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Researchers at Johns Hopkins report that an experimental drug targeting one of the most common genetic drivers of pancreatic cancer was safe in humans, and generated durable immune responses aimed at preventing the cancer in people at high risk. Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any form, and the developers believe […] The post Experimental Drug Generates Immune Response…
Hundreds of geometric earthworks were recently found in the southwestern Amazon, evidence that a monument-building, precolonial civilization was so much larger than previously thought. The scale of this hidden world of massive earthen construction projects only began to truly be understood this decade, but a recent aerial survey using laser radar has dramatically increased the […] The post…
For caregivers of children living with chronic or rare lung diseases, monitoring their condition presents an uncomfortable tradeoff: Repeated scans can be valuable, but they can also expose patients to radiation. Now, a rapidly advancing form of MRI is offering another possibility: detailed images of children’s lungs that can reveal not only their structure, but […] The post New Radiation-Free…
NASA engineers found a way to free up power aboard Voyager 2, helping the nearly 50-year-old spacecraft continue its scientific work. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory team decided to simultaneously shut down certain powered components and replaced them with options that use less energy—while also making sure Voyager 2 stayed warm enough to function properly. Decaying […] The post Voyager 2 was…
Scientists using Earth’s most powerful solar telescope have snapped a picture of the Sun’s surface that helped explain—for the first time—foundational physics about our dear star. Situated atop the summit of Haleakalā, a volcano on the island of Maui, the Daniel Inouye Solar Telescope peered down onto the surface of the Sun. Captured in the […] The post Highest Resolution View of the Sun Reveals…
Two famously toxic plants—known also to treat pain, malaria, cancer, and pests—may have had those medicinal properties synthesized in a lab for the first time. The researchers behind the discovery believe “plants are the best chemists”—and their breakthrough demonstrates that next-generation drugs don’t need to come from chemists’ inventions. Centered on the plants wolfsbane and […] The post Used…
In what must rank as one of the rarer fossil assemblages ever discovered, an incredible moment where the whole top-third of the Cretaceous era marine food chain was being sorted out has been presented by scientists. Following 7 years of study, the jumble of bones is nothing less than the remains of a flying reptile […] The post Single Fossil Shows a Pterosaur Eaten by an Ichthyosaur Eaten by a…
A major, early-stage advancement in vision technology comes to us now from South Korea, where researchers created a contact lens that repairs scratches automatically when exposed to sunlight. A scratched lens can mean an expensive replacement, but the UV light-activated hydrogel can repair these small imperfections in under an hour. The technology also offers greater […] The post Self-Healing…
As NASA’s Curiosity rover ascended the Martian valley named Valle Grande back in June, it sent back images of a landscape covered in honeycomb-like textures. “We’ve seen a lot of fascinating landscapes through Curiosity’s eyes, but this sea of polygons took our breath away,” said the mission’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion […] The post Mars Rover Discovers Mysterious…
Arizona State University researchers are testing ways to neutralize mining’s biggest environmental liabilities. At present the mining sector is experiencing a surge in interest and investment, as America has seemingly woken up to the dearth of Western supply for various minerals critical to a modern economy. At the same time, soaring precious metals prices have […] The post Scientists Develop…
