Lifeboat Foundation

The regenerative properties of axolotls has led to them become one of the most studied species of salamander in the world. In 2018 their genome, which is 10 times longer than that of humans, became the longest yet to be sequenced. However, understanding the functions of the genes associated with axolotl regeneration has proven a challenge for scientists, as they are contained within reams of repeated lengths of DNA.

Researchers at Yale University have developed a novel screening platform to potentially circumvent this problem, and bring the possibility of applying this regenerative process to humans a step closer. Their novel screening platform involved the creation of markers to track 25 of the genes suspected to be involved in axolotl limb regeneration.

“It regenerates almost anything after almost any injury that doesn’t kill it,” said Parker Flowers, co-author and Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University.

A mysterious cosmic event might have ever-so-slightly stretched and squeezed our planet last week.

There’s a good reason why we need to take a closer look at the sun. When the solar atmosphere releases its magnetic energy, it results in explosive phenomena like solar flares that hurl ultra-energized particles through the solar system in all directions, including ours. This […] can wreak havoc on things like GPS and electrical grids. Learning more about solar activity could give us more notice of when hazardous space weather is due to hit.

You can see structures on the surface as small as 18.5 miles in size.

You’d have to be living under a very isolated rock to be unaware of the dangerous coronavirus outbreak centered on the city of Wuhan in China. The disease has infected several thousand people, and more than 100 have died. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have created a new tool to track and visualize the outbreak. In a world where it’s easy to spread incorrect information, having an authoritative and easily digestible source like this can be essential.

China allegedly sought to keep the epidemic under wraps, arresting people who posted about the virus on social media. However, the rapid spread of coronavirus infections soon made it impossible to hide. The Chinese government eventually sealed the city of Wuhan as it tries to get a handle on the situation, but many people left the city before that happened. Surrounding provinces have confirmed several dozen infections, and there are a handful of cases in other countries like Thailand, Japan, and the US.

Coronaviruses are a common cause of respiratory infections in humans — it’s one of the pathogens that can cause the “common cold.” However, some strains can be much more dangerous. For example, the 2003 SARS outbreak was a strain of coronavirus called SARS-CoV. The new strain doesn’t have a fancy acronym. It’s just known as the Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Out of over 4,000 infections, 106 have died and only 79 have completely recovered.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan. 28, 2020 — Time is critical when diagnosing sepsis, but the tests currently used to identify this disease can take up to 72 hours. Researchers at the Laboratory of Bionanophotonic Systems (BIOS) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed an optical biosensor that reduces sepsis diagnosis time from several days to a few minutes. The portable biosensor is based on nanoparticle-enhanced digital plasmonic imaging.

Dear followers, you all should use this tool to find which 3rd-party ‘websites you visited’ or ‘apps you used’ have shared your activity data with Facebook and DELETE it.

How to use off-facebook activity tool?

However, it’s important to note that the feature doesn’t actually allow users to delete their browsing information from Facebook servers; instead, it simply lets users dissociate collected data from their Facebook account.

Continue reading “How to Clear Data Facebook Collects About You from Other Sites and Apps” »

Japan is constructing an 18-meter-tall, 25-ton Gundam robot powered by a combination of electric and hydraulic actuators.

Japan has had a robust robot culture for decades, thanks (at least in part) to the success of the Gundam series, which are bipedal humanoid robots controlled by a human who rides inside of them. I would tell you how many different TV series and video games and manga there are about Gundam, but I’m certain I can’t count that high—there’s like seriously a lot of Gundam stuff out there. One of the most visible bits of Gundam stuff is a real life full-scale Gundam statue in Tokyo, but who really wants a statue, right? C’mon, Japan! Bring us the real thing!

Continue reading “Japan Is Building a Giant Gundam Robot That Can Walk” »

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched its fourth batch of Starlink satellites into orbit and nailed a rocket landing today (Jan. 29) following days of weather delays for the mission.

A sooty Falcon 9 rocket — which made its third flight with this launch — roared to life at 9:06 a.m. EST (1406 GMT), lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here in Florida. The rocket carried 60 more Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s growing constellation, the second such launch by the company this month. The satellites all successfully deployed about an hour after liftoff.

Sweating is a useful skill for humans, stopping us from overheating. Now robots are learning to do it, too, and for the same reason. New research describes a soft robot gripper that sweats to lower its temperature. It has its downsides (like sweaty fingers), but it could be useful in future robot designs.