Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Get the latest international news and world events from around the world.

Log in for authorized contributors

AlphaGenome 2: Deciphering how cells read DNA to better understand disease

AI is about to design custom therapies for every disease based on your DNA.

Every cell in your body has the exact same DNA—so how does a heart cell know to beat while an immune cell knows to fight an infection? 🧬✨

Google DeepMind just unveiled AlphaGenome 2, an AI breakthrough that zooms in from broad tissues down to single, individual cells to see how our DNA is actually read in real time.

Here is why this is a massive leap for medicine and biology:

🔬 Single-Cell Precision: Trained on over 107 million individual cells, it spots subtle genetic triggers inside specific cell types that older models missed.

⚡ Adapts on the Fly: Scientists can plug in data from just a few dozen cells from a brand-new lab experiment—like immune cells reacting to a vaccine or gut cells driving inflammation—and the AI adapts instantly with zero retraining.

🎯 Pinpointing Disease Drivers: It helps researchers trace complex genetic mutations directly to the exact cells causing diseases like IBD or severe COVID-19, paving the way for targeted, DNA-based therapies.

Continue reading “AlphaGenome 2: Deciphering how cells read DNA to better understand disease” | >

Re-analysis of black hole data proves iconic ring shape really is there

When the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team released their first image of a black hole in 2019, the astrophysics community was abuzz: the image of black hole M87 showed a perfect ring structure, just as predicted by the theory of general relativity. As other teams reanalysed the data in the following years, though, scepticism about the image began to slip in. A new, completely independent analysis has now finally banished that scepticism.

The now-iconic doughnut shape of the EHT image is caused by a key property of general relativity, the way that light bends in the presence of an extremely massive object. Observing it for real was one of the strongest pieces of evidence that general relativity is accurate.

Independent interferometric observable confirms black hole shadow in M87*

An imaging algorithm using closure-invariant formalism and diffusion-based reconstruction applied to supermassive black hole very long baseline radio interferometry datasets enables independent recovery of the ring-like shadow and mass that is free from the usual calibration and imaging assumptions.

Preventing Malaria Infections and Moving toward Malaria Elimination

Extensive deployment of insecticide-treated nets accounted for 68% of malaria case reduction in Africa between 2000 and 2015.7 Hence, the increased prevalence of insecticide-resistant vectors has substantially contributed to declining momentum against malaria over the past decade.1 Likewise, chemoprevention is threatened by the emergence and spread of high-level Plasmodium falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine and amodiaquine.1,8

On a more positive note, two new classes of insecticide-treated net became available as of 2023, transforming the vector-control space.1 Seasonal malaria chemoprevention protected 54 million children across 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 (Figure 2A).9 In addition, two World Health Organization (WHO)–prequalified malaria vaccines are being deployed across Africa.2 Of note, the political will to address malaria in Africa was reinforced at the 2024 Malaria Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where health ministers from 11 countries that have been classified by the WHO as “high burden to high impact” — and that account for approximately 70% of all cases and deaths worldwide — underscored their unwavering commitment to reducing malaria-related mortality.10 Emphasis was placed on country leadership, with subnational tailoring to implement the most effective combinations of interventions for specific contexts.10

This review examines current tools and recent advancements in malaria control and prevention. Not every intervention is suitable for every context; decisions must be guided by available resources, local epidemiologic factors, and evidence of effect. Substantial investments are being made in emerging technologies, and their transformative potential for malaria elimination is discussed.

JWST Detects a ‘Forbidden’ Signal Never Before Seen in The Universe — Not Even in a Lab

One of the most important molecules in the Universe has been hiding its light for decades.

It’s the foundation for almost all gas-phase interstellar chemistry – including the formation of complex organic molecules that make up the ingredients for life.

Its name is the trihydrogen cation (H3+), and it’s so important that it’s often referred to as “the molecule that made the Universe.”

CRISPR Advancements for Human Health

Viral vectors may integrate into host cells and cause problems such as mutations, carcinogenesis, and immune responses. However, recombinant AAVs are non-replicating and tend to remain episomal without integrating into the genome, except in rare cases. These advantages allow their use for packaging CRISPR reagents into the AAV genome for cell editing. AAVs can also provide tissue-specific tropism due to the cell-specific serotypes of AAVs, have reduced immunogenicity compared to other viral vectors, and enable transient gene expression. However, challenges remain regarding efficiency and safety.

Non-viral delivery methods include the use of nanoparticles or liposomes to encapsulate ribonucleoprotein complexes.– Nanoparticles made from engineered lipids or polymers can improve cell uptake, increase editing potency beyond what is achievable by protein alone, expand delivery beyond the liver, and potentially reduce immunogenicity compared to viral approaches. Another non-viral method uses messenger RNA (similar to RNA vaccines) to encode the CRISPR components, achieving transient and controlled expression without needing to deliver DNA.

Lastly, the CRISPR system can be used without delivering the CRSIPR components directly into the body. Ex vivo therapy involves removing cells from the patient, editing them outside the body, and then returning them to treat genetic disorders like sickle cell anemia or enhance immune responses for cancers.

Can We Reset a Cell’s Age Without Changing What It Is?

Yamanaka factors can reset cells but full reprogramming also erases what makes a cell a skin cell, muscle cell, or neuron. The longevity challenge is resetting age while preserving identity. Genetic circuits may offer more precise control, but this is still a research frontier. Full video: https://youtu.be/yzjCdz1jz-g Oisín Biotechnologies: https://www.oisinbio.com/

Aubrey de Grey: “Longevity Is Just a Side Effect of Health”

I recently sat down with Aubrey de Grey, founder, president and chief science officer of the LEV Foundation, for my show, The 200 Year Life Project.

We covered a lot of ground in 38 minutes:

  • Why he sees aging as accumulated damage, and the body as a machine that can be repaired
  • Longevity escape velocity, and why people around 60 are likely to get the first rejuvenation treatments
  • Early targets: Parkinson’s, stem cells, and senolytic drugs that clear “zombie” cells
  • Whether only the rich will get these therapies, and why he thinks governments will end up paying
  • What he calls the most overhyped thing in longevity
  • His advice for someone who is 70 today

I’m over 70 and testing longevity science on myself in public, so that last answer mattered to me personally.

The LEV Foundation runs entirely on philanthropy. You can support its work at levf.org.

Watch the full interview with Aubrey de Grey on YouTube.

The Rise and Reckoning of Jensen Huang | The Circuit with Emily Chang

An inside look at Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang just weeks before he revealed an extramarital affair with a woman the US reportedly suspects to be a Chinese spy.

After the company and the Trump administration opened investigations, new reports surfaced of an alleged workplace relationship and that Nvidia was contemplating his ouster.

Watch more of The Circuit: Hosted by high-profile journalist Emily Chang, The Circuit is a fast-paced, dynamic series that lives at the intersection of culture, tech, entertainment, and business. Every week, Chang will go on location to meet the world’s most fascinating founders, influencers, and innovators, conducting intimate interviews and bringing audiences behind the scenes of the most impactful stories, launches, and trends. #Nvidia #JensenHuang #Tech ——– Like this video? Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/Bloomberg?sub_… Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com for just $1.99 your first month: https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptio… Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it. Subscribe for business news, but not as you’ve known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world. Visit our partner channel Bloomberg News for global news and insight in an instant.

Hosted by high-profile journalist Emily Chang, The Circuit is a fast-paced, dynamic series that lives at the intersection of culture, tech, entertainment, and business. Every week, Chang will go on location to meet the world’s most fascinating founders, influencers, and innovators, conducting intimate interviews and bringing audiences behind the scenes of the most impactful stories, launches, and trends.

#Nvidia #JensenHuang #Tech.