Exploring This Week’s Science News: Unveiling Doomsday Predictions and Asteroid Mysteries

This week, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists warned that humanity is closer than ever to catastrophe. They’ve moved their “Doomsday Clock” to just 89 seconds to midnight, signaling how perilously close we are to a global disaster.

Alongside nuclear weapons and climate change, a new threat looms: the unregulated rise of disruptive technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI). The concern is that AI makes it easier for misinformation to spread, endangering society.

In a surprising move, Chinese researchers introduced an affordable, open-source alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company, DeepSeek, has also launched Janus-Pro-7B, an image generation program they claim outperforms others in benchmark tests.

AI isn’t just about creating text and images. If properly managed, it can help us solve real-world problems and enhance our understanding of various fields.

For instance, scientists used AI to create a new glowing protein. This invention could have taken nature half a billion years to produce. The protein, similar to those found in jellyfish, currently exists only as digital code.

The AI program, named ESM3, doesn’t stick to the usual limits of evolution. It receives partial instructions and uses its knowledge of biology to complete the task. Researchers are hopeful that this innovation could lead to breakthroughs in medicine.

In other science news, samples collected from the asteroid Bennu reveal exciting findings. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned samples in 2023, and analysis has shown that the asteroid holds all five “letters” of life’s genetic code—DNA and RNA—along with minerals vital for life. This discovery raises intriguing questions about how life might exist beyond Earth.

Back on Earth, researchers have made significant advances in understanding our oceans and climate. The ocean is warming four times faster than it was in the 1980s, and this trend is expected to escalate. Such changes could have widespread impacts on ecosystems and weather patterns across the globe.

As we confront these challenges, we must also consider our past. The mysterious tomb of Alexander the Great has eluded archaeologists for centuries. However, new research suggests that they are getting closer to uncovering its location.

On a lighter note, a fascinating 1,900-year-old papyrus has been deciphered, shedding light on a Roman court case in Israel. This text provides valuable insights into legal processes and social issues of that time.

These discoveries highlight not just our past and present challenges, but also the potential for innovation in the face of adversity. As we navigate this complex landscape, understanding our history and advancing in science will be key to shaping a better future.