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Apr 8, 2019

This is the first computer-generated genome

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing

Scientists report the world’s first fully computer-generated genome of a living organism.

To do so, they used a new method that greatly simplifies the production of large DNA molecules containing many hundreds of genes. They report their work in PNAS.

All the genome sequences of organisms known throughout the world are stored in a database belonging to the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States. Now, the database has an additional entry: Caulobacter ethensis-2.0.

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Apr 8, 2019

This wild new reality-TV show is half Black Mirror and half Truman Show

Posted by in category: entertainment

Imagine Big Brother, but an entire town. Welcome to 2025, a show in Israel that explores the ideas of social currency and transparency–while watching its residents’ every move.

[Photo: courtesy of Keshet International].

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Apr 8, 2019

QC — Cracking RSA with Shor’s Algorithm

Posted by in categories: cybercrime/malcode, encryption, information science

With new advances in technology it all comes down to simple factoring. Classical factoring systems are outdated where some problems would take 80 billion years to solve but with new technologies such as the dwave 2 it can bring us up to speed to do the same problems in about 2 seconds. Shores algorithm shows us also we can hack anything with it simply would need the technology and code simple enough and strong enough. Basically with new infrastructure we can do like jason…


RSA is the standard cryptographic algorithm on the Internet. The method is publicly known but extremely hard to crack. It uses two keys for encryption. The public key is open and the client uses it to encrypt a random session key. Anyone intercepts the encrypted key must use the second key, the private key, to decrypt it. Otherwise, it is just garbage. Once the session key is decrypted, the server uses it to encrypt and decrypt further messages with a faster algorithm. So, as long as we keep the private key safe, the communication will be secure.

RSA encryption is based on a simple idea: prime factorization. Multiplying two prime numbers is pretty simple, but it is hard to factorize its result. For example, what are the factors for 507,906,452,803? Answer: 566,557 × 896,479.

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Apr 8, 2019

Senolytics Improve Recovery Following a Heart Attack

Posted by in category: life extension

In a new study, researchers show that the presence of senescent cells is an important contributor to aging of the cardiovascular system, particularly the heart [1].

Senescent cells and senolytics

As your body ages, increasing amounts of your cells enter into a state of senescence. Senescent cells do not divide or support the tissues of which they are part; instead, they emit a range of potentially harmful inflammatory chemical signals, which are known as the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP can also encourage other nearby healthy cells to also enter the same senescent state.

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Apr 8, 2019

SPACEWALK: On April 8, two astronauts kick off their work week aboard the International Space Station with a spacewalk!

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, space

Tune in beginning at 6:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, as Anne McClain of NASA and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency set up a redundant power supply for the station’s robotic arm. Watch live coverage here:

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Apr 8, 2019

What is a Nuclear Microreactor?

Posted by in category: nuclear energy

Learn about the BIG potential of microreactors.

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Apr 8, 2019

Two rival AI approaches combine to let machines learn about the world like a child

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Together, deep learning and symbolic reasoning create a program that learns in a remarkably humanlike way.

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Apr 8, 2019

British engineers complete test of their new high-speed ‘spaceplane’

Posted by in category: space travel

Reaction Engines, which is based in Oxfordshire, has tested their new pre-cooler’ technology — which allows aircraft to travel faster than ever with a Sabre engine designed to take planes into orbit.

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Apr 8, 2019

China’s NewSpace: Mapping of its 60+ Start-ups

Posted by in categories: finance, mapping, space

Chinese space has been a very hot topic in recent years. Other than the impressive space exploration missions (Tiangong, Chang’e…), the interest for China is also due to the recent opening up of this industry to private investments, which has led to a leap in the number of space start-ups. These start-ups, supported by venture capital heavy-weights are covering the entire space industrial chain: launchers, satellite platforms, satellite subsystems, satellite services, ground segment, etc.

The number of space start-ups on the other hand, is a debated question. Chen Lan estimated in November 2018 that there were over 100 Chinese space start-ups [1]. FutureAerospace, a Beijing-based think-tank, sets the number at around 60, at the same period [2]. Other space watchers have suggested 80 such as in [3]. However, how this count is made is rarely detailed (how do we define a “NewSpace company”?), and very few lists are available at the time of writing, if any. Up to now, only Disrupt Space, a start-up which plans to build a global space entrepreneurial community, has undertaken the establishment of a list, which sets the count at 35 Chinese space start-ups (see map below).

disrupt space mapping
Fig. 1 – Disrupt Space’s Chinese Space Start-up Mapping in November 2018 [4]

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Apr 8, 2019

MOF-based alternative could make for safer, cleaner rocket fuel

Posted by in category: energy

Hydrazine rocket fuel is highly toxic, carcinogenic and unstable, making it incredibly dangerous to work with. Scientists at McGill believe their new alternative, based on metal-organic frameworks, will lead to cleaner, safer, more controllable rockets.

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