Accurate Age Predictions are Possible Using as Few as 50 DNA Molecules: Study
17 Jul
Science & Technology

Accurate Age Predictions are Possible Using as Few as 50 DNA Molecules: Study

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Using deep learning networks analyzing DNA methylation patterns, scientists at Hebrew University achieved chronological age (defined as the amount of time since birth) predictions with a median accuracy of 1.36-1.7 years for individuals under 50. Their results appear in the journal Cell Reports.Using ultra-deep sequencing of>300 blood samples from healthy individuals, we show that age-dependent methylation changes occur regionally across clusters of CpG sites either stochastically or in a coordinated block-like manner. Image credit: Ochana et al., doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115958.“It turns out that the passage of time leaves measurable marks on our DNA,” said Hebrew University’s Professor Tommy Kaplan. “Our model decodes those marks with astonishing precision.” “The secret lies in how our DNA changes over time through a process called methylation — the chemical ‘tagging’ of DNA by methyl group (CH3).” “By zooming in on just two key...
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A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit: 5 Science-Backed Steps That Actually Work
17 Jul
Science & Technology

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit: 5 Science-Backed Steps That Actually Work

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You know that moment when you’re reaching for your phone at 2 AM, telling yourself it’s just to check the time, but suddenly you’re deep into social media scrolling? Or when you promise yourself this is the last time you’ll hit snooze, only to repeat the same dance tomorrow morning? We’ve all been there. These automatic behaviors feel like they’re running the show, and honestly, sometimes it feels like we’re just passengers in our own lives. Here’s the thing about bad habits—they’re sneaky. What starts as an innocent stress-relief activity (hello, late-night snacking) or a quick dopamine hit (just one more TikTok video) gradually becomes a deeply ingrained pattern that seems impossible to shake. The frustrating part? You know exactly what you’re doing wrong. You’ve probably tried to quit multiple times. Yet somehow, despite your best...
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NASA spacecraft finds solar ‘cannonballs’ may have stripped Mars of its water — proving decades-old theory
17 Jul
Science & Technology

NASA spacecraft finds solar ‘cannonballs’ may have stripped Mars of its water — proving decades-old theory

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This artist's concept depicts the early Martian environment (right) with liquid water and a thicker atmosphere versus the cold, dry environment seen today (left).(Image credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)After nearly a decade in orbit, NASA's MAVEN spacecraft has, for the first time, directly observed the process that scientists had long suspected was responsible for stripping Mars of its atmosphere. The findings, published May 28 in the journal Science Advancescould help answer a longstanding question about how Mars transformed from a potentially habitable world with rivers and lakes into the mostly-frozen desert we see today. Although Mars today is dry, cold and virtually airless, its surface is carved with unmistakable evidence of a wetter past. Features resembling ancient river valleys, lake beds, and minerals that only form in the presence of water point to long-lived lakes,...
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