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- GOP Tax Bill ‘Designed’ To Kneecap Renewable Energy In Favor Of Fossil Fuels, Democrats Say
- Tasmanian tiger was 'doomed by poor DNA' long before it was wiped out by hunting, scientists say
- Google opens AI centre in China as competition heats up
- Prince William Presents J.K. Rowling With Royal Companion Of Honor Award
- US urges talks as North Korea brags of nuclear arsenal
- U.S. judge orders special counsel to turn over evidence on Michael Flynn
- Charles Jenkins, American Held By North Korea For 40 Years After Defection, Dies At 77
- Subway bomber wounds self, three victims in New York
- Keaton Jones' Mom Responds to Criticism Over Confederate Flag Photos: 'I Can't Take It Back'
- The Latest: Safeway spokeswoman says workers will miss mayor
GOP Tax Bill ‘Designed’ To Kneecap Renewable Energy In Favor Of Fossil Fuels, Democrats Say Posted: 13 Dec 2017 09:29 AM PST |
Tasmanian tiger was 'doomed by poor DNA' long before it was wiped out by hunting, scientists say Posted: 13 Dec 2017 08:56 AM PST Scientists in Australia have mapped the genetic sequence of the extinct Tasmanian tiger, raising hopes of reviving the species, whose last survivor died in a zoo in the city of Hobart in September 1936. The landmark study of the Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was based on examination of DNA from a female pup that had been preserved in ethanol at a museum since 1909. Andrew Pask, a researcher from the University of Melbourne, said that establishing a blueprint of the thylacine's entire genetic code was the first step in trying to bring back the species through cloning. "As this genome is one of the most complete for an extinct species, it is technically the first step to 'bringing the thylacine back'," he said. "We are still a long way off that possibility. We would need to develop a marsupial model to host the thylacine genome, like work conducted to include mammoth genes in the modern elephant." Tasmanian tigers became extinct on the Australian mainland about 3,000 years ago but survived on the island state of Tasmania. The species was hunted by European settlers who believed the animals threatened their sheep and who were encouraged by a government bounty of £1 per carcass. Tasmanian tigers or thylacines photographed at Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart in Australia's Tasmania state in 1918 Credit: AFP / TASMANIAN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY The last known creature died in captivity in 1936, though the species was not officially declared extinct until 1982. But the genome study revealed that the sandy-coloured marsupial may have become extinct even if humans had not settled in Tasmania. The sequencing found that the thylacine had little genetic diversity, making it harder for it to survive changes in environmental conditions. "They were actually in pretty bad genetic shape and it wasn't because of their isolation on Tasmania. It was a longer-term decline in their history," Dr Pask said. "We certainly made them go extinct — there's no question about that. But we now know even if [thylacines] were still around today they'd probably be in the same genetic dire circumstances as the Tasmanian devil [a local species that is under threat]." The Tasmanian tiger has a somewhat mythical status in Australia and there is still frenzied speculation about whether it may have survived in the wild. There have been regular reported sightings, though most experts believe that the creatures that are spotted are probably feral dogs and that the thylacine is unlikely to have survived. Recent unconfirmed sightings in the state of Queensland prompted a fresh search which has so far proven fruitless. The study found that the genetic health of the thylacine became compromised about 70,000 to 120,000 years ago, an era which coincided with an ice age. The Tasmanian species became isolated when the island was cut off from the mainland due to rising seas about 14,000 years ago. On the mainland, the species became extinct due to extreme weather and drought, according to a study released earlier this year. Experts said it could take some years – and billions of dollars - to revive the species. "We still have a way to go to get the technology and to get that at a reasonable cost," Christy Hipsley, from Museums Victoria, told Channel Seven. However, Dr Pask said he believed humans have a moral obligation to try to revive the species. "I think we were responsible for hunting [the species] to extinction - in that case, we almost owe it to the species to bring it back," he said. The findings were published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Google opens AI centre in China as competition heats up Posted: 13 Dec 2017 06:38 AM PST Google announced Wednesday that it will open a new artificial intelligence research centre in Beijing, tapping China's talent pool in the promising technology despite the US search giant's exclusion from the country's internet. Artificial intelligence, especially machine learning, has been an area of intense focus for American tech stalwarts Google, Microsoft and Facebook, and their Chinese competitors Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu as they bid to master what many consider the future of computing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Prince William Presents J.K. Rowling With Royal Companion Of Honor Award Posted: 13 Dec 2017 04:57 AM PST The royal family has just named J.K. Rowling as a Companion of Honor at Buckingham Palace. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
US urges talks as North Korea brags of nuclear arsenal Posted: 13 Dec 2017 03:13 AM PST The United States is ready to talk to North Korea "without preconditions" but remains determined to force it to abandon its nuclear arsenal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday. While White House press secretary Sarah Sanders did not spell out the president's views, Trump in the past has chided his secretary of state for "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with Pyongyang. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
U.S. judge orders special counsel to turn over evidence on Michael Flynn Posted: 13 Dec 2017 01:12 AM PST By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. District Court judge ordered Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Tuesday to turn over any potential evidence that could be material for when he sentences President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty earlier this month to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during his interview in Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia. Flynn has agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Charles Jenkins, American Held By North Korea For 40 Years After Defection, Dies At 77 Posted: 12 Dec 2017 10:50 PM PST Charles Jenkins, a former American soldier who defected across the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea in 1965 and was held by the totalitarian regime for 40 years, died in Japan on Monday at the age of 77. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Subway bomber wounds self, three victims in New York Posted: 12 Dec 2017 08:49 PM PST By Nick Zieminski and Daniel Trotta NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Bangladeshi man set off a homemade pipe bomb strapped to his body in a crowded New York City commuter hub during the morning rush hour on Monday, officials said, immediately calling it an attempted terrorist attack. The suspect, Akayed Ullah, 27, was taken to a hospital after suffering burns from the explosive device, which was attached to his body with Velcro and zip ties and did not fully ignite, officials said. Investigators told Reuters they believe the attack in midtown Manhattan was intended to be a suicide bombing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Keaton Jones' Mom Responds to Criticism Over Confederate Flag Photos: 'I Can't Take It Back' Posted: 12 Dec 2017 07:37 PM PST Kimberly Jones also claims she has nothing to do with a GoFundMe page that has raised $58,000 for her son. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
The Latest: Safeway spokeswoman says workers will miss mayor Posted: 12 Dec 2017 06:59 PM PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on the death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee (all times local): This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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