Generative artificial intelligence has entered a new frontier of fundamental biology: helping scientists to better understand proteins, the workhorses of living cells. Scientists have developed two new AI tools to decipher proteins often missed by existing detection methods, researchers report March 31 in Nature Machine Intelligence. Uncovering these unknown proteins in all types of biological…
A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake rocked central Myanmar on March 28 at about 12:50 p.m. local time, leaving at least 144 people confirmed dead so far and triggering widespread damage across both Myanmar and Thailand. Buildings collapsed, roads broke and at least one dam and a bridge crumbled. A magnitude 6.4 aftershock followed just 10…
Scientists working to unlock the secrets of de-extinction recently announced what they say is a turning point for the movement: the creation of transgenic mice with long, luxurious golden locks of tufted fur inspired by the coats of woolly mammoths. They’re called Colossal woolly mice. And yes, they are cute to boot. Transgenic mice —…
‘Star Wars’ holds clues to making speedier spacecraft in the real world
ANAHEIM, CALIF. — At the world’s largest gathering of physicists, a talk about Microsoft’s claimed new type of quantum computing chip was perhaps the main attraction. Microsoft’s February announcement of a chip containing the first topological quantum bits, or qubits, has ignited heated blowback in the physics community. The discovery was announced by press release, without…
One of the keys to performing like an elite athlete — or at least having the metabolism of one — may be pooping like one. Transplanting feces from certain top-level cyclists and soccer players into mice boosted levels of a molecule that fuels intense workouts, researchers report March 27 in Cell Reports. Our gut microbiota…