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In this Review, Ahmad et al. examine how antibiotics influence bacterial metabolism and how metabolism, in turn, affects drug efficacy and the emergence and evolution of antimicrobial resistance. They also explore the role of bacterial metabolism in clinical contexts and the potential for metabolic-based therapies to improve antibacterial treatment.

Astrophysicists have once again enriched our knowledge of the cosmos with a new discovery: two small planets orbiting TOI-1453. Located at around 250 light years from Earth in the Draco constellation, this star is part of a binary system (a pair of stars orbiting each other) and is slightly cooler and smaller than our sun. This discovery, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, paves the way for future atmospheric studies to better understand these types of planets.

Around this star are two planets, a super-Earth and a sub-Neptune. These are types of planets that are absent from our own solar system, but paradoxically constitute the most common classes of planet in the Milky Way. This discovery sheds light on a planetary configuration that could provide valuable clues to the formation and evolution of planets.

Using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the HARPS-N high-resolution spectrograph, the researchers were able to identify TOI-1453 b and TOI-1453 c, the two exoplanets orbiting TOI-1453.

DNA holds the key to understanding life itself… From genetics and the human genome to gene editing, it shapes our health, evolution, and future… Discover how CRISPR, forensic science, and genetic engineering are transforming medicine… Explore the mysteries of ancient DNA, the role of the microbiome, and the promise of gene therapy… Personalized medicine is revolutionizing healthcare, allowing treatments tailored to our genetic code… Learn how hereditary diseases are being decoded and cured through biotechnology and DNA sequencing… The future of medicine depends on genetic research, but genetic ethics raise profound questions… The genome project has paved the way for DNA fingerprinting, cloning, and synthetic biology… With genetic modification, we are reshaping evolution itself… Will genetic testing lead to designer babies or eliminate genetic disorders? As gene therapy advancements push the limits of precision medicine, are we ready for these medical breakthroughs and DNA discoveries?

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Watson, J. D., & Crick, F. H. C. (1953). Nature, 171(4356), 737–738.
Collins, F. S., & McKusick, V. A. (2001). Science, 291(5507), 1215–1220.
Jinek, M., Chylinski, K., Fonfara, I., Hauer, M., Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2012). Science, 337(6096), 816–821.
Pääbo, S. (2014). Annual Review of Genetics, 38, 645–679.
Lander, E. S., Linton, L. M., Birren, B., et al. (2001). Nature, 409(6822), 860–921.

#DNABreakthroughs #GeneticsRevolution #HumanGenome #GeneTherapy #FutureOfMedicine.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZWKW53XA0o.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, without a doubt, the defining technological breakthrough of our time. It represents not only a quantum leap in our ability to solve complex problems but also a mirror reflecting our ambitions, fears, and ethical dilemmas. As we witness its exponential growth, we cannot ignore the profound impact it is having on society. But are we heading toward a bright future or a dangerous precipice?

This opinion piece aims to foster critical reflection on AI’s role in the modern world and what it means for our collective future.

AI is no longer the stuff of science fiction. It is embedded in nearly every aspect of our lives, from the virtual assistants on our smartphones to the algorithms that recommend what to watch on Netflix or determine our eligibility for a bank loan. In medicine, AI is revolutionizing diagnostics and treatments, enabling the early detection of cancer and the personalization of therapies based on a patient’s genome. In education, adaptive learning platforms are democratizing access to knowledge by tailoring instruction to each student’s pace.

These advancements are undeniably impressive. AI promises a more efficient, safer, and fairer world. But is this promise being fulfilled? Or are we inadvertently creating new forms of inequality, where the benefits of technology are concentrated among a privileged few while others are left behind?

One of AI’s most pressing challenges is its impact on employment. Automation is eliminating jobs across various sectors, including manufacturing, services, and even traditionally “safe” fields such as law and accounting. Meanwhile, workforce reskilling is not keeping pace with technological disruption. The result? A growing divide between those equipped with the skills to thrive in the AI-driven era and those displaced by machines.

Another urgent concern is privacy. AI relies on vast amounts of data, and the massive collection of personal information raises serious questions about who controls these data and how they are used. We live in an era where our habits, preferences, and even emotions are continuously monitored and analyzed. This not only threatens our privacy but also opens the door to subtle forms of manipulation and social control.

Then, there is the issue of algorithmic bias. AI is only as good as the data it is trained on. If these data reflect existing biases, AI can perpetuate and even amplify societal injustices. We have already seen examples of this, such as facial recognition systems that fail to accurately identify individuals from minority groups or hiring algorithms that inadvertently discriminate based on gender. Far from being neutral, AI can become a tool of oppression if not carefully regulated.

Who Decides What Is Right?

AI forces us to confront profound ethical questions. When a self-driving car must choose between hitting a pedestrian or colliding with another vehicle, who decides the “right” choice? When AI is used to determine parole eligibility or distribute social benefits, how do we ensure these decisions are fair and transparent?

The reality is that AI is not just a technical tool—it is also a moral one. The choices we make today about how we develop and deploy AI will shape the future of humanity. But who is making these decisions? Currently, AI’s development is largely in the hands of big tech companies and governments, often without sufficient oversight from civil society. This is concerning because AI has the potential to impact all of us, regardless of our individual consent.

A Utopia or a Dystopia?

The future of AI remains uncertain. On one hand, we have the potential to create a technological utopia, where AI frees us from mundane tasks, enhances productivity, and allows us to focus on what truly matters: creativity, human connection, and collective well-being. On the other hand, there is the risk of a dystopia where AI is used to control, manipulate, and oppress—dividing society between those who control technology and those who are controlled by it.

The key to avoiding this dark scenario lies in regulation and education. We need robust laws that protect privacy, ensure transparency, and prevent AI’s misuse. But we also need to educate the public on the risks and opportunities of AI so they can make informed decisions and demand accountability from those in power.

Artificial Intelligence is, indeed, the Holy Grail of Technology. But unlike the medieval legend, this Grail is not hidden in a distant castle—it is in our hands, here and now. It is up to us to decide how we use it. Will AI be a tool for building a more just and equitable future, or will it become a weapon that exacerbates inequalities and threatens our freedom?

The answer depends on all of us. As citizens, we must demand transparency and accountability from those developing and implementing AI. As a society, we must ensure that the benefits of this technology are shared by all, not just a technocratic elite. And above all, we must remember that technology is not an end in itself but a means to achieve human progress.

The future of AI is the future we choose to build. And at this critical moment in history, we cannot afford to get it wrong. The Holy Grail is within our reach—but its true value will only be realized if we use it for the common good.

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Copyright © 2025, Henrique Jorge

[ This article was originally published in Portuguese in SAPO’s technology section at: https://tek.sapo.pt/opiniao/artigos/o-santo-graal-da-tecnologia ]

In recent years, physicists have been trying to better understand the behavior of individual quantum particles as they move in space. Yet directly imaging these particles with high precision has so far proved challenging, due to the limitations of existing microscopy methods.

Researchers at CNRS and École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France, have now developed a new protocol to directly image the evolution of a single-atom wave packet, a delocalized quantum state that determines the probability that an associated atom will be found in a specific location. This imaging technique, introduced in Physical Review Letters, could open exciting possibilities for the precise study of complex quantum systems in continuous space.

“Our group is interested in the study of ultracold atoms, the coldest systems in the universe, just a few billionths of degrees above absolute zero, where matter displays fascinating behaviors,” Tarik Yefsah, senior author of the paper, told Phys.org. “One of these behaviors is the so-called superfluidity, a remarkable state of matter, where particles flow without friction.

In an amazing achievement akin to adding solar panels to your body, a northeast sea slug sucks raw materials from algae to provide its lifetime supply of solar-powered energy, according to a study by Rutgers University–New Brunswick and other scientists.

“It’s a remarkable feat because it’s highly unusual for an animal to behave like a plant and survive solely on photosynthesis,” said Debashish Bhattacharya, senior author of the study and distinguished professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at Rutgers–New Brunswick. “The broader implication is in the field of artificial photosynthesis. That is, if we can figure out how the slug maintains stolen, isolated plastids to fix carbon without the plant nucleus, then maybe we can also harness isolated plastids for eternity as green machines to create bioproducts or energy. The existing paradigm is that to make green energy, we need the plant or alga to run the photosynthetic organelle, but the slug shows us that this does not have to be the case.”

The sea slug Elysia chlorotica, a mollusk that can grow to more than two inches long, has been found in the intertidal zone between Nova Scotia, Canada, and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, as well as in Florida. Juvenile sea slugs eat the nontoxic brown alga Vaucheria litorea and become photosynthetic – or solar-powered – after stealing millions of algal plastids, which are like tiny solar panels, and storing them in their gut lining, according to the study published online in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have observed enigmatic rings in the planetary nebula NGC 1,514, visible in the mid-infrared band. Results of the new observations, published Feb. 28 on the arXiv pre-print server, shed more light on the properties and nature of these rings.

Planetary nebulae (PNe) are expanding shells of gas and dust that have been ejected from a star during the process of its evolution from a into a red giant or white dwarf. They are relatively rare, but are important for astronomers studying the chemical evolution of stars and galaxies.

NGC 1,514 (also known as Crystal Ball Nebula) is a large and complex elliptical planetary at a distance of about 1,500 light years away. It originated from a designated HD 281679. The bright, visible component of the system is a giant star of spectral type A0III, while the nebula-generating companion is now a hot, sub-luminous O-type star.

Today Dr. Dan Korman and Noah McKay join me to discuss evolutionary debunking arguments. Can our moral beliefs survive skeptical threats?

Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): / majestyofreason.

If you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josep… 0:00 Intro 1:40 Debunking arguments 6:22 Three kinds of debunking arguments 14:43 Telic debunking argument 22:05 Explanationist pushback 38:51 Swampman pushback 59:51 New function pushback 1:16:45 Dan’s favored approach 1:25:01 Concluding thoughts RESOURCES Dan’s website (with his papers): https://danielzkorman.weebly.com/ Noah’s website (with his papers): https://noahdmckay.wordpress.com/ Dan’s paper, “Debunking Arguments”, https://philarchive.org/archive/KORDA-2 Dan’s paper, “An explanationist Account of Genealogical Defeat ”, https://philpapers.org/rec/KORAEA-4 Noah’s paper, ” Can Rational Reflection Save Moral Knowledge from Debunking?”, https://philpapers.org/rec/MCKCRR Noah’s paper, ” Moral knowledge and the existence of God”, https://philpapers.org/rec/MCKMKA My Metaethics playlist: • Metaethics My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-In?tag=lifeboatfound-20… (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.100… THE USUAL… Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uN… Join the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreason My website: https://josephschmid.com My PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/josep

OUTLINE

0:00 Intro.
1:40 Debunking arguments.
6:22 Three kinds of debunking arguments.
14:43 Telic debunking argument.
22:05 Explanationist pushback.
38:51 Swampman pushback.
59:51 New function pushback.
1:16:45 Dan’s favored approach.
1:25:01 Concluding thoughts.

RESOURCES.