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- Rock Hunting | Origin Story | 3D(NA) - The Convo Kit #46
Rock Hunting | Origin Story | 3D(NA) - The Convo Kit #46
Pouring orange powder into a slowly filling cup of water as I grab the nearest utensil to make a whirlpool of immune boosting tangerine liquid. Asking myself, “have I ever been able to breathe from both nostrils?”
One of this week’s temporary rituals.
-Steve
Join The Convo for weekly briefings on science, space, and tech news!
Space Rock Hunting
Apparently sending asteroid samples to Earth isn’t good enough for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx. The spacecraft will be rerouted to observe another asteroid, Apophis, once thought to threaten our little blue dot.
OSIRIS-REx renamed to OSIRIS-APEX
Orbited Bennu for 2 yrs, before starting 2.5 yr return trip
Will orbit Apophis for 1.5 yrs
Bennu samples will reach us in September 2023 to hold our asteroid-attention while OSIRIS makes its way to Apophis. Scientists will study Aphosis’ subsurface material as well as its audacity to fly so close to Earth.
DNA’s Origin Story
Meteorites may have delivered the original building blocks of life. Scientists recently found the last two of five nucleobases in meteorite fragments.
Proving life on Earth may have had an extraterrestrial booster shot
Adenine(A), guanine(G), and uracil(U) found on previous meteorites
Cytosine(C) and thymine(T) found in a recent sample
C and T may have been accidentally destroyed in previous samples during high temperature tests. This time around, a more delicate cooling method was used. The same method planned for Bennu’s samples.
3D(NA) Printer
Biophysicists are working on a 3D printer made of DNA. By arranging the bases in the correct starting order, DNA and RNA will pair up and self-assemble into desired molecules.
Made of 600 strands of DNA
Printer uses 18,000 base pairs
Strands are heated to separate, then slowly cooled to assemble
The technology is still in its early stages, but could eventually create billions of copies of pharmaceuticals and other products. If I could only print one thing, it’d be another printer.
Formula E
Sustainable auto racing may sound like an oxymoron, but it is a goal of Formula E. Their newly announced Gen3 car uses recycled materials and generates 40% of in-race power from regenerative braking.
Max power: 350 kW/469 hp (up from 250 kW/335 hp)
Top Speed: 200 mph (up from 174 mph)
Tires made of 26% recycled fibers
Formula E is pushing electric vehicle engineering to the next level. While most of us won’t zip to work in a fighter jet-inspired race car, we’ll benefit from a trickle down of racing technology. Like helmets with water straws.
Blood Drones
Zipline has been delivering blood in Rwanda since 2016, with drones. Recent research measured their life saving impact in a country where 83% of people live in rural areas.
Capable of over 500 deliveries per day
Zipline has 2 launch hubs in Rwanda
Reduces blood waste by 67%
Before Zipline, some hospitals would overstock blood in fear of running out, only to dump excess as it expired. Drones often deliver blood in less than half the time of a road transfer, with less variability.
1 More Thing
Thank you for reading!
Missed last week’s Convo?
Catch-up here: Anty-Venom | Lunar Lidar | Oreology - The Convo Kit #45
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