Lifeboat Foundation

We present a novel model of neuroplasticity in the form of a horizontal-vertical integration model. The horizontal plane consists of a network of neurons connected by adaptive transmission links. This fits with standard computational neuroscience approaches. Each individual neuron also has a vertical dimension with internal parameters steering the external membrane-expressed parameters. These determine neural transmission.

In a paper titled, “Multimodal MRI reveals brainstem connections that sustain wakefulness in human consciousness,” published today in Science Translational Medicine, a group of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, and Boston Children’s Hospital, created a connectivity map of a brain network that they propose is critical to human consciousness.

The study involved high-resolution scans that enabled the researchers to visualize brain connections at submillimeter spatial resolution. This technical advance allowed them to identify previously unseen pathways connecting the brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and cerebral cortex.

Together, these pathways form a “default ascending arousal network” that sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain. The concept of a “default” network is based on the idea that specific networks within the brain are most functionally active when the brain is in a resting state of consciousness. In contrast, other networks are more active when the brain is performing goal-directed tasks.

NASA has developed a new plasma rocket that could potentially reach Mars in just 2 months, cutting the travel time in half. In addition, the world is being warned to prepare for a possible geomagnetic storm, and a new fusion record has been set. These advancements in space technology and energy production have the potential to greatly impact our future.

A team of researchers, led by Professor Dong Eon Kim from Pohang University of Science and Technology and Professor X. Lai at the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, has made significant strides in ultrafast imaging. They have successfully observed two distinct holographic patterns—resembling spider legs and fishbones—within molecules for the first time. […].

A new article explores the physics behind the popular party trick of infinite mirrors, explaining why it may not actually create infinite reflections. While it may seem like a never-ending loop, the reality is that the reflections eventually become too faint to see. This phenomenon is a result of the way light behaves and can be explained by the laws of physics.

Only a few people stood by the open casket, with just a handful attending the funeral. There were so few attendees that you could count them on two hands. Two guys stood in a nearby parking lot, seeming eager to say their goodbyes. As the last person left the cemetery, they emerged from their car.

From May 3 through May 9, 2024, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory observed 82 notable solar flares. The flares came mainly from two active regions on the Sun called AR 13,663 and AR 13664. This video highlights all flares classified at M5 or higher with nine categorized as X-class solar flares. ht.

On November 14, 2014, a telescope spotted a burst of light in a galaxy 570 million light-years away. It was thought to be a supernova, an arrestingly bright explosion that marks a star’s death. This week, astronomers revealed that the burst was not a supernova after all, but rather a black hole having dinner—one of…

NASA wants a cheaper Mars Sample Return—Boeing proposes most expensive rocketNASA is looking for a more cost-effective way to conduct a Mars Sample Return mission, and Boeing has proposed a new concept that involves only one launch. This could potentially reduce the complexity and cost of the mission. However, Boeing’s proposed rocket is also the most expensive option, so it remains to be seen if this concept will be chosen by NASA.