A recent compelling study suggests a possible origin of Omicron in rodents. Others indicate a connection with immunocompromised HIV patients. It is unclear whether the uncertainty will resolve anytime soon. …

How a repurposed CRISPR-Integrase fusion protein allows for large genome insertions without DNA cleavage When it comes to biology, nature is often the inspiration for brilliant engineering. Our cells are filled with biological nanomachines (proteins or protein complexes) performing complicated and nuanced tasks; adding amino acids to growing protein chains…

Why the ‘lab leak hypothesis’ is just another one of those narratives too good to let go — If one thing is remarkable about a potential lab leak origin of SARS-CoV-2, it’s how easily it lends itself to be obvious for those who want to believe in it. Intuitively, people find it odd that a supposedly ‘natural’ pandemic started in Wuhan, the same city that houses the Wuhan…

Transhumanist technologies part 2 We take a look behind the science of cryonics, its major challenges and promises. Contrary to common belief, biostasis is an established scientific concept we can both observe in nature and create in the laboratory. Yet pursuing cryonics asks a way more fundamental questions about the…

A rant about influencers, bad-faith arguments, and how they fuel anti-science conspiracies. Background: The uncertain origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been a magnet for conspiracy theories, driven by many factors from domestic American politics, cognitive fallacies, social media incentives, geopolitics, and attention-stealing curation algorithms, to name just a few. In a…

A Protagonist Future original short fiction They say reality sometimes writes the best stories. I don’t agree. Reality sucks. It’s messy and complicated, often goes against our intuition or sense of justice. Real stories are usually not very sexy or intriguing, most of the time they are ordinary. …

Two androids leave Earth on an interstellar journey to an ancient planet that might have harbored life in the past. Yet a fight breaks out over a controversial cargo; a cryo-frozen human, who might hold the key to their existence. If only the mission wouldn’t come first… The Retrosoma Anomaly Never, ever underestimate…

Technologies of transhumanism part 1 What is it that makes us human? Can it ever change? Transhumanists aim to improve humanity with science and technology; from enhancing our bodies or conquering death to uploading our minds into machines. Critics allege that most transhumanists have the appearence of cultists following some…

How a revolutionary nucleic acid sequencing technology gets repurposed for peptide chains Introduction Sequencing in biology usually refers to the process of determining the exact order of nucleotides (DNA/RNA) or amino acids (proteins) in large biological molecules that build life. …