LONDON – Scientists in the U.K. are claiming a world first, after successfully reproducing the electrophysiology of biological neurons in silicon chips. It is said that artificial neurons respond to non-linear physiological feedback in real time, in exactly the same way as their biological counterparts. Crucially, in terms of their use in medical implants, the analogue chips have a power consumption 10⁹ times lower than equivalent digital microprocessors, which other attempts to make synthetic neurons have used.

Cryptosporidium is a parasite that affects both the very poor and the very rich. It can cause severe diarrheal infections in malnourished children and in people whose immune systems are compromised, for example, by HIV.