Like scientists, AI models don't yet have the data to properly decode it. Researchers have only scratched the surface of the messy, three dimensional knots that influence how our genomes function.Courtesy of Quanta The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Since its molecular structure was deduced in the 1950s, DNA has been hailed by many biologists as the secret of life. They've read and studied the information stored in the DNA found in the cells of living organisms, known as their genomes, and claimed that this genetic database must be some kind of blueprint, code script, or computer. But if DNA really does harbor some greater secret about how life works, biologists have yet to find it. In fact, the human genome is less a script than a puzzle that gets harder the closer they look. Knowing the entire sequence--the order of all 3 billion or so of our DNA's chemical building blocks, nearly fully deduced by the international Human Genome Project between 1990 and 2003--hasn't helped much. That investigation showed that barely 2 percent of the human genome consists of actual genes, the information-coding sequences of DNA.

I'm 12 and I want to try protein powder - should I? Twelve-year-old Ben is desperate to try protein powder but there's one hurdle: me, his mum. I've asked about 20 times and you just keep saying no!, he says, claiming it would make him fitter and bigger and that his male friends use it. In recent years, there's been an explosion of products marketed as high protein, including milk, yoghurt, breads, cereals, bars and powders. Social media is flooded with adverts for various supplements, including protein powder. As a health journalist, I'm sceptical and think at Ben's age he must be getting enough protein through his diet.

Optogenetics revolutionized neuroscience, but its origins come from an entirely brainless organism--an alga. Nobel Committee Secretary General Thomas Perlmann speaks to the media about this year's laureates--Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel--during the announcement of the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Karolinska Institute awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine to researchers Karl Deisseroth of Stanford University, Peter Hegemann of Humboldt University in Berlin, and Georg Nagel of the University of Würzburg. Their discoveries led to the development of optogenetics, a technique where scientists can turn individual nerve cells on or off using beams of light. According to Per Svenningsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Medicine, "Optogenetics provides opportunities for mapping the brain in a way that we could once only dream of."

US psychiatrist and neurologist Karl Deisseroth and his German colleagues Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in the field of optogenetics. Their research has helped scientists learn more about the workings of the brain, to better understand how the human mind works. The Nobel Committee, external praised the trio for laying the foundation of a new era in neuroscience and revealing the neural circuits behind specific memories, feelings, and behaviours relevant for neurological and psychiatric disorders. In clinical medicine, researchers are using the method to try to restore sight in people with visual impairment . Optogenetics has fundamentally altered our understanding of the brain, the Nobel Assembly said.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed two artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms that could enable researchers to more accurately predict proteins that undergo phase separation - a process through which proteins in cells separate like oil droplets in water. The tools are the result of a systematic analysis of predicted phase-separating proteins from various living things, including animals, plants, fungi and single-celled organisms such as bacteria. From their analyses, the scientists also uncovered fundamental insights about the phase separation process. Led by Professor Miao Yansong from the School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS) at NTU, in collaboration with Professor Weibo Gao from NTU's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the research could be applied to advance the understanding of diseases and ageing, as well as to improve crops. Both AI platforms and their research findings have been reported in the peer-reviewed journal .

Amarpreet Singh has been drinking protein shakes since he was 16. The 30-year-old, who lives in London and works in banking, started going to the gym at a time when he says protein supplements were mostly associated with bodybuilders. Fourteen years later, shakes are still part of his routine, but they have become considerably more expensive. He says a 4.5kg bag of the whey protein he buys cost around £60 in 2020. By last year, the price had gone up to £120, though he managed to get one from eBay for £90. Now the same bag is £170.

Proteinmaxxing isn't always healthier, especially as we age. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Mark Dones (right) won a rib eating contest after eating seven ribs in two minutes at Toronto's RibFest in Centennial Park. But is all that protein actually good for him? Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week.

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Trending Now Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Say More Mashable Selects Mashable Voices Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Switch Off In My Bag All Series This innovation could help address both pollution and hunger. But would you eat one? Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets. Scientists have transformed PET plastic into nutritious edible cookies, an innovation that could help address both pollution and hunger in one fell swoop.

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