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By Randy Gold

World's Largest Metal 3D Printer Prints Rockets

     In a landmark move earlier this year, Relativity Space successfully sent its largely 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket soaring into space. Now, with greater ambitions, they're prepping for the unveiling of the more advanced Terran R, crafted to carry larger payloads into orbit.

     The Terran 1, a marvel in 3D-printing, showcases Relativity Space's commitment to incorporating this technology into its rocket-making process. With the help of some of the world's most advanced metal 3D printers, CEO Tim Ellis shared with CNET that a staggering 85% of the Terran 1, including sophisticated parts like its engine, was created using 3D printing.

     Certain components, such as electronics, batteries, and some seals and gaskets, were exceptions to the 3D-printed design. Ellis highlighted that the adaptability of 3D printing has been pivotal, enabling quicker iterations in design and testing for their spacecraft. However, despite its ascent, Terran 1 encountered a setback when its second stage did not ignite, barring it from orbit.

     The focus now shifts to the impending Terran R, a mammoth compared to the Terran 1, designed to transport sizable payloads, including satellites, into space. With a launch anticipated in 2026, Ellis sees this as just the beginning. His grand vision? To lead the establishment of a base on Mars, with 3D printing playing a central role in this futuristic endeavor.

     The potential of 3D printing technology extends beyond manufacturing sectors like aerospace; it's making waves in the field of biomedicine as well. The concept of 3D printing human organs, often referred to as "bioprinting", promises a revolutionary shift in the realm of organ transplantation.

The Promise of 3D Bioprinting

     The benefits of bioprinting are profound:

     Customization: Every individual is unique. 3D bioprinting offers the potential to create organs tailored to the specific anatomical and physiological needs of the patient.
     Reduction in Wait Times: Thousands of patients are on organ transplant lists, many of whom don't receive an organ in time. Bioprinting could reduce, or potentially eliminate, wait times, saving countless lives.
Elimination of Organ Rejection: Since bioprinted organs can be created using a patient's own cells, the risk of organ rejection—a significant concern with traditional transplants—could be drastically reduced.
Challenges Ahead

     While the potential is immense, there are significant challenges to overcome:

Complexity of Organs: Human organs, like the heart or liver, are incredibly complex, both structurally and functionally. Replicating the intricate networks of blood vessels, tissues, and cells accurately is a monumental task.
Cell Viability: Keeping cells alive and functional during the printing process is challenging. Cells must be nourished and maintained in a state that allows them to function once the organ is completed.
Scaling Up: While researchers have successfully bioprinted miniaturized versions of organs and simple tissues, scaling these to full-sized, functional human organs is another challenge altogether.
Future Outlook

     Though many experts agree that we're at least a decade away from seeing bioprinted organs used regularly in transplants, the advancements being made are promising. Continuous research and collaboration across disciplines are steadily addressing the technical challenges.

     As technology continues to advance and our understanding of human biology deepens, the convergence of biomedicine and 3D printing is poised to offer groundbreaking solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today.

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World Breast Cancer Day: A Global Focus on Early Detection and Technological Advancements

     On 19th October, the world observed Breast Cancer Day, shedding light on a disease that impacts one in eight women during their lifetime.

     Understanding Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is characterized as a malignant growth that begins in the mammary gland tissue. Malignant tumors are notorious for their unbridled growth and potential to spread to other body parts. Although the mortality rate has been on the decline, WHO reported that 685,000 individuals succumbed to this ailment globally in 2020.

     The World Health Organization's Global Breast Cancer Initiative strives to slash the mortality rate by 2.5% annually. Achieving this would mean averting 2.5 million deaths between 2020 and 2040. By 2030, if the goal is attained, one in four breast cancer fatalities among women under 70 could be prevented, increasing to four in ten by 2040.

Men, though rarely, can also be afflicted by this disease, constituting only 0.5% to 1% of all cases.

The Scenario in Spain: In 2022, Spain recorded 34,740 breast cancer diagnoses, primarily in women aged between 45-65. Remarkably, around 10% of these cases involved women under 40. Breast cancer accounts for a staggering 30% of all female cancer diagnoses in the country. Advancements in research, prevention, and early detection have bolstered the five-year survival rate to 85%. Yet, in 2020, Spain mourned the loss of 6,572 women to this disease.

Early Detection: The Key The Spanish Association Against Cancer underscores the pivotal role of screening programs, particularly mammograms, in boosting life expectancy by facilitating early detection. Factors influencing the onset of breast cancer range from immutable ones like age, gender, and family history, to modifiable ones like diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

     Awareness, early detection, support, and research are essential pillars in assisting patients.

Technological Innovation in Battling Breast Cancer: Modern technology is revolutionizing breast cancer prognosis and treatment. Mammography, a technology pioneered in 1913 by Albert Salomon, when fused with 3D ultrasound (ABUS), enhances its precision. The Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid revealed that ABUS delivers superior resolution images vital for early detection.

     Furthermore, 3D technology is paving the way for more natural-looking breast reconstructions, with investigations concentrating on biotech and 3D printing for nipple reconstruction.

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and IoT: Cutting-edge tech not only customizes treatments but also enables disease monitoring through data analysis. The Rebecca project leverages IoT, offering insights from various portable devices to reinforce clinical research and refine established workflows.

     Artificial intelligence, in its capability, mirrors human radiologists. It can identify preliminary indicators of breast cancer and other disorders. A study in The Lancet disclosed that AI-enabled screening identified 20% more breast cancers than conventional dual mammogram readings by two radiologists.

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Record-breaking quantum computer has more than 1000 qubits

     The world has witnessed the debut of the first quantum computer boasting over 1000 qubits. This marks a substantial leap from IBM’s Osprey model, which held the prior record with 433 qubits. While a higher qubit count doesn't directly translate to superior performance, the necessity for numerous qubits is undeniable for the forthcoming generation of error-free quantum machines, in contrast to the noisy experimental ones currently in use.

Major quantum computing players, including IBM and Google, have traditionally relied on supercooled superconducting wires to facilitate their qubits. However, Atom Computing, a Californian start-up, has taken a novel approach with their groundbreaking machine, encompassing 1180 qubits. Their methodology involves neutral atoms trapped by lasers on a 2D grid.

      Rob Hays, the CEO of Atom Computing, highlights a significant merit of this architecture: the system's inherent scalability. Easily accommodating more qubits into the grid, this design promises potential. Hays emphasizes that any prospective quantum computer with fault tolerance – the ability to operate error-free – will mandate tens of thousands of specialized error-correcting qubits, which will function in tandem with the primary programmable qubits.

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Quantum Computing: A Revolution in Processing Power and its Expanding Applications

     In the realm of technological advancement, quantum computing is increasingly grabbing headlines and emerging as a critical player. But why is it garnering such attention and how is this nascent technology being utilized?

 

Why Quantum Computing Matters

     Traditional computing relies on bits to store and process information. These bits can exist in one of two states: 0 or 1. However, quantum computing uses quantum bits or qubits. Unlike bits, qubits can exist in a state of 0, 1, or both simultaneously, thanks to a phenomenon known as superposition. Additionally, qubits can be entangled, meaning the state of one qubit can be dependent on the state of another, irrespective of the distance between them.

This inherent difference offers quantum computers a significant advantage in processing power. They can perform many calculations at once, making them potentially millions of times more powerful than today's most advanced supercomputers for specific tasks. As the quantum field matures, it could revolutionize industries that rely on computational capabilities, including cryptography, medicine, finance, and beyond.

 

Breaking Down Cryptography

     One of the key implications of quantum computing lies in the realm of cryptography. Most of today's encryption methods rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers—a task that is extremely time-consuming for classical computers. However, with a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, these encryptions could be broken in mere seconds.

     While this poses security challenges, it also provides an opportunity. Quantum cryptography, rooted in the principles of quantum mechanics, offers potentially unbreakable security protocols. Quantum key distribution, for instance, allows two parties to share encryption keys with the assurance that any eavesdropping would be immediately evident due to the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics.

 

Revolutionizing Medicine

     Another area poised for a quantum revolution is medicine. Drug discovery and development is a time-intensive and expensive process, often involving years of simulations to understand molecular interactions. Quantum computers, with their superior computational capabilities, can model complex biochemical interactions at an unprecedented speed and scale. This could fast-track the discovery of new drugs and treatment modalities, possibly leading to cures for ailments once deemed incurable.

 

Financial Forecasting and Optimization

     The world of finance revolves around complex models used for optimization and forecasting. Traditional computers can take considerable time to find optimal solutions for asset allocation or risk assessment. Quantum computers, given their capability to process vast amounts of data simultaneously, can redefine forecasting accuracy and speed. From predicting stock market movements to optimizing supply chain logistics, the applications are endless.

 

Challenges and the Road Ahead

     Despite the immense potential, quantum computing is not without its challenges. Building stable qubits that can operate without interference at scalable levels is a technical hurdle yet to be fully overcome. Additionally, there's a steep learning curve associated with quantum programming, necessitating the education and training of a new generation of quantum coders.

     However, the rewards of overcoming these challenges are vast. From startups to tech giants, significant investments are being poured into quantum research and development, indicating a promising future.

In conclusion, quantum computing is not just another technological fad. It represents a paradigm shift in computational power and capability. As it integrates deeper into various industries, it promises to reshape our world in ways previously deemed the stuff of science fiction.

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Spring/Summer 2023
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