The breakthrough wasn’t speed or scale, but a neural architecture that finally respected protein geometry.
AlphaFold didn’t accelerate biology by running faster experiments. It changed the engineering assumptions behind protein structure prediction.
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Pressing pause: A small genetic stop may have helped complex life evolve
Humans have it. So does Drosophila. But not yeast. That “it” is a small pause at the start of gene activity—a brief molecular halt that may have helped life evolve from simple cells to complex animals.
A new study by Charles Danko, associate professor in life science and technology at Cornell’s Baker Institute for Animal Health and in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and colleagues explores how this key step in gene regulation—promoter-proximal pausing—evolved across species.
Promoter-proximal pausing occurs just after a cell’s molecular “copy machine”– RNA polymerase II—is activated. The polymerase temporarily stops, usually after about 20 to 60 nucleotides or “letters” of the gene, waiting for further signals.
Invisible heat insulators
Researchers in Science have developed a clear, high-insulating material they say could be used to produce ultra-efficient windows and thus reduce the energy use of buildings dramatically worldwide.
Learn more in a new Science Perspective.
A nanotube network with precisely engineered pores could replace insulating components in windows.
Longnan Li and Wei Li Authors Info & Affiliations
Science
Vol 390, Issue 6778
How the nervous system activates repair after spinal cord injury
Through in vivo enhancer screening, the researchers also demonstrate that injury-responsive enhancers can selectively target reactive astrocytes across the CNS using therapeutically relevant gene delivery vectors.
“We have shown how cells read these instructions through a code that tells them how to react to injury. This code combines signals from general stress factors with the cell’s own identity,” explains the researcher.
After a spinal cord injury, cells in the brain and spinal cord change to cope with stress and repair tissue. A new study published in Nature Neuroscience, shows that this response is controlled by specific DNA sequences. This knowledge could help develop more targeted treatments.
When the central nervous system is damaged – for example, in a spinal cord injury – many cells become reactive. This means they change their function and activate genes that protect and repair tissue. However, how this process is regulated has long been unclear.
Researchers have now mapped thousands of so-called enhancers; small DNA sequences that act like ‘switches’ for genes, turning them on or boosting their activity.
Functions in Hyperspace
Functions describe the world. Join me on a tour of hyperspace, and see the many strange creatures that live there. They are just functions with lots of inputs and outputs. They are parametric surfaces that take inputs u and v, and output spatial x, y, z coordinates, and r, g, b, a color outputs. This produces a colored 3D surface. Then you can add additional inputs and visualize a single slice of each input parameter, and slide through different parameter values to see different slices of the function over time. This causes the colored surface to evolve over time.
I take my time to build up the mathematical intuitions behind visualizing functions, starting with 1-in-1-out functions, and pushing it up to 7-in-7-out functions, and beyond.
Enter Hyperspace: https://evolvecode.io/hyperspace/inde… Code: https://github.com/MaxRobinsonTheGrea… Discord: / discord ~SUPPORT ME~ Scrimba: https://scrimba.com/?via=EmergentGarden Patreon:
/ emergentgarden Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/emergentgarden Twitter:
/ max_romana Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emergentgard… ~SOURCES~ Functions Describe the World:
• On Mathematical Maturity Thomas Garrity Hyperspace animation:
• Blender Hyperspace Jump Shell Surfaces: https://www.geogebra.org/m/twfwsxb9 Music:
/ @acolyte-compositions Most come from this new album:
• Stellar Nurseries (Full Album) AI Disclaimer: I used AI code tools for the website and animations. No AI video, images, script, voice, or music were used. ~TIMESTAMPS~ (0:00) Functions in Hyperspace (2:47) Visualizing Functions (5:37) Parametric Surfaces (10:01) Slices of Slices (14:55) More Parameters (18:28) Exploring the Zoo.
Source Code: https://github.com/MaxRobinsonTheGrea…
Discord: / discord.
~SUPPORT ME~
Scrimba: https://scrimba.com/?via=EmergentGarden.
Patreon: / emergentgarden.
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/emergentgarden.
Twitter: / max_romana.
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emergentgard…
~SOURCES~
Functions Describe the World: • On Mathematical Maturity Thomas Garrity.
Hyperspace animation: • Blender Hyperspace Jump.
Shell Surfaces: https://www.geogebra.org/m/twfwsxb9
Music: / @acolyte-compositions.
Most come from this new album: • Stellar Nurseries (Full Album)
AI Disclaimer:
Consciousness breaks from the physical world by keeping the past alive
Conscious experiences of change, from seeing a bird take flight to listening to a melody, cannot be broken down into ever smaller units of experience. They must inhabit what William James called the “specious present,” a sliding window of time where the immediate past and present overlap. Philosopher Lyu Zhou argues that this exposes a deep rift between mind and matter. When the physical world undergoes change, it does so through succession – one physical state replaces another, and the past is gone – whereas consciousness requires the active retention of the past inside the present, revealing its fundamentally non-physical nature.
1. Consciousness, change and time
You are now conscious as you read this article. Is your consciousness physical? Many today think it is. They claim that it either is a physical system made of matter – most likely the neural network of your brain – or is realized by matter through a physical process, most likely by your brain through a neural biochemical process. However, I hope to convince you that this view is wrong. I hope to show you that your immediate present consciousness has certain features that physical systems and processes cannot have.
A jolt to the system: Biophysicists uncover new electrical transmission in cells
Many biological processes are regulated by electricity—from nerve impulses to heartbeats to the movement of molecules in and out of cells.
A study by Scripps Research scientists reveals a previously unknown potential regulator of this bioelectricity: droplet-like structures called condensates. Condensates are better known for their role in compartmentalizing the cell, but this study shows they can also act as tiny biological batteries that charge the cell membrane from within.
The team showed that when electrically charged condensates collide with cell membranes, they change the cell membrane’s voltage—which influences the amount of electrical charge flowing across the membrane—at the point of contact.
We 3D Printed a Brain
Join us on this fascinating journey as we delve into the world of 3D printing and bring a brain to life. From designing the complex neural networks to layer by layer printing, we’ll take you through the entire process of creating a realistic brain replica using cutting-edge 3D printing technology. Witness the intricate details and textures that make this brain model a true marvel of modern innovation. Whether you’re a science enthusiast, a 3D printing aficionado, or simply curious about the possibilities of additive manufacturing, this video is sure to leave you amazed and inspired. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to explore the incredible world of 3D printing.
World’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that mirrors human brain function
🧠💡 Thinking about organ transplants?
🔬 A team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has achieved a groundbreaking milestone!
🌐 They’ve developed the world’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that mirrors human brain function.
🚀 This is a giant leap forward for research into neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders.
🖨️ Utilizing a horizontal layering technique and a softer bio-ink, this 3D-printing method allows neurons to weave together, forming networks similar to those in the human brain.
🔍 This precision in controlling cell types and arrangements opens new doors for studying neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.