Conducting Pig Transplants, Space Drugs, and Plant Manipulation.

Throughout history, human imagination has been the key for every type of progress: technological, societal, cultural, and political.

It was human imagination that thought of how to wield fire in order to fend off predators in the dark or cook raw foods that were otherwise inedible.

It was human imagination that thought of how to communicate more efficiently about where to forage for berries using the various sounds that our mouths can make.

It was human imagination that thought of using remnants of charcoal from a previous night’s fire to draw art onto cave walls.

Every invention that has been created thus far was first conceived within the human brain, and only then was it physically manifested.

Today, it has never been more easy to think of something and just create it.

Whether it’s a new mobile app you can develop, a new business venture you can start up, or new video content you can upload on YouTube.

That democratization of permissionless innovation will only become more prevalent as technology improves across industries like AI, nanotechnology, material science, biomedicine and more.

These industries will meet at an intersection where at one point, we can just think about a specific product, have Neuralink wirelessly submit that to an AI to create a blueprint, then gets sent to a nanoscale 3D printer to be materialized from (seemingly) thin air.

In other words, we can literally think and create.

What will you be thinking of?

What’s On The Menu?

1. Pig to human transplant successfully performed for first time.

2. Ancient mysterious dodecahedron found in Britain.

3. Plant growth manipulation developed for better agriculture.

4. Air quality over Europe significantly improved over last two decades.

5. Revolutionary drugs manufactured in space.

First Human Transplant Of A Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Performed.

source: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/21/1239790816/first-pig-kidney-human-transplant

TL;DR:

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital performed the first transplant of a genetically edited pig kidney into a 62-year-old man who suffers from end-stage kidney disease.

The kidney was derived from a cloned pig bred by eGenesis, modified to be compatible with the human body. The pig was bred with 69 genetic modifications for safe human transplantation.

The modifications protect against a virus known to infect pigs as well as delete pig genes and add human genes to make the organs compatible with people.

So what…?

Roughly 17 people die from waiting for organ transplants every day in the US. 103,000 people are on the waiting list as of right now, but with this new solution, it would drastically save many lives with various illnesses.

“doctor, so hear me out here… are you familiar to which mammal has the longest orgasms…?“

Roman Dodecahedron Found in Britain, Purpose Unknown.

source: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/roman-britain-dodecahedron/

TL;DR:

Amateur archaeologists in Norton Disney, England, have discovered a well-preserved Roman dodecahedron, an artifact whose purpose remains a mystery.

The 12-sided object made of a copper alloy stands out for its size; larger than other found dodecahedrons.

Hypotheses about its purpose range from religious object to a tool for knitting, weaving, astrology, or distance measurement but none has been conclusively proven.

Big whoop, and…?

Discovering ancient mysteries like these Roman dodecahedrons constantly challenges our understanding of history. It shows that we’ve still much to learn from our ancient ancestors and their way of life.

“hmmm, now where did i put that dog toy?“

Scientists Make Critical Discovery After Using Medication to Manipulate Plant Growth.

source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/scientists-make-critical-discovery-after-using-medication-to-manipulate-plant-growth-a-winning-solution-for-the-environment-and-crop-health/ar-BB1ks6Jw

TL;DR:

Scientists have discovered a method to manipulate plant growth using medication, thus creating more resilient plants.

This breakthrough came after experimentation with mebendazole, a medication commonly used to treat parasites, which helped narrow in on which enzymes to suppress to grow plants with deeper, less horizontal roots.

With deeper roots, plants are better equipped to deal with dry spells and environmental stressors. This revelation could be a game-changer for global crop health and overall environmental sustainability.

Who cares…?

Climate change is affecting our farmers of the world and agricultural sustainability is becoming evermore critical.

With this new discovery, it could potentially revolutionize farming by ensuring food security and help withstand environmental extremes.

“it’s basically plant steroids“

Air Quality Shows Significant Improvement in Europe Over Last Two Decades.

source: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-air-quality-europe-significant-decades.html

TL;DR:

A study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health reveals significant improvements in air quality across Europe in the last two decades, particularly in the reduction of PM₁₀ and NO₂ levels.

Over more than 1,400 regions in 35 European countries have been analyzed for their pollution levels, representing 543 million people.

Why does this matter…?

This is not just about clearer skies in Europe—it underscores the global need for effective strategies against air pollution that take into account climate change and its impacts, which affect health and ecosystems everywhere.

“still haven’t fix the rain over england tho“

Space Drugs "Cooked Real Good", Says Startup.

source: https://www.freethink.com/space/space-drugs

TL;DR:

Varda Space Industries has created medication in space using its autonomous spacecraft, following a seven months delay due to regulatory issues.

The spacecraft successfully synthesized HIV-AIDS medicine, Ritonavir, and managed to keep it stable throughout reentry.

The successful demonstration sets the path for the company to manufacture drugs in a “space factory”, introducing a new era of microgravity drug development.

And that means…?

Certain things are easier to make or only possible in zero-gravity.

Products such as pharmaceuticals, fiber-optic cables, and semi-conductors production can all be revolutionized with the emergence of space factories.

“y’all got anymore of that space-drugs?“

Thanks again for reading this week’s Early Bird Special!

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Cheers,
Jae