1. category
  2. Transhuman News

Page 1,926«..1020..1,9251,9261,9271,928..1,9401,950..»

Category Archives: Transhuman News

Why a Mars Dirt Sample Probably Wouldn’t be Sent to the Space Station – Space.com

Posted: April 3, 2017 at 7:53 pm

The International Space Station, reimagined for the movie "Life." In the film, a Mars sample return mission sends Martian soil to the station for analysis.

In the new science-fiction horror movie "Life,"a group of astronauts aboard the International Space Station finds a living organism in a Martian dirt sample, and (as you can probably guess from the trailer) things go horribly wrong from there.

While much of "Life" exists in the realm of fiction, NASA and other space agencies are discussing the possibility of bringing samples of Mars dirt back to Earth. Would a real-world Mars sample-return mission look anything like the one in the movie?

The nature of such a mission would depend on many factors, but one aspect of the movie's plot seems highly unrealistic: It's unlikely there would ever be a good reason to send a Martian dirt sample to a space station, according to Catharine Conley, the planetary protection officer for NASA. [Bringing Pieces of Mars to Earth: How NASA Will Do It]

An artist's impression of a SpaceX Red Dragon capsule touching down on the surface of Mars. SpaceX has said it wants to use the capsule to bring a Martian dirt sample back to Earth.

There have been a handful of sample-return missions that succeeded in bringing bits of the cosmos back to Earth. The Apollo astronauts brought back a significant number of moon rocks (so many, in fact, that NASA lost track of more than 500 of them). NASA's OSIRIS-Rex mission is on a mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth in 2023. The agency's Mars 2020 rover will collect soil and rock samples that could be picked up by a sample-return mission later. Currently, there is no solid plan for how those Mars samples would get back to Earth (the private spaceflight company SpaceX has proposed using one of its Red Dragon capsules to retrieve the Martian dirt).

There is no strict protocol for how sample-return missions are handled, because each one is different, Conley told Space.com. An asteroid-sample-return mission like OSIRIS-Rex, which is bringing back material from a rock that has no atmosphere and has been exposed to space radiation for millions of years, isn't considered a biohazard threat to the planet. But a sample coming back from Mars would probably be handled very differently, she said.

"Planetary protection requirements are applied on a mission-by-mission basis," Conley said. There's a framework of questions that can help mission planners approximate what protections they will have to put in place. For a Mars sample return mission, it would probably be an international board then evaluates the mission plan based on the best available information about the potential threat that a sample could pose, and how to contain that threat, Conley said.

In "Life," the sample is brought to the space station (which is modeled fairly accurately) as a way of keeping a potential Martian biohazard away from Earth. But the station's nearness to Earth is one reason why sending a Mars sample to there (or any laboratory orbiting the planet) probably wouldn't make sense for a real-world sample-return mission, Conley told Space.com.

The characters in the film come to a similar conclusion too late. After a few failed attempts to kill the alien creature, the characters realize that the creature seems robust enough to survive the fall through Earth's atmosphere, meaning it could potentially wreak destruction on the entire human race. (In the film, the space station is thrown off course and begins falling toward the planet at a rapid rate. But anything looping around the Earth will eventually fall toward the ground if the spacecraft doesn't use thrusters to maintain its orbit although that may take decades depending on the speed of the craft and the altitude of its orbit).

The fall through Earth's atmosphere generates an incredible amount of heat enough to vaporize a midsize spacecraft without a heat shield. However, chunks of some large spacecraft and large space rocks can survive the fall to the ground, so its not impossible that a biological sample tucked inside a protective layer could also survive the journey.

A character from the movie "Life" peers into a sealed hutch that contains a life-form found in a dirt sample from Mars. In reality, detailed science studies in space can be time-consuming and expensive.

Another problem with the movie's approach to handling a Mars sample is that it'd be extremely difficult and expensive to look for trace signs of life while in space.

Mars does not appear to be home to any obvious forms of life; there are, of course, no trees or animals living there. But there are also no lichens growing on rocks and no immediate signs of bacteria, algae or single-celled creatures living on the surface. Mars, however, used to be a much more hospitable environment, so there is a possibility that there are signs of past life in the Martian soil, or further evidence that the planet possesses the necessary building blocks of life.

"Mostly, the way you look for biology like a lot of the new techniques for looking for disease organisms is that you break [the samples] up into molecules and you look at the molecules," Conley said. "So those would be the kinds of techniques that we would be looking to use on a Mars sample."

Based on what scientists know about Mars, it's possible that finding signatures of present or past life on the Red Planet will require complex analyses that have to be done in a lab on Earth, where scientists have access to the widest range of tools.

The tools available on the space station are much more limited. Almost every aspect of life in space is altered by the weightless environment, including using the bathroom, taking a shower, eating, sleeping and exercising. Science is different in space, too. In weightlessness, physical systems behave differently than they do on Earth. Everything floats, of course, which poses unique hazards regarding sample containment. The lack of gravity also changes how crystals grow, fires burn and liquids behave. Therefore, instruments, like microscopes, would need to be calibrated to the space environment, and often designed differently to operate under those conditions, Conley said.

To analyze a Martian sample in space, scientists would have to adapt and test several different experimental procedures for the space environment, something that would take a lot of time, effort and money, Conley said.

"Actually getting the equipment you need to do these careful analyses up to [a location in space] would be extraordinarily expensive [and] considerably less reliable than operating equipment on Earth, where we know how it works properly," she said.

That also applies to the containment device that would be used to hold the Mars samples. The international recommendations for a sample-return mission recommend that scientists begin designing the containment device years in advance, and then spend a few years testing it and demonstrating that it can perform as well as it needs to, Conley said. Once again, performing that kind of testing in space would be incredibly expensive and slow if something breaks or needs to be replaced, the scientists can't just call up the company that made the part and ask them to drive over a new one, Instead, they'd have to pack one onto a rocket and send it to the station.

Yet another problem with looking for trace signs of life in Martian samples on the space station is the same problem that plagues rovers on the Mars surface sometimes scientists don't know what kind of equipment they'll need to test the sample until they already have the sample. Depending on the chemical composition of the Martian soil, scientists might need to conduct different tests to pursue the big question of whether life could have formed there. On Earth, additional equipment is easily obtainable, but in space or on Mars, it's extremely difficult and time- consuming to procure.

"If you're not able to use multiple techniques to assess something, then you're not necessarily able to make the measurement that's going to tell you when something's interesting, " Conley said. By bringing Martian samples back to Earth, scientists can use the appropriate tool to answer whatever question pops up.

Finding signs of past or present life on Mars will likely require bringing a sample of Martian dirt back to Earth, but that scenario is limited by two main factors: engineering and budget. Right now, there are no operational means of bringing a dirt sample to Earth from Mars, and it's far more cost-effective to send a robot to Mars than to bring a sample back, Conley said. So, for now, a Mars sample-return mission has not progressed beyond the concept phase.

But all that could change if humans found clear evidence of life on Mars; for example, if a rover spotted lichen on a rock or bacteria in a soil sample, Conley said.

Conley said she was not aware of any official discussions about what would happen if a Mars rover discovered something that looked "a lot like life." (Although astrobiologists have undoubtedly talked about this among themselves.)

"Once you find something [that looks like life], then all bets are off, and we're going to reconsider everything," Conley said. "The assumption is that there will be so many opinions and so much additional information by the time we actually do discover something that looks like life [so] that particular 'what if' hasn't been addressed in any great detail."

The community might decide to send astronauts to Mars to do additional studies, or bring samples back to Earth. But that would all depend on what information was available, Conley said. She said that the people overseeing a sample-return mission would want to enter that discussion with a clean slate, so the mission would be tailored to that specific situation. Which means it's impossible to say for sure whether a sample-return mission might send Martian dirt to the space station but it still seems rather unlikely.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to state that a Mars sample return mission would most likely be reviewed by an international board; however, that is not currently a formalized condition of a Mars sample return mission.

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Originally posted here:
Why a Mars Dirt Sample Probably Wouldn't be Sent to the Space Station - Space.com

Posted in Space Station | Comments Off on Why a Mars Dirt Sample Probably Wouldn’t be Sent to the Space Station – Space.com

Neil deGrasse Tyson isn’t riding SpaceX to Mars until Elon Musk answers this challenge – AOL

Posted: at 7:53 pm

Neil deGrasse Tyson, the ever-witty astrophysicist who delivers the truth about space and science to the masses, held a Reddit AMA on Sunday, and it included a playful challenge to SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

SEE ALSO: Sorry, y'all. SpaceX isn't going to Mars in 2018

When asked about SpaceX's recent Falcon 9 mission and whether he'd ever consider making a trip to Mars via SpaceX, Tyson kept it far realer than many might have expected.

"I really like Earth. So any space trip I take, I'm double checking that there's sufficient funds for me to return," said Tyson.

But then came the zinger, "Also, I'm not taking that trip until Elon Musk send[s] his Mother and brings her back alive. Then I'm good for it."

25 PHOTOS

Neil deGrasse Tyson through the years

See Gallery

Neil deGrasse Tyson (Photo by Deborah Feingold/Corbis via Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NY - MAY 8: Neil deGrasse Tyson attends TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People 2007 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 8, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by PATRICK MCMULLAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 28: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson poses for a portrait at The Rose Center for Earth and Space Hayden Planetarium on February 28, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Myrna Suarez/Getty Images)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: Host Neil deGrasse Tyson travels to the Earth of the Carboniferous in the 'The Lost Worlds of Planet Earth' episode airing Sunday, May 4, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Monday, May 5, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 12: Neil deGrasse Tyson makes a few remarks at a Celebration Of Carl Sagan at The Library of Congress on November 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 13: Neil DeGrasse Tyson (L) and executive producer Seth MacFarlane speak during the FOX portion of the 2014 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 13, 2014 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: More than three decades after Carl Sagan's groundbreaking and iconic series, 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage,' it's time once again to set sail for the stars. Host and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson sets off on the Ship of the Imagination to discover Earth's Cosmic Address and its coordinates in space and time in the 'Standing Up in the Milky Way' Series Premiere episode of COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY airing Sunday, March 9, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: Host Neil deGrasse Tyson travels to northern Italy to learn how Albert Einstein developed his famous theories of relativity in the 'A Sky Full of Ghosts' episode of airing Sunday, March 30, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Monday, March 31, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 08: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks onstage at the Neil DeGrasse Tyson Keynote during the 2014 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at Austin Convention Center on March 8, 2014 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Earl Mcgehee/Getty Images for SXSW)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: Neil deGrasse Tyson in the the 'A Sky Full of Ghosts' episode of COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY airing Sunday, March 30, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Monday, March 31, 2014 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 0015 -- Pictured: (l-r) Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Seth Reiss as Pluto during an interview with host Seth Meyers on March 14, 2014 -- (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: Host Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the ideas of death and immortality in the cosmos in the all-new 'The Immortals' episode airing Sunday, May 18, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Monday, May 19, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY: Host Neil deGrasse Tyson in the 'Unafraid of The Dark' Season Finale episode airing Sunday, June 8, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Monday, June 9, 2014 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Neil deGrasse Tyson and Ann Druyan attend the Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey: 'Unafraid Of The Dark' Final Episode Screening at The Paley Center for Media on June 4, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/WireImage)

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 07: Neil deGrasse Tyson, author, astrophysicist, lecturer and director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, speaks onstage during the National Geographic Channel Special Programming Announcement at the 2015 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa on January 7, 2015 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 31: Astrophysicist and host of 'COSMOS', Neil deGrasse Tyson poses with award during The 74th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street on May 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Peabody Awards)

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 31: (L-R): Ann Druyan, Peabody Award Recipient, and Neil deGrasse Tyson speak onstage at The 74th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street on May 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Peabody Awards)

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson speaks during the 2015 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting on September 28, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

Richard Branson, chairman and founder of Virgin Group Ltd., right, speaks as Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, listens during the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 28, 2015. The annual CGI meetings bring together heads of state, leading CEOs, philanthropists, and members of the media to facilitate discussion and forward-thinking initiatives that challenge the way we impact the future. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Neil deGrasse Tyson visits 'Sway in the Morning' with Sway Calloway on Eminem's Shade 45 at SiriusXM Studios on February 3, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Eisman/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 18: Neil deGrasse Tyson visits at SiriusXM Studio on April 18, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 11: Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson attend the 2016 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Day 2 at the Microsoft Theater on September 11, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: Neil deGrasse Tyson visits at SiriusXM Studio on September 23, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 25: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and educator Bill Nye attend the screening of 'The Space Between Us' hosted by STX Entertainment with The Cinema Society at Landmark's Sunshine Cinema on January 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)

HIDE CAPTION

SHOW CAPTION

That challenge to Musk would not only ask the SpaceX founder to put his own family on the line in the name of space colonization, it would also put the mogul's mother in the spotlight, something she's actually quite used to.

At around 68 years old, Maye Musk has already lived a more interesting life than most, having worked as an internationally renowned model and even appearing in a Beyonc video.

However, when it comes to the topic of Mars, Maye Musk has already made her decision: It's not gonna happen.

"I'm not moving to Mars," she told us last year. "Frankly, it's because they need the younger people there like engineers to create a future. They don't need me."

For the record, Elon has indicated in recent talks that even he isn't planning on traveling to Mars (mainly to ensure that SpaceX continues in the event something goes wrong during his space flight). Therefore, it looks like the two of the biggest names in space, Tyson and Musk, will mostly be sitting on the sidelines when the real space colonization begins.

More from Mashable: Elon Musk's SpaceX is betting big on its rocket launch this week There and back again: SpaceX launches and lands the same rocket for the 2nd time SpaceX's launch today could revolutionize the industry: Watch it live

Excerpt from:
Neil deGrasse Tyson isn't riding SpaceX to Mars until Elon Musk answers this challenge - AOL

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on Neil deGrasse Tyson isn’t riding SpaceX to Mars until Elon Musk answers this challenge – AOL

Portland High School grad reaches for the stars – The Forecaster

Posted: at 7:52 pm

PORTLAND In studying to become an aerospace engineer, Evan Peacos ultimate goal is to push space exploration beyond what were capable of now, including sending humans to Mars.

Peaco is a 2014 graduate of Portland High School and recently received the prestigious Dr. Robert H. Goddard memorial scholarship, worth $10,000, from the National Space Club.

Peaco,who topped 7,000 other applicants for the honor, was the keynote speaker at the clubs annual scholarship dinner, which was held in early March in Washington, D.C.

At the dinner, Peaco had the chance to meet legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was the lunar module pilot during the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969, and the second man to walk on the moon.

In announcing Peaco as the winner of the Goodard scholarship, the National Space Club said he rose to the top of the competition with his strong academic record and experience in aerospace.

The process of becoming the Goodard scholar is a tough one, and includes first completing an online application and then submitting a video on why the applicant is inspired by space. Six finalists are chosen to undergo an interview process.

Peaco is a junior at the University of Maryland in College Park, where hes on the space systems track. He plans to earn at least a masters degree, but said this week hes not sure about also pursuing a Ph.D.

Members of the Portland School Board recognized Peaco for his achievement during their March 21 meeting, when Superintendent Xavier Botana said, We encourage (our) students to reach for the stars, and that is what Evan is doing, quite literally.

Peaco told the School Board that his time at Portland High School prepared him well and said many of his teachers were exceptionally able to engage students in the material they were teaching, and also cared about the success of every student individually.

As a student, Peaco said, he didnt participate solely on the math team and the robotics club, but also appreciated the opportunities he was given to take part in civic engagement, the arts and sports.

In particular, Peaco said he would like to recognize Daniel Deniso, who teaches AP calculus at Portland High, as well as Ileen DaPonte, who teaches 10th grade math and who also led the math team when Peaco was a student.

Id also like to recognize (Rosalee) Lamm, who I had for geometry and physics and who organized the schools Robotics Team, he said, adding, in general Id like to recognize all the teachers I had at Portland High School and King Middle School, (because) each of them helped me to reach where I am today.

In his keynote address to the National Space Club, Peaco said hes always loved gazing at the moon and the planets and its his hope that hell witness the first humans setting foot on Mars within his lifetime.

But, he said, such progress will only be possible if the people of the world work together to make it happen.

As an aerospace engineering undergraduate, Peaco said most of his classes are math, science, and engineering-based. So, for example, Ive taken classes covering aerodynamics, electricity and magnetism, special relativity, quantum mechanics (and) thermodynamics, among others.

Currently, he said, Im taking classes on control theory, spaceflight dynamics and aerospace structures. I havent taken any astronomy classes at university, but Ive kept it up as a hobby.

Peaco said he looks forward to the commercialization of space.

That means more opportunities for space tourism colonization (and) asteroid mining, he said. In the more distant future, I hope people will be able to easily travel to destinations like the moon and Mars, (which would) pave the way for permanent colonization of these places.

With government funding of NASA significantly reduced, Peaco said there are areas where the private sector can make real progress in space exploration.

Right now, he said, we are seeing private companies creating technologies that will drastically reduce the cost of reaching low-Earth orbit, which will greatly accelerate the commercialization of space.

However, the government still needs to play a leading role in space exploration, Peaco added. As its the only entity with the potential to fund grand achievements like a Mars mission.

Evan Peaco, a Portland High School graduate and winner of the National Space Clubs Goodard scholarship, touring theNASA Goddard Space Flight Center with the James Webb Space Telescope in the background.

See original here:
Portland High School grad reaches for the stars - The Forecaster

Posted in Moon Colonization | Comments Off on Portland High School grad reaches for the stars – The Forecaster

GMO Plants Could Aid in the Fight against Malaria | GEN – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (blog)

Posted: at 7:52 pm

Lead author on the study Luis Matas-Hernndez, Ph.D., began to study the formation of trichomes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana when he was a postdoctoral researcher at the CRAG group led by Dr. Pelaz. The knowledge gained in that endeavor caused Dr. Hernandez to hypothesize that the formation of trichomes could be manipulated in plants with industrial applications. For the past several years, his research has been aimed at obtaining Artemisia plants that produce copious amounts of artemisininwhich he focuses on as a principal investigator at Sequentia Biotech.

"One of the main goals of Sequentia Biotech is to produce artemisinin of the same quality, but at a lower cost, Dr. Hernandez noted. Our ambition is to reduce the price of the drug so that it can be accessible to everyone in the future. We want to use Artemisia as a natural, low-cost factory for antimalarials, and we are testing different strategies to do it."

Along with collaborators at the Linnaeus University in Sweden, the researchers were able to identify the gene AaMYB1 among the array of genes expressed in Artemisia trichomes. At CRAG, the researchers designed transgenic plants that overexpressed this gene and found that they accumulated larger doses of artemisinin than non-genetically modified plants.

Additionally, to confirm the role of the AaMYB1 gene in the formation of plant trichomes, the researchers searched for orthologs in the model plant A. thaliana and found the gene AtMYB61. When this gene was overexpressed in the model plant, it also produced a higher amount of trichomes on its leaves, demonstrating that these genes play a key role in the formation of trichomes in evolutionarily distant species.

In addition to its role in Artemisia, the identification of this gene can also be useful for other plants whose trichomes produce substances of interest, Dr. Pelaz concluded.

Originally posted here:
GMO Plants Could Aid in the Fight against Malaria | GEN - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (blog)

Posted in Genetic Engineering | Comments Off on GMO Plants Could Aid in the Fight against Malaria | GEN – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (blog)

Marthlize Tredoux: Why genetic engineering is not all bad – Wine Magazine

Posted: at 7:52 pm

My previous post on pesticides attracted some interest, so I wanted to follow up with simple to digest bits about the upsides of genetic engineering. Ill tie it back to why it might eventually be a critical technology for application in the vineyards too (since this is WineMag). Pass the smelling salts for everyone who just fainted at that and lets get started.

Again, a quick clarification on some terms used.

Since RoundUp/glyphosate is quickly becoming a straw man in this whole debate, Ill pull in a few different examples of existing and potential advancements. There are, of course, concerns about GE tech. Maybe Ill round out this tangent with a third piece focusing on the real issues vs the imagined ones. But for today, I want to focus on the good stuff:

Bt crops with built-in pesticidesBt toxins (proteins from a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis) have been inserted into transgenic crops to confer resistance against certain insects. In 2013, Bt brinjals were introduced commercially in Bangladesh as part of GM trials. To date, it has been planted on 12 ha across 120 farms. These farmers have cut pesticide use by 80% so far a rate which would not only alleviate negative environmental effects but also the health of farmers. Farmers are also reporting unprecedented increases in yield, which bodes well for their economic well-being.

Golden Rice the unavailable lifesaverThis one kills me. But not literally. Not like Vitamin A deficiency kills thousands of children annually, and leaves many thousands more disabled. Between 250,000 350,000 children go blind each year due to Vitamin A Deficiency. Golden Rice a GE cultivar enriched with Vitamin A has been available since 2002. Syngenta had been key in developing the technology and essentially made it freely available for use, in an attempt to bypass opposition from the anti-GMO lobby. It didnt work. The technology was opposed and Golden Rice remains unused aside from a handful of free licenses for subsistence farming not nearly the potential scale to make a significant difference in communities severely affected by malnutrition.

Organic cotton a celebrity gets it wrongIn 2016, Emma Watson wore a Calvin Klein dress, made in collaboration with green consultancy Eco-Age. Via Instagram, Ms Watson extolled the virtues of organic cotton above conventional, specifically that organic cotton is farmed without using harmful chemicals. It seems that Hermione didnt do her homework this time around though. The Bt technology I mentioned previously is also in cotton. While not as harmful as, say, copper sulfate, organic cotton farmers do spray their crops with Bt and other substances to battle severe crop damage from insects. Farmers growing Bt cotton have reduced their insecticide spraying significantly. States like Oklahoma report yields doubling over the past 20 years, improved fibre quality, better weed control and insecticide use down by more than 50%. You know what that is? Thats an improvement in sustainability. Impressive, no?

What about grapevine?The potential for GE technology in grapevine (including whats being worked on and what has been proposed) is a topic for discussion all on its own. It should definitely be noted that the potential application for GE technology is not limited to pest control. The creeping effects of climate change will eventually irrevocably change the viticulture landscape. The ability of different regions to produce quality grapes will change as rainfall and temperatures rise or fall outside the ideal conditions for grape growing.

If a technology was available to mitigate these effects a grapevine that can deal with increased CO2 levels, or one that is able to produce equivalent yield at higher temperatures and prolong a wine regions lifespan in the face of major climate shifts, isnt that something we need to consider reasonably, and without hysteria?

Tagged Marthlize Tredoux

Read more:
Marthlize Tredoux: Why genetic engineering is not all bad - Wine Magazine

Posted in Genetic Engineering | Comments Off on Marthlize Tredoux: Why genetic engineering is not all bad – Wine Magazine

DNA from 36-year-old gum helps solve cold case – AOL

Posted: at 7:51 pm

A 36-year-old piece of gum left behind at a crime scene was used to convict a British man of manslaughter.

Investigators matched the DNA found on the gum to DNA found on a letter that Osmond Bell, 60, sent authorities in an attempt to deflect blame, FOX News reports.

Bell was sentenced to 12 years in prison on March 22 for the 1981 murder of Nova Welsh, with whom Bell had two children.

After a six-week trial, the jury acquitted Bell of the serious murder charge, but found him guilty of manslaughter.

At the time of the crime, Welsh was 24 and dating a new man. Bell, who was jealous of the new relationship,"used forced on her neck, which in fact killed her," Judge Patrick Thomas said, according to The Sun.

Bell then hid Welsh's body in a cabinet, and left behind a piece of gum to seal the cupboard's lock.

When Bell was first arrested in 1981, he was eventually let go due to lack of evidence. But recently, thanks to advances in technology, the piece of chewed gum became the smoking gun in this case.

"The family can now have closure knowing the person who took Nova's life has been brought to justice," Nova's mom, Lorna Welsh, told the BBC.

More from AOL.com: Woman's obsession with Ed Sheeran song lands her in jail Man injected wife with cyanide in Valentine's Day attack captured on camera, prosecutors say Police arrest naked man on swings at Ohio park

Follow this link:
DNA from 36-year-old gum helps solve cold case - AOL

Posted in DNA | Comments Off on DNA from 36-year-old gum helps solve cold case – AOL

A new approach to amplifying DNA – Science Daily

Posted: at 7:51 pm

A new approach to amplifying DNA
Science Daily
Analyzing DNA is useful for a number of vital applications. This includes diagnosis and monitoring of diseases, identification of criminals, and studying the function of a targeted segment of DNA. However, methods used for analyses often require more ...

More:
A new approach to amplifying DNA - Science Daily

Posted in DNA | Comments Off on A new approach to amplifying DNA – Science Daily

Bail set at $250K in downtown stabbing.. – Channel3000.com – WISC-TV3

Posted: at 7:51 pm

Darrick E. Anderson, 23, no permanent address

Darrick E. Anderson, 23, no permanent address

MADISON, Wis. - Blood found in the kitchen of the apartment where police say a Madison man was stabbed to death matched the DNA of the man accused in the homicide, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Dane County Court.

Darrick E. Anderson, 23, was arrested on suspicion of a retail theft at East Towne Mall around 5 p.m. Tuesday and was a person of interest in the slaying of 46-year-old Andrew G. Nesbitt. Anderson was in court Monday, when a charge of felony first-degree intentional homicide was added to theft charges.

Nesbitt was found dead March 27 in a Madison apartment after Dane County dispatchers got an emergency call just before 4 p.m. from 27 N. Butler St.

According to the criminal complaint, blood evidence collected at Nesbitt's apartment matched Anderson's DNA. When Anderson was arrested in the retail theft from Gordmans Tuesday, about 24 hours after Nesbitt was found dead, he had cut wounds on the insides of both palms. Anderson's right hand was bandaged when police arrested him, and the wounds on that hand had been sutured.

On Monday, six days after his arrest, Anderson stood silent in court, and the court entered a not-guilty plea on the misdemeanor counts of theft, bail jumping and resisting an officer on Anderson's behalf, according to court records. Cash bond was set at $250,000, and Anderson was ordered not to have contact with witnesses, not to possess weapons, consume alcohol or use or possess controlled substances.

According to the criminal complaint, defensive cut wounds were found on Nesbitt's hands. The doctor performing the autopsy said his cause of death was multiple sharp force injuries to the head, neck, torso and extremities.

Madison police Chief Mike Koval said that Nesbitt and Anderson didn't know each other. He said they had a chance encounter on the street several blocks from where Nesbitt was killed. Surveillance video from a taxi service appeared to show Nesbitt and Anderson interacting.

According to the criminal complaint, video from the Kelly Williamson Mobil station, 636 W. Washington Ave., about 3:40 a.m. showed Anderson and Nesbitt at the store at the same time. Police were able to use city cameras to also track the movements of two men matching their descriptions from the time Nesbitt left the gas station until about 4:20 a.m. Monday near State Street and Mifflin. The criminal complaint said Nesbitt is seen walking on Mifflin Street east, in the direction of his apartment. A person matching Anderson's description is seen walking slowly behind Nesbitt on the video, police said.

Police said there was no forced entry into Nesbitt's apartment.

Nesbitt's roommate was out of town for the weekend and returned to find Nesbitt dead in the 24-unit apartment complex, police said.

Anderson's next court appearance is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. April 11.

Court records list a home address for Anderson in Columbus. Police have previously said Anderson is homeless.

Originally posted here:
Bail set at $250K in downtown stabbing.. - Channel3000.com - WISC-TV3

Posted in DNA | Comments Off on Bail set at $250K in downtown stabbing.. – Channel3000.com – WISC-TV3

Mars Releases Feline DNA Genetic Test – VetPracticeNews.com

Posted: at 7:51 pm

Optimal Selection Feline Genetic Breeding Analysis was developed in partnership with Genoscoper Laboratories.

By Veterinary Practice News Editors

Published: 2017.04.03 02:39 PM

Breeders of pedigree cats are a finicky bunch, and why shouldnt they be? A flaw passed down from parents to kitten can drop the asking price of a purebred with papers by thousands when a buyer comes knocking.

To take the guesswork out of breeding, Mars Veterinary released a new DNA genetic health test for cat breeders under the brand Optimal Selection. The test was developed in partnership with Genoscoper Laboratories, a Helsinki, Finland company known for its DNA testing for pets.

Selecting for the best can translate into big bucks for breeders.

In an example from a 2016 Huffington Post blog, Hardly A Purr-Fect Price5 Most Expensive Cat Breeds in the World, genetic quality is reflected in the huge price range of $15,000 to $75,000 plus for an Asherasaid to be the worlds most expensive breed, according to the blog.

We are excited to be working with our partners at Genoscoper to bring this first-of-its-kind disease testing panel to cat breeders, said Cindy Cole, DVM, Ph.D., general manager of Mars Veterinary of Vancouver, Wash.

The Optimal Selection test lets breeders screen cats for more than 25 mutations and gives breeders a heads-up as to the individual genetic health of cats being considered for breeding.

This kind of tool enables breeders to work proactively to identify diseases in their litters. Ultimately, it can help them to make informed choices and may reduce the likelihood of producing kittens with preventable genetic conditions, Dr. Cole explained.

Jamie Christian, a renowned cat show judge, agreed: Breeders will be able to keep unwanted diseases out of the future generations, while maintaining the valuable traits associated with the individual breeds.

The Optimal Selection test runs about $70, and it is available to U.S. cat breeders here.

Originally published in the March 2017 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Did you enjoythis article? Then subscribe today!

The move brings them closer to become the leading source of livestock vaccines in the Western Hemisphere.

BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Paramus, N.J., is one of the first veterinary hospitals to use this technology.

The ban went into effect January 18, 2017.

See the article here:
Mars Releases Feline DNA Genetic Test - VetPracticeNews.com

Posted in DNA | Comments Off on Mars Releases Feline DNA Genetic Test – VetPracticeNews.com

Students create tasty DNA models – Sunbury Daily Item

Posted: at 7:51 pm

DANVILLE Bloomsburg University biology professors found their students Monday afternoon to be smaller than the college students they usually teach.

Dr. Jennifer Venditti and Dr. Angela Hess taught 21 first-graders and 25 second-graders in the Danville Primary School about blood components and DNA.

The professors will return today with some of their college students to continue teaching about science in teacher Laura Longs enrichment class which is known as response to instructional intervention.

We started teaching with Mrs. Longs class last year in second grade and this year are working with first- and second-graders, Venditti said.

Last week, they taught third-graders at Liberty-Valley Intermediate School in the Danville district.

In discussing DNA, Venditti told second-graders they would get to build a 3-D model of DNA with a collective yeah heard among the students.

You cannot eat any parts of your kit until you get home, she said of the model constructed of red licorice and pink, orange, green and yellow marshmallows held together with toothpicks.

The marshmallows represented the 12 base pairs totaling 24 and the licorice was modeled as the sugar phosphate backbone of DNA, which is also referred to as the molecule of heredity or genetic blueprint, Venditti said.

It gives all the instructions the cells need in order to function, she said.

First-graders, taught by Hess, made models of blood components in plastic bottles containing corn syrup, dried lentils, dried navy beans and white rice.

Hess and Venditti, who serve as advisers of the Biological and Allied Health Sciences Club at BU, do these types of outreach projects, Venditti said.

Mrs. Long does an exceptional job in creating enrichment opportunities for students. Our goal is individualized instruction and maximizing it to as many kids as possible, Danville Primary School Principal John Bickhart said.

Email comments to kblackledge@thedanvillenews.com. Follow Karen on Twitter @KLBlackledge.

Here is the original post:
Students create tasty DNA models - Sunbury Daily Item

Posted in DNA | Comments Off on Students create tasty DNA models – Sunbury Daily Item

Page 1,926«..1020..1,9251,9261,9271,928..1,9401,950..»

  1. category
  2. Transhuman News