James' World 2

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The puzzle seems impossible: take a three-billion-letter code and predict what happens if you swap a single letter. The code we’re talking about—the human genome—stores most of its instructions in genetic “dark matter,” the 98 percent of DNA that doesn’t make proteins. AlphaGenome, an artificial intelligence system just released by Google DeepMind in London, aims to show how even tiny changes in those noncoding sections affect gene expression.

AlphaGenome shows promise in predicting how mutations in these regions cause diseases—from certain cancers to rare disorders where crucial proteins never get made. By revealing these hidden control switches, AlphaGenome could help researchers design therapies that target genetic conditions, potentially aiding millions of people.

But to understand the complexity of the task for which AlphaGenome was created, one must consider how the definition of a “gene” has evolved. The term, coined in 1909 to describe invisible units of heredity (as proposed by Gregor Mendel in 1865) initially carried no molecular baggage. But by the 1940s, the “one gene, one enzyme” idea took hold. And by the 1960s, textbooks taught that for a stretch of DNA to be properly called a gene, it had to code for a specific protein.

Over the past two decades, the definition has broadened with the discoveries of genes that code for the numerous types of RNAs that don’t get translated into proteins. Today a gene is considered to be any DNA segment whose RNA or protein product performs a biological function. This conceptual shift underscores the genome’s real estate map: Only about 1 to 2 percent of human DNA directly codes for proteins. But with the broader definition, roughly 40 percent is gene territory.

What remains unaccounted for is significant: more than a billion units of code that can determine how and how often genes get activated. Because relevant clues lie far apart and play out through complex cycles of gene regulation, decoding them has been among biology’s hardest challenges. AlphaGenome’s goal is to understand how these regions affect gene expression—and how even tiny changes can tilt the entire body’s balance between health and disease. To do so, the AI system uses a DNA sequence with a length of up to one million letters as input—and “predicts thousands of molecular properties characterising its regulatory activity,” according to a statement issued by DeepMind.

Already, AlphaGenome has replicated results from genetics labs. In a June 2025 preprint study (which has yet to be peer-reviewed), AlphaGenome’s team described using the model to run a simulation that mirrored known DNA interactions: mutations that act like rogue light switches by cranking a gene into overdrive in a certain type of leukemia. When AlphaGenome simulated interactions on a stretch of DNA containing both the gene and the mutation, it predicted the same complex chain of events that were already observed in lab experiments.

Though AlphaGenome is currently available only for noncommercial testing, responses in the scientific community have been enthusiastic so far, with both biotech start-ups and university researchers publicly expressing excitement about the system’s potential to accelerate research.

Limits remain. AlphaGenome struggles to capture interactions that are more than 100,000 DNA letters away, can miss some tissue-specific nuances and is not designed to predict traits from a complete personal genome. Complex diseases that depend on development or environment also lie outside its direct scope. The system does suggest wide-ranging uses, however: By tracing how minute changes ripple through gene regulation, it could pinpoint the roots of genetic disorders. It could help in the design of synthetic DNA. And above all, it could offer a faster way to chart the genome’s complex regulatory circuitry.

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KTSDesign/Science Source

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Last night I attempted (rather unsuccessfully) to sleep through the sound of my son’s incessant coughing from his bedroom. (Far too) Soon, I woke up to a hungry baby, and one daughter who needed help getting ready for dance camp, while another wanted a ride to the gym. It was all in a matter of 10 minutes.

Upon returning from the urgent gym run, I could no longer put off a growing list of doctor and dentist appointments to schedule. At the same time, emails are flooding my inbox about summer math modules, practice schedule changes, and fees for upcoming clinics. 

The day ahead is packed with carpools, errands, feedings, and meals to plan and prepare. All I can think is, “Just let me get through this day.” 

This is why I completely relate to the sentiments in a new report from Duckbill and The Harris Poll. They surveyed American parents and found that most of us (65%) are “just getting through the day” rather than enjoying it.1 Interestingly, while married parents who make more than $100,000 are slightly less burdened by the tasks of modern life, half still report that they are just doing their best to get through the day, too.

As a mom of six, days like the one I mentioned are not the exception. They are the rule. I rush around trying to make life happen for my family. I’m constantly pulled away from conversations and thoughts by requests to find a Lego and questions like, “What can I do?” or “What can I eat?” 

Through it all, I’m also responsible for uplifting six people with problems ranging from getting a boo-boo to getting their heart broken. It’s exhausting and leaves little time to focus on myself.

Finding Joy Amid the Chaos of Modern Parenting

Not all is lost, however. Given that this study and others are finally shining a light on parents’ mental load, a major benefit has emerged: We are also being encouraged to start thinking about ways to refocus our attention on joy.

Here’s what I try and focus on—even when it feels impossible on some days. 

Remembering that this, too, shall pass 

For me, seeing how quickly my kids are growing up gives me an immense sense of appreciation for just how fleeting this time with them really is.

My oldest is about to head off to college—although I swear it was only a few years ago she was a little girl dressing up in Disney princess dresses and asking for string cheese. I also have younger children, with my littlest being just 5 months old.

The kids’ big age gap puts a lot in perspective, and I am able to actually enjoy their challenging stages, rather than just wishing they would move on from teething, tantrums, or middle school. It’ll be over way too soon, I now realize. 

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Photo:  Parents/GettyImages/LordHenriVoton

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As water temperatures continue to rise during the peak of summer, state officials urge residents and visitors to be aware of the risks, especially following storms or in coastal areas where conditions allow this dangerous bacteria to thrive.

Four people in Florida have died and seven others have been sickened this year by a rare but potentially deadly bacterial infection known as Vibrio vulnificus, state health officials confirmed.

The bacteria, often referred to as “flesh-eating,” lives in warm saltwater and brackish water—a mix of salt and freshwater—and can cause a severe illness called vibriosis. In some cases, the infection leads to necrotizing fasciitis, a condition that breaks down skin and soft tissue so rapidly that amputation may be necessary to stop its spread.

The Florida Department of Health reported that the four deaths occurred in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough, and St. Johns counties as of July 11. While the number of cases—11 so far in 2025—is down from last year’s record-breaking total, officials are again urging caution during the peak of summer when exposure risk increases.

In 2024, the state recorded 82 cases and 19 deaths, most of them after hurricanes Helene and Milton caused heavy flooding in September and October.

What is Vibrio vulnificus?

Vibrio vulnificus is part of a group of halophilic, or salt-loving, bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it naturally occurs in coastal waters and thrives in warm conditions. While many infections are linked to eating raw or undercooked shellfish, others happen when open wounds are exposed to contaminated water.

“Most people are sickened by vibrio after eating raw or undercooked shellfish — particularly oysters — because the bacteria will ‘concentrate’ inside the shellfish,” the CDC explains.

The Florida DOH advises people not to enter the water if they have fresh cuts or scrapes. The agency also warned that people with weakened immune systems, such as those with chronic liver or kidney disease, should wear protective footwear at the beach to avoid injury and potential infection.

The bacteria’s connection to weather is notable. In both 2022 and 2024, Florida saw spikes in cases after hurricanes Helene and Ian brought widespread flooding. Floodwaters can increase the chance of exposure, especially when they mix with coastal or brackish environments. While 2025 hasn’t seen the same scale of tropical activity, warm coastal waters are already a concern.

Nationwide, vibriosis—including infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus and related species—results in an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths each year, according to the CDC.

Symptoms of infection may include:

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Chills

• Confusion or disorientation

• Rapid heart rate

The infection is rare but can turn life-threatening quickly, especially in people with compromised immune systems or underlying conditions. If the bacteria enters the body through a wound, it can cause skin discoloration, swelling, and intense pain at the site. In some cases, it leads to sepsis or requires amputation.

To reduce your risk, health officials recommend:

• Avoid exposing open wounds (including recent piercings or tattoos) to warm salt or brackish water

• Wear foot protection at the beach or near shells and rocks

• Do not eat raw or undercooked oysters or shellfish

• Thoroughly cook shellfish—boil or steam until shells open, then cook several minutes more

• Refrigerate leftovers and avoid cross-contaminating cooked food with raw seafood

• Wear gloves when handling raw shellfish

As water temperatures continue to rise during the peak of summer, state officials urge residents and visitors to be aware of the risks, especially following storms or in coastal areas where conditions allow this dangerous bacteria to thrive.

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Microscopic view of Vibrio Vulnificus bacteria. (Photo By BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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On a small, gently rocking research boat anchored just offshore in Chesapeake Bay, I lowered a sterile plastic bottle into the water to collect a sample for studying aquatic microbes. Workers nearby dredged oysters from the shallows, and families played in the low waves. To them, it was a perfect summer day. But hidden in the seemingly tranquil waters were Vibrio bacteria, members of a group that exists naturally in coastal environments around the world. Some cause diarrhea, cramping, and nausea, and some can produce severe flesh-eating infections and even lead to death.

Vibrio live freely in the water, concentrate in sediment and on plastics, and colonize the surfaces and guts of shellfish, fish, and zooplankton. For those organisms, the bacteria can often be harmless or even beneficial. The bacteria also recycle nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen by breaking down organic material. They are found in both saltwater and freshwater bodies, and they thrive in warm water. That’s why for many years, Vibrio infections—called vibriosis—generally occurred along the hottest U.S. coastlines, particularly the Gulf Coast. But climate change is warming once cool waters, and vibriosis cases have been relentlessly spreading northward. Today, they are reported across the Eastern Seaboard, along the Baltic Sea in northern Europe, and even as far north as Alaska and Finland.

Not only is the bacteria’s favorable habitat expanding, but higher water temperatures can allow some Vibrio species to multiply more rapidly. That’s especially true when storms and heavy rainfall increase the nutrients and alter salinity in coastal waters, creating ideal conditions for their growth. These perfect circumstances raise the likelihood that someone who steps into the surf with a scraped knee or who accidentally swallows a bit of the water could succumb to serious illness.

Over the past decade, the research team I’m part of has tracked the northward advance of environmental conditions favorable for pathogenic Vibrio, as well as an associated rise in severe illnesses, most alarming, species that infect open wounds, potentially leading to life-threatening conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) or blood poisoning. Now we are trying to forecast risk by developing predictive computer models that use environmental data—such as temperature and salinity—gathered from satellites and monitoring stations, along with analyses of microorganisms in water samples when possible. Our goal is to devise a Vibrio alert system, much like the “red flag” system municipalities use to warn swimmers of dangerous surf. As summers grow hotter and storms more intense, we are trying to design and roll out models that can keep up with a shifting environment and to help coastal communities recognize the increasing risks washing up on their shores.

Scientists have described more than 100 Vibrio species. The comma- or bullet-shaped bacteria have evolved to thrive across a wide range of aquatic environments, from shallow coastal bays to deep-sea hydrothermal vents that present some of the most challenging living conditions on Earth. Many species form close symbiotic relationships with their host creatures. For instance, Aliivibrio fischeri organisms colonize the light-emitting organ of Hawaiian bobtail squid, helping the animals emit bioluminescence. Others attach to corals, fishes, oysters, and the exoskeletons of shrimp and copepods—tiny marine crustaceans that are fundamental to the food web and are major reservoirs for Vibrio

A single copepod can carry more than 10,000 Vibrio cells, so swallowing even a small amount of seawater can be enough to cause disease. These bacteria also concentrate in filter-feeding shellfish such as oysters, which continuously draw in and process large volumes of water, capturing suspended particles—including microbes—in their gills and tissues. Vibrio love this environment and can multiply inside oysters after harvest if the shellfish are stored or transported without proper refrigeration, raising the risk of infection for anyone who consumes them raw.

Temperature is the main prerequisite for Vibrio growth. Like many pathogenic bacteria, Vibrio species flourish in temperatures near that of the human body—around 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit)—making warm waters especially favorable. Higher temperatures accelerate their metabolism and reproduction and can trigger the expression of genes involved in infection. Salinity is another key factor; Vibrio typically need the sodium ions of salty or brackish water to maintain their cellular function. They are remarkably adaptable, however, and can live in freshwater lakes or ponds.

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Crystal Bolin Photography/Getty Images

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