[TECH NEWS] Cellular reversion processes arise in diseases of the heart muscle, for example myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathy, which limit the fatal consequences for the organ. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim and the Schüchtermann Klinik in Bad Rothenfelde have identified a protein which fulfils a central task in this reversion process… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] A new, ultrathin, ultraflexible implant loaded with sensors can record the electrical storm that erupts in the brain during a seizure with nearly 50-fold greater resolution than was previously possible. The level of detail could revolutionize epilepsy treatment by allowing for less invasive procedures to detect and treat seizures. It could also lead to a deeper understanding of… Read more »
[FEATURED ARTICLE] Cryonics, 4th Quarter 2011 By Chana de Wolf It may come as no surprise that many cryonicists are avid science fiction fans. After all, cryonics is only necessary because we can’t already reverse aging and cure lethal diseases, so being on board to see the (possibly far-distant) future is requisite. Indeed, cryonics is somewhat of a science fiction… Read more »
[FEATURED ARTICLE] Cryonics, 4th Quarter 2011 Robert Ettinger on Substrate-Independent Minds Introduction and Afterword by Aschwin de Wolf Introduction Robert Ettinger, the “father of cryonics,” was cryopreserved on July 23, 2011. While Ettinger’s book Man into Superman (1972) is considered an important contribution to transhumanism, he increasingly came to recognize that most people do not desire a hard break with… Read more »
The 2011 4th quarter issue of Cryonics magazine is dedicated to the “father of cryonics,” Robert Ettinger, who was cryopreserved on July 23, 2011. Alcor staff member Mike Perry contributes an historical piece on Ettinger and Mark Plus and Charles Platt write about his influence on contemporary cryonics, futurism, and the cryobiology community. Cryonics editor Aschwin de Wolf compiled Robert… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] A team of Northwestern University scientists has learned how to top nature by building crystalline materials from nanoparticles and DNA, the same material that defines the genetic code for all living organisms. Using nanoparticles as “atoms” and DNA as “bonds,” the scientists have learned how to create crystals with the particles arranged in the same types of atomic… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] The brain learns through changes in the strength of its synapses—the connections between neurons—in response to stimuli. Now, in a discovery that challenges conventional wisdom on the brain mechanisms of learning, UCLA neuro-physicists have found there is an optimal brain “rhythm,” or frequency, for changing synaptic strength. And further, like stations on a radio dial, each synapse is… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] A group of Japanese neuroscientists is trying to peer into the mind—literally. They have devised a way to turn the brain’s opaque gray matter into a glassy, see-through substance. The group, based at the government-financed Riken Brain Science Institute in Wako, Japan, has created an inexpensive chemical cocktail that transforms dead biological tissue from a colored mass into… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Rather than presenting as a well-defined tumor, glioblastoma will often infiltrate the surrounding brain tissue, making it extremely difficult to treat surgically or with chemotherapy or radiation. Likewise, several mouse models of glioblastoma have proven completely resistant to all treatment attempts. In a new study, a team… Read more »
[TECH NEWS] With new cutting-edge technology aimed at providing amputees with robotic limbs, a Tel Aviv University researcher has successfully implanted a robotic cerebellum into the skull of a rodent with brain damage, restoring its capacity for movement. The cerebellum is responsible for co-ordinating movement, explains Prof. Matti Mintz of TAU’s Department of Psychology. When wired to the brain, his… Read more »
