The saying goes that good things come in small packages, and while the discovery of the world's largest genome in any organism is an incredible find, the reality is a little bit more complicated than that. The New Caledonian fork fern species Tmesipteris oblanceolata has a genome that when stretched out would be taller than Big Ben’s tower, and is now a three-time world record holder. With more than 100 meters of DNA (328 feet), the tiny unassuming fork fern has the largest amount of DNA stored in the nucleus of any living organism on the planet. To put this into context, the human genome has 3.1 gigabase pairs, which would stretch out to around 2 meters (6.5 feet), while T. oblanceolata has 160.45. The fern has thereby taken the largest fern genome, the largest plant genome, and the largest genome world records. That means that these plants with the bigger genomes are less efficient or less able to grow quickly.Dr Ilia LeitchWhile this may sound surprising for such a small plant, six of the top 10 largest genomes are held by plants. The previous title holder Paris japonica, a Japanese flowering plant, has a genome of 148.89 gigabase pairs, while in the animal kingdom the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) joined the party at 129.90 Gbp, with the salamander species the Neuse River waterdog (Necturus lewisi) at 117.47 gigabase pairs. These species have some of the largest genomes among animals, but they're far smaller than these plants. Despite holding the world record, T. oblanceolata is actually at more of a disadvantage than its smaller-genomed compatriots. Having a big genome and lots of DNA requires big cells, meaning that the larger-genomed species are more likely to be slower growing and less efficient at photosynthesis. Packed into the nucleus of each cell is 100 meters (328 feet) of tightly ravelled DNA.Image credit: Pol Fernandez“In the majority of cases, it's a negative fact. If you have a big genome, you have to have a big cell to house it in. So what we see is that plants with big genomes are restricted, so less efficient photosynthesis than species with small genomes, where you get a whole range of photosynthetic efficiency. And of course, photosynthesis makes sugar, which makes the ability to put on biomass. That means that these plants with the bigger genomes are less efficient or less able to grow quickly,” Dr Ilia Leitch, Senior Research Leader – Character Evolution at RBG Kew, told IFLScience.As well as less efficient photosynthesis, the giant genome of T. oblanceolata means it is less able to compete with other more fast-growing species. The genome is so large that the team believes the fern to be octoploid, meaning it has eight sets of chromosomes. Humans, by contrast, are diploid, only having two sets. Plants are so important for the survival of our planet, and all our life depends on plants. Dr Ilia Leitch“The bigger your genomes, the more constraints you have on ecological opportunities and your ability to grow and compete successfully with other plants. And so, the species with the biggest genomes, like Paris japonica or Tmesipteris, this fork fern, tend to be found in very stable environments, which are not competitive,” continued Leitch. With the record breaker now firmly in the history books the question remains: Could we find something with an even bigger genome? Leitch doesn’t think so.“This genus Tmesipteris, this fork fern genus, they're 15 species. And we've got genome size data now for five or six of them. And this is the record holder, but there are others, which are in that same area, but not quite as big. It's possible if we got one other one, we were able to collect and analyze it, it might be 161 gigabases, but I don't think we're gonna get something that is 200 gigabases.”To even get to analyze this plant was an achievement in itself, as senior authors Dr Jaume Pellicer and Dr Oriane Hidalgo traveled to New Caledonia to work with locals to find and transport the plant back to Europe for testing. This analysis involved flow cytometry, using dye to stain the DNA in the nuclei within the cells and then measuring how much dye had bound to the DNA. The specimen was collected in New Caledonia and found to have a genome 7 percent bigger than the previous record holder.Image credit: Pol Fernandez“If this tiny little plant, which, you know, you really wouldn't notice if you trod on it, you know, but it holds this world record high. If it can raise the profile of plants – because plants are so important for the survival of our planet, and all our life depends on plants, because they produce the oxygen we breathe, the air, the clothes that we wear, often the food that we eat. So, keeping plants in people's minds is always good,” concluded Leitch. The study is published in iScience.

In a surprising turn of events, Thursday's CBS Mornings covered the growing issue of the housing market, especially in swing states, and an economic crisis that ripples through the rest of the economy. Even more admirable was political correspondent Ed O’Keefe explaining how crucial this topic will be in the next election. O’Keefe went to Arizona, where the issue of affordable housing is a major problem with ownership out of reach for 42% of Arizonans in a CBS poll. He asked locals their thoughts: MAN: Most normal people are pushed out of line. WOMAN: Whether you’re housing, whether you’re renting, everything's increasing. WOMAN #2: Oh, it's outrageous right now. At this point, we're saying that we’re probably not going to be able to move.         A local realtor of the same area described the same issues, explaining the changes a time has made on the market:  NATHAN CLAIRBORN: I mean, affordability is certainly the issue here. Your police, your teachers, your firefighters, they can’t afford this house. O’KEEFE: Or this one he showed us, with three bedrooms -- CLAIRBORN: All new flooring, all the fixtures are new. O’KEEFE: -- listed for over half million dollars. This might have been 20 to 40 years ago, a starter home.  CLAIRBORN: Yeah! O’KEEFE: Now, this is the end goal. CLAIRBORN: This is the move up home, yeah absolutely.  Yet what was most important was the impact upon November’s election. After his taped report, O’Keefe said none of those interviewed had decided who they planned to vote for. Yet one thing is for sure, maybe four years ago this may not have been the situation for many: O’KEEFE: Is it easier or harder to buy a home now than, say, it was four years ago? GRAFT: Harder. TUTTLE: Definitely harder. GRAFT: Mmhm O’KEEFE: And Clairborn agrees. [TO CLAIRBORN] It does seem increasingly like it's out of reach for a lot of people. CLAIRBORN: Yeah. It doesn’t just seem out of reach, it is mathematically out of reach for lots and lots of people. Afterword, co-host Tony Dokoupil agreed: TONY DOKOUPIL: It’s a nightmare for most people. And one of the big issues that Ed touched on is people with blue-collar jobs, cops, firefighters, nurses, they can't live in the neighborhoods where they’re working. And a great example of that Archie Bunker, all the family, that house is in Queens, still there. I went to that neighborhood recently. Just was curious — asking people, there's no dock workers, taxi drivers, regular people. It's all doctors, lawyers, tech workers now....Got to fix it.   The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: CBS Mornings 5/30/2024 11:37:49 AM ET   MICHELLE MILLER: In today's Money Watch, we look at one economic indicator that could hit home in the presidential election: the high cost of buying that first home and living the American dream. This may feel almost unattainable in key battleground states like Arizona where would-be buyers face housing shortages and high interest rates. Ed O’Keefe spoke with some first time buyers, in the Phoenix area. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Money Watch; Price of the American Dream; People Struggling to Buy First Home Could Help Decide Election] ED O’KEEFE: This election year in key battleground states, the keys to a first home may feel further out of reach. MAN: Most normal people are pushed out of line. WOMAN: Whether you’re housing, whether you’re renting, everything's increasing. WOMAN #2: Oh, it's outrageous right now. At this point, we're saying that we’re probably not going to be able to move. O’KEEFE: The housing market, up almost everywhere, is especially hot in Arizona. [TO CLAIRBORN] Finish this sentence, the cost of housing is -- NATHAN  CLAIRBORN: Is too high right now. There's no question about that. O’KEEFE: And Nathan Clairborn isn't looking to buy a home. He sells them as a realtor in the Phoenix area. CLAIRBORN: I mean, affordability is certainly the issue here. Your police, your teachers, your firefighters, they can’t afford this house. O’KEEFE: Or this one he showed us, with three bedrooms -- CLAIRBORN: All new flooring, all the fixtures are new. O’KEEFE: -- listed for over half million dollars. This might have been 20 to 40 years ago, a starter home.  CLAIRBORN: Yeah! O’KEEFE: Now, this is the end goal. CLAIRBORN:This is the move up home, yeah absolutely.   O’KEEFE: In part, Clayborn says, because a lot of buyers are moving in from out of state. Now, only two percent of Arizonans say housing is very affordable while 42 percent tell the recent CBS News poll it's very unaffordable. Like those we met at Goodwood Tavern in Scottsdale.  JOSHUA SNYDER: You guys doing okay over here? O’KEEFE: Joshua Snyder runs the bar. He's 45 and is closing tomorrow on the first home he’s owned. [TO SNYDER] Did you get everything you were looking for? SNYDER: I think we did.  O’KEEFE: But it took years of looking, as prices kept going up. SNYDER: I feel like it jumped 40 percent – 30, 40 percent in three years. O’KEEFE: Our poll finds 88 percent of Arizonans say buying a home is harder than it was for their parents. LAURA NEWKIRK: Cause when my parents were my age they had owned a home and had been for a couple of years. O’KEEFE: Laura Newkirk’s parents helped her save for a down payment. RYLAND TUTTLE: I think we’re on our fourth or fifth offer. O’KEEFE: And you’ve come up short each time? KELSEY GRAFT: Yes. TUTTLE: So far. [Laughter] O’KEEFE: So Ryland Tuttle and Kelsey Graft, moved in with family to save. [TO TUTTLE AND GRAFT] Is it easier or harder to buy a home now than, say, it was four years ago? GRAFT: Harder. TUTTLE: Definitely harder. GRAFT: Mmhm O’KEEFE: And Clairborn agrees. [TO CLAIRBORN] It does seem increasingly like it's out of reach for a lot of people. CLAIRBORN: Yeah. It doesn’t just seem out of reach, it is mathematically out of reach for lots and lots of people. [Cuts to Live] O’KEEFE: Out on the campaign trail, President Biden, former President Donald Trump, they hear these concerns, they’ve been talking about concerns about the price and  the supply of housing and notably, every one of the voters we spoke to, in Arizona, says they haven't made up their mind come November, but the issue of housing -- how much it costs, whether there is supply will be a big factor in who they ultimately vote for, Nate. Perhaps not surprising they haven’t made up their mind. After all, they live in a battleground state. NATE BULESON: Right about that, top of mind for everyone across the country. Ed, thank you. The American dream TONY DOKOUPIL: Oh gosh BURLESON: It's a nightmare for some people. DOKOUPIL: It’s a nightmare for most people. And one of the big issues that Ed touched on is people with blue- collar jobs, cops, firefighters, nurses, they can't live in the neighborhoods where they’re working. BURLESON: Right! DOKOUPIL: And a great example of that Archie Bunker, all the family, that house is in Queens, still there. I went to that neighborhood recently. Just was curious -- MILLER: Mm-mm. DOKOUPIL: -- asking people, there's no dock workers, taxi drivers, regular people. It's all doctors, lawyers, tech workers now.  BURLESON: Mm-mm. DOKOUPIL: That’s the change. MILLER: Yeah. BURLESON: That’s the change. MILLER: There's a big push to live in urban centers now. BURLESON: You're right about that. DOKOUPIL: Got to, got to fix it  

Housebreaking a puppy isn’t usually too challenging, however it is time-consuming and requires patience. The key to housetraining your puppy successfully is repetition and reward. If you take small steps consistently, your puppy should be housetrained relatively quickly. Some puppies take longer than others to get the hang of it. In particular smaller puppies have tiny digestive systems that can’t hold on for very long and so they may take longer to potty train. If you’re at work for long periods of the day, housetraining is also much more difficult. Let’s take a look at the steps required to housebreak a puppy. The 5 Steps on How to Housebreak a Puppy 1. Prepare the Environment You want to set your puppy up for success, and that means setting up an environment that makes it easier for them to potty in the proper area. Start by setting up a designated potty area. While “outside” might work for a housetrained dog, puppies need something a bit more specific. Choose a part of your yard that you can take your dog to every time. Preferably, it should also be away from distractions. If you don’t have regular enough access to an outdoor area, then you can train your puppy to use a puppy pad or other indoor toileting area. It can take a bit longer though when you then want them to adapt to going outdoors only. Crate training can also help with toilet training as dogs naturally avoid making a mess in their ‘den’ where they sleep. Crates are also very useful as a safe place where your puppy is happy to be confined when they are not supervised. Image Credit: sophiecat, Shutterstock 2. Establish a Routine Next, you want to establish a routine as soon as your puppy comes home. Take your puppy to the designated potty area at least every hour or two. Always choose more often, when possible, though. You should try and take your dog potty after waking up, eating, and drinking. Often, these activities signal your dog to use the potty, so it’s important to take advantage of these times. Always supervise your dog closely when indoors. Watch for signs that your dog needs to go to the bathroom, like sniffing and circling. 3. Use Cue Words and Treats When your dog uses the bathroom outside, use a specific word or phrase like “go potty.” You want them to associate this word with using the bathroom, even if they don’t particularly use the bathroom on cue. Once your puppy uses the bathroom properly, lavish them with praise and petting. Treats are absolutely encouraged, though use small ones since your dog will be using the bathroom a lot. This positive reinforcement helps your dog understand that you want them to go outside. Image Credit: Melounix, Shutterstock 4. Clean Accidents Thoroughly Even if you do everything perfectly, your dog will have some accidents. It’s important to clean these thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. Otherwise, your puppy may be attracted back to the spot even if you don’t smell anything. Punishment is ineffective, and it may damage your dog’s budding confidence and their bond with you. When punished, your puppy only learns not to use the bathroom in that spot. Unless you want your dog to use the bathroom on every square inch of your house, it’s better to focus on rewarding them when they use the correct spot. If you're trying to find an enzyme cleaner that does it all, we highly recommend our favorite cleaner, the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular...FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture,...FRESH, NATURAL ODOR - Our unique formulation doesn't rely on dangerous or unpleasant chemical... Check Price on Amazon It permanently removes the very worst stains and smells you can imagine and makes clean up a breeze. There's even a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to order a bottle today. At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool cat company! 5. Seek Professional Help It’s important to be patient with your puppy. Setbacks are very normal, especially right after a change in routine. It’s important to be as consistent as possible and not let your routine slide. You may find that housetraining your dog is more about your own discipline than your puppy’s. However, if you are being consistent and your puppy hasn’t shown any signs of improving, it’s time to seek professional help. Sometimes, small bumps in your routine or training method may be hard for certain dogs to overcome. Plus, some dogs are also harder to train than others. If your dog was previously housetrained and starts having accidents again, make a vet appointment. Improper urination can be a sign of health issues, ranging from urinary tract infections to anxiety. We highly recommend getting your dog seen by a vet before assuming they’ve just forgotten everything they’ve learned. Image Credit Friends Stock, Shutterstock Final Thoughts Housetraining a puppy is mostly about time and consistency. If you consistently take your dog outside at regular intervals and reward them, they should make steady progress toward housetraining. Of course, accidents will happen. When they do, consider what went wrong. Were you not supervising properly? Or have you not taken your dog out often enough? Don’t use punishment, as this only teaches your dog what not to do. Sources https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/training/toilettraining Featured Image Credit: Jaclyn Vernace, Shutterstock The post How to Housebreak a Puppy: 5 Vet-Reviewed Steps appeared first on Pet Keen.

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Gone are the days when political bias was checked at the courthouse door. The rule of law has been drained of any meaning. As we’ve seen with the Derek Chauvin trial, the federal prosecutions of January 6 and abortion protesters, and now Donald Trump in Manhattan, a defendant cannot get a fair trial or impartial jury in a blue jurisdiction if he finds himself on the “wrong” side of the political divide. He is guilty by virtue of who he is.As recently as 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell on corruption charges. The decision was unanimous. Despite the defendant being a prominent Republican politician, even liberal lion Ruth Bader Ginsburg signed off on the court’s ruling that the statutory term “official act” was too broad to rope McDonnell into corruption charges. Without decisive legislative action by conservative leaders, trials involving political issues in blue cities will be biased and corrupt — even in red states.Such an outcome appears no longer possible in blue America today. This, more than anything else, is why we need a national divorce. Well, the truth is, we’re already in middle of a national divorce. It’s just very one-sided. Blue jurisdictions don’t follow the law or the Constitution, and most of their residents are brainwashed into political tribalism. It’s time red states responded in kind. Red-state governors, attorneys general, and legislative leadership should announce a plan to make their states sanctuaries for people facing political persecution in blue states. Local indictments, like those from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, require state trooper involvement for extradition. A state or a city’s law enforcement officials need permission to arrest and extradite a citizen in another state. That’s why Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he would not participate in any attempt to extradite Trump. In the end, it didn’t matter. Trump surrendered himself. Get ready for political persecutionStates should convene special sessions in response to the Trump verdict to pass a law granting criminal defendants facing extradition the right to appeal directly to the state’s attorney general by claiming political persecution. If the attorney general determines that the charges are prima facie political or that the law being used by the blue state is unconstitutional, the determination would have the effect of barring any state law enforcement from facilitating the extradition. Because it won’t stop with Trump. Political persecution is coming. In some states, it’s already here.Radical Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year signed HB 4129, a law that criminalizes intimidation of elected officials. What could possibly be wrong with that? The statute defines “intimidation” based on the perceived feelings of the alleged victim. I’m told out-of-state residents who have sent adversarial emails to Michigan officials have already been targeted under this act. In a sharply divided country, such a law could be used to silence scores of political opponents. It’s a superb example of why a red-state attorney general should be empowered to vacate any extradition based on a plainly unconstitutional law. Then, of course, red states need to fix their blue city problem. Fulton County, Georgia, prosecutor Fani Willis charged Trump and 18 others with “racketeering” and “conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome” of the 2020 presidential election. Atlanta is a big blue island in an otherwise red state. Likewise, Texas is full of large blue cities, notably Austin, where Daniel Perry was convicted of murder in 2023 for defending himself against an armed Black Lives Matter mob surrounding his car. Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned Perry earlier this month, noting that “Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney.” That was a happy outcome, but it shouldn’t be a comforting one. Without decisive legislative action by conservative leaders, trials involving political issues in blue cities will be biased and corrupt — even in red states.Weeding out biasDefendants could theoretically assert a violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. As a practical matter, however, the courts have made it almost impossible to succeed in a claim of a selective prosecution under the Equal Protection Clause. With that in mind, red-state legislatures should pass the Political Targeting Prosecution Act, which would give defendants the opportunity to present evidence of political targeting based on animus for the individual’s religious or political beliefs. For example, if defendants could show how no violent BLM or Antifa rioter was charged with obstructing law enforcement during a public disturbance, it would trigger a motion to dismiss based on unequal treatment.Likewise, states need to make it easier for defendants prosecuted in blue cities to assert political bias among jurors. One way might be to expand the jury pool to rope in the more conservative jurisdictions so that defendants would get a more equitable selection. A defendant should be entitled to a pool of jurors in which at least one-third of members belong to his political party. Otherwise, the guarantee of a right to a jury of one’s peers rings hollow. In short, we need to make red states as red as blue states are blue. Blue states do whatever they want regardless of the law. It’s time we apply equal and opposing force.

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