Lifeboat Foundation

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MIT biological engineers have devised a way to record complex histories in the DNA of human cells, allowing them to retrieve “memories” of past events, such as inflammation, by sequencing the DNA.

This analog memory storage system—the first that can record the duration and/or intensity of events in human cells—could also help scientists study how cells differentiate into various tissues during embryonic development, how cells experience environmental conditions, and how they undergo genetic changes that lead to disease.

Continue reading “Engineers program human cells to store complex histories in their DNA” »

Ray believes we’re becoming gods.

People tend to ask Ray Kurzweil all manner of questions about technology and the future. But they also want to know about his own personal philosophy. In one session last summer, a questioner asked Kurzweil if he believes in God. Of course, many of us struggle with the question, he replied, and to him, it’s not unambiguous.

Continue reading “Why Ray Kurzweil Believes We Are Becoming More God-Like [Video]” »

I consider myself a collector of sorts. I collect strange, bizarre notions and theories that warp traditional narratives about reality and existence. The following is a presentation of 10 of my favorite mind-blowing theories. There is compelling evidence for each, but you certainly don’t – and, for the sake of your sanity, probably shouldn’t – need to take them as gospel.

1. The Singularity: We will transcend biology and live as posthuman Gods.

SOMEONE over at the NSA has a date with a small, windowless cell in a deep dark hole in the ground in their near future, me thinks.

Hacking tools — possibly belonging to the NSA — have been leaked and are now accessible to common criminal hackers.

A123 and SolidEnergy are collaborating on development of a new electrolyte technology that enables lithium-ion battery designs with 4 times the energy density of today’s technology.

A123 Systems Jeff Kessen, 734.772.0345 [email protected]

This is why tech must never leave their eye off their companies, innovation, and future; unlike China many in big tech have become bogged down in US Politics, etc. instead of their own competitive landscape something that many industry leaders learned many decades ago. Granted, you must always be concern over regulations, etc.; however, some in tech went further than that by acting in some cases like they’re running for office meanwhile their competitors flourish and don’t bother themselves with background noise.

As the old saying goes “never mix politics and religion in the work place” and this is why. Now, both China and Russia are challenging US tech like never before because of tech’s own distractions outside their companies. And, yes some may say it is tied to the S. China Sea; however, that is just one of many excuses which is not the real reason behind the drop of Apple, Uber, etc. Frankly China is showing the world they are serious in their own commitment to dominate tech taking the title from the US. I suggest companies wake up and focus on what they do best which is tech not government politics. Want to be a politician then please resign and run for government office; and let others who are passionate about tech run tech.

The Chinese government has launched a $30bn venture capital fund aimed at upgrading technology in the country’s ailing industrial sector, a move reminiscent of Singapore’s state investment playbook. Led by big banks and government holding companies.

Continue reading “China launches $30bn venture fund to boost industrial technology” »

This is why tech must never leave their eye off their companies, innovation, and future; unlike China many in big tech have become bogged down in US Politics, etc. instead of their own competitive landscape something that many industry leaders learned many decades ago. Granted, you must always be concern over regulations, etc.; however, some in tech went further than that by acting in some cases like they’re running for office meanwhile their competitors flourish and don’t bother themselves with background noise.

As the old saying goes “never mix politics and religion in the work place” and this is why. Now, both China and Russia are challenging US tech like never before because of tech’s own distractions outside their companies. And, yes some may say it is tied to the S. China Sea; however, that is just one of many excuses which is not the real reason behind the drop of Apple, Uber, etc. Frankly China is showing the world they are serious in their own commitment to dominate tech taking the title from the US. I suggest companies wake up and focus on what they do best which is tech not government politics. Want to be a politician then please resign and run for government office ad let others who are passionate about tech run tech.

Farhad Manjoo, New York Times Tech Reporter, weighs in on Apple’s latest investments in China, his outlook for the iPhone and Berkshire Hathaway increasing their stake in the tech giant.

Continue reading “Apple China sales slump” »

NASA just announced that any published research funded by the space agency will now be available at no cost, launching a new public web portal that anybody can access.

The free online archive comes in response to a new NASA policy, which requires that any NASA-funded research articles in peer-reviewed journals be publicly accessible within one year of publication.

“At NASA, we are celebrating this opportunity to extend access to our extensive portfolio of scientific and technical publications,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman. “Through open access and innovation we invite the global community to join us in exploring Earth, air, and space.”

Continue reading “NASA just made all the scientific research it funds available for free” »

Many lower organisms retain the miraculous ability to regenerate form and function of almost any tissue after injury. Humans share many of our genes with these organisms, but our capacity for regeneration is limited. Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, are studying the genetics of these organisms to find out how regenerative mechanisms might be activated in humans.

The ability of animals to regenerate body parts has fascinated scientists since the time of Aristotle. But until the advent of sophisticated tools for genetic and computational analysis, scientists had no way of studying the genetic machinery that enables regeneration. Using such tools, scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory have identified genetic regulators governing regeneration that are common across species.

In a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, MDI Biological Laboratory scientists Benjamin L. King, Ph.D., and Voot P. Yin, Ph.D., identified these common genetic regulators in three regenerative species: the zebrafish, a common aquarium fish originally from India; the axolotl, a salamander native to the lakes of Mexico; and the bichir, a ray-finned fish from Africa.