Collaborate Disseminate
In an interesting look at evolution in action, a research team led by University College London has discovered around 50 percent of people carry a gene mutation that helps lower blood sugar levels. It is suggested humans evolved this mutation… Continue reading Scientists discover gene mutation evolved in humans to help with high-sugar diets
We’ve recently been hearing about how scientists can tell which creatures are present in an aquatic environment, by detecting their cast-off DNA in the water. A new study suggests that doing so may soon become easier, thanks to natural DNA-tr… Continue reading Sponges help scientists detect waterborne DNA
Last year, Chinese scientist He Jiankui shocked the world with the revelation the first ever CRISPR gene-edited babies had been born. It was revealed at least two babies had been born with explicit modifications to a gene called CCR5. A massi… Continue reading Chinese CRISPR gene-edited babies at risk of early death
A new gene therapy treatment for pediatric patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The single dose treatment, designed to correct a gene mutation causing the rare disease, has be… Continue reading One-off gene therapy treatment for rare infant disease set to cost over $2 million
Data exfiltration via side channel attacks can be a fascinating topic. It is easy to forget that there are so many different ways that electronic devices affect the physical world other than their intended purpose. And creative security researchers like to play around with these side-effects for ‘fun and profit’. …read more
If you are a science fiction fan, you are probably aware of one of the genre’s oddest dichotomies. A lot of science fiction is concerned about if a robot, alien, or whatever is a person. However — sometimes in the same story — finding life is as easy as asking …read more
Continue reading Forget Artificial Intelligence; Think Artificial Life
Although it isn’t very real-world practical, researchers at Cal Tech have produced a DNA-based programmable computer. Spectrum reports that the system executes programs using a set of instructions written in DNA using six bits. Like any programmable computer, this one can execute many programs, but so far they run 21 …read more
Polygenic scores were nearly five times less accurate for people of African descent than people of European descent, a new study has found. Continue reading Disease Prediction Scores Based on DNA Have a Racial Bias, Study Finds
The popular platform Family Tree DNA is piggybacking forensics’ use of genealogy databases to sell its product. Continue reading A DNA Ancestry Website Is Asking People to Join to Help Hunt Criminals
Join us on Wednesday at noon Pacific time for the open-source biology and biohacking Hack Chat!
Justin Atkin‘s name might not ring a bell, but you’ve probably seen his popular YouTube channel The Thought Emporium, devoted to regular doses of open source science. Justin’s interests span a wide range, literally from the heavens above to the microscopic world.
His current interest is to genetically modify yeast to produce spider silk, and to perhaps even use the yeast for brewing beer. He and the Thought Emporium team have been busy building out a complete DIY biology lab to support the effort, …read more
Continue reading Open-Source Biology and Biohacking Hack Chat