Daily briefing: Oldest Homo sapiens DNA reveals surprising ancestry

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Muons — large, unstable cousins of the electron — appear to be extra magnetic than the usual mannequin of particle physics predicts. If this outcome holds up, it may finally pressure main modifications in theoretical physics and reveal the existence of fully new elementary particles. The Muon g – 2 experiment upheld sensational findings, first introduced in 2001, that confirmed the muon’s magnetic moment — a measure of the magnetic field it generates — is slightly larger than theory had predicted. The outcomes are “extremely encouraging” for these hoping to find different particles, says physicist Susan Gardner.

Nature | 6 min read

Flummoxed? Physics magazine explains it in cartoon form.

Reference: Physical Review Letters paper

Scientists have sequenced the oldest Homo sapiens DNA on document, which confirmed that many of Europe’s first humans had Neanderthals in their family trees. All present-day folks whose ancestry isn’t solely African carry Neanderthal DNA, however there are questions on when and the way the genetic mixing occurred. Three people present in Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria, dated to between 45,900 and 42,600 years outdated, had “huge chunks” of Neanderthal DNA and doubtless had Neanderthal ancestors as not too long ago because the previous six or seven generations. A lady discovered within the Zlatý kůň cave within the Czech Republic is regarded as nicely over 45,000 years outdated and has Neanderthal ancestry going again significantly longer: 70–80 generations. None of the people are associated to later Europeans, however the Bacho Kiro folks shared a reference to modern East Asians and Native Americans. The analysis provides to rising proof that trendy people combined usually with Neanderthals and different extinct relations.

Nature | 5 min read

Reference: Nature paper & Nature Ecology & Evolution paper

The US National Science Foundation (NSF) seems set to receive a US$100-billion boost as a part of a $2.3-trillion proposal to revitalize the United States’s ageing infrastructure. Lawmakers plan to introduce a know-how directorate, together with an company to commercialize promising climate-related applied sciences. If the plan involves move, it will likely be a big growth for the nation’s second-largest research-funding company, which presently has an $8.5-billion finances.

Science | 8 min read

Two remedies are displaying promise for treating addiction to one of the most hard-to-quit drugs: methamphetamine. In one, researchers mixed an opioid blocker with an antidepressant to assist quash cravings and lift dopamine ranges within the brains of individuals hooked on meth. In a trial of 403 heavy customers, 13.6% of individuals on the routine stayed largely meth-free over 6 weeks, in contrast with 2.5% of individuals given a placebo. The different is a psychosocial intervention known as contingency administration, which reinforces abstinence with prizes. It is displaying promise within the US Department of Veterans Affairs well being system.

Scientific American | 5 min read

Features & opinion

During the pandemic, know-how corporations have been pitching their emotion-recognition software program for remotely monitoring employees and even youngsters, writes Kate Crawford, who research the social implications of synthetic intelligence (AI). But there is deep scientific disagreement about whether AI can detect emotions. Digging into the proof, Crawford argues that these applied sciences are paying homage to discredited ‘lie detector’ assessments and ought to be regulated to guard those that may fall foul of unwarranted makes use of.

Nature | 5 min read

Protecting the oceans is not as simple as the hit Netflix documentary Seaspiracy would have you believe, argues marine ecologist and author Josh Silberg. The documentary’s conclusion that ending world seafood consumption is one of the simplest ways to guard the oceans lacks nuance and ignores the significance of fishing in lots of communities world wide, writes Silberg.

Hakai | 4 min read