MIT scientists develop new tool for long-term DNA storage: amber-like polymer inspired by Jurassic Park

This research draws inspiration from the natural history of the preservation of genetic material in amber, a form of fossilized tree resin, where millennia of biological specimens have been found preserved across the world.

MIT researchers have successfully stored DNA sequences and an entire human genome in their newly created polymer which they call T-REX – Thermoset-REinforced Xeropreservation. It’s a play on the film jurassic parkwhere scientists use DNA preserved in amber to bring dinosaurs back to life.

This technology could revolutionize digital information storage by encoding data in DNA, enabling high-density storage without the need for energy-intensive gel. Learn more here.

Sleep deprivation and poorer memory: the exact relationship

A study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan, published June 12 in Nature, showed exactly how human memory is affected by lack of sleep. Although there has always been speculation about sleep and its effects on memory, the study authors discovered exactly what is happening inside the brain during this time, helping or harming memory. formation of memories.

The formation of memories is deeply linked to the activation of neurons during waking hours – called sharp wave ripples (SWR) – which are then replayed in the same way during sleep, helping the hippocampus remember memories. information. According to the study, when the body suffers from a lack of sleep, these SWRs still fire during waking hours, but do not replay in exactly the same way, or are sometimes unable to replay at all, thus making the brain unable to retain memory. .

The scientists compared SWR activation and replay in mice able to sleep versus sleep-deprived mice and found a difference in levels of almost 50%. These results are crucial for understanding the exact relationship between sleep and memory. Learn more here.

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Hybrid work model does not impact productivity and improves employee retention

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of more than 1,600 employees in a hybrid work model showed that such working conditions increase job satisfaction and employee retention. Published in Nature On June 12, the study was carried out by researchers from the American Stanford University and China’s Peking University on employees of a Chinese technology company for six months, from August 2021 to January 2022.

The aim of the study was to address employers’ perceptions that working from home, which became a norm worldwide after the COVID pandemic, led to reduced productivity or harmed career development.

The authors found that there was no change in the productivity of employees, who followed a hybrid work-from-home system. Instead, it significantly reduced quit rates for employees like women, those in non-managerial positions, and those who had to travel longer to get to work.

The study also surveyed managers before and after the employee survey and found an overall increase in how they rated their employees’ productivity after the survey. Learn more here.

Earth’s rotation has been slowing since 2010, new evidence shows

The Earth’s inner core is essential to its magnetic field because its rotation influences that of the Earth’s surface. There has been speculation and research about the core’s rotational speed slowing, but scientists from the University of Southern California have now demonstrated this information, using data from 147 earthquakes and seismic activity. This new research was published in Nature on June 12.

For two decades, scientists have debated the movement of the inner core, with some suggesting that it rotates faster than the Earth’s surface. The authors of this new study found the evidence compelling because it covered a longer period – from 1991 to 2023 – and also matched data from previous studies of Earth’s rotation.

The slower movement of the inner core, observed for the first time in decades, suggests displacement caused by the liquid iron outer core and gravitational influences from the mantle. This impacts the Earth’s surface, albeit minimally, potentially changing the length of the day by a few milliseconds. Further research aims to uncover the precise reasons for this change. Learn more here.

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

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