How a piece of plastic shut down DNA testing at crime lab
It was technically a successful scientific discovery when analysts at the Hennepin County, Minnesota, forensic science lab recognized there was a contaminant somewhere in its DNA process. That did not lessen the sense of dread......»»
At plastic treaty talks, no united front for industry
Is virgin plastic production vital or completely unsustainable? For the industry lobbyists at UN talks on plastic pollution, the answer is far from unanimous......»»
Engineering DNA to mimic biological catch bonds with "fish-hook" system
In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has developed an artificial adhesion system that closely mimics natural biological interactions......»»
Cell model identifies important factor in neural development
The Wistar Institute's Alessandro Gardini, Ph.D., and lab have shed new light on how certain biological processes determine the development of neural cells. Their findings on a molecular "bridge" complex demonstrate a new level of detail in the under.....»»
Five fairness flaws the UN"s new plastics treaty must change
The UN's new plastics treaty is about to be finalized—marking a crucial opportunity to form an international agreement to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Plastic waste is ubiquitous—damaging human health and livelihoods, as well as ecosystem.....»»
OpenAI is at war with its own Sora video testers following brief public leak
Group behind stunt says they're being used for "unpaid R&D" and "art washing." OpenAI has cut off testing access to its Sora video generation platform after a group of artists bri.....»»
Chinese island plastic pollution turned into artistic omens
As storm clouds gathered on a forgotten beach in China's Miaodao islands, artist Fu Junsheng picked his way through piles of plastic waste washed up along the shoreline, looking for inspiration......»»
"Very, very slow": plastic treaty talks grind forward
Negotiations on a first global treaty to curb plastic pollution are moving "very, very slowly", diplomats and observers told AFP on Wednesday, threatening the chances of reaching an agreement......»»
Submarine canyon plastic accumulation is driven by turbidity currents, simulation study shows
Plastic pollution is an ever-pressing concern for the health of our ocean ecosystems and their inhabitants, with estimates of over 10 million metric tons of plastic litter entering the marine realm each year. While evocative images often highlight su.....»»
The space station just had to steer clear of more space junk
For the second time in a week, the International Space Station has had to adjust its orbit in order to steer clear of a piece of approaching space junk......»»
Stop! And watch these 3 great movies leaving Netflix by December 1
Watch these three films leaving Netflix by December 1. Our picks include a violent black comedy, a submarine thriller, and an exceptional crime drama......»»
LLM Siri: The wait is frustrating, but the privacy payoff will be worth it
Bloomberg yesterday reported that Apple is currently testing an “LLM Siri” within the company, with the intention of announcing it as an iOS 19 feature. That will likely see it previewed in June at WWDC 2025, but the report says that it won’.....»»
iPhone Diary: Focus and exposure lock is great in principle, but it’s for sure a beta feature
The Camera Control feature I was most looking forward to was half-press to lock focus and exposure – a key feature of traditional cameras. While I’m very happy to have this in the latest beta, testing it in real-life use definitely confirms it.....»»
iPhone 16 ban: Apple offers $100M investment in Indonesia, govt wants more [U]
Apple has responded to an iPhone 16 ban in Indonesia by offering a ten-fold boost to its manufacturing investments in the country – from $10M to $100M. Update: The Indonesian government has said that it expects more – see the end of the piece......»»
Threads testing option to let users choose which feed they want to see by default
As we reported last week, Threads has begun to globally roll out Custom Feeds based on specific topics. And Meta seems to be really listening to users recently, as the company is now testing an option to let users set which feed they want to see by d.....»»
Deep divisions on display at plastic pollution treaty talks
A final round of talks on a treaty to curb plastic pollution opened on Monday, with deep differences between nations emerging almost immediately......»»
Elon Musk’s Neuralink to test if its brain implant can control a robotic arm
Elon Musk’s Neuralink has said it’s about to begin testing a technology that could enable someone with paralysis to control a robotic arm with their thoughts......»»
Plastic pollution talks must not fail: UN environment chief
Talks to agree the world's first treaty to curb plastic pollution cannot fail and must tackle both production and consumption, the UN's environment chief told AFP on Monday......»»
New mechanism in bacterial DNA enzyme opens pathways for antibiotic development
Researchers from Durham University, Jagiellonian University (Poland) and the John Innes Center have achieved a breakthrough in understanding DNA gyrase, a vital bacterial enzyme and key antibiotic target. This enzyme, present in bacteria but absent i.....»»
Milestone legal case from 35 years ago holds important lessons for how courts deal with scientific evidence today
This month marks 35 years of DNA evidence being used in Australian legal cases. But unlike DNA firsts in other countries, Australia's is perhaps the most significant legal milestone that is practically unheard of......»»
Molecular morphers: DNA-powered gels shape-shift on command
Johns Hopkins engineers have developed gel strips that change shape when given chemical instructions written in DNA code. These "gel automata," measuring just centimeters, can grow or shrink, transforming from one letter or number to another when tri.....»»