Science Microthreads

[Catoptric]

The usual MRI


fMRI is different (and I might be part of a study.)


I might also be trying out an experimental nasal spray that seems to be a modified psilocybin extract that doesn't have hallucinogenic traits and believe a lot of studies are targeting neuro-plasticity. It's intended to target social anxiety, and the fMRI study I might do is also supposed to research that (but it would probably be against the parameters of research to be taking any anti-anxiety proscription.)

Still it get's into the topic of things like Zoloft (which has a high deathrate when people pair it with opioids, since it's a benzo,) though it does seem they are still concerned if people might possibly have a genetic predisposition to mental illness in their families.

An example of some of the academic papers.

Network-pluralistic psychiatry: linking genetics, brain connectivity, and psychosocial context
https://www.academia.edu/2997-9196/2/3/ ... hWellB7805


Update: No, it isn't psilocybin but rather a hormone intended to reduce social anxiety which is administered similarly to Elon Musk's Ketamine inhaler. I'm also reminded of the South Park End of Obesity episode where they keep on injecting themselves which was based on Wegovy or Ozempic which coined the term "(Brand) face" because of how it makes people look like freaks or ghouls. Incidentally they want people to sniff the stuff up to 6 times a day whenever they feel like it.

The drug trial is for Fasedienol


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[HighlyIrregular]

https://chatgpt.com/s/t_69172a995670819 ... 7dcb60a24c

Is there a simulator to figure out how life began?

Short answer: There’s no full “origin-of-life simulator” that can recreate abiogenesis end-to-end, but there are several powerful simulation platforms and research frameworks that model specific stages of how life might have begun. Scientists break “how life began” into components—prebiotic chemistry, self-replication, metabolism, membranes, and evolutionary dynamics—and simulate each piece with different tools.

Below is the honest state of the art and what is actually simulatable today.

What does exist

1. Prebiotic Chemistry Simulators (chemical reaction networks)
These simulate how early-Earth chemicals could react under various conditions.

Examples:
* AChem (Artificial Chemistry simulators) – generic frameworks used in origin-of-life research.
* ChemDyME – models prebiotic reaction networks under thermal and chemical gradients.
* MØD (Molecular Interaction Modeling) – graph-rewriting simulation of chemical reaction networks, used in some abiogenesis studies.

These can test questions like:
“Could nucleotide-like molecules form naturally in these conditions?”
“Does a set of reactions autocatalyze?”

2. Protocell / lipid-vesicle simulators
Simulate how primitive “cells” (vesicles) form, grow, and divide.

Examples:
* VESICLE – models lipid membrane formation/dynamics.
* LAMMPS or GROMACS with coarse-grained models – simulate membrane self-assembly and encapsulation of molecules.

Used to explore:
*Could random amphiphiles form compartments?
*Could membranes trap replicating molecules?

3. RNA World / Replicator Simulators
These simulate early replication and evolvability.

Examples:
* Avida – digital evolution platform used to study how information accumulates and how replicators evolve.
* Tierra and Core War–style systems – earlier forms of digital life evolution.
* RiboLab tools – simulate RNA folding and replication fidelity.

Useful for questions like:
* “Could simple replicators evolve increasing complexity?”
* “What error rates allow early evolution?”

4. Planet-scale environment models
These simulate conditions, not life itself.

Examples:
* Early-Earth atmospheric chemistry models
* Hydrothermal vent gradient models (e.g., thermal convection in alkaline vents)
* UV radiation models for prebiotic photochemistry

These test the plausibility of certain origin scenarios rather than simulating life’s emergence directly.

What does not exist

There is currently no simulator that:
* Starts with H₂O, CO₂, NH₃, minerals, etc.
* Lets the computer run
* And spontaneously produces living cells or metabolism.

Chemical search space is far too large; physics-level simulation of billions of molecules for millions of years is currently impossible.

What some researchers are trying

A few groups are trying multi-scale “from chemistry to evolution” simulators:
1. The ELSI Simulations (Tokyo Institute of Technology)
Trying to couple geochemistry → chemistry → replicator dynamics.

2. Santa Fe Institute origin-of-life models
Agent-based and network-theory simulations of autocatalytic sets (Kauffman networks).

3. NASA Astrobiology / Exobiology simulations
Focus on prebiotic chemistry and replicator emergence.

These are promising but nowhere near a full “origin simulator.”

If you want to use simulators yourself

Here are accessible ones:

For digital evolution:
* Avida-ED (free, runs in browser)
* Tierra (open source)

For prebiotic chemistry networks:
* MØD (free, academic)
* OpenReactionNetwork (Python-based)

For protocells / membranes:
* GROMACS with MARTINI coarse-grained model (free)
* LAMMPS (free)

If you want, I can also list the closest real attempts at full end-to-end origin-of-life modeling, or recommend educational vs research-grade tools.

[Catoptric]

Unidentified objects referred to as 3I/Atlas are hurtling towards earth (found accelerating with no known propulsion though I bet it's like a gravity slingshot; otherwise it's aliens that want to wipe us off the planet?)
https://rollingout.com/2025/11/06/inter ... tlas-nasa/