Satellite communication is an indispensable part of sixth generation of mobile communication systems (6G) given its global coverage and long-distance propagation. Energy consumption and channel acquisition are two critical issues in satellite communication systems. On the one hand, with the rapidly increasing energy wastage in wireless systems, green communication technology has attracted extensive attentions and energy efficiency (EE) becomes the key performance indicator in the transmission scheme design of satellite communications. On the other hand, channel state information (CSI) is well required in designing the beamforming, but it is infeasible for gateway (GW) to acquire accurate CSI at the transmitter (CSIT) due to the long-distance delay. Most of the existing work focused on maximizing the total EE (TEE) or minimum EE (MEE) while tradeoff between TEE and MEE has not been investigated in the satellite communication systems. However, it is of both great theoretical and practical significance for satellite systems to investigate the tradeoff between the TEE and MEE so as to balance the total system performance and the fairness in terms of EE.

Ever since general relativity pointed to the existence of black holes, the scientific community has been wary of one peculiar feature: the singularity at the center — a point, hidden behind the event horizon, where the laws of physics that govern the rest of the universe appear to break down completely. For some time now, researchers have been working on alternative models that are free of singularities. A new paper published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP), the outcome of work carried out at the Institute for Fundamental Physics of the Universe (IFPU) in Trieste, reviews the state of the art in this area. It describes two alternative models, proposes observational tests, and explores how this line of research could also contribute to the development of a theory of quantum gravity.

 

What if there were a fabric that, like Superman, could take a bullet and self-heal? Such a super-dynamic, action-powered polymer might actually help protect real-life flyers in space. Material scientists at Texas A&M University have developed just such a polymer with a unique self-healing property never before seen at any scale. When struck by a projectile, this material stretches so much that when the projectile manages to pass through, it takes only a small amount of the polymer with it. As a result, the hole left behind is much smaller than the projectile itself.

In a new book, media researcher Helle Kannik Haastrup explores how TV series and films can both challenge our view of the world and engage us in online communities. The book challenges prejudices about popular culture's "banal" narratives and uncritical fan culture and shows that digital platforms also afford space for serious discussions about films and TV series.

The project’s novel approach to combating malaria combines on-the-ground knowledge of human and mosquito behaviors with detailed environmental imagery from drones and NASA satellites. Machine learning techniques will be applied to the data to develop a model — powered by artificial intelligence — for targeted public health interventions.