Lifeboat Foundation

Calculations predict that a light ‘hypernucleus’ containing a particle with two strange quarks will be stable

Adding an exotic particle known as a Xi hyperon to a helium nucleus with three nucleons could produce a nucleus that is temporarily stable, calculations by RIKEN nuclear physicists have predicted. This result will help experimentalists search for the nucleus and provide insights into both nuclear physics and the structure of neutron stars.

Normal atomic nuclei consist of protons and neutrons, which are collectively known as nucleons. Each proton and neutron in turn is made up of three quarks. Quarks come in six types: up, down, strange, charm, bottom and top. But protons and neutrons consist only of up and down quarks.

A few scant equations can explain a variety of phenomena in our universe, over vast gulfs of space and time. Here’s a taste of just how powerful modern physics can be.

The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system is an extremely powerful tool, but there are still a few kinks to iron out. One of the main problems is off-target edits, which can have serious consequences. Now, researchers have found a particular mutation of the CRISPR enzyme that’s almost 100 times more precise than the most commonly used one.

CRISPR gene-editing is based on a bacterial defense system, in which the bugs use a particular enzyme to snip out a section of a pathogen’s DNA and store it for future reference. Next time that pathogen is encountered, the system will recognize it and be better equipped to fight it off.

Scientists managed to co-opt this system as a handy genetic engineering tool. CRISPR-Cas9 uses this mechanism to scour a target’s genome for a specific sequence of DNA – say one that could cause disease – then cut it out, sometimes replacing it with a more beneficial sequence.

Cells infected with the new coronavirus grow stringy, tentacle-like arms that allow the virus to invade other cells, according to a new study.

The novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, has now infected more than 12.2 million people worldwide and killed more than 555,500, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard. To defeat the virus, researchers around the world are taking part in an unprecedented effort to find new drugs and repurpose old ones.

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Very true.

And as in most applications of #MachineLearning, healthcare #AI systems are extremely data-hungry.

Fortunately, a slew of new sensors and data acquisition methods — including over 302 million wearables shipped in 2019 — are bursting onto the scene to meet the massive demand for medical data.

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Dragon to the Moon?

The following memo was sent by the author to NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine and Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council, on June 30, 2020.

A mission equivalent to Apollo 8—call it “Artemis 8”—could be done, potentially as soon as this year, using Dragon, Falcon Heavy, and Falcon 9.

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Are you ready?

For now, the world’s top gamers can still beat the most sophisticated bots — but the tide may turn in as little as three years, according to a former StarCraft II champion.

Watch my hero Elon Musk.

Tesla CEO and tech mogul Elon Musk just swept past Warren Buffett on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index to become the world’s seventh wealthiest person. According to Bloomberg, Musk’s fortune on Friday increased by more than $6 billion, this came after Tesla’s stock which had been performing better than ever before in the past few weeks surged at the rate of 10.8% to an all-time high record of $1,544 per share. Its Market Capitalization value is standing at $286.5 billion which makes it the highest valued automotive company in the world.

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