An update to an experiment run by Henry Cavendish in 1773 could be a cheaper and faster way to spot a potential dark matter particle – and may be 10,000 times more sensitive
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Monotheism, Scepticism and new Posthuman goddesses and gods
Ancient Egypt provides an excellent historical model of a permissive, non-monotheistic society that fostered a sophisticated philosophical and religious framework. In this civilization, the pantheon was not viewed as a collection of mutually exclusive, jealous deities, but rather as multifaceted expressions of a singular, underlying cosmic order, known as Ma’at (truth, balance, and justice). Egyptian gods were not distant, transcendent lawgivers, but dynamic, immanent forces embedded within the natural and social world.
This worldview can be understood through the lens of Steve Nichols’ lost primal eye theory of mind. In various posthuman movement (1988) and related works, Nichols argues that human consciousness is not static but evolving, and that our ancestors recognized a deeper, unitive potential rather than a rigid separation between humanity and the divine. In ancient Egypt, this dynamic was expressed through the idea that the Pharaoh, and ultimately all enlightened individuals, could transcend ordinary human limitation and realize a posthuman state. Rather than being subjects of an external master, humans could merge with the cosmos, making the Egyptian model an early manifestation of the posthuman approach to mind and consciousness. Even creation of your own afterlife, using MVT ‘aware circuits’
Prof Steve Nichols, May 2026.
Epigenetic Skin Aging and Its Reversal to Improve Skin Longevity across Ethnicities and Phototypes Using a Dihydromyricetin-Containing Serum: Results from a Prospective, Single-Cohort Study — Dermatology and Therapy
Skin aging is driven by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Epigenetic alterations are one primary hallmark of aging and powerful biomarkers of biological skin age. To investigate epigenetic skin aging mechanisms and their regulation as a skin longevity approach across diverse ethnicities and phototypes, we assessed epidermal methylomes from white, African, and Asian donors.
We collected epidermis samples from 17 multi-ethnic donors with diverse phototypes using a newly established tape-stripping method followed by array-based DNA methylation profiling to investigate the robustness of DNA methylation clocks across diverse ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, we conducted a clinical study with 60 participants representing Fitzpatrick phototypes I–VI. Diverse clinical parameters and biological skin age of the volunteers were determined at baseline and after applying a serum containing the natural epigenetic inhibitor dihydromyricetin (DHM) for 8 weeks to investigate skin longevity effects across phototypes.
Data analysis revealed that age-dependent DNA hypermethylation is conserved across populations and affects genes essential for keratinocyte vitality and longevity. A newly developed epidermal methylation clock accurately predicted biological age in multi-ethnic cohorts, confirming the robustness of epigenetic age estimation across phototypes. Topical application of a DHM-containing serum significantly reduced epidermal DNA methylation age. Epigenetic rejuvenation was associated with clinical improvements, including reduced skin roughness and wrinkle visibility and occupancy, and increased dermal echogenicity.
New DNA-Based Therapy Can Help Lower ‘Bad Cholesterol’ Without Statins, Finds Study
Scientists may have found a powerful new way to lower “bad” cholesterol, which did not involve the use of statin medicines. In a recent study, researchers used tiny DNA-based molecules to cut levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol by nearly 50% in animal models. This was done without the side effects that are often linked to statins. If these results stay consistent in large human trials, the therapy could become an important option for people who cannot tolerate statins or who still have high cholesterol despite taking them. The study was led by Carles J. Ciudad and Veronica Noe from the University of Barcelona’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), working with Nathalie Pamir at the University of Oregon in Portland (United States). It was published in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology.
High LDL cholesterol is one of the biggest risk factors for heart attacks and strokes because it leads to the build up fatty plaques in arteries. Drugs like statins work well for many, but some people suffer from muscle aches, digestive issues, or liver problems and have to stop them. However, the new approach is different. Instead of changing how the liver handles fats, it targets a specific protein in the blood that controls how much LDL stays circulating.
