Lifeboat Foundation

These molecules, which could be up to 170,000 years old, could one day help yield the most complete picture yet of Neanderthal life.

The calcite-encrusted skeleton of an ancient human, still embedded in rock deep inside a cave in Italy, has yielded the oldest Neanderthal DNA ever found.

Of the respondents, 28 percent said they were more likely than not to use gene editing to make their babies smarter, and 38 percent said they’d use polygenic screening. The researchers also noted what they called a bandwagon effect, where people who were told something along the lines of “everyone else is doing it” were more likely to say they’d do it too. This is logical; our comfort with decisions is buoyed by a sense that others in our shoes would choose similarly.

It’s important to note, though, that the survey made it clear that genetically enhancing embryos didn’t come with a guaranteed result of a smarter kid. “In this study, we stipulated a realistic effect—that each service would increase the odds of having a child who attends a top-100 college by 2 percentage points, from 3 percent to 5 percent odds—and lots of people are still interested,” said Michelle N. Meyer, chair of the Department of Bioethics and Decision Sciences at Geisinger and first author of the article.

The numbers—28 and 38 percent—don’t seem high. That’s a little below and a little above one-third of total respondents who would use the technologies. But imagine walking around in a world where one out of every three people had had their genes tweaked before birth. Unsettling, no? The researchers said their results point to substantial and growing interest in genetic technologies for offspring enhancement, and that now is the time to get a national conversation going around regulations.

A team of researchers from Yale and the University of Connecticut (UConn) has developed a nanoparticle-based treatment that targets multiple culprits in glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.

The results are published in Science Advances (“Anti-seed PNAs targeting multiple oncomiRs for brain tumor therapy”).

A new treatment developed by Yale researchers uses bioadhesive nanoparticles that adhere to the site of the tumor and then slowly release the synthesized peptide nucleic acids that they’re carrying. In this image, the nanoparticles (red) are visible within human glioma tumor cells (green with blue nuclei). (Image: Yale Cancer Center)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBqEXakNaq0

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Welcome to Futureunity, where we explore the fascinating world of science, technology, and the universe! From the inner workings of the human body to the outer reaches of space, we delve into the latest and most interesting discoveries that are shaping our world. Whether you’re a science buff or just looking for some mind-blowing facts, we’ve got you covered. Join us as we uncover the mysteries of the world around us and discover new frontiers in the fields of science and technology. Get ready for a journey that’s both educational and entertaining!

Continue reading “Scientists Just Discovered A New Black Hole That Breaks Modern Theories!” »

Dr. Nick Melosh at the BrainMind Summit hosted at Stanford, interviewed by BrainMind member Christian Bailey.

Nick Melosh is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University. Nick’s research at Stanford focuses on how to design new inorganic structures to seamlessly integrate with biological systems to address problems that are not feasible by other means. This involves both fundamental work such as to deeply understand how lipid membranes interact with inorganic surfaces, electrokinetic phenomena in biologically relevant solutions, and applying this knowledge into new device designs. Examples of this include “nanostraw” drug delivery platforms for direct delivery or extraction of material through the cell wall using a biomimetic gap-junction made using nanoscale semiconductor processing techniques. We also engineer materials and structures for neural interfaces and electronics pertinent to highly parallel data acquisition and recording. For instance, we have created inorganic electrodes that mimic the hydrophobic banding of natural transmembrane proteins, allowing them to ‘fuse’ into the cell wall, providing a tight electrical junction for solid-state patch clamping. In addition to significant efforts at engineering surfaces at the molecular level, we also work on ‘bridge’ projects that span between engineering and biological/clinical needs. My long history with nano-and microfabrication techniques and their interactions with biological constructs provide the skills necessary to fabricate and analyze new bio-electronic systems.”

Continue reading “Nanotechnology meets Neuroscience — Nicholas Melosh at BrainMind” »

Gabriel Kreiman is a Professor at Harvard Medical School. He is on faculty at Children’s Hospital and the Center for Brain Science at Harvard University. He is Associate Director and Thrust Leader in the Harvard/MIT Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines. He received his MSc and PhD from the California Institute of Technology and pursued postdoctoral work with Professor Poggio at MIT.

The Kreiman laboratory combines behavioral metrics, neurophysiological recordings and computational models to understand cognitive function and to build biologically inspired Artificial Intelligence systems. Kreiman’s work has focused on two main themes: understanding the transformation of pixel-like inputs into rich and complex visual percepts; and elucidating the subjectively filters incoming inputs to create lasting narratives that constitute the fabric of our personal experiences and knowledge.

In 1959, Richard Feynman made the famous assertion that one day we will be able to swallow the surgeon. Advancements in nanomedicine are making that dream come true. Nanoroboticist Metin Sitti shows the tiny robot that can take pictures, biopsy, and deliver medicine inside of you.

Watch the full program here: https://youtu.be/FzFY5ms3AUc.
Original program date: May 30, 2013

Continue reading “The Nanorobot Surgeon You Can Swallow” »

Science fiction has become a reality with recent developments toward biohacking through nanotechnology. Soon, science and industries may soon realize the potential of human hacking… but at what risk versus reward? Medical nanotechnology is one of these such topics. Many experts believe nanotechnology will pave the way for a bright, new future in improving our wellbeing. Yet, at the core of this biohacking are machines and as we’ve seen with other technologies — there are very real risks of malicious intent. In this video, we share some of the applications being developed combining nanotechnology and medicine. We also look at the potential risks found in the practice and how we may mitigate issues before they’re problematic. We also share how companies can reduce security flaws and curb public perception so the nanotechnology industry can flourish without major setbacks. Want to learn more about this budding area of science and medicine?

See our accompanying blog post for the details and be sure to dig around the site, here:

Continue reading “Nanotechnology: Hacking Humans, Its Potential, and Real Risks” »

Many of the proteins that play a crucial role in living cells adhere to a core principle of biology: their form, or shape, fits their function. But there is also a vast number of proteins and their parts that defy that dogma.

Why it matters: New findings are revealing how these flexible, disordered proteins work — and deciphering their role in human diseases and potential treatments.

How it works: Whether many medicines, immune cells, or the moment-to-moment inner workings of cells function depends on the shape of proteins they interact with or use.