Science
- A Crashed Israeli Lunar Lander Spilled Tardigrades on the Moonwww.wired.com A Crashed Israeli Spacecraft Spilled Tardigrades on the Moon
The Beresheet lunar lander carried thousands of books, DNA samples, and a few thousand water bears to the moon. But did any of it survive the crash?
- ISC supports the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action at first-ever Digitalisation Day
ISC supports the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action at first-ever Digitalisation Day
- Call for nominations of experts and resources to inform the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board
Call for nominations of experts and resources to inform the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board
- Call for reviewers of updated UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles | deadline: 15 December
Call for reviewers of updated UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles | deadline: 15 December
- COP29: how to overcome political and financial gridlock? Scientists urge local and national strategies
COP29: how to overcome political and financial gridlock? Scientists urge local and national strategies
- Call for reviewers of updated UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles | deadline: 15 December
Call for reviewers of updated UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles | deadline: 15 December
- First Amber Find on the Antarctic Continent
Southernmost discovery of amber allows new insights into Cretaceous forests near the South Pole.
Roughly 90 million years ago, climatic conditions in Antarctica were suitable for resin-producing trees. A team of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg have just released a paper in the journal Antarctic Science, in which they describe the southernmost discovery of amber in the world.
- Scientists Accidentally Discover a Sea Creature That Can Reverse Its Agegizmodo.com Scientists Accidentally Discover a Sea Creature That Can Reverse Its Age
A researcher made the discovery when a larva comb jelly mysteriously "replaced" an adult comb jelly in his laboratory.
- One genomic test can diagnose nearly any infectionwww.sciencedaily.com One genomic test can diagnose nearly any infection
A genomic test developed by researchers to rapidly detect almost any kind of pathogen -- virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite -- has proved successful after a decade of use.
Cross posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21955872
- Exploring the Law of Conservation of Mass and E=MC²: Bridging Science and Magic in the Works of Skylar Drakos
This is a resubmission, as the previous submission was perceived as off topic for scientific discourse. However, this paper presents a compelling and innovative perspective on interpreting natural laws and what is often referred to as “magic.”
By drawing a parallel to the scientific principle that energy and matter are fundamentally interchangeable, this paper proposes a framework that may initially seem unconventional but is grounded in logical exploration. The notion that energy could transform in ways we do not yet fully understand is central to advancing knowledge and expanding the boundaries of scientific discovery. Through open minded inquiry, we gain new insights that challenge established paradigms, which is essential for the evolution of our understanding of the universe.
Note: Is there an assumption that the fundamental laws of nature are somehow “off topic” or irrelevant to scientific inquiry? If so, it’s worth considering that these very laws are the foundation of all scientific exploration.
- New Research Finds Memories are Not Only in the Brain
Study shows kidney and nerve tissue cells learn and make memories in ways similar to neurons.
It’s common knowledge that our brains—and, specifically, our brain cells—store memories. But a team of scientists has discovered that cells from other parts of the body also perform a memory function, opening new pathways for understanding how memory works and creating the potential to enhance learning and to treat memory-related afflictions.
“Learning and memory are generally associated with brains and brain cells alone, but our study shows that other cells in the body can learn and form memories, too,” explains New York University’s Nikolay V. Kukushkin, the lead author of the study, which appears in the journal Nature Communications.
- NASA: Hurricane Helene produced 'enormous' gravity waves in upper atmospherewww.upi.com NASA: Hurricane Helene produced 'enormous' gravity waves in upper atmosphere - UPI.com
A new technology developed by NASA to predict space weather showed that Hurricane Helene produced "enormous" waves in the Earth's upper atmosphere as it came ashore on Sept. 26, the agency says.
- Bird flu has been detected in a pig in the US. Why does that matter?theconversation.com Bird flu has been detected in a pig in the US. Why does that matter?
Pigs are an ideal ‘mixing vessel’ for avian and human viruses.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Bird flu has been detected in a pig in the US. Why does that matter?
C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW Sydney and Haley Stone, UNSW Sydney
The United States Department of Agriculture last week reported that a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon was infected with bird flu.
As the bird flu situation has evolved, we’ve heard about the A/H5N1 strain of the virus infecting a range of animals, including a variety of birds, wild animals and dairy cattle.
Fortunately, we haven’t seen any sustained spread between humans at this stage. But the detection of the virus in a pig marks a worrying development in the trajectory of this virus.
How did we get here?
The most concerning type of bird flu currently circulating is clade 2.3.4.4b of A/H5N1, a strain of influenza A.
Since 2020, A/H5N1 2.3.4.4b has spread to a vast range of birds, wild animals and farm animals that have never been infected with bird flu before.
While Europe is a hotspot for A/H5N1, attention is currently focused on the US. Dairy cattle were infected for the first time in 2024, with more than 400 herds affected across at least 14 US states.
Bird flu has enormous impacts on farming and commercial food production, because infected poultry flocks have to be culled, and infected cows can result in contaminated diary products. That said, pasteurisation should make milk safe to drink.
While farmers have suffered major losses due to H5N1 bird flu, it also has the potential to mutate to cause a human pandemic.
Birds and humans have different types of receptors in their respiratory tract that flu viruses attach to, like a lock (receptors) and key (virus). The attachment of the virus allows it to invade a cell and the body and cause illness. Avian flu viruses are adapted to birds, and spread easily among birds, but not in humans.
So far, human cases have mainly occurred in people who have been in close contact with infected farm animals or birds. In the US, most have been farm workers.
The concern is that the virus will mutate and adapt to humans. One of the key steps for this to happen would be a shift in the virus’ affinity from the bird receptors to those found in the human respiratory tract. In other words, if the virus’ “key” mutated to better fit with the human “lock”.
A recent study of a sample of A/H5N1 2.3.4.4b from an infected human had worrying findings, identifying mutations in the virus with the potential to increase transmission between human hosts.
Why are pigs a problem?
A human pandemic strain of influenza can arise in several ways. One involves close contact between humans and animals infected with their own specific flu viruses, creating opportunities for genetic mixing between avian and human viruses.
Pigs are the ideal genetic mixing vessel to generate a human pandemic influenza strain, because they have receptors in their respiratory tracts which both avian and human flu viruses can bind to.
This means pigs can be infected with a bird flu virus and a human flu virus at the same time. These viruses can exchange genetic material to mutate and become easily transmissible in humans.
[!](https://images.theconversation.com/files/629678/original/file-20241104-17-txt21d.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip)
The Conversation, CC BY-SA
Interestingly, in the past pigs were less susceptible to A/H5N1 viruses. However, the virus has recently mutated to infect pigs more readily.
In the recent case in Oregon, A/H5N1 was detected in a pig on a non-commercial farm after an outbreak occurred among the poultry housed on the same farm. This strain of A/H5N1 was from wild birds, not the one that is widespread in US dairy cows.
The infection of a pig is a warning. If the virus enters commercial piggeries, it would create a far greater level of risk of a pandemic, especially as the US goes into winter, when human seasonal flu starts to rise.
How can we mitigate the risk?
Surveillance is key to early detection of a possible pandemic. This includes comprehensive testing and reporting of infections in birds and animals, alongside financial compensation and support measures for farmers to encourage timely reporting.
Strengthening global influenza surveillance is crucial, as unusual spikes in pneumonia and severe respiratory illnesses could signal a human pandemic. Our EPIWATCH system looks for early warnings of such activity, which can speed up vaccine development.
If a cluster of human cases occurs, and influenza A is detected, further testing (called subtyping) is essential to ascertain whether it’s a seasonal strain, an avian strain from a spillover event, or a novel pandemic strain.
Early identification can prevent a pandemic. Any delay in identifying an emerging pandemic strain enables the virus to spread widely across international borders.
Australia’s first human case of A/H5N1 occurred in a child who acquired the infection while travelling in India, and was hospitalised with illness in March 2024. At the time, testing revealed Influenza A (which could be seasonal flu or avian flu), but subtyping to identify A/H5N1 was delayed.
This kind of delay can be costly if a human-transmissible A/H5N1 arises and is assumed to be seasonal flu because the test is positive for influenza A. Only about 5% of tests positive for influenza A are subtyped further in Australia and most countries.
In light of the current situation, there should be a low threshold for subtyping influenza A strains in humans. Rapid tests which can distinguish between seasonal and H5 influenza A are emerging, and should form part of governments’ pandemic preparedness.
A higher risk than ever before
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the current risk posed by H5N1 to the general public remains low.
But with H5N1 now able to infect pigs, and showing worrying mutations for human adaptation, the level of risk has increased. Given the virus is so widespread in animals and birds, the statistical probability of a pandemic arising is higher than ever before.
The good news is, we are better prepared for an influenza pandemic than other pandemics, because vaccines can be made in the same way as seasonal flu vaccines. As soon as the genome of a pandemic influenza virus is known, the vaccines can be updated to match it.
Partially matched vaccines are already available, and some countries such as Finland are vaccinating high-risk farm workers.!The Conversation
C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC L3 Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney and Haley Stone, Research Associate, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute & CRUISE lab, Computer Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
- Call for applications: Early-career journalists invited to cover a flagship science event
Call for applications: Early-career journalists invited to cover a flagship science event
- Call for applications: Early-career journalists invited to cover a flagship science event
Call for applications: Early-career journalists invited to cover a flagship science event
- Newly Discovered Neurons Change Our Understanding of How the Brain Handles Hungerwww.rockefeller.edu Newly discovered neurons change our understanding of how the brain handles hunger - News
Manipulating a newly identified neural circuit can curb appetite—or spur massive overeating.
- A Meta-Network Hub Initiative for Sustainability in Asia Moves Forward
A Meta-Network Hub Initiative for Sustainability in Asia Moves Forward
- War’s hidden toll: How scientists are confronting the environmental devastation left in conflict’s wake
War’s hidden toll: How scientists are confronting the environmental devastation left in conflict’s wake
- PNG pharmacologist elected first President of the Pacific Academy of Sciences
PNG pharmacologist elected first President of the Pacific Academy of Sciences
- black hole feeds at 40 times the theoretical limitarstechnica.com black hole feeds at 40 times the theoretical limit
May explain how the Universe built supermassive black holes so quickly after the Big Bang.
With the advent of the Webb Space Telescope, the problem has pushed up against theoretical limits. The matter falling into a black hole generates radiation, with faster feeding meaning more radiation. And that radiation can drive off nearby matter, choking off the black hole's food supply. That sets a limit on how fast black holes can grow unless matter is somehow fed directly into them. The Webb was used to identify early supermassive black holes that needed to have been pushing against the limit for their entire existence.
- For science-based decision-making on the climate emergency: 10 new insights in climate science
For science-based decision-making on the climate emergency: 10 new insights in climate science
- The world’s oldest termite colony holds secrets – to the past and futurewww.aljazeera.com The world’s oldest termite colony holds secrets – to the past and future
The discovery of a 34,000-year-old mound in South Africa sheds light on the insects’ role in combating climate change
- Autism is more heritable in boys than in girlswww.thetransmitter.org Autism is more heritable in boys than in girls
If boys have greater inherited liability for autism, the female protective effect may not fully explain the sex difference in prevalence.
- Call for applications to unlock your digital journey: Deadline 30 November
Call for applications to unlock your digital journey: Deadline 30 November
- Leveraging scientific expertise for impact: the ISC’s Global Roster of Experts
Leveraging scientific expertise for impact: the ISC’s Global Roster of Experts
- New Cyanobacteria Strains Could Sequester Carbonwyss.harvard.edu New cyanobacteria strains could sequester carbon
Strains specialized to live in high-CO2 oceanic environments have evolved traits that are useful for decarbonization and bioproduction
- Launch of global consultation: Developing data policies for crisis facilitated by open science
Launch of global consultation: Developing data policies for crisis facilitated by open science
- How's Iceland's 4-Day Work Week Working? 'Incredibly Well,' Study Sayswww.commondreams.org How's Iceland's 4-Day Work Week Working? 'Incredibly Well,' Study Says | Common Dreams
"The Iceland story offers a very different vision to countries across Europe that are grappling with low productivity but trying the same old failed methods," said one researcher.
- Wait, Standing Desks Might Be Bad For Your Health?www.inverse.com Wait, Standing Desks Might Be Bad For Your Health?
Did we all take the idea that standing is better than sitting for granted? Maybe standing desks aren't the solution to our health woes after all.
- Researchers Flip Genes On and Off with AI-Designed DNA Switches
Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Yale University, have used artificial intelligence to design thousands of new DNA switches that can precisely control the expression of a gene in different cell types. Their new approach opens the possibility of controlling when and where genes are expressed in the body, for the benefit of human health and medical research, in ways never before possible.
“What is special about these synthetically designed elements is that they show remarkable specificity to the target cell type they were designed for,” said Ryan Tewhey, Ph.D., an associate professor at The Jackson Laboratory and co-senior author of the work. “This creates the opportunity for us to turn the expression of a gene up or down in just one tissue without affecting the rest of the body.”
- Anu Bradford wins the 2024 Stein Rokkan Prize with her ‘path-breaking’ book
Anu Bradford wins the 2024 Stein Rokkan Prize with her ‘path-breaking’ book
https://council.science/news/anu-bradford-wins-2024-stein-rokkan-prize/
- Transforming science organizations: The impact of women’s leadership on institutional reform
Transforming science organizations: The impact of women’s leadership on institutional reform
