July 2021

PlasticARM

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An article published in “Nature” reports the creation of a flexible microprocessor based on plastic materials instead of silicon. A team of ARM researchers developed this processor that was called PlasticARM also because its Cortex-M0 core is based on ARM architecture, precisely ARMv6-M. It’s an extremely limited processor in its performance, as it has a frequency of 30 kHz and supports up to 128 bytes of RAM and 456 bytes of ROM. The aim was to produce a fully functional flexible processor so this is a starting point from which to develop processors for use in fields where flexibility is important such as wearables and other products connected via the Internet of Things such as medical devices.

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The short story “Indra’s Web” by Vandana Singh was published for the first time in 2011.

Mahua is involved in the development of Suryanet, a major project that is inspired by a myconet, a fungal network that connects the plants of the forest. The result of the project is supposed to be a revolutionary energy grid but something isn’t working properly putting the whole project at risk. As if that weren’t enough, Mahua’s thoughts are more focused on her grandmother, in the hospital after a stroke.

Falling Torch by Algis Budrys

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The novel “The Falling Torch” by Algis Budrys was published for the first time in 1959 incorporating three previously published short stories. A revised and slightly expanded version was published in 1991 under the title “Falling Torch”.

In the Alpha Centauri system, the Earth’s government in exile is having a reunion as it has for twenty years, since the Invaders have conquered their planet and some Earthlings fled to the human colony established long ago. This time, however, there’s something that goes far beyond the usual chatter because there’s a real possibility to obtain weapons to provide the resistance on Earth with a hope of victory.

Michael Wireman, the son of the President in exile Ralph Wireman, is chosen to lead the group of humans who are tasked with returning to Earth with the weapons. Upon arrival, he comes into contact with Franz Hamill, the self-appointed general of the United Terrestrial Army of Liberation, who, however, turns out to be an inept leader from a military point of view.

Two adult males of the Loango Chimpanzee Project (Photo courtesy LCP, Lara M. Southern. All rights reserved)

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An article published in the journal “Scientific Reports” reports the observation of two clashes that took place in the Loango National Park, Gabon, between groups of chimpanzees and gorillas that led to the death of two gorilla infants and the injury of three chimpanzees. Lara M. Southern, Tobias Deschner, and Simone Pika reported the chronicle of these two unprecedented clashes since until the first clash the relationships between the two species seemed even friendly. Among the possible explanations is a decline in the availability of fruit that affected various parts of Gabon due to climate change and may have triggered the competition for food up to these outbreaks of violence.

Night of the Intelligence by Andy Frankham-Allen

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The novel “Night of the Intelligence” by Andy Frankham-Allen was published for the first time in 2017.

Professor Edward Travers wants to return to the Det-Sen Monastery in Tibet to try to completely free his mind from the Great Intelligence. During his journey, he meets a strange woman who turns out to be part of a plot to kidnap him.

Owain Wine went to Japan on a sort of pilgrimage to seek some peace of mind. There, he meets his old friend Simon, who tells him he’s in Japan for similar reasons, yet Owain feels there’s something strange in that meeting that, apparently, happened by chance.

For Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, both work and private life have become more complicated and the promotion to Brigadier General increased his duties. Managing secrets also means dealing with other government agencies but the relationship with the one commanded by General Gore seems particularly difficult.