Nanopore DNA Sequencing
Does that mean anything to you? It should. People who know me know that I am prone to hyperbole (e.g. “This is the best freakin’ sandwich I have ever had, like, in history”), but believe me when I say that This. Changes. Everything.
Critics of genomics (even Craig Venter, “Mr. Genome” himself) have lamented the fact that sequencing our genome has not resulted in discovering the genetic basis of every disease. We have learned that human biology is orders of magnitude more complicated, redundant and networked than we ever imagined. But many people (including me) believe that we will only learn what we need to by sequencing more genomes.
Technologies like Oxford Nanopore’s, should they live up to their promises (or even half their promises), will make genome sequencing so cheap and so fast, that we will no longer be limited by how much genetic data we can assemble, only what we can process.
We will have to make sure that this doesn’t get applied to medicine all willy-nilly (true personalized medicine is still far-off), and watching for genomic snake oil hucksters will fall on all of our shoulders (they should be tarred, and then feathered). Kids: study that computer science. We’re gonna have a LOT of data to analyze.
I MEAN SERIOUSLY! THEY MADE A GENOME SEQUENCER THE SIZE OF A USB DRIVE THAT COSTS LESS THAN $1,000!! I’M LOSING MY MIND HERE!
Previously: Genome sequencing facts
(via Oxford Nanopore on Vimeo, for more check out Nature News)
Brian Cox uses quantum physics to show us that everything is connected to everything else.
For instance, after watching this video my brain fell on the floor, a mushy pile of bewilderment, electrons and all. Therefore, somewhere else in the universe, all the other electrons adjusted their energy state to compensate.
Edit: many folks have responded that this is a misuse of the PEP. Not being a physicist, theoretical or otherwise, I can’t speak to that. But I’ve added some links to the comments section below this post to show both sides of the controversial claim. Thanks for being sharp, as always.
The Einstein Theory of Relativity - 1923
A German silent film from nearly a century ago that aims to explain the Great One’s theory to the common man and woman. For more on the film’s history.
(via Vimeo)
Everything is a Remix: Part 4 … System Failure
Kirby Ferguson is back with part 4 of his amazing series on the derivative nature of the creative process. I’m sad to see it end. If, for some reason, this is the first you’ve heard of this series … GO WATCH THEM ALL, DAMMIT.
It’s a series that focuses on traditional creative media, and it’s chock full of pop culture history and draws surprising connections between some of mankind’s greatest modern works. But the true beauty of the series is that these principles of derivative creativity can be applied to almost anything.
So here we are, on a science blog, wondering how this mantra fits in. Everything is a remix. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than in science. Scientific discovery is rarely, if ever, de novo. In fact, scientific philosophy of the 20th century and beyond actually requires that scientific progress build upon what came before.
Never forget that we are creators, we scientists. And perhaps we are more comfortable with the remix than other disciplines? Until we invent a drug or something like that … then we sin with the best of the idea hoarders. Of course, it’s never that simple, and protections of intellectual property are double-edged.
Integrate the ideas in this video series into your creative philosophy, in whatever you do. As artist Austin Kleon said, “You are a mashup of what you let into your life.” Remember that, in all the good and bad ways it applies.
(via Vimeo)
A Tornado On The Sun
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this video of swirling plasma on the surface of the sun. It’s a tornado perhaps the size of the Earth itself, spinning at speeds a thousand times greater than Earth’s strongest storms.
(via NPR)
Fly Through the 19-mile Crack In Pine Island Glacier
In a video simulation reminiscent of Luke’s approach on the Death Star’s exhaust port, NASA has put together a fly-through of a massive rift in Antarctica’s Pine Island glacier.
Aerial view (via NASA):
Discovered last year, this crack will eventually spawn an iceberg covering 350 square miles. Part of this is a natural cycle of calving icebergs from the edges of glaciers, but the thinning of this particular ice mass has some scientists concerned.
(video via NASA, for more read: A Crack in the Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf)
Science Nation Army
The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” recreated with sounds from a working science lab.
For more about how the video was made, check it out here.
(by IKNBlog)
Welcome to Earth – a universal timelapse to give you goosebumps. (Bonus points for the score by First Aid Kit.)
This really is quite a home we’ve got here.
Glad to share it with you guys.
Fascinating Behind the Scenes Video of the Keck Observatory in Hawaii
Go behind the curtain of modern terrestrial space observation! Super fun look at squeegee-ing a 10-meter mirror, too.
GE turns butterfly-inspired tech into cheap, accurate thermal sensor
The Morpho butterfly is a beauty to behold. Its iridescent color scheme usually shines between blue and green, providing a metallic glint that has captivated lepidopterists for decades. This is a result of natural pigment molecules arranged in repeating nano-structures that reflect light in exotic fashion, almost like a living holographic sticker.
Companies like GE have been studying these natural nanostructures to develop improved counterfeit protection as well as biological attack detectors (ricin, anthrax, and the like). And now, thanks to coating the wings in carbon nanotubes, they have developed a thermal imaging sensor sensitive down to 0.02 degrees Celsius, responding within 1/40 of a second.
You can watch it in action in the video above.
I guess there’s a small chance that this could lead to Predator-style butterflies, but HOW CUTELY DANGEROUS WOULD THAT LITTLE THING BE?
(via Engadget)
I, DNA NANOBOT
When you think of powerful weapons to fight cancer, origami is not your first thing you think of. But we’re not talking about paper cranes. We are talking about folding DNA to deliver cancer drugs right where they’re needed.
Remember DNA origami from last year? It’s not just whimsical shapes and nanometer-scale smiley faces. Biophysicists from Harvard have designed carefully-folded DNA barrels that can bind payloads on the inside (like drugs) and attach to cancer cell-specific targeting molecules (called aptamers) on the outside.
The nano bots then target their specific cancer type, springing open to deliver their killer drug cargo. It’s a “smart drug” of sorts. By designing different aptamer molecules to direct the bots to various targets, cancer drugs can be delivered very specifically, without many of the side effects of general chemotherapy.
(via Nature News, video and image from Wyss Institute)
And thus my time-lapse video addiction continues.
This is just what I need after a long day of writing. And not the fun Tumblr kind either. The far more boring “real lab manuscript” kind. One Day Less, indeed ;)
Periodic Table of Swearing in Push-Button Form
Those transition metals are definitely some rare combinations I’ve never heard of. Also available as an Android app, for all your mobile swearing needs! It’s chemistry-ish!
Obviously contains bad language. Glorious bad language.
(via Clay Interactive on Vimeo)
Apollo 17 astronauts singing on the moon.
This is real.
This is why we beat zee Soviets.
(via Boing Boing)
Certified Science Ninja - Member Since 2010