To review the lessons learnt from recent deep geothermal case studies and plan strategically the research, development, regulation, and communication work required for the implementation of an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) at Cornell University, a group of engineers and scholars convened a two-day workshop on the Ithaca campus, on October 23-24, 2024. The event was funded by Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. This report is a summary of the content of the presentations and discussions that took place during the workshop. The first section focuses on philosophical, sociological, economic, and regulatory questions posed by EGS deployment as a means to mitigate climate change. The second section tackles the scientific and technological research areas associated with EGS. The third section aims to assess the feasibility of developing EGS for heat direct use at Cornell University, based on results and information available to date. The report concludes with a summary of the most salient technological and scientific breakthroughs, and a plan for future technological and academic engagement in EGS projects at Cornell.
This article presents an experiment in fine-tuning a pretrained causal language model (Meta's Llama 3.1 8B Instruct) to assist with restoring missing or illegible characters in ancient Greek inscriptions and documentary papyri. Utilizing a straightforward instruction-based approach and a 95%/5% train/test split, the papyrus restoration model achieved a character error rate (CER) of 14.9%, a top-1 accuracy of 73.5%, and a top-20 accuracy of 86.0% for sequences up to 10 characters. A model was also fine-tuned for geographic attribution, reaching a top-1 accuracy of 66.4% and a top-3 accuracy of 79.9%. In chronological attribution, it demonstrated an average deviation of 21.7 years from the actual terminus post/ante quem, with a median deviation of 0 years. For inscriptions, the restoration model achieved a CER of 20.5%, a top-1 accuracy of 63.7%, and a top-20 accuracy of 83.0% for sequences up to 10 characters. In geographic attribution, it attained a top-1 accuracy of 75.0% and a top-3 accuracy of 83.7%, while in dating, it had an average deviation of 37.1 years and a median deviation of 3 years from the actual date range. Benchmarked against the state-of-the-art model (Ithaca) on a
Ithaca is a Fuzzy Logic (FL) plugin for developing artificial intelligence systems within the Unity game engine. Its goal is to provide an intuitive and natural way to build advanced artificial intelligence systems, making the implementation of such a system faster and more affordable. The software is made up by a C\# framework and an Application Programming Interface (API) for writing inference systems, as well as a set of tools for graphic development and debugging. Additionally, a Fuzzy Control Language (FCL) parser is provided in order to import systems previously defined using this standard.
The moon illusion, in which the moon appears larger at the horizon than at higher altitudes, has been investigated since antiquity, yet it remains not fully explained. Our method of investigating the phenomenon is based on that attributed to Martin Folkes. Folkes suggests investigators identify landmarks on the ground and request human subjects indicate a place in the sky that they perceive to be above that location by raising their arm and pointing. The intersection of a vertical line rising out of the landmark and the ray extending from the subject's finger then identifies a point on the subject's model of the celestial vault. When repeated for landmarks covering a range of distances, the subject's entire celestial vault can be traced. We asked 30 subjects to perform such an identification on a series of points between a horizontal distance of 3 and 12600 meters across featureless open water in Verplanck and Ithaca, New York. The resulting data are in disagreement with the widely presumed flattened dome model, and, in particular, the Size-Distance Invariance Hypothesis. In addition, we find that the vault does not intersect the ground and leaves an indeterminate space of about 20
We present in this technical note an open-source web framework for the generation and visualization of parametric OpenFOAM simulations from surrogate models. It consists of a JavaScript module (rom.js) and a web app (cfd.xyz) to explore fluid dynamics problems efficiently and easily for a wide range of parameters. rom.js is a JavaScript port of a set of open-source packages (Eigen, Splinter, VTK/C++ and ITHACA-FV) to solve the online stage of reduced-order models (ROM) generated by the ITHACA-FV tool. It can be executed outside a web browser within a backend JavaScript runtime environment, or in a given web solution. This methodology can also be extended to methods using machine learning. The rom.js module was used in cfd.xyz, an open-source web service to deliver a collection of interactive CFD cases in a parametric space. The framework includes some tutorials, showing the whole process from the generation of the surrogate model to the web browser. It also includes a standalone web tool for visualizing users' ROMs by directly dragging and dropping the output folder of the offline stage. Beyond the current proof of technology, this enables a collaborative effort for the implementat
Research examining older adults interactions with Virtual Reality (VR) and the impact of social VR experiences on outcomes such as social engagement has been limited, especially among older adults. This multi-site pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel social virtual reality (VR) program that paired older adults from different geographic locations (New York City, Tallahassee, and Ithaca, N.Y) who engaged in virtual travel and productive engagement activities together. The sample included 36 individuals aged 60 and older, 25 percent of whom had cognitive impairment (CI). Older adults with and without CI reported high levels of engagement in the VR environment and perceived the social VR program to be enjoyable and usable. Perceived Spatial Presence was a central driver of the positive outcomes. Most also indicated a willingness to reconnect with their VR partner in the future. The data also identified important areas for improvement in the program, such as the use of more realistic and responsive avatars, controllers with larger controls, and more time for training. Overall, these findings suggest that VR social applications may foster social engagement a
A new sunlight-powered material can convert visible light into higher-energy UV light, overcoming a challenge that has frustrated scientists for years。 The breakthrough could enable cleaner air purification, solar-driven chemistry, and advanced manufacturing technologies using nothing more than natural sunlight
In this paper, we present recent efforts to develop reduced order modeling (ROM) capabilities for spectral element methods (SEM). Namely, we detail the implementation of ROM for both continuous Galerkin and discontinuous Galerkin methods in the spectral/hp element library Nektar++. The ROM approaches adopted are intrusive methods based on the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). They admit an offline-online decomposition, such that fast evaluations for parameter studies and many-queries are possible. An affine parameter dependency is exploited such that the reduced order model can be evaluated independent of the large-scale discretization size. The implementation in the context of SEM can be found in the open-source model reduction software ITHACA-SEM.
An optimal ratio of 10-15 grams of larvae per gram of specimen minimized cleaning time with no bone damage
A surprisingly simple fuel modification could help tackle one of diesel engines’ biggest problems: pollution。 Researchers reviewing studies from around the world found that mixing small amounts of water into diesel fuel can dramatically reduce harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxides and soot, while maintaining or even improving engine efficien
A new technique could solve one of the biggest challenges in making future computer chips from ultrathin materials。 Researchers found that coating molybdenum disulfide with oxygen or fluorine lets manufacturers remove just the top layer of atoms much more safely during plasma processing。 The result is a cleaner, more controlled path toward smaller
Scientists have uncovered a new explanation for what powers Yellowstone and other supervolcanoes。 Instead of a deep plume rising from near Earth’s core, a broad “mantle wind” may push hot rock beneath Yellowstone, generating magma closer to the surface。 This process helps create a massive underground magma network and may explain how supervolcanoes
Astronomers studying the rare supernova SN 2021yfj discovered material from one of the deepest layers of a dying star, providing a rare look at its hidden interior。 The finding confirms key theories about how massive stars forge the elements that help build planets, worlds, and life
Scientists are raising concerns that we may be overlooking evidence of extraterrestrial life even when it is present。 Hidden biosignatures, limitations in detection technology, and assumptions about what life should look like can all create dangerous false negatives。 The researchers say future missions should focus not only on finding life, but als