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Feb 12, 2020

Everything You Need to Know About Superstar CRISPR Prime Editing

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Prime editing can change individual DNA letters, delete letters, or insert blocks of new letters into the genome, with minimal damage to the DNA strand.

Feb 12, 2020

Robot analysts are better than humans at picking stocks, a new study found

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Researchers at the University of Indiana found that robots made more profitable investment decisions than people. Personally I believe they can even be better at public administration and balancing budgets.

Feb 12, 2020

Following the first U.S. test of CRISPR gene editing in patients with advanced cancer

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical

Following the first U.S. test of CRISPR gene editing in patients with advanced cancer, researchers report findings in Science that represent an important step toward the ultimate goal of using gene editing to help a patient’s immune system attack cancer. Read the research: https://fcld.ly/y1nst2o

Feb 12, 2020

Researchers discover new arsenic compounds in rice fields

Posted by in categories: food, health

University of Bayreuth researchers, together with scientists from Italy and China, have for the first time systematically investigated under which conditions, and to what extent, sulphur-containing arsenic compounds are formed in rice-growing soils. To date, these thioarsenates have not been taken into account in assessments of the health effects of rice consumption. In the journal Nature Geoscience the scientists present their results and identify the urgent need for research with a view to protecting consumers from health risks.

A new measuring method for thioarsenates

The research team, headed by the Bayreuth environmental geochemist Prof. Dr. Britta Planer-Friedrich, has developed a measuring method by means of which thioarsenates in soils can be reliably detected. Up to now, the methods routinely used to monitor in rice fields have not been sufficient for this purpose. This is because they are not able to identify sulphur-containing arsenic compounds as such, or to distinguish them from oxygen-containing arsenic compounds. This shortcoming is highly problematic in terms of possible . At least one organic sulphur-containing arsenic compound discovered in rice fields is already known to be carcinogenic. This makes it all the more important to specifically detect organic sulphur-containing arsenic compounds, and to examine them for their toxicity. Presumably, these compounds have been confused with non-toxic organic oxygenated arsenic compounds up to now due to inadequate measurement procedures.

Feb 11, 2020

What You Can Learn From the Longest Study Conducted on Aging

Posted by in category: life extension

We have a lot to learn about healthy aging from longitudinal studies. These are the action steps from the longest study of aging you can implement today to age well.

Feb 11, 2020

Blenheim student selling his home-made nuclear fusion reactor on TradeMe

Posted by in category: nuclear energy

O.o.


The device’s maker says it could produce neutrons — a type of ionising radiation.

Feb 11, 2020

Boeing Has Patented a Plasma ‘Force Field’ to Protect Against Shock Waves

Posted by in category: military

Circa 2015


As weapons get more sophisticated, researchers are trying to build defence systems that can keep pace, and what’s better than a force field?

Aerospace and defence giant Boeing has been awarded a patent to develop a force field-like system that could protect military vehicles from shockwaves following explosions from missiles or improvised explosive devices.

Continue reading “Boeing Has Patented a Plasma ‘Force Field’ to Protect Against Shock Waves” »

Feb 11, 2020

Nick Bostrom on Superintelligence and the Future of AI

Posted by in categories: futurism, robotics/AI

Circa 2019


The brink of superintelligence could pose serious threats to the human race. This philosopher is attempting to fathom the future of AI so we can be ready.

Feb 11, 2020

These engineers are developing artificially intelligent hackers

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, security

Circa 2016


In a sign of the autonomous security of the future, a $2m contest wants teams to build a system that can exploit rivals’ vulnerabilities while fixing its own.

Feb 11, 2020

A Robot Has Just Passed a Classic Self-Awareness Test For The First Time

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, robotics/AI

https://youtube.com/watch?v=95aYLmG0wt8

Circa 2015


A researcher at Ransselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US has given three Nao robots an updated version of the classic ‘wise men puzzle’ self-awareness test… and one of them has managed to pass.

Continue reading “A Robot Has Just Passed a Classic Self-Awareness Test For The First Time” »