A mammoth tooth uncovered from the Siberian permafrost yields the oldest DNA yet discovered and provides insight into the evolution of the giant beasts. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/worlds-oldest-dna-mammoth-evolution-video…
Tag: gene
Ghana Scientist Tries Gene Editing To Create Healthier Sweet Potatoes
The Cornell Alliance for Science seeks to build “a significant international alliance of partners” to “correct misinformation and counter conspiracy theories” slowing progress on climate change, synthetic biology, agricultural innovations, and other issues. Slashdot reader wooloohoo shares their article about research on Ghana’s first gene-edited crop — a high-yielding sweet potato with increased beta carotone content. “For sweet potatoes, we want…
Mini brains genetically altered with CRISPR to be Neanderthal-like
Miniature brains grown in the lab are helping to reveal how modern humans survived when other hominins died out, by comparing their development when a key gene is altered Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2267610-mini-brains-genetically-altered-with-crispr-to-be-neanderthal-like/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
To the Moon? Dogecoin Leaps 46% in 24 Hours After Tweets From Elon Musk, Snoop Dogg
Friday the 71-year-old former lead singer of the band Kiss tweeted “I bought Dogecoin…six figures,” to his 922,000 followers, along with other supportive tweets. Saturday rap artist Snoop Dogg tweeted an image of “Snoop Doge” to his 19.2 million followers. Later Elon Musk tweeted a picture from the Lion King with Musk’s head appearing on a monkey holding up a monkey…
The stars Shaula and Lesath as heralds of spring
On February mornings, look for the celestial ducks returning to open water on the river of the Milky Way as the stars Shaula and Lesath make their appearance. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/two-stars-in-scorpius-are-a-harbinger-of-spring…
CNN: Tesla’s Net Profit ‘Doesn’t Come From Selling Cars’
“Tesla posted its first full year of net income in 2020 — but not because of sales to its customers,” reports CNN: Eleven states require automakers sell a certain percentage of zero-emissions vehicles by 2025. If they can’t, the automakers have to buy regulatory credits from another automaker that meets those requirements — such as Tesla, which exclusively sells electric cars….
Researchers Try Using CRISPR To Genetically Engineer Zika-Resistant Mosquitoes
A new research study at the University of Missouri is using CRISPR gene-editing technology to produce mosquitoes that are unable to replicate Zika virus and therefore cannot infect a human through biting. Slashdot reader wooloohoo shared an announcement from Cornell’s Alliance for Science: Alexander Franz, an associate professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, collaborated with researchers at Colorado State…
CRISPR gene editing used to store data in DNA inside living cells
Biologists have used CRISPR gene editing to store information inside DNA in living bacterial cells, which could become a storage medium of the future Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2264383-crispr-gene-editing-used-to-store-data-in-dna-inside-living-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
CRISPR doubles lifespan of mice with rapid ageing disease progeria
CRISPR gene editing in mice has been used to correct a mutation that can cause rapid ageing, dramatically improving the animals’ health and lifespan Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2264168-crispr-doubles-lifespan-of-mice-with-rapid-ageing-disease-progeria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Biomarker of Alzheimer’s Found To Be Regulated By Sleep Cycles
Following a 2018 study demonstrating how disrupted sleep can accelerate the buildup of toxic plaques associated with the disease, scientists from Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St. Louis have now identified a protein implicated in the progression of the disease that appears highly regulated by the circadian rhythm, helping them join the dots and providing a potential new therapeutic…