#omgscience

[bioshock-alice]

Taking energy from a coil.

[oxygenmagnesium-science-blog]

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2017

It is my favourite time of the year again! I cannot believe it has come around this quickly but the Nobel Prizes are beginning to be awarded and the prize for Physiology or Medicine has now been announced. 

For their “discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the Circadian Rhythm", The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this year was awarded jointly to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young.

The Circadian Rhythm is an organism’s internal body clock used to monitor the day-night cycle so that fluctuations in abiotic factors can be anticipated.

Decoding the link between genes and behaviour to study the Circadian Rhythm was “a terrific problem”, in the words of Michael W. Young, which was largely achieved by the prize winners with the help of fruit flies. 

Studying a gene named ‘Period’ in fruit flies (present in humans and other organisms too) Hall and Rosbach noted that it produced a protein whose presence in cells increases and decreases over the course of a day and night. At night, the protein accumulates in cells and then over the day its production decreases due to the protein itself inhibiting the activity of the Period gene that codes for it.  

For the protein to regulate gene expression, it must have a mechanism to enter the nucleus. Young managed to identify another gene called ‘Timeless,’ which allows the protein that regulates the period gene to enter the nucleus by binding to another protein. Young later also identified a gene called ‘Doubletime’ which regulates internal clocks so that they run in a 24 hour period, that of the Earth’s rotation. 

With the Circadian Rhythm having an influence over many aspects of human health, this research could allow for other research into how Circadian Rhythms can be regulated to treat many health conditions related to our internal clocks. 

If you are wanting to hear the prize winner’s thoughts on their achievement, I have linked the telephone interviews for each of the three winners below. My particular favourite was Michael Rosbash‘s candid recount of the moment he found out that he had been awarded the prize. 

Jeffrey C. Hall

Michael Rosbash

Michael W. Young 

I do not own this image- illustrations are by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute. 

[slightlymorepleasant]

Star Trek scene

[contraterrenescience-blog]

Former account hacked

Hello all. A week ago my former science blog oxygenmagnesium-science and my personal account were hacked and deleted from my account. It was incredibly disappointing, especially given the time put into those blogs, but I have started a new science blog to replace the old one and hope it will get as much of a subscription. 

[bellaspadiva]

@Regrann from @indivisiblenorthseattle - #ClimateChangeIsReal y'all. #OMGScience

[kubzzs-blog]

When someone, falls off there chair. OMG SCIENCE

[markrosewater]

What is the current consensus in R+D regarding activated abilities that any player may activate?

Mixed opinion. I'm personally not a fan. Keeping track of your own activated abilities is already difficult for many players.

[shadowscapes-blog]

appearing

Small time-space leaps. I've made them.

Meeting a guard llama and kissing wine grapes, learning how much I don't know about biology and chemistry and physics and genetics, going to improv for the first time--

Small leaps. Big leaps. Everything is subjective, and I think the gravitational force of all the things I've done and am doing and will be doing is fuddling my footsteps. Does anyone make moonbelts?  Like in Artemis Fowl?

[oxygenmagnesium-science-blog]

It has been a big year for research into the uses of CRISPR! 

[oxygenmagnesium-science-blog]

Molecular biologists are deluged with data, and physicists, used to reducing complex systems to basic principles, might help to make sense of it all. But bringing the two disciplines together isn't easy, says Jonathan Knight.

[oxygenmagnesium-science-blog]

Use of CRISPR-cas9 technology to cut the HIV-1 genome in latently infected cells has been shown in this study to suppress viral gene expression and replication, by extension providing a degree of immunity to uninfected cells against infection. 

[oxygenmagnesium-science-blog]

New electrodes, mimicking the adhesive nature of gecko feet (through strong atomic forces called Van der Waals’ forces) have been created by a team of scientists. These electrodes have been shown to be more adhesive, electrically conductive and stronger than most commercial electrodes in use.