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The evolution of DNA tests: from forensics to home kits

Ghulam Yaseen
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The evolution of DNA tests: from forensics to home kits

What was once a revolutionary tool that changed forensic science has become a completely accessible technology. We understand how DNA tests have developed and what their future is.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a long, complex molecule packaged inside the cell nucleus. It encodes information about what proteins and in what quantities need to be produced so that all functions are maintained in the body: digestion, blood circulation, immunity, and others.

This set of information is passed on from generation to generation. Genes (sections of the DNA molecule) determine a variety of human characteristics: blood type, eye color, and other characteristics.

DNA was first identified back in the 1860s. This was done by the Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher, but it was only in 1953 that biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick discovered that this macromolecule is a three-dimensional double helix. Research began to accelerate after this, and by the 1980s, laboratories were using DNA to establish paternity.

DNA fingerprinting: searching for criminals

In 1984, British geneticist Alec Jeffries discovered that the DNA strands of different people have unique nucleotide sequences that are never repeated. Deciphering them allows you to create a DNA profile, or “genetic passport,” for personal identification. This is how the DNA fingerprinting method appeared, which made it possible to determine the identity of a person by his hair, saliva, a particle of skin, a drop of blood, a bone, or a tooth.

Initially, this method found application in forensic science and in establishing the kinship of British immigrants with residents.

Already in the late 1980s, he helped solve the case of the rape and murder of two girls in November 1983 and July 1986. Additionally, in 1992, Jeffries was able to identify the exhumed remains of Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele, who fled Germany after the end of World War II and died in Brazil in 1979.

Currently, the DNA fingerprinting method is widely used by criminologists in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, China, and many other countries. Some of them have created extensive databases of DNA profiles, and also cooperate with private organizations whose clients agree to transfer data to shared repositories. This makes it possible to solve even those crimes that were committed 50 or more years ago if pieces of the offender’s DNA have been preserved.

Thus, the FBI uses the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS). It uses computer technology to compare the DNA profiles in the database with those recovered from crime scene evidence.

Thanks to the latest artificial intelligence technologies, a person’s appearance can be reconstructed from a DNA sample. This method was recently used by American police to try to solve a crime that was more than 30 years old.

PCR tests: establishing paternity and gene cloning

Although the Jeffries method provided a high degree of identification, it required a very long time and at least 10–25 ng of DNA in the biomaterial. However, after the advent of DNA fingerprinting, other testing methods began to rapidly develop. Already in 1985, American biochemist Kary Mullis discovered the technology of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It allows the DNA molecules under study to be replicated many times under controlled conditions to increase their quantity and simplify analysis.

This achievement laid the foundation for DNA testing to move beyond forensic science. Thus, the PCR method has become widely used in biology and medicine, for example, for diagnosing diseases, establishing paternity, cloning genes, isolating new genes, and so on.

SNP tests: identifying mutations in genes

In the early 2000s, scientists introduced the SNP method. It allows you to identify genome variation that appears in individuals due to the absence, addition, or change of its elementary unit – the nucleotide. SNP tests have begun to be used as genetic markers for various purposes, including identifying susceptibility to genetic diseases. Thus, the detection of a defective gene makes it possible to identify genetic factors that contribute to the development of a disease such as breast cancer.

Sequencing: complete DNA tests decoding and treatment prediction

A very important stage of development in molecular genetics was the discovery of methods for sequencing, or determining the DNA sequence. The first such method was discovered by the English biochemist Frederick Sanger in 1977, for which he later received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The “Sanger method” involves sequencing by breaking the DNA strand to then read the nucleotide sequence.

This achievement, along with the development of more advanced sequencing techniques, has allowed scientists to decipher the entire human genetic code. The Human Genome Project started back in 1990 and ended in 2022 when researchers managed to decipher the last 8% of the genome. This allowed them to study how the human genome and all 46 of its chromosomes were organized.

Now that scientists have a complete understanding of genetic variation, they can apply their knowledge to medical genetics as well as pharmacogenetics. This science uses genetic information to predict drug efficacy and toxicity. In addition, it allows one to predict the sensitivity of an individual to drugs. Scientists are using pharmacogenetics to study aging, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and heart disease.

“Significant advances have been made in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including in predicting the effects of two drugs – clopidogrel and warfarin. Pharmacogenetic tests are also used in the treatment of psychiatric and infectious diseases,” says Elza Khusnutdinova.

For his part, Evgeniy Aleshechkin, general practitioner and head of telemedicine at the MedTech service Budu, clarifies: “Now pharmacogenetics allows us to understand better which drug should be chosen for one or another form of the disease associated with mutations.

We also have a much deeper understanding of the differences in how drugs work for different ethnic groups. The fruits of pharmacogenetics are most actively used by doctors who deal with mutations in everyday practice, for example, oncologists.”

Home tests: diagnosis and search for relatives

Thanks to the development of DNA technology, such genetic testing has become available to ordinary people, and companies have begun to offer such services even at home. The first company, called 23andMe, launched tests for consumers in California in 2007. It analyzes a person’s genetic health and ancestry and also suggests establishing connections with distant relatives.

In the late 2000s, companies such as 23andMe, Navigenics, and Decode Genetics offered tests ranging from $999 to $2,500. However, now their cost starts from $100.

In Russia, similar companies began to appear in 2013, and today the cost of their tests ranges from 10 thousand to 30 thousand rubles, but during promotional periods it may be lower. Companies such as Genotek and Atlas offer to identify predisposition to hereditary diseases, risks of developing common diseases, establish origins, and find relatives.

Elsa Khusnutdinova:

“Genetic tests do not even use all the markers known for a particular disease, which is why the predictive ability of models for assessing the risk of its development is low, so such results must be treated with caution. In addition, for representatives of different ethnic groups, risk genotypes can be different, sometimes even opposed, so it is necessary to create databases of various populations living in regions, study the frequencies of genotypes about ethnicity, and take into account the ethnicity of the individual when conducting this type of analysis.”.

Doctor Aleshechkin agrees that genetic tests can help determine the risks of developing certain diseases. However, according to him, with the development of most multifactorial diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, the test results are unlikely to be informative.

Evgeny Aleshechkin:

“Such tests work best with diseases where the connection between a mutation in a specific gene and the occurrence of the disease has been proven, for example with some cancers. Thus, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes may indicate a predisposition to breast cancer. Since they are very rare, such tests are prescribed for those who have the corresponding diseases in their hereditary history, taking into account their ethnic group. Even in this case, a positive test result will not greatly affect the tactics of action, since regular examinations will be required for early detection of the disease.”

According to Khusnutdinova, people should undergo genetic tests to confirm or rule out a suspected genetic disease, or to determine the likelihood of developing or passing on such a disease to a child. For example, noninvasive prenatal genetic tests (NIPTs) can determine whether a child will inherit genetic abnormalities. For this test, a pregnant woman only needs to donate blood.

As Aleshechkin notes, the tests are useful primarily for those whose relatives already suffer from diseases associated with mutations in specific genes. In addition, testing is worthwhile if relatives have already been identified as having such a mutation.

Some companies specialize in tests for genealogical purposes. The most popular in this area are the American Ancestry and the Israeli MyHeritage. The first claims that its database contains data on more than 25 million people and over 71 thousand DNA profiles. The company additionally offers a tool for searching historical documents in hundreds of databases.

There are also companies, such as the American Full Genomes, Veritas Genetics, Nebula Genomics, and the Italian Dante Labs, which can sequence the entire human genome for a deeper study. The cost of such tests starts from $300. They provide information about disease risk factors, drug sensitivity, and the likelihood of passing on hereditary diseases to children. In Russia, such tests are offered by companies such as Genetico and First Genetics. Their cost starts from 100 thousand rubles.

Researchers and regulators are still cautious about the potential for such testing. Thus, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that “DNA tests do not use all genetic variants that affect multifactorial disease, so the risk of disease indicated in them does not equal the actual risk of disease.”

The fact is that many genes are responsible for the development of multifactorial diseases, as well as external conditions – ecology, infections, etc. Scientists are trying to determine which genes make the greatest contribution to the development of these diseases. To do this, they need to identify hundreds of thousands of genetic variations in potential carriers, and so far researchers only know about hundreds and thousands.

Elsa Khusnutdinova:

“Today it is possible to find out what diseases a person is predisposed to, but we must not forget about the modifying influence of environmental factors – genes can change their action in response to them. Genetic tests work most accurately when diagnosing monogenic hereditary diseases (for example, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, proximal spinal muscular atrophy – RBC ), which are caused by a mutation of a single gene.”

Evgeny Aleshechkin:

“The tests provide information about the presence of mutations in genes and the risk of associated diseases. Genetic risk data should be considered in the context of other factors such as lifestyle and environment. In most cases, a positive result of a genetic test allows you to find out about the presence of a predisposition and not to forget about early diagnostic methods.”

Pharmacogenetics: the future of personalized medicine

It is likely that the complete deciphering of the genome and subsequent studies of genetic variations, as well as the emergence of large genetic databases such as the UK Biobank, will allow risk assessment models using genetics to be gradually introduced into clinical practice. For example, UK Biobank already plays an important role in cancer research. Experts say genetic counseling and personalized medicine will become more widespread in the future.

Elsa Khusnutdinova:

“DNA tests have great potential for personalizing treatment. However, their adoption has been slow as evidence of their benefits over traditional drug prescribing needs to be collected and validated. It is necessary to prove that such tests lead to greater effectiveness of therapy and help reduce unwanted side effects, that is, contribute to the safety of therapy. This requires lengthy and expensive research. There is no doubt that personalized medicine is the future and the use of pharmacogenetic testing will gradually expand and become firmly established in clinical practice.”

Evgeny Aleshechkin:

“Genome analysis using artificial intelligence is already actively influencing the development of new therapeutic methods. This helps scientists see new points of attack on diseases, which could potentially help develop new therapies. Shortly, we can expect the introduction of genome analysis into the routine practice of pharmaceutical companies and the emergence of new effective methods for treating common forms of cancer.”

Where will the solar eclipse be visible on April 8, 2024 and why is it interesting?

Ghulam Yaseen
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Where will the solar eclipse be visible on April 8, 2024 and why is it interesting?

In April, North America will experience a solar eclipse. It makes it possible to study several cosmic processes that affect everyday life on Earth

A solar eclipse is a natural phenomenon in which the Moon can be seen from Earth, completely covering the Sun. We observe it because the Moon, located between the Earth and the Sun, casts a huge shadow on our planet.

Where will the solar eclipse be visible on April 8?

On April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse will occur over North America, visible to most residents of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The full phase will begin at 16:38. 52 sec. universal time (21 hours 38 minutes 53 seconds Moscow time) in the central zone of the Pacific Ocean.

After this, there will be a 20-year break in the solar eclipse calendar, during which the astronomical phenomenon will not occur over the continent. For several reasons, the April 8 eclipse is exciting to researchers.

Long eclipse

In April, the Moon will be relatively close to Earth at a point in its orbit, making it appear especially large. As a result, the solar eclipse will last almost 4.5 minutes. That’s nearly two minutes longer than the 2017 U.S. eclipse, which will allow researchers to observe the phenomenon longer.

Moreover, in 2024 the Sun will be close to its period of greatest activity. This is the peak of an approximately 11-year cycle. As a result, many bright, petal-like jets of plasma will emerge from the solar corona (the outer part of the star’s atmosphere). The eclipse’s long viewing time and active Sun will make it an ideal object for study.

Almost 32 million people will be able to watch the total eclipse. This is approximately 2.5 times more than in 2017. The eclipse will be visible to some degree in every US state, as well as parts of northwestern Mexico and southeastern Canada.

Study of solar emissions

The path of the 2024 eclipse will be especially useful for researchers who study charged particles in the atmosphere. Unlike the previous two eclipses, the movement will take place within the visibility of three devices in the worldwide network of radars that monitor plasma emissions from the Sun. Accounting for these emissions is critical to ensuring satellites’ operation and GPS systems’ accuracy.

Virginia Tech astrophysicist Bharat Kunduri explains: “During an eclipse, as at night, all the radiation from the Sun escapes, and the atmosphere becomes slightly less dense and ionized. This can cause radio waves to behave differently. The event will provide an excellent opportunity to study the phenomena that occur during sudden changes in the upper atmosphere.”

Solar plasma collection

The eclipse will also be observed by satellites – the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. They will be able to take samples as solar plasma particles fly by.

Scientists want to know more about solar mass emissions, which can disrupt communications and power grids and potentially threaten satellites and astronauts orbiting Earth.

Studying weather and searching for asteroids

Similar to the 2017 eclipse, WB-57 F jets will take to the air in the United States. They will carry observation instruments, including improved cameras and spectrometers (devices for studying the spectra of electromagnetic radiation).

In addition to studying solar emissions, scientists will hypothetically be able to detect some asteroids within the orbit of Mercury. Without the Moon blocking the sun’s reflections, it is extremely difficult to analyze them. Other experiments repeating in 2017 include measuring pressure waves in the atmosphere emanating from the lunar shadow during an eclipse.

Neurochips and smart pills: 10 technologies that are changing medicine

Ghulam Yaseen
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Neurochips and smart pills: 10 technologies that are changing medicine

The near future medical innovations that the scientific community intends to use to combat rare, severe, and incurable diseases of the present are included in the Revolution Notes selection.

Fantastic future possibilities have started to appear before our eyes with the development of digital medical technologies, such as 3D printing of human organs and tissues, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), and nanotechnology.

Some robots will function at the human level shortly, while others the size of baker’s yeast will start treating complicated cancer disorders. We have compiled a list of the newest medical innovations that are expected to gain notoriety soon and have revolutionized the field in recent years.

1. CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology

CRISPR-Cas9

Gene editing is a promising area of ​​molecular biology. And one of the most popular editing tools is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. In 2020, scientists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna received the Nobel Prize for its development.

The CRISPR-Cas system is part of the adaptive immunity of bacteria and archaea. It consists of two blocks – CRISPR and Cas – and protects its host from bacterial viruses at the molecular level.

CRISPR are sections on the DNA of bacteria into which information about viruses that once attacked the host cell is embedded. A block with unique information about a specific virus is called a spacer. The information in the spacers allows CRISPR to track the re-entry of the same virus.

The second element of this molecular mechanism is the Cas protein. It acts like molecular scissors and cuts into fragments foreign DNA that penetrates the bacterial cell.

When bacteria are re-infected, CRISPR uses a spacer to find information about familiar foreign DNA and direct the Cas protein to target the pathogen.

There are a number of CRISPR-Cas systems, but most often in laboratories they resort to the most targeted technology of genetic scissors – CRISPR-Cas9. It was faster, cheaper and more accurate than other editing methods.

The system consists of CRISPR, Cas9 protein and guide RNA (sgRNA). The sgRNA directs Cas9 to its killing target. The Cas9 protein cuts this section, then the cell repair system is launched. And then biotechnologists introduce the desired DNA sequence into the target area.

CRISPR

Doudna and Charpentier found that such systems work not only in bacterial cells. They can be transplanted into the cells of higher organisms using carrier molecules. The molecule, which contains the CRISPR-Cas9 system, is introduced into cells and allows scientists to use molecular scissors for their own purposes.

With the help of CRISPR-Cas9, it becomes easier to study and treat monogenic diseases such as hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s disease (one form) and others.

Thus, in 2023, therapy based on CRISPR-Cas9 was approved for the first time in the world. In the UK, a drug with the trade name Casgevy will be used to treat sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia. In these diseases, the functioning of hemoglobin is disrupted. Therapy takes place in three stages. The patient donates blood, the cells of which undergo genetic modification.

Scientists turn off the BCL11A gene in blood cells. The fact is that during the development of the fetus, a special – fetal  – type of hemoglobin is produced in its body. The BCL11A gene suppresses the production of fetal hemoglobin after human birth. After genetic modification, the production of fetal hemoglobin is resumed, and it gradually replaces adult hemoglobin. The edited blood cells are then injected back into the patient.

The whole process takes several months, and the therapeutic effect, according to scientists, extends for many years.

2. mRNA vaccines

In 2023, biochemists Catalin Carico and Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They received their award for developing technology that made it possible to create effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 quickly. So, on the 63rd day of development, the future vaccine was already undergoing its first clinical trial.

mRNA vaccines are being utilized to treat a wide range of illnesses. The vaccine works on this basic principle: it trains human immune cells to produce copies of the pathogen’s spike protein, also known as S-protein or spike protein, by reproducing segments of the viral mRNA. The infection enters the body’s cells with the aid of S-proteins.

When the vaccination carrier encounters a genuine threat, his immune memory is activated, causing the cells to promptly identify the threat and prevent the virus from growing.

Thus, in 2023, a group of scientists from New Zealand and Australia, led by Professor Gavin Painter, developed an mRNA-based vaccine to protect against malaria. And in 2024, researchers from the biotechnology company Moderna (USA) published results on a new mRNA vaccine against cytomegalovirus.

The drug is still in the final stage of clinical trials. The shot shows 50 percent effectiveness in numerous studies. Project leader Sally Permar suggests that further research could lead to the registration of the vaccine in the coming years.

percent

Anti-cancer vaccines are also being actively developed. This applies, for example, to a rather rare and aggressive form of cancer – pancreatic cancer. Thus, the five-year survival rate for this cancer, according to research by the American National Cancer Institute (period from 2013 to 2019), is only 12.5%.

An mRNA vaccine may prevent tumors from returning after surgery. The authors of an article published in the journal Nature came to these conclusions. The study was led by Professor Vinod Balachandran from the Memorial Cancer Center. Sloan-Kettering in New York.

Although the experimental group included only 16 patients, this is the first example of the successful development of a vaccine against pancreatic cancer. After six months of examinations, half of the trial participants went into remission.

3. Smart tablets

Smart tablets

The development of “smart” tablets is considered one of the promising areas of biodegradable electronics. The idea is that the patient swallows a tablet-sized device. It usually consists of polymer electrodes that replace the pill’s motor and make it move. The device is placed in a biodegradable capsule.

Once in the gastrointestinal tract, the tablet analyzes the condition of tissues, stimulates muscles with electricity or delivers medications. Having completed its work, it leaves the body naturally.

Most often, smart tablets are used in capsule endoscopy. The patient swallows a device with a built-in video camera, after which the capsule begins to photograph the gastrointestinal tissue.

As a result, the need to use an endoscope tube disappears. However, experts insist that such a system does not replace endoscopy: it cannot take materials for a biopsy, so its diagnostic value is lower than that of traditional procedures.

A group of biotechnologists from Stanford and Ohio State University also created a device that can be inserted into hard-to-reach areas of the body. The robot looks like an earthworm: it contracts certain parts of its mechanism, pushing others apart like an accordion.

The caterpillar’s gait allows it to overcome the resistance of body fluids and firmly anchor itself in the area being examined. The authors of the invention believe that their development can be used in endoscopy, biopsy, and for targeted drug delivery.

4. 3D printing of organs and tissues

printing

3D printing is considered one of the most promising technologies for creating artificial organs today. The first successful transplant of an artificial organ based on patient cells occurred in 2022. The American company 3DBio Therapeutics printed an ear for a 20-year-old girl.

Modern 3D bioprinters create organs in several stages. First, a complete three-dimensional model of the macro- and microstructure of the organ is built on a computer using MRI and CT images. Then the patient’s stem cells are selected, which in the future will form into cells of muscles, skin, urethra, etc.

Scientists populate a printer cartridge with cells, where they are kept in a hydrogel. During the printing process, bioink cells are transferred layer by layer from the cartridge to the substrate and are connected under the action of surface tension forces into a computer-specified shape.

The resulting “spare part” is placed in a biological environment, where it “ripens” for several weeks. At the last stage, the organ is transplanted and how it takes root in the body is monitored.

In addition to additive (layer-by-layer) printers, there are printers that use collagen as ink. These printers print the missing tissue directly onto the wound.

A new type of such printer was developed in 2023 by bioengineers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Australian scientists have presented a prototype that prints cells directly onto the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The device penetrates the body like an endoscope and replaces damaged cells with new ones. The printer delivers them directly to various segments of the gastrointestinal tract.

This minimally invasive method of cell delivery avoids surgery and, therefore, postoperative complications. The device was tested on a simulated colon. At the next stage, the printer will be tested on animals.

5. CAR-T therapy

CAR-T therapy

For many years, the traditional methods of treating cancer were surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. They continue to be the mainstay of treatment, but new immunotherapies such as CAR-T therapy are being rapidly introduced.

Immune T cells are responsible for recognizing foreign DNA in the body and find the pathogen using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). CAR-T therapy allows you to reprogram these T-cell receptors so that they recognize not only foreign DNA, but also tumor cells in your own body and destroy them.

Since 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six CAR T-cell therapies to treat aggressive forms of lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma.

The technology has also been used to combat aging, although so far only in mice. At the beginning of 2024, a study was released in which scientists use CAR-T to destroy senescent cells. A group of American biologists led by Corina Amor from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has high hopes for CAR-T in the fight against age-related metabolic dysfunction – aging cells that have not yet died.

As we age, the immune system becomes less able to eliminate such cells. Because of this, they accumulate, increasing the likelihood of chronic inflammation. The study was conducted on 20-month-old (elderly) and three-month-old (young) mice.

After administration of CAR T cells, the older rodents showed improved metabolism, with decreased fasting blood glucose levels and decreased insulin resistance. They became more active and resilient.

A year after injecting T cells into young mice, they had significantly reduced body weight and a reduction in the number of senescent cells in the pancreas, liver and fat tissue.

6. Robot surgeons

Robot surgeons

Robotic surgery began to develop in the 1980s. It is believed that the robot Arthrobot, an assistant to surgeons, was a pioneer in it. The first operation with his help took place on March 12, 1984,, at UBC Hospital in Vancouver. During the year, local surgeons performed more than 60 operations using Arthrobot. Improved models of the machine still assist orthopedic surgeons.

The market for AI in medicine is currently growing rapidly . According to GlobalData , the number of operations using robots will increase by 10.5% every year until 2030. By this point, about 87% of surgical operations will be performed by robots.

One of the first automated devices in surgery was the da Vinci system from Intuitive Surgical. The da Vinci prototype was developed in the USA in the late 1980s. And today this platform is used all over the world.

automated devices

Another popular robotic surgery tool is The CyberKnife from Accuray Incorporated. It is used for radiation therapy for cancer. The system includes a robotic arm with a linear accelerator that irradiates tissue from different angles.

VR technology corrects the radiation supply. The device does not damage (or minimally damages) the surrounding healthy tissue and allows you to achieve an effect in fewer sessions than with traditional radiation therapy. The system is most often used to irradiate tumors in hard-to-reach areas, such as the brain and spine.

The successful operation of the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot, developed at Johns Hopkins University, can be considered a breakthrough in robotic surgery. In 2022, he performed surgery on a pig’s intestines, acting completely autonomously.

7. Micro- and nanorobots

nanorobots

Micro- and nanorobots are called promising tools for diagnostics and therapy in the scientific community. The volume of this market in 2022 exceeded $6.96 billion. It is expected that by 2032 it will reach $32.19 billion.

Nanorobots are particularly effective for targeted delivery of drugs to target cells. The size of nanorobots varies from 1 to 100 nanometers (1 mm = 1 million nm), and microrobots  – from 100 nanometers to 100 micrometers (1 μm = 1 thousand nm).

The incredibly small size of devices of this type is their main advantage. Thus, a group of Chinese researchers led by Professor Hong Pan created a biocompatible nanorobot using baker’s yeast for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract.

Scientists called the development TBY-robot. This nanorobot is covered with a shell from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and TBY runs on a biochemical engine – macrophage enzymes. Macrophages can penetrate biological barriers and target inflamed areas, delivering targeted drugs.

An experiment on mice showed good results: the biochemical parameters of the blood in mice improved, and the volume of accumulated medicine increased in the affected area by about a thousand times, as a result of which inflammations such as colitis and stomach ulcers were significantly weakened.

 

Spanish scientists have used a nanorobot to deliver anticancer therapy to target cells. A group of biochemists from the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia has created microspheres with an artificial radioactive isotope – iodine-131. This form of iodine is used in the treatment of cancer. The nanorobot delivered iodine-131 directly to cancer cells. This made it possible to distribute the drug more precisely and evenly across malignant tissues. “With a single dose of nanoparticles, we achieved a 90 percent reduction in tumor volume in rodents,” said study leader Dr. Samuel Sanchez. The diameter of such a robot was only 450 nm.

8. NGS sequencing

NGS

Next generation sequencing (NGS) is an essential tool in modern genetics. NGS includes a group of methods that geneticists use to study the nucleotide sequences of DNA and RNA. The methods differ in speed, reproduction accuracy and price.

NGS sequencing allows parallel sequencing (deciphering) of millions of DNA segments and provides detailed information about the structure of the genome and the activity of certain genes. The global NGS market is expected to grow due to the rapid commercialization of the technology. In 2022, it was estimated at $8.26 billion. By 2032, it could reach $48.01 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 19.24%.

In pursuit of cheaper and more accurate technologies, Illumina brought the NovaSeq X device to the market in 2023. The development team stated that the device will allow deciphering the human genome for $200

The growing demand for genetic research is driven not only by NGS technology, but also by other approaches, such as single-cell genomics and spatial transcriptomics. All of these methods rely on DNA sequencing.

9. Digital tattoos

Digital tattoos

An electronic tattoo is a wearable circuit with built-in sensors that is attached to the skin and transmits data remotely. Digital tattoos last on the skin from several days to several weeks.

With the help of such tattoos, you can monitor your pulse, glucose level, body temperature, or analyze the chemical composition of blood, sweat and saliva. Tattoos in medicine are used not only in diagnostics, but also in surgery. For example, for marking areas of the skin during radiotherapy.

In the future, such devices may allow non-invasive monitoring of the patient’s general condition: cardiac arrhythmia, brain disorders. This is especially important for monitoring premature babies. Going even further, high-tech electronic tattoos could track brain signals with enough precision to control a computer.

10. Neuroprosthetics and -computer interface

 

Neuroprosthetics deals with the implantation of artificial devices to restore the functions of the nervous system or sensory organs. The most popular neuroimplant today is auditory. It is expected that by 2050, almost 2.5 billion people will have hearing problems that require such a hearing aid. According to a report published by Facts & Factors, the global cochlear (hearing) implant market was worth approximately $1.45 billion in 2022.

The most famous example of implantable brain-computer interfaces is Telepathy, minimally invasive chips from Neuralink. In January 2024, the neurochip was implanted into a human for the first time. And in February, the head of the company, Elon Musk , said that a participant in the experiment “can move the mouse across the screen just by thinking about this action.”

The implant, according to its creators, will allow you to control your smartphone and other gadgets with the power of thought. First of all, it is designed for people with disabilities. At the same time, experts emphasize that this cannot be called a radical breakthrough: neurochips have been tested on humans and animals since the end of the 20th century.

Another example of the use of AI implants in 2023 was shown by a group of American scientists led by Dr. Edward Chang. They implanted a neuroprosthesis in the woman that converted brain signals into written and spoken speech.

The testers created an avatar and a voice that reproduced all the information from the implant on the tablet. Thus, the device returned to a patient with paralysis the ability to communicate with people around her. The study was published in the journal Nature

Why the UN didn’t include a meat-free climate plan?

Ghulam Yaseen
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Why the UN didn’t include a meat-free climate plan?

The UN Food and Agriculture Division has released a report on combating climate change. However, it does not mention switching to alternative proteins. Let’s find out why this is important

What’s the trend?

Global warming is an increase in the average temperature on Earth, the main cause of which is human activity. It has been observed since the end of the 19th century, and its speed is constantly increasing. If warming is not stopped, the planet will face negative consequences: some coastal cities will be flooded and disappear, there will be many more hungry people, and wars will break out over vital resources.

Therefore, the fight against global warming is a sustainable trend of our century. One of its aspects is changing the diet of residents of rich countries around the world.

Criticism of the UN report

As part of the COP28 climate summit in December 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published the first part of a report on agricultural and food systems in the context of global warming. It recognizes that diets must change for the health of people and the planet. However, the 120 measures listed do not include reducing the amount of meat and dairy products in the diet. This is a necessary measure in countries where most people already consume unhealthy amounts of these products. Moreover, many of the FAO recommendations are aimed at improving the efficiency of livestock production methods.

A panel of academic experts in the journal Nature Food criticized the work for the lack of a selection methodology and list of authors in the FAO report. The scientists called for the next parts of the report to be more transparent. This is the only way to evaluate the recommendations, taking into account the results of numerous scientific studies that show that reducing meat consumption in rich countries will have a beneficial effect on the climate and human health.

Cleo Verkuijl, a researcher at the Stockholm Environment Institute and one of the authors of the Nature Food paper, said : “It is striking that the FAO is not using one of the most obvious measures that would help achieve environmental and health goals. It is also very surprising that the report completely ignores alternative proteins. They have been shown to have a much lower environmental impact than conventional meat.”

Harm from livestock farming

In October 2023, the British publication The Guardian published statements by former FAO employees. They shared that the organization’s leadership had censored reports that methane released by livestock was a major factor in climate change.

Humanity faces the challenge of staying within global warming limits of 1.5°C above pre-Industrial Revolution temperatures. Scientists have proven that this climate goal cannot be achieved without major changes in food production. Industrial animal agriculture produces between 12 and 20% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. The industry uses 83% of the planet’s agricultural land to provide about 20% of the calories in the average human diet.

Reply to criticism

The FAO said the Nature Food article “does not do justice to the report and its ideas.” David Laborde, director of the FAO’s agri-food division, rejected the article’s criticism: “While we stress the importance of changing diets from the front page, we note that this issue is often overlooked.” In fact, such measures appear eight times in the report’s 50 pages, but reducing meat or dairy consumption is not mentioned.

Laborde also added: “Diet changes should not be overly simplistic but should be based on science and evidence. The report does not reject alternative proteins; we simply believe that relying on one miracle solution to the problem is unrealistic.”

How Australia is preparing to fight ants

Ghulam Yaseen
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How Australia is preparing to fight ants

Australia is facing an invasion of red fire ants. This invasive species is hazardous to both agriculture and the country’s residents. Let’s find out what measures the authorities are taking

What’s the trend?

Travel and international trade have brought invasive species to different parts of the world. Every year, about 200 plants and animals take root in new territories. Their impact is detrimental to wildlife, as it often leads to the extinction of other species and disrupts the functioning of the ecosystem.

Why are red fire ants dangerous?

Red fire ants are one of the most dangerous invasive species. These insects are called RIFA, an acronym for red imported fire ants. RIFA came to Australia in the 1990s. They were first discovered in the port of Brisbane in 2001.

The invasion of this invasive species causes damage to local wildlife, resulting in economic losses. In addition, RIFA are capable of stinging with a special venom that is painful and can even kill a person with allergies.

Lack of funding]Australia

A national program was developed to destroy RIFA. More than $1.2 billion was allocated from the federal and local budgets for its implementation. The period from 2023 to 2027 accounts for $593 million of this amount.

In March 2024, public hearings on RIFA were held in the Australian Senate. The investigation showed that CSIRO (Australia’s State Scientific and Research Organization) received only $100,000 annually to combat them. So over the past 10 years the organization has only had about $1 million to spend on fire ant control, said CSIRO executive director for emerging industries Kirsten Rose.

Officials ignored pioneering research into combating RIFA, which included the development of a specific genetic bait and the introduction of drone surveillance technologies.

Senator Matt Canavan agreed with the claims of CSIRO representatives and noted that $100 thousand a year to combat such a threat “does not seem like a lot of money.” As a result of the Senate hearings, funds will be redirected to urgent ant control operations.

The extermination program does not take farmers into account

Dozens of witnesses from different regions of Australia spoke at the hearing. They all called for increased funding for the ant eradication program. It was noted that RIFA had already spread over an area of ​​more than 700 thousand hectares in Queensland in the northeast of the country.

Angus Atkinson, chairman of the Australian Farmers Federation’s sustainability and climate change committee, said he was very concerned about the funding of the program and the lack of representation of agricultural workers in it. Atkinson noted: “Just think, we only control 50% of the continent! You have to get us involved [in the program].”

Urgent measures

95% of Australia is suitable for red fire ants. If RIFA spread across the country, the impacts would be worse than those caused by other invasive species. It is estimated that around 650,000 Australians will be stung each year and beef production could fall by 40%.

Environmental experts have refuted claims that chemicals used to kill fire ants could affect native wildlife. Invasive Species Council of Australia member Jack Gough said: “The reality is that RIFAs are a disaster for our wildlife and their impacts far outweigh the very minor local impacts of the chemical.”

10 Artificial Intelligence Tools That Will Make Your Life Easier.

Ghulam Yaseen
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10 Artificial Intelligence Tools That Will Make Your Life Easier.

Contents

Artificial intelligence offers many opportunities to make our daily lives easier and more efficient. Here are 10 great AI tools that will make your life easier:

1. Voice Assistants (For example Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa)

Voice assistants help you perform daily tasks quickly and easily. You can manage many operations such as getting weather information, creating reminders or playing music with just your voice.

Google Assistant

2. Smart Home Systems (For example: Nest, SmartThings)

Artificial intelligence-supported smart home systems allow you to save energy and increase security by integrating various devices in your home. It becomes much easier to remotely control systems such as heating, cooling, and lighting.

3. Personal Assistant Applications (For example, Microsoft Cortana, Apple Shortcuts)

Personal assistant apps help you automate your daily routines. They provide a personalized experience through user recognition and learning capabilities to perform your specific tasks at a specific location or at a specific time.

4. Artificial Intelligence Supported Health Applications

Using artificial intelligence, health apps can analyze your health data and offer you healthy lifestyle recommendations. These apps can guide you through exercise programs, sleep tracking, and nutrition plans.

5. Image Recognition Applications (For example: Google Lens, Amazon Rekognition)

Image recognition apps provide you with more information by recognizing objects and text in your photos. You can easily perform operations such as finding out the price of a product or translating the text in a book.

6. Artificial Intelligence Based Financial Advisors

AI-based financial advisors track your expenses, help you create a budget, and analyze your investment strategies. They can help you reach your financial goals more effectively.

Artificial Intelligence

7. Artificial Intelligence Supported Language Learning Applications (For example: Duolingo)

Artificial intelligence can make the language learning process more effective by personalizing it. Language learning apps can help you improve your language skills by offering speaking practice, grammar analysis, and private lessons tailored to your learning pace.

8. Artificial Intelligence Based Security Systems (For example: CCTv.AI)

Artificial intelligence-based home or workplace security cameras can detect abnormal situations and send instant notifications. In this way, you can ensure your security more effectively.

9. Artificial Intelligence Supported E-commerce Recommendation Engines

Artificial intelligence-based recommendation engines in online shopping sites analyze your shopping history and recommend products that may interest you. This makes your shopping experience more personalized.

10. Job Search Platforms with Artificial Intelligence (For example: LinkedIn, Indeed)

Job search platforms use artificial intelligence algorithms to recommend job postings that match users’ skills and preferences. This way, you can make the job search process more effective and target-oriented.

Artificial intelligence tools contribute greatly to our daily lives by making our lives smarter, faster, and more comfortable. These tools save us more time and energy by using the power of technology.

Top 10 companies in the mobile payment market in 2024

Ghulam Yaseen
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Top 10 companies in the mobile payment market in 2024

Introduction 

Mobile payment companies have emerged as key actors in the ever-changing digital trading scene, changing the way financial transactions are performed. In this blog, we reveal the top 10 mobile payment companies that are at the forefront of this transformation.

From IT giants to financial powerhouses, each company is carving out a position in the market and influencing the trajectory of the industry. Join us as we explore their backgrounds, abilities, shortcomings, and contributions that brought them to the top.

Mobile payments involve making electronic financial transactions using a smartphone or tablet, eliminating the need for physical cash or traditional banking methods. This is facilitated through mobile wallets, near field communication (NFC), QR codes, and mobile banking apps, allowing users to conveniently make purchases, transfer money, and make peer-to-peer transactions.

Benefits include increased speed, convenience, and security, contributing to financial inclusion by providing accessible banking services. Popular services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal exemplify the widespread adoption of mobile payments in today’s digital economy.

The rapid expansion of the e-commerce market and increasing internet accessibility are driving the growth of mobile payments, with approximately 50% of global e-commerce payments being made via mobile wallets in 2022. Paytm has introduced Card Soundbox devices in India, allowing merchants to accept mobile and card payments across Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and RuPay networks.

Intense competition among payment service providers such as Google Pay, Alipay, and Amazon Pay is driving strategies such as loyalty programs and rewards to retain and attract customers. However, security concerns pose a major challenge, as resistance to new technology and the risk of cyber-attacks on personal data impact consumer trust in mobile payment methods.

The – Global mobile payments market size is $972.4 billion in 2022 and is expected to register a rapid sales CAGR of 14.3% during the forecast period. Increasing usage of contactless payments and increasing loyalty benefits in mobile environment are key factors driving revenue growth of the market.

world’s prominent companies offering mobile payments; Top 10 by revenue

  • Google LLC
  • Samsung group
  • Com Co., Ltd.
  • Apple Co., Ltd.
  • PayPal Co., Ltd.
  • Visa Co., Ltd.
  • MasterCard corporation
  • com
  • American Express Banking Corporation
  • Mobikwik System Co., Ltd.

Top 10 companies leading the world in the mobile payment market

  1. Com Co., Ltd. [Annual sales: $55.402 billion]

Amazon.com, Inc. , founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, is a global e-commerce and technology powerhouse. Initially an online bookstore, we have evolved into a diverse platform offering a wide range of products and services, including Amazon Prime, AWS, Kindle, and Alexa. Notable achievements include revolutionizing e-commerce, dominating cloud computing with AWS, and becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world.

In the mobile payments market, Amazon stands out with its Amazon Pay service, which enables seamless payments on third-party websites and leverages Alexa integration for voice-enabled transactions. Recent developments include a surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and the appointment of Andy Jassy as CEO in 2021. With its extensive e-commerce ecosystem and innovative solutions, Amazon continues to be a key player in shaping the future of digital commerce.

  1. Google LLC [Annual revenue: USD 27.813 billion]

Founded in 1998, Google LLC is a tech giant known for its diverse services. In the mobile payments market, Google’s major player is Google Pay, which offers a secure and seamlessly integrated solution within the Android ecosystem.

Google Pay is notable for its global presence, innovative features, and commitment to privacy, and continues to improve the user experience through partnerships and feature updates, making an important contribution to the evolution of digital payments. .

  1. Samsung Group [Annual sales: $19.398 billion]

Samsung Group Founded in 1938, the South Korean conglomerate is known for its diverse portfolio including electronics, finance, and heavy industry. Samsung, which particularly excels in the technology field, is a leading player in smartphones, with its Galaxy series setting industry standards.

In the mobile payment market, Samsung Pay stands out due to its dual compatibility with NFC and MST technology, offering users flexibility at the payment terminal. The platform’s commitment to security, incorporating biometric authentication and tokenization, further strengthens its appeal and makes Samsung Pay a competitive and innovative player in the mobile payments industry.

  1. com[Annual sales: $12.6491 billion]

Alipay.com, launched in 2004 by Alibaba Group, has grown from an online payment platform to a global fintech giant. Famous for its mobile payment services, digital wallets, and rich financial services, Alipay dominates the Chinese market and is expanding its influence around the world.

Noted for innovations such as QR code technology and AI integration, Alipay’s recent developments include blockchain exploration and strategic partnerships. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive financial ecosystem make it a key player in the dynamic landscape of global mobile payments.

  1. Apple Inc. [Annual sales: $9.595 billion]

Apple Inc. , founded in 1976, is a global high-tech powerhouse known for pioneering products such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The company’s mobile payment solution, Apple Pay, stands out because it leverages the company’s commitment to privacy and ecosystem-wide integration to enable secure, seamless transactions.

Recent developments include the transition to Apple silicon chips and ongoing iOS updates. With a history of breakthroughs and a focus on user-centered innovation, Apple continues to be a leader in the technology industry.

  1. American Express Banking Corporation [Annual revenue: $5.851 billion]

American Express , founded in 1850, is a global financial services company known for credit and charge cards, travel services and financial management. Although not a traditional bank, it excels in innovation, customer service, and global acceptance. In the mobile payments market, American Express leverages secure transactions, attractive rewards programs, and wide international acceptance, making it a trusted and globally recognized mobile

  1. PayPal, Inc. [Annual sales: $2.912 billion]

PayPal, Inc., founded in 1998, is a worldwide leader in online payments renowned for its user-friendly platform and wide reach. Initially a digital wallet, it has evolved into a comprehensive payments ecosystem, offering services such as peer-to-peer transactions through Venmo and business solutions through Braintree.

Notable outcomes include the impact on the proliferation of online payments and forays into cryptocurrencies in 2020. PayPal’s “Checkout with Crypto” focus on mobile payments and commitment to security strengthens its position as a dominant force in the evolving digital payments landscape.

PayPal announced secure payments to users on March 23, 2023, with passkeys for Apple iOS and Google Android devices starting with Android Mobile Web as a safe and secure login mechanism for eligible PayPal clients. has been introduced.

  1. Mastercard Corporation [Annual sales: $24.37 billion]

MasterCard Co., Ltd., founded in 1966 as the Interbank Card Association, is a global financial services company pioneer in electronic payments. The company’s mobile payment solutions include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, digital wallets, and contactless options.

MasterCard values ​​innovation and consistently introduces advances such as biometric authentication and tokenization to ensure both global reach and robust security measures. Through strategic partnerships and a commitment to adapting to evolving consumer preferences, MasterCard offers a comprehensive and secure suite of solutions to

  1. Visa Co., Ltd. [Annual sales: $8.6 billion]

Visa Co., Ltd. is a global financial services company known for its pioneering role in electronic payments. Originally founded in 1958, it has evolved into a key player with a vast network facilitating credit and debit transactions worldwide. Focused on innovation, Visa actively engages in the mobile payments market, emphasizing global reach, stringent security measures, and contactless payment solutions.

Recent developments include strategic partnerships and investments in fintech to stay ahead in a dynamic environment, making Visa a prominent and secure choice in the digital and mobile payments space.

Visa announced collaboration with PayPal and Venmo to launch Visa+ on April 11, 2023. This innovative service claims to allow users to easily transfer payments between different peer-to-peer (P2P) digital payment apps quickly and securely.

Through this collaboration, Visa+ will expand its audience and connect gigs, and creators, Enabling a variety of use cases, including marketplace payments. Neo-banks, digital wallets, and other payment apps with millions of users in the US can now enable interoperability through Visa+.

  1. MobiKwik System Limited [Annual revenue: $540 million]

Mobikwik Systems Ltd. Founded in 2009, the Indian fintech company has evolved from a mobile recharge platform to a comprehensive digital wallet and financial services provider. Offering a user-friendly interface, the platform enables digital payments such as mobile recharge, bill payments, and online shopping.

MobiKwik’s diverse services span payment gateways, financial products such as loans and insurance, and support for UPI transactions. The company stands out in the mobile payments market with its focus on security, innovative features, and commitment to facilitating cashless transactions.

Demand for water could be 40% higher than supply by 2030.

Ghulam Yaseen
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Demand for water could be 40% higher than supply by 2030.

The world is on the verge of an imminent crisis, as humanity will face a shortage of fresh water in the next ten years. Researchers from several London universities stated this.

The Looming Crisis

Two researchers from University College London and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research prepared the report. In the material, they stated specific steps that the world must take to avoid the outbreak of a global crisis.

States must begin to treat water as a common good, since most of them depend on their neighbors for water supplies. Meanwhile, the climate crisis and overuse and pollution threaten water supplies around the world.

Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research and lead author of the report, told the British publication The Guardian that neglecting water resources is leading to disaster. He notes: “We are misusing water, polluting it and changing the entire global hydrological cycle, while simultaneously contributing to global warming. This is a triple crisis.”

The importance of cooperation between countries

The report’s authors hope to highlight the crisis in a way that politicians and economists will recognize. According to Rockström, governments still do not understand how interdependent countries are when it comes to water resources.

Most nations on Earth rely on the evaporation of water from neighboring countries. It is called “green” because it is contained in the soil and enters as a result of transpiration (movement through the plant and evaporation from leaves, stems and flowers) into forests and other ecosystems, after which clouds carry it to the territory of another state.

Inefficiency in waste recycling

Numerous water uses are inefficient and should be modified. Rockström specifically brings up the developed world’s sewer networks. “It is amazing that we use clean, fresh water to transport and release waste, feces, nitrogen, and phosphorus, all of which wind up in inefficient treatment facilities,” he says. They damage and create dead zones in aquatic habitats downstream by removing 30 percent of all nutrients. Massive innovation is needed for prevention.

Seven measures to prevent a water crisis

In the report, the researchers outlined seven steps that governments and companies need to take to stop the growing freshwater crisis.

  1. Manage the global water cycle as a common good that must be protected collectively and in our common interests.
  2. Provide water for all populations and work to increase investment in water resources.
  3. Stop underpricing water so corporations can waste it unwisely.
  4. Reduce more than $700 billion in annual agricultural and water subsidies that often contribute to overconsumption and reduce leaks in water supplies.
  5. Create “fair water partnerships” that can help finance low- and middle-income countries.
  6. Take urgent action on issues such as restoration of wetlands and depleted groundwater
  7. resources, reuse of water in industry, transition to precision agriculture, which uses water more efficiently; force companies to report their water usage.
    Reform water management internationally and include it in trade agreements.

Increasing solar activity: things to be aware of

Ghulam Yaseen
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Increasing solar activity: things to be aware of

Experts predict higher solar activity in 2024. Let’s investigate the possibility that space weather could impact earthly life, and if so, should we be concerned about it?

Content:

Technology and the Sun
The sun and human health
Solar activity and crime rates
Space weather and climate on earth
From scientific research to government action

The term “solar activity” refers to a broad range of events and activities taking place in the sun’s atmosphere. Strong disruptions in the Earth’s magnetic field, known as magnetic storms, can result from “bad weather” on the sun and last anywhere from a few hours to many days.

“When we discuss solar activity, we normally refer to flares, which are extremely strong solar explosions that can impact Earth from as far away as 150 million kilometers. However, we also understand that each outbreak is unique. Some are incredibly strong and some who are feeble. Furthermore, they alter their speed. Studies of the sun reveal that there are times when flare frequency and severity both noticeably rise over several years.

Technology and the Sun

There is a consensus that solar activity affects the operation of technical devices; the influence is visible, the only question is how strong it can be in 2024 and how it will affect the devices.

This influence can have quite serious consequences. One can recall what is considered to be the strongest geomagnetic storm in the entire history of observations in 1859, which was nicknamed the “Solar Superstorm.”.

It caused a malfunction in the telegraph systems of Europe and North America, and northern lights were observed in exotic latitudes—in Cuba, the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Central America. The cause of these effects was a strong coronal mass ejection that took 18 hours to reach the planet and was noticed by British astronomer Richard Carrington on September 1.

Closer to our time, in 1989, another geomagnetic storm caused by phenomena on the Sun led to the breakdown of a transformer at a nuclear power plant in Salem (New Jersey, USA). In the Canadian province of Quebec, space weather also knocked out a high-voltage transmission line, leaving about 6 million people without power for nine hours.

It may seem that over the past decades, humanity has achieved significant technological progress, so technology is much better protected from all types of threats, but experts are in no hurry to draw conclusions.

In 2022, an article was published in which representatives of the European Space Agency drew attention to the fact that during periods of high solar activity, it becomes more difficult to control satellites. Solar storms can increase radiation levels in near-Earth space, which can damage satellite electronics.

In addition, due to the increase in the density of the upper atmosphere, satellites are at increased risk of losing altitude, and as a result, they may burn up in the atmosphere. This directly affects life on Earth since GPS, GLONASS, television, weather forecasts, and much more depend on the functioning of satellites.

Elon Musk’s Starlink project is one such instance; it aims to make high-speed wireless Internet accessible to everyone on the planet. According to the company’s plans, this will require positioning 42,000 satellites in close proximity to Earth.

However, space weather is unpredictable, so while 49 space satellites were launched in February 2022 as part of the project, 40 of them had to be taken out of service when a geomagnetic storm broke out.

The loss of 40 satellites may not seem like a big deal considering the tens of thousands of planned launches, but the projected cost of these lost items is $100 million.

It is unlikely that solar flares at the current intensity will bring about the demise of technology. Whether the sun can produce substantially stronger flares is the main topic of discussion. As an illustration, meteorites fall on Earth continuously and don’t appear to kill anyone, yet once in a million years, a meteorite of a size that wipes out half of life on Earth falls. Generally speaking, such powerful explosions have not yet occurred in our time spent studying the Sun. But once more, our knowledge of this is still quite limited.

However, given how commonplace the Sun appears, it is quite difficult to believe that it is capable of a gigantic explosion. Consequently, even while the overall burden on the biosphere and technosphere is undoubtedly growing and will continue to do so this year, we still do not anticipate such catastrophes, says Bogachev.

The sun and human health

In discussions about the influence of solar activity on various spheres of life, most copies are broken when discussing the relationship between the Sun and human health. In many ways, this question is also occupied by doctors from all over the world who are trying to find cause-and-effect relationships between increased solar activity and certain diseases.

Scientific circles have long held the view that greater solar activity does not affect human well-being in any way. However, several health specialists, both domestically and internationally, disagree, particularly about the cardiovascular system.

So, in 2018, a team of scientists from the USA, Saudi Arabia and Lithuania published a study in which they tried to trace how solar activity and geomagnetic storms affect heart rate variability.

Based on the results of observations, experts came to the conclusion that the increase in solar wind correlated with an increase in heart rate, which scientists explain as a natural reaction of the body.

Increases in the intensity of cosmic rays, solar radiation, and Schumann resonance (the formation of standing electromagnetic waves at very low frequencies between the Earth’s surface and the ionosphere) have been associated with increases in heart rate and parasympathetic activity.

A more recent review study from 2023 found evidence of a strong relationship between geomagnetic disturbances and blood pressure, with systolic and diastolic blood pressure often elevated during a severe geomagnetic storm (3 to 8 mmHg).

Some scientists, however, contend that elevated blood pressure and heart rate are not the worst outcomes that can occur in the human body. For instance, during large geomagnetic storms, which are accompanied by an increased cosmic ray background, the frequency of heart attacks increases by 12% and the number of strokes increases by 7%, as noted by researcher Tamara Breus of the Space Research Institute of the US Academy of Sciences.

“People learn from the news that when there is a storm, they become worried, and both their heart rate and the risk of a heart attack (if their heart is already sick) increases,” Panchin notes.

Solar activity and crime rates

There is an assumption that phenomena and processes occurring 150 million km from the Earth’s surface directly affect the social “organism”—social p processes such as revolutions, riots and murders.

In particular, in 2023, an international team of authors published an article devoted to the influence of solar activity on the murder rate. Comparing peaks in geomagnetic activity and annual homicide rates in the US, UK, and Germany from 1987 to 2018, scientists concluded that cosmic influence is responsible for more than half of the changes in murder rates in all three countries.

If such a pattern works, then, according to researchers, in 2025 in the United States and in 2026 in Germany, there will be an increase in the number of murders.

The editors of Revolution Notes asked Dmitry Skugarevsky, the associate professor of empirical and legal research named after him. S.A. Muromtsev European University in St. Petersburg. He warned that the researchers could be falling into the trap of “false regression.” For example, the 23rd cycle of solar activity coincided with a decrease in violent crime in developed countries (a trend called the “Great Crime Decline”), which could also be explained only by space weather, although in reality, other factors could come into play: aging populations, reducing unemployment, developing security systems, and improving police work.

“Such false dependencies are illustrated by a humorous example about the “impact” of the number of pirates on global warming: although there is a strong correlation, the increase in average annual temperature cannot be explained by the fact that there are fewer pirates in the world.

Evgenia Kryukova, a candidate of legal sciences from Moscow State University, also criticized the above studies, noting, among other things, that the authors of the article on the interdependence of solar activity and crime “are psychologists, sociologists of Brazil and Portugal, about whose forensic practice there is no information,” and the study does not use primary sources but links to media that may make mistakes.

Thus, Kryukova summarizes, “at present, there are no reliable, complete scientific studies that would establish an unambiguous correlation between violence and solar activity.” “Similar hypotheses have been expressed by scientists from different scientific fields, but there is no reliable research data,” she emphasizes.

Space weather and climate on Earth

Another area that may feel the impact of solar activity is climate.

According to NASA experts, solar activity plays a minor role in the climate changes observed today. Citing a number of studies, they note that during the period of least solar activity, the planet could cool by 0.3 degrees Celsius, which at best would only slow down (but not more than) human-caused global warming. The effect will be “modest,”  since low solar activity is a temporary phenomenon.

We are currently in the 25th solar cycle, which dates back to 1749, when sunspot observations were systematically recorded (Revolution Notes). The maximum solar activity is anticipated to occur between 2024 and 2026. From the perspective of impact on climate, the world temperature is usually 0.1 degrees higher at the height of solar activity than it is at the minimum.

In theory, this cannot be directly compared to the anthropogenic effect, for instance. According to the deputy director of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, “the local climate response to maximum solar activity may be more pronounced, but it is difficult to say exactly where this cycle will manifest itself in advance.” Alexander Chernokulsky, RAS A.M. Obukhov.

The fact that the Sun is not responsible for today’s climate change is clearly demonstrated by a graph published by NASA, where the dynamics of the annual average temperature on Earth from 1880 to 2020 are superimposed on the curve of solar energy received during the same period of time (W/sq. m). You can see that since the 1950s, the Earth has received less energy from the Sun, and, on the contrary, the temperature has been increasing.

NASA

Comparison of the dynamics of the average annual temperature on Earth (°C) and received solar energy (W/sq. m) since 1880. Source: NASA

From scientific research to government action

According to Bogachev, in 2024, the peak of solar activity will be quite moderate if the Sun does not bring surprises. Much more serious solar storms are expected in the middle of this century. These predictions seem to be starting to attract the attention of not only scientists and businessmen involved in space programs, like Elon Musk, but also politicians.

Thus, in 2023, a group of experts at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union—one of the main bodies of Europe—prepared an analytical note that examined the possible risks of a recurrence of a solar “superstorm”, which, in their opinion, will definitely happen because this is a cyclical process. Experts warn that due to “bad weather,” transformers may fail and banking systems may shut down.

According to them, there are also risks for undersea cables, which provide 90% of all Internet traffic. The mechanism of such a collapse is described in detail in the article by Sangeta Abdu Yoti, an employee of the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, USA, “Solar Superstorms: Planning for the Internet Apocalypse.”

The author emphasizes that the fiber optic cables themselves are reliably protected from geomagnetic storms. At the same time, repeaters are located at a distance of 50–150 km from each other to amplify optical signals, and they are vulnerable to failures.

We are talking about the influence of geo-induced currents (electric currents induced on the Earth’s surface by rapid changes in the geomagnetic field as a result of space weather phenomena), which can affect the passage of the signal. As a result, this can damage the cables.

Thus, EU experts conclude, modern society has become much more vulnerable than in the days of British astronomer Richard Carrington, who noticed extremely strong solar activity in 1859, when humanity was just entering the era of electricity.

“It is therefore important to have comprehensive emergency plans in place to respond and restore infrastructure after such an event. While existing response plans for other natural emergencies can provide a useful framework, the unique characteristics of space weather events require additional special measures.

Close international cooperation will be critical to achieving a coordinated response and the rapid restoration of cross-border infrastructure. Providing reliable communication channels in emergencies is of paramount importance, given the likelihood of disruption to existing telecommunications systems,” the policy brief said.

“My opinion is that most events on the Sun do not require a reaction, but, undoubtedly, the risks of man-made impact are always present, and, of course, it is better to have a clear action plan,” the expert summarizes.

What are wetlands and why are they important to life on the planet?

Ghulam Yaseen
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0
What are wetlands and why are they important to life on the planet?

For the proper functioning of the Earth and the development of its flora and fauna, it is important to preserve all its ecosystems, including wetlands. Let’s figure out what it is

What’s the trend?

The focus on wetland destruction fits into a global trend towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. In recent years, more and more people have become aware of the importance of preserving natural ecosystems and biodiversity for life on the planet and the sustainable development of society.

A large-scale study has been published in the scientific journal Nature about how people have destroyed wetlands over the past three centuries, and the consequences of the disappearance of these areas for the Earth.

What are wetlands?

wetlands

Wetlands are areas of the earth’s surface where water is important; it affects the state of the environment and the living conditions of plants and animals. These include swamps, peat bogs, and some reservoirs. They are also called “wetlands,”  from the English term wetlands.

Like many of Earth’s wild places, wetlands have been systematically destroyed over the past 300 years. Cities, villages, and individual farms were built on them due to their location next to a water source. The drainage of swampy soils made it possible to create fertile areas for agriculture.

Importance of Wetlands

Wetlands are extremely important for ecology. They can purify water, filter and remove pollutants from the soil, displace flood waters, and provide animal shelter. They can also sequester and precipitate climate-affecting carbon, which combines with oxygen to form the gas (CO2 ) responsible for the greenhouse effect. Peatlands, for example, store at least twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests.

How many wetlands have disappeared?

A study in Nature reveals how many wetlands have been destroyed by humans since the 18th century. Previously, it was believed that up to 50% of these lands could disappear. According to new data, this figure is closer to 21% – in total, this area is the size of India. Some countries suffered greater losses than others. For example, Ireland lost more than 90% of its wetlands. The main reason was their drainage for agriculture.

The loss of a wetland of a few hectares may seem insignificant on a global scale. However, this can seriously affect neighboring settlements, which begin to flood in the spring and autumn. The process is also catastrophic for local flora and fauna. Approximately 40% of the Earth’s animal and plant species live and breed in wetlands. In addition, about a billion people depend on wetlands for food, raw materials, nutrients, and hydroelectricity.

Scientific work gives hope

In the study, the scientists described the challenges to wetland protection. For example, sometimes experts cannot determine whether an area falls into this category. This is because the amount of humidity in some regions in a given season is difficult to measure.

Researchers also note that the disappearance of territories occurs unevenly. Some parts of the world have lost more wetlands than the global average. The USA, India, China, Japan, European countries, and regions of Southeast Asia lost about 50% of such territories. This difference offers some hope because it suggests there is still plenty of wetland in the world that has not been destroyed – such as the vast northern peatlands of Siberia and Canada.

Gradual restoration of wetlands

Countries and international organizations are beginning to realize the importance of such territories. Some are taking legal action to force developers to recreate habitats they have destroyed. In the US, more than $10 billion has been spent on a 35-year restoration plan for the Everglades, a unique network of subtropical wetlands in Florida.

Many countries are working to create such territories. For example, in the UK, environmentalists are restoring beaver populations. These animals build dams, which create new wetlands and wildlife and reduce flood damage by 60%.

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