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The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) can dwell for greater than 200 years, thanks partially to a extremely efficient DNA-repair protein.Credit score: Tony Wu/Nature Image Library
A chilly-activated protein that helps to restore damaged DNA may very well be the bowhead whale’s secret to dwelling typically for greater than 200 years. Researchers travelled to northern Alaska to gather samples of tissue from the whales (Balaena mysticetus) from Iñupiaq Inuit communities. The workforce discovered that the whale’s cells produce a protein referred to as CIRPB, which helps to fix doubtlessly cancerous DNA mutations. The outcomes present that an environment friendly DNA restore system is “a really efficient technique to confer this excessive longevity”, says molecular biologist Zhiyong Mao.
A broad-spectrum antivenom that makes use of antibodies from a llama and an alpaca can neutralize venom from a number of the world’s most venomous snakes. Researchers uncovered the camelids to venoms from 18 sub-Saharan African snake species, together with cobras and mambas. They then remoted nanobodies — small variations of antibodies that may penetrate tissues and bind to tissue-destroying toxins — from the animals and mixed eight of them right into a single cocktail. In mice, the therapy conferred safety towards toxins from 17 of the snake species and lowered pores and skin harm brought on by venoms.
Utilizing a man-made intelligence (AI) mannequin developed by Google DeepMind, scientists have been in a position to precisely predict the trajectory and progress of Hurricane Melissa, a robust and record-setting storm. The software — utilized by the US Nationwide Hurricane Middle, a number one supply of hurricane data within the area — has helped to tell warnings to Jamaica and different nations that the storm has devastated. Its accuracy has been spectacular, say researchers, however DeepMind cautions towards studying an excessive amount of into the predictions of a single storm.
Researchers have created what they are saying is the world’s smallest 3D bioprinter. The gadget, which sports activities a 2.7-millimetre-wide printhead on the finish of an extended, versatile arm, was impressed by an elephant’s trunk. It might at some point be used to ship therapeutic hydrogels after surgical procedures such because the removing of cysts from vocal cords, the workforce says. They demonstrated that the gadget, guided remotely utilizing a PlayStation controller, can exactly ship dollops of hyaluronic-acid-based hydrogels to fill in gaps in synthetic vocal folds.
Researchers examined their tiny 3D bioprinter in a surgeon’s coaching simulator. The gadget is proven snaking by a surgeon’s ‘scope’ from the left to deposit hydrogel onto synthetic vocal cords (pink) on the fitting.Credit score: Swen Groen
Options & opinion
The Turing take a look at — a thought experiment that asks whether or not a pc’s written dialog can move as an individual’s — needs to be up to date in order that it will probably proceed for use as a benchmark for progress in synthetic intelligence (AI), says AI researcher Vinay Ok. Chaudhri. He means that an AI system needs to be examined with an in depth interplay with specialists, for instance authorized students, on a subject of their space of experience. In such situations, which may very well be generalized to any area as required, the mannequin would wish to not solely reproduce data however apply it to distinctive and sophisticated situations to reveal real understanding.
The Worldwide Area Station marks 25 years of continuous occupancy this week — with solely 5 years left in its trailblazing lifespan. Its first residents had been from the USA and Russia, and whereas relations between the nations are at a low, “individual to individual and even area company to area company, they’re really fairly good,” says Invoice Shepherd, who was the US astronaut on board. Nearly 300 individuals from 26 nations have since made it a house. “You couldn’t ask for higher lodging,” says Shepherd. “At the least in area.”
Infographic of the week
By filling skinny strips of soppy materials with grids of microbubbles, researchers have designed synthetic ‘muscular tissues’ that transfer in response to particular ultrasound frequencies. Oscillations of the bubbles produce flows in surrounding fluid, which causes the supplies to flex or stretch (a). Totally different sized microbubbles reply to totally different ultrasound frequencies, which permits management over which components of the fabric transfer. The workforce behind the ‘muscle’ confirmed that it may be used to carry zebrafish larvae in place, which may very well be helpful for organic analysis, with out inflicting the larvae any observable hurt (b). (Nature Information & Views | 7 min learn)
Tomorrow night, to have a good time Halloween, I’ll be sitting down to look at a scary movie. In all probability 1996’s Scream, one among my favourites. Basically, I’m not an enormous fan of scary films (I’d undoubtedly fail Ghostface’s life-or-death pop quizzes), however I can brace myself for an evening of hiding behind my fingers once in a while.
Paradoxically, sitting by two hours of scares may make me calmer after the very fact. Some analysis means that exposing ourselves to fictional tales of terror can soothe a number of the nervousness we’d really feel about the actual world.
Perhaps I’ll watch Scream 2 as nicely to essentially assist me discover my zen.
One factor that may by no means scare me is your suggestions on this text, which is at all times welcome at briefing@nature.com.
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Jacob Smith, affiliate editor, Nature Briefing
With contributions by Flora Graham
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