AskScience AMA Series: We invented a better version of CRISPR. Ask us anything!

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• AskScience AMA Series: We invented a better version of CRISPR. Ask us anything!
• Is sleep debt from accumulated sleep loss real according to current understanding?
• Do beavers instinctively know how to build dams, or do they learn it from other beavers? If it's instinctual, are there any tools or structures that humans instinctually know how to make?
• Why is light attracted to black holes if it has no mass?
• Is there an index which identifies the most habitable geographies?
• There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 affects the brain. Is there a similar effect for other coronaviruses (like the ones that cause the common cold), or is it specific to SARS-CoV-2?
• What is the protection status for the Russian Sputnik and the Cuban Vaccine compared to moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and astrazeneca?
• When studies are suggesting that the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy drops after six months, how do they measure this?
• How did genes causing myopia survive evolution?
• if the deepest a modern nuclear attack submarine can go in the ocean is 2500 feet down before its hull collapses, how do animals survive that deep and deeper?
• You're staring up at the night sky. You pick a faint star and stare at it and it all but disappears. You look away and it reappears, or at least brightens, in your peripheral vision. Why?
• After reading a Kff.org report on US COVID-19 vaccination rates by race/ethnicity (data pulled from the CDC), why is the vaccine adoption rate so low among Hispanics/Blacks?
• How did the recent 8.2 Earthquake in Alaska generate almost no tsunami?
• Why is the wildfire smoke in North America gathering in central Minnesota?
• What is the body’s reaction to donating a pint of blood?

AskScience AMA Series: We invented a better version of CRISPR. Ask us anything! Posted: 30 Jul 2021 04:00 AM PDT We are CRISP-HR Therapeutics, Inc., an early stage biotech company which has developed a dramatically improved CRISPR-based genetic engineering platform, Cas9-HR. The improvements include increased editing efficiency enabling previously unfeasible large edits (1000s of base pairs) at a clinically viable level, in addition to lower cellular toxicity. Our Cas9-HR Platform represents an exciting step for gene editing. We plan to use our Cas9-HR Platform to develop therapeutics, specifically treatments for genetic diseases that are caused by a diverse number of mutations. Since existing high-efficiency CRISPR technologies are limited to small edits (1-50 base pairs), we believe this is an area where we can make a significant impact. Answering questions today are the two co-founders: Chris Hackley, PhD, CEO: /u/chris-hackley-chr: Chris has 11+ years experience in a variety of biological areas, with particular expertise in protein and genetic engineering. Chris earned his BS in MCD Biology from UCSB, and PhD in protein engineering from NYU. Richard Gavan, MSc, CTO: /u/richard-gavan-chr: Richard has 8+ years experience consulting in IT for the life sciences industry. Richard earned his BA in Philosophy and Psychology from UCSB, and MSc in Computer Science from Georgia Tech (OMSCS). We'll start answering questions at 19:00 UTC (8pm BST, 3pm EDT, 12pm PDT) on Friday, July 30th. We're looking forward to hearing from you! submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Is sleep debt from accumulated sleep loss real according to current understanding? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:11 AM PDT Hi! I'm trying to learn about sleep debt and what are it's limits. I found some questions in this subreddit, but they are from many years ago, and I was wondering about the current understanding/latest studies in the subject. And wether or not it is an accepted theory. I saw a lot of info about complete deprivation of sleep (all nighters). But I'm more interested in chronic sleep loss and subconcious sleep deprivation. For example, if my body naturally needs 8 hours of sleep, and I sleep 7 for months, with some days of 6 hours splashed around, how would that affect my sleep debt and how could I recover? How much sleep is needed to recover from a months old accumulative sleep debt? Is a few days of unrestrained sleep enough? Or are multiple days of extra sleep across a longer span of time required? submitted by /u/damipereira [link] [comments]

Do beavers instinctively know how to build dams, or do they learn it from other beavers? If it's instinctual, are there any tools or structures that humans instinctually know how to make? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 10:43 AM PDT submitted by /u/SpaceSmellsLikeMeat [link] [comments]

Why is light attracted to black holes if it has no mass? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:59 AM PDT Does light have mass? Because how can it be pulled by gravity without mass? submitted by /u/aerglos [link] [comments]

Is there an index which identifies the most habitable geographies? Posted: 30 Jul 2021 06:10 AM PDT Out of all of the livable geographies on Earth, I expect some should be more condusive to civilisation. Whether it is easier access to more natural resources, more fertile land, temperate climate, less geologically active, less chance of flooding or drought, or easier access by land, it's clear that a lot of factors are at play. Is there an index to rank the most habitable places for humans, or an index to estimate the human carrying capacity of a land area? submitted by /u/Aerothermal [link] [comments]

There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 affects the brain. Is there a similar effect for other coronaviruses (like the ones that cause the common cold), or is it specific to SARS-CoV-2? Posted: 30 Jul 2021 04:15 AM PDT submitted by /u/a_mimsy_borogove [link] [comments]

What is the protection status for the Russian Sputnik and the Cuban Vaccine compared to moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and astrazeneca? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 02:34 PM PDT I can't seem to find statistics and comparable numbers. submitted by /u/klyde_donovan [link] [comments]

When studies are suggesting that the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy drops after six months, how do they measure this? Posted: 30 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT Are they looking at infections/severe illness in vaccinated people on a population level, or are they measuring the amount of antibodies people have 6+ months after getting the vaccine? Could it be the case that, although antibodies decline, B and T cells can still offer long lasting protection? submitted by /u/jqycer [link] [comments]

How did genes causing myopia survive evolution? Posted: 30 Jul 2021 02:19 AM PDT Myopia is highly heritable and is very common - over 40% of Americans and 80% of asians have some extent of myopia, how did early humans survive without glasses? How were they able to pass on these genes which contribute to myopia? submitted by /u/ambivalent-koala [link] [comments]

if the deepest a modern nuclear attack submarine can go in the ocean is 2500 feet down before its hull collapses, how do animals survive that deep and deeper? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 10:58 AM PDT submitted by /u/phatstock [link] [comments]

You're staring up at the night sky. You pick a faint star and stare at it and it all but disappears. You look away and it reappears, or at least brightens, in your peripheral vision. Why? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:00 PM PDT submitted by /u/blackrocklookout [link] [comments]

After reading a Kff.org report on US COVID-19 vaccination rates by race/ethnicity (data pulled from the CDC), why is the vaccine adoption rate so low among Hispanics/Blacks? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:56 PM PDT Is this more of a cultural disparity? or a socioeconomic issue? Report in question: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/ submitted by /u/blood_vein [link] [comments]

How did the recent 8.2 Earthquake in Alaska generate almost no tsunami? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 PM PDT submitted by /u/SonicSingularity [link] [comments]

Why is the wildfire smoke in North America gathering in central Minnesota? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:38 AM PDT I live in central Minnesota and for some reason we are having the worst time with the smoke from the wildfires across the country gathering here. Can anyone explain why this is? submitted by /u/Oneofthosemegans [link] [comments]

What is the body’s reaction to donating a pint of blood? Posted: 29 Jul 2021 07:51 AM PDT I donate blood regularly. I understand your body is constantly regenerating red blood cells and iron to replenish. Does it work "overtime" because it senses a larger deficit after donation? And wouldn't my hemoglobin amount go down for awhile resulting in more fatigue because "I'm down a pint?" They also test me for ferritin to ensure I have enough iron after every 3rd donation. Can someone explain the biological process here? Thanks! submitted by /u/2DamnRoundToBeARock [link] [comments]

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