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Profluent, a California-based artificial intelligence (AI)-first protein design company, announced its AI model that can generate CRISPR-like proteins that do not occur in nature on Tuesday. CRISPR or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a complex containing important proteins that scientists can use for precise gene editing in organisms. The company claims the usage of AI can create a vast number of such proteins that can help in creating bespoke cures for diseases which, at present, remain incurable.

Ali Madani, the founder and CEO of Profluent announced the AI model in a series of posts on X (formerly known as Twitter). The company has also made a blog post detailing the initiative and a pre-print version of its research paper has been published on bioRxiv. Besides announcing the DNA editor-generating AI model, the company also launched OpenCRISPR-1, one of the AI-created gene editors, as an initial open-source release licencing it for both ethical research and commercial uses.

Why OpenCRISPR AI Model matters

While CRISPR is a major focus of scientists, the research is limited due to the protein Cas9, which acts as a gene editor, and its equivalent being only available in nature. As a result, scientists spend a significant amount of time discovering different types of gene editors and their impact. Profluent claims its AI model, which is powered by an in-house large language model (LLM) trained on “massive scale sequence and biological context”, can now generate millions of diverse CRISPR-like proteins that do not occur in nature. In theory, these synthetic gene editors can play a pivotal role in finding cures for diseases previously thought to be incurable.

In its blog post, the company said, “OpenCRISPR-1 gene editor maintains the prototypical architecture of a Type II Cas9 nuclease but is more than 400 mutations away from SpCas9 and nearly 200 mutations away from any other known natural CRISPR-associated protein.”

What is CRISPR

CRISPR, put simply, is a complex or system found in bacteria and some other unicellular organisms. This complex contains the Cas9 (or similar proteins like Cas12 and Cas13) proteins that have a specific ability to make precise cuts in gene strands of DNA to enable editing. It was first discovered in 1987, and ever since scientists have been researching it extensively. The technology has vast applications and has already been used to artificially create crop variants that have a higher yield, are resistant to diseases, and are drought tolerant.

It is also used to change the DNA of mosquitoes so that they cannot spread diseases like malaria. Experiments are being conducted to cure patients suffering from diseases such as sickle-cell anaemia. It is also theorised that the technology can be used to edit the DNA of the embryo to create babies who are naturally resistant to diseases and possess genes that promote higher physical and mental abilities.

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2,300-Year-Old Celtic Helmet Found in Poland’s Łysa Góra Site!

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September 16, 2024

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2,300-Year-Old Celtic Helmet Found in Poland’s Łysa Góra Site!

Archaeologists in Poland have unearthed a remarkable find: a 2,300-year-old bronze helmet, along with other artifacts, marking the first evidence of Celtic settlement in northern Poland. This discovery, led by Bartłomiej Kaczyński from the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw, indicates that Celts were present in the region to secure their amber supplies. Previously, Celts were known to have colonised southern Poland around 400 B.C., but evidence of their presence in the north was scarce until now.

Details of the Helmet

The helmet, crafted from thin bronze and styled in the Celtic “Berru” fashion, features a conical top and a distinctive nape, reflecting its association with Celtic elites, the State Archaeological Museum announced in a Facebook post. It was found at the Łysa Góra archaeological site near Chorzele, about 105 kilometres north of Warsaw. The discovery is significant as it represents the most northeastern site in Europe where Celts have been documented.

Other Artifacts Unearthed

In addition to the helmet, the excavation revealed over 300 ancient artifacts, including four iron axes and an iron sword, archaeologist Bartłomiej Kaczyński . These items suggest that the Celts may have introduced iron metallurgy to the area. The team also uncovered Celtic ornaments, brooches, and several tools not previously known in Poland, such as iron chisels, scythes, and scissors. This challenges the earlier belief that Celtic interactions in northern Poland were minimal.

Importance of the Site

The findings indicate that the Łysa Góra site was a crucial trading post on the “amber trail” leading from the Baltic Sea coast. Amber, highly prized in the Mediterranean world, was a key commodity for the Celts. The site’s location suggests it played a significant role in protecting and trading amber between different regions.

Overall, these discoveries shed light on the extent of Celtic influence and their strategic importance in ancient trade networks.

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Strange Signal From Greenland Landslide Reveals Climate Change Effects

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September 16, 2024

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Strange Signal From Greenland Landslide Reveals Climate Change Effects

In September 2023, scientists monitoring seismic activities worldwide detected an unusual signal. This signal, distinct from the typical earthquake rumble, resonated as a continuous hum, maintaining a singular frequency. For nine consecutive days, this hum echoed across the globe, spanning from the Arctic to Antarctica, leaving researchers baffled. Initially classified as a “USO” — an unidentified seismic object — the source of the signal was eventually identified. A colossal landslide in Greenland‘s Dickson Fjord was responsible for the mysterious hum. The event involved a massive amount of rock and ice, enough to fill approximately 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, plummeting into the fjord. This caused a mega-tsunami, with waves towering up to 200 metres, double the height of London’s iconic Big Ben.

The Landslide’s Source

The landslide was directly linked to the ongoing effects of climate change. Due to the thinning of a nearby glacier, the fjord’s stability had been compromised. The glacier had lost tens of metres in thickness over decades, leading to a weakened structure. When the mountain finally gave way, the sheer force of the collapse generated seismic waves that reverberated around the planet.

Implications of the Event

In their study published in Science, the research team noted that the signal was created by standing waves within the fjord caused by the rockslide. These findings underscore the cascading and hazardous feedback loops between the Earth’s ice, water, and land systems as the climate continues to warm.

As global temperatures rise, landslides, tsunamis, and similar events in polar regions could become more frequent.

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Supercooling of Earth’s Inner Core May Finally Reveal its True Age

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September 16, 2024

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Supercooling of Earth's Inner Core May Finally Reveal its True Age

Earth‘s inner core, made of solid iron and nickel, lies over 5,100 kilometres below the surface. Despite its crucial role in shaping Earth’s conditions and generating its magnetic field, the core’s age has remained a mystery. Thanks to advancements in mineral physics, scientists are now closer to understanding how and when the core formed. The solid core is vital for maintaining Earth’s magnetic field, which shields us from harmful solar radiation, making the planet habitable for billions of years.

Inner Core’s Formation and Freezing Process

The inner core, which was once molten, solidifies as the Earth cools down. This cooling process causes the iron-rich liquid surrounding the core to freeze, expanding the inner core outwards, although the temperature at the core remains scorching, at over 5,000K (around 4,726°C). The freezing of iron releases lighter elements like oxygen and carbon, creating a buoyant liquid that rises into the outer core, producing electric currents. These currents drive the Earth’s magnetic field, which is responsible for phenomena like the northern lights.

Supercooling and the Core’s Age

Geophysicists use thermal models to study Earth’s magnetic history. These models have revealed that supercooling, where a liquid cools below its freezing point without solidifying, could explain the core’s formation. Recent studies suggest that iron at the core may need to be supercooled by up to 1,000K before freezing. However, this level of cooling implies that the core might be much younger, between 500 and 1,000 million years than previously thought. Current evidence suggests the core may have experienced less than 400K of supercooling.

The age of Earth’s inner core remains a topic of intense study, with scientists exploring the possibility that the core could be younger than estimated due to this supercooling phenomenon. Understanding this could reshape our knowledge of Earth’s magnetic history.

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