacks that promise quantum breakthrough

Researchers unveiled a technique to build ultra-clean 2D heterostructures using muscovite crystals, eliminating microscopic residues that disrupt electronic device performance. This method enables precise stacking of atomic layers, leading to new properties and potential breakthroughs in quantum computing and nanoelectronics.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 14, 2026

Researchers discover a smarter way to solve vehicle routing problems using adaptive swarm learning

A new learning-based adaptive tuning method integrates chaotic search with particle swarm optimization to improve stability and solution quality in chaotic search algorithms. The approach consistently achieves better results than conventional methods, providing a practical means of enhancing the performance of chaotic search.

SourceTokyo University of Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 6, 2026

S-M-A-R-T! These researchers used math to crack Wordle

A team of researchers at Binghamton University developed a method to solve Wordle with a 99% success rate by applying information theory. By prioritizing guesses that provide the most information, they reduced the pool of possible words and solved puzzles in fewer guesses.

SourceBinghamton University·JournalNortheast Journal of Complex Systems·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 17, 2026

Big data and human height: ISTA scientists develop algorithm to boost biobank data retrieval & analysis

Researchers from ISTA developed an algorithm that can extract and analyze information from the world’s most extensive biobank with unprecedented accuracy and speed. The method, dubbed gVAMP, enhances the framework's ability to extract complex information from the dataset at hand, providing a detailed overview of the effects on a trait ...

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalCell Genomics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 18, 2026

Switching it up: the secret survival strategy to life as revealed by mathematics

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have developed a mathematical theory that can be used to design optimization strategies for dynamical networks, such as those comprising living organisms. They found that tools from information theory provided a way to simplify nonlinear optimization problem...

SEOULTECH researchers develop game-changing wireless technology that could transform mobile communications

ConcreteSC technology achieves significant speed boosts and improved efficiency in next-generation wireless networks. The innovation integrates user tasks into communication processes, reducing computational complexity and increasing semantic meaning.

SourceSeoul National University of Science & Technology·JournalIEEE Wireless Communications Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 27, 2025

Magically reducing errors in quantum computers

Researchers from The University of Osaka develop a method to prepare high-fidelity 'magic states' for use in quantum computers with less overhead and unprecedented accuracy. This breakthrough aims to overcome the significant obstacle of noise in quantum systems, which can ruin computer setups.

SourceThe University of Osaka·JournalPRX Quantum·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 19, 2025

The quantum physics of forgetting information

Researchers at TU Wien have measured what happens when quantum physical information is lost, confirming Rolf Landauer's principle that deleting information always results in entropy transfer and energy loss. This study explores the connection between thermodynamics, information theory, and quantum physics.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 5, 2025

What waves know about their surroundings

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a theory to extract information from waves, allowing for precise measurements of objects in space. The theory reveals that the information content of a wave depends on its interaction with the object's properties, enabling customised waves to be generated for optimal information transfer.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 12, 2024

The embryo assembles itself

Researchers introduce a new mathematical framework that analyzes self-organization in embryonic development. The framework, which uses information theory, predicts optimal parameters for the process and provides insight into how cells interact with each other. This discovery has implications for understanding complex biological processes.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 3, 2024

Fame-seeking mass shooters more likely to plan ‘surprise’ attacks, and the novelty of their locations and targets brings added fame

A new study found that fame-seekers plan their mass shootings as 'surprises,' carefully crafting them in ways that set them apart from previous incidents. Researchers analyzed data from 189 mass shootings between 1966 and 2021, finding that attacks by fame-seekers were about three times more surprising than those from non-fame-seekers.

SourceNYU Tandon School of Engineering·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 8, 2023

Absolute zero in the quantum computer

Researchers at TU Wien develop a quantum version of the third law of thermodynamics, finding that absolute zero is theoretically attainable but requires infinite energy, time, or complexity. This breakthrough reconciles quantum physics with thermodynamics, paving the way for the development of practical quantum computers.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPRX Quantum·DateApr 4, 2023

A ‘cautionary tale’ about location tracking

A recent study by the University of Rochester found that mobility patterns can be predicted with surprising accuracy based on data collected from acquaintances, even if individual users turn off their own location tracking. The researchers discovered that up to 95% of an individual's movement pattern can be inferred from people they ar...

SourceUniversity of Rochester·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 12, 2022

E. Coli calculus: Bacteria find the derivative optimally

Researchers from The University of Tokyo have shown that the standard model biologists use to describe bacterial chemotaxis is mathematically equivalent to optimal dynamics. By using nonlinear filtering theory, they found that the system used by bacteria is indeed optimal for efficient sensing and adaptation in noisy environments.

Applying information theory to landscape art

A statistical approach analyzing 14,912 Western paintings reveals spatial composition patterns that can distinguish between artists and style periods. The study found that compositional features shifted over time, with dominant horizons changing in location during the Rococo, Romantic, Realism, Impressionism, and 20th century periods.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 12, 2020

Fishing for a theory of emergent behavior

The study used advanced metrics from information theory to describe the collective behavior of small schools of ayu fish, finding that groups of three or more exhibited noticeably different dynamics. This work may aid in developing cooperative biomimetic swarming robots and help understand fundamental problems in complexity theory.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalEntropy·DateJul 9, 2020

Setting up fundamental bases for information metasurface

A general information theory of metasurface has been proposed to analyze the relation between the information of metasurface and its far-field radiation pattern. The scientists found an upper bound of information contained in the radiation pattern of a metasurface, revealing theoretical upper limit of orthogonal radiation states.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateFeb 6, 2020

How neuronal recognition of songbird calls unfolds over time

Scientists have created a novel approach to analyze neuronal response to different call meanings in songbirds. The analysis shows that initial responses contain information about the call's meaning, with additional information accumulating up to 600 milliseconds. Individual neurons play a significant role in categorizing call meanings.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateSep 26, 2019

New definition returns meaning to information

A new paper proposes a broadly applicable formal definition of semantic information, which emphasizes how information contributes to a system's ability to perpetuate itself. Semantic info is causal necessary for a system to maintain its existence over time.

SourceSanta Fe Institute·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateOct 22, 2018

How cells divide tasks and conquer work

A new mathematical framework developed by Tatyana Sharpee and colleagues provides a theoretical understanding of how different cell types divide work among themselves. This framework could help explain greater efficiency and reliability in cell function, as well as the impact of disease when division of labor is not effective.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNeuron·DateJun 7, 2017