Omicron-specific vaccine boosters are now in humans as trials begin
The boosters may be ready in March, but what comes next is anyone's guess. Enlarge / A vial of the current Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (credit: Getty | Ivan Romano) The first doses of omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccines went into.....»»
More than 100 million Americans had their health data exposed in a UnitedHealth hack
A UnitedHealth hack exposed the personal information and health data of more than 100M Americans – the first time the company has put a specific number on the security breach. A ransomware attack was made on Change Healthcare back in February, b.....»»
Researchers use high-performance computing to analyze a quantum photonics experiment
For the first time ever, scientists at Paderborn University have used high-performance computing (HPC) at large scales to analyze a quantum photonics experiment. In specific terms, this involved the tomographic reconstruction of experimental data fro.....»»
On the way to light-controlled medicine: Researchers elucidate the structure of specific photoreceptors
Researchers in biology and medicine have long dreamed of controlling the activities of cells without, for example, having to use chemicals. After all, in a structure as complex as an entire organism, unwanted side-effects can often arise......»»
Understanding the influence of specific gene mutations on starch properties in barley
Cereals such as rice, wheat, maize, and barley are essential in the human diet and have various uses in the food industry. Their suitability for different industrial applications depends on the properties of their grains. The major component of these.....»»
Researchers" unique 3D maps might help solve the mysteries of octopus arms
Octopuses are fascinating. Their eight arms gracefully whip through water and can accomplish extraordinary tasks like using tools and opening jars. While humans have one spinal cord attached to their brain, in octopuses, it's almost like each arm has.....»»
Biodegradable microplastics study helps quantify their climate change and ecotoxicity impacts
Over 20 million tons of plastic are estimated to end up in the environment every year, with much of it breaking down into microplastics that are harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. Biodegradable and bio-based plastics made from organic mate.....»»
AI, as it stands today, is a valuable tool for the auto industry but a poor substitute for humans
As the industry experiments with artificial intelligence, business owners need to be aware of the technology's promise and its limitations......»»
Chile launches vaccine that neuters dogs for a year
Chile has launched a vaccine described as the first of its kind that sterilizes dogs for a year and is expected to be sold in several dozen countries......»»
First mRNA vaccine against C. difficile infection developed in animal model
A new vaccine provides hope for treating and even preventing the highly contagious and difficult-to-treat Clostridioides difficile infection, more commonly known as C. difficile or C. diff......»»
Study evaluates overall soil arthropod diversity at different geographic scales
Soil arthropods contribute to terrestrial ecosystem functions and services. Previous studies have mainly focused on specific arthropod and non-arthropod taxonomic groups at various geographic scales. However, the patterns of overall soil arthropod co.....»»
New study investigates insecticide contamination in Minnesota"s water
A new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) found that specific insecticides, called neonicotinoids, were found at high concentrations in some ground.....»»
Saturday Citations: Brown dwarf actually brown dwarfs; the adaptability of ice-age humans; archaeologists excited
This week, researchers discovered a near-Earth microquasar that sheds new light on sources of relativistic outflows. Doctors reported finding a triphallic gentleman. And neuroscientists reported on modest cognitive boosts from short (or "acute," in c.....»»
Controlling sound waves with Klein tunneling improves acoustic signal filtration
In the context of sensory modalities, eyes work like tiny antennae, picking up light, electromagnetic waves traveling at blistering speeds. When humans look at the world, their eyes catch these waves and convert them into signals the brain reads as c.....»»
How the Malleus Maleficarum fueled the witch trial craze
Invention of printing press, influence of nearby cities created perfect conditions for social contagion. Between 1400 and 1775, a significant upsurge in witch trials swept across.....»»
How the Malleus maleficarum fueled the witch trial craze
Invention of printing press, influence of nearby cities created perfect conditions for social contagion. Between 1400 and 1775, a significant upsurge of witch trials swept across.....»»
Study: Smaller, more specific academic journals hold more sway over conservation policy
Scientists don't just want their results to be published; they want them to be published in the most influential journal they can find. This focus on a high impact factor is driven by their concerns about promotion and tenure, but it may be overlooki.....»»
It’s increasingly unlikely that humans will fly around the Moon next year
It's not just Orion's heat shield; the mission's ground systems are running out of time. Don't book your tickets for the launch of NASA's Artemis II mission next year just yet. W.....»»
Microbiome studies in humans and zoo animals pave the way for new drug development
Microorganisms do not just colonize the body of mammals during infections. Billions of microbes can be found on and in healthy humans and animals at any given time, communicating with each other via chemical signals and thus influencing their health......»»
ULA is examining debris recovered from Vulcan rocket’s shattered booster nozzle
"I’m pretty confident... that we’ll get to the bottom of this pretty quickly and move on.” When the exhaust nozzle on one of the Vulcan rocket's strap-on boosters failed sho.....»»
DNA confirms these 19th-century lions ate humans
“Tsavo Man-Eaters” killed dozens of people in late 1890s, including Kenya-Uganda Railway workers. For several months in 1898, a pair of male lions turned the Tsavo region of K.....»»