Star Trek technobabble rapWe got a subspace anamoly, a graviton pulsewe got a catastrophic diagnostic cycle resultinertial dampeners just went offlineand tha...
Really enjoyed this one.
Technology that enables researchers to interpret brain signals could one day allow people to talk using only their thoughts.
Brain-machine interfaces implanted in the participants of this study in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and primary somatosensory cortex (S1) were successfully able to decode both internally spoken and vocalized words.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01867-y?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=1586f44658-nature-briefing-daily-20240514&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b27a691814-1586f44658-52006460 (open access)
The cells generated by the very first division of the fertilized egg make a lopsided contribution to the body’s organs and tissues.
This study performed lineage tracing of live human embryos from the first cleavage division until the blastocyst stage and discovered that the majority of cells in the EPI, the future human body, originate from one of the two cells in most embryos. The first blastomere to divide at the 2-cell stage has a higher likelihood to generate the first, and more, internalized cells at the 8-to-16-cell stage.
https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00455-0?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867424004550%3Fshowall%3Dtrue (open access)
Eternity was my favourite and I still use it sometimes, but now I'm mostly using boost.
From the earliest stages of the hot Big Bang (and even before) to our dark energy-dominated present, how and when did the Universe grow up?
An interesting article on the time line of the universe.
The Universe passed through many epochs, from free quarks and gluons to stable protons and neutrons to neutral atoms to stars, galaxies, planets, and more. The precise time at which these various epochs occurred, including the (current) dark energy-dominated era, can be pinpointed with precision. Here’s how we know.
A recent study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the Columbia Aging Center, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that individuals who engaged in mentally stimulating jobs during their 30s to 60s were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dem
A cohort study found that individuals who engaged in mentally stimulating jobs during their 30s to 60s were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia after turning 70, highlighting the importance of cognitive stimulation during midlife for maintaining cognitive function in old age. [It is important to note that this study identifies associations rather than direct causation of dementia.]
https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209353
I've been enjoying the launcher 10 launcher on my phone for more than two years now. Whenever I change my launcher, I keep going back to it. I find it to be so productive for my use. And the windows 10 live tiles ui is also great.
Researchers employ cutting-edge methods to create functional cells, closing the divide between synthetic and biological materials. In a new study published in Nature Chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins —
The engineering of artificial cells requires a reconfigurable cytoskeleton that can organize at distinct locations and dynamically modulate its structural and mechanical properties. This study combines peptide self-assembly with DNA programmability to realize a synthetic cytoskeleton in droplets showing that programmable peptide–DNA nanotechnology approach is a powerful platform towards the construction of functional, fully artificial cells.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-024-01509-w (open access)
The Children of Hurin is one of my favourite books. It's been a while since I read it, but I remember I loved it for the beautiful prose and just how sad (and messed up) the story is.
Yes, exactly.
Internet Watch Foundation has found a manual on dark web encouraging criminals to use software tools that remove clothing
Internet Watch Foundation has found a manual on dark web encouraging criminals to use software tools that remove clothing. The manipulated image could then be used against the child to blackmail them into sending more graphic content, the IWF said.
In this week’s newsletter: While Apple removed the platform from App Stores without a squeak of public protest, its battle with the EU rages on. Plus, how a ban in the US could change TikTok everywhere
While Apple removed the platform from App Stores without a squeak of public protest, its battle with the EU rages on.
"When an authoritarian regime tells Apple what it can do with the App Store, the company’s response is a curt single paragraph. When a democratic union tries to do the same, the response is vociferous and negative."
Reading English, August by Upamanyu Chatterjee and listening to Jane Eyre.
Nowadays I'm using tubular which is newpipe with sponsor block and youtube dislike incorporated.
"“That’s not fair, you know. If we knew when we were going to die, people would lead better lives.” IF PEOPLE KNEW WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO DIE, I THINK THEY PROBABLY WOULDN’T LIVE AT ALL."
From Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett.
"LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?"
From Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett.
The long read: New research into the dying brain suggests the line between life and death may be less distinct than previously thought
"For all that science has learned about the workings of life, death remains among the most intractable of mysteries....
"New research into the dying brain suggests the line between life and death may be less distinct than previously thought...
"Death may be far more alive than we ever thought possible..."
Recent research illustrates how RNA molecules' chemical characteristics might have played a crucial role in the development of complex life forms. How did complex life manage to evolve on the early, inhospitable Earth? Initially, ribonucleic acid (RNA) must have existed to carry the first genetic i
This study reveals how life’s complexity could originate from simple RNA molecules on early Earth. Through experiments demonstrating RNA’s recycling and replication abilities under conditions such as low salinity and high pH, the research suggests life could emerge from minimal molecular sets in environments akin to volcanic islands. This means that an RNA world could arise without the prior necessity for long complex sequences.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.3c10813# (open access)
The Earth that exists today wasn't formed simultaneously with the Sun and the other planets. In some ways, we're quite a latecomer.
An article which explains the formation of Earth and our solar system.
A molecule found in the diet could play a significant role in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of California, Davis, reveals that a ketogenic diet can significantly delay the early stages of Alzheimer’s-related memory loss in m
This study shows that a ketogenic diet slows early Alzheimer’s memory loss in mice, in which the molecule beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), plays an important role thus offering hope for its application in human ageing and cognitive health.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-05860-z (open access).
Digital. I've run out of space for storing physical books.
Researchers See Ancient Genes As Potential Targets for Dementia Treatment Genetic remnants of viruses that are naturally present in the human genome could affect the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at DZNE come to this conclusion on the basis of studies on cell cultures. They
This study uncovers that activation of endogenous retroviruses affects prion-like spreading of proteopathic seeds. It supports that endogenous retroviruses play a role in protein misfolding diseases and suggest that antiviral drugs could represent promising candidates for inhibiting protein aggregate spreading.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-40632-z (open access)
Scientists at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, part of the University of California San Diego, have discovered thousands of new bile acids. These molecules are used by our gut microbiome to communicate with the rest of the body. “Bile acids are a key component of the lan
This study has used publicly available MS/MS spectra for bile-acid-selective ion patterns to identify thousands of polyamine bile amidates. It highlights the existence of many more bile acid modifications than previously recognized and the value of leveraging public large-scale untargeted metabolomics data to discover metabolites.
A Stanford Medicine study found that metformin, a commonly prescribed diabetes drug associated with moderate weight loss, stimulates production of lac-phe, a molecule abundant after exercise. An “anti-hunger” molecule produced after vigorous exercise is responsible for the moderate weight loss caus
Metformin is a widely prescribed anti-diabetic medicine that also reduces body weight. There is ongoing debate about the mechanisms that mediate metformin’s effects on energy balance. This study shows that metformin induces the formation of hunger-reducing metabolite N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe), a byproduct of muscle fatigue and an amino acid called phenylalanine, found after heavy exercise.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-024-00999-9
Examining rates based on age, race, and tumor characteristics could guide the development of prevention strategies. Over the past twenty years, there has been a consistent rise in breast cancer diagnoses among women younger than 50, with the rate of increase becoming more pronounced in recent years
Breast cancer diagnoses in women under 50 have increased significantly in the past two decades, primarily driven by estrogen-receptor positive tumors. This research highlights the importance of early detection and the need for prevention strategies. Prevention efforts in young women need to adopt a targeted approach to address racial disparities in incidence rates observed at different age phases.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2814306 (open access)
Loss of privacy is just the beginning. Workers are worried about biased AI and the need to perform the ‘right’ expressions and body language for the algorithms.
Emotion artificial intelligence uses biological signals such as vocal tone, facial expressions and data from wearable devices as well as text and how people use their computers, to detect and predict how someone is feeling. It can be used in the workplace, for hiring, etc. Loss of privacy is just the beginning. Workers are worried about biased AI and the need to perform the ‘right’ expressions and body language for the algorithms.
Fighting for voter access is an inevitable part of any democracy, from ancient Rome to the US today. Roman legislators were able to thwart elite political sway by introducing written ballots.
An interesting story of how a silver denarius, minted over 2,000 years ago, reveals efforts taken by Ancient Rome to counter voter intimidation and manipulation during elections.
Experts say Gemini was not thoroughly tested, after image generator depicted variety of historical figures as people of colour
Brin’s “We definitely messed up.”, at an AI “hackathon” event on 2 March, followed a slew of social media posts showing Gemini’s image generation tool depicting a variety of historical figures – including popes, founding fathers of the US and, most excruciatingly, German second world war soldiers – as people of colour.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a novel triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell that can achieve a certified world-record power conversion efficiency of 27.1 percent across a solar energy absorption area of 1 sq cm. This achievement marks the highest
This study demonstrates, for the first time, the successful integration of cyanate into a perovskite solar cell to develop a cutting-edge triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell,proving cyanates to be viable substitute for halides in perovskite-based solar cells. An efficiency of 27.1 percent was achieved.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07226-1