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Aug 6, 2023

DNA-origami-directed virus capsid polymorphism

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, nanotechnology

Seitz et al. use DNA origami as a scaffold for viral capsid proteins to create virus capsids in the shapes of rings, tubes, and more! They employ cryo-EM to obtain 3D structures of some of their nanomolecular constructs and they show that multi-layer capsids occur at high concentrations of capsid proteins. Exciting work! #nanotechnology #biotechnology #syntheticbiology #genetherapy


DNA and RNA origami nanostructures direct the size, shape and topology of different virus capsids in a user-defined manner while shielding encapsulated origamis from degradation.

Aug 6, 2023

‘We repeated ignition’: Lab behind nuclear fusion breakthrough duplicates success after months of near-misses

Posted by in categories: military, nuclear energy, particle physics

They finally reached ignition again last week, according to a statement Sunday from the lab. The news was first reported by the Financial Times.

“In an experiment conducted on July 30, we repeated ignition,” the statement read. “Analysis of those results is underway. As is our standard practice, we plan on reporting those results at upcoming scientific conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.”

Unlike fission, the process used in current nuclear power plants, fusion involves smashing atoms together instead of splitting them apart. It theoretically can supply carbon-free energy without long-lasting radioactive waste. But generations of scientists have struggled to master it in a controlled reaction, even though it has been the power source of nuclear weapons for decades.

Aug 6, 2023

Potter Crafts Portable Clay Fridge To Keep Veggies, Curd Fresh Without Electricity

Posted by in category: health

“As our health has started deteriorating, more people are moving towards old habits now. We have been following a simple life since our birth and are healthy. I am happy that people are learning about the benefits of clay pots and cooking in them. To help people live sustainably, I have built this fridge,” he adds.

However, he notes, due to a shortage of potters, he is unable to make more fridges and other products.

“I used to have four people helping me, now only two of them continue, and even they are old. No youngster comes to this field nowadays. They think that those who do pottery are dirty, as our hands get dirty. That’s why we have to limit our production,” he laments.

Aug 6, 2023

Report: AI Will Take More Jobs Away from Women Than Men

Posted by in categories: employment, robotics/AI

Automation is many things, but apparently, it is not gender-neutral.

Aug 6, 2023

US dispatches warships after China and Russia send naval patrol near Alaska

Posted by in category: military

The US dispatched four navy warships as well as a reconnaissance airplane after multiple Chinese and Russian military vessels carried out a joint naval patrol near Alaska last week.

The combined naval patrol, which the Wall Street Journal first reported, appeared to be the largest such flotilla to approach US territory, according to experts that spoke to the outlet.

Aug 6, 2023

Elon Musk says X will pay the legal fees of users who are ‘unfairly treated’ by their boss for liking or posting content on the platform

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, law

The CEO has been outspoken about his commitment to free speech on X, formerly Twitter, and allowed previously blocked accounts back on the platform.

Aug 6, 2023

Novel proton-conductive membranes for automobile fuel cells

Posted by in categories: chemistry, energy, sustainability, transportation

Fuel cells are compact energy conversion units that utilize clean energy sources like hydrogen and convert them into electricity through a series of oxidation–reduction reactions. Specifically, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), an integral part of electric vehicles, utilize proton-conductive membranes for operation. Unfortunately, these membranes suffer from a trade-off between high durability and high ion conductivity, affecting the lifetime and performance of PEMFCs.

To overcome this issue, scientists have synthesized chemically and physically modified perfluorosulfonic acid polymer membranes, such as Nafion HP, Nafion XL, and Gore-Select, which have proven to be much more durable than unmodified membranes conventionally employed in fuel-cell operations.

Unfortunately, none of the existing proton-conductive membranes have fulfilled the highly challenging technical target—passing an accelerated durability test or a combined chemical and mechanical test—set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to facilitate their use in automobile fuel cells by 2025.

Aug 6, 2023

Robots could soon be stocking Canadian grocery store shelves

Posted by in categories: employment, robotics/AI

We could soon see AI-powered robots taking over several jobs in Canadian grocery stores. Richard Southern with how a labour strike in one part of the country could have nationwide implications.

Aug 6, 2023

Indian lunar landing mission enters moon’s orbit

Posted by in category: space

India’s latest space mission entered the moon’s orbit on Saturday ahead of the country’s second attempted lunar landing, as its cut-price space program seeks to reach new heights.

The world’s most populous nation has a comparatively low-budget aerospace program that is rapidly closing in on the milestones set by global space powers.

Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the .

Aug 6, 2023

First CRISPR’d cockroaches open door to other gene-edited insects

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics

It’s now easier for scientists to create gene-edited insects thanks to a new technique called “direct parental CRISPR.”