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Iterative SCRaMbLE for engineering synthetic genome modules and chromosomes

SCRaMbLE can optimise traits via gene rearrangement but is limited by screening. Here the authors use FACS and long-read sequencing with iterative SCRaMbLE to map genotype diversity and gene arrangements, identifying solutions for improving genome design.

David Furman: How Microgravity Accelerates Aging & What It Teaches Us About Longevity | LSD 2025

In this Longevity Summit Dublin 2025 talk, Dr. David Furman (Buck Institute for Research on Aging) reveals how space medicine is becoming a powerful model for studying accelerated aging. From NASA collaborations to organoid experiments in simulated microgravity, Dr. Furman shows how heart, brain, and immune organoids age up to 10 years in just 24 hours — and how this can accelerate drug discovery for neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and immune decline. Learn how microgravity research can predict your biological future and identify interventions to slow or reverse aging.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & NASA collaboration.
01:25 Accelerated aging in astronauts.
03:02 Simulating microgravity with organoids.
05:16 Brain, heart & immune system aging signatures.
07:03 Biological age clocks in organoids.
09:22 Parkinson’s, cardiomyopathy & immune dysfunction findings.
11:56 Translating microgravity science into longevity medicine.
13:43 Predicting future aging trajectories.
15:34 Beyond Age – a clinical test for aging projection.
16:17 Closing remarks.

#LongevityScience #AgingResearch #Microgravity #SpaceMedicine #BiologicalAge #LongevitySummit

Russia’s plasma engine spacecraft could reach Mars in just 30 days

Rosatom scientists have announced the development of a plasma electric rocket engine that they claim could send spacecraft to Mars in just one to two months.

As reported by Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, unlike traditional rocket engines that rely on fuel combustion, this innovative propulsion system utilizes a magnetic plasma accelerator and promises to reduce interplanetary travel time significantly.


Russian scientists claim to have developed a plasma electric rocket engine that could enable travel to Mars in just one to two months.

Rodent study reveals different signaling codes for learned skills and clues about human movement disorders

Among the many wonders of the brain is its ability to master learned movements—a dance step, piano sonata, or tying our shoes—acquired through trial-and-error practice. For decades, neuroscientists have known that these tasks require a cluster of brain areas known as the basal ganglia.

According to a new study led by Harvard researchers in Nature Neuroscience, this so-called “learning machine” speaks in two different codes—one for recently-acquired learned movements and another for innate “natural” behaviors. These surprising findings from may shed light on human movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

“When we compared the codes across these two behavioral domains, we found that they were very different,” said Bence Ölveczky, professor of organismic and evolutionary biology (OEB).

Video: China claims first drone hunt of ‘hostile warship’

The People’s Liberation Army has released rare footage showing its reconnaissance drones tracking a ‘hostile warship,’ highlighting China’s increasing integration of unmanned systems with intelligence operations.

The video, aired in Forging Ahead, the PLA’s latest military documentary, depicts a coordinated mission involving the WZ-7 and WZ-10 unmanned aerial vehicles. Both are high-altitude, long-endurance platforms built by the Aviation Industry Corp (AVIC) of China for surveillance missions.

US copies Chinese HQ-22 missile to train for real-world combat

The US Air Force could soon add a new tool to its arsenal of training aids: a full-scale replica of China’s HQ-22 surface-to-air missile system.

The decoy, developed by US defense contractor Torch Technologies at its Integration and Prototyping Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is designed to mimic the real Chinese air defense weapon’s look, radar signature, and battlefield behavior.

The company said such surrogates are critical for preparing aircrews to face modern anti-aircraft threats in potential high-intensity conflicts.

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