Today’s Big Story

Should Computers Be Able to Smell?

Several scientists and startups want to give computers a sense of smell

“Did you ever try to measure a smell?” Alexander Graham Bell once asked an audience of students in Washington D.C. He then quizzed the probably confused class of 1914 as to whether they could tell when one scent was twice the strength of another, or measure the difference between two distinct aromas. He pointed out that sciences based on the measurements of sound and light already existed. But there was no science of odor.

Today, smartphones in most people’s pockets provide impressive built-in capabilities based on the sciences of sound and light: voice assistants, facial recognition and photo enhancement. The science of odor does not offer anything comparable. But that situation is changing, as advances in machine olfaction, also called “digitized smell”, are finally answering Bell’s call to action.

Alex Wiltschko is a former research scientist at Google and the co-founder of Osmo, a startup that uses artificial intelligence technology to help computers “generate smells like we generate images and sounds.” As Osmo’s CEO, he told CNBC that the startup’s mission is to “improve human health and happiness” by digitizing humans’ sense of smell. Of course, a common question is, Why give computers the ability to smell at all? One of the main reasons Wiltschko cites is that it’s critical in helping medical professionals to detect diseases.

But the research on machine olfaction faces a formidable challenge due to the complexity of the human sense of smell. Whereas human vision mainly relies on receptor cells in the retina—rods and three types of cones—smell is experienced through about 400 types of receptor cells in the nose. Machine olfaction starts with sensors that detect and identify molecules in the air. These sensors serve the same purpose as the receptors in your nose.

But according to The Conversation, machine learning is capable of mapping the molecular structure of an odor-causing compound. AI can learn the words humans tend to use—for example, “sweet” and “dessert”—to describe what they experience when they encounter specific odor-causing compounds, such as vanillin. If this works, it could have some seriously promising applications, including personalized perfumes and fragrances, better insect repellents, novel chemical sensors, early detection of disease, and more realistic augmented reality experiences. The future of machine olfaction looks bright. It also promises to smell good.

Day Two of the DNC

The Obamas, two of the party’s most popular figures, elicit emotional reactions from the delegates

Barack and Michelle Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, delivering back-to-back speeches that eviscerated Donald Trump and urged Americans to reject the Republican nominee once and for all. Former President Obama said that “America’s ready for a new chapter” during his remarks. “The vast majority of us do not want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided.”

But he also urged Democrats not to direct similar energy at regular Americans. “If a parent or grandparent occasionally says something that makes us cringe, we don’t automatically assume they’re bad people,” he said. “We recognize that the world is moving fast — that they need time and maybe a little encouragement to catch up. Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they’ll extend to us. That’s how we can build a true Democratic majority, one that can get things done.”

He spoke after his wife, who was greeted with one of the loudest, longest rounds of applause as she took the stage in her hometown. “Hope is making a comeback,” she said, echoing the theme of her husband’s first presidential run. The former first lady spoke to the optimism that Harris has created and praised both her experience and her character. She also laid out the stakes—and the challenges—facing Harris as a Black woman, alluding to the years Trump spent spreading the false, racist birther conspiracy theory against her husband. She also took a jab at Trump’s June debate claim that migrants are stealing “Black jobs”. Stopping for emphasis, she asked, “who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?”

Humans Age Dramatically at Two Key Points in Their Life

Science is suggesting ageing is not a slow and steady process

Fellow elder millennials, be warned: We may have a disconcerting milestone coming our way soon. Scientists have found that human beings age at a molecular level in two accelerated bursts—first at the age of 44, and then again at 60.

In a study published in the journal Nature Aging, scientists at Stanford University and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore followed 108 participants over several years to observe aging changes in their molecules—RNA, proteins and participants’ microbiomes. What they found was that instead of aging being a linear, gradual process, it comes with at least two massive bursts.

The research tracked 108 volunteers, who submitted blood and stool samples and skin, oral and nasal swabs every few months for nearly seven years. The abundance of most molecules and microbes did not shift in a gradual, chronological fashion. When the scientists looked for clusters of molecules with the largest shifts, they found these transformations tended to occur when people were in their mid-40s and early 60s. The lead author of the study, Dr. Michael Snyder, told The Guardian, the first wave of changes included molecules linked to cardiovascular disease and the ability to metabolise caffeine, alcohol and lipids. The second wave of changes included molecules involved in immune regulation, carbohydrate metabolism and kidney function.

Walmart Aims Higher

The retailer is revamping stores and products to cater to high-minded and wealthier customers

Attention, shoppers: Walmart is entering its luxury era. The big-box retailer, which is widely known for its reduced prices, has been revamping U.S. locations in hopes of attracting a wealthier customer base, Bloomberg reports. The new strategy to lure more affluent consumers includes everything from brighter lighting and the addition of mannequins to stocking more high-end products such as on-trend apparel from top fashion brands and specialty food items like prime cuts of meat.

“This is about modernizing the brand and making it seem chic and cool,” Oliver Chen, an analyst at TD Cowen, told the publication. “Walmart is good at basics and wants to be known for more than that—and sell more than that.” And it can be beneficial for both the big-box store and the brands. With more than 4,600 stores across the United States, Walmart is the definition of a retail behemoth. Eater says that the retailer is now stocking foods like artisanal Van Leeuwen ice cream and Motor City Pizza Company’s frozen Detroit-style pies along with buzzy condiments like Fly By Jing and Bachan’s Japanese sauces.

Meanwhile, clothing brand American Giant—known for their durable, U.S.-made essentials—has partnered with Walmart to produce an American-made T-shirt, cut from a quality 100% cotton, which sells for just $13. Seems hard to believe, but thanks to the scale Walmart provides, it’s possible.

Find Something to Care About

It will improve your life in a range of ways

Life can feel so full. Too full? Perhaps at times. And with so many demands on our time, it's easy to get carried along by the inertia and feel like time is passing by with little or nothing to show for it. It's no surprise that without direction, we retreat into what's comfortable and zone out a bit. But that results in a sort of listless guilt, doesn't it? You know that hazy feeling one gets after binging a show or realizing that the bulk of an afternoon was just spent playing video games? It's a remorseful feeling that you could (or should) be doing something else. Something ... meaningful?

And when I say “find something to care about”, I'm not talking about doing something half-ass or simply trying something new for social media fodder. This isn't about finding something you can turn into a side hustle. This is merely to have something that's just yours—an idea or an activity that brings you joy and truly interests you. Call it a hobby or refer to it as your off-duty life assignment. But really dig in and let that be something you challenge yourself to learn more about.

You have more control than you realize.