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Go to Space with Frank White

A long time ago I became friends with a guy named Frank White. He was working with president Reagan’s National Commission on Space, and my friend Dave Brody and I were shooting a documentary where we were interviewing some of the Commission members. We hit it off immediately. Fellow O’Neillians all. Since then Frank has become a close buddy and ally in the cause of the Space Revolution. Our styles couldn’t be more different I am the Charge the enemy! guy and he is a gentle, quiet human being. Along the way to the Frontier, he coined the term OverView Effect, as a means of expressing what happens to people when they fly above the MotherWorld and gaze back at her. He nailed it with that one. Dude’s got himself a real-live “meme”! And I couldn’t be happier. So now it’s time to get the man up there so he can get “Effected” himself! The team at MoonDAO are raising funds right now to send this beautiful human into space. You can help! They’ve already raised over $150k! So join in right now and let’s do this thing! Send Frank to Space! Right now! Make a donation! UP!

Want to go to space? Join Frank White and bring the Overview Effect to Earth to help unite humanity.

Fungus from NASA cleanrooms could survive Mars conditions

“The presence of fungal species in cleanroom environments, their potential to survive prolonged exposure to space conditions, in combination with the results of this study, underscore fungal conidia as a significant consideration for planetary protection.” [ https://www.labroots.com/trending/space/30458/fungus-nasa-cl…nditions-2](https://www.labroots.com/trending/space/30458/fungus-nasa-cl…nditions-2)

NASA cleanrooms exist to keep spacecraft free of fungus and bacteria that could unknowingly hitch a ride to another world. But what if these procedures aren’t sufficient? This is what a recent study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated if decontamination strategies outlined by NASA’s planetary protection office are sufficient in preventing fungus and bacteria on Earth from contaminating other worlds.

For the study, the researchers conducted a series of experimental simulations to ascertain the survival probabilities of several microorganisms and whether they would survive on Mars and during the journey to the Red Planet. The primary goal of this study was to address a knowledge gap with planetary protection, specifically whether current protocols are sufficient in preventing bacteria and other microorganisms from hitching a ride on spacecraft to other worlds.

In the end, the researchers found that a known fungus called Aspergillus calidoustus (A. calidoustus) was found to survive sterilization procedures, contrary to rigorous cleaning. Additionally, the researchers found that A. calidoustus would not only survive the trip to Mars, but it could also survive on the surface of Mars despite the extreme radiation and temperatures. However, the team did find that A. calidoustus met its end when exposed to a combination of radiation and the extreme cold of the Martian surface.

Mini brain-like structures grown in lab may help scientists treat, diagnose and stage Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine report new evidence that clusters of brain tissue derived from the cells of patients with Alzheimer’s disease may be used to evaluate how certain patients with the neurodegenerative condition may respond to drugs commonly prescribed to treat psychiatric symptoms of the disorder. The findings, based on a study of lab-grown brain tissues known as organoids, contribute to a growing body of evidence that brain organoids may also one day be used to more precisely develop and prescribe treatments for subgroups of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, and affects more than seven million Americans.

In addition, the researchers found that tiny particles, known as extracellular vesicles, which are secreted by organoids, may contain cellular information that could help scientists find new biomarkers to diagnose and stage Alzheimer’s disease. A report of the findings is published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

“Our study suggests that large-scale, patient-derived brain organoids and the vesicles they secrete can help us stage Alzheimer’s disease, investigate the mechanisms that drive it and assess how patient subgroups may respond to different treatments,” says study leader Vasiliki Machairaki, Ph.D., associate professor of genetic medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Ancient DNA reveals pervasive directional selection across West Eurasia

The researchers found that natural selection has played a much larger role in determining which traits survived or declined since the Ice Age, identifying 479 genetic variations that were greatly impacted — many more than the 20 previous instances of directional selection.

Analysis of 15,836 ancient West Eurasian genomes reveals hundreds of instances of directional selection, showing that sustained changes in allele frequency were widespread, rather than being rare over this period as previously assumed.

Scientists stunned as bacteria rewire DNA machinery to shape cells

Cyanobacteria—ancient microbes that oxygenated Earth and made complex life possible—are still revealing surprises billions of years later. Scientists have now discovered that a molecular system once used to separate DNA has been repurposed into something entirely different: a structure that shapes the cell itself.

Nvidea CEO Jensen Huang follows just one rule to maximise daily productivity. ‘I do this every single morning, exactly the same way.’

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says his daily success comes from a simple habit, starting each morning by completing his highest priority task first. Speaking at the California Institute of Technology graduation ceremony, he explained that this approach gives him a sense of achievement early in the day and frees up time to focus on others.

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