scientific research
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NASA Science Budget Secures Future Missions
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The NASA science budget is set to be approved soon, with the House of Representatives and the Senate expected to vote on the bill, and President Trump likely to sign it into effect for the current fiscal year. The Mars Sample Return mission, initially paused due to its high projected cost, will not be supported in its current form, but $110 million is allocated for the "Mars Future Missions" program, which focuses on developing critical technologies for future missions. The budget also preserves funding for other scientific endeavors, including the DAVINCI probe to Venus, a study for a Uranus orbiter, and a flagship telescope aimed at discovering signs of life on Earth-like planets. This matters because it ensures continued investment in space exploration and scientific research, maintaining NASA's competitive edge globally.
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Training AI Co-Scientists with Rubric Rewards
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Meta has introduced a scalable method to train AI systems to aid scientists in reaching their research objectives by leveraging large language models (LLMs) to extract research goals and grading rubrics from scientific literature. These rubrics are then used in reinforcement learning (RL) training, where the AI self-grades its progress to bridge the generator-verifier gap. Fine-tuning the Qwen3-30B model with this self-grading approach has shown to enhance research plans for 70% of machine learning goals, achieving results comparable to Grok-4-Thinking, though GPT-5-Thinking remains superior. This approach also demonstrates significant cross-domain generalization, supporting the potential of AI as versatile co-scientists. This matters because it highlights the potential for AI to significantly enhance scientific research processes across various domains.
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Google DeepMind & DOE Partner on AI for Science
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Google DeepMind is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy on the Genesis Mission, an initiative aimed at revolutionizing scientific research through advanced AI. This partnership will provide scientists at the DOE's 17 National Laboratories with access to cutting-edge AI tools, such as AI co-scientist, AlphaEvolve, and AlphaGenome, to accelerate breakthroughs in fields like energy, material science, and biomedical research. By leveraging AI, the mission seeks to overcome significant scientific challenges, reduce the time needed for discoveries, and enhance American research productivity. This collaboration underscores the transformative potential of AI in addressing global challenges, from disease to climate change. Why this matters: The integration of AI in scientific research could drastically accelerate innovation and problem-solving in critical areas, potentially leading to groundbreaking advancements and solutions to pressing global issues.
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AlphaFold’s Impact on Science and Medicine
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AlphaFold has significantly accelerated research timelines, particularly in plant physiology, by enabling better understanding of environmental perception in plants, which may lead to more resilient crops. Its impact is evident in over 35,000 citations and incorporation into over 200,000 research papers, with users experiencing a 40% increase in novel protein structure submissions. This AI model has also facilitated the creation of Isomorphic Labs, a company revolutionizing drug discovery with a unified drug design engine, aiming to solve diseases by predicting the structure and interactions of life's molecules. AlphaFold's server supports global non-commercial researchers, aiding in the prediction of over 8 million molecular structures and interactions, thus transforming scientific discovery processes. This matters because it represents a leap forward in biological research and drug development, potentially leading to groundbreaking medical and environmental solutions.