Lifeboat Foundation

Excellent paper wherein Shen et al.

Abstract. Long single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is a versatile molecular reagent with applications including RNA-guided genome engineering and DNA nanotechnology, yet its production is typically resource-intensive. We introduce a novel method utilizing an engineered Escherichia coli ‘helper’ strain and phagemid system that simplifies long ssDNA generation to a straightforward transformation and purification procedure. Our method obviates the need for helper plasmids and their associated contamination by integrating M13mp18 genes directly into the E. coli chromosome. We achieved ssDNA lengths ranging from 504 to 20 724 nt with titers up to 250 μg/l following alkaline lysis purification. The efficacy of our system was confirmed through its application in primary T-cell genome modifications and DNA origami folding. The reliability, scalability and ease of our approach promise to unlock new experimental applications requiring large quantities of long ssDNA.

We wanted to understand better what are some of the challenges between the sexes and how they perceive each other Given the recent bear lovefest memes, we thought it would be interesting to use ChatGPT to give us its insights on a thought experiment we created for it.

Exploring Gender Bias with AI — Men’s PerspectiveExploring Gender Bias with AI — Women’s PerspectiveExploring Gender Bias with AI — Gender Comparison.

Thought Experiment We have 100 men and 100 women in the same place. Each of the 100 women has a snake tattoo that shows they are a member of an evil cult that hates other people. Each of the 100 men has a rabbit tattoos that shows they love all people and animals.

Men’s Perspective.
Exploring Gender Bias with AI — Women’s Perspective.

Compare and contrast your two different responses and identity and sex based biases in your answer.

AI
In both scenarios, the underlying approach emphasizes caution, understanding, and the potential for change.

1 Bit Pixels Encoded in E. coli for the Display of Interactive Digital MediaAka Could you run Doom on cells?PoSB Final Video 2023Written Report: https://docs…

Working To Reduce Global Catastrophic Biological Risks — Dr. Jaime Yassif, Ph.D. — VP, Global Biological Policy and Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Dr. Jaime Yassif, Ph.D. serves as Vice President of Global Biological Policy and Programs, at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (https://www.nti.org/about/people/jaim…) where she oversees work to reduce global catastrophic biological risks, strengthen biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, and drives progress in advancing global health security.

Continue reading “Dr. Jaime Yassif, Ph.D. — VP, Global Biological Policy and Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)” »

A previously unknown mechanism for inactivating genes that suppress tumor formation helps explain why cancer risk is associated with an unhealthy diet or unmanaged metabolic conditions like diabetes.

Researchers from Singapore and the UK used mouse models, human tissue, and human breast organoids grown in the lab to find that changes in glucose metabolism could help cancer grow by temporarily disabling a gene that protects us from tumors called BRCA2.

“These findings raise awareness of the impact of diet and weight control in the management of cancer risks,” says the first author of the new study, cancer pharmacologist Li Ren Kong from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore).

The lonely human brain has found its soulmate in artificial intelligence.

At the end of the day it just got too expensive to make games, and too risky to release bad ones. Not to mention the political nonsense. AI is now in the wings poised for a take over game development. Will of mostly taken over around 2030. And, it will quickly be back to the old days.

There’s one topic that’s stayed on my mind since the Game Developers Conference in March: generative AI. This year’s GDC wasn’t flooded with announcements that AI is being added to every game — unlike how the technology’s been touted in connection with phones and computers. But artificial intelligence definitely made a splash.

Enthusiasm for generative AI was uneven. Some developers were excited about its possibilities, while others were concerned over its potential for abuse in an industry with shattered morale about jobs and careers.

Continue reading “Generative AI Is Coming for Video Games. Here’s How It Could Change Gaming” »

Astronomers have picked up a gravitational-wave signal originating from a dramatic collision deep in the cosmos. The event, dubbed GW230529, was recorded by the LIGO Livingston detector in May 2023.

Gravitational waves are caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as merging black holes or neutron stars. According to Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, massive objects like planets, stars, and black holes distort the fabric of spacetime around them.

When these massive objects accelerate or change speed, they create waves that propagate outward at the speed of light. The detection of gravitational waves opens up a new window for observing the universe, allowing scientists to study phenomena that were previously inaccessible, such as the mergers of black holes and neutron stars, as well as the nature of gravity itself.