Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

When Meatloaf sang “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” in 1977, we’re all but certain he was not doing the math on the potential of planets in the galaxy having the right conditions to harbour life. Because new findings suggest that two out of three are actually bad, unless you’re in search of uninhabitable baked planets with boiling oceans. · However, it’s in the remaining one third that now has scientists excited, as this fraction still accounts for…

Researchers have used a nonviral method to increase the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tech and provide a new way to repair DNA · Modified viruses have proven a handy way to get CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing materials into the nucleus of cells – but they're expensive, difficult to scale and potentially toxic. Now, researchers have found a non-viral approach that does the job better. · Most have heard of CRISPR/Cas9, the gene-editing…

A few weeks ago, the New Zealand media gave some coverage to the spectacle of the US President and the Prime Ministers of Australia and the UK signing an agreement whereby Australia will buy eight nuclear-powered submarines over the next two decades at a cost of some $400 billion, confirmation of the so-called AUKUS treaty between the three countries. · Reactions in Australia were varied, though there was no push-back from the Opposition…

We all know that trees help clean the air in cities, but which trees do so best? According to new research conducted in Sweden, a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees will give you the most bang for your buck. · For the study, a University of Gothenburg team led by Prof. Håkan Pleijel analyzed the leaves and needles of 11 types of trees growing in the same area of the Gothenburg Botanical Garden. The deciduous (leafy) trees consisted…