How hiring the wrong medical “expert” derailed US pandemic response
An advocate for herd immunity inside the White House pushed to increase infections. Enlarge / Scott Atlas, a White House adviser, used his position to advocate for allowing the SARS-CoV-2 virus to spread and tried to block testing for.....»»
Was Thalidomide Safe? Frances Oldham Kelsey Was Not Convinced
In the U.S. in the early 1960s the distributor of a thalidomide drug was impatient to get it on the market. But FDA medical examiner Frances Oldham Kelsey wanted more information to prove its safety.....»»
Obesity-Drug Pioneers Win Prestigious Lasker Award for Medical Science
Three scientists are honored for developing a class of blockbuster weight-loss drugs. Is a Nobel prize on the way?.....»»
Robot placed under the control of a fungal overlord
A mushroom's response to environmental changes can be used to control a robot. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) Most living organisms easily surpass machines when it comes to navigating real-world environme.....»»
Genetic tracing at the Huanan Seafood market further supports COVID animal origins
A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of meta.....»»
The memory in seeds: How plants carry environmental clues across generations
Phenotypic plasticity enables plants to adjust their physical traits in response to environmental variations, playing a vital role in their survival and adaptability. While past research has primarily focused on how these traits manifest within a sin.....»»
COVID-19 job losses impacted early withdrawal from retirement accounts: Study
Having a robust emergency savings fund could help people weather financial shocks, such as job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis......»»
New testing system uses Janus particles to rapidly and accurately detect COVID-19
The importance of testing for diseases was thrust into the limelight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have undergone a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) or ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test within the past four years......»»
What we know about the fire "pandemic" plaguing Brazil
Brazil is burning. From the Amazon rainforest to the Pantanal wetlands, flames have consumed millions of hectares of forest and farmland in recent weeks......»»
How your Zoom background could influence how tired you feel after a video call
Part of many people's pandemic experience included working from home. Even after lockdowns, videoconferencing remains a big part of life as people continue to work remotely, connect with families and friends online, and attend virtual events hosted o.....»»
Joanna Stern made an AI bot that can answer all your iPhone 16 questions
Joanna Stern at The Wall Street Journal is an expert at coming up with clever and inventive new angles for her Apple product reviews. For this year’s iPhone 16 launch, Joanna tried something entirely new by creating “Joannabot,” which she descr.....»»
Researchers discover highest second-harmonic generation response in deep-ultraviolet phosphate
In the field of nonlinear optics (NLO), deep-ultraviolet (DUV) NLO crystals have garnered attention due to their crucial role in all-solid-state lasers. With ongoing research, the demand for these DUV NLO crystals continues to grow......»»
Farming soybeans after soybeans, a rarity in Iowa, gets a closer look
In most of Iowa's fields, three out of every four acres, farmers rotate annually between planting corn and soybeans. Barely any fields see soybeans year after year, a practice discouraged by expert advice and practical experience......»»
New method improves understanding of light-wave propagation in anisotropic materials
Understanding how light travels through various materials is essential for many fields, from medical imaging to manufacturing. However, due to their structure, materials often show directional differences in how they scatter light, known as anisotrop.....»»
Scientists decipher the energy patterns in our cells
Our cells harness energy for essential functions such as division, wound healing, and our immune response to diseases including cancer. But until now, the mechanics of how that energy affects cell behavior—and how this relates to health outcomes—.....»»
Get back to the office, Amazon tells its workers
Amazon has told its employees to come to the office five days a week as it seeks to end the hybrid working style brought in as a result of the pandemic......»»
Researchers test ChatGPT, other AI models against real-world students
William Hersh, M.D., who has taught generations of medical and clinical informatics students at Oregon Health & Science University, found himself curious about the growing influence of artificial intelligence. He wondered how AI would perform in his.....»»
Mice made transparent with a dye used in Doritos
Matching refractive indexes lets some wavelengths pass cleanly through the skin. Enlarge / Zihao Ou, who helped develop this solution, holds a tube of it. One key challenge in medical imaging is to look past skin and ot.....»»
Polaris Dawn brings new areas of research, medical care
The launch of Polaris Dawn from Kennedy Space Center includes the first civilian commercial spacewalk and other factors that will be firsts for space medicine research. And that's why Emmanuel Urquieta, an internationally recognized space medicine ex.....»»
Modified nano-sized cell particles found to boost cancer immunotherapy, reduce side effects
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body's own immune system to help fight cancer. This is by stimulating the immune response to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. The treatment involves using substances that bo.....»»
Beyond displays: Liquid crystals in motion mimic biological systems
Liquid crystals are all around us, from cell phone screens and video game consoles to car dashboards and medical devices. Run an electric current through liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and they generate colors, thanks to the unique properties of thes.....»»