Ötzi the Iceman doesn’t look like museum displays, says new genomic study

Ötzi the Iceman is one of the most well-studied individuals in human history, but there always seems to be more to learn about him. A new genomic study has now found that he didn’t look the way previous studies had imagined him – instead he was bald, h… Continue reading Ötzi the Iceman doesn’t look like museum displays, says new genomic study

Polar bears can now be identified by DNA left in their paw prints

With grim predictions that all polar bears may be wiped off the planet by the end of the century, it’s vital scientists find a way to monitor numbers to see if conservation efforts are staving off the effects of a quickly melting habitat.Continue Readi… Continue reading Polar bears can now be identified by DNA left in their paw prints

Quantum rods on DNA scaffolds could boost future VR displays

Move over, quantum dots – quantum rods could be the next big display technology. These tiny sticks could improve 3D displays for VR headsets, and now engineers at MIT have overcome a logistical hurdle by arranging them onto a scaffold made of DNA.Conti… Continue reading Quantum rods on DNA scaffolds could boost future VR displays

“Pickpocket” bacteria steal tumor DNA for accurate cancer diagnoses

Certain gut bacteria have been linked to colon cancer, but now they might get a chance at redemption. Scientists have engineered “pickpocket” bacteria to detect colorectal cancer, with a 100% success rate in mouse tests.Continue ReadingCategory: Medica… Continue reading “Pickpocket” bacteria steal tumor DNA for accurate cancer diagnoses

Hackaday Links: July 30, 2023

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A couple of weeks ago, we noted with interest that the space shuttle Endeavour (OV85) would be set up as a full-stack launch configuration display, complete with external fuel tank …read more Continue reading Hackaday Links: July 30, 2023

Glass-coated DNA material boasts 4x strength of steel

It may not be as catchy a name as Iron Man, but in a fight you might be better off betting on Glass DNA Nanolattice Man instead. Engineers at the University of Connecticut have developed a very strong and lightweight new material out of DNA that self-a… Continue reading Glass-coated DNA material boasts 4x strength of steel

“Biological camera” stores data in DNA of living bacteria

Scientists have developed a new way to tap into the incredible data storage density of DNA in a more scalable way. A “biological camera” imprints images into the DNA of living cells, tagged with barcodes to retrieve data.Continue ReadingCategory: Scien… Continue reading “Biological camera” stores data in DNA of living bacteria

Open-Source LAMP Instrument Aimed at Clinicians and Biohackers Alike

Over the last few years, we’ve all been given a valuable lesson in both the promise and limitations of advanced molecular biology methods for clinical diagnostics. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) …read more Continue reading Open-Source LAMP Instrument Aimed at Clinicians and Biohackers Alike

Researchers map dog epigenome for the first time

Researchers have successfully mapped the dog epigenome, opening the door to an improved understanding of how environmental factors influence their genetic expression, as well as ours.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Epigenetics, Genome, … Continue reading Researchers map dog epigenome for the first time

DNA ‘catch-and-release’ enables urine test for brain cancer

Researchers have developed a novel way of detecting brain cancer, using nanowires to ‘catch-and-release’ DNA in urine, enabling them to detect mutations that signify the presence of a brain tumor. Their method may one day mean that invasive tissue biop… Continue reading DNA ‘catch-and-release’ enables urine test for brain cancer