New Scientific Discoveries: How Future Technologies from Weight-Loss Drugs to Genome Sequencing Will Transform the World?

New Scientific Discoveries: How Future Technologies from Weight-Loss Drugs to Genome Sequencing Will Transform the World?Wednesday, November 6, news reports on prominent science websites revealed the far-reaching impact of technological advancements on the world. From health and the environment to energy, these reports foreshadow transformative changes on the horizon

New Scientific Discoveries: How Future Technologies from Weight-Loss Drugs to Genome Sequencing Will Transform the World?

Wednesday, November 6, news reports on prominent science websites revealed the far-reaching impact of technological advancements on the world. From health and the environment to energy, these reports foreshadow transformative changes on the horizon.

A Magic Weight-Loss Pill Could Radically Change the World

The website Nature reports that highly effective weight-loss medications known as GLP-1 agonists could reshape society, potentially saving trillions of dollars for nations in the long run. In the United States, 12% of adults report using GLP-1 agonists at some point for diabetes or weight loss. The obesity rate in the US is declining. By 2035, over half the worlds population is projected to be overweight or obese, and if GLP-1 agonists can more broadly curb or reverse this trend, countless ripple effects will ensue. These include lower rates of heart disease and stroke, cost savings from decreased food consumption, fuel savings for airlines due to lighter passengers (as much as 100 million liters annually), and a higher quality of life for billions.

However, efforts to model the future impact of weight-loss drugs are highly speculative. There are significant unknowns, ranging from the high cost to the long-term biological effects, and how human behavior might change. All of these factors are driving medical researchers and companies to scramble to gather more data and develop better tools to assess how weight-loss drugs will alter society.

The Earth Biogenome Project Makes Significant Progress

The website Science reports on the latest developments in the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP). In November 2018, scientists launched an ambitious initiative to sequence the genomes of approximately 1.67 million plant, animal, fungal, and microbial species. The research is projected to cost $4.7 billion and take ten years, but project leaders believe that having so many complete DNA sequences will help to illuminate the evolution of life, protect the environment, improve agriculture, and even advance human health.

Despite ongoing funding shortfalls and delays, the project has made commendable progress. To date, EBP partners worldwide have sequenced 3,000 genomes, covering 1,060 eukaryotic families, and they project that they will sequence 10,000 species by 2026. The EBP project leaders hope to achieve their goal of sequencing the genomes of 1.67 million species by 2032. Importantly, the cost of achieving this goal is now projected to be hundreds of millions of dollars lower than previously anticipated due to faster, cheaper, and more accurate DNA sequencing technologies.

A primary goal of the EBP is to build genomic expertise and sequencing capacity in more places, which will also lay a solid foundation for future developments in biotechnology.

Leveraging Machine Learning to Accelerate the Development of Sodium-Ion Batteries

The website ScienceDaily reports on research leveraging machine learning to accelerate the screening of materials for sodium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries, as sodium is abundant, they are safer, and they may be less expensive. Researchers are experimenting with new batteries made of more abundant materials.

Sodium transition-metal layered oxides (NaMeO2) are attractive materials for the cathodes of sodium-ion batteries, but the optimal combinations are notoriously complex. Researchers used machine learning to streamline the screening of promising NaMeO2 compositions, building a database containing 100 samples covering 68 different compositions. Through machine learning algorithms and Bayesian optimization, they successfully predicted elemental ratios that yielded optimal characteristics, thereby accelerating the development of next-generation batteries.

Designed Biochar Granules to Tackle Farm Pollution

The website Science & Technology Daily reports on new research using designed biochar granules to address farm pollution. Researchers used wood chips and lime sludge to create granules, generating a designed biochar with a higher phosphorus binding capacity. These granules can be spread on farmland, slowly releasing the trapped nutrients, thereby reducing phosphorus pollution and improving soil fertility.

Is Aging an Illusion?

New research suggests that people with more positive expectations about aging tend to have higher self-ratings of their cognitive function and report less cognitive decline. Published in the journal Aging & Mental Health, the study underscores that expectations about aging are malleable and influence individuals' perceptions of their cognitive abilities. Changing older adults' expectations about aging by boosting their understanding of the aging process and promoting accurate assumptions could support healthier cognitive aging.

New Technological Breakthroughs Open Space for Robots to "Think"

Researchers at Kings College London have developed a method to issue complex instructions to robots without the need for electricity. They utilized a novel compact circuit to transmit a series of commands to the device via changes in internal fluid pressure. This technology opens up the potential for a new generation of robots that can operate independently from their built-in control centers, leaving that space for more complex AI-driven software.

Summary

These reports demonstrate that technology is progressing at an unprecedented pace and profoundly impacting human society. From the revolution in weight-loss drugs to breakthroughs in genome sequencing, from the application of machine learning to the development of biochar, these new technologies will transform how we live, address the challenges we face, and contribute to positive change for the human race.