NY startup advances gene-editing research despite US ban on gene-edited babies
Origin Genomics advances gene-editing research on embryos to prevent inherited diseases, despite US bans on implanting gene-edited babies.
Origin Genomics advances gene-editing research on embryos to prevent inherited diseases, despite US bans on implanting gene-edited babies.
Researchers from the University of Oxford have identified evidence of enormous, interconnected magmatic systems deep beneath the surface of Mars, indicating the planet once possessed a more complex geological structure than previously understood. The findings, published in the journal Nature Astronomy on 26 June 2026, were derived from seismic data...
Northern Cape Premier Dr. Zamani Saul recently engaged with leadership at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the Centre for High Performance Computing in Cape Town to discuss strategies for leveraging the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project to drive local economic and scientific growth. The meeting focused on...
The integrity of citizen science and ornithological databases is increasingly under threat as an influx of AI-generated images, commonly referred to as “AI slop,” continues to infiltrate birdwatching forums and research platforms. This rising trend, observed throughout July 2026, involves the submission of hyper-realistic, yet entirely fabricated, images of bird...
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has unveiled an R625 million strategic plan to overhaul South Africa’s struggling air quality monitoring network, which currently sees more than one-third of its 130 stations out of commission. The proposal, tabled before the parliamentary portfolio committee on 9 June 2026,...
Blombos Cave, located approximately 300 kilometres east of Cape Town on the Southern Cape coastline, has offered ground-breaking insights into the cognitive and cultural evolution of early Homo sapiens. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence in the cave’s Middle Stone Age deposits, dating back between roughly 140,000 and 70,000 years before present,...
Researchers have developed the world’s first human vaccines designed entirely by artificial intelligence (AI), with significant breakthroughs reported between 2019 and 2026. This innovation began when Flinders University in South Australia used its AI program, SAM (Search Algorithm for Ligands), in July 2019 to create a flu vaccine candidate specifically...
In a development that has stirred both scientific curiosity and public anxiety, researchers are examining the potential of using nuclear weapons to break apart an asteroid that could strike the moon in 2032. The discussion, while preliminary, underscores how little is known about asteroid deflection and the possible consequences for...
Russia is preparing to launch one of its most ambitious medical endeavours in recent years: a personalised cancer vaccine designed to target malignant cells using a patient’s unique tumour data. The development signals a major leap forward in oncology and individualised treatment, according to state-run RT and comments made by...
In a move that has sparked both intrigue and debate, Texas-based biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences announced the birth of three genetically modified wolf pups that they claim mark the world’s first successful “de-extinction” of an extinct species — the dire wolf. Named Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi, the pups were introduced...
Intellectual skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning, are reportedly on the decline globally, a phenomenon researchers attribute partly to increased reliance on visual media, according to a recent report by the Financial Times (FT). Drawing on data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)—an international test evaluating 15-year-olds’...
In 2023, the world experienced a record-breaking rise in temperatures, contributing to severe disruptions in water availability, leading to prolonged droughts in several regions. This year’s extreme weather highlighted the growing vulnerability of global water systems. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its latest State of Global Water Resources report...