📰 Quanta Magazine · 11
United StatesWhy the Human Genome’s Tangled Physicality May Confound AI
The article discusses the complexity of the human genome beyond just the coding regions, highlighting that only 2% of the genome consists of actual genes. It emphasizes that understanding how these genes are regulated—rather than just identifying them—is a more challenging and crucial aspect of genomic research. This regulation determines how different cell types function and respond to environmental signals.
Seven Perfect Shuffles Randomize a Deck of Cards. But How Many Sloppy Ones?
Mathematicians previously demonstrated that seven perfect riffle shuffles are sufficient to randomize a standard deck of cards. However, this result was based on idealized conditions. New research by Mark Sellke, Jialu Shi, and Jiamin Wang extends this finding to less precise shuffling methods, showing that a similar 'cutoff phenomenon' occurs even when the deck isn't split evenly.
How Many Elementary Particles Are There, Really?
The article explores the complexity of determining the exact number of elementary particles in the universe. It discusses how particle physicists use both experimental data from the Large Hadron Collider and theoretical models like the Standard Model to describe these particles. However, the count is not straightforward due to various factors, including the possibility that the true answer might not even be an integer.
Where Did Earth Get Its Oceans? Maybe It Made Them Itself.
The article discusses the origin of Earth's oceans, suggesting that they may have formed through processes on Earth itself rather than being delivered by comets or asteroids. It also mentions a spacecraft traveling to Europa, a moon of Jupiter believed to have an ocean, and references a poem engraved on the spacecraft.
What’s the Future of Gene Editing?
The article discusses the development and implications of CRISPR, a groundbreaking gene-editing technology derived from bacterial immune systems. It explains how CRISPR allows precise modifications to DNA across various species and highlights its potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and conservation. The article also mentions Jennifer Doudna, a co-developer of CRISPR, and her awareness of the technology's transformative power.
An Early Step on the Long, Strange Road to Photosynthesis
An ancient lineage of cyanobacteria is providing insights into an early evolutionary stage of photosynthesis, the process by which light is converted into life. Scientists study this process to understand how life harnessed solar energy billions of years ago, leading to the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere and the development of an aerobic world. The complexity of photosynthesis involves numerous proteins and pigments working together within a tiny cellular structure.
How Terry Tao Became an Evangelist for AI in Math
This article discusses Terry Tao's forward-thinking views on the future of mathematical research, particularly his advocacy for increased collaboration among large groups of mathematicians and the potential use of AI and automated verification systems to check mathematical proofs. During a 2014 panel discussion with other prominent mathematicians, Tao suggested that collaborative efforts involving hundreds of researchers could become common, and that computer-assisted proof verification might replace traditional human referee processes.
Are Memories Transferable — or Edible?
The article discusses an experiment involving planarian worms and memory transfer, focusing on the work of researcher Zachary Kelso under neuroscientist Sam Gershman at Harvard. Kelso collected wild planarians from various locations, including the Charles River in Boston, to conduct research into whether memories can be transferred between organisms.
More Conversations, Complex Questions, and Bold Ideas in Season Five of ‘The Joy of Why’
The podcast 'The Joy of Why' returns for its fifth season with 12 new episodes exploring major scientific and mathematical questions. Hosts Steven Strogatz and Janna Levin discuss topics such as CRISPR gene editing, artificial intelligence's impact on mathematics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and the nature of dark energy. The first episode features Jennifer Doudna, a Nobel laureate known for her role in developing CRISPR technology.
Entanglement Builds Space-Time. Now “Magic” Gives It Gravity.
The article discusses recent developments in theoretical physics where researchers are exploring how the pliability of space-time might originate from quantum properties, specifically a concept called 'magic.' It references John Archibald Wheeler's description of the interaction between space and matter, which forms the basis of Einstein's theory of general relativity. The piece highlights the ongoing challenge faced by physicists in creating models that accurately describe how space and matter interact at the quantum level.
The Dirt That Refused To Die
A research team led by biochemist Sébastien Fontaine discovered that soil, even when seemingly devoid of life after being exposed to gamma radiation, continues to emit carbon dioxide for up to six years. This suggests that certain biochemical processes may occur without the presence of living organisms, challenging existing scientific understanding.