Niko McCarty
@nikomccarty.bsky.social
Science. Biology. Progress.
Founding Editor of Asimov Press. Subscribe at press.asimov.com!
Founding Editor of Asimov Press. Subscribe at press.asimov.com!
I think this is one of the finest essays we've ever published at
@asimovpress.bsky.social
It tells the entire story of a liver transplant, without sparing any detail. Every cut, every incision...the race to the next hospital...
I learned a ton. Highly recommend Donna Vatnick's article.
@asimovpress.bsky.social
It tells the entire story of a liver transplant, without sparing any detail. Every cut, every incision...the race to the next hospital...
I learned a ton. Highly recommend Donna Vatnick's article.
Writer Donna Vatnick spent dozens of hours observing a liver transplant.
She watched as surgeons extracted an organ from a dead donor, placed it on ice, flew it to another hospital, and transplanted it into the recipient.
The full story, told in intricate detail, is out now:
She watched as surgeons extracted an organ from a dead donor, placed it on ice, flew it to another hospital, and transplanted it into the recipient.
The full story, told in intricate detail, is out now:
October 12, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I think this is one of the finest essays we've ever published at
@asimovpress.bsky.social
It tells the entire story of a liver transplant, without sparing any detail. Every cut, every incision...the race to the next hospital...
I learned a ton. Highly recommend Donna Vatnick's article.
@asimovpress.bsky.social
It tells the entire story of a liver transplant, without sparing any detail. Every cut, every incision...the race to the next hospital...
I learned a ton. Highly recommend Donna Vatnick's article.
Read & subscribe: press.asimov.com/articles/hy...
Seeing Microbes from the Sky
Biotechnology needs more and better transducers.
press.asimov.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Read & subscribe: press.asimov.com/articles/hy...
Hyperspectral cameras, mounted to drones, can be used to see microbes from > 90 meters away. It's now possible to monitor microbes across entire ecosystems.
My new Asimov Press essay explains how it works & regulations on releasing genetically-engineered microbes into the wild.
My new Asimov Press essay explains how it works & regulations on releasing genetically-engineered microbes into the wild.
October 1, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Hyperspectral cameras, mounted to drones, can be used to see microbes from > 90 meters away. It's now possible to monitor microbes across entire ecosystems.
My new Asimov Press essay explains how it works & regulations on releasing genetically-engineered microbes into the wild.
My new Asimov Press essay explains how it works & regulations on releasing genetically-engineered microbes into the wild.
Check out the Editor's Note here: press.asimov.com/articles/ed...
Editor's Note
A look inside Issue 08.
press.asimov.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Check out the Editor's Note here: press.asimov.com/articles/ed...
Today we are launching Issue 08 of @AsimovPress.
There will be at least 2x new articles each week for the next two months (and...a podcast?)
Coming up:
- A deep history of electron microscopy.
- How to see microbes from the sky.
- Making computers smell.
... and much more.
There will be at least 2x new articles each week for the next two months (and...a podcast?)
Coming up:
- A deep history of electron microscopy.
- How to see microbes from the sky.
- Making computers smell.
... and much more.
September 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Today we are launching Issue 08 of @AsimovPress.
There will be at least 2x new articles each week for the next two months (and...a podcast?)
Coming up:
- A deep history of electron microscopy.
- How to see microbes from the sky.
- Making computers smell.
... and much more.
There will be at least 2x new articles each week for the next two months (and...a podcast?)
Coming up:
- A deep history of electron microscopy.
- How to see microbes from the sky.
- Making computers smell.
... and much more.
Reposted by Niko McCarty
New post!
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
What’s new in biology: September 2025
Gene therapy, narcolepsy drugs, parasite removal, protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of genomes, and more.
www.worksinprogress.news
September 16, 2025 at 11:38 AM
New post!
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
Asimov Press party // September 30 // Boston // Asimov HQ
There will be trivia. There will be winners (and losers). And there will be prizes.
Come celebrate, answer questions, and show everyone how much esoteric biology stuff you know. Hope to see you there!
There will be trivia. There will be winners (and losers). And there will be prizes.
Come celebrate, answer questions, and show everyone how much esoteric biology stuff you know. Hope to see you there!
September 12, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Asimov Press party // September 30 // Boston // Asimov HQ
There will be trivia. There will be winners (and losers). And there will be prizes.
Come celebrate, answer questions, and show everyone how much esoteric biology stuff you know. Hope to see you there!
There will be trivia. There will be winners (and losers). And there will be prizes.
Come celebrate, answer questions, and show everyone how much esoteric biology stuff you know. Hope to see you there!
No paywall:
www.cell.com/action/show...
www.cell.com/action/show...
September 1, 2025 at 6:54 PM
No paywall:
www.cell.com/action/show...
www.cell.com/action/show...
Out today: A useful review on AI-designed protein binders.
It covers the history of this work + has lots of good case studies, including how these tools are being used to make snake anti-venoms.
The tables are particularly valuable.
It covers the history of this work + has lots of good case studies, including how these tools are being used to make snake anti-venoms.
The tables are particularly valuable.
September 1, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Out today: A useful review on AI-designed protein binders.
It covers the history of this work + has lots of good case studies, including how these tools are being used to make snake anti-venoms.
The tables are particularly valuable.
It covers the history of this work + has lots of good case studies, including how these tools are being used to make snake anti-venoms.
The tables are particularly valuable.
You can play around with the notebook (and change the error rate) here:
observablehq.com/d/6d9b33b8a...
observablehq.com/d/6d9b33b8a...
The Remarkable Speed of DNA Replication
observablehq.com
August 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
You can play around with the notebook (and change the error rate) here:
observablehq.com/d/6d9b33b8a...
observablehq.com/d/6d9b33b8a...
E. coli copies 600 bases of DNA/second.
It makes one error every few billion bases, or one mutation per 1,000 generations.
I made an animation to show just how crazy this is. Every green square is a copied nucleotide. The red squares (very rare) are mutations. 🔻
It makes one error every few billion bases, or one mutation per 1,000 generations.
I made an animation to show just how crazy this is. Every green square is a copied nucleotide. The red squares (very rare) are mutations. 🔻
August 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
E. coli copies 600 bases of DNA/second.
It makes one error every few billion bases, or one mutation per 1,000 generations.
I made an animation to show just how crazy this is. Every green square is a copied nucleotide. The red squares (very rare) are mutations. 🔻
It makes one error every few billion bases, or one mutation per 1,000 generations.
I made an animation to show just how crazy this is. Every green square is a copied nucleotide. The red squares (very rare) are mutations. 🔻
Article here:
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
3D bioprinting of plant and animal cell-based hybrid food
Nature Communications - The field of cellular agriculture has relied on 3D bioprinting for the generation of sophisticated products. Here, the authors employ chaotic bioprinting to create plant and...
www.nature.com
July 29, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Article here:
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
Behold the cursed noodles.
Researchers mixed together chicken muscle cells and microalgal cells, and then extruded them with a 3D printer, to make a "plant and animal cell-based hybrid noodle."
The reason for doing this, they say, is to tune textures, nutrition levels, etc.
Researchers mixed together chicken muscle cells and microalgal cells, and then extruded them with a 3D printer, to make a "plant and animal cell-based hybrid noodle."
The reason for doing this, they say, is to tune textures, nutrition levels, etc.
July 29, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Behold the cursed noodles.
Researchers mixed together chicken muscle cells and microalgal cells, and then extruded them with a 3D printer, to make a "plant and animal cell-based hybrid noodle."
The reason for doing this, they say, is to tune textures, nutrition levels, etc.
Researchers mixed together chicken muscle cells and microalgal cells, and then extruded them with a 3D printer, to make a "plant and animal cell-based hybrid noodle."
The reason for doing this, they say, is to tune textures, nutrition levels, etc.
Read the essay in Asimov Press:
www.asimov.press/p/cable-bac...
www.asimov.press/p/cable-bac...
July 23, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Read the essay in Asimov Press:
www.asimov.press/p/cable-bac...
www.asimov.press/p/cable-bac...
Cable bacteria link together (thousands of cells, end-to-end) to conduct electrons across distances up to 7 centimeters. They are living batteries.
They were discovered in Aarhus, Denmark in 2012. I visited Aarhus last year to see them in person, and wrote about it today.
They were discovered in Aarhus, Denmark in 2012. I visited Aarhus last year to see them in person, and wrote about it today.
July 23, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Cable bacteria link together (thousands of cells, end-to-end) to conduct electrons across distances up to 7 centimeters. They are living batteries.
They were discovered in Aarhus, Denmark in 2012. I visited Aarhus last year to see them in person, and wrote about it today.
They were discovered in Aarhus, Denmark in 2012. I visited Aarhus last year to see them in person, and wrote about it today.
What is a specific problem in biology that would be useful to solve, and could be solved for ~$10,000?
July 12, 2025 at 6:32 PM
What is a specific problem in biology that would be useful to solve, and could be solved for ~$10,000?
The flagellum motor is biological design of the highest order.
The motor hits rotational speeds >1,000 rpm. The basal disk (that purple ring) alone is built from 51 tethered subunits. The tail whips at high torques thanks to interlocking cogs, an axial driveshaft, and propeller.
The motor hits rotational speeds >1,000 rpm. The basal disk (that purple ring) alone is built from 51 tethered subunits. The tail whips at high torques thanks to interlocking cogs, an axial driveshaft, and propeller.
July 6, 2025 at 8:46 PM
The flagellum motor is biological design of the highest order.
The motor hits rotational speeds >1,000 rpm. The basal disk (that purple ring) alone is built from 51 tethered subunits. The tail whips at high torques thanks to interlocking cogs, an axial driveshaft, and propeller.
The motor hits rotational speeds >1,000 rpm. The basal disk (that purple ring) alone is built from 51 tethered subunits. The tail whips at high torques thanks to interlocking cogs, an axial driveshaft, and propeller.
Paper here in Nature Chemistry: www.nature.com/articles/s4...
A biocompatible Lossen rearrangement in Escherichia coli
Nature Chemistry - Biocompatible chemistry merges chemo-catalytic reactions with cellular metabolism for sustainable small-molecule synthesis. Now a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement has been...
www.nature.com
June 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Paper here in Nature Chemistry: www.nature.com/articles/s4...
Using E. coli to convert post-consumer PET plastic into acetaminophen.
The researchers discovered a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement; it uses phosphate as a catalyst.
They start the Lossen rearrangement in phosphate buffer and add E. coli; PET to acetaminophen at 92% yield.
The researchers discovered a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement; it uses phosphate as a catalyst.
They start the Lossen rearrangement in phosphate buffer and add E. coli; PET to acetaminophen at 92% yield.
June 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Using E. coli to convert post-consumer PET plastic into acetaminophen.
The researchers discovered a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement; it uses phosphate as a catalyst.
They start the Lossen rearrangement in phosphate buffer and add E. coli; PET to acetaminophen at 92% yield.
The researchers discovered a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement; it uses phosphate as a catalyst.
They start the Lossen rearrangement in phosphate buffer and add E. coli; PET to acetaminophen at 92% yield.
YouTube channel idea: Recreating famous biology experiments.
Explain what was known at the time, go through the initial observations, and make the "discovery."
e.g. Monod's biphasic E. coli growth curves, T.H. Morgan's fly breeding programs, and so on.
Explain what was known at the time, go through the initial observations, and make the "discovery."
e.g. Monod's biphasic E. coli growth curves, T.H. Morgan's fly breeding programs, and so on.
June 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
YouTube channel idea: Recreating famous biology experiments.
Explain what was known at the time, go through the initial observations, and make the "discovery."
e.g. Monod's biphasic E. coli growth curves, T.H. Morgan's fly breeding programs, and so on.
Explain what was known at the time, go through the initial observations, and make the "discovery."
e.g. Monod's biphasic E. coli growth curves, T.H. Morgan's fly breeding programs, and so on.
It's sad, in a way, that a magazine spending $4M a year to hire additional, talented writers is seen as "throwing a lot of money."
It's good that The Atlantic is spending more money on writers. It is the anti-status quo. May their poaching drive up salaries elsewhere, too.
It's good that The Atlantic is spending more money on writers. It is the anti-status quo. May their poaching drive up salaries elsewhere, too.
June 20, 2025 at 9:12 PM
It's sad, in a way, that a magazine spending $4M a year to hire additional, talented writers is seen as "throwing a lot of money."
It's good that The Atlantic is spending more money on writers. It is the anti-status quo. May their poaching drive up salaries elsewhere, too.
It's good that The Atlantic is spending more money on writers. It is the anti-status quo. May their poaching drive up salaries elsewhere, too.
Biotech papers & news this week:
1. Chemical reactions can be affected by stir bars.
2. A tool to drag membrane transporters into peroxisomes.
3. Full computational design of Kemp eliminase enzymes.
4. UK government to approve crops made using precision breeding.
& more...
1. Chemical reactions can be affected by stir bars.
2. A tool to drag membrane transporters into peroxisomes.
3. Full computational design of Kemp eliminase enzymes.
4. UK government to approve crops made using precision breeding.
& more...
June 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Biotech papers & news this week:
1. Chemical reactions can be affected by stir bars.
2. A tool to drag membrane transporters into peroxisomes.
3. Full computational design of Kemp eliminase enzymes.
4. UK government to approve crops made using precision breeding.
& more...
1. Chemical reactions can be affected by stir bars.
2. A tool to drag membrane transporters into peroxisomes.
3. Full computational design of Kemp eliminase enzymes.
4. UK government to approve crops made using precision breeding.
& more...