Understanding the ancestry of virus families may assist researchers in pinpointing which variants possess the potential to become Disease X, the elusive pathogen responsible for the next worldwide pandemic. A study has identified 70 virus lineages – groups of related viruses – that pose the biggest risk. Viruses from other genetic backgrounds are unlikely to cause [...]
Cornell University researchers have created a new version of a microbe to compete economically with E. coli—a bacteria commonly used as a research tool due to its ability to synthesize proteins—to conduct low-cost and scalable synthetic biological experiments. As an inexpensive multiplier—much like having a photocopier in a test tube—the bacteria Vibrio natriegens could help [...]
Highlighting the absence of evidence for the controllability of AI, Dr. Yampolskiy warns of the existential risks involved and advocates for a cautious approach to AI development, with a focus on safety and risk minimization. There is no current evidence that AI can be controlled safely, according to an extensive review, and without proof [...]
An interdisciplinary team of Cornell researchers has identified an innovative way to harness the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the botanical compound lawsone to make nanofiber-coated cotton bandages that fight infection and help wounds heal more quickly. Their findings, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, are especially important given the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Cotton [...]
Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience found that the superior colliculus, a brain region preserved throughout evolution, plays a more vital role in vision than previously believed. When we look at something, we can easily distinguish an object from the background. While this sounds obvious, how our brain accomplishes it is still quite [...]
Stefan Wilhelm, an associate professor in the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, and several students in his Biomedical Nano-Engineering Lab have recently published an article in the journal Nano Letters that outlines their recent important nanomedicine advancement. The group examined how to create tools that produce nanomedicines, such as vaccine formulations, directly at the [...]
Every piece of fiction carries a kernel of truth, and now is about the time to get a step ahead of sci-fi dystopias and determine what the risk in machine sentience can be for humans. Although people have long pondered the future of intelligent machinery, such questions have become all the more pressing with [...]
Mass Eye and Ear physician-researchers show that retinal imaging can help predict a person’s risk of developing ocular, neuropsychiatric, cardiac, metabolic, and pulmonary diseases. The team also identified genetic loci associated with retinal thinning, which could help develop personalized treatment plans and future therapies for eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. The [...]
Artificially intelligent software has been developed to enhance medical treatments that use jets of electrified gas known as plasma. The computer code predicts the chemicals emitted by plasma devices, which can be used to treat cancer, promote healthy tissue growth and sterilize surfaces. The software learned to predict the cocktail of chemicals coming out [...]
Researchers have successfully extended the lifespan of time crystals, confirming a theoretical concept proposed by Frank Wilczek. This marks a significant step forward in quantum physics. A team from TU Dortmund University recently succeeded in producing a highly durable time crystal that lived millions of times longer than could be shown in previous experiments. [...]
