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Meteorite amino acid triggers nanocavity formation in frequent clay


Meteorite amino acid triggers nanocavity formation in frequent clay

by Robert Schreiber

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Apr 10, 2025






Researchers from the College of Amsterdam and Utrecht College have found that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid generally discovered on meteorites, can induce the formation of nanocavities within the mineral montmorillonite clay. This sudden discovering suggests a novel mechanism by which extraterrestrial molecules may have influenced the prebiotic chemistry that led to life on Earth.



The examine, a part of the Dutch Analysis Council’s Planetary and ExoPlanetary Science Programme (PEPSci), provides new depth to the “heat little pond” idea. This idea proposes that interactions between minerals and natural compounds in shallow water environments catalyzed the formation of life’s constructing blocks. Whereas previous analysis has targeted on biologically related amino acids, the brand new work turns to GABA, which performs no identified position in protein synthesis and interacts solely weakly with clays.



“Due to its widespread incidence on meteorites, we thought it will be fascinating to research its potential position,” stated examine co-author Annemieke Petrignani of the College of Amsterdam. “The outcomes actually stunned us!”



PhD candidate Orr Rose Bezaly, along with Petrignani and Helen King of Utrecht College, uncovered montmorillonite clay to various GABA concentrations. Utilizing infrared spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and electron microscopy, they noticed a novel partial exfoliation process-where clay layers start to peel away from the inside-coinciding with the creation of nanocavities.



This atypical exfoliation is new not solely to prebiotic chemistry but in addition to broader supplies science. “We’re the primary to report on this, and we expect it may be fairly related,” Petrignani famous. “The nanoscale cavities we observe may facilitate the compartmentalisation that could be a basic requirement of a prebiotic system.”



Bezaly added that such confined areas could create native disequilibria, important for driving the synthesis of early biomolecules. “That is most related to chemistry that requires low water exercise, resembling polymerisation,” Bezaly stated. “Our discovery thus factors us in the direction of a possible analysis route aimed toward understanding nanoscale processes resulting in the emergence of life.”



Past origin-of-life implications, the exfoliation course of could have future purposes in sustainable clay processing and novel materials design.



Nonetheless, Petrignani cautions that the analysis is in its early levels. “We’d like extra analysis to acquire deeper insights, as an illustration into the chemical dynamics within the nanocavities, what formation pathway could possibly be induced, and likewise if novel, bigger molecules are shaped, how these may then depart the cavities.”



Analysis Report:Meteorite-common amino acid induces clay exfoliation and abiotic compartment formation


Associated Hyperlinks

Universiteit van Amsterdam

Lands Past Past – further photo voltaic planets – information and science
Life Past Earth



Qodo launches CLI agent framework


Qodo, maker of an AI coding platform, in the present day introduced the discharge of Qodo Gen CLI, an agent framework that allows builders to create, customise, and deploy their very own AI coding brokers.

With the framework, creating brokers may be carried out by writing configuration recordsdata that add autonomous AI brokers all through the software program improvement life cycle, in line with the corporate’s announcement.

“Each developer ought to have the ability to create their very own AI brokers, simply as they create scripts and automation in the present day,” mentioned Itamar Friedman, CEO and co-founder of Qodo. “By making agent creation easy and accessible as a substitute of requiring complicated AI engineering, we’re democratizing entry to actual automation that groups absolutely management.. Now a developer can create a customized agent for his or her distinctive workflow in minutes, not months.”

Qodo was constructed to assist builders  add autonomous coding capabilities to their functions with out requiring experience in AI methods, which might result in options that sync up with a company’s necessities, the corporate mentioned. With Qodo Gen CLI, builders can outline customized brokers and what instruments they’ll entry, specify actions that set off the brokers, what directions information their habits and finally, what their outputs ought to be.

Together with enabling customized agent creation, Qodo Gen CLI  consists of pre-built brokers for code evaluation, check protection evaluation, and launch notes era. In keeping with the corporate announcement, “These brokers combine seamlessly with current improvement instruments by means of GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and different CI/CD methods. For superior use circumstances, brokers may be uncovered as Mannequin Context Protocol (MCP) servers, enabling integration with different AI instruments and platforms.”

Qodo helps OpenAIo3 and Claude Sonnet 4 LLMs, gives on-premises deployment, and a number of reference implementations that’s persevering with to develop.

Qodo Gen CLI is on the market now as a free software with enterprise help choices. Builders can get began instantly by putting in the CLI software by means of npm and following the quick-start information at https://docs.qodo.ai/qodo-documentation/qodo-gen/cli

Sustainability 101: What’s clear power?


Do you’re feeling a bit misplaced when folks discuss with sure environmental sustainability subjects and aren’t certain the place to start out relating to studying extra? Sustainability 101 is a weblog sequence that you would be able to flip to for details about totally different environmental phrases that will come up at work, throughout discussions with associates, and even at your annual vacation gathering.


Likelihood is when somebody flips on a light-weight swap or activates a pc, they don’t take into consideration what’s producing that electrical energy.

The demand for power is growing throughout a variety of industries and sectors, pushed by applied sciences like synthetic intelligence (AI), and electrical automobiles (EVs) and the digitization of rising and creating economies. In line with a new report from the Worldwide Power Company (IEA), international electrical energy consumption is forecast to increase at round 4% yearly by means of 2027. That’s the equal of including an quantity higher than Japan’s annual electrical energy consumption yearly between now and 2027.

How is the world going to satisfy this demand for electrical energy? Extra energy-efficient expertise, grid digitization, and clear power are issues that may assist. Clear power specifically can play an essential position in making a safer, dependable, replenishable, and sturdy power system that lowers prices and reduces environmental impacts. In line with the IEA’s Renewables 2024 report, “…renewables will account for nearly half of worldwide electrical energy technology by 2030.”

What’s clear power

Clear power is any energy supply that releases little to no direct greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions into the environment. As a pollution-free power various out there in nearly each a part of the world, it boosts and diversifies the worldwide power provide and may usually be less expensive.

Photo voltaic and wind energy usually come to thoughts when you consider clear power sources, however in addition they embrace ocean, geothermal, nuclear, and hydropower.

A graphic about different types of clean energy.A graphic about different types of clean energy.

Renewable power is a subset of unpolluted power. Nonetheless, not all clear power is renewable. Take nuclear energy, for instance: It’s thought of clear power as a result of the facility launched from splitting atoms doesn’t launch GHGs however shouldn’t be renewable for the reason that uranium assets obligatory are restricted.

Advantages of unpolluted renewable power

For Cisco, clear renewable power has proven quite a few advantages resembling:

  1. May be competitively priced in some markets and over time can get monetary savings.
  2. May be much less weak to market fluctuations and provide chain disruptions, relying available on the market.
  3. Helps corporations meet GHG emissions discount targets, that are often aligned with these of their worth chain companions and buyer base and important when prospects require companies to cut back or eradicate operational GHGs as part of doing enterprise.

For communities positioned close by, a brand new clear power plant can:

  1. Enhance native power manufacturing and availability at aggressive charges.
  2. Spur native financial progress with energy plant employment and infrastructure improvement; 42% of all power jobs are actually within the clear power sector.
  3. Emit fewer air pollution.

What’s Cisco doing?

For Cisco, utilizing clear renewable power for our operations makes good enterprise sense. Along with value financial savings, elevated power entry, and taking part in a job in our aim to succeed in internet zero GHG emissions throughout our price chain by 2040, it additionally strengthens our fame as a pacesetter in sustainability.

Cisco started its clear power journey in 2007 with 11% of its electrical energy generated by clear power sources. At this time, 96% of our international electrical energy use comes from renewable sources, and we try to help additional adoption of unpolluted power. Areas the place we focus embrace:

  • Growing expertise for power grid effectivity and resilience that delivers energy extra securely. The ever-increasing adoption of decentralized clear power sources can pressure energy grids. Tailor-made to utilities and good grids, Cisco options may also help hold digital infrastructure safe, up-to-date, and optimized.
  • Participating in long-term, native clear power contracts to energy our services. Every time attainable, Cisco appears to be like at methods to generate our personal onsite electrical energy. Nonetheless, when that isn’t sensible or cost-effective, we enter energy buy agreements (PPAs) with clear power builders constructing new tasks, as we did for our first wind power mission in the identical market as our Richardson and Allen, Texas campuses. Fisher County, Texas residents additionally benefited, gaining an electrical energy plant and jobs from the developer and operator. Extra lately we signed PPAs with X-ELIO and Southern Energy.

In India, Cisco’s Bangalore campus, which incorporates workplaces, a analysis lab, and a big knowledge middle, lately entered a 15-year, fixed-price settlement with a clear power plant 164 miles away. At any given time, the Cisco advanced runs on anyplace from 98 to 100% clear energy.

  • Investing in clear power improvements. The Cisco Basis and Cisco Investments, the corporate’s enterprise arm, gives funding to nonprofits and start-ups advancing clear power options.

Some organizations they’ve invested in embrace:

SHYFT Energy. In Africa roughly 600 million folks nonetheless lack electrical energy, principally in sub-Saharan international locations. SHYFT energy has launched a expertise platform encouraging clear power adoption in Nigeria.

CorPower Ocean, a Swedish firm creating viable methods to harness ocean waves as a steady, renewable power useful resource.

Five people wearing hard hats and yellow vests standing in front of solar panels.Five people wearing hard hats and yellow vests standing in front of solar panels.
Cisco crew’s go to to the hybrid power plant in India that powers the Bangalore campus. Their joint 92.1-megawatt renewable power mission with Cisco delivers a mixture of 69 megawatts of solar energy and 23.1 megawatts of wind energy. Having two sources of renewable power will increase the hours of technology.

Evolving in direction of a extra power safe and sustainable world 

Clear power adoption gives alternatives to extend power safety whereas serving to to cut back prices, create jobs, and stimulate financial progress. By way of our efforts to obtain clear power for Cisco, we now have seen the advantages to our enterprise, to our prospects, and to the planet.

Learn extra about Cisco’s clear power journey, in addition to how different corporations can begin or advance their very own within the new Cisco Clear Power Playbook.

The cover of Cisco's Clean Energy PlaybookThe cover of Cisco's Clean Energy Playbook


Evan Brown relies out of Cisco’s Analysis Triangle Park campus in North Carolina. Vijay Ettiyagounder relies out of Bangalore, India, Cisco’s largest campus exterior of the US.

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How Cisco India helped 50 million individuals hook up with new alternatives


At Cisco, we consider within the energy of expertise and our individuals to drive significant change. For over 30 years, we’ve partnered with India to form our shared digital future, foster innovation, and construct a workforce prepared for tomorrow. However our impression goes far past enterprise.

Collectively, we’ve been working to empower communities and enhance lives—and due to the ingenuity and diligence of our many non-profit collaborators, we’ve achieved one thing actually exceptional.

 

Watch our overview video to find out how Cisco and our companions helped 50 million individuals in India.

Above and past: How a authorities mandate to present again change into an inspiration to go additional

In 2013, when India applied a regulation requiring corporations to put money into company social accountability (CSR) initiatives, Cisco noticed a chance not simply to satisfy the mandate, however to go above and past. In 2018, we set a daring purpose: positively impression 50 million lives in India by 2025.

Once we join the unconnected, we develop alternative for all. Working intently with our non-profit companions, we didn’t simply meet that purpose—we exceeded it, reaching this milestone in March 2025. (Grants made inside India since 2015 are included within the whole rely.) This achievement displays our ongoing dedication to powering an inclusive future for all.

From opening our first workplace in India in 1995, to main initiatives that empower hundreds of thousands at the moment, Cisco’s legacy in India coincides with the nation’s development as an rising chief in innovation and expertise. With practically one billion web customers, the world’s third-largest digital economic system, and greater than 70 p.c of its youthful technology aspiring to work in tech, it’s secure to say India is firmly in its digital increase. Actually, simply final yr, Boston Consulting Group ranked India within the prime 10 for AI readiness and second globally for AI specialists.

Our India Goal Workplace staff’s extraordinary achievement exemplifies Cisco’s technique for social funding—from shut collaboration with native specialists, to rigorous measurement of constructive impression, to regular emphasis on the distinctive energy of tech-fueled innovation to achieve extra individuals in want. Their work has helped advance our imaginative and prescient of thriving individuals and empowered communities all through India.” —Charu Adesnik, Government Director, Cisco Basis; Director, Social Impression Investments

A daring imaginative and prescient fueled by our individuals

The Cisco India Goal Workplace led the best way, crafting a technique that mixed progressive expertise with collaborative partnerships. By means of initiatives just like the India Money Grant Program, we’ve been capable of amplify our impression by supporting native non-profits that use expertise to deal with essential wants like training, healthcare, disaster response, and financial empowerment. By aligning with authorities priorities and fostering collaboration in our grantmaking, we’ve created lasting change for a extra inclusive and affluent society.

However our work didn’t cease there. Cisco staff additionally performed a key position—from mentoring our companions on cybersecurity to sharing experience in enterprise operations. Collectively, we’ve empowered these organizations with the assets, data, and steering they wanted to develop and create lasting impression.

Tales that encourage

From enabling job readiness to reworking healthcare, listed here are a few of the unbelievable initiatives rooted from our collaborative efforts:

Indus Motion: Bridging academic gaps

Cisco’s collaboration with Indus Motion via the Eklavya challenge transforms training coverage with tech-driven options. Supporting India’s Proper to Schooling Act, which makes training a elementary proper for youngsters aged 6-14, Cisco’s grant enhanced knowledge assortment techniques—enabling environment friendly decision-making and coverage execution for state governments, whereas positively impacting 500,000 individuals.

Our partner Indus Action envisions an India where every child has access to a high-quality education.Our partner Indus Action envisions an India where every child has access to a high-quality education.
Our accomplice Indus Motion envisions an India the place each youngster has entry to a high-quality training.

NIIT Basis: Empowerment via training

Since 2017, Cisco and the NIIT Basis have collaborated to champion training and empowerment via the Cyber Suraksha challenge (Suraksha means “security” in Hindi). From 2022 to at the moment, this challenge has helped greater than 1 million people—40% of them ladies—develop cybersecurity expertise, and greater than 7,000 contributors safe cybersecurity roles.


Quest Alliance: Constructing future-ready expertise

The Future Proper Expertise Community is a collaborative effort between Cisco, Accenture, SAP Labs, and J.P. Morgan, facilitated by Quest Alliance. Thus far, greater than 300,000 college students gained profession expertise throughout Industrial Coaching Institutes. As well as, over 26,000 college students landed full-time jobs, and greater than 1,500 trainers acquired assist.


The Piramal Swasthya Basis: Revolutionizing healthcare supply

Cisco’s partnership with Piramal Swasthya within the Niramay initiative is revolutionizing healthcare supply in Assam, India. By integrating digital well being expertise, the collaboration enhances telemedicine, diagnostics, and affected person report administration, addressing very important healthcare wants in underserved areas. With greater than 110,000 affected person data digitized, this partnership is setting new requirements in public healthcare.

Piramal Swasthya is using technology to revolutionize healthcare delivery in Assam, IndiaPiramal Swasthya is using technology to revolutionize healthcare delivery in Assam, India
Piramal Swasthya is utilizing expertise to revolutionize healthcare supply in Assam, India.

Wanting forward

With 1 billion lives impacted globally and one other 50 million lives modified in India, our journey to Energy an Inclusive Future for All continues. Our ongoing collaborative efforts will be sure that life-changing expertise reaches those that want it most. Collectively, we’ll hold creating constructive social impression—one partnership at a time.

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Lenovo expands enterprise AI server choices



Lenovo can be introducing 4 new Hybrid AI Benefit choices that are product bundles consisting of Lenovo {hardware} and third-party AI software program. The 4 are:

  1. Hospitality with Centific AI Information Foundry and Nvidia: Allows resorts and resorts to spice up real-time personalization, streamlined operations, and acquire visitor data-driven insights.
  2. Office Security & PPE Compliance with Avathon Visible AI and Nvidia: Powers real-time hazard and PPE compliance monitoring, to immediately detect security dangers, violations and unsafe behaviors.
  3. Retail and Good Areas with WaitTime and Intel: Delivers real-time crowd analytics through Edge AI-based laptop imaginative and prescient and transforms digital camera feeds into on the spot insights that drive income development and improve visitor satisfaction by as much as 30% in some deployments.
  4. High quality Inspection with Trifork and Nvidia: Delivers automated defect detection, on-device mannequin retraining and transforms real-time sensor information into actionable insights on the manufacturing facility ground.

Making AI Pay Off

In keeping with Lenovo’s World CIO Playbook, AI budgets are anticipated to triple to almost 20% of IT budgets in 2025. Regardless of the spending spree, half of workers surveyed really feel they obtain solely reasonable help for AI coaching and two-thirds of organizations have but to see ROI from their AI investments.

So Lenovo is introducing AI Adoption and Change Administration Providers, that are tailor-made to assist organizations assess their AI readiness, upskill their workforce, increase engagement, and maximize ROI from their enterprise programs by way of persona-based change administration and greatest practices. Key functions embrace:

•                Lenovo AI Folks Readiness Evaluation: Assess worker readiness for AI transformation and establish focused enablement methods, personas, and high-impact use instances.

•                Persona-Primarily based Coaching & Engagement: Tailor adoption packages primarily based on worker roles to speed up confidence, scale back resistance, and increase engagement.