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Jul 22, 2021
100-Qubit Quantum Computing System Unveiled
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: computing, quantum physics
Startup reveals a unique quantum computing system.
Quantum computing startup claims it has a 100-qubit quantum computing system.
Jul 22, 2021
Brain Cells Snap Open Their DNA To Make Memories – Extent of DNA Double-Strand Breaks Is “Surprising and Concerning”
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, neuroscience
To quickly express learning and memory genes, brain cells snap both strands of DNA in many more places and cell types than previously realized, a new study shows.
The urgency to remember a dangerous experience requires the brain to make a series of potentially dangerous moves: Neurons and other brain cells snap open their DNA in numerous locations — more than previously realized, according to a new study — to provide quick access to genetic instructions for the mechanisms of memory storage.
The extent of these DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in multiple key brain regions is surprising and concerning, says study senior author Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT and director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, because while the breaks are routinely repaired, that process may become more flawed and fragile with age. Tsai’s lab has shown that lingering DSBs are associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline and that repair mechanisms can falter.
Jul 22, 2021
AI breakthrough could spark medical revolution
Posted by Sean Brazell in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI
A program has been used to predict the structures of nearly every protein in the human body.
Jul 22, 2021
RNA breakthrough creates crops that can grow 50% more potatoes, rice
Posted by Omuterema Akhahenda in categories: food, innovation
Manipulating RNA can allow plants to yield dramatically more crops, as well as increasing drought tolerance, announced a group of scientists from the University of Chicago, Peking University and Guizhou University.
In initial tests, adding a gene encoding for a protein called FTO to both rice and potato plants increased their yield by 50% in field tests. The plants grew significantly larger, produced longer root systems and were better able to tolerate drought stress. Analysis also showed that the plants had increased their rate of photosynthesis.
“The change really is dramatic,” said University of Chicago Prof. Chuan He, who together with Prof. Guifang Jia at Peking University, led the research. “What’s more, it worked with almost every type of plant we tried it with so far, and it’s a very simple modification to make.”
Jul 22, 2021
NASA finally knows what is beneath the surface of Mars
Posted by Atanas Atanasov in category: space
“The fact that we recorded it confirmed that the core is liquid.”
What you may not realize, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory geophysicist Mark Panning tells Inverse, is that those diagrams “are cartoons and guesses,” based on gravitational measurements. The only planet whose structure scientists actually understand in detail is Earth.
We know the innards of Earth through seismology measurements — something that hasn’t been available for other planets. This was true until just recently: According to a trio of papers published Thursday in Science, researchers can finally confirm Mars has a large liquid metal core.
Continue reading “NASA finally knows what is beneath the surface of Mars” »
Jul 22, 2021
First clear detection of moon-forming disc around exoplanet
Posted by Future Timeline in category: space
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have today reported the first clear detection of a moon-forming disc around an exoplanet.
Jul 22, 2021
DeepMind says it will release the structure of every protein known to science
Posted by Jamal Simpson in categories: robotics/AI, science
The company has already used AlphaFold, its protein folding AI, to generate structures for nearly all of the human proteome, as well as yeast, fruit flies, mice and more.
Jul 22, 2021
Home and office routers come under attack
Posted by Quinn Sena in categories: business, cybercrime/malcode, habitats
Stealth recon and intrusion
On Wednesday, France’s National Agency for Information Systems Security—abbreviated as ANSSI—warned national businesses and organizations that the group was behind a massive attack campaign that was using hacked routers prior to carrying out reconnaissance and attacks as a means to cover up the intrusions.
“ANSSI is currently handling a large intrusion campaign impacting numerous French entities,” an ANSSI advisory warned. “Attacks are still ongoing and are led by an intrusion set publicly referred to as APT31. It appears from our investigations that the threat actor uses a network of compromised home routers as operational relay boxes in order to perform stealth reconnaissance as well as attacks.”
Jul 22, 2021
Brain-Computer Implants Will Let Corporations Mine Your Thoughts for Cash, Researchers Warn
Posted by Jose Ruben Rodriguez Fuentes in categories: computing, neuroscience
Researchers paint a grim picture of a corporate mind-melding future via brain-computer interface technology that’s as addictive as opioids.