Cholesterol, and its effect on how the brain works

It seems that cholesterol affects more than the heart. It also seems to affect the adenosine receptors in the brain. Understanding how this works may have major ramifications for treating diseases like Alzheimer's and others like it.

Summary:
"A study demonstrates that the cholesterol present in cell membranes can interfere with the function of an important brain membrane protein, through a previously unknown mode of interaction. Specifically, cholesterol is capable of regulating the activity of the adenosine receptor, by invading it and accessing the active site. This will allow new ways of interacting with these proteins to be devised that in the future could lead to drugs for treating diseases like Alzheimer's."
Source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223114836.htm

Writing the future: AIs can now write their future generations

Artificial Intelligence writing the code for the next generation needs to be looked at very closely. The science fiction ramifications of AIs making AIs may sound exaggerated, but we really should be ready for anything.

On the other hand, we should also consider if we're giving birth to the logical next step in evolution for any sentient organism originating from Earth.

Source:
https://futurism.com/4-our-computers-are-learning-how-to-code-themselves/

An AI Butler?

Well, this looks like a good idea in terms of time-saving automation, but it also opens an individual to more hack attacks, and, I would think, has serious ramifications for artificial intelligence as an assistant. I am sure that the Butlerian Jihad in the Dune book series is now a branch probability in our timeline.

Source:
https://futurism.com/videos/this-robot-can-recognize-you-check-your-email-and-more/

Living Longer: Expectancy at 90

As we now approach longer life expectancies, the true concern now will be how the global economy, production capacity, and healthcare outlook will adapt to this fact.

Source:
http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2017/02/22.htm

Artificial Intelligence and Ethics: We need to embrace them as our children

As we develop artificial intelligence that becomes smarter and closer to true sentience, we have to increasingly start thinking of them as children - if not our children personally, then our children as a race, or a species.

It will be of paramount importance, then, to teach them not only what they need for the job at hand, but also for how they will treat others, including ourselves. Call it a certain amount of self-preservation, but let's face it, we've already done the thought experiments on this, through stories in science fiction.

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/26/why-we-must-teach-morality-to-robots

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/audio/2017/feb/26/a-neuroscientist-explains-teaching-morality-to-robots-podcast