Science and Technology

Global effort realizes first 100% complete sequence of human genome

An international team of scientists has published the first complete, gap-free sequence of the human genome. The new reference genome adds hundreds of millions of base pairs to earlier drafts, filling in crucial gaps to improve studies of disease.

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Spiders found to extend their hearing by using webs as giant audio arrays

Scientists have made another extraordinary discovery concerning spider silk, finding that orb-weaving spiders use their webs as an array to extend their sense of hearing, a finding that could lead to advanced new forms of audio hardware.

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InBio makes strong progress toward CRISPR-edited hypoallergenic cats

A single protein called Fel d 1 is responsible for the lion's share of human cat allergies, but a company called InBio says its initial research indicates a promising possibility that this protein can be eliminated safely using CRISPR gene editing.

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Squid skin inspires versatile new “tunable” insulating material

The color-changing skin of the squid has inspired a new type of infrared-reflecting, metalized polymer film with tunable heat-management properties that could make it useful in everything from coffee cups to shipping containers.

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Study finds car thefts decrease when street lights are turned off

When you pull your car up on a quiet street at night, do you park under a street light thinking it will dissuade a thief from breaking into your car? New research challenges that assumption, finding rates of vehicle theft drop when street lights are off.

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Giant ice volcanoes may have recently changed the face of Pluto

Astronomers have found more evidence of giant ice volcanoes on Pluto. New analysis of data and images gathered by the New Horizons mission have revealed unique surface structures that seem to have been produced by something known as cryovolcanism.

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Poor sleep linked to sustained increases in dangerous visceral fat

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have shed new light on the relationship between sleep and body fat, demonstrating how a lack of sleep can increase levels of insidious visceral fat deep in the abdomen, which carries acute risks to our health.

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Fourth COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose approved for all older Americans

The FDA has authorized a fourth mRNA vaccine dose for all individuals aged 50 and over. The authorization includes both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and is recommended to be administered at least four months after a third dose.

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DirtySixer lays claim to title of “world’s biggest ebike”

It was just last year that we heard about the DirtySixer AllRoad Mark II, a 36-inch-wheeled bicycle for big riders. Well, those giant cyclists will soon have an electric-assist option, in the form of what is currently being called the eDirtySixer.

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