The Nature Podcast: Biological Evolutionary Perspectives on Accelerators and Cosmic Microwave Backgrounds in Ape-Colliding Galaxies
Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers.
After decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales.
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How can humans reduce their environmental footprint? A study of brain-cell genetic engineering and genome sequencing of a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
How we can reduce our dogs’ surprisingly large environmental footprint. Plus, the most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date and the complete sequenced genomes of not one, but six ape species.
Human brain cells engineered to evade detection by the immune system have successfully restored muscle control in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers altered eight genes in a line of human stem cells to increase their activity so they acted as an immune ‘invisibility cloak’. The cells then differentiated into nerve cells suitable for treating Parkinson’s disease. The study is part of the process of developing a universal cell line that will not require anti-rejection drugs, and will cure a lot of diseases.
54% of 4,260 global researchers who responded to a survey believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will bring more benefits to society than risks. In a similar survey just 15% of the UK’s population shared the same rosy view, and that makes them seem a lot more optimistic. More than 75% of researchers and majority of the public in the UK agree that Artificial intelligence makes misinformation a problem. Robert Trager, Director of the Oxford Martin Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative says that the survey has found that less than one third of the scientists think that the technologies should be developed as quickly as possible. “They seem to want a more considered approach to development to mitigate risks.”
The estimated energy that data centres use in 2030 is roughly equivalent to the current annual electricity usage of Japan and more than twice as much as today, thanks to power-hungry artificial intelligence systems. 3 min read.
Source: Daily briefing: Dogs have a serious environmental impact — but owners can mitigate it
Do dogs have a serious environmental impact? Dog owners can mitigate it, according to a Nuwer journalist and neuroanesthesologist
The past 10 years has seen the emergence of a class of drugs that induce sleep with fewer side effects and a lower risk of dependence compared with other sleep aids. Suvorexant is sold as Belsomra in the US and is one of the dual rinexreceptor antagonist drugs approved there. It does nothing, it blocks the stimulation of wakefulness, according to neurologist Joe Herring.
DORA therapies are only available in a small percentage of countries and their high cost prevents many people in those countries from benefiting. “I’m aware that each pill I pop before bed is about the same price as ordering a fancy cocktail,” writes journalist Rachel Nuwer, who is trying the treatment after learning about it while reporting the story.
Bill and Lauren Gilson say that their beloved pet dogs have a much greater effect on the environment than they would like. Animals are attacked with their scent, habitats are disturbed, and animals consume vast amounts of meat and produce equivalent volumes of waste. But dog owners can do a lot to ameliorate these downsides, Bateman says. He suggests following leash laws, never let your dog chase animals, always pick up its poo, and look for sustainable dog food.
Source: Daily briefing: Dogs have a serious environmental impact — but owners can mitigate it
MICrONS: An interactive brain tissue map containing 200,000 neurons and 500 million neurons in one metre of mouse brain tissue, for scientific and experimental studies
Researchers have created the largest and most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date, by mapping cells in a cubic millimetre of a mouse’s brain tissue. The high-resolution map contains more than 200,000 brain cells. It also includes more than 500 million of the neuronal connection points called synapses and more than 4 kilometres of neuronal wiring, all found in a tiny block of tissue in a brain region involved in vision. 5 min read.
The map is the result of the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) project, who described their work in a package of eight papers published in Nature and Nature Methods.
