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Newsletter Signup – Under Article / In Page”*” indicates required fields The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the biotech industry seems boundless. Its combination with CRISPR could be the one area where AI has the most potential.Nobel prize winner and co-inventor of the CRISPR technology, Jennifer Doudna, recently highlighted the profound implications of combining AI with CRISPR in an article published by Wired. She emphasized that AI’s capacity to analyze vast genomic datasets accelerates the discovery of more efficient gene-editing tools and enhances the precision of genetic modifications.So how is AI set to transform CRISPR? Let’s find out! The synergy:…

In this series, we explore the unique experiences of field ecologists conducting research in remote field stations during the holiday season. Through personal stories and reflections, our contributors share what it’s like to conduct scientific work in remote, biodiverse environments, where the challenges of research intersect with the spirit of the holidays. From the solitude of secluded field stations to unexpected festive moments in the wild, this series highlights the resilience and dedication of ecologists and evolutionary biologists working in these remarkable regions of the world. Here, María C. Tocora and colleagues, relay their field experiences in the Galápagos, the…

Photo: A gargoyle at Cambridge University, by Steve Evans from Citizen of the World, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. Stephen Meyer was in Cambridge, England, and besides chatting with David Berlinski, he gave an unusual “on the spot” presentation about Cambridge University itself — the sites that played key roles in scientific discoveries that helped advance the God Hypothesis. It turns out the university with its storied colleges and laboratories made quite the “non-trivial” contribution, despite the overall secular atmosphere there today. Watch and enjoy: Photo by Casey Sernaqué David KlinghofferSenior Fellow and Editor, Evolution NewsDavid Klinghoffer is…

Adult female cracking nuts using stone tools. She is being observed by an infant female (1 year old) and a young male (8 years). Credit: Tetsuro Matsuzawa A new study suggests that the fundamental abilities underlying human language and technological culture may have evolved before humans and apes diverged millions of years ago. The findings were published 5 December 2024 in the journal PeerJ. Many human behaviors are more complex than those of other animals, involving the production of elaborate sequences (such as spoken language, or tool manufacturing). These sequences include the ability to organize behaviors by hierarchical chunks, and…

A replica of an approximately 50,000-year-old Neanderthal cranium from La Ferrassie, France, compared to a recent Homo Sapiens cranium. Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum A new study published by researchers at London’s Natural History Museum and Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven has reinforced the claim that Neanderthals and modern-day humans (Homo sapiens) must be classed as separate species in order to best track our evolutionary history. Different researchers have different definitions as to what classifies as a species. It is undisputed that H. sapiens and Neanderthals originate from the same parental species, however studies into Neanderthal genetics and…

Photo credit: Jenny8lee, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. What’s the biggest science story of the year? My vote goes to the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded for the discovery of function for a type of “junk DNA” that produces microRNA (miRNA), a crucial molecule involved in gene regulation. That so-called genetic junk would turn out to be functional was a prediction of intelligent design going back to the 1990s. On that, ID has been vindicated over and over again, now by the Nobel Committee. Our colleagues Richard Sternberg and Bill Dembski were early predictors, as…

A1 sites of MenB PS I. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp4937 A team of researchers has revealed the structure of a modified and evolved version of Photosystem I (PS I), a key protein complex used by plants and cyanobacteria to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This discovery sheds light on the evolution and adaptation of photosynthetic organisms and could potentially lead to new, highly efficient systems for producing renewable solar fuels. The research was led by K.V. Lakshmi at RPI’s Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research. The center, established by Johanna and Tom Baruch, RPI Class of…

Receptor binding site of the A/Texas/37/2024 hemagglutinin Leu226 mutant (yellow) in complex with the human receptor analog LSTc (cyan). Credit: Scripps Research Avian influenza viruses typically require several mutations to adapt and spread among humans, but what happens when just one change can increase the risk of becoming a pandemic virus? A study led by scientists at Scripps Research reveals that a single mutation in the H5N1 “bird flu” virus that has recently infected dairy cows in the U.S. could enhance the virus’ ability to attach to human cells, potentially increasing the risk of passing from person to person. The…

Image showing a white-vented plumeleteer (Chalybura buffonii) drinking from a feeder at the Colibrí Gorriazul Research Center in Colombia. Credit: Kristiina Hurme Hummingbird bills—their long, thin beaks—look a little like drinking straws. The frenetic speed at which they get nectar out of flowers and backyard feeders may give the impression that the bills act as straws, too. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. In a paper published online Nov. 27 by the Journal of The Royal Society Interface, an international team led by Alejandro Rico-Guevara, an assistant professor of biology at the University…

A mating pair of wild-type (left) and mir-193 mutant (right) B. anynana butterflies. Credit: Shen Tian Lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) exhibit a splendid diversity of wing color patterns, and many species display black and white, or dark and bright, wing color pattern variants associated with the presence and absence of melanin. Many of these wing color pattern variants are textbook examples of natural selection and evolution. Iconic examples include the rapid increase in frequency of the melanic form of the British peppered moth Biston betularia, driven by the sootier and darker environment caused by carbon burning and industrialization in the…