Many Errors In Scientific Papers Blamed On Excel’s AutoCorrect

According to Slate –

Excel is partially responsible for errors in 20 percent of scientific papers dealing with genes, according to a new study. In an effort to “raise awareness of the problem,” three scientists published findings that suggest one-fifth of all scientific papers about genes contain detrimental typos due to an Excel default setting that converts gene names to dates or numbers.

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Researchers Use DNA For Data Storage

According to Discover Magazine –

DNA is the building block of life, but in the future it may also be the standard repository for encyclopedias, music and other digital data. Scientists announced yesterday that they successfully converted 739 kilobytes of hard drive data in genetic code and then retrieved the content with 100 percent accuracy.

So what does DNA offer that other data storage methods don’t? One, it can pack data really densely. A single gram of DNA holds more than a million CDs, according to the researchers. Two, DNA lasts a really long time in a range of conditions. It is not nearly as sensitive or fragile as existing data centers. Three, DNA has a reputation for safely storing information: It holds the history of all life on Earth, a tough resumé to top.

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Early Risers Are Mutants

I’ve always thought that there was something wrong with early birds. ScienceNow reports that genetics may explain those poor unfortunates.

Don’t hate those people who are perky and efficient after only a few hours of sleep. They can’t help it. New research suggests that a genetic mutation may explain why some people sleep less.

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