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Changing the number of chromosomes an animal has can take millions of generations to happen in nature through the course of evolution – and now, scientists have been able to make these same changes in lab mice in a relative blink of an eye.

The new technique using stem cells and gene editing is a major accomplishment, and one that the team is hoping will reveal more about how the rearrangement of chromosomes can influence the way that animals evolve over time.

Continue reading “Scientists Just Genetically Edited a Million Years of Evolution Into Mouse DNA” »

Orbiting around 420 kilometers (261 miles) above our heads, the astronauts of the Internation Space Station (ISS) get a view of Earth like no other. Sometimes, it’s spectacular auroras, other times it’s something more… curious.

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti – no stranger to having a bit of fun in space – took to Twitter yesterday to share what she called an “intriguing sight”, a bright dot apparently shining in the Negev desert in southern Israel. Related StoriesAfter 175 Years, Two False Conjectures, And The Birth Of Computing, This Theorem Finally Has A ProofExperiment To Find Elusive “Chameleon” Fifth Force Suggests It Doesn’t Actually ExistPerseverance Samples Hold Key To Understanding Water-Rich Martian Past.

Mathematical models suggest that with just a few more genes, it might be possible to define hundreds of cellular identities, more than enough to populate the tissues of complex organisms. It’s a finding that opens the door to experiments that could bring us closer to understanding how, eons ago, the system that builds us was built.

The Limits of Mutual Repression

Developmental biologists have illuminated many tipping points and chemical signals that prompt cells to follow one developmental pathway or another by studying natural cells. But researchers in the field of synthetic biology often take another approach, explained Michael Elowitz, a professor of biology and bioengineering at Caltech and an author of the new paper: They build a system of cell-fate control from scratch to see what it can tell us about what such systems require.

In 2021, scientists published a feasibility study about erecting solar panels over canals, and it’s about to become a reality.

In the years ahead, technology will continue to evolve, and it will become harder to identify deepfakes. Indeed, as people and businesses take to the metaverse and the Web3, it’s likely that avatars will be used to access and consume a broad range of services. Unless adequate protections are put in place, these digitally native avatars will likely prove easier to fake than human beings.

However, just as technology will advance to exploit this, it will also advance to detect it. For their part, security teams should look to stay up to date on new advances in detection and other innovative technologies to help combat this threat. The direction of travel for deepfakes is clear, businesses should start preparing now.

David Fairman is the chief information officer and chief security officer of APAC at Netskope.

Scientists have developed an ‘atomic television’ that uses lasers and atom clouds to carry a video signal that meets the traditional 480i resolution (480 horizontal lines) standard.

Just don’t expect it to be installed as part of your home entertainment setup any time soon.

Continue reading “Using Jumbo-Sized Atoms And Tiny Lasers, Researchers Have Created ‘Atomic Television’” »

Getting atoms to do what you want isn’t easy – but it’s at the heart of a lot of groundbreaking research in physics.

Creating and controlling the behavior of new forms of matter is of particular interest and an active area of research.

Our new study, published in Physical Review Letters, has uncovered a brand new way of sculpting ultracold atoms into different shapes using laser light.

With NASA’s Artemis 1 mission launching to the moon this month, Space.com is taking a look at what we know about the moon and why we care. Join us for our Moon Week special report in the countdown to Artemis 1.

Lunar exploration is often described, even in the moment, with the lofty language of history books and the achievements of humanity. And with good reason — each new mission to the moon presents the possibility of ground-breaking discovery and historic firsts. But without care, lunar missions could also endanger the historic sites of prior human exploration.

Israel is experimenting with desalinating sea water to replenish a freshwater lake. If it works, it could offer a solution to many other countries where lakes are drying up.