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Jul 4, 2023

AI combined with CRISPR precisely controls gene expression

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, robotics/AI

Artificial intelligence can predict on-and off-target activity of CRISPR tools that target RNA instead of DNA, according to new research published in Nature Biotechnology.

The study by researchers at New York University, Columbia University, and the New York Genome Center, combines a with CRISPR screens to control the expression of human in different ways—such as flicking a light switch to shut them off completely or by using a dimmer knob to partially turn down their activity. These precise gene controls could be used to develop new CRISPR-based therapies.

CRISPR is a gene editing technology with many uses in biomedicine and beyond, from treating sickle cell anemia to engineering tastier mustard greens. It often works by targeting DNA using an enzyme called Cas9. In recent years, scientists discovered another type of CRISPR that instead targets RNA using an enzyme called Cas13.

Jul 4, 2023

Scientists Train New AI Exclusively on the Dark Web

Posted by in categories: internet, law enforcement, robotics/AI

OpenAI’s large language models (LLMs) are trained on a vast array of datasets, pulling information from the internet’s dustiest and cobweb-covered corners.

But what if such a model were to crawl through the dark web — the internet’s seedy underbelly where you can host a site without your identity being public or even available to law enforcement — instead? A team of South Korean researchers did just that, creating an AI model dubbed DarkBERT to index some of the sketchiest domains on the internet.

It’s a fascinating glimpse into some of the murkiest corners of the World Wide Web, which have become synonymous with illegal and malicious activities from the sharing of leaked data to the sale of hard drugs.

Jul 4, 2023

$300,000 flying car gets special certification from FAA

Posted by in category: transportation

SAN MATEO, Calif. — A flying car being developed for both roadways and vertical takeoff and landing capabilities is now one step closer to becoming a reality after receiving a special approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Alef Aeronautics, based in San Mateo, California, has been developing the Model A flying car, which is 100% electric and will carry one or two occupants.

The company envisions the car, which costs roughly $300,000, saving individuals time during the commutes with the ability to fly over stopped traffic and accidents on roadways.

Jul 4, 2023

“Bicycle with a mind”: Urtopia announces World’s first e-bike with ChatGPT

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, transportation

Don’t know where the nearest café is? Or if it will rain today? Or even the meaning of life? Fear not, ask your e-bike.

An avant-garde company in the cycling industry has found the solution to your long lonely rides.

Continue reading “‘Bicycle with a mind’: Urtopia announces World’s first e-bike with ChatGPT” »

Jul 4, 2023

NASA awards Space Act Agreement contract for commercial astronaut jetpack

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, space

The US space agency continues to look toward the private sector as it plans for life beyond the International Space Station.

NASA has awarded a Space Act Agreement contract to Special Aerospace Services (SAS) to develop a commercial version of its Autonomous Maneuvering Unit (AMU) astronaut jetpack.

The move comes as the US space agency looks ahead to a future without the International Space Station (ISS), in which private companies will build and lift a series of commercial space stations to low Earth orbit.

Jul 4, 2023

NASA’s InSight lander discovers possible evidence of Mars’ liquid core

Posted by in category: space

What lies underneath Mars’ surface? Space scientists have long been curious about whether Mars’ core is solid or liquid.

What lies underneath Mars’ surface? Space scientists have long been curious whether Mars’ core is solid or liquid.

A team of experts led by the Royal Observatory of Belgium has discovered that Mars most likely has a liquid core.

Jul 4, 2023

China builds a ‘ground space station’ to simulate diverse conditions in space

Posted by in category: space

The ground-based space station comprises multiple chambers that simulate different environments, ranging from the lunar surface to microgravity.

China has developed first-of-its-kind space station simulators to conduct various experiments and test instruments on Earth, as per the South China Morning Post (SCMP)

Reportedly, the researchers have already begun the first experimental operations of this project, known as the ground space station.

Jul 4, 2023

One Shot of a Kidney Protein Gave Monkeys a Brain Boost

Posted by in category: neuroscience

An early experiment in older rhesus macaques suggests that an injection of klotho improves working memory. Could it one day help people?

Jul 4, 2023

Artificial intelligence fueling a rise of sextortion cases

Posted by in categories: cybercrime/malcode, education, finance, robotics/AI

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Artificial intelligence is already revolutionizing society – from healthcare and education to cybersecurity and even our courts. Despite all of its benefits, it has also given criminals an edge when it comes to deceiving us.

Financial sextortion is a crime in which a bad actor attempts to leverage personal material (think: naked pictures or videos) to force a victim into giving into their demands — usually money or other compromising material.

Jul 4, 2023

Study suggests resistance training can prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, neuroscience

Regular physical exercise, such as resistance training, can prevent Alzheimer’s disease, or at least delay the appearance of symptoms, and serves as a simple and affordable therapy for Alzheimer’s patients. This is the conclusion of an article published in Frontiers in Neuroscience by Brazilian researchers affiliated with the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) and the University of São Paulo (USP).

Although and dementia patients are unlikely to be able to do long daily runs or perform other high-intensity , these activities are the focus for most scientific studies on Alzheimer’s. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends as the best option to train balance, improve posture and prevent falls. Resistance exercise entails contraction of specific muscles against an external resistance and is considered an essential strategy to increase muscle mass, strength and bone density, and to improve overall body composition, functional capacity and balance. It also helps prevent or mitigate sarcopenia (muscle atrophy), making everyday tasks easier to perform.

To observe the neuroprotective effects of this practice, researchers in UNIFESP’s Departments of Physiology and Psychobiology, and the Department of Biochemistry at USP’s Institute of Chemistry (IQ-USP), conducted experiments involving with a mutation responsible for a buildup of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. The protein accumulates in the central nervous system, impairs synaptic connections and damages neurons, all of which are features of Alzheimer’s disease.