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La Comunità di interesse sui Sistemi di Riferimento Geodetici – Europei, istituita da UN-GGIM, è dedicata al sostegno e allo sviluppo della professione geodetica. Un recente incontro ha evidenziato due punti cruciali: i rischi associati alle fondazioni geodetiche deboli e il loro impatto sui servizi satelitari, e il lancio di un’iniziativa per creare un Master internazionale in Scienze Geodetiche. L’industria globale dei sistemi di navigazione satellitare (GNSS), che comprende posizionamento, navigazione, temporizzazione, osservazione della Terra e servizi di telecomunicazioni via satellite, ha recentemente superato i 450 miliardi di dollari di entrate e si prevede che raddoppieranno entro pochi anni. Questi satelliti e le industrie che supportano come la gestione del territorio, la gestione delle risorse e l'estrazione mineraria dipendono dalla geodetica per la creazione di prodotti affidabili e precisi...(Continua a leggere l'editoriale)

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San Francisco Mayor London Breed is calling for a doubling of the city’s goal to expand its homeless shelters in an effort to get unhoused residents off the streets.

As Maggie Angst explains in the San Francisco Chronicle, the city’s original goal, laid out in 2023, called for a 50 percent reduction in unsheltered homelessness by 2028. “Officials projected that achieving the plan’s goals would require adding 1,075 new shelter beds and 3,250 new permanent supportive housing units, as well as financial support to an additional 4,300 households at risk of homelessness. The new goal calls for adding 2,150 shelter beds between spring 2023 and June 2028.” Advocates say the plan largely sidesteps the root causes of homelessness and fails to focus on prevention and permanent housing.

While it is unclear how many units the city has built, it remains far from its goal. “The city has not opened a new permanent supportive housing building since March 2023 and the mayor’s office could not immediately say how many new vouchers had been released since the plan was enacted in April 2023.”

The urgency of the expansion comes in part as a response to a sharp rise in family homelessness in the city, which grew by 94 percent in the last two years. 

• San Francisco
• Homelessness
• Unhoused
• Shelters
• unsheltered homelessness
• Supportive Housing

Researchers have encoded the entire human genome onto a “5D memory crystal” in the off chance our species finds itself needing to walk back from the brink of extinction. But even if the plan ultimately fails, the device itself is theoretically capable of providing our genetic code to some other future, sentient third-party, even if it takes them billions of years to find it.

For over a decade, the gold standard for the most durable data storage medium has been crystal. More specifically, a nanostructured glass disc developed in 2014 by a team of researchers led by optoelectronics professor Peter Kazansky at the University of Southampton. The 360 terabyte data crystal will remain stable at room temperature for 300 quintillion years—a lifespan that only drops down to 13.8 billion years (i.e., the universe’s current age) if heated to 374 degrees Fahrenheit. Throw in the ability to survive both higher and lower temperatures, direct impact forces up to 10 tons per square centimeter, as well as lengthy exposure to cosmic radiation, and it’s easy to see how it is still the Guinness World Record holder for the most durable digital storage medium. Given the increasing concern about today’s often unreliable digital landscape, this also makes it one of the premiere choices when safely archiving electronic information.

[ Related: This DVD-sized disk can store a massive 125,000 gigabytes of data .]

Knowing this, Kazansky’s group recently set to work encoding the three billion character human genome into one of their coin-sized memory crystals. According to a university profile, Kazansky and colleagues utilized ultra-fast lasers to etch the DNA code into voids within the disc’s silica as small as 20 nanometers-wide. While most traditional information-recording tools (such as paper and magnetic tape) are two-dimensional, the researchers encoded in the crystal “uses two optical dimensions and three spatial coordinates to write throughout the material” in what they describe as (technically) “5D.”

Taking inspiration from the Voyager mission’s iconic Golden Records, the disc also includes a visual key explaining how to use it. There are also illustrations of male and female humans; the universal elements of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen; DNA’s molecular structure, and other potentially necessary information required for synthetically creating a person.

Speaking of which—Kazansky’s team is well aware that current technology is nowhere near advanced enough to do what their disc is intended to help achieve. That said, milestones in synthetic biology such as the 2010 creation of synthetic bacterium indicate a future with artificially created humans—as well as plants and animals—may be possible. 

“We know from the work of others that genetic material of simple organisms can be synthesized and used in an existing cell to create a viable living specimen in a lab,” Kazansky said in a statement. “The 5D memory crystal opens up possibilities for other researchers to build an everlasting repository of genomic information from which complex organisms like plants and animals might be restored should science in the future allow.”

For now, the human genome-encoded “5D memory crystal” is stored in the Memory of Mankind archive, a time capsule project located within the world’s oldest salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria. If all goes as planned, it will remain until potentially needed—hopefully never.

The post In case of extinction, scientists store human genome on a ‘memory crystal’ that lasts billions of years appeared first on Popular Science.

Whether you’re facing a hurricane or tornado, a blizzard, or an earthquake, you may want what we call a “weather radio” to keep you and your family well-informed throughout the ordeal. These radios can keep you updated and act as emergency radios after you’ve been hit. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of music or talk radio to keep you entertained after the storm has left you without power. A weather radio is also a smart bit of outdoor gear because you don’t want to get caught unprepared when you’re exposed. But what’s out there for you to get to make sure what’s out there doesn’t get you? Here, we explore the best weather radios to help you weather a storm.

• Best overall: Midland E+Ready
• Best for cars: FosPower Emergency Weather Radio
• Best for home alerts: Midland WR400 Deluxe NOAA Weather Radio
• Best splurge: Eton Sidekick 
• Best budget: Running Snail Hand Crank Radio 

Weather radios need to be able to survive a storm even if your power doesn’t (though we always recommend keeping a topped-off solar generator on hand, just in case). They function to serve you through storms that can cause disruptions in utilities and other services. The radios we selected meet these requirements above all others.

The following radios should be able to get you through almost any storm. They have been selected for having a wide variety of powering mechanisms and their usefulness in various situations. They won’t have the sound quality of the best Bluetooth speakers, but when you need a radio that can get you through a common thunderstorm or intense weather events, you’ll find something on this list.

Why it made the cut: This weather radio has a bit of everything, plus it is one of the best-rated weather radios at online retailers.

Specs

• Charging mechanisms: USB charging, AA, hand crank, solar
• NOAA access: Yes
• Battery life: 32 hours (Infinite with hand crank)
• Size: 3.4 x 8 x 2.4 inches
• Bonus features: Segmented display, flashlight, SOS alarm, ultrasonic dog whistle, power bank

Pros

• Excellent form factor with handle
• Big, easy press buttons
• Dog whistle emergency alert
• Morse code flashlight beacon

Cons

• Mildly expensive

The Midland E+Ready is one of the most favored emergency weather radios on the market. Its large buttons are intelligible and workable even by those who are nervous, have big thumbs, or have arthritis. Its large segmented display will further make it usable to those who need big readouts. We particularly appreciate it for its WX alert button, which quickly changes to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert readouts.

Should you be using this radio while camping or hiking as part of one of your fully built survival kits, further survival features come from its SOS flashlight beacon, which can alert people visually to your location as well as send Morse code messages. There is also an ultrasonic dog whistle to alert rescue dogs to your location should the worst occur.

However, it would be best if you didn’t discount this handy machine for at-home use, either. It has a sturdy base, low and high flashlight settings for navigating your darkened home after a power outage, and a power bank to charge your phone enough to make an important call. And, of course, it has the NOAA weather radio readouts, which is what you want a weather radio for in the first place.

While the Midland E+Ready has multiple charging mechanisms, we recommend you charge its 2600 mAh battery to full ahead of time. It’ll get you through about 32 hours of radio use with little extra effort. You can also crank the radio or (if you have the sunlight) charge it via solar panels. Finally, there is the battery-operated option, using AA batteries, but the six required to charge it seems somewhat excessive.

Why it made the cut: Stuffing this radio under the driver’s seat can prep you for the next storm in more ways than one.

Specs

• Charging mechanisms: AAA, USB charging, hand crank, solar
• NOAA access: Yes
• Battery life: Infinite with hand crank
• Size: 6.2 x 2.1 x 2.9 inches
• Bonus features: Flashlights, SOS alarm, power bank

Pros

• Intense power bank
• IPX3 water resistant
• Glove box size
• Includes SOS alarm

Cons

• Lengthy initial charge time

As you’re building your emergency car kits, you’ll want access to NOAA radio that your car very well might not be able to receive, plus extra goodies that can get you through the storm while pulled over. This FosPower radio has everything you need to keep your car battery (and gas supply) good while also helping you out in other ways in a pinch.

It’s compact enough to fit in your organized glovebox, for one, so it’ll always be a moment’s reach away. During heavy rains, when you should pull over, you can turn your car off, use your FosPower radio instead, and use its reader light for some novel entertainment. Decide to dash for home anyhow? Not only is the FosPower IPX3 water-resistant, but it also has a handy flashlight, allowing you to safely find your way to your door even when your power is out.

And while we’re not saying this is the only piece of equipment you’ll need while trying to figure out how to survive a snowstorm inside your truck, there are some features that will help you in this case. It has a pretty intense power bank that can charge your phone (alongside a crank if you need more power) and it has an SOS siren that can alert people to your location.

Why it made the cut: This weather radio for home use is perfect for tornado and thunderstorm alerts.

Specs

• Charging mechanisms: Outlet, 4 x AA
• NOAA access: Yes
• Battery life: ~4-8 hours
• Size: 7 x 5.5 x 2.2 inches
• Bonus features: Segmented display, SAME tech, Siren

Pros

• Advanced NOAA features
• Helpful weather-oriented display
• Loud alert alarm
• Easy-to-use interface

Cons

• Limited powering options
• Lacks durability

Midland’s WR400 Deluxe is built especially for those who want a stationary, at-home weather radio with an intuitive readout and many dedicated weather features. The WR400 provides instant NWS reports, has NOAA ‘SAME’ tech for region-specific reports, and features an 85dB siren for emergency alerts. Its segmented display includes regions for warning/watch/advisory alerts and written-out alerts to give you specifics. In other words, knowing what’s happening in your area only takes one look.

This radio is meant to be kept with you, plugged into your bedroom’s wall socket, possibly working as your morning commute alarm, too. Its alternative powering mechanism is a somewhat outdated four AA batteries, though you can get some of the best rechargeable batteries to counteract this somewhat. In light of this, this radio will best serve people worried about tornadoes and thunderstorms over conditions like flooding and hurricanes. But if that’s your use case, it’s the best value.

Why it made the cut: While on the expensive side, it has robust features and a quality build.

Specs

• Charging mechanisms: USB, hand crank, solar
• NOAA access: Yes
• Battery life: Infinite with hand crank
• Size: 7.8 x 2.9 x 12.7 inches
• Bonus features: Segmented display, light, emergency beacon, SAME technology, large power bank

Pros

• Sturdy build with great handle
• IPX4 water resistance
• Easy to use

Cons

• Expensive

Eton’s Sidekick is an adventurer’s weather radio with a strong build, good handles, and enough water resistance to ward off a sprinkle. It is also NOAA-ready with SAME technology for county-specific broadcasts. If you’re on the go, you can either pack it in your backpack or carry it with you as you hike through easier sections of the trail.

The hand crank on the Sidekick is in a nice, central location, and you should feel a sense of balance as you spin it. The handles and empty spaces around the edge give you multiple ways of securing it while you crank, too, so it should be quite easy to steady. According to Eton, you’ll get 10 to 15 minutes of charge from a 4-minute cranking session, though your mileage will, of course, vary. For example, if you’re shining the huge light on its side at full blast, expect less time.

Why it made the cut: This small radio gets it done at a low price.

Specs

• Charging mechanisms: USB, Hand Crank, Solar
• NOAA access: Yes
• Battery life: Infinite with hand crank
• Size: 5 x 1.8 x 2.4 inches
• Bonus features: Flashlight, effective power bank

Pros

• Can charge your phone in a pinch
• Small and lightweight
• “Afterthought” tier pricing
• Emergency flashlight attached

Cons

• Very simple

This weather radio, while cheap and simple, shouldn’t be overlooked. Its fit-in-your-pocket size, half-pound weight, and low price make it a quick pickup for many situations. It can certainly be used as a backup weather radio for even the most prepared families.

While it does have NOAA access, the most important part of this radio is its combination of hand crank power and phone charging. Even when we have extensive portable power banks, the scarcity mindset can kick in, and we won’t want to use up the power except for the most necessary phone calls. However, with RunningSnail’s small emergency weather radio, that all changes, as you can crank your way to enough power for a phone call whenever you need to do so. In the calm after the storm, you can also grab some solar power.

Again, this radio is so small and so affordable that it can be logical to buy as a backup for your car, camping bag, or even your backpack and purse should you wind up somewhere without phone power and no other ways to charge up. If you live in an area prone to sudden storms, this would also work as your piece-of-mind tech option with no exorbitant price. Plus, it’s an eco-friendly workout.

Radios aren’t extremely complicated devices; that much is known. That’s why the best weather radios do something to distinguish themselves as having something special for you during emergencies. Here’s an overview of what to look for.

What makes a weather radio a weather radio? Many argue that it is the inclusion of NOAA radio access. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hosts one of the US’s most consistent and up-to-date radio weather broadcasts, with many local variations throughout the country.

Many such radios have access to NOAA-adjacent features, such as NWR SAME and the Emergency Alert System. These features give broadcast info based on local needs and help alert you to emergencies, with SAME alerting you based on a specific county you select. One of the most interesting and weather-specific NOAA-equipped radio features is the tone-alarm feature, which will alert you via the radio even when the radio’s volume is turned off.

Since NOAA is on a special frequency band, it is unavailable on all radios. Does this mean that other radios are worthless as weather radios? Not necessarily. You can still access the National Weather Service online, and online NOAA broadcasts exist as well. Plus, if you live in areas during times of exceptionally bad weather—such as Florida’s hurricanes—you can expect local radio stations to be covering the events as well, often with on-the-ground reporting. Still, though, having NOAA access is worth it.

There are a ton of ways to charge a radio these days. You can use batteries, an internal battery with USB-C charging, hand cranks, and even solar panels to get your radio alert-ready. However, just because these mechanisms will work, it doesn’t mean that all of them are made equal and that you need to rely on just one.

Internal batteries are the most convenient, reduce moving and losable parts, and are very trustworthy. And they last longer than AA or AAA batteries without corrosion. They do require power to recharge, however. A battery life of 12 to 24 hours will get you through most storms, but extended power outages and emergency weather situations will require more power. You can mitigate this by having a portable charger handy, but a secondary power source is even better.

Hand cranks are an incredibly popular power source and are an excellent primary power source for most people. However, make sure that cranking will provide extended power so you won’t need to crank the radio repeatedly while using it, as this could prove very annoying. Secondly, remember accessibility concerns, as those with motility issues (or, worst come to worst, injuries from the storm) may not be able to crank the radio reliably.

Finally, we’d like to caution you against relying solely on solar power despite the prevalence of this alternative charging mechanism in the best weather radios. It’s a romantic notion. You lose power and use the sun to get radio information about your situation. However, storms also happen at night and tend to come with dampened skies even during the day. Don’t let a romantic notion leave you unprepared. There’s nothing wrong with solar panels, but don’t let them be your only power source.

The primary concern you’ll have for your radio’s safety is its ability to withstand a drop. Things to look for include protective coatings, strong exteriors, and quality handles that reduce the chance of a drop in the first place. Consulting the world of real-world reviews is also quite important. If you start to see multiple consumers giving a product the “I dropped it once, and it never worked again.” treatment, that’s vital information that reveals the product has an unstable build.

Another thing to look at is water protection or “water-proofing,” as it might also be called. The most reliable method of determining a device’s water protection is its Ingress Protection Rating, more commonly called an IP rating. You may see something like IPX4 or IP68, with the right-most digit being more important. The first hypothetical device, with a water protection rating of 4, will be fine if you’re camping and get it briefly in the rain. The second, with a water protection rating of 8, has the highest protection rating and is good if you expect flooding, as it can withstand a dip in the water.

After automatic NOAA turn-on, one of the most commonly seen things on weather radios is additional USB ports for giving your phone or other devices a quick charge, effectively making the radio a power bank. While this can drain your radio battery down, it can certainly be worth it if your phone is the more important device at the moment.

You may also find that your weather radio has additional capabilities. For example, it may include a flashlight feature or an extensive power bank for your other devices.

A weather radio can cost anywhere from about $30 to just over $80. Generally speaking, we don’t recommend buying a weather radio that costs much over $100 as it may be trying to do too many things (have too many extras) when you might get better quality and fairer pricing from buying a couple of items instead.

Weather radios last as long as any other radio. Keeping your radio safe, checking and changing replaceable AA and AAA batteries before corrosion sets in, and using smart battery-recharging strategies will all extend the life of your weather radio.

Crank radios are absolutely worth it in case of emergency situations. This being said, it is highly encouraged to have a secondary charging mechanism (such as a USB-C charge port) to make the radio even more convenient to use, though this is optional. Finally, make sure any potential users of the radio have the ability to physically crank the radio comfortably, as there could be potential accessibility issues for those with some disabilities.

• Best overall: Midland E+Ready
• Best for cars: FosPower Emergency Weather Radio
• Best for home alerts: Midland WR400 Deluxe NOAA Weather Radio
• Best splurge: Eton Sidekick 
• Best budget: Running Snail Hand Crank Radio

The best weather radios are not much different from a technical standpoint than standard radios but will typically have NOAA access and more extensive charging and power options. Remember to choose a radio that will get you through a storm and perform in various situations over one that will just deliver today’s hits with the best sound quality possible.

The post The best weather radios for 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

A small Los Angeles County city is extending its ban on homeless shelters after Governor Gavin Newsom specifically called out the move as illegal, reports David Wagner in LAist. State housing officials sent Norwalk a letter warning that its ban on shelters violates state housing laws.

According to Wagner, “The Norwalk City Council voted on Aug. 6 to adopt a 45-day ban on issuing permits for shelters, interim housing and supportive apartments for unhoused people, saying they pose an ‘immediate threat to public health, safety and welfare.’” This Tuesday, the council extended the ban for an addition 10 months and 15 days.

At the city’s last count, 144 Norwalk residents were unsheltered. Meanwhile, “Norwalk has issued permits for 175 new homes in recent years, state officials note — far short of the city’s requirement to plan for more than 5,000 new housing units by 2029.”

The city could face legal action if it fails to respond to the state’s letter, which states that the city “must repeal the ordinance to immediately allow the development and operation of emergency shelters.”

• Norwalk
• Shelters
• Shelter Ban
• Homelessness
• Unhoused
• unsheltered homelessness

There is more to the ocean’s waves than just rolling and breaking. Most waves are not unidirectional; they’re not just moving across a two-dimensional plane, as described in many current models. Scientists studying the waves’ three-dimensional properties have observed that waves moving in more than one direction at once can grow twice as steep before they break and even reach heights that are four times steeper than previously believed. These waves even continue to get steeper after breaking, when waves usually tend to dissipate. The findings are described in a study published September 18 in the journal Nature.

Our understanding of how waves break has primarily been models of unidirectional waves. They roll outwards, form a crest, and then break. However, ocean waves can actually travel in many directions and they can rarely fit into this simplified two-dimensional model. 

[Related: Huge 60-foot-tall buoy uses ocean waves to create clean energy.]

“Whether we want it or not, water waves are more often three-dimensional than two-dimensional in the real world,” Frederic Dias, a study co-author and mathematician from University College Dublin and ENS Paris-Saclay, said in a statement. “In 3D, there are more ways in which waves can break.”

3D ocean waves have more complex movements. They form when waves are all coming in from different directions and shoot vertically instead of solely horizontal and then cresting. The most extreme kind of 3D waves are generated when wave systems are “crossing.” These “cross seas” occur when wave systems meet one another or when winds suddenly change direction, such as in a hurricane. 

“Once a conventional wave breaks, it forms a white cap, and there is no way back,” Ton van den Bremer, a study co-author and engineer at TU Delft in the Netherlands, said in a statement. “But when a wave with a high directional spreading breaks, it can keep growing.”

The study was conducted at the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility at the University of Edinburgh. The indoor tank simulated circular multidirectional waves and currents that the team then measured and their models accounted for a third dimension. 

“We show that in these directional conditions, waves can far exceed the commonly assumed upper limit before they break,” study co-author and University of Manchester ocean engineer Sam Draycott said in a statement. “Unlike unidirectional (2D) waves, multidirectional waves can become twice as large before they break.”

This study also builds on a 2018 study that used the tank to recreate the infamous Draupner freak wave for the first time. On January 1, 1995 a laser at the North Sea Draupner gas platform about 100 miles off the coast of Norway measured a rogue wave 83 feet high. It is still among the largest of freak waves ever detected. 

According to the team, a better understanding of 3D waves could have implications in several areas. It could improve weather forecasting for vessels, help build new climate models, and inform offshore structure design. Currently, design and safety features of marine structures are based on a 2D standard wave model. These findings could help companies review their structures to account for more complicated and extreme behaviors of 3D waves. 

[Related: Ocean warming is making waves stronger—and that’s a problem.]

“The three-dimensionality of waves is often overlooked in the design of offshore wind turbines and other marine structures in general, our findings suggest that this could lead to underestimation of extreme wave heights and potentially designs that are less reliable,” study co-author and University of Oxford mechanical engineer Mark McAllister said in a statement. 

It could also help us understand some of the key ocean processes that influence our planet’s health. 

“Wave breaking plays a pivotal role in air-sea exchange including the absorption of C02, whilst also affecting the transport of particulate matter in the oceans including phytoplankton and microplastics,” said Draycott.

The post Extreme 3D ocean waves can reach heights 4x steeper than previously thought appeared first on Popular Science.

It sounds insane, but I know what I saw—a UFO. Or, I think it was. Too many people have drones these days, so I guess it could’ve been anything. Alas, I was sitting on my porch, enjoying my new pair of night vision binoculars, when I saw something moving in the dark. It was too fast for it to be a plane.

I can see over 1,300 feet away with these bad boys, and boy, I saw something alright. A flying saucer—or a UAP as the kids call it these days. Better yet? My binoculars have a built-in camera, and I started recording. Can you believe they were only $99.99 (reg. $169.99)?

Wanna know how I know that UFO was real? My footage didn’t save. The binoculars work, I have dozens of 36MP photos and 4K videos of tweety birds from my backyard, but those aliens? They wiped my darn UAP pictures. Those suckers. This is all I’ve got:

At least I got to see them in the flesh. I’m surprised they didn’t wipe my memory (yet). The cool thing about these binoculars, compared to night vision goggles, is that I don’t have to squint through uncomfortable eyepieces to get a glimpse at some aliens—just look through the 4.5-inch LCD screen. I can also use it to play videos back.

The only slightly annoying thing is that they have to be charged, which is obvious since they’re digital. But a 4,000mAh rechargeable battery lasts me quite a few nights of bird-watching and now UFO hunting. I’ll be waiting for my visitors to return.

Grab yourself a pair of these digital binoculars with night vision and recording capabilities for only $99.99 (reg. $169.99) and save 41 percent.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post I’m pretty sure I saw a UFO last night … here’s my story appeared first on Popular Science.

While only about 10 percent of the roughly 4,000 known snake species have venom that can harm a human, using genetics to determine which snakes could be deadly could speed up developing better treatments for bites. A new tool called VenomCap can help scientists hone in on venom at a genetic level, so we can know which ones are likely carrying deadly toxins. The method is detailed in a study published September 19 in the journal Molecular Ecology Resources.

“We’ve developed a tool that can tell us which venom-producing genes are present across an entire snake family in one fell swoop,” Sara Ruane, a study co-author and the Assistant Curator of Herpetology at the Field Museum in Chicago, said in a statement.

Every living thing is made up of DNA, which contains the genome–or, instructions for all of the functions in an organism’s body. The snake genome has roughly 18,00 to 23,000 genes depending on the species. Thousands of these genes are involved in producing venom and different snake species use multiple combinations and versions of genes to produce toxins.

[Related: Snake venom’s deadly secrets decoded with fake blood vessels.]

“It’s important to know what’s in a snake’s venom, because different kinds of venom do different things–some venoms affect the nervous system, some affect the circulatory system, some affect cell function,” said Ruane. “Knowing what’s in a certain kind of venom can help in the development of antivenom for treating that kind of snakebite.” 

Additionally, some of the compounds in snake venoms have been used to make medicines humans use. The first ACE-inhibitor drug for treating high blood pressure was created using a compound in Brazilian pit viper venom. 

“You can harness the power of death in a controlled way,” says Ruane.

There are thousands of genes that are known to produce venom and each snake’s whole genome has tens of thousands of genes. This makes it difficult to pinpoint the ones that are present for venom. To help this process along, Ruane and the team on this study developed VenomCapto help find venom genes.

VenomCap is a set of probes that captures groups of molecules called exons that are designed to interact with a specific group of genes. VenomCap can bind with any of the several thousands of genes that are known to be involved with venom production in snakes. Instead of sequencing a snake’s entire genome–which costs a lot of time and money–and searching through over 2,000 possible venom-producing genes, VenomCap may be a quicker, easier alternative to scientists to see if a snake has these genes and which ones. 

In the new study, the team tested VenomCap’s ability to bind with venom-producing genes. They used tissue samples from 24 kinds of snakes from the family Elapidae. This family of about 400 species includes coral snakes, cobras, and mambas and is considered medically important since their bites can destroy tissue, cause the heart to collapse, induce blindness, and more. 

[Related: Why are there so many snakes?]

Earlier genomic studies have shown that many of the venom-producing genes Elapidae have. According to the study, VenomCap matched those results with 76 percent accuracy, on average. The team believes that VenomCap can be used with tissues that have been previously collected from anywhere in a snake’s body, instead of just those coming directly from the venom glands. 

VenomCap could also make it easier for scientists to examine the relationship between snakes in the elapid family, their lifestyles, and the types of venoms that they produce. 

“Let’s say you’re interested in some closely-related species of snakes that look different from each other, live in different environments, and eat different things,” said Ruane. “VenomCap could help scientists compare the venoms that these snakes produce, and that could help answer bigger-picture questions of whether venoms evolve to match the snakes’ lifestyles, or if their lifestyles evolve to match the venom they produce.”

Using a tool like VenomCap could help scientists develop better methods for treating deadly snake bites. According to the World Health Organization, roughly 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes each year. Their bites lead to 1.8 to 2.7 million cases of envenomation and 81,410 to 137,880 deaths annually. 

“Snake bite is considered a neglected disease on the global-scale,” said Ruane. “In the United States, we don’t come into contact with venomous snakes that often, and when we do, we have extremely good medical treatment–if you expeditiously go to the hospital with a snakebite, you are almost certainly not going to die.”

However, in other parts of the world, venomous snakes are much more common. Australia has the most known venomous snake species of any country, with India, several northern African countries not far behind. Bites may occur in places that are remote and far away from medical attention. Hospitals might not have the right kinds of antivenom on hand due to short supplies.

“Any kind of work that looks at snake venom and helps us identify the venoms present in different species can be extremely important to provide baseline data for developing effective treatments,” said Ruane.

The post New tool helps scientists identify venomous snakes appeared first on Popular Science.