Category Archives: Transhuman News

Somehow, its the end of December. What is there to say about 2020? This year has felt like a turning point, a cliff, the end of one world and the beginning of another. For us on The Verges science desk (and so many others), its been a year we want to both lock away forever and also never forget.

As 2020 wound down, we decided that we wanted to commemorate this unreal year with a time capsule, so that whatever happens in 2021 and beyond, there will be a small, resilient snippet of 2020 that future historians, scientists, or space aliens can unearth and wonder about. So we took a whack at distilling a years worth of science memories into a handful of digital files. Its far from comprehensive, but it tells some intriguing stories.

The first part of the project was compiling the time capsule assets themselves. We built a file browser here, where you can click through the digital moments and ephemera we included and think about what our descendants might make of them.

The second challenge was figuring out how to preserve the files themselves for hundreds or even thousands of years. Most modern storage media like hard drives or flash memory is built to be cheap, not durable. But theres one up-and-coming storage medium that could keep our files safe for millennia: synthetic DNA. Over the past few weeks, we worked with a team of scientists and engineers to encode our digital mementos into custom strands of DNA. The result has to be seen to be believed... even if its technically too small to actually see.

Check out the video above for the whole story, and heres to a brand-new 2021.

Continue reading here:
We built a 2020 time capsule out of synthetic DNA heres how - The Verge

Brothers were surprised to find out they were step brothers.

Brothers were surprised to find out they were step brothers.

Photo: Deepak Sethi/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Brothers were surprised to find out they were step brothers.

Brothers were surprised to find out they were step brothers.

Dear Abby: Results of nephews DNA test change shape of family tree

DEAR ABBY: My nephew Dave recently took a DNA test and discovered that my brother and I have a different father than our other two siblings.

I have lived my entire life with the understanding that my family is my family. Now Dave, who has an obsession with genealogy, has my brother and me listed as half-siblings. I am not a half-anything, and while DNA could be used to prove my father is not my father, I have no intention of testing my own DNA or contesting my parentage.

Maybe Im out of line, but I want the half designation removed from our family profile. Im hoping you can give me a reality check. Am I blowing this out of proportion, or do you think it would be appropriate to ask him to remove the designation?

Whole, Not Half in Indiana

DEAR WHOLE: I understand why you are upset. However, you seem to have interpreted this as a personal insult or a value judgment on Daves part. It isnt. This has nothing to do with the way you and your brother were raised; of course your family is your family. But genetically, you and your brother are different from the other two siblings, which is why I dont think it would be appropriate to ask your nephew to remove the designation.

DEAR ABBY: Im 55, and my sister is 50. She has always been mean and hateful toward me. Even though I have done my best to keep her from going off the deep end, she has always struck back at me even meaner. She is schizophrenic, paranoid and bipolar.

Despite my making her my maid of honor at my wedding (Mom forced me) and making her godmother at my childs baptism, she has continued to be a beyond-evil demon because I didnt do some things right, according to her. She has tried hard to turn my 19-year-old daughter against me and slams me for being a grandma to my grandchild. (She cant have kids.) Family has always let her slide due to her mental illness. Please advise.

Beaten Down in Missouri

DEAR BEATEN DOWN: Your sister is a sick woman. If your daughter doesnt understand that, make it clear to her. I dont know how much input you have in your grandchilds upbringing, but if there is any truth to what has been said, it may be time to use a lighter touch if you are being perceived as heavy-handed.

By letting your sisters behavior slide due to her mental illness, the rest of your family has contributed to the person she has become. However, this does not mean you must be involved with her, and if you are smart, you will start to disengage.

DEAR ABBY: I am surprised I see so many nurses wearing their scrubs in the supermarket. To me, if they are coming from the hospital, their clothes will have germs on them, and if they are going to the hospital, they could bring germs with them. What do you say?

Vinnie In New Jersey

DEAR VINNIE: Many people in the medical field choose to wear scrubs because they are convenient. Whether these individuals are actually nurses is anybodys guess. They could be office staff, technicians, etc. and not necessarily exposing the public or patients to germs they wouldnt otherwise encounter.

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order How to Have a Lovely Wedding. Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

DearAbby.com

Dear Abby

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Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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Dear Abby: Results of nephew's DNA test change shape of family tree - Midland Daily News

DEAR ABBY: My nephew "Dave" recently took a DNA test and discovered that my brother and I have a different father than our other two siblings.

I have lived my entire life with the understanding that my family is my family. Now Dave, who has an obsession with genealogy, has my brother and me listed as "half-siblings." I am not a half-anything, and while DNA could be used to prove my father is not my father, I have no intention of testing my own DNA or contesting my parentage.

Maybe I'm out of line, but I want the "half" designation removed from our family profile. I'm hoping you can give me a reality check. Am I blowing this out of proportion, or do you think it would be appropriate to ask him to remove the designation?

WHOLE, NOT HALF IN INDIANA

DEAR WHOLE: I understand why you are upset. However, you seem to have interpreted this as a personal insult or a value judgment on Dave's part. It isn't. This has nothing to do with the way you and your brother were raised; of COURSE your family is your family. But genetically, you and your brother are different from the other two siblings, which is why I don't think it would be appropriate to ask your nephew to remove the designation.

DEAR ABBY: I'm 55, and my sister is 50. She has always been mean and hateful toward me. Even though I have done my best to keep her from going off the deep end, she has always struck back at me even meaner. She is schizophrenic, paranoid and bipolar.

Despite my making her my maid of honor at my wedding (Mom forced me) and making her godmother at my child's baptism, she has continued to be a beyond-evil demon because I didn't do some things right, according to her. She has tried hard to turn my 19-year-old daughter against me and slams me for being a grandma to my grandchild. (She can't have kids.) Family has always let her slide due to her mental illness. Please advise.

BEATEN DOWN IN MISSOURI

DEAR BEATEN DOWN: Your sister is a sick woman. If your daughter doesn't understand that, make it clear to her. I don't know how much input you have in your grandchild's upbringing, but if there is any truth to what has been said, it may be time to use a lighter touch if you are being perceived as heavy-handed.

By letting your sister's behavior "slide due to her mental illness," the rest of your family has contributed to the person she has become. However, this does not mean you must be involved with her, and if you are smart, you will start to disengage.

DEAR ABBY: I am surprised I see so many nurses wearing their scrubs in the supermarket. To me, if they are coming from the hospital, their clothes will have germs on them, and if they are going to the hospital, they could bring germs with them. What do you say?

VINNIE IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR VINNIE: Many people in the medical field choose to wear scrubs because they are convenient. Whether these individuals are actually nurses is anybody's guess. They could be office staff, technicians, etc. and not necessarily exposing the public or patients to germs they wouldn't otherwise encounter.

Read more from the original source:
Results of DNA test change shape of family tree - theday.com

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. With that in mind, the ROCE of Dimerco Data System (GTSM:5403) looks great, so lets see what the trend can tell us.

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Dimerco Data System:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.23 = NT$336m (NT$3.1b - NT$1.6b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

Therefore, Dimerco Data System has an ROCE of 23%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the IT industry average of 15%.

View our latest analysis for Dimerco Data System

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you'd like to look at how Dimerco Data System has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Dimerco Data System has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 120% over the last five years. Basically the business is generating higher returns from the same amount of capital and that is proof that there are improvements in the company's efficiencies. It's worth looking deeper into this though because while it's great that the business is more efficient, it might also mean that going forward the areas to invest internally for the organic growth are lacking.

In summary, we're delighted to see that Dimerco Data System has been able to increase efficiencies and earn higher rates of return on the same amount of capital. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.

On a separate note, we've found 1 warning sign for Dimerco Data System you'll probably want to know about.

If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning high returns on equity.

PromotedWhen trading Dimerco Data System or any other investment, use the platform considered by many to be the Professional's Gateway to the Worlds Market, Interactive Brokers. You get the lowest-cost* trading on stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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Does Dimerco Data System (GTSM:5403) Have The DNA Of A Multi-Bagger? - Simply Wall St

Amazon is still discounting the 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA Test, marking it down by $70. So you can pick it up for just $129.

It's worth noting that this is going to arrive after Christmas, so it won't be under the tree in time for this Friday unfortunately. But this price is likely to go up after Christmas, so now is a good time to pick it up. And find out where you are really from.

Know your genes. Own your health. Learn how genetics can influence your chances of developing certain health conditions. Find out if youre a carrier for certain inherited conditions. Discover what your DNA has to say about your well-being and how it can influence certain lifestyle choices.

Know your personal story in a whole new way. Discover your ancestry composition and where in the world your DNA is from across 2000+ regions. Automatically start your Family Tree using your DNA. See what your DNA might have to say about your taste and smell preferences. Discover how DNA can affect your ability to match a musical pitch or whether you hate the sound of chewing.

Everyone deserves a secure, private place to explore and understand their genetics. Your data is encrypted, protected, and under your control. You decide what you want to learn and what you want to share.

Know youre making a difference. When you opt in to participate in our research, you join forces with millions of people contributing to science. Your participation could help lead to discoveries that may one day make an impact on your own health, the health of your family, and people around the world.

You can pick up the 23andMe Health and Ancestry DNA Test kit from Amazon in this sale by clicking here. But you'd better hurry, as these prices are not going to last very long.

23andMe DNA Test - Amazon

See more here:
Find Your Roots With The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA Test For Only $129 - Android Headlines

DEAR ABBY: My nephew Dave recently took a DNA test and discovered that my brother and I have a different father than our other two siblings.

I have lived my entire life with the understanding that my family is my family. Now Dave, who has an obsession with genealogy, has my brother and me listed as half-siblings. I am not a half-anything, and while DNA could be used to prove my father is not my father, I have no intention of testing my own DNA or contesting my parentage. Maybe Im out of line, but I want the half designation removed from our family profile. Im hoping you can give me a reality check. Am I blowing this out of proportion, or do you think it would be appropriate to ask him to remove the designation? -- WHOLE, NOT HALF IN INDIANA

DEAR WHOLE: I understand why you are upset. However, you seem to have interpreted this as a personal insult or a value judgment on Daves part. It isnt. This has nothing to do with the way you and your brother were raised; of COURSE your family is your family. But genetically, you and your brother are different from the other two siblings, which is why I dont think it would be appropriate to ask your nephew to remove the designation.

DEAR ABBY: Im 55, and my sister is 50. She has always been mean and hateful toward me. Even though I have done my best to keep her from going off the deep end, she has always struck back at me even meaner. She is schizophrenic, paranoid and bipolar.

Despite my making her my maid of honor at my wedding (Mom forced me) and making her godmother at my childs baptism, she has continued to be a beyond-evil demon because I didnt do some things right, according to her. She has tried hard to turn my 19-year-old daughter against me and slams me for being a grandma to my grandchild. (She cant have kids.) Family has always let her slide due to her mental illness. Please advise. -- BEATEN DOWN IN MISSOURI

DEAR BEATEN DOWN: Your sister is a sick woman. If your daughter doesnt understand that, make it clear to her. I dont know how much input you have in your grandchilds upbringing, but if there is any truth to what has been said, it may be time to use a lighter touch if you are being perceived as heavy-handed.

By letting your sisters behavior slide due to her mental illness, the rest of your family has contributed to the person she has become. However, this does not mean you must be involved with her, and if you are smart, you will start to disengage.

DEAR ABBY: I am surprised I see so many nurses wearing their scrubs in the supermarket. To me, if they are coming from the hospital, their clothes will have germs on them, and if they are going to the hospital, they could bring germs with them. What do you say? -- VINNIE IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR VINNIE: Many people in the medical field choose to wear scrubs because they are convenient. Whether these individuals are actually nurses is anybodys guess. They could be office staff, technicians, etc. and not necessarily exposing the public or patients to germs they wouldnt otherwise encounter.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Read more from the original source:
Dear Abby: DNA test changes shape of family tree - OregonLive

It is not yet clear if the body found on Tuesday afternoon is that of 3-year-old Anothando Mhlobo who went missing in August.

CAPE TOWN - The community of Hout Bay in the Western Cape is awaiting DNA results of a decomposed body found in the area.

The body of a child was discovered by a resident in a rocky and sandy area in Imizamo Yethu on Tuesday afternoon.

Due to the state of decomposition of the body, the age, gender and identity could not be determined.

DNA testing will be done to ascertain if the body is that of 3-year-old Anothando Mhlobo who went missing in August.

At the time, the community launched a massive search for the little boy.

The police's Novela Potelwa says an autopsy is expected to be conducted soon to determine the cause of death.

Only DNA results can determine if the body is that of Anothando Mhlobo of Hout Bay.

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Continue reading here:
DNA tests to determine if body found in Imizamo Yethu is that of missing boy (3) - Eyewitness News