Lifeboat Foundation

The rebooting came in the form of a gene therapy involving three genes that instruct cells to reprogram themselves—in the case of the mice, the instructions guided the cells to restart the epigenetic changes that defined their identity as, for example, kidney and skin cells, two cell types that are prone to the effects of aging. These genes came from the suite of so-called Yamanaka stem cells factors—a set of four genes that Nobel scientist Shinya Yamanaka in 2006 discovered can turn back the clock on adult cells to their embryonic, stem cell state so they can start their development, or differentiation process, all over again. Sinclair didn’t want to completely erase the cells’ epigenetic history, just reboot it enough to reset the epigenetic instructions. Using three of the four factors turned back the clock about 57%, enough to make the mice youthful again.

“We’re not making stem cells, but turning back the clock so they can regain their identity,” says Sinclair. “I’ve been really surprised by how universally it works. We haven’t found a cell type yet that we can’t age forward and backward.”

Rejuvenating cells in mice is one thing, but will the process work in humans? That’s Sinclair’s next step, and his team is already testing the system in non-human primates. The researchers are attaching a biological switch that would allow them to turn the clock on and off by tying the activation of the reprogramming genes to an antibiotic, doxycycline. Giving the animals doxycycline would start reversing the clock, and stopping the drug would halt the process. Sinclair is currently lab-testing the system with human neurons, skin, and fibroblast cells, which contribute to connective tissue.

A team of researchers at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science (KAIST) has succeeded in developing a new artificial muscle using graphene-liquid crystal composite fibers.

The team, led by Professor Kim Sang-ouk of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, stressed that the artificial muscle was found to be the most similar to human muscle among those reported to the scientific community so far.

Also, the artificial muscle showed up to 17 times stronger strength when compared to human muscles.

OpenAI is the developer of a new AI program called ChatGPT, capable of writing and conversing very much like a human.

On the first task, the general impression from teachers was that at best it provided a framework but not the details for lesson planning. The same was said about the letter-writing capabilities of the tool, and the composing of a rubric. On providing feedback on student work, the response was less than impressed with the comments and grading. And on writing a letter of recommendation, the comments stated that what ChatGPT came up with was “far too generic.” So all in all, the current version of ChatGPT as a teaching aid seems underwhelming.

Continue reading “Can an Artificial Intelligence Write Better Than a Human?” »

Kara Pure.

The winner of Consumer’s Electronic Show (CES) 2023 honoree, Kara Pure is more than just a water dispenser; it combines the air purifier, dehumidifier, water filter, and dispenser into a single sleek stainless-steel tower that is a constant source of pure drinking water.

A “Nightly News” segment from 1993 captures the early stages of how people were using the Internet.
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Continue reading “What The Internet Looked Like In The 1990s | Flashback | NBC News” »

Summary: Researchers develop a novel tool that allows for the study of the communication of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract and the brain.

Source: Baylor College of Medicine.

In the past decade, researchers have begun to appreciate the importance of a two-way communication that occurs between microbes in the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, known as the gut–brain axis.

Christian Meurer/iStock.

Now, sources like sunshine and wind are inconsistent so finding innovative ways to store energy in an accessible and efficient way is crucial. There are effective solutions for daily energy storage, like batteries, but a cost-effective long-term solution is lacking.

Even with their previous prices, the Tesla Model S and Model X are already formidable in their respective segments. But with their recently adjusted costs, Tesla’s two flagship electric vehicles just became a lot more competitive.

Following a recent round of price adjustments, the Tesla Model S and Model X are now more affordable. The flagship all-electric sedan now starts at $94,990 for its Dual Motor AWD variant. Previously, the vehicle started at $104,990. The Model S Plaid, on the other hand, now starts $114,990, a notable drop from its previous price of $135,990.

Every year, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) puts out its AI Index, a massive compendium of data and graphs that tries to sum up the current state of artificial intelligence. The 2022 AI Index, which came out this week, is as impressive as ever, with 190 pages covering R&D, technical performance, ethics, policy, education, and the economy. I’ve done you a favor by reading every page of the report and plucking out 12 charts that capture the state of play.

It’s worth noting that many of the trends I reported from last year’s 2021 index still hold. For example, we are still living in a golden AI summer with ever-increasing publications, the AI job market is still global, and there’s still a disconcerting gap between corporate recognition of AI risks and attempts to mitigate said risks. Rather than repeat those points here, we refer you to last year’s coverage.